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10.1111/poms.12406
|
Safety Stock, Excess Capacity or Diversification: Trade-Offs under Supply and Demand Uncertainty
|
Firms mitigate uncertainty in demand and supply by carrying safety stock, planning for excess capacity and diversifying supply sources. In this study, we provide a framework to jointly optimize these three levers in a periodic review infinite horizon setting, and in particular we examine how one can reduce inventory and capacity investments through proper diversification strategies. Observing that a modified base-stock inventory policy is optimal, we find that the capacity-diversification problem is well behaved and characterize the optimal mix of safety stock, excess capacity and extra number of supply sources. We find that higher supply uncertainty results in higher safety stock, more excess capacity, and higher diversification. But safety stock and diversification are non-monotonic in demand uncertainty. Our results can be extended to situations in which suppliers are heterogeneous, and can be used to develop effective heuristics.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1088/0741-3335/55/12/124031
|
Theory Of Multidimensional Electron Scale Instabilities In Unmagnetized Shear Flows
|
Collisionless plasma instabilities operating on the electron time scale can be of importance to explain magnetic field generation; however, their role has been addressed in scenarios where velocity shear is absent. We show that, whenever present, velocity shears must be considered in the electron time scale since electromagnetic perturbations are unstable, both in the parallel (two fluids Kelvin?Helmholtz instability) and in the transverse plane of the flow. Using the two-fluid formalism in the limit of cold plasma, we derive the dispersion relations of the instability in the parallel plane. As the instabilities grow, we also show, through a kinetic model, the development of a dc magnetic field, extending all over the shear region, that reaches a typical value at a saturation of , where ?0 and ?0 are respectively the normalized velocity and the Lorentz factor of the plasma flow.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
10.1007/978-3-319-06419-2_53
|
Photoacoustic/optical coherence tomography
|
Preliminary work describing the multimodal combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging has demonstrated the potential for these two techniques to nicely complement each other, providing access to information about tissue scattering and absorption, respectively. In practice, however, there exist limitations to combining OCT and PA using conventional methods for PA signal acquisition, and thus, there have been relatively few successful demonstrations of a combined approach. Of the multimodal systems that have been presented, one that may offer a solution for translation to clinical use employs an all-optical ultrasonic detection technique based on a Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI)–based sensor. This chapter chronicles the efforts towards combining PA imaging and OCT, with a focus on a PA tomography (PAT)/OCT system that uses this FPI sensor for all-optical detection
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1111/febs.13965
|
Cryo-protective effect of an ice-binding protein derived from Antarctic bacteria
|
Cold environments are populated by organisms able to contravene deleterious effects of low temperature by diverse adaptive strategies, including the production of ice binding proteins (IBPs) that inhibit the growth of ice crystals inside and outside cells. We describe the properties of such a protein (EfcIBP) identified in the metagenome of an Antarctic biological consortium composed of the ciliate Euplotes focardii and psychrophilic non-cultured bacteria. Recombinant EfcIBP can resist freezing without any conformational damage and is moderately heat stable, with a midpoint temperature of 66. 4 °C. Tested for its effects on ice, EfcIBP shows an unusual combination of properties not reported in other bacterial IBPs. First, it is one of the best-performing IBPs described to date in the inhibition of ice recrystallization, with effective concentrations in the nanomolar range. Moreover, EfcIBP has thermal hysteresis activity (0. 53 °C at 50 μm) and it can stop a crystal from growing when held at a constant temperature within the thermal hysteresis gap. EfcIBP protects purified proteins and bacterial cells from freezing damage when exposed to challenging temperatures. EfcIBP also possesses a potential N-terminal signal sequence for protein transport and a DUF3494 domain that is common to secreted IBPs. These features lead us to hypothesize that the protein is either anchored at the outer cell surface or concentrated around cells to provide survival advantage to the whole cell consortium.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
] |
W2168954283
|
Relations between effective thickness, gas production and porosity in heterogeneous reservoirs: an example from the Molve Field, Croatian Pannonian Basin
|
ABSTRACT The Molve Field is the most important gas-condensate reservoir in Croatia. This petroleum system is not typical for the Pannonian System, because it comprises several reservoir lithologies, relatively high structural closure and significant tectonic influence on the field9s compartmentalization. Strike-slip extension in the Middle Miocene and younger Late Miocene and Pliocene tectonics formed the present-day tectonic setting. Reservoir stratigraphy includes four lithofacies (from Devonian to Neogene) with a unique gas-water contact. The lithologies encompass cataclased granite, gneiss, schists, quartzites, dolomites, limestones and grainstones. Source rocks were generated in lacustrine organic facies and migration occurred in the Late Miocene to Pliocene. Reservoir gas includes 4.5–15.7% C 2+ , but also non-hydrocarbon components. Analysed porosity data were approximated with a normal-distribution curve in lithofacies I, II and III, making it possible to calculate mean and variance easily by descriptive statistics. Moreover, gas production and effective thicknesses generally can be linked through a linear trend. However, significant deviations in the expected increased production rate with regard to greater reservoir thickness are observed for particular wells. This is a result of locally abrupt changes in effective porosities and permeabilities, and the size of the drainage area along the main fault zones. These faults resulted in significant compartmentalization of the field. Furthermore, owing to significant facies variations, permeability and porosity gradually change, especially in the vertical direction. Significant reserves of condensate (3 × 10 6 m 3 ) and gas (43 500 × 10 6 m 3 ) with a high recovery rate of 71% make this field significant for geological reservoir models. The well-established geological model for this field and its stable high pressure have maintained production rates at a present level of approximately 2900 m 3 gas and 165 m 3 condensate per day, thus providing a valuable example for other large heterogeneous reservoirs in the Pannonian Basin.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1039/C8TB00444G
|
From Proof Of Concept Material To Pegylated And Modularly Targeted Ultrasound Responsive Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles
|
In this work we present the synthesis, characterization and in vitro biological evaluation of PEGylated and actively-targeted ultrasound-responsive hybrid mesoporous silica nanoparticles. This work covers the development of the chemical strategies necessary to afford a modular nanocarrier starting from a proof-of-concept material presented in previous work. This functional ultrasound-responsive material can be adapted to different specific pathological conditions by carefully choosing the appropriate targeting moieties. The new ultrasound responsive material is able to target HeLa cells when conjugated with biotin or an RGD peptide. Ultrasound-responsive cytotoxicity towards cancer cells of doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles is demonstrated in an in vitro cytotoxicity assay.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1073/pnas.1919344117
|
Global airborne sampling reveals a previously unobserved dimethyl sulfide oxidation mechanism in the marine atmosphere
|
Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), emitted from the oceans, is the most abundant biological source of sulfur to the marine atmosphere. Atmospheric DMS is oxidized to condensable products that form secondary aerosols that affect Earth’s radiative balance by scattering solar radiation and serving as cloud condensation nuclei. We report the atmospheric discovery of a previously unquantified DMS oxidation product, hydroperoxymethyl thioformate (HPMTF, HOOCH2SCHO), identified through global-scale airborne observations that demonstrate it to be a major reservoir of marine sulfur. Observationally constrained model results show that more than 30% of oceanic DMS emitted to the atmosphere forms HPMTF. Coincident particle measurements suggest a strong link between HPMTF concentration and new particle formation and growth. Analyses of these observations show that HPMTF chemistry must be included in atmospheric models to improve representation of key linkages between the biogeochemistry of the ocean, marine aerosol formation and growth, and their combined effects on climate.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1021/jacs.8b02411
|
Bottom-up Formation of Carbon-Based Structures with Multilevel Hierarchy from MOF-Guest Polyhedra
|
Three-dimensional carbon-based structures have proven useful for tailoring material properties in structural mechanical and energy storage applications. One approach to obtain them has been by carbonization of selected metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with catalytic metals, but this is not applicable to most common MOF structures. Here, we present a strategy to transform common MOFs, by guest inclusions and high-temperature MOF-guest interactions, into complex carbon-based, diatom-like, hierarchical structures (named for the morphological similarities with the naturally existing diatomaceous species). As an example, we introduce metal salt guests into HKUST-1-type MOFs to generate a family of carbon-based nano-diatoms with two to four levels of structural hierarchy. We report control of the morphology by simple changes in the chemistry of the MOF and guest, with implications for the formation mechanisms. We demonstrate that one of these structures has unique advantages as a fast-charging lithium-ion battery anode. The tunability of composition should enable further studies of reaction mechanisms and result in the growth of a myriad of unprecedented carbon-based structures from the enormous variety of currently available MOF-guest candidates.
|
[
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
] |
291206
|
Nearshore Monitoring and Modelling:
Inter-scale Coastal Behaviour
|
The unprecedented growth of coastal communities has led to € billions worth of developments and infrastructure within the coastal zone. Therefore, future coastal hazards, which are likely to be exacerbated by climate change, will result in massive socio-economic and environmental impacts. To develop informed coastal management strategies to mitigate such adverse impacts, robust large scale, long term forecasts of coastal change are urgently required. However, none of the currently adopted approaches for simulating large scale, long-term (LSLT) coastal change appear to be capable of producing robust forecasts.
The consideration of processes governing LSLT coastal morphodynamics at their operational scales presents similar challenges to those encountered in climate forecasting. The recognition of inter-scale process relationships and the scale aggregation challenge is conceptualised in a scale cascade concept.
State-of-the-art and new innovative field monitoring methods will be implemented over a 5 year period along a 20km stretch of the Holland coast to acquire unprecedented process information at different temporal and spatial scales. These data will then be used in conjunction with existing macro-scale field data and strategic process based numerical modelling to support the development of an original, generic, physics based scale-aggregated numerical model of LSLT coastal change.
Such an innovative physics based scale-aggregated approach to forecast LSLT coastal change has never been attempted, primarily due to lack of a clear vision and the non-availability of multi-scale field data. The development of the capability to robustly forecast LSLT coastal change will represent a ‘world first’ achievement which will significantly advance the state-of-the-art of coastal engineering/science. I firmly believe that this will place the young and exciting field of coastal engineering/science on par with the more developed disciplines such as meteorology and hydrology.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1371/journal.pone.0107683
|
Enhanced immunogenicity of HIV-1 envelope gp140 proteins fused to APRIL
|
Current HIV-1 vaccines based on the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein spike (Env), the only relevant target for broadly neutralizing antibodies, are unable to induce protective immunity. Env immunogenicity can be enhanced by fusion to costimulatory molecules involved in B cell activation, such as APRIL and CD40L. Here, we found that Env-APRIL signaled through the two receptors, BCMA and TACI. In rabbits, Env-APRIL induced significantly higher antibody responses against Env compared to unconjugated Env, while the antibody responses against the APRIL component were negligible. To extend this finding, we tested Env-APRIL in mice and found minimal antibody responses against APRIL. Furthermore, Env-CD40L did not induce significant anti-CD40L responses. Thus, in contrast to the 4-helix cytokines IL-21 and GM-CSF, the TNF-superfamily members CD40L and APRIL induced negligible autoantibodies. This study confirms and extends previous work and shows that fusion of Env-based immunogens to APRIL can improve Env immunogenicity and might help in designing HIV vaccines that induce protective humoral immunity.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
W579521338
|
Operations & supply chain management for the 21st century
|
Boyer/Verma's breakthrough text meets today's student and instructor's needs and redefines the marketplace. Their text is briefer than most, taking all of the vital core concepts and building upon them with current and fresh examples. The authors understand the importance of striking a balance by creating a book that does an even better job at covering the core concepts while also providing customers with a new product that fully addresses and approaches this course area from today's teaching and learning perspectives and actual business practices. The three unifying themes throughout the book are Strategy, Global Supply Chain, and Service Operations. Strategy will serve as an overarching framework and will be used in each chapter to present students with an alternative approach to specific challenges. The authors use examples from non-US companies and/or organizations in each chapter to incorporate Service Operations in the book. They also show that even some of the largest manufacturing companies today have extensive service activities such as customer support and product development. The Global Supply Chain theme will allow students to see how products move through different companies and countries with Boyer/Verma's use of real world examples throughout his text. In addition the robust Cnow course allows instructors and students to go beyond the printed text to get the most from this exciting operations management program.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
] |
10.1007/JHEP10(2013)178
|
Exact Results In Mathcal N 2 Gauge Theories
|
We derive exact formulae for the partition function and the expectation values of Wilson/’t Hooft loops, thus directly checking their S-duality transformations. We focus on a special class of $ \mathcal{N}=2 $
gauge theories on S
4 with fundamental matter. In particular we show that, for a specific choice of the masses, the matrix model integral defining the gauge theory partition function localizes around a finite set of critical points where it can be explicitly evaluated and written in terms of generalized hypergeometric functions. From the AGT perspective the gauge theory partition function, evaluated with this choice of masses, is viewed as a four point correlator involving the insertion of a degenerated field. The well known simplicity of the degenerated correlator reflects the fact that for these choices of masses only a very restrictive type of instanton configurations contributes to the gauge theory partition function.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
] |
10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b03422
|
Room-Temperature Strong Coupling of CdSe Nanoplatelets and Plasmonic Hole Arrays
|
Exciton polaritons are hybrid light-matter quasiparticles that can serve as coherent light sources. Motivated by applications, room-temperature realization of polaritons requires narrow, excitonic transitions with large transition dipoles. Such transitions must then be strongly coupled to an electromagnetic mode confined in a small volume. While much work has explored polaritons in organic materials, semiconductor nanocrystals present an alternative excitonic system with enhanced photostability and spectral tunability. In particular, quasi-two-dimensional nanocrystals known as nanoplatelets (NPLs) exhibit intense, spectrally narrow excitonic transitions useful for polariton formation. Here, we place CdSe NPLs on silver hole arrays to demonstrate exciton-plasmon polaritons at room temperature. Angle-resolved reflection spectra reveal Rabi splittings up to 149 meV for the polariton states. We observe bright, polarized emission arising from the lowest polariton state. Furthermore, we assess the dependence of the Rabi splitting on the hole-array pitch and the number N of NPLs. While the pitch determines the in-plane momentum for which strong coupling is observed, it does not affect the size of the splitting. The Rabi splitting first increases with NPL film thickness before eventually saturating. Instead of the commonly used N dependence, we develop an analytical expression that includes the transverse confinement of the plasmon modes to describe the measured Rabi splitting as a function of NPL film thickness.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
] |
10.1080/02626667.2016.1273527
|
Socio-hydrological modelling of flood-risk dynamics: comparing the resilience of green and technological systems
|
This work aims to provide a dynamic assessment of flood risk and community resilience by explicitly accounting for variable human behaviour, e. g. risk-taking and awareness-raising attitudes. We consider two different types of socio-hydrological systems: green systems, whereby societies deal with risk only via non-structural measures, and technological systems, whereby risk is dealt with also by structural measures, such as levees. A stylized model of human–flood interactions is first compared to real-world data collected at two test sites (People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the city of Rome, Italy) and then used to explore plausible trajectories of flood risk. The results show that flood risk in technological systems tends to be significantly lower than in green systems. However, technological systems may undergo catastrophic events, which lead to much higher losses. Furthermore, green systems prove to be more resilient than technological ones, which makes them more capable of withstanding environmental and social changes. EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis ASSOCIATE EDITOR not assigned.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
] |
W1596918478
|
Automatic exclusion of skin border regions from breast MRI using proposed combined approach
|
In this paper, an automatic combined approach is presented to exclude skin border regions from Breast MRI images. This procedure is vital as pre-processing process in breast tumour segmentation systems. In order to detect and remove skin border regions, the proposed approach integrates two methods in two main stages. These stages are: edge detection using Level Set Active Contour method. Followed by, skin border removal using Morphological thinning method. The results showed high performance for edge detection stage with average of sensitivity 0.81 and specificity 0.94. On the other hand, the final skin border removal stage is also scored high performance with average of sensitivity 0.86 and specificity 0.97.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1051/0004-6361/201321298
|
The Gaps Programme With Harps N At Tng I Observations Of The Rossiter Mclaughlin Effect And Characterisation Of The Transiting System Qatar 1
|
A long-term multi-purpose observational programme has started with HARPS-N@TNG aimed to characterise the global architectural properties of exoplanetary systems. In this first paper we fully characterise the transiting system Qatar-1. We exploit HARPS-N high-precision radial velocity measurements obtained during a transit to measure the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in the Qatar-1 system, and out-of-transit measurements to redetermine the spectroscopic orbit. New photometric transit light-curves are analysed and a spectroscopic characterisation of the host star atmospheric parameters is performed based on various methods (line equivalent width ratios, spectral synthesis, spectral energy distribution). We achieved a significant improvement in the accuracy of the orbital parameters and derived the spin-orbit alignment of the system; this information, combined with the spectroscopic determination of the host star properties, allows us to derive the fundamental physical parameters for star and planet (masses and radii). The orbital solution for the Qatar-1 system is consistent with a circular orbit and the system presents a sky-projected obliquity of lambda = -8. 4+-7. 1 deg. The planet, with a mass of 1. 33+-0. 05 M_J, is found to be significantly more massive than previously reported. The host star is confirmed to be metal-rich ([Fe/H]= 0. 20+-0. 10) and slowly rotating (vsinI = 1. 7+-0. 3 km/s), though moderately active, as indicated by strong chromospheric emission in the Ca II H&K line cores (logR'_HK about -4. 60). The system is well aligned and fits well within the general lambda vs Teff trend. We definitely rule out any significant orbital eccentricity. The evolutionary status of the system is inferred based on gyrochronology, and the present orbital configuration and timescale for orbital decay are discussed in terms of star-planet tidal interactions.
|
[
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1109/TWC.2017.2771759
|
Compressed Sensing Assisted Spatial Multiplexing Aided Spatial Modulation
|
Spatial-multiplexing aided spatial modulation (SMx-SM) is proposed, which intrinsically amalgamates the concept of vertical bell labs space-time (V-BLAST) and SM to attain a high transmission rate, despite its low number of radio frequency (RF) chains at the transmitter. Specifically, in the SMx-SM scheme, the transmit antennas are partitioned into groups and the SM technique is applied individually to each group. Furthermore, low-complexity threshold-aided compressive sensing-based and message passing-based detectors are derived for our SMx-SM system. Our simulation results show that the proposed SMx-SM system exhibits a better performance despite its lower complexity than the conventional generalized spatial modulation system. More importantly, the proposed SMx-SM system is capable of providing considerable performance gains over the V-BLAST system at the same number of RF chains and throughput. Finally, an upper bound is derived for the average bit error probability, which is confirmed by our simulation results.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1093/bioinformatics/btr308
|
rBioNet: A COBRA toolbox extension for reconstructing high-quality biochemical networks
|
Motivation: Genome-scale metabolic networks are widely used in systems biology. However, to date no freely available tool exists that ensures quality control during the reconstruction process. Results: Here, we present a COBRA toolbox extension, rBioNet, enabling the construction of publication-level biochemical networks while enforcing necessary quality control measures. rBioNet has an intuitive user interface facilitating the reconstruction process for novices and experts.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1145/3242587.3242645
|
Tacttoo A Thin And Feel Through Tattoo For On Skin Tactile Output
|
This paper introduces Tacttoo, a feel-through interface for electro-tactile output on the user's skin. Integrated in a temporary tattoo with a thin and conformal form factor, it can be applied on complex body geometries, including the fingertip, and is scalable to various body locations. At less than 35µm in thickness, it is the thinnest tactile interface for wearable computing to date. Our results show that Tacttoo retains the natural tactile acuity similar to bare skin while delivering high-density tactile output. We present the fabrication of customized Tacttoo tattoos using DIY tools and contribute a mechanism for consistent electro-tactile operation on the skin. Moreover, we explore new interactive scenarios that are enabled by Tacttoo. Applications in tactile augmented reality and on-skin interaction benefit from a seamless augmentation of real-world tactile cues with computer-generated stimuli. Applications in virtual reality and private notifications benefit from high-density output in an ergonomic form factor. Results from two psychophysical studies and a technical evaluation demonstrate Tacttoo's functionality, feel-through properties and durability.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
W2614299954
|
Magneto-vortical evolution of QGP in heavy ion collisions
|
The interplay of magnetic field and thermal vorticity in a relativistic ideal fluid might generate fluid vorticity during the fluid evolution provided the flow fields and the entropy density of the fluid is inhomogeneous \cite{Mahajan:2010}. Exploiting this fact and assuming large magnetic Reynolds number we study the evolution of generalised magnetic field ($\hat{B}$) which is defined as a combination of the usual magnetic field ($\vec{B}$) and relativistic thermal vorticity ($\omega^{\mu\nu}$), in a 2(space)+1(time) dimensional isentropic evolution of Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) with longitudinal boost invariance. The temporal evolution of $\hat{B}$ is found to be different than $\vec{B}$ , and the $\hat{B}$ evolution also depends on the position of the fluid along the beam direction (taken along the z axis) with respect to the mid-plane $z=0$. Further it is observed that the transverse components ($\hat{B_{x}}$, $\hat{B_{y}}$) evolve differently around the mid-plane.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
W1981831712
|
The State of the Service: A Survey of Psychiatry Resident Education in Psychosomatic Medicine
|
Although required by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, training of general psychiatry residents in Psychosomatic Medicine (PM) varies significantly between programs. In 1996, the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine (APM) developed guidelines for residency training in PM. Since then, there has been no assessment of the status of PM training during psychiatry residency.Assessment of the current state of PM training in U.S. psychiatry residency programs.A 46-item questionnaire was sent via e-mail to 206 residency directors. Four major areas were assessed: the timing and duration of the PM rotation, level of faculty supervision, didactic curriculum, and role (or potential role) of the APM in residency education.Ninety-two surveys were returned (response rate 45%). Forty-four (54%) of the general psychiatry residencies reported the total duration of the C-L rotation as being between 3 and 6 months (including both full- and part-time rotation). Only 38 (46%) programs' residents complete their PM experience in 1 year of residency. The average Full-Time Equivalent of teaching faculty per service was 1.74 (standard deviation 0.92). Sixty-four (77%) programs have a formal didactic curriculum in C-L. Eighty-one (98%) respondents were aware of the APM. Fifty-eight (70%) had APM members among faculty. The most popular responses on how the APM could best serve training programs were the creation of a subspecialty curriculum (73%) as well as the development of a competency-based evaluation tool (66%).There is significant variation in how residents are taught PM during their training. The APM is a well-recognized organization that may define what constitutes adequate residency training in PM and may help programs fulfill the educational needs of residents.
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
10.1038/s41598-020-74948-3
|
Increasing temperatures accentuate negative fitness consequences of a marine parasite
|
Abstract
Infectious diseases are key drivers of wildlife populations and agriculture production, but whether and how climate change will influence disease impacts remains controversial. One of the critical knowledge gaps that prevents resolution of this controversy is a lack of high-quality experimental data, especially in marine systems of significant ecological and economic consequence. Here, we performed a manipulative experiment in which we tested the temperature-dependent effects on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) of sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis)—a parasite that can depress the productivity of wild-salmon populations and the profits of the salmon-farming industry. We explored sea-louse impacts on their hosts across a range of temperatures (10, 13, 16, 19, and 22 °C) and infestation levels (zero, ‘low’ (mean abundance ± SE = 1. 6 ± 0. 1 lice per fish), and ‘high’ infestation (6. 8 ± 0. 4 lice per fish)). We found that the effects of sea lice on the growth rate, condition, and survival of juvenile Atlantic salmon all worsen with increasing temperature. Our results provide a rare empirical example of how climate change may influence the impacts of marine disease in a key social-ecological system. These findings underscore the importance of considering climate-driven changes to disease impacts in wildlife conservation and agriculture.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
US 47838806 A
|
Overhead guard for materials handling vehicle
|
An overhead guard comprises a guard frame and a plurality of guard members. The guard frame is coupled to a suitable support structure of a materials handling vehicle so as to extend generally over at least a portion of an operator's compartment of the vehicle. The guard frame is oriented at an angle having a magnitude that is at least five degrees relative to the horizontal, and is angled upward towards a load handling assembly of the vehicle, at least in an area of the guard situated between a normal vehicle operating position and the load handling assembly. The plurality of guard members are supported by the guard frame at least within an area generally over the operator's compartment of the vehicle.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
US 2019/0049343 W
|
COMPOSITE ARTICLES WITH A VARIABLE BASIS WEIGHT AND UNIFORM THICKNESS
|
Methods of producing core layers with a variable basis weight across a width of the core layer and with a substantially uniform thickness across the width of the core layer are described. The core layers can be used in wall panels such as those present in recreational vehicle panels. Systems and various materials used to produce the core layers and articles are also described.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
219801
|
Media literacy for unaccompanied refugee youth - a path to integration
|
According to Eurostat, 2015 saw 90,000 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers register in the EU. Refugee children pose considerable policy challenges: their integration in Europe is of utmost importance. Studies show that while refugee children have IT competences, they lack the ability to make critical media choices, and make informed decisions regarding their well-being. This project builds on the IT knowledge of young refugees in order to further their integration by developing media literacy pedagogic tools. Media literacy education is essential for empowering citizenship, for gaining skills to become drivers of economic growth, and not least to prevent radicalization. Media literacy, a necessary aspect of lifelong learning, enables young people to participate civically, to overcome disadvantage and to represent marginalized and missing voices. For developing these pedagogic tools, the Fellow will first research how unaccompanied minor refugees use digital technology and social media through fieldwork carried out in 3 EU countries. In the second research phase, the Fellow will conduct participatory action research (PAR) in collaboration with an NGO which specializes in PAR with refugee youth. These results will be used to design teaching materials for youth workers and teachers. The project is unique because it brings together the disciplines of education, media literacy and migration studies for offering solutions to a matter of pressing urgency: the integration of unaccompanied minor refugees. This project will serve to widen the professional horizon of the Fellow. She will acquire specific research skills (digital ethnography, participant action research, educational tools design) and transferable skills (PhD supervision, leadership, editorial skills, managing large-scale events). The project will lay the foundations for the Fellow's long-term career goals, and she will be propelled to the forefront of media literacy research.
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
787307
|
Cracking the Anterior Cingulate Code: Toward a Unified Theory of ACC Function
|
Anterior cingulate cortex is one of the largest riddles in cognitive neuroscience and presents a major challenge to mental health research. ACC dysfunction contributes to a wide spectrum of psychiatric and neurological disorders but no one knows what it actually does. Although more than a thousand papers are published about it each year, attempts to identify its function have been confounded by the fact that a multiplicity of tasks and events activate ACC, as if it were involved in everything.
Recently, I proposed a theory that reconciles many of the complexities surrounding ACC. This holds that ACC selects and motivates high-level, temporally extended behaviors according to principles of hierarchical reinforcement learning. For example, on this view ACC would be responsible for initiating and sustaining a run up a steep mountain. I have instantiated this theory in two computational models that make explicit the theory's assumptions, while yielding testable predictions. In this project I will integrate the two computational models into a unified, biologically-realistic model of ACC function, which will be evaluated using mathematical techniques from non-linear dynamical systems analysis. I will then systematically test the unified model in a series of experiments involving functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography and psychopharmacology, in both healthy human subjects and patients.
The establishment of a complete, formal account of ACC will fill an important gap in the cognitive neuroscience of cognitive control and decision making, strongly impact clinical practice, and be important for artificial intelligence and robotics research, which draws inspiration from brain-based mechanisms for cognitive control. The computational modelling work will also link high level, abstract processes associated with hierarchical reinforcement learning with low level cellular mechanisms, enabling the theory to be tested in animal models.
|
[
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1007/JHEP11(2017)120
|
Nlo Qcd Ew Predictions For 2 Ell2 Nu Diboson Signatures At The Lhc
|
We present next-to-leading order (NLO) calculations including QCD and electroweak (EW) corrections for $2\ell2\nu$ diboson signatures with two opposite-charge leptons and two neutrinos. Specifically, we study the processes $pp\to e^+ \mu^- \nu_{e}\bar\nu_{\mu}$ and $pp\to e^+ e^-\nu\bar\nu$, including all relevant off-shell diboson channels, $W^+W^-$, $ZZ$, $\gamma Z$, as well as non-resonant contributions. Photon-induced processes are computed at NLO EW, and we discuss subtle differences related to the definition and the renormalisation of the coupling $\alpha$ for processes with initial- and final-state photons. All calculations are performed within the automated Munich/Sherpa+OpenLoops frameworks, and we provide numerical predictions for the LHC at 13 TeV. The behaviour of the corrections is investigated with emphasis on the high-energy regime, where NLO EW effects can amount to tens of percent due to large Sudakov logarithms. The interplay between $WW$ and $ZZ$ contributions to the same-flavour channel, $pp\to e^+ e^-\nu\bar\nu$, is discussed in detail, and a quantitative analysis of photon-induced contributions is presented. Finally, we consider approximations that account for all sources of large logarithms, at high and low energy, by combining virtual EW corrections with a YFS soft-photon resummation or a QED parton shower.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
10.15252/msb.20145549
|
Cell dynamics and gene expression control in tissue homeostasis and development
|
During tissue and organ development and maintenance, the dynamic regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation allows cells to build highly elaborate structures. The development of the vertebrate retina or the maintenance of adult intestinal crypts, for instance, involves the arrangement of newly created cells with different phenotypes, the proportions of which need to be tightly controlled. While some of the basic principles underlying these processes developing and maintaining these organs are known, much remains to be learnt from how cells encode the necessary information and use it to attain those complex but reproducible arrangements. Here, we review the current knowledge on the principles underlying cell population dynamics during tissue development and homeostasis. In particular, we discuss how stochastic fate assignment, cell division, feedback control and cellular transition states interact during organ and tissue development and maintenance in multicellular organisms. We propose a framework, involving the existence of a transition state in which cells are more susceptible to signals that can affect their gene expression state and influence their cell fate decisions. This framework, which also applies to systems much more amenable to quantitative analysis like differentiating embryonic stem cells, links gene expression programmes with cell population dynamics.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
W2065445308
|
Asymptomatic postmenopausal women with sonographically thickened endometrium. What do we do?
|
Background: A thickened endometrium in the postmenopausal
patient is a common reason for referral to gynaecology rapid access clinics
under the cancer targets wait. This can often be an incidental finding in the
asymptomatic patient. Investigation of this can be invasive, uncomfortable and
carries significant surgical risk. Aims: This paper aims to summarise all the
recent literature to see if there is any clear consensus on who should be
further investigated in this select group of patients. Methods: Systematic
literature review. Results: The studies varied greatly on the need for further
investigation in asymptomatic women with endometrial thickness greater than 11 mm,
with some deciding on careful case selection for further investigation, and
others investigating every patient. The treatment of asymptomatic patients with
endometrium classified as thickened, yet under 11 mm and no symptoms again
varied in case selection and further investigation. Endometrial polyps were mentioned
in 1 paper, suggesting that asymptomatic polyps need not be removed, which is
contrary to current clinical practice. Conclusion: There is no overall opinion
as to the exact treatment of women with thickened endometrium. Women should be
carefully triaged and all other factors taken into account
before further investigation are instigated.
|
[
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
Q4211203
|
ANTRAG AUF ERLEICHTERUNG ZUR UNTERSTÜTZUNG DER FIRMA GARTENSTRUKTUREN HOLZ SRL
|
ANTRAG AUF ERLEICHTERUNG ZUR UNTERSTÜTZUNG DES UNTERNEHMENS IM ZUSAMMENHANG MIT DER DURCH DIE COVID-19-PANDEMIE VERURSACHTEN NOTLAGE UND IN BEZUG AUF DIE WIRTSCHAFTS- UND SOZIALKRISE IM HINBLICK AUF DIE PRODUKTIVE ERHOLUNG
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
10.1073/pnas.1520727113
|
Functional polymorphisms of macrophage migration inhibitory factor as predictors of morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis
|
Pneumococcal meningitis is the most frequent and critical type of bacterial meningitis. Because cytokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis, we examined whether functional polymorphisms of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) were associated with morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis. Two functional MIF promoter polymorphisms, a microsatellite (-794 CATT5-8; rs5844572) and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (-173 G/C; rs755622) were genotyped in a prospective, nationwide cohort of 405 patients with pneumococcal meningitis and in 329 controls matched for age, gender, and ethnicity. Carriages of the CATT7 and-173 C high-expression MIF alleles were associated with unfavorable outcome (P = 0. 005 and 0. 003) and death (P = 0. 03 and 0. 01). In a multivariate logistic regression model, shock [odds ratio (OR) 26. 0, P = 0. 02] and carriage of the CATT7 allele (OR 5. 12, P = 0. 04) were the main predictors of mortality. MIF levels in the cerebrospinal fluid were associated with systemic complications and death (P = 0. 0002). Streptococcus pneumoniae strongly up-regulated MIF production in whole blood and transcription activity of high-expression MIF promoter Luciferase reporter constructs in THP-1 monocytes. Consistent with these findings, treatment with anti-MIF immunoglogulin G (IgG) antibodies reduced bacterial loads and improved survival in a mouse model of pneumococcal pneumonia and sepsis. The present study provides strong evidence that carriage of high-expression MIF alleles is a genetic marker of morbidity and mortality of pneumococcal meningitis and also suggests a potential role for MIF as a target of immune-modulating adjunctive therapy.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1088/1475-7516/2020/05/012
|
Unveiling The Galileon In A Three Body System Scalar And Gravitational Wave Production
|
We consider the prospect of detecting cubic Galileons through their imprint on gravitational wave signals from a triple system. Namely, we consider a massive Black Hole (BH) surrounded by a binary system of two smaller BHs. We assume that the three BHs acquire a conformal coupling to the scalar field whose origin could be due to cosmology or to the galactic environment. In this case, the massive BH has a Vainshtein radius which englobes the smaller ones and suppresses the scalar effects on the motion of the binary system. On the other hand the two binaries can be outside each other's redressed Vainshtein radius calculated in the background of the central BH, allowing for a perturbative treatment of their dynamics. Despite the strong Vainshtein suppression, we find that the scalar effects on the binary system are slightly enhanced with respect to the static case and a significant amount of power can be emitted in the form of the Galileon scalar field, hence actively participating in the inspiralling phase. We compute the modification to the GW phase and show that it can lead to a detectable signal for large enough effective scalar coupling.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
] |
988841
|
Role of endocycle in acute kidney injury response and chronic kidney disease development
|
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a global public health concern which results in 1.7 million deaths per year. If not lethal in the acute phase, AKI is considered reversible as suggested by recovery of renal function. However, even mild AKI episodes carry substantial risk of developing subsequent chronic kidney disease (CKD). The pathophysiological basis for this phenomenon remains unclear.
Injury and death of tubular cells are recognized as the main factors in the pathogenesis of AKI and functional recovery from AKI was traditionally attributed to the regenerative capacity of tubular epithelial cells (TECs) which are believed to re-enter the cell cycle and repair the damage. Nevertheless, my preliminary data provide evidence that an endocycle-mediated response of remnant TECs may represent a critical mechanism of response to AKI.
Endocycles are cell cycle variants consisting of G and S phases alone that repeatedly proceed without cytokinesis and its role in repair of mammalian tissues is mostly unknown and totally unexplored in the kidney.
This proposal will be structured into 3 distinct objectives to address: 1. The physiologic relevance of endocycle for kidney function recovery after AKI 2. The role of endocycle in the progression of AKI to CKD; 3. The mechanism by which YAP1 drives endocycle and contributes to CKD development. To this end I will use lineage tracing techniques based on the FUCCI2aR reporter applied in different transgenic animal models of AKI, together with in vitro experiments in human primary cultures of renal tubular cells.
Collectively, the outcomes of this proposal are expected to provide an entirely novel view of the kidney’s response to AKI, to further our understanding of the processes that drive CKD following AKI, as well as to describe for the first time endocycle as a critical response mechanism to tissue injury in the mammalian kidney.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
W2108694889
|
Cost evaluation of innovative offers using detailed equipment, process and network modeling languages
|
The fast evolution of networks, techniques and tools makes designing the business case for a new high tech customer offer a collaborative task, in which multiple specialized firms each provide their own expertise to the offer, making it as such the most advanced, yet cost-effective on the market. While in the past, the design of such a business case was made using the back of an envelope calculation, the complexity such collaborative effort entails, increases the need for specific tools for modeling the firms' interaction without losing the specifics of the cost-benefit models for the individual partners. To contribute to the effective design of collaborative business cases, this paper will describe a scalable multi-level quantification approach, while focusing on specific modeling languages for detailed cost modeling for the different partners: equipment modeling, process modeling and network modeling.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
758450
|
Republics on the Stage of Kings. Representing Republican State Power in the Europe of Absolute Monarchies (late 16th - early 18th century)
|
RISK investigates Republican pageantry and encomiastic production from late 16th- to early 18th-century Europe, with regard to the Italian city-states that maintained their independence throughout this timeframe (Venice, Genoa, Lucca), the Republic of Ragusa (today in southernmost Croatia) and the Dutch Republic. A multidisciplinary corpus of sources is taken into account, including: praising texts celebrating Republican values; paintings and engravings displaying civic rituals, or portraying mythological prosopopoeias of the Republic; and written accounts of public ceremonies, such as the election of the Doge or the triumph performed after a victorious campaign.
RISK provides the first comprehensive overview of these Republican displays of state power in an era - the so-called Ancien Régime - that is generally perceived to have been marked by the rise of a unique political model, i.e. the absolute monarchy. By comparing the representation of kingship and the staging of the Republican state, RISK analyses to what extent the absolutist framework influences the display of ideals such as freedom, equality, and the common good. The goal is to comprehend how the rhetorical devices of Baroque culture extoll a power that does not apply to someone (the King), but rather to something (the Republic and Republican virtues).
RISK is expected to lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of early modern cultural policy and propaganda. Indeed, Ancien Régime republicanism offers a repertoire of images and concepts that embodies an alternative mode of thinking about the state. This legacy allows us to challenge the perceived idea of a Janus-faced early modern Europe, where a series of binary oppositions would supposedly herald the transition towards modern democracy (monarchy versus republic, absolutism versus Enlightenment, court versus public sphere). RISK undermines these juxtapositions, as it highlights the richness and the plurality of our cultural heritage.
|
[
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
] |
10.1007/s11196-013-9314-0
|
The Limitations of a Multilingual Legal System
|
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and the way in which it works can be seen as a microcosm of how a multilingual, multicultural supranationalisation process and legal order can be constructed-the Court is a microcosm of the EU as a whole and in particular of EU law. The multilingual jurisprudence produced by the CJEU is necessarily shaped by the dynamics within that institution and by the 'cultural compromises' at play in the production process. The resultant texts, which make up that jurisprudence, are hybrid in nature and inherently approximate. On the one hand, that approximation can lead to discrepancies between language versions of the Court's case law and thus jeopardise the uniform application of EU law. On the other hand, that approximation and hybridity define EU law as a distinct, supranational legal order. This paper analyses the operation of the CJEU and considers whether a linguistic cultural compromise exists within that institution which exercises a formative influence on the character of its 'output'-i. e. its jurisprudence-and what that may mean for our understanding of the development of EU law.
|
[
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
10.1086/697742
|
Rent Seeking In Elite Networks
|
We employ a unique dataset on members of an elite service club in Germany to investigate how social connections in elite networks affect the allocation of resources. Specifically, we investigate credit allocation decisions of banks to firms inside the network. Using a quasi-experimental research design, we document misallocation of bank credit inside the network, with bankers with weakly aligned incentives engaging most actively in crony lending. Our findings, thus, resonate with existing theories of elite networks as rent extractive coalitions that stifle economic prosperity.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
10.1016/j.cmet.2020.04.007
|
Developmental and Tumor Angiogenesis Requires the Mitochondria-Shaping Protein Opa1
|
While endothelial cell (EC) function is influenced by mitochondrial metabolism, the role of mitochondrial dynamics in angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, is unknown. Here we show that the inner mitochondrial membrane mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) is required for angiogenesis. In response to angiogenic stimuli, OPA1 levels rapidly increase to limit nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cell (NFκB) signaling, ultimately allowing angiogenic genes expression and angiogenesis. Endothelial Opa1 is indeed required in an NFκB-dependent pathway essential for developmental and tumor angiogenesis, impacting tumor growth and metastatization. A first-in-class small molecule-specific OPA1 inhibitor confirms that EC Opa1 can be pharmacologically targeted to curtail tumor growth. Our data identify Opa1 as a crucial component of physiological and tumor angiogenesis.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
10.1088/0264-9381/31/24/245011
|
Quasinormal Modes Of Asymptotically Flat Rotating Black Holes
|
We study the main properties of general linear perturbations of rotating black holes (BHs) in asymptotically flat higher-dimensional spacetimes. In particular, we determine the quasinormal mode (QNM) spectrum of singly spinning and equal angular momenta Myers–Perry BHs (MP BHs). Emphasis is also given to the timescale of the ultraspinning and bar-mode instabilities in these two families of MP BHs. For the bar-mode instabilities in the singly spinning MP BH, we find excellent agreement with our linear analysis and the nonlinear time evolution of Shibata and Yoshino for d = 6,7 spacetime dimensions. We find that d = 5 singly spinning BHs are linearly stable. In the context of studying general relativity in the large dimension limit, we obtain the QNM spectrum of Schwarzschild BHs and rotating MP BHs for large dimensions. We identify two classes of modes. For large dimensions, we find that in the limit of zero rotation, unstable modes of the MP BHs connect to a class of Schwarzschild QNMs that saturate to finite values.
|
[
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
W1969670629
|
Treatment of Basic Red 29 dye solution using iron-aluminum electrode pairs by electrocoagulation and electro-Fenton methods
|
The aim of this study is the treatment of Basic Red 29 (BR29) dye solution using hybrid iron-aluminum electrodes by electrocoagulation and electro-Fenton methods. The effect of current density, initial pH, supporting electrolyte, H₂O₂, and initial dye concentration on dye removal efficiency was investigated, and the best experimental conditions were obtained. Time-coarse variation of UV-Vis spectra and toxicity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were also examined at the best experimental conditions. Both systems were found very successful for the removal of BR29 dye. The removal efficiency of >95% for BR29 dye solution was reached easily in a short time. At the best experimental conditions, for the initial BR29 concentration of 100 mg/L, >95% BR29 dye and 71.43% COD removal were obtained after 20 and 40 min of electrolysis, respectively. Additionally, toxicity results for electro-Fenton treatment of 100 mg/L BR29 were also very promising. According to the results obtained, although electro-Fenton is more effective, both systems can be used successfully to treat textile wastewater including dyes.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
] |
10.1109/PESGM.2015.7286090
|
Voltage and current balancing in Low and Medium Voltage grid by means of Smart Transformer
|
The Smart Transformer (ST), which is a power electronics-based transformer, represents an enabling technology for providing new services to the Low Voltage (LV) and Medium Voltage (MV) grid. The 3-stage configuration, with a high frequency transformer and 2 DC links, allows the electrical separation of the LV and MV grids. This leads to the independence of the two grids: any disturbance downstream and upstream can be compensated and mitigated by the ST action, which is the case of the unbalanced load condition of the LV grids. The unbalanced currents demanded by the loads could create unbalanced voltages at the LV side and also unbalanced currents at the MV side of a traditional transformer. This paper presents the improvements achieved by ST implementation in terms of voltage and current balancing: with a proper control of the ST, it provides balanced voltage in the LV grid, demanding a balanced current from the MV grid. This feature increases the power quality in both grids and provides an improved service to the customers.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
W2045941373
|
Developing Clinical Cancer Genetics Services in Resource-Limited Countries: The Case of Retinoblastoma in Kenya
|
Clinical cancer genetics is an integral part of cancer control and management, yet its development as an essential medical service has been hindered in many low-and-middle-income countries. We report our experiences in developing a clinical cancer genetics service for retinoblastoma in Kenya.A genetics task force was created from within the membership of the existing Kenyan National Retinoblastoma Strategy group. The task force engaged in multiple in-person and telephone discussions, delineating experiences, opinions and suggestions for an evidence-based, culturally sensitive retinoblastoma genetics service. Discussions were recorded and thematically categorized to develop a strategy for the design and implementation of a national retinoblastoma clinical genetics service.Discussion among the retinoblastoma genetics task force supported the development of a comprehensive genetics service that rests on 3 pillars: (1) patient and family counseling, (2) community involvement, and (3) medical education.A coordinated national retinoblastoma genetics task force led to the creation of a unique and relevant approach to delivering comprehensive and accurate genetic care to Kenyan retinoblastoma patients. The task force aims to stimulate innovative approaches in cancer genetics research, education and knowledge translation, taking advantage of unique opportunities offered in the African context.
|
[
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1017/fmp.2017.1
|
A FORMAL PROOF OF THE KEPLER CONJECTURE
|
This article describes a formal proof of the Kepler conjecture on dense sphere packings in a combination of the HOL Light and Isabelle proof assistants. This paper constitutes the official published account of the now completed Flyspeck project.
|
[
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1088/0067-0049/199/2/31
|
Fermi Large Area Telescope Second Source Catalog
|
We present the second catalog of high-energy γ-ray sources detected by the Large Area Telescope (LAT), the primary science instrument on the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), derived from data taken during the first 24 months of the science phase of the mission, which began on 2008 August 4. Source detection is based on the average flux over the 24 month period. The second Fermi-LAT catalog (2FGL) includes source location regions, defined in terms of elliptical fits to the 95% confidence regions and spectral fits in terms of power-law, exponentially cutoff power-law, or log-normal forms. Also included are flux measurements in five energy bands and light curves on monthly intervals for each source. Twelve sources in the catalog are modeled as spatially extended. We provide a detailed comparison of the results from this catalog with those from the first Fermi-LAT catalog (1FGL). Although the diffuse Galactic and isotropic models used in the 2FGL analysis are improved compared to the 1FGL catalog, we attach caution flags to 162 of the sources to indicate possible confusion with residual imperfections in the diffuse model. The 2FGL catalog contains 1873 sources detected and characterized in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range of which we consider 127 as being firmly identified and 1171 as being reliably associated with counterparts of known or likely γ-ray-producing source classes.
|
[
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
2721707
|
Unravelling the secretion machinery for virulence factors in apicomplexan parasites
|
Apicomplexan are obligatory intracellular parasites. The ability of these parasites (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma) to cause disease depends on the coordinated secretion of specialized secretory organelles. The rhoptries are particularly important, because they act as the apicomplexan equivalent of bacterial secretion systems. They inject parasite proteins directly in the cytoplasm of host cells not only for invasion but also to hijack host functions crucial to establish and maintain infection. However, in contrast to bacteria where the secretion machinery has been resolved to atomic detail, how eukaryotic parasites secrete and inject rhoptry effectors into cells is an enigma. This proposal aims to dissect the mechanistic steps and the molecular components that assemble the rhoptry secretion machine.
Our aims are:
1- To explore the mechanisms that trigger rhoptry exocytosis upon binding of the parasite to the host cell.
2- To provide insights into fusion machinery of rhoptry with the parasite plasma membrane. Our model is based on the discovery that free-living Ciliates and intracellular Apicomplexa share an evolutionarily conserved blueprint for their fusion mechanism.
3- To test and expand our hypothesis that rhoptries deliver their content through a transient pore formed into the host cell membrane.
We will employ powerful experimental systems in Toxoplasma, Plasmodium and the Ciliate Tetrahymena, taking full advantage of the relative strength of each model. This comprehensive project will bring together comparative genomics, targeted and global genetics, biochemistry, high resolution imaging and electrophysiology.
This project answers a question of fundamental biological importance. How can a parasite sense the host cell and inject virulence factors to attain control? Understanding this mechanism will guide future efforts to disrupt parasite infection and will contribute to broader understanding of fascinating questions of membrane fusion and export processes.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
] |
10.1088/1742-6596/874/1/012029
|
Horizon 2020 Eupraxia Design Study
|
The Horizon 2020 Project EuPRAXIA ("European Plasma Research Accelerator with eXcellence In Applications") is preparing a conceptual design report of a highly compact and cost-effective European facility with multi-GeV electron beams using plasma as the acceleration medium. The accelerator facility will be based on a laser and/or a beam driven plasma acceleration approach and will be used for photon science, high-energy physics (HEP) detector tests, and other applications such as compact X-ray sources for medical imaging or material processing. EuPRAXIA started in November 2015 and will deliver the design report in October 2019. EuPRAXIA aims to be included on the ESFRI roadmap in 2020.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1051/0004-6361/201425213
|
Hot Subdwarf Binaries From The Muchfuss Project Analysis Of 12 New Systems And A Study Of The Short Period Binary Population
|
The project Massive Unseen Companions to Hot Faint Underluminous Stars from SDSS (MUCHFUSS) aims at finding hot subdwarf stars with massive compact companions like massive white dwarfs (M>1. 0 M$_\odot$), neutron stars, or stellar-mass black holes. We present orbital and atmospheric parameters and put constraints on the nature of the companions of 12 close hot subdwarf B star (sdB) binaries found in the course of the MUCHFUSS project. The systems show periods between 0. 14 and 7. 4 days. Three systems most likely have white dwarf companions. SDSS J083006. 17+475150. 3 is likely to be a rare example of a low-mass helium-core white dwarf. SDSS J095101. 28+034757. 0 shows an excess in the infrared that probably originates from a third companion in a wide orbit. SDSS J113241. 58-063652. 8 is the first helium deficient sdO star with a confirmed close companion. This study brings to 142 the number of sdB binaries with orbital periods of less than 30 days and with measured mass functions. We present an analysis of the minimum companion mass distribution and show that it is bimodal. One peak around 0. 1 M$_\odot$ corresponds to the low-mass main sequence and substellar companions. The other peak around 0. 4 M$_\odot$ corresponds to the white dwarf companions. The derived masses for the white dwarf companions are significantly lower than the average mass for single carbon-oxygen white dwarfs. In a T$_{\rm eff}$-log(g) diagram of sdB+dM companions, we find signs that the sdB components are more massive than the rest of the sample. The full sample was compared to the known population of extremely low-mass white dwarf binaries as well as short-period white dwarfs with main sequence companions. Both samples show a significantly different companion mass distribution. We calculate merger timescales and timescales when the companion will fill its Roche Lobe and the system evolves into a cataclysmic variable.
|
[
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1007/s00220-015-2461-2
|
Scalar Field Theories with Polynomial Shift Symmetries
|
We continue our study of naturalness in nonrelativistic QFTs of the Lifshitz type, focusing on scalar fields that can play the role of Nambu–Goldstone (NG) modes associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking. Such systems allow for an extension of the constant shift symmetry to a shift by a polynomial of degree P in spatial coordinates. These “polynomial shift symmetries” in turn protect the technical naturalness of modes with a higher-order dispersion relation, and lead to a refinement of the proposed classification of infrared Gaussian fixed points available to describe NG modes in nonrelativistic theories. Generic interactions in such theories break the polynomial shift symmetry explicitly to the constant shift. It is thus natural to ask: Given a Gaussian fixed point with polynomial shift symmetry of degree P, what are the lowest-dimension operators that preserve this symmetry, and deform the theory into a self-interacting scalar field theory with the shift symmetry of degree P? To answer this (essentially cohomological) question, we develop a new graph-theoretical technique, and use it to prove several classification theorems. First, in the special case of P = 1 (essentially equivalent to Galileons), we reproduce the known Galileon N-point invariants, and find their novel interpretation in terms of graph theory, as an equal-weight sum over all labeled trees with N vertices. Then we extend the classification to P > 1 and find a whole host of new invariants, including those that represent the most relevant (or least irrelevant) deformations of the corresponding Gaussian fixed points, and we study their uniqueness.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
] |
2717164
|
Cyber physical systems for europe
|
In recent years, Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) technologies have become a game changer in strategic sectors such as Automotive, Energy and Industry Automation, where Europe is a world leader. In fact, CPS is a key driver for the innovation capacity of European industries, large and small, generating economic growth and supporting meaningful jobs for citizens. CPS4EU aims to arm Europe with extensive value chain across key sectors by:
1. Strengthening CPS Technology providers, mainly European SMEs, to increase their market share and their competitiveness to become world leaders
2. Improve design efficiency and productivity and enable secure certification
3. Enabling the creation of innovative European CPS products that will strengthen the leadership and competitiveness of Europe by both large groups and SMEs
4. Large Dissemination of CPS technologies.
To achieve these goals CPS4EU will:
1. Develop 4 key enabling technologies (computing, connectivity, sensing, cooperative systems)
2. Incorporate these CPS modules through pre-integrated architectures and design tools
3. Instantiate these architectures in dedicated use cases from strategic application: automotive, smart grid and industry automation
4. Improve CPS awareness and usage for all industrial sectors
CPS4EU gathers major large companies (BMW, VALEO, THALES, TRUMPF, RTE, ABENGOA, LEONARDO, and SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC), a large set of innovative SMEs and world-class research centres (FHG, CEA, DLR, INRIA, KIT, CNRS) to significantly reduce the development time and certification efforts through pan European collaboration, knowledge exchange and access to the strong value chain in strategic markets,
CPS4EU builds on a strong foundation in European and national initiatives. It will enable the European industry to lead strategic markets thanks to high level sharing of CPS technologies across sectors all along the value chain.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
10.1021/ol4025259
|
Concise copper-catalyzed synthesis of tricyclic biaryl ether-linked aza-heterocyclic ring systems
|
A new method for the synthesis of tricyclic biaryl ether-linked ring systems incorporating seven-, eight-, and nine-membered ring amines is presented. In the presence of catalytic quantities of copper(I), readily accessible acyclic precursors undergo an intramolecular carbon-oxygen bond-forming reaction facilitated by a templating chelating nitrogen atom. The methodology displays a broad substrate scope, is practical, and generates rare and biologically interesting tricyclic heteroaromatic products that are difficult to access by other means.
|
[
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
] |
10.1088/0004-637X/810/1/15
|
Blue Straggler Masses From Pulsation Properties Ii Topology Of The Instability Strip
|
We present a new set of nonlinear, convective radial pulsation models for main sequence stars computed assuming three metallicities: Z=0. 0001, 0. 001 and 0. 008. These chemical compositions bracket the metallicity of stellar systems hosting SX Phoenicis stars (SXPs or pulsating Blue Stragglers), namely Galactic globular clusters and nearby dwarf spheroidals. Stellar masses and luminosities of the pulsation models are based on alpha--enhanced evolutionary tracks from the BASTI website. We are able to define the topology of the instability strip (IS), and in turn the pulsation relations for the first four pulsation modes. We found that third overtones approach a stable nonlinear limit cycle. Predicted and empirical IS agree quite well in the case of 49 SXPs belonging to omega Cen. We used theoretical Period-Luminosity relations in B,V bands to identify their pulsation mode. We assumed Z=0. 001 and Z=0. 008 as mean metallicities of SXPs in omega Cen. We found respectively 13-15 fundamental, 22-6 first and 9-4 second overtone modes. Five are unstable in the third overtone mode only for Z=0. 001. Using the above mode identification and applying the proper mass-dependent Period-Luminosity relations we found masses ranging from ~1. 0 to 1. 2 Mo ( =1. 12, sigma=0. 04 Mo) and from ~1. 2 to 1. 5 Mo ( =1. 33, sigma=0. 03 Mo) for Z=0. 001 and 0. 008 respectively. Our investigation supports the use of evolutionary tracks to estimate of SXP masses. We will extend our analysis to higher Helium content that may have an impact in our understanding of the BSS formation scenario.
|
[
"Universe Sciences"
] |
10.1371/journal.pone.0136875
|
Bioreactor-based online recovery of human progenitor cells with uncompromised regenerative potential: A bone tissue engineering perspective
|
The use of a 3D perfusion culture environment for stem cell expansion has been shown to be beneficial for maintenance of the original cell functionality but due to several system inherent characteristics such as the presence of extracellular matrix, the continued development and implementation of 3D perfusion bioreactor technologies is hampered. Therefore, this study developed a methodology for harvesting a progenitor cell population from a 3D open porous culture surface after expansion in a perfusion bioreactor and performed a functional characterization of the expanded cells. An initial screening showed collagenase to be the most interesting reagent to release the cells from the 3D culture surface as it resulted in high yields without compromising cell viability. Subsequently a Design of Experiment approach was used to obtain optimized 3D harvest conditions by assessing the interplay of flow rate, collagenase concentration and incubation time on the harvest efficiency, viability and single cell fraction. Cells that were recovered with the optimized harvest protocol, by perfusing a 880 U/ml collagenase solution for 7 hours at a flow rate of 4 ml/min, were thereafter functionally analyzed for their characteristics as expanded progenitor cell population. As both the in vitro tri-lineage differentiation capacity and the in vivo bone forming potential were maintained after 3D perfusion bioreactor expansion we concluded that the developed seeding, culture and harvest processes did not significantly compromise the viability and potency of the cells and can contribute to the future development of integrated bioprocesses for stem cell expansion.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1103/PhysRevB.94.125153
|
Worm-improved estimators in continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo
|
We derive the improved estimators for general interactions and employ these for the continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo method. Using a worm algorithm we show how measuring higher-ordered correlators leads to an improved high-frequency behavior in irreducible quantities such as the one-particle self-energy or the irreducible two-particle vertex for non-density-density interactions. A good knowledge of the asymptotics of the two-particle vertex is essential for calculating nonlocal electronic correlations using diagrammatic extensions to the dynamical mean field theory as well as for calculating susceptibilities. We test our algorithm against analytic results for the multiorbital atomic limit and the Falicov-Kimball model.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Mathematics"
] |
10.1007/s10936-011-9183-1
|
Characterizing the Bilingual Disadvantage in Noun Phrase Production
|
Up to now, evidence on bilingual disadvantages in language production comes from tasks requiring single word retrieval. The present study aimed to assess whether there is a bilingual disadvantage in multiword utterances, and to determine the extent to which such effect is present in onset latencies, articulatory durations, or both. To do so, we tested two groups of Spanish speakers (monolinguals and early highly proficient bilinguals using their first and dominant language) each in two different production tasks: bare noun and noun phrase production. Onset latencies were longer for bilinguals relative to monolinguals in both production tasks. Regarding articulatory durations, we observed a clear bilingual disadvantage in noun phrase production and a strong tendency in bare noun production. These findings generalize the bilingual disadvantage in speech production to various performance measures (onset latency and articulatory duration of production) and beyond single words.
|
[
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
10.1021/acscentsci.5b00349
|
Diversity at the water-metal interface: Metal, water thickness, and confinement effects
|
The structure and properties of water films in contact with metal surfaces are crucial to understand the chemical and electrochemical processes involved in energyrelated technologies. The nature of thin water films on Pd, Pt, and Ru has been investigated by first-principles molecular dynamics to assess how the chemistry at the water-metal surface is responsible for the diversity in the behavior of the water layers closer to the metal. The characteristics of liquid water: the radial distribution functions, coordination, and fragment speciation appear only for unconfined water layers of a minimum of 1. 4 nm thick. In addition, the water layer is denser in the region closest to the metal for Pd and Pt, where seven- and five-membered ring motifs appear. These patterns are identical to those identified by scanning tunneling microscopy for isolated water bilayers. On Ru densification at the interface is not observed, water dissociates, and protons and hydroxyl groups are locked at the surface. Therefore, the acid-base properties in the area close to the metal are not perturbed, in agreement with experiments, and the bulk water resembles an electric double layer. Confinement affects water making it closer to ice for both structural and dynamic properties, thus being responsible for the higher viscosity experimentally found at the nanoscale. All these contributions modify the solvation of reactants and products at the water-metal interface and will affect the catalytic and electrocatalytic properties of the surface.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
] |
239898
|
DYNAMIC COVALENT CAPTURE: Dynamic Chemistry for Biomolecular Recognition and Catalysis
|
Molecular recognition plays a fundamental role in nearly all chemical and biological processes. The objective of this research project is to develop new methodology for studying and utilizing the noncovalent recognition between two molecular entities, focussing on biomolecular receptors and catalysts. A dynamic covalent capture strategy is proposed, characterized by the following strongholds. The target itself self-selects the best component out of a combinatorial library. The approach has a very high sensitivity, because molecular recognition occurs intramolecularly, and is very flexible, which allows for an easy implementation in very diverse research areas simply by changing the target. The dynamic covalent capture strategy is strongly embedded in the fields of supramolecular chemistry and (physical) organic chemistry. Nonetheless, the different work programmes strongly rely on the input from other areas, such as combinatorial chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, catalysis and computational chemistry, which renders the project highly interdisciplinary. Identified targets are new synthetic catalysts for the selective cleavage of biologically relevant compounds (D-Ala-D-Lac, cocaine and acetylcholine, and in a later stage peptides and DNA/RNA). Applicative work programmes are dedicated to the dynamic imprinting of monolayers on nanoparticles for multivalent recognition and cleavage of biologically relevant targets in vivo and to the development of new screening methodology for measuring chemical equilibria and, specifically, for the discovery of new HIV-1 fusion inhibitors.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.1101/235333
|
Modulation Of Formin Processivity By Profilin And Mechanical Tension
|
Formins are major regulators of actin networks. They enhance actin filament dynamics by remaining processively bound to filament barbed ends. How biochemical and mechanical factors affect formin processivity are open questions. Monitoring individual actin filaments in a microfluidic flow, we report that formin mDia1 dissociates faster under higher ionic strength and when actin concentration is increased. Profilin, known to increase the elongation rate of formin-associated filaments, surprisingly decreases the formin dissociation rate, by bringing formin FH1 domains in transient contact with the barbed end. In contrast, piconewton tensile forces applied to actin filaments accelerate formin dissociation by orders of magnitude, largely overcoming profilin-mediated stabilization. We developed a model of formin conformations and its confrontation to our data indicates the existence of two different dissociation pathways, with force favoring one over the other. How cells limit formin dissociation under tension is now a key question for future studies.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.1038/s41467-019-10275-0
|
SORLA regulates endosomal trafficking and oncogenic fitness of HER2
|
The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an oncogene targeted by several kinase inhibitors and therapeutic antibodies. While the endosomal trafficking of many other receptor tyrosine kinases is known to regulate their oncogenic signalling, the prevailing view on HER2 is that this receptor is predominantly retained on the cell surface. Here, we find that sortilin-related receptor 1 (SORLA; SORL1) co-precipitates with HER2 in cancer cells and regulates HER2 subcellular distribution by promoting recycling of the endosomal receptor back to the plasma membrane. SORLA protein levels in cancer cell lines and bladder cancers correlates with HER2 levels. Depletion of SORLA triggers HER2 targeting to late endosomal/lysosomal compartments and impairs HER2-driven signalling and in vivo tumour growth. SORLA silencing also disrupts normal lysosome function and sensitizes anti-HER2 therapy sensitive and resistant cancer cells to lysosome-targeting cationic amphiphilic drugs. These findings reveal potentially important SORLA-dependent endosomal trafficking-linked vulnerabilities in HER2-driven cancers.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
10.1007/JHEP08(2015)041
|
On The Modular Structure Of The Genus One Type Ii Superstring Low Energy Expansion
|
The analytic contribution to the low energy expansion of Type II string amplitudes at genus-one is a power series in space-time derivatives with coefficients that are determined by integrals of modular functions over the complex structure modulus of the world-sheet torus. These modular functions are associated with world-sheet vacuum Feynman diagrams and given by multiple sums over the discrete momenta on the torus. In this paper we exhibit exact differential and algebraic relations for a certain infinite class of such modular functions by showing that they satisfy Laplace eigenvalue equations with inhomogeneous terms that are polynomial in non-holomorphic Eisenstein series. Furthermore, we argue that the set of modular functions that contribute to the coefficients of interactions up to order D**10 R*4 are linear sums of functions in this class and quadratic polynomials in Eisenstein series and odd Riemann zeta values. Integration over the complex structure results in coefficients of the low energy expansion that are rational numbers multiplying monomials in odd Riemann zeta values.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
] |
10.1016/j.ygyno.2016.07.089
|
Performance of CADM1/MAL-methylation analysis for monitoring of women treated for high-grade CIN
|
Introduction Recent studies have shown that CADM1/MAL-methylation testing detects high-grade CIN lesions with a high short-term progression risk for cervical cancer. Women treated for CIN2/3 are at risk of post-treatment disease, representing either persistent (incompletely treated) or incident (early onset) lesions. Here, we evaluated CADM1/MAL-methylation analysis as potential tool for detecting recurrent high-grade CIN lesions (rCIN2/3). Methods and materials A multicenter prospective clinical cohort study was conducted among 364 women treated for CIN2/3. Cervical scrapes were taken prior to treatment, and six and 12 months post-treatment and tested for cytology, hrHPV (plus genotype) and CADM1/MAL-methylation. When at six months either of these tests was positive, a colposcopy-directed biopsy was obtained. At 12 months, all women underwent an exit-colposcopy with biopsy. In case of rCIN2/3, re-treatment was done. Results We found 28 rCIN2 (7. 7%) and 14 rCIN3 (3. 8%), resulting in a total recurrence rate of 11. 5%. All 14 women with rCIN3 and 15/28 (54%) with rCIN2 showed hrHPV type-persistence. Of these, 9/14 (64%) rCIN3 and 8/15 (53%) rCIN2 were CADM1/MAL-methylation positive. All incident rCIN2, characterized by hrHPV genotype-switch, were CADM1/MAL-methylation negative. All three carcinomas found after re-treatment were CADM1/MAL-methylation positive. CADM1/MAL-methylation positivity at both baseline and follow-up significantly increased the risk of ≥ rCIN3 (from 0. 7% to 18. 4%), and ≥ rCIN2 (from 8. 2% to 36. 8%), compared to a consistently CADM1/MAL-methylation negative result (p-value: < 0. 001). Conclusion Post-treatment monitoring by CADM1/MAL-methylation analysis identifies women with an increased risk of rCIN2/3. Our results confirm previous data indicating that CADM1/MAL-methylation analysis provides a high reassurance against cancer.
|
[
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
W4281961637
|
Agronomic performance of the lettuce crop subjected to different irrigation levels and soil coverings
|
Levels of irrigation and soil cover can affect the dynamics of soil water and directly influence the agronomic performance of lettuce crops under protected cultivation. Given this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different levels of irrigation and types of soil coverage on the agronomic performance of the Crespa lettuce cultivar ‘Mônica’, in the municipality of Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil. The experimental design was a completely randomized block in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme with four replications. To quantify the agronomic performance of the lettuce crop, selected morphological characteristics (plant height, stem diameter, head circumference, fresh aerial parts), productivity, and water use efficiency were measured at the time of harvest. We found that uncovered soil provided the best results with respect to plant height and head circumference of the curly lettuce cultivar ‘Mônica’ in protected cultivation when treatments were raised to 100% PwC at 17 days after transplanting. The level of irrigation corresponding to 100% PwC promoted larger stem diameters, fresh aerial parts, productivity and water-use efficiency when curly lettuce is grown in uncovered soil. Increasing the maximum water storage capacity of vessels at 17 days after transplanting crisp lettuce is assumed to favorably modify the agronomic performance of the crop, thereby influencing final productivity and the efficiency of water use.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1128/EC.05225-11
|
A Machine Learning Approach To Identify Hydrogenosomal Proteins In Trichomonas Vaginalis
|
The protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, the most widespread nonviral sexually transmitted disease in humans. It possesses hydrogenosomes-anaerobic mitochondria that generate H(2), CO(2), and acetate from pyruvate while converting ADP to ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation. T. vaginalis hydrogenosomes lack a genome and translation machinery; hence, they import all their proteins from the cytosol. To date, however, only 30 imported proteins have been shown to localize to the organelle. A total of 226 nuclear-encoded proteins inferred from the genome sequence harbor a characteristic short N-terminal presequence, reminiscent of mitochondrial targeting peptides, which is thought to mediate hydrogenosomal targeting. Recent studies suggest, however, that the presequences might be less important than previously thought. We sought to identify new hydrogenosomal proteins within the 59,672 annotated open reading frames (ORFs) of T. vaginalis, independent of the N-terminal targeting signal, using a machine learning approach. Our training set included 57 gene and protein features determined for all 30 known hydrogenosomal proteins and 576 nonhydrogenosomal proteins. Several classifiers were trained on this set to yield an import score for all proteins encoded by T. vaginalis ORFs, predicting the likelihood of hydrogenosomal localization. The machine learning results were tested through immunofluorescence assay and immunodetection in isolated cell fractions of 14 protein predictions using hemagglutinin constructs expressed under the homologous SCSα promoter in transiently transformed T. vaginalis cells. Localization of 6 of the 10 top predicted hydrogenosome-localized proteins was confirmed, and two of these were found to lack an obvious N-terminal targeting signal.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
W1973440345
|
Introductory signal processing labs based on filterbank applications
|
Filterbank implementations and simulations can be used successfully in introductory signal processing lab courses by avoiding some of the analytical complexities and focusing on real-world applications. One excellent area is human hearing where the cochlea is well modelled by a filterbank. A lab project that simulates a cochlear implant (CI) combines elements of signal processing with biomedical engineering. Another intriguing application is the decoding of dual-tone multiple-frequency (DTMF) signals used in telephones. Designing a filterbank with multiple bandpass channels to extract signal of interest motivates students to learn filter design, and also provides them with a sense of accomplishment once the whole system is is working. In addition, these filterbank labs can be supported with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that illustrate how the important components of the system must work together. A comprehensive GUI for the CI simulation is presented along with a GUI tool for filter design. The CI GUI shows the expected signal behavior in the channels after filtering and after detection, as well as having sound input-output, so that students can listen to the key signals.
|
[
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
US 53845575 A
|
COVERS FOR OUTDOOR CHAIRS
|
An improved removable cover for an outdoor-type chair useable as a replacement for the existing covers thereon, to restore such existing covers or to reinforce an originally installed cover therefor, such as an originally installed cover comprising a plurality of horizontal tubular straps. The improved cover comprises at least a plurality of vertical straps having separable interlockable first and second corresponding ends, with one of the corresponding ends comprising an adjustable buckle closure device having a cross-bar member positionable adjacent one of a plurality of through-hole apertures in said end and the other of said ends having a through-hole aperture therein, such as through a reinforced loop portion, with a longitudinally serrated ratchet-type strip having a plurality of longitudinally extending serrations therein and a buckle-type closure at one end thereof having an aperture therein with a pawl-like means extending into the aperture being insertable through said one aperture in said one end and said aperture in said open end of said strap and engageable in ratchet fashion with the serrations when the serrated strip end is inserted through the aperture to interlock said strap ends together about the chair frame. This forms an adjustable self-tightening tension means due to the ratchet type interaction between the pawl and serrations. A similar adjustable tension means may also be provided for a plurality of horizontal straps through which the vertical straps are extendable in a woven-like configuration. These vertical straps and/or horizontal straps may be separable or form an interconnected harness. Moreover, the corresponding ends of the straps themselves may comprise the longitudinally serrated ratchet type strip and buckle-type closure, respectively.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1038/nature10241
|
A Polycomb-based switch underlying quantitative epigenetic memory
|
The conserved Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) generates trimethylation of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a modification associated with stable epigenetic silencing. Much is known about PRC2-induced silencing but key questions remain concerning its nucleation and stability. Vernalization, the perception and memory of winter in plants, is a classic epigenetic process that, in Arabidopsis, involves PRC2-based silencing of the floral repressor FLC. The slow dynamics of vernalization, taking place over weeks in the cold, generate a level of stable silencing of FLC in the subsequent warm that depends quantitatively on the length of the prior cold. These features make vernalization an ideal experimental system to investigate both the maintenance of epigenetic states and the switching between them. Here, using mathematical modelling, chromatin immunoprecipitation and an FLC:GUS reporter assay, we show that the quantitative nature of vernalization is generated by H3K27me3-mediated FLC silencing in the warm in a subpopulation of cells whose number depends on the length of the prior cold. During the cold, H3K27me3 levels progressively increase at a tightly localized nucleation region within FLC. At the end of the cold, numerical simulations predict that such a nucleation region is capable of switching the bistable epigenetic state of an individual locus, with the probability of overall FLC coverage by silencing H3K27me3 marks depending on the length of cold exposure. Thus, the model predicts a bistable pattern of FLC gene expression in individual cells, a prediction we verify using the FLC:GUS reporter system. Our proposed switching mechanism, involving the local nucleation of an opposing histone modification, is likely to be widely relevant in epigenetic reprogramming.
|
[
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
714562
|
Peri-Ocularly Navigated Exteroceptive Snake Robot for Novel Retinal Interventions
|
Intraocular treatments require manipulation of structures with dimensions comparable to hand tremor. The demanded dexterity, coupled with reduced haptic and depth perception, calls for robotic assistance.
Despite notable benefits, existing robots are not clinically disruptive but follow well-trodden intervention protocols with significant limitations, e.g. lack of flexibility at the scleral incision and limited manipulation bandwidth, as to avoid scleral, lens, and retinal damage. Robotics also does not obviate the prerequisite of the risky, cataract-inducing vitrectomy, which may cause retinal detachment (RD) or sight loss.
Novel interventions like stem-cell delivery pose yet further challenges. Apart from removing healthy vitreous, they require millimetre-long retinal tears, lifting the retinal membrane, and injecting a stem-cell suspension or sheet. Current robots facilitate manipulations but conceivably neither enable alternative approaches nor reduce retinal-tear-induced risks.
PIONEER, the proposed snake robot, can disrupt clinical protocol by navigating peri-ocularly and around the orbital muscles to suprachoroidally reach the retina. Revolutionizing existing robot paradigms, PIONEER innovates both scientifically and technically.
Optimal robot compliance will ensure force-adaptive peri-ocular steering conforming to the eye’s exterior. A tactile sleeve with micro-sensors will provide exteroceptive force sensing and shape estimation. Enhanced navigation, fusing optical coherence tomography with on-line vessel detection from novel tip-mounted probes, will ensure safe guidance to avoid vessels through imposed virtual fixtures and path planning. No vitrectomy will be required and the posterior scleral incision will leave the retinal membrane intact, minimising RD risk.
PIONEER can be an enabler of emerging stem-cell interventions and futuristic procedures like drug-implant insertion and nerve interfacing, currently at human-dexterity limits or impossible.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1007/978-3-319-13242-6_189
|
Sub 100 Fs Mid Infrared Pulses As Driver For A Table Top Hard X Ray Source
|
Midinfrared powerful 90 fs pulses at a wavelength of λ=3. 9μm drive a femtosecond hard x-ray source (Cu~Kα: \hbar ω =8. 05 keV). Up to 10^8 X-ray photons/pulse are generated which is twice as many as with 800 nm drivers of a 100 times higher peak intensity.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
] |
interreg_1395
|
FRancia Italia START2 - The specialized services of the network of cross-border incubators in the space of the Maritime OP
|
The experience developed as part of the FRI_Start project forms the basis for this project. FRI_Start created a network of incubators (six operators covering all the Programme territories) with ‘Quality Label Marittime IT_FR’ certification, which will now form the basis of a fertile context to establish innovative, cross-border start-ups that are able to firmly position themselves in the area, favouring a focus on innovation and cross-border and global collaboration. The aim is to provide the selected start-ups with a series of specialised services, chosen from among the services tested with the first project; these services will be in addition to the standard ones provided by the incubators. This specialist assistance will be dedicated to key aspects (IPR, digitalisation, seed and early stage financing, risk finance, identification of foreign markets/customers, etc.) and will be integrated with a series of business opportunities (trade fairs, mobility). The PO Marittimo area constitutes an ecosystem with average dynamics in terms of innovation (EU reports classify France as an Innovation Follower and Italy as a Modest Innovator); in order to achieve growth, new common/shared policies are needed among innovation facilitators, to improve the innovative standards of start-ups and SMEs (92% of companies in the area) and make them more competitive on the global market. The project will be implemented by a cross-border partnership made up of important players in terms of innovation/business creation and will extend to companies across the entire PO Marittimo area, based on the collaborations established when the Fristart incubator network was set up (this network is open to new incubators that wish to join). The level of competitiveness achieved by the start-ups being supported with specialised services will be tested at the end of the project, through a cross-border business plan competition.
|
[
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
W2265185315
|
Efectos del parámetro "Estímulo condicionado/intervalo entre estímulos", T en la conducta de evitación
|
The possibility to integrate s~gnaled shuttle-box avoidance to tite t-tau system Ls pro¬posed, on tite boris of an equivalence of tite parameters T (td/td + t delta ratio) vid CE/lS! (Conditicined Stitnulus/Jnter.stirnulus Interval rajo). Six rats were etnployed to evaluote tite effects of tite para meter 7 = CE/lS! on avoidance beltavior. Tite results sitowed titat increments of this parameter itad differential effects on avoidance behavior, latency and anticipatory responses of subjects previously classified as good and bad regarding avoidance behavior. Moreover, it was observed that nonelicited anticipatory responses (anticipatory responses ,ninus received shocks) could be predictors of avoidance efficien¬cy. With increases in T, good avoiders kept a Itigh efficiency, minimal latencies and a decrease in anticipatory responses, (botit, elicited and non elicited); witereas bad avoiders progressively itnproved titeir efficiency, sitowing long latencies titat decreases as T was incresed and did not sitow systematic changes in anticipatory responses.
|
[
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
] |
10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.103771
|
Pressure-induced collagen degradation in arterial tissue as a potential mechanism for degenerative arterial disease progression
|
Collagen fibre degradation is a strain-dependent process, whereby the magnitude of experienced strain dictates the rate of enzymatic cleavage. Studies have identified conflicting findings as to whether strain inhibits or enhances collagen degradation, which may be explained by the tissue type and tissue scale investigated, as well as the strain range considered. The aim of this study is to identify, for the first time, the strain-dependent degradation response of intact arterial vessels experiencing physiological pressures and apply these findings to a computational model to better understand degenerative arterial diseases, such as aneurysms. To achieve this, a series of quasi-static pressure inflation experiments were carried out on intact arteries in the presence of purified bacterial collagenase at physiologically relevant pressures to investigate collagen matrix degradation in the vascular wall. A complementary computational model was developed to explore the complex role of pressure, non-collagenous matrix contribution, and collagen fibre crimp in the ultimate degradation response of the vessel. Pressure induced inflation-degradation results identified an increased rate of vessel expansion and reduced time to failure with increasing pressure in the vessels. Interestingly, our computational model was able to capture this same response, including the elevated rates of degradation which occur at low pressures. These findings highlight the critical role of strain in collagen degradation, particularly in cases of arterial disease, such as aneurysm formation, whereby structural integrity may be compromised.
|
[
"Materials Engineering",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1063/1.4789065
|
Laser Generation And Detection For Surface Wave Interaction With Different Defect Geometries
|
The enhancement of surface waves in the near-field of a defect has been reported by several authors. It has been demonstrated that the interaction between the incident Rayleigh wave with the reflected Rayleigh wave, plus the mode-converted surface skimming longitudinal wave, explains the significant increase in signal amplitude that is encountered as a detection point approaches a smooth machined defect inclined normal to the surface. However, this is not a typical defect geometry. For example, rolling contact fatigue in rails grows at an angle to the surface, and stress corrosion cracking grows as branched defects. We present results of experimental measurements on machined slots with varied geometries, including defects which are normal or inclined to the surface, and show the effect of branched defect geometries on the wave propagation and signal enhancement. We use laser generation and detection, and compare results with finite element method (FEM) models. We also investigate frequency enhancements for angled and branched defects, to highlight further potential measurement techniques when using scanning laser detection.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1109/JBHI.2013.2257820
|
An Explicit Shape Constrained Mrf Based Contour Evolution Method For 2 D Medical Image Segmentation
|
Image segmentation is, in general, an ill-posed problem and additional constraints need to be imposed in order to achieve the desired segmentation result. While segmenting organs in medical images, which is the topic of this paper, a significant amount of prior knowledge about the shape, appearance, and location of the organs is available that can be used to constrain the solution space of the segmentation problem. Among the various types of prior information, the incorporation of prior information about shape, in particular, is very challenging. In this paper, we present an explicit shape-constrained MAP-MRF-based contour evolution method for the segmentation of organs in 2-D medical images. Specifically, we represent the segmentation contour explicitly as a chain of control points. We then cast the segmentation problem as a contour evolution problem, wherein the evolution of the contour is performed by iteratively solving a MAP-MRF labeling problem. The evolution of the contour is governed by three types of prior information, namely: (i) appearance prior, (ii) boundary-edgeness prior, and (iii) shape prior, each of which is incorporated as clique potentials into the MAP-MRF problem. We use the master-slave dual decomposition framework to solve the MAP-MRF labeling problem in each iteration. In our experiments, we demonstrate the application of the proposed method to the challenging problem of heart segmentation in non-contrast computed tomography data.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
805524
|
Engineering Bio-Inspired Systems for the Conversion of Solar Energy to Hydrogen
|
With this proposal, I aim to achieve the efficient conversion of solar energy to hydrogen. The overall objective is to engineer bio-inspired systems able to convert solar energy into a separation of charges and to construct devices by coupling these systems to catalysts in order to drive sustainable and effective water oxidation and hydrogen production.
The global energy crisis requires an urgent solution, we must replace fossil fuels for a renewable energy source: Solar energy. However, the efficient and inexpensive conversion and storage of solar energy into fuel remains a fundamental challenge. Currently, solar-energy conversion devices suffer from energy losses mainly caused by disorder in the materials used. The solution to this problem is to learn from nature. In photosynthesis, the photosystem II reaction centre (PSII RC) is a pigment-protein complex able to overcome disorder and convert solar photons into a separation of charges with near 100% efficiency. Crucially, the generated charges have enough potential to drive water oxidation and hydrogen production.
Previously, I have investigated the charge separation process in the PSII RC by a collection of spectroscopic techniques, which allowed me to formulate the design principles of photosynthetic charge separation, where coherence plays a crucial role. Here I will put these knowledge into action to design efficient and robust chromophore-protein assemblies for the collection and conversion of solar energy, employ organic chemistry and synthetic biology tools to construct these well defined and fully controllable assemblies, and apply a complete set of spectroscopic methods to investigate these engineered systems.
Following the approach Understand, Engineer, Implement, I will create a new generation of bio-inspired devices based on abundant and biodegradable materials that will drive the transformation of solar energy and water into hydrogen, an energy-rich molecule that can be stored and transported.
|
[
"Materials Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
] |
10.1090/S0002-9947-2011-05234-7
|
Labeled Trees And Localized Automorphisms Of The Cuntz Algebras
|
We initiate a detailed and systematic study of automorphisms of the Cuntz algebras On which preserve both the diagonal and the core UHF-subalgebra. A general criterion of invertibility of endomorphisms yielding such automorphisms is given. Combinatorial investigations of endomorphisms related to permutation matrices are presented. Key objects entering this analysis are labeled rooted trees equipped with additional data. Our analysis provides insight into the structure of Aut(On) and leads to numerous new examples. In particular, we completely classify all such automorphisms of O2 for the permutation unitaries in ⊗ 4 M2. We show that the subgroup of Out(O2) generated by these automorphisms contains a copy of the infinite dihedral group Z ⋊ Z2. MSC 2000: 46L40, 46L05, 37B10
|
[
"Mathematics"
] |
W2009170877
|
The study of eQTL variations by RNA-seq: from SNPs to phenotypes
|
Common DNA variants alter the expression levels and patterns of many human genes. Loci responsible for this genetic control are known as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). The resulting variation of gene expression across individuals has been postulated to be a determinant of phenotypic variation and susceptibility to complex disease. In the past, the application of expression microarray and genetic variation data to study populations enabled the rapid identification of eQTLs in model organisms and humans. Now, a new technology promises to revolutionize the field. Massively parallel RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) provides unprecedented resolution, allowing us to accurately monitor not only the expression output of each genomic locus but also reconstruct and quantify alternatively spliced transcripts. RNA-seq also provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying eQTLs. Here, we discuss the major advances introduced by RNA-seq and summarize current progress towards understanding the role of eQTLs in determining human phenotypic diversity.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.1038/cr.2015.3
|
Anticancer immunotherapy by CTLA-4 blockade: Obligatory contribution of IL-2 receptors and negative prognostic impact of soluble CD25
|
The cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4)-blocking antibody ipilimumab induces immune-mediated long-term control of metastatic melanoma in a fraction of patients. Although ipilimumab undoubtedly exerts its therapeutic effects via immunostimulation, thus far clinically useful, immunologically relevant biomarkers that predict treatment efficiency have been elusive. Here, we show that neutralization of IL-2 or blocking the α and β subunits of the IL-2 receptor (CD25 and CD122, respectively) abolished the antitumor effects and the accompanying improvement of the ratio of intratumoral T effector versus regulatory cells (Tregs), which were otherwise induced by CTLA-4 blockade in preclinical mouse models. CTLA-4 blockade led to the reduction of a suppressive CD4 + T cell subset expressing Lag3, ICOS, IL-10 and Egr2 with a concomitant rise in IL-2-producing effector cells that lost FoxP3 expression and accumulated in regressing tumors. While recombinant IL-2 improved the therapeutic efficacy of CTLA-4 blockade, the decoy IL-2 receptor α (IL-2Rα, sCD25) inhibited the anticancer effects of CTLA-4 blockade. In 262 metastatic melanoma patients receiving ipilimumab, baseline serum concentrations of sCD25 represented an independent indicator of overall survival, with high levels predicting resistance to therapy. Altogether, these results unravel a role for IL-2 and IL-2 receptors in the anticancer activity of CTLA-4 blockade. Importantly, our study provides the first immunologically relevant biomarker, namely elevated serum sCD25, that predicts resistance to CTLA-4 blockade in patients with melanoma.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
W4223511287
|
<b>Gegenwartsliteratur</b> [Sammelrezension]Jeleč, Marijana (Hrsg.): Tendenzen der Gegenwartsliteratur. Berlin: Peter Lang, 2019. – ISBN 978-3-631-79662-7. 357 Seiten, € 68,70.Hille, Almut; Völkel, Oliver Niels (Hrsg.): Was zu beginnen nicht aufhört. Facetten von Gegenwartsliteratur in der internationalen Germanistik und im Fach Deutsch als Fremdsprache. München: iudicium, 2020 (LiKuM – Literatur Kultur Medien in Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache, 2). – ISBN 978-3-86205-735-1. 284 Seiten, € …
|
Article Gegenwartsliteratur [Sammelrezension]Jeleč, Marijana (Hrsg.): Tendenzen der Gegenwartsliteratur. Berlin: Peter Lang, 2019. – ISBN 978-3-631-79662-7. 357 Seiten, € 68,70.Hille, Almut; Völkel, Oliver Niels (Hrsg.): Was zu beginnen nicht aufhört. Facetten von Gegenwartsliteratur in der internationalen Germanistik und im Fach Deutsch als Fremdsprache. München: iudicium, 2020 (LiKuM – Literatur Kultur Medien in Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache, 2). – ISBN 978-3-86205-735-1. 284 Seiten, € 30,00 [Open Access unter www.iudicium.de].Karlsson Hammarfelt, Linda; Platen, Edgar; Platen, Petra (Hrsg.): Mauerfall und andere Grenzfälle. Zur Darstellung von Zeitgeschichte in deutschsprachiger Gegenwartsliteratur (XI). München: iudicium, 2020. – ISBN 978-3-86205-599-9. 188 Seiten, € 22,00. was published on April 1, 2022 in the journal Informationen Deutsch als Fremdsprache (volume 49, issue 2-3).
|
[
"Texts and Concepts",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
] |
10.1109/CVPR.2013.168
|
Dense Variational Reconstruction Of Non Rigid Surfaces From Monocular Video
|
This paper offers the first variational approach to the problem of dense 3D reconstruction of non-rigid surfaces from a monocular video sequence. We formulate non-rigid structure from motion (nrsfm) as a global variational energy minimization problem to estimate dense low-rank smooth 3D shapes for every frame along with the camera motion matrices, given dense 2D correspondences. Unlike traditional factorization based approaches to nrsfm, which model the low-rank non-rigid shape using a fixed number of basis shapes and corresponding coefficients, we minimize the rank of the matrix of time-varying shapes directly via trace norm minimization. In conjunction with this low-rank constraint, we use an edge preserving total-variation regularization term to obtain spatially smooth shapes for every frame. Thanks to proximal splitting techniques the optimization problem can be decomposed into many point-wise sub-problems and simple linear systems which can be easily solved on GPU hardware. We show results on real sequences of different objects (face, torso, beating heart) where, despite challenges in tracking, illumination changes and occlusions, our method reconstructs highly deforming smooth surfaces densely and accurately directly from video, without the need for any prior models or shape templates.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
] |
10.1108/S0733-558X20180000055006
|
The Social Structure Of Consecration In Cultural Fields The Influence Of Status And Social Distance In Audience Candidate Evaluative Processes
|
Building on sociological research that examines the allocation of rewards in peer evaluations, we argue that the recognition of cultural producers’ work varies with their status and social distance from the audience members who evaluate them. We study the influence of these two mechanisms within the context of the Norwegian advertising industry. Specifically, we looked at how cultural producers’ status and social distance from jury members affect their chances of being honored in “The Silver Tag” – one of the main digital advertising award contests in Norway – during the period 2003–2010. While our findings provide support for status-based rewards allocation, the positive effects of status may be more circumscribed than previously thought. When accounting for the existence of previous connections between audience members and cultural producers, we find that cultural producers are more or less likely to receive an accolade depending on their degree of separation from the audience members. By exposing network-based determinants of consecrating decisions, and suggesting that the positive effects of status may be more circumscribed than previously thought, our findings shed important light on the social foundations of evaluation and, more broadly, the mechanisms of reward allocation in cultural fields.
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
] |
EP 90905593 A
|
IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE LINING OF PIPELINES OR PASSAGEWAYS.
|
Le procédé prévoit l'application d'un tube de chemisage imprégné d'une résine synthétique, à la surface intérieure d'un pipe-line afin de chemiser ce dernier. Un tube de préchemisage (12) soit est connecté à l'extrémité avant du tube de chemisage (14), de sorte que ce dernier peut être inséré par retournement du tube de préchemisage dans le pipe-line ou le passage, tirant ledit tube de chemisage en position, soit ledit tube de chemisage est connecté au niveau de son extrémité arrière, à un tube de gonflage (16) lequel est tiré en position à mesure que ledit tube de chemisage pénètre dans ledit pipe-line ou ledit passage, ledit tube de gonflage étant ensuite retourné à l'intérieur dudit tube de chemisage afin de gonfler ce dernier. Selon le mode de réalisation préféré, l'ensemble comprend un tube de préchemisage connecté au niveau de l'extrémité avant, au tube de chemisage, ainsi qu'un tube de gonflage connecté au niveau de l'extrémité arrière dudit tube de chemisage.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1093/imrn/rnu230
|
Flow Monotonicity and Strichartz Inequalities
|
We identify complete monotonicity properties underlying a variety of well-known sharp Strichartz inequalities in euclidean space.
|
[
"Mathematics"
] |
Q2869937
|
Creation of new industrial unit and expansion and modernisation of existing unit
|
The project aims to create a new plant in Albergaria-a-Velha, the expansion/modernisation of the existing plant in S. Pedro do Sul, acquisition of innovative equipment and software, creation of 4 new jobs, consolidation of the company at national and international level.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering"
] |
10.1016/j.agrformet.2012.10.008
|
Fluxes of the greenhouse gases (CO<inf>2</inf>, CH<inf>4</inf> and N<inf>2</inf>O) above a short-rotation poplar plantation after conversion from agricultural land
|
The increasing demand for renewable energy may lead to the conversion of millions of hectares into bioenergy plantations with a possible substantial transitory carbon (C) loss. In this study we report on the greenhouse gas fluxes (CO2, CH4, and N2O) measured using eddy covariance of a short-rotation bioenergy poplar plantation converted from agricultural fields. During the first six months after the establishment of the plantation (June-December 2010) there were substantial CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions (a total of 5. 36±0. 52MgCO2eqha-1 in terms of CO2 equivalents). Nitrous oxide loss mostly occurred during a week-long peak emission after an unusually large rainfall. This week-long N2O emission represented 52% of the entire N2O loss during one and an half years of measurements. As most of the N2O loss occurred in just this week-long period, accurately capturing these emission events are critical to accurate estimates of the GHG balance of bioenergy. While initial establishment (June-December 2010) of the plantation resulted in a net CO2 loss into the atmosphere (2. 76±0. 16MgCO2eqha-1), in the second year (2011) there was substantial net CO2 uptake (-3. 51±0. 56MgCO2eqha-1). During the entire measurement period, CH4 was a source to the atmosphere (0. 63±0. 05MgCO2eqha-1 in 2010, and 0. 49±0. 05MgCO2eqha-1 in 2011), and was controlled by water table depth. Importantly, over the entire measurement period, the sum of the CH4 and N2O losses was much higher (3. 51±0. 52MgCO2eqha-1) than the net CO2 uptake (-0. 76±0. 58MgCO2eqha-1). As water availability was an important control on the GHG emission of the plantation, expected climate change and altered rainfall pattern could increase the negative environmental impacts of bioenergy.
|
[
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
] |
10.1093/molbev/msw170
|
A High-Coverage Yersinia pestis Genome from a Sixth-Century Justinianic Plague Victim
|
The Justinianic Plague, which started in the sixth century and lasted to the mid eighth century, is thought to be the first of three historically documented plague pandemics causing massive casualties. Historical accounts and molecular data suggest the bacterium Yersinia pestis as its etiological agent. Here we present a new high-coverage (17. 9-fold) Y. pestis genome obtained from a sixth-century skeleton recovered from a southern German burial site close to Munich. The reconstructed genome enabled the detection of 30 unique substitutions as well as structural differences that have not been previously described. We report indels affecting a lacl family transcription regulator gene as well as nonsynonymous substitutions in the nrdE, fadJ, and pcp genes, that have been suggested as plague virulence determinants or have been shown to be upregulated in different models of plague infection. In addition, we identify 19 false positive substitutions in a previously published lower-coverage Y. pestis genome from another archaeological site of the same time period and geographical region that is otherwise genetically identical to the high-coverage genome sequence reported here, suggesting low-genetic diversity of the plague during the sixth century in rural southern Germany.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
] |
10.5194/bg-11-6573-2014
|
Estimated stocks of circumpolar permafrost carbon with quantified uncertainty ranges and identified data gaps
|
Abstract. Soils and other unconsolidated deposits in the northern circumpolar permafrost region store large amounts of soil organic carbon (SOC). This SOC is potentially vulnerable to remobilization following soil warming and permafrost thaw, but SOC stock estimates were poorly constrained and quantitative error estimates were lacking. This study presents revised estimates of permafrost SOC stocks, including quantitative uncertainty estimates, in the 0–3 m depth range in soils as well as for sediments deeper than 3 m in deltaic deposits of major rivers and in the Yedoma region of Siberia and Alaska. Revised estimates are based on significantly larger databases compared to previous studies. Despite this there is evidence of significant remaining regional data gaps. Estimates remain particularly poorly constrained for soils in the High Arctic region and physiographic regions with thin sedimentary overburden (mountains, highlands and plateaus) as well as for deposits below 3 m depth in deltas and the Yedoma region. While some components of the revised SOC stocks are similar in magnitude to those previously reported for this region, there are substantial differences in other components, including the fraction of perennially frozen SOC. Upscaled based on regional soil maps, estimated permafrost region SOC stocks are 217 ± 12 and 472 ± 27 Pg for the 0–0. 3 and 0–1 m soil depths, respectively (±95% confidence intervals). Storage of SOC in 0–3 m of soils is estimated to 1035 ± 150 Pg. Of this, 34 ± 16 Pg C is stored in poorly developed soils of the High Arctic. Based on generalized calculations, storage of SOC below 3 m of surface soils in deltaic alluvium of major Arctic rivers is estimated as 91 ± 52 Pg. In the Yedoma region, estimated SOC stocks below 3 m depth are 181 ± 54 Pg, of which 74 ± 20 Pg is stored in intact Yedoma (late Pleistocene ice- and organic-rich silty sediments) with the remainder in refrozen thermokarst deposits. Total estimated SOC storage for the permafrost region is ∼1300 Pg with an uncertainty range of ∼1100 to 1500 Pg. Of this, ∼500 Pg is in non-permafrost soils, seasonally thawed in the active layer or in deeper taliks, while ∼800 Pg is perennially frozen. This represents a substantial ∼300 Pg lowering of the estimated perennially frozen SOC stock compared to previous estimates.
|
[
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
] |
W2732383923
|
A Review of Pre-Release Metrics used for Predicting Post- Release Defects
|
Software maintenance has consumed more than 50% of development effort and about 90% of software lifecycle. Finding and correcting defects after software delivery have often presented high costs when compared to correct it on previous project phases. The defects that are found after the release of a product are known as post release software defects. To detect these defects before the release of the product mainly two metrics are used that are the Mean Time between Failures (MTBF) and the Average usage Time (AVT).These metrics are frequently used to gauge the reliability of the application. However, MTBF and AVT cannot capture the whole pattern of failure occurrences in the field testing of an application. In this paper, three metrics that capture three additional patterns of failure occurrences: the average length of usage time before the occurrence of the first failure, the spread of failures to the majority of users, and the daily rates of failures are described.
|
[
"Computer Science and Informatics"
] |
interreg_1521
|
Local Partnerships for Greener Cities and Regions
|
Local communities are key actors in addressing and implementing the goals for increased Energy Efficiency (EE) and promotion of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) which are contributing to achieving the 20/20/20 targets set by the EU. MED cities and regions have prepared their local energy strategies and action plans, but they are facing several obstacles hindering their efficient implementation. Obstacles include process and technological knowledge: - lack of capacities regarding technical knowledge and standards for selecting the leading technological options and defining stricter public procurements rules - administrative and legislative barriers, lack of innovative financing options and lack of cooperation with stakeholders which would support decision-making and implementation of selected measures. The project GREEN PARTNERSHIPS will connect cities and regions from 11 MED countries that will overcome the listed obstacles by establishing a common transnational approach with focus on creating local partnerships which will contribute to more efficient implementation of innovative EE and RES solutions leading to sustainable local and regional development. Local partnerships will connect stakeholders affected by a certain energy efficiency measure, from the owner to suppliers, potential investors, employees and final users. They will share their proposals and actively take part in their implementation. Thus long-term basis will be formed for innovative solutions based on local potentials and improved behaviour patterns leading to energy efficiency. The approach will be tested at the local level and described in the -Step-by-Step Guide for efficient implementation of local energy strategies by forming local partnerships-�. By connecting public organisations, Local Action Groups will be formed and their capacity for setting the targets and increasing cooperation with stakeholders will be increased through several workshops and training materials. The Local Action Groups will thus be empowered to operate in line with the new approach. The project activities will result in improved public policy related to energy efficiency in participating cities and regions, new investments and energy savings of up to 40 % in public facilities, increased capacity of public organisations and long-term cooperation of local partnerships for energy efficient solutions. Sustainability and transferability will be assured with financing of the investment proposals at the local level, with transfer of the operational recommendations in the Step-by-Step Guide to other MED and EU local communities, including signatories of the Covenant of Mayors, and with further functioning of the established networks for knowledge transfer at the transnational, regional and local level.
|
[
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
10.1002/mrm.27225
|
Compressed sensing for high-resolution nonlipid suppressed <sup>1</sup>H FID MRSI of the human brain at 9.4T
|
Purpose: The aim of this study was to apply compressed sensing to accelerate the acquisition of high resolution metabolite maps of the human brain using a nonlipid suppressed ultra-short TR and TE 1H FID MRSI sequence at 9. 4T. Methods: X-t sparse compressed sensing reconstruction was optimized for nonlipid suppressed 1H FID MRSI data. Coil-by-coil x-t sparse reconstruction was compared with SENSE x-t sparse and low rank reconstruction. The effect of matrix size and spatial resolution on the achievable acceleration factor was studied. Finally, in vivo metabolite maps with different acceleration factors of 2, 4, 5, and 10 were acquired and compared. Results: Coil-by-coil x-t sparse compressed sensing reconstruction was not able to reliably recover the nonlipid suppressed data, rather a combination of parallel and sparse reconstruction was necessary (SENSE x-t sparse). For acceleration factors of up to 5, both the low-rank and the compressed sensing methods were able to reconstruct the data comparably well (root mean squared errors [RMSEs] ≤ 10. 5% for Cre). However, the reconstruction time of the low rank algorithm was drastically longer than compressed sensing. Using the optimized compressed sensing reconstruction, acceleration factors of 4 or 5 could be reached for the MRSI data with a matrix size of 64 × 64. For lower spatial resolutions, an acceleration factor of up to R∼4 was successfully achieved. Conclusion: By tailoring the reconstruction scheme to the nonlipid suppressed data through parameter optimization and performance evaluation, we present high resolution (97 µL voxel size) accelerated in vivo metabolite maps of the human brain acquired at 9. 4T within scan times of 3 to 3. 75 min.
|
[
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
] |
10.1038/nrc3728
|
Clinical implications of (epi)genetic changes in HPV-induced cervical precancerous lesions
|
Infection of cervical epithelium with high-risk human papilloma virus (hrHPV) might result in productive or transforming cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions, the morphology of which can overlap. In transforming CIN lesions, aberrations in host cell genes accumulate over time, which is necessary for the ultimate progression to cancer. On the basis of (epi)genetic changes, early and advanced transforming CIN lesions can be distinguished. This paves the way for new molecular tools for cervical screening, diagnosis and management of cervical cancer precursor lesions.
|
[
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
10.1056/NEJMoa1211161
|
Genetic PTX3 deficiency and aspergillosis in stem-cell transplantation
|
BACKGROUND: The soluble pattern-recognition receptor known as long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) has a nonredundant role in antifungal immunity. The contribution of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PTX3 to the development of invasive aspergillosis is unknown. METHODS: We screened an initial cohort of 268 patients undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) and their donors for PTX3 SNPs modifying the risk of invasive aspergillosis. The analysis was also performed in a multicenter study involving 107 patients with invasive aspergillosis and 223 matched controls. The functional consequences of PTX3 SNPs were investigated in vitro and in lung specimens from transplant recipients. RESULTS: Receipt of a transplant from a donor with a homozygous haplotype (h2/h2) in PTX3 was associated with an increased risk of infection, in both the discovery study (cumulative incidence, 37% vs. 15%; adjusted hazard ratio, 3. 08; P = 0. 003) and the confirmation study (adjusted odds ratio, 2. 78; P = 0. 03), as well as with defective expression of PTX3. Functionally, PTX3 deficiency in h2/h2 neutrophils, presumably due to messenger RNA instability, led to impaired phagocytosis and clearance of the fungus. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic deficiency of PTX3 affects the antifungal capacity of neutrophils and may contribute to the risk of invasive aspergillosis in patients treated with HSCT.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.3390/nano9091327
|
Strain-Mediated Bending of InP Nanowires through the Growth of an Asymmetric InAs Shell
|
Controlling nanomaterial shape beyond its basic dimensionality is a concurrent challenge tackled by several growth and processing avenues. One of these is strain engineering of nanowires, implemented through the growth of asymmetrical heterostructures. Here, we report metal–organic molecular beam epitaxy of bent InP/InAs core/shell nanowires brought by precursor flow directionality in the growth chamber. We observe the increase of bending with decreased core diameter. We further analyze the composition of a single nanowire and show through supporting finite element simulations that strain accommodation following the lattice mismatch between InP and InAs dominates nanowire bending. The simulations show the interplay between material composition, shell thickness, and tapering in determining the bending. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental bending curvature, reproducing the radius of 4. 3 µm (±10%), for the 2. 3 µm long nanowire. The InP core of the bent heterostructure was found to be compressed at about 2%. This report provides evidence of shape control and strain engineering in nanostructures, specifically through the exchange of group-V materials in III–V nanowire growth.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
W3098385779
|
COLOR-MAGNITUDE RELATIONS WITHIN GLOBULAR CLUSTER SYSTEMS OF GIANT ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES: THE EFFECTS OF GLOBULAR CLUSTER MASS LOSS AND THE STELLAR INITIAL MASS FUNCTION
|
Several recent studies have provided evidence for a `bottom-heavy' stellar initial mass function (IMF) in massive elliptical galaxies. Here we investigate the influence of the IMF shape on the recently discovered color-magnitude relation (CMR) among globular clusters (GCs) in such galaxies. To this end we use calculations of GC mass loss due to stellar and dynamical evolution to evaluate (i) the shapes of stellar mass functions in GCs after 12 Gyr of evolution as a function of current GC mass along with their effects on integrated-light colors and mass-to-light ratios, and (ii) their impact on the effects of GC self-enrichment using the 2009 `reference' model of Bailin & Harris. As to the class of metal-poor GCs, we find the observed shape of the CMR (often referred to as the `blue tilt') to be very well reproduced by Bailin & Harris' reference self-enrichment model once 12 Gyr of GC mass loss is taken into account. The influence of the IMF on this result is found to be insignificant. However, we find that the observed CMR among the class of metal-rich GCs (the `red tilt') can only be adequately reproduced if the IMF was bottom-heavy (e.g., $-3.0 <~ \alpha <~ -2.3$ in $dN/dM \propto M^{\alpha}$), which causes the stellar mass function at subsolar masses to depend relatively strongly on GC mass. This constitutes additional evidence that the metal-rich stellar populations in giant elliptical galaxies were formed with a bottom-heavy IMF.
|
[
"Universe Sciences"
] |
10.1080/13562576.2017.1330383
|
Building Peaceful Citizens Nation Building In Divided Societies
|
ABSTRACTInterventions aimed at citizenship formation and nation-building in divided and post-conflict societies place great emphasis on promoting and entrenching peace as a cornerstone of economic development and statehood. Such efforts are multi-scalar, encompassing interventions to build democratic institutions and responsible citizens with the pursuit and maintenance of peace at the heart of these ideals. Dominant international pedagogies and policies for liberal-peace-building in divided societies can be used to maintain existing power relations and hierarchies, and may prevent the realization of social (and other forms of) justice while stifling dissent and criticism through exhortations to patriotism, unity, civility, and nation-building. Thus, the ‘goodness’ of peace makes this concept particularly useful as a technique of governance. However, ‘peace’ can also be reworked to suit counter-hegemonic political purposes that open up rather than shut down the question of what peace means. Through an exp. . .
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
] |
10.1177/0002764214566499
|
How Does The Majority Public React To Multiculturalist Policies A Comparative Analysis Of European Countries
|
Migration and ethnic minority integration remain heavily contested issues in numerous European countries. Over the past decade, researchers and political commentators have observed an apparent retreat from multiculturalist policies related to a belief that multiculturalism has lost support among the majority public. Recently, however, based on analyses of the evolution of migrant integration policies, it has been demonstrated that multiculturalist policies were largely left in place. To investigate the effect of multiculturalist policies on public opinion, we use a multilevel analysis of three policy indicators (Multiculturalism Policy Index, Index of Citizenship Rights for Immigrants–Cultural diversity, and Migrant Integration Policy Index) and European Social Survey data in 20 European countries. Results show that multiculturalist policies, as measured by Multiculturalism Policy Index and Index of Citizenship Rights for Immigrants–Cultural diversity, and migrant integration policies more generally, as m. . .
|
[
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
] |
W4288069087
|
LECO: UNA PROPOSTA PER IL RECUPERO E IL POTENZIAMENTO DELLE ABILITÀ DI LETTURA E COMPRENSIONE DEL TESTO
|
LeCo (Leggere e comprendere) appartiene ad un percorso di sperimentazione sulla comprensione di testi di vario tipo e genere (testi narrativi, funzionali, narrativi e poetici, saggi, multimedia, teatro, cronaca) per il recupero e il potenziamento delle risorse cognitive, informative e linguistiche degli studenti (1376 ) del biennio di scuole secondarie superiori delle province di Salerno e Avellino. L’articolo illustra le premesse teoriche di LeCo, le caratteristiche e le difficoltà di comprensione dei testi proposti, il curricolo e il protocollo sperimentale del progetto, i descrittori delle competenze necessarie per un’efficace comprensione del testo da parte degli studenti, la formazione dei docenti, le aree di intervento, la disposizione degli argomenti scelti nelle varie unità didattiche di lavoro e i primi dati di valutazione e risultati generali della sperimentazione. LeCo: a proposal for the remedial and reinforcement of reading and text comprehension skills LeCo (Reading and Comprehension) belongs to a pilot roadmap for comprehension of texts of various types and genres (narrative, functional, narrative and poetic, essays, multimedia, theatre, news) for the recovery and empowerment of the cognitive, informative, and linguistic resources of students (1376) in the secondary schools in the provinces of Salerno and Avellino. The article illustrates the theoretical premises of LeCo, the characteristics and comprehension difficulties of the proposed texts, the curriculum and experimental protocol of the project, the descriptors of the needed skills for adequate student comprehension of the text, the training of teachers, the areas of intervention, the arrangement of the topics selected within the various didactic units, and the first evaluation data and general results of the experimentation.
|
[
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
] |
10.1038/nature20829
|
The Hippo kinases LATS1 and 2 control human breast cell fate via crosstalk with ERα
|
Cell fate perturbations underlie many human diseases, including breast cancer. Unfortunately, the mechanisms by which breast cell fate are regulated are largely unknown. The mammary gland epithelium consists of differentiated luminal epithelial and basal myoepithelial cells, as well as undifferentiated stem cells and more restricted progenitors. Breast cancer originates from this epithelium, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie breast epithelial hierarchy remain ill-defined. Here, we use a high-content confocal image-based short hairpin RNA screen to identify tumour suppressors that regulate breast cell fate in primary human breast epithelial cells. We show that ablation of the large tumour suppressor kinases (LATS) 1 and 2 (refs 5, 6), which are part of the Hippo pathway, promotes the luminal phenotype and increases the number of bipotent and luminal progenitors, the proposed cells-of-origin of most human breast cancers. Mechanistically, we have identified a direct interaction between Hippo and oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) signalling. In the presence of LATS, ERα was targeted for ubiquitination and Ddb1-cullin4-associated-factor 1 (DCAF1)-dependent proteasomal degradation. Absence of LATS stabilized ERα and the Hippo effectors YAP and TAZ (hereafter YAP/TAZ), which together control breast cell fate through intrinsic and paracrine mechanisms. Our findings reveal a non-canonical (that is, YAP/TAZ-independent) effect of LATS in the regulation of human breast cell fate.
|
[
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
] |
10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-1122
|
Stat3 Inhibition Enhances The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Immunogenic Chemotherapy By Stimulating Type 1 Interferon Production By Cancer Cells
|
STAT3 is an oncogenic transcription factor with potent immunosuppressive functions. We found that pharmacologic inhibition of STAT3 or its selective knockout in cancer cells improved the tumor growth-inhibitory efficacy of anthracycline-based chemotherapies. This combined effect of STAT3 inhibition/depletion and anthracyclines was only found in tumors growing on immunocompetent (not in immunodeficient) mice. As compared with Stat3-sufficient control tumors, Stat3(-/-) cancer cells exhibited an increased infiltration by dendritic cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes after chemotherapy. Anthracyclines are known to induce several stress pathways that enhance the immunogenicity of dying and dead cancer cells, thereby stimulating a dendritic cell-dependent and T lymphocyte-mediated anticancer immune response. Among these therapy-relevant stress pathways, Stat3(-/-) cancer cells manifested one significant improvement, namely an increase in the expression of multiple type-1 interferon-responsive genes, including that of the chemokines Cxcl9 and Cxcl10. This enhanced type-1 interferon response could be suppressed by reintroducing wild-type Stat3 (but not a transactivation-deficient mutant Stat3(Y705F)) into the tumor cells. This maneuver also abolished the improved chemotherapeutic response of Stat3(-/-) cancers. Finally, the neutralization of the common type-1 interferon receptor or that of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 (which binds CXCL9 and CXCL10) abolished the difference in the chemotherapeutic response between Stat3(-/-) and control tumors. Altogether, these results suggest that STAT3 inhibitors may improve the outcome of chemotherapy by enhancing the type-1 interferon response of cancer cells.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
] |
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.12.154
|
Correlation between hydrogen storage properties and textures induced in magnesium through ECAP and cold rolling
|
It is feasible to obtain a significant enhancement of the hydrogen storage capability in magnesium by selecting an appropriate sequence of mechanical processing. The Mg metal may be produced with different textures which will then give significant differences in the absorption/desorption kinetics and in the incubation times for hydrogenation. Using processing by equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP), different textures may be produced by changing both the numbers of passes through the ECAP die and the ram speed. Significant grain refinement is easily avoided by using commercial coarse-grained magnesium as the starting material. The use of cold rolling after ECAP further increases the preferential texture for hydrogenation. The results show that the hydriding properties are enhanced with a (002) texture where the improved kinetics lie mainly in the initial stages of hydrogenation. An incubation time is associated with the presence of a (101) texture and this is probably due to the magnesium oxide stability in this direction.
|
[
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
] |
10.1007/jhep05(2018)034
|
Holographic RG flows on curved manifolds and quantum phase transitions
|
Abstract
Holographic RG flows dual to QFTs on maximally symmetric curved manifolds (dS
d
, AdS
d
, and S
d
) are considered in the framework of Einstein-dilaton gravity in d + 1 dimensions. A general dilaton potential is used and the flows are driven by a scalar relevant operator. The general properties of such flows are analyzed and the UV and IR asymptotics computed. New RG flows can appear at finite curvature which do not have a zero curvature counterpart. The so-called ‘bouncing’ flows, where the β-function has a branch cut at which it changes sign, are found to persist at finite curvature. Novel quantum first-order phase transitions are found, triggered by a variation in the d-dimensional curvature in theories allowing multiple ground states.
|
[
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
] |
W4280506915
|
Effect of Oral Methylprednisolone on Decline in Kidney Function or Kidney Failure in Patients With IgA Nephropathy
|
The effect of glucocorticoids on major kidney outcomes and adverse events in IgA nephropathy has been uncertain.To evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of methylprednisolone in patients with IgA nephropathy at high risk of kidney function decline.An international, multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial that enrolled 503 participants with IgA nephropathy, proteinuria greater than or equal to 1 g per day, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 to 120 mL/min/1.73 m2 after at least 3 months of optimized background care from 67 centers in Australia, Canada, China, India, and Malaysia between May 2012 and November 2019, with follow-up until June 2021.Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive oral methylprednisolone (initially 0.6-0.8 mg/kg/d, maximum 48 mg/d, weaning by 8 mg/d/mo; n = 136) or placebo (n = 126). After 262 participants were randomized, an excess of serious infections was identified, leading to dose reduction (0.4 mg/kg/d, maximum 32 mg/d, weaning by 4 mg/d/mo) and addition of antibiotic prophylaxis for pneumocystis pneumonia for subsequent participants (121 in the oral methylprednisolone group and 120 in the placebo group).The primary end point was a composite of 40% decline in eGFR, kidney failure (dialysis, transplant), or death due to kidney disease. There were 11 secondary outcomes, including kidney failure.Among 503 randomized patients (mean age, 38 years; 198 [39%] women; mean eGFR, 61.5 mL/min/1.73 m2; mean proteinuria, 2.46 g/d), 493 (98%) completed the trial. Over a mean of 4.2 years of follow-up, the primary outcome occurred in 74 participants (28.8%) in the methylprednisolone group compared with 106 (43.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.53 [95% CI, 0.39-0.72]; P < .001; absolute annual event rate difference, -4.8% per year [95% CI, -8.0% to -1.6%]). The effect on the primary outcome was seen across each dose compared with the relevant participants in the placebo group recruited to each regimen (P for heterogeneity = .11): full-dose HR, 0.58 (95% CI, 0.41-0.81); reduced-dose HR, 0.27 (95% CI, 0.11-0.65). Of the 11 prespecified secondary end points, 9 showed significant differences in favor of the intervention, including kidney failure (50 [19.5%] vs 67 [27.2%]; HR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.40-0.87]; P = .008; annual event rate difference, -2.9% per year [95% CI, -5.4% to -0.3%]). Serious adverse events were more frequent with methylprednisolone vs placebo (28 [10.9%] vs 7 [2.8%] patients with serious adverse events), primarily with full-dose therapy compared with its matching placebo (22 [16.2%] vs 4 [3.2%]).Among patients with IgA nephropathy at high risk of progression, treatment with oral methylprednisolone for 6 to 9 months, compared with placebo, significantly reduced the risk of the composite outcome of kidney function decline, kidney failure, or death due to kidney disease. However, the incidence of serious adverse events was increased with oral methylprednisolone, mainly with high-dose therapy.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01560052.
|
[
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
] |
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