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10.1002/adts.201900072 | Modeling of Spermbots in a Viscous Colloidal Suspension | Spermbots are biohybrid micromachines consisting of single sperm cells captured in artificial magnetic microstructures, and have the potential to act as autonomous tools for minimally invasive medicines and in diverse in vivo applications. This work investigates the hydrodynamic effects of the spermbots in a heterogeneous viscous medium similar to environments encountered in vivo. The propulsion of the spermbots is simulated using a numerical model based on the method of regularized Stokeslets for computing Stokes flows in the presence of immersed obstacles. It is shown that the concentration and size of these obstacles create a pressure gradient along the propulsion axis of the spermbot; hence they influence its effective net motion. In particular, the simulation results herein suggest that the forward and lateral swimming speeds of the spermbot increase with the concentration of the immersed obstacles and decrease with their size. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W2602506993 | Error Analysis Of The Second Semester Students’ Writing Ofstudy Program Of The English Education Of STAIN Palangka Raya | The fundamental purpose of this study was to describe the types and causes of errors of the students on writing descriptive paragraph. The research was conducted in D class of the second semester students’ writing of the study program of English education of STAIN Palangka Raya. The types and causes of errors which analyzed was based on the Dulai’s theory which consist of nine types of errors and based on the Jack C. Richards’s theory which consist of five causes of errors. The processes of analyzing the errors made by students were using analysis steps based on Ellis’s theory.
The writer used quantitative approach and content or document analysis method. The research type of this research was descriptive research. In collecting the data, the writer used two instruments, namely: (1) test and (2) documentation. Then for analyzing the data, the writer used several techniques, namely: (1) identifying errors, (2) describing errors, (3) explaining errors, (4) evaluation errors. In categorizing the errors, the writer use (1) surface strategy taxonomy, and (2) comparative taxonomy. The sample of this study were 16 students who had studied about descriptive paragraph.
The result of this study is as follows: (1) from 16 students, there were 115 errors in descriptive paragraph. The errors were spread in 7 of 9 types of errors based on the Dulai’s theory. There were 33 errors (28.70%) in omission: grammatical morphemes, 23 errors (20%) in omission: content morphemes, 18 errors (15.65%) in addition: simple addition, 16 errors (13.91%) in misordering 12 errors (10.43%) in misformation: alternating forms, 8 errors (6.96%) in misformation: archi-forms,and 5 errors (4.35%) in addition: double markings. (2) Those 103 errors made by the students categorized in 4 of 5 causes of the errors which are: Intralingual errors: Incomplete application of rules:49.51%, Intralingual errors: Ignorance of rules restrictions: 23.30%,Interlingual errors:22.33%, and Intralingual errors: False Concepts Hypothesized: 4.85%.
The common types of error occurred by the students wasomission: grammatical morphemes, and the common causes of errors occurred by the students wasIntralingual errors: Incomplete application of rules | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
W2112714985 | Quantification of Risk for Early Unplanned Readmission after Rectal Resection: A Single-Center Study | Several factors predictive of readmission after colorectal surgery have been identified. Although often grouped together in readmission studies, colon and rectal resections differ in many ways. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with readmission after rectal resection.We performed a retrospective, single-center cohort study of 565 patients who underwent rectal resections at a tertiary referral center in 2010 and 2011. The main outcomes measure was readmission within 30 days. Univariate comparison between readmitted and nonreadmitted patients was followed by a stepwise logistic regression to identify independent risk factors for readmission.There were 105 patients (18.6%) readmitted. Indication (inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], p = 0.008), type of operation (pelvic pouch surgery, p = 0.02), use of laparoscopy (readmission 27.8% vs 14%, p < 0.001), and length of operation (p < 0.001) were associated with a higher readmission rate on univariate analysis. Neither preoperative chemoradiation (p = 0.89) nor American Society of Anesthesiologists class (p = 0.09) was associated with readmission. Logistic regression showed use of laparoscopy (odds ratio [OR] 1.94, 95% CI 1.23 to 3.07), initial diagnosis of IBD (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.93), and length of operation (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.16 per 30 minutes) to be independent risk factors. Risks of readmission were 6.7%, 13.4%, 27.4%, and 27.4% with 0, 1, 2, or 3 positive risk factors, respectively.Readmission after rectal resection is associated with the indication for surgery and the operative technique used. Optimization of factors related to the underlying pathology and careful appraisal of the operative technique may result in decreased readmission after proctectomy. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
SE 2012050646 W | NETWORK NODE AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING A CODE ON A SCREEN | Method and network node (12, 20) for displaying a code on a screen (14) comprising receiving,from an operator node (10) comprised in the operator network (22), a data stream comprising data and meta data and extracting the data and the meta data from the received data stream. The network node sends the extracted data to be displayed on the screen and stores the meta data. The network node then retrieves a code generated from the stored meta data, when receiving from a pre-configured communication device (16) a request for the code and sends the code to be displayed on the screen. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201016221 | V1309 Scorpii Merger Of A Contact Binary | Context. Stellar mergers are expected to take place in numerous circumstences in the evolution of stellar systems. In particular, they are considered as a plausible origin of stellar eruptions of the V838 Mon type. V 1309 Sco is the most recent eruption of this type in our Galaxy. The object was discovered in September 2008. Aims. Our aim is to investigate the nature of V 1309 Sco. Methods. V 1309 Sco has been photometrically observed in course of the OGLE project since August 2001. We analyse these observations in different ways. In particular, periodogram analyses were done to investigate the nature of the observed short-term variability of the progenitor. Results. We find that the progenitor of V 1309 Sco was a contact binary with an orbital period of ∼1. 4 day. This period was decreasing with time. The light curve of the binary was also evolving, indicating that the system evolved towards its merger. The violent phase of the merger, marked by the systematic brightenning of the object, began in March 2008, i. e. half a year before the outburst discovery. We also investigate the observations of V 1309 Sco during the outburst and the decline and show that they can be fully accounted for within the merger hypothesis. Conclusions. For the first time in the literature we show from direct observations that contact binaries indeed end up by merging into a single object, as was suggested in numerous theoretical studies of these systems. Our study also shows that stellar mergers indeed result in eruptions of the V838 Mon type. | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
W1979767591 | Efficient solid rocket propulsion for access to space | Abstract Space launch activity is expected to grow in the next few years in order to follow the current trend of space exploitation for business purpose. Granting high specific thrust and volumetric specific impulse, and counting on decades of intense development, solid rocket propulsion is a good candidate for commercial access to space, even with common propellant formulations. Yet, some drawbacks such as low theoretical specific impulse, losses as well as safety issues, suggest more efficient propulsion systems, digging into the enhancement of consolidated techniques. Focusing the attention on delivered specific impulse, a consistent fraction of losses can be ascribed to the multiphase medium inside the nozzle which, in turn, is related to agglomeration; a reduction of agglomerate size is likely. The present paper proposes a model based on heterogeneity characterization capable of describing the agglomeration trend for a standard aluminized solid propellant formulation. Material microstructure is characterized through the use of two statistical descriptors (pair correlation function and near-contact particles) looking at the mean metal pocket size inside the bulk. Given the real formulation and density of a propellant, a packing code generates the material representative which is then statistically analyzed. Agglomerate predictions are successfully contrasted to experimental data at 5 bar for four different formulations. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
interreg_1870 | INNOVATIVE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT NETWORK | The ISEDE -NET concept was conceived within a TCA dissemination conference on Social Entrepreneurship (SE) financed through the EQUAL C.I. in October 2007. It is a link between 2 Programming periods of SF, capitalizing results of 2000-2006 along as new experimentations to be undertaken by the project, and projecting them into the 2007-2013 period. Moreover ISEDE-NET is planned in a period of financial turmoil, when real economy based on innovation, sustainability, inclusion is expected to have a renewed role. The global objective of ISEDE-NET is to support the development of SE across the SEES, contributing to social and economic cohesion. Specific objectives are: 1) identify driving forces for SE development; 2) mobilize a transnational network of SE and promote participation to ISEDE-NET social network; 3) implement pilot innovative actions (finance, business support services, market development); 4) promote innovation and new SE creation; 5) commit stakeholders to SE development 6) providing a chance for social inclusion of disadvantaged groups. 5 thematic WPs are delivered: WP3: Research on SE; WP4: Establishment of the ISEDE?NET Portal; WP5: Development of an innovative financial tool; WP6: Development of business support services; WP7: Development of market niches. Main expected outputs: 8 national research studies on SE; ISEDE-NET social network populated by min. 400 SE; n. 1 feasibility study for innovative financial tool, informative and training material in 8 languages and online local help-desks, n. min. 4 feasibility studies on new potential market niches. Main expected results are: 1) better knowledge about driving forces of SE at PP and stakeholder level; 2) permanent transnational public-private network committed to the development of SE; 3) permanent transnational network of SE with increased business capacities and improved road to market; 4) implementation of pilot actions for the development of SE sector. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.3390/cells9020351 | A20 Promotes Ripoptosome Formation and TNF-Induced Apoptosis via cIAPs Regulation and NIK Stabilization in Keratinocytes | The ubiquitin-editing protein A20 (TNFAIP3) is a known key player in the regulation of immune responses in many organs. Genome-wide associated studies (GWASs) have linked A20 with a number of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, including psoriasis. Here, we identified a previously unrecognized role of A20 as a pro-apoptotic factor in TNF-induced cell death in keratinocytes. This function of A20 is mediated via the NF-κB-dependent alteration of cIAP1/2 expression. The changes in cIAP1/2 protein levels promote NIK stabilization and subsequent activation of noncanonical NF-κB signaling. Upregulation of TRAF1 expression triggered by the noncanonical NF-κB signaling further enhances the NIK stabilization in an autocrine manner. Finally, stabilized NIK promotes the formation of the ripoptosome and the execution of cell death. Thus, our data demonstrate that A20 controls the execution of TNF-induced cell death on multiple levels in keratinocytes. This signaling mechanism might have important implications for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of A20-associated skin diseases. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
W2026342353 | Evolution of magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in TmNi1−xCuxAl (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1) compounds | The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of TmNi1-xCuxAl (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1) compounds have been investigated. With the substitution of Ni by Cu, the Tm-magnetic moment rotates its direction from basal plane to the c-axis and finally becomes canted antiferromagnetism structure with larger projected moments along the c-axis near Tord. Furthermore, large reversible magnetocaloric effects have been observed in TmNi1-xCuxAl compounds around Tord, with no thermal hysteresis and magnetic hysteresis loss. The values of −ΔSMmax and refrigerant capacity are greatly improved when the part of Ni was superseded by Cu. In particular, under the magnetic field change of 2 T, a large −ΔSMmax of TmNi0.7Cu0.3Al (10.7 J/kg K) is almost twice that of TmNiAl (5.5 J/kg K) and 17.2 J/kg K for TmCuAl around 4 K. The present results indicate that TmNi1-xCuxAl (x ≥ 0.3) compounds could be considered as good candidate materials for low-temperature and low-field magnetic refrigerant. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.cell.2013.12.014 | Motor-circuit communication matrix from spinal cord to brainstem neurons revealed by developmental origin | Accurate motor-task execution relies on continuous comparison of planned and performed actions. Motor-output pathways establish internal circuit collaterals for this purpose. Here we focus on motor collateral organization between spinal cord and upstream neurons in the brainstem. We used a newly developed mouse genetic tool intersectionally with viruses to uncover the connectivity rules of these ascending pathways by capturing the transient expression of neuronal subpopulation determinants. We reveal a widespread and diverse network of spinal dual-axon neurons, with coincident input to forelimb motor neurons and the lateral reticular nucleus (LRN) in the brainstem. Spinal information to the LRN is not segregated by motor pool or neurotransmitter identity. Instead, it is organized according to the developmental domain origin of the progenitor cells. Thus, excerpts of most spinal information destined for action are relayed to supraspinal centers through exquisitely organized ascending connectivity modules, enabling precise communication between command and execution centers of movement. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
W2130054373 | The low synaptic release probability in vivo | The release probability, the average probability that an active zone of a presynaptic terminal releases one or more vesicles following an action potential, is tightly regulated. Measurements in cultured neurons or in slices indicate that this probability can vary greatly between synapses, but on average it is estimated to be as high as 0.5. In vivo, however, the size of synaptic potentials is relatively independent of recent history, suggesting that release probability is much lower. Possible causes for this discrepancy include maturational differences, a higher spontaneous activity, a lower extracellular calcium concentration and more prominent tonic inhibition by ambient neurotransmitters during in vivo recordings. Existing evidence thus suggests that under physiological conditions in vivo, presynaptic action potentials trigger the release of neurotransmitter much less frequently than what is observed in in vitro preparations. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W2116672525 | „How exactly does this work?” | Abstract In the course of the miniaturization and compaction of components and assemblies of components, the application of metallographic target preparation methods has seen a noticeable boost in recent years – not just in electronics industry but also in other industries and in the field of quality assurance in general. In this context, methods are as manifold and diverse as there are possible targets. Besides the classical method, that is progressive hand grinding accompanied by constant visual checks, more and more semi-automatic and automatic systems or aids are used, aiming at rendering the preparation process more user-independent, more effective, and more reproducible. The replication “target preparation” of the DGM working group aims at illustrating common target preparation methods in the field of materialography and at comparing these methods in terms of preparation effort and accuracy by means of typical samples. Besides reaching the target levels, the focus was also on preparation quality. As samples of electronic components/assemblies usually provide all possibilities of combinations of materials and as such impose higher requirements in terms on the preparation as for homogenous materials, they were chosen as test material. Evaluating the test results revealed the entire range of applied methods with comparable resulting accuracy, but partially differing qualitative results and different levels of effort. Procedures during these preparations resemble each other and as a result of the test, recommendations could be made for target preparation in general. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1111/evo.13166 | Variation of anal fin egg-spots along an environmental gradient in a haplochromine cichlid fish | Male secondary sexual traits are targets of inter- and/or intrasexual selection, but can vary due to a correlation with life-history traits or as by-product of adaptation to distinct environments. Trade-offs contributing to this variation may comprise conspicuousness toward conspecifics versus inconspicuousness toward predators, or between allocating resources into coloration versus the immune system. Here, we examine variation in expression of a carotenoid-based visual signal, anal-fin egg-spots, along a replicate environmental gradient in the haplochromine cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. We quantified egg-spot number, area, and coloration; applied visual models to estimate the trait's conspicuousness when perceived against the surrounding tissue under natural conditions; and used the lymphocyte ratio as a measure for immune activity. We find that (1) males possess larger and more conspicuous egg-spots than females, which is likely explained by their function in sexual selection; (2) riverine fish generally feature fewer but larger and/or more intensely colored egg-spots, which is probably to maintain signal efficiency in intraspecific interactions in long wavelength shifted riverine light conditions; and (3) egg-spot number and relative area correlate with immune defense, suggesting a trade-off in the allocation of carotenoids. Taken together, haplochromine egg-spots feature the potential to adapt to the respective underwater light environment, and are traded off with investment into the immune system. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
224948 | Mri contrast using microbubbles in quantitative susceptibility mapping | Microbubbles are an established ultrasound contrast agent; detecting them with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) would open up a wide spectrum of dual-modality applications such as MR-guided focused ultrasound therapies. So far, MRI has been used to qualitatively assess the concentration of microbubbles based on a decrease in the MRI signal magnitude, which is difficult to differentiate from other sources of signal drop-out. In this fellowship, I will exploit quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), a novel approach, to detect microbubbles using MRI. QSM uses the phase, instead of the magnitude, of the complex MRI signal, which promises to enhance MRI of microbubbles because phase images have higher contrast-to-noise ratio than standard magnitude images. With the supervision and mentorship of Dr Karin Shmueli, an MRI physicist and internationally recognized expert in QSM, I will investigate the ability of QSM to quantify microbubble concentrations. Collaborating with Prof. Eleanor Stride, a leader in microbubble engineering, I will tailor the susceptibility of microbubbles for different clinical applications so that microbubbles will create bright contrast in susceptibility maps, clearly distinguishable from anatomical structures and image artifacts. This project will enhance the clinical applicability of microbubbles as a dual-modality, MRI and ultrasound, contrast agent. QSM of microbubbles has the potential to improve MRI guidance and monitoring of microbubble-mediated drug, antibody or gene delivery as well as microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound surgery, which is currently in use for treating uterine fibroids and bone metastases. This fellowship will be a springboard towards widespread diagnostic and therapeutic applications of QSM of microbubbles. The unique training and skills provided by the fellowship will help me to establish my own research group and share the expertise I build in QSM and contrast agents with academic and industrial partners. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.cell.2009.12.028 | Engineering Signal Transduction Pathways | Cells respond to their environment by sensing signals and translating them into changes in gene expression. In recent years, synthetic networks have been designed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems to create new functionalities and for specific applications. In this review, we discuss the challenges associated with engineering signal transduction pathways. Furthermore, we address advantages and disadvantages of engineering signaling pathways in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, highlighting recent examples, and discuss how progress in synthetic biology might impact biotechnology and biomedicine. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
185060 | Microfluidic-Assisted fabrication of artifical microniches for bone marrow stem cells | There is a growing interest in adult stem cells, especially from bone marrow, for regenerative medicine. Hematopoietic stem cells, a type of bone marrow stem cells, alone cannot be expanded in vitro; in vivo, they reside in a microenvironment known as a niche that maintains them in a quiescent state until prompted to differentiate. The stem cell niche provides structural and trophic support and the appropriate homeostasis to regulate stem cell function. Additionally to regulatory factors in these stem cell niches, a number of environmental and mechanical signals arising from the extracellular matrix are crucial regulators of stem cell fate. In order to expedite for basic studies of bone marrow stem cells, and further translational implementation, any realistic approach to the native stem cell niche requires: to engineer a biomimetic 3D-microenvironment, and then to develop artificial microniches with the key functional features reconstructed. High-throughput microfluidic technology offers high promise, however, adaptation to accommodate adult stem cells in artificially fabricated niches remains still a challenge. Microfluidic-assisted culture systems should not only allow maintaining cell homeostasis through biochemical and mechanical stimulation, but also modulating adult stem cell renewal and differentiation through microscale patterning of cells and extracellular materials in biomimetic microniches. This project aims at the microfluidic reconstruction of an artificial stem cell niches. In this proof-of-concept, a bone marrow stem cell microniche with tunable size, material and topography will be developed by integrating novel fabrication microfluidics with material engineering. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Materials Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
2725512 | Multi-Omics interdisciplinary research integration to address dementia diagnosis | Dementia is currently diagnosed largely based on cognitive decline, while pathology starts years before symptom onset. To make progress in the development of effective drugs for dementia, there is an urgent need for biomarkers to enable precision health: for early and specific diagnosis and objective monitoring of disease progression.
With its multidisciplinary team of scientists from academia, industry, and patient organisations, MIRIADE aims to train a new generation of scientists able to optimise and accelerate development of novel biomarkers for dementia.
MIRIADE will integrate biomarker discovery data from multiple platforms and develop a Dementia Disease Map to enhance biomarker identification (WP1). We will develop assays for prioritized biomarkers (WP2), and selected markers will be clinically validated (WP3). We will study pre-analytical stability and validate against regulatory requirements (WP4) and develop a roadmap for optimal biomarker development (WP5). MIRIADE will thus establish an innovative biomarker-focussed cross-sectoral research and training programme that will equip ESRs with a unique combination of skills in big data analysis, biomarker assay development, innovation management, and a thorough understanding of medical needs. This programme will provide a new task force of scientists that are optimally trained to the accelerate the biomarker development for dementias and able to progress effective biomarker tools to the clinic. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0209562 | Well-being through the lens of the internet | We build models to estimate well-being in the United States based on changes in the volume of internet searches for different words, obtained from the Google Trends website. The estimated well-being series are weighted combinations of word groups that are endogenously identified to fit the weekly subjective well-being measures collected by Gallup Analytics for the United States or the biannual measures for the 50 states. Our approach combines theoretical underpinnings and statistical analysis, and the model we construct successfully estimates the out-of-sample evolution of most subjective well-being measures at a one-year horizon. Our analysis suggests that internet search data can be a complement to traditional survey data to measure and analyze the well-being of a population at high frequency and local geographic levels. We highlight some factors that are important for well-being, as we find that internet searches associated with job search, civic participation, and healthy habits consistently predict well-being across several models, datasets and use cases during the period studied. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-642-13754-9_9 | Some Thoughts On The Semantics Of Biocharts | This paper combines three topics to which Amir Pnueli contributed significantly: the semantics of languages for concurrency, the semantics of statecharts, and reactive and hybrid systems. It is also no accident that the main motivation of our paper comes from biological systems: in recent years Amir became interested in these too. In [KLH10] we introduced Biocharts, a fully executable, two-tier compound visual language for modeling complex biological systems. The high-level part of the language is a version of statecharts, which have been shown to be successful in software and systems engineering. These statecharts can then be combined with any appropriately well-defined language (preferably a diagrammatic one) for specifying the low-level dynamics of the biological pathways and networks. The purpose of [KLH10] was to present the main concepts through a biological example and to illustrate the feasibility and usefulness of the approach. Here we discuss some of the questions that arise when one attempts to provide a careful definition of the semantics of Biocharts. We also compare the main requirements needed in a language for modeling biology with the way statecharts are used in software and system engineering. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1021/la500766t | Dual-functionalized nanostructured biointerfaces by click chemistry | The presentation of biologically active molecules at interfaces has made it possible to investigate the responses of cells to individual molecules in their matrix at a given density and spacing. However, more sophisticated methods are needed to create model surfaces that present more than one molecule in a controlled manner in order to mimic at least partially the complexity given in natural environments. Herein, we present dual-functionalized surfaces combining quasi-hexagonally arranged gold nanoparticles with defined spacings and a newly developed PEG-alkyne coating to functionalize the glass in the intermediate space. The PEG-alkyne coating provides an inert background for cell interactions but can be modified orthogonally to the gold nanoparticles with numerous azides, including spectroscopically active molecules, peptides, and biotin at controlled densities by the copper(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne click reaction. The simultaneous presentation of cRGD on the gold nanoparticles with 100 nm spacing and synergy peptide PHSRN in the space between has a striking effect on REF cell adhesion; cells adhere, spread, and form mature focal adhesions on the dual-functionalized surfaces, whereas cells cannot adhere on either monofunctional surface. Combining these orthogonal functionalization methods creates a new platform to study precisely the crosstalk and synergy between different signaling molecules and clustering effects in ligand-receptor interactions. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1163/22105832-00702001 | The Spread Of Agriculture In Eastern Asia Archaeological Bases For Hypothetical Farmer Language Dispersals | Millets and rice were important for the demographic history of China. This review draws on current archaeobotanical evidence for rice and millets across China, Korea, eastern Russia, Taiwan, Mainland southeast Asia, and Japan, taking a critical approach to dating evidence, evidence for cultivation, and morphological domestication. There is no evidence to suggest that millets and rice were domesticated simultaneously within a single region. Instead, 5 regions of north China are candidates for independent early cultivation of millets that led to domestication, and 3 regions of the Yangtze basin are candidates for separate rice domestication trajectories. The integration of rice and millet into a single agricultural system took place ca. 4000 BC , and after this the spread of agricultural systems and population growth are in evidence. The most striking evidence for agricultural dispersal and population growth took place between 3000 and 2500 BC , which has implications for major language dispersals. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
171469 | Platform for ict learning and inclusion for youth employability and entrepreneurship | The current proposal responds to the H2020 topic "Platform for ICT for Learning and Inclusion". Its main objective is to establish a sustainable, overarching platform for ICT (for) learning and inclusion focused on boosting the employability and entrepreneurship of young people.
As key stakeholders in the ICT learning and e-Inclusion sector themselves, the consortium partners are called to lead such a platform and be a guarantee for its sustainability. This will bring together a broad spectrum of stakeholders (civil society organisations, educational institutions, ICT industry, policy-makers, researchers, individual experts and practitioners) and end users (youth). Three main stakeholder groups coordinated by partners, i.e. formal education and training institutions and organisations [European SchoolNet]; digital and socio-economic inclusion organisations/networks [Telecentre Europe] and organisations focused on youth employability [Telefónica], plus a selected pool of changemakers, will collaboratively design innovative and sustainable solutions by benefiting from existing platforms, networks and resources that the project will collect and link. In achievement of the overall objective of the proposed action, this project aims to:
- Develop a wide, rich and active community of stakeholders, aspiring to become a reference point in the long run in the field of ICT (for) learning and inclusion;
- Link existing stakeholder activities in the field of ICT (for) learning and inclusion and join them to increase their impact both on policy-maker and end-user level.
- Contribute to the improvement of existing platforms by creating a common (blended) space for open dialogue and meetings, and foster active mutual exchanges and peer-learning activities.
- Define directions on how to improve tools and services for the modernisation of education and training and the employability of young people while tackling the risk of digital and socio-economic exclusion (i.e. eInclusion). | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
W322169596 | Auditoría inicial base técnico-legal modelo andino en seguridad y salud ocupacional | The present research was made in response to the obligatoriness that the countries member of the Andean Community have, in this case Colombia, Peru and Bolivia to develop a Safety Management System and Occupational Health to prevent occupational risks that arise due to the performance of tasks associated with daily work, supported in Article No. 9 of the Decision 584 in substitution to the Decision 547 Andean Instrument of Safety and Health and in Article No. 1 of its Regulation 957.
The development of this Technical-Legal tool will allow audit companies from the concerned countries, in terms of Safety and Occupational Heath, becoming the fundamental basis for the development of the promotion and prevention of the occupational risks within them.
The Technical-Legal base within the Andean Model Management System will allow not only the employers but also employees of the companies of the mentioned countries to have a global knowledge of the legislation that protects them, their obligations and rights and various activities and appropriate procedures to be performed and continue respectively to avoid the materialization of an accident or illness. | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.18186.x | The dependence of AGN activity on stellar and halo mass in semi-analytic models | Active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback is believed to play an important role in shaping a variety of observed galaxy properties, as well as the evolution of their stellar masses and star formation rates. In particular, in the current theoretical paradigm of galaxy formation, AGN feedback is believed to play a crucial role in regulating star formation activity in galaxies residing in relatively massive haloes, at low redshift. Only in recent years, however, has detailed statistical information on the dependence of galaxy activity on stellar mass M*, parent halo MDM mass and hierarchy (i. e. centrals or satellites) become available. In this paper, we compare the fractions of galaxies belonging to different activity classes (star forming, AGN and radio active) with predictions from four different and independently developed semi-analytical models. We adopt empirical relations to convert physical properties into observables (Hα emission lines, Oiii line strength and radio power). We demonstrate that all models used in this study reproduce the observed distributions of galaxies as a function of stellar mass and halo mass: star-forming galaxies and the strongest radio sources are preferentially associated with low-mass and high-mass galaxies/haloes, respectively. However, model predictions differ from observational measurements in many respects. All models used in our study predict that almost every MDM > 1012M⊙ dark matter halo and/or M* > 1011M⊙ galaxy should host a bright radio source, while only a small (few per cent) fraction of galaxies belong to this class in the data. In addition, radio brightness is expected to depend strongly on the mass of the parent halo mass in the models, while strong and weak radio galaxies are found in similar environments in data. Our results highlight that the distribution of AGN activity as a function of stellar mass provides one of the most promising discriminants between different gas accretion schemes. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1039/c3lc51419f | Trapping self-propelled micromotors with microfabricated chevron and heart-shaped chips | We demonstrate that catalytic micromotors can be trapped in microfluidic chips containing chevron and heart-shaped structures. Despite the challenge presented by the reduced size of the traps, microfluidic chips with different trapping geometries can be fabricated via replica moulding. We prove that these microfluidic chips can capture micromotors without the need for any external mechanism to control their motion. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1145/1778765.1778829 | Simulating Virtual Environments Within Virtual Environments As The Basis For A Psychophysics Of Presence | A new definition of immersion with respect to virtual environment (VE) systems has been proposed in earlier work, based on the concept of simulation. One system (A) is said to be more immersive than another (B) if A can be used to simulate an application as if it were running on B. Here we show how this concept can be used as the basis for a psychophysics of presence in VEs, the sensation of being in the place depicted by the virtual environment displays (Place Illusion, PI), and also the illusion that events occurring in the virtual environment are real (Plausibility Illusion, Psi). The new methodology involves matching experiments akin to those in color science. Twenty participants first experienced PI or Psi in the initial highest level immersive system, and then in 5 different trials chose transitions from lower to higher order systems and declared a match whenever they felt the same level of PI or Psi as they had in the initial system. In each transition they could change the type of illumination model used, or the field-of-view, or the display type (powerwall or HMD) or the extent of self-representation by an avatar. The results showed that the 10 participants instructed to choose transitions to attain a level of PI corresponding to that in the initial system tended to first choose a wide field-of-view and head-mounted display, and then ensure that they had a virtual body that moved as they did. The other 10 in the Psi group concentrated far more on achieving a higher level of illumination realism, although having a virtual body representation was important for both groups. This methodology is offered as a way forward in the evaluation of the responses of people to immersive virtual environments, a unified theory and methodology for psychophysical measurement. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
W2036468591 | Probing the relationships between molecular conformation and intermolecular contacts inN,N-dibenzyl-N′-(furan-2-carbonyl)thiourea | In the crystal structure of the title compound, C 20 H 18 N 2 O 2 S, molecules are linked by bifurcated C—H...O hydrogen-bond interactions, giving rise to chains whose links are composed of alternating centrosymmetrically disposed pairs of molecules and characterized by R 2 2 (10) and R 2 2 (20) hydrogen-bonding motifs. Also, N—H...S hydrogen bonds form infinite zigzag chains along the [010] direction, which exhibit the C (4) motif. Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots were used to explore the intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure. This analysis confirms the important role of C—H...O hydrogen bonds in the molecular conformation and in the crystal structure, providing a potentially useful tool for a full understanding of the intermolecular interactions in acylthiourea derivatives. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
US 202117388654 A | CUSTOMIZING A POLICY OF AN INPUT/OUTPUT DEVICE IN RESPONSE TO USER CONSTRAINTS | A method and system for generating a modified input/output (I/O) device policy in response to constraints of a user are provided. The method includes determining at least one constraint of a user using the I/O device policy in response to a request to perform a plan defined in the policy, wherein the at least one constraint is determined based on a first dataset collected from different electronic sources connected to the I/O device; generating a first plan customizing the policy based on the at least one determined constraint, wherein the first plan demonstrates a high acceptance score, wherein the acceptance score defines a probability that the user accepts and fulfills the first plan; and executing the first plan defined in the customized policy, wherein executing the first plan further includes causing the I/O device to activate an action that complies with the at least one determined constraint. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.3389/fnins.2019.00283 | Direct neuronal reprogramming reveals unknown functions for known transcription factors | In recent years, the need to derive sources of specialized cell types to be employed for cell replacement therapies and modeling studies has triggered a fast acceleration of novel cell reprogramming methods. In particular, in neuroscience, a number of protocols for the efficient differentiation of somatic or pluripotent stem cells have been established to obtain a renewable source of different neuronal cell types. Alternatively, several neuronal populations have been generated through direct reprogramming/trans differentiation, which concerns the conversion of fully differentiated somatic cells into induced neurons. This is achieved through the forced expression of selected transcription factors (TFs) in the donor cell population. The reprogramming cocktail is chosen after an accurate screening process involving lists of TFs enriched into desired cell lineages. In some instances, this type of studies has revealed the crucial role of TFs whose function in the differentiation of a given specific cell type had been neglected or underestimated. Herein, we will speculate on how the in vitro studies have served to better understand physiological mechanisms of neuronal development in vivo. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.1037/dev0000103 | Early visual deprivation severely compromises the auditory sense of space in congenitally blind children | A recent study has shown that congenitally blind adults, who have never had visual experience, are impaired on an auditory spatial bisection task (Gori, Sandini, Martinoli,&Burr, 2014). In this study we investigated how thresholds for auditory spatial bisection and auditory discrimination develop with age in sighted and congenitally blind children (9 to 14 years old). Children performed 2 spatial tasks (minimum audible angle and space bisection) and 1 temporal task (temporal bisection). There was no impairment in the temporal task for blind children but, like adults, they showed severely compromised thresholds for spatial bisection. Interestingly, the blind children also showed lower precision in judging minimum audible angle. These results confirm the adult study and go on to suggest that even simpler auditory spatial tasks are compromised in children, and that this capacity recovers over time. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.032 | Parsing the neural signatures of reduced error detection in older age | Recent work has demonstrated that explicit error detection relies on a neural evidence accumulation process that can be traced in the human electroencephalogram (EEG). Here, we sought to establish the impact of natural aging on this process by recording EEG from young (18–35 years) and older adults (65–88 years) during the performance of a Go/No-Go paradigm in which participants were required to overtly signal their errors. Despite performing the task with equivalent accuracy, older adults reported substantially fewer errors, and the timing of their reports were both slower and more variable. These behavioral differences were linked to three key neurophysiological changes reflecting distinct parameters of the error detection decision process: a reduction in medial frontal delta/theta (2–7 Hz) activity, indicating diminished top-down input to the decision process; a slower rate of evidence accumulation as indexed by the rate of rise of a centro-parietal signal, known as the error positivity; and a higher motor execution threshold as indexed by lateralized beta-band (16–30 Hz) activity. Our data provide novel insight into how the natural aging process affects the neural underpinnings of error detection. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
US 0316705 W | VACUUM LAMINATOR | An apparatus and a method for vacuum laminating an article to a substrate. The apparatus comprises a movable assembly (20) engaged with a support surface for the substrate and movable relative thereto. The movable assembly (20) comprises a manifold (24) for receiving vacuum force from a source of vacuum, and a fin member for translating the vacuum force across substantially a width of the printing plate (14). A holder for the article is positioned such that an end of said article to be laminated is engageable with the support surface. A moving device is provided for passing the movable assembly and the article over the printing plate as the vacuum force is translated across the printing plate, such that the article is laminated to the printing plate without substantial air entrapment. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W1964964009 | Orthographic Depth Modulates Reading Route Selection: An Electrical Neuroimaging Study | Introduction
The orthographic Depth Hypothesis (Katz and Feldman, 1983) posits that different reading routes are engaged depending on the expertise of the reader but also on the type of grapheme/phoneme correspondence of the language being read. Shallow orthographies (e.g. German and Italian) with consistent grapheme to phoneme correspondences favor encoding via non-lexical pathways, where each phoneme is sequentially mapped to its corresponding grapheme. In contrast, deep orthographies (e.g. French and English), with inconsistent grapheme to phoneme correspondences favor lexical pathways, where phonemes are retrieved from memory structures. Only few studies investigated the impact of orthographic depth on brain response while reading. Moreover, because they used between subject or cross-language designs, the interpretability of previous studies on the effect of orthographic depth is limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of orthographic depth on reading route selection using an experimental design enabling isolating the effect of orthographic depth.
Method
We presented the same pseudowords (PWs) to highly proficient bilinguals and manipulated the orthographic depth of PW reading by embedding them among two separated language contexts (German and French), implicating either shallow or deep orthography. High density 128-channel electroencephalography was recorded during the task.
Results
The topographies of the event-related potential were different between PWs read in deep orthographic context and PWs read in shallow orthographic context at 300-360ms after stimulus onset, indicating distinct brain networks engaged in reading during this time window. The brain source underlying these topographic effects were located within left inferior frontal, left parietal and left cingular areas.
Conclusion
We propose that in deep orthographic context, reading PWs cannot rely on the routine lexical pathways and thus switching to the non-lexical route is necessary. In controast, reading in a shallow orthographic context favors non-lexical route processing which fits PW reading. The topographic modulation might thus reflect the recruitment of lexical pathways in the deep but not in the shallow context. Analysis of electrical source estimation over the period of topographic modulation supports this hypothesis by showing that inferior frontal areas, a region shown to subserve phonological processing, is differentially engaged between the deep vs shallow conditions. In addition, a difference in the activity of parietal-cingular areas suggests a modulation of attentional demands related to route selection processes. Non-lexical route may be less automatized than lexical route processing. These collective results support a modulation of reading route selection by orthographic depth. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1017/pasa.2018.25 | Phantom: A Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics and Magnetohydrodynamics Code for Astrophysics | AbstractWe present Phantom, a fast, parallel, modular, and low-memory smoothed particle hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics code developed over the last decade for astrophysical applications in three dimensions. The code has been developed with a focus on stellar, galactic, planetary, and high energy astrophysics, and has already been used widely for studies of accretion discs and turbulence, from the birth of planets to how black holes accrete. Here we describe and test the core algorithms as well as modules for magnetohydrodynamics, self-gravity, sink particles, dust–gas mixtures, H2 chemistry, physical viscosity, external forces including numerous galactic potentials, Lense–Thirring precession, Poynting–Robertson drag, and stochastic turbulent driving. Phantom is hereby made publicly available. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
978743 | History and philosophy of scientific thought experiments and scientific practices | The project aims at providing a novel general theory of scientific thought experiments (TEs) and lies within the fields of general history and philosophy of science (HPS). TEs are epistemic tools, are conducted in the “laboratory of the mind” and are found in nearly all intellectual fields. Scientific TEs are puzzling to most philosophers: arguably TEs aim at providing “new” knowledge about the world, but without resorting to new empirical data. There is a vast literature on TEs, however, in its majority, remains “reductive” and “restrictive”, built on a-historically analysed case studies and is disconnected from the literature on real experiments (REs), scientific models (SMs) and computer simulations (CSs). The project is driven by a main hypothesis – TEs, in different scientific fields, should be analysed as a sui generis tool – and shall be divided into two objectives (O1 and O2): Towards a general theory of TEs (O1) and TEs vs REs, CSs and SMs (O2). Work on O1 shall built on a recent epistemic account of TEs in physics defended by El Skaf and on a new historical analysis of TEs in physics, biology and mathematics. Work on O2 shall consist of a comparative analysis of TEs, REs, CSs and SMs. The project thus relies on the scientific, historical, and philosophical methodology of integrated HPS. The project shall benefit from Werndl’s expertise in general philosophy of science and SMs, Weber’s expertise in general philosophy of science and experimentation in biology, including TEs, and El Skaf’s expertise in integrated HPS and the epistemology of TEs. Furthermore, we shall develop collaborations with researchers with a wide range of expertise, organise a series of seminars and an international workshop. Finally, this study, by providing a general theory of scientific TEs which identifies their common structure (i.e. their common reasoning pattern), will be applicable to TEs in several intellectual fields beyond natural sciences, where TEs are commonly used. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
250333 | Paving the way toward HIV eradication/control | Human Immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the causative agent of AIDS, infects primarily cells of the immune system. The outcome of HIV-1 infection results from complex interactions between viral proteins and host cell factors (ref). In most cases, HIV-1 successfully hijacks cellular pathways and bypasses cellular restriction factors for optimal replication leading to continuous rounds of infection, replication and cell death (ref). Continuous viral replication causes the loss of CD4+T cells and progression to immunodeficiency in infected individuals. However, in certain situations virus replication can be successfully controlled. First, HAART (Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy) treatment revealed the existence of a pool of resting memory CD4+ T cells harbouring integrated but silent HIV-1 provirus. Although this situation occurs in a small number of cells, it suggests that intracellular defence mechanisms can be effective against HIV. This long lived viral reservoir is believed to be the major obstacle against HIV-1 eradication by HAART. Second, HIV-infected individuals who are able to control their virus to undetectable levels for many years in absence of any treatment have been identified and referred to as Elite HIV controllers EC . Again, this is a rare situation observed in 0.5% of infected patients. Still, it demonstrates that it is possible to naturally and effectively control HIV replication and disease progression. A common feature of these two situations is that virus replication is controlled at the gene expression level. A major challenge in the HIV field is to understand how these naturally occurring situations where intracellular defence and/or immune response win the battle against HIV. Our project aim at identifying the host factors and define the molecular mechanisms involved in the control of virus replication both in HAART-treated and in EC patients. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2366443426 | Intention to Design in the Application of Park Design Site:Ruins Park as an Example the Hefei Three Kingdoms | Park as an important urban open space,playing to improve the living environment and enhance the quality of urban cultural roles.It reflected in park design should focus on in addition to their ecological and aesthetic value,the planning should dig in its historical and cultural characteristics of a geographical heritage,of which the cultural landscape of the soul Ruins Park is a very good form.Paper tries to three Heritage Park as an example,based on respect for nature,respect for history,respect the principle of body sites,through the intention to design methods to explore the landscape in the park planning application,highlighting the blend of natural and historical landscape features. | [
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
948750 | Destination cilium: towards selective probing and perturbation of ciliary signaling | The primary cilium is a microtubule-based organelle that organizes a variety of cellular signaling pathways. Its importance for human health is illustrated by a large collection of cilium-based diseases, the ciliopathies, caused by mutations that alter cilium formation, structure, and function. Importantly, the mammalian Hedgehog signaling pathway is critically dependent on the primary cilium, dysregulation of which contributes to severe developmental defects and a variety of cancers. The ultimate goal of this work program is to enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of ciliary signaling in health and disease. This is accomplished through the development of advanced technologies that provide a currently unattainable level of spatiotemporal control over ciliary proteins in mammalian cells. Unraveling the mechanisms by which the ciliary compartment orchestrates signal transduction is challenging, because ciliary and cytoplasmic roles of proteins involved in signal transduction are tightly connected, difficult to resolve and, importantly, context-specific. Here, an innovative chemical biology program is presented that provides a powerful toolbox to overcome these challenges, allowing the intraciliary manipulation, and therefore study, of ciliary proteins. Combining chemical probes, synthetic ciliary targeting approaches, and a modular enzymatic tagging strategy, this program provides unprecedented opportunities to probe, visualize, inhibit or degrade proteins at specific times and selectively within the ciliary compartment. Specifically, these tools will be used to decipher the relationships between tubulin acetylation state, intraflagellar transport, and Hedgehog signal transduction in wild-type and ciliopathy-mutant cells. These innovative work packages synergistically provide enhanced fundamental understanding of ciliary signaling, and pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches to combat cilium-based diseases. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1534/genetics.115.183376 | Reconciling Differences in Pool-GWAS Between Populations: A Case Study of Female Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster | Abstract
The degree of concordance between populations in the genetic architecture of a given trait is an important issue in medical and evolutionary genetics. Here, we address this problem, using a replicated pooled genome-wide association study approach (Pool-GWAS) to compare the genetic basis of variation in abdominal pigmentation in female European and South African Drosophila melanogaster. We find that, in both the European and the South African flies, variants near the tan and bric-à-brac 1 (bab1) genes are most strongly associated with pigmentation. However, the relative contribution of these loci differs: in the European populations, tan outranks bab1, while the converse is true for the South African flies. Using simulations, we show that this result can be explained parsimoniously, without invoking different causal variants between the populations, by a combination of frequency differences between the two populations and dominance for the causal alleles at the bab1 locus. Our results demonstrate the power of cost-effective, replicated Pool-GWAS to shed light on differences in the genetic architecture of a given trait between populations. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1088/0953-8984/26/38/385301 | Dft And Tb Study Of The Geometry Of Hydrogen Adsorbed On Graphynes | Using density-functional calculations (DFT) and a tight-binding model, we investigate the origin of distinct favorable geometries which depend on the type of graphyne used. The change in the H geometry is described in terms of the tuning of the hopping between sp2-bonded C atoms and sp-bonded C atoms hybridized with the H atoms. We find that the different preferred geometry for each type of graphyne is associated with the electronic effects due to different symmetries rather than a steric effect minimizing the repulsive interaction between the H atoms. The band gaps are significantly tuned as the hopping varies, except in α-graphyne, in agreement with the result of our previous DFT study (Koo J et al 2013 J. Phys. Chem. C 117 11960). Our model can be used to describe the geometry and electronic properties of hydrogenated graphynes. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1016/j.crma.2008.04.014 | Milnor-Wood inequalities for manifolds locally isometric to a product of hyperbolic planes | This Note describes sharp Milnor-Wood inequalities for the Euler number of flat oriented vector bundles over closed Riemannian manifolds locally isometric to products of hyperbolic planes. One consequence is that such manifolds do not admit an affine structure, confirming Chern-Sullivan's conjecture in this case. The manifolds under consideration are of particular interest, since in contrary to some other locally symmetric spaces they do admit interesting flat vector bundles in the corresponding dimension. When the manifold is irreducible and of higher rank, it is shown that flat oriented vector bundles are determined completely by the sign of the Euler number. To cite this article: M. Bucher, T. Gelander, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 346 (2008). | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
W2040251373 | Performance Analysis of Multiple Access 60 GHz System Using Frequency-shifted Gaussian Pulse and Non-carrier PSWF Pulse | In this paper, a kind of impulse radio (IR) 60 GHz pulse based on Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions (PSWF) is proposed. The capacity and performance for multiple access 60 GHz communication system based on carrier pulse and impulse radio pulse are analyzed separately. Both frequency-shifted Gaussian pulse and Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions (PSWF) pulse are considered and devised according to the federal communication commission (FCC) power constraints. Pulse position modulation (PPM) with time hopping spread spectrum (THSS) is employed in the multiple access 60GHz communication system. The channel capacity and error probability for 60GHz communication system with different pulse waveforms over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel are compared and analyzed. The simulation results showed that the PSWF pulse 60GHz system with has better channel capacity and error probability performance than frequency-shifted Gaussian pulse 60GHz system. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1038/nm.2366 | Alternatively spliced NKp30 isoforms affect the prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors | The natural killer (NK) cell receptor NKp30 is involved in the recognition of tumor and dendritic cells (DCs). Here we describe the influence of three NKp30 splice variants on the prognosis of gastrointestinal sarcoma (GIST), a malignancy that expresses NKp30 ligands and that is treated with NK-stimulatory KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Healthy individuals and those with GIST show distinct patterns of transcription of functionally different NKp30 isoforms. In a retrospective analysis of 80 individuals with GIST, predominant expression of the immunosuppressive NKp30c isoform (over the immunostimulatory NKp30a and NKp30b isoforms) was associated with reduced survival of subjects, decreased NKp30-dependent tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and CD107a release, and defective interferon- (IFN-) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) secretion in the NK-DC cross-talk that could be restored by blocking of IL-10. Preferential NKp30c expression resulted partly from a single-nucleotide polymorphism at position 3790 in the 3-2 untranslated region of the gene encoding NKp30. The genetically determined NKp30 status predicts the clinical outcomes of individuals with GIST independently from KIT mutation. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1111/phin.12125 | Dispositional Modality Vis-à-Vis Conditional Necessity | There is an ongoing debate in the metaphysics of dispositions regarding which type of modality governs their manifestation. This paper assumes as its default position the view that dispositions manifest by conditional necessity; that is, when in appropriate circumstances dispositions manifest necessarily. From this standpoint, the paper engages critically with an existing alternative in the literature, put forward most prominently by Mumford and Anjum, and known as dispositional modality. According to this latter view, even when in appropriate manifestation conditions, dispositions only merely tend towards their manifestation. By raising difficulties for this alternative, the paper offers indirect support for the conditional necessity view. | [
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevLett.113.254502 | Laminar, turbulent, and inertial shear-thickening regimes in channel flow of neutrally buoyant particle suspensions | The aim of this Letter is to characterize the flow regimes of suspensions of finite-size rigid particles in a viscous fluid at finite inertia. We explore the system behavior as a function of the particle volume fraction and the Reynolds number (the ratio of flow and particle inertia to viscous forces). Unlike single-phase flows, where a clear distinction exists between the laminar and the turbulent states, three different regimes can be identified in the presence of a particulate phase, with smooth transitions between them. At low volume fractions, the flow becomes turbulent when increasing the Reynolds number, transitioning from the laminar regime dominated by viscous forces to the turbulent regime characterized by enhanced momentum transport by turbulent eddies. At larger volume fractions, we identify a new regime characterized by an even larger increase of the wall friction. The wall friction increases with the Reynolds number (inertial effects) while the turbulent transport is weakly affected, as in a state of intense inertial shear thickening. This state may prevent the transition to a fully turbulent regime at arbitrary high speed of the flow. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1007/JHEP04(2011)061 | D Brane Non Perturbative Effects And Geometric Deformations | We study how non-perturbative dynamics on D-branes affects the ten-dimensional geometry. We show that a gaugino condensate changes the complex and the symplectic structures of the original manifold by deforming the supersymmetry conditions. The cases of D5, D6 and D7-branes are discussed in detail. In the latter case we find the explicit form of the resulting back-reacted background at linear order in the gaugino condensate. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
W1976463513 | An FPGA-Based Novel Architecture for the Fixed-Point Binary Antilogarithmic Computation | Emerging embedded system applications require low power, fast and area-efficient implementation of complex arithmetic operations. Modern field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a suitable candidate for implementing any reasonably complex architecture within minimal design time. Apart from the logic resources, most of the FPGAs contain hard-macro elements. By using a fixed-point data path, the available FPGA macro elements can be used to design an architecture that is much more complex. The realization of the complex arithmetic elements can be simpler by using a logarithmic number system. In this paper, a novel architecture and the FPGA realization of an antilogarithmic computing circuit is proposed. The proposed antilogarithmic circuit uses piecewise linear approximation method. The same architecture works for both the positive and negative binary numbers. A unique barrel-shifter is designed which shifts the input data to the left or right by the required amount. The proposed architecture is implemented in the Xilinx Virtex-5 xc5vfx70t device. The device utilization shows that the architecture utilizes a minimal FPGA resource. We have also performed error analysis of the approximation result. The error analysis shows that error associated with the positive numbers is 0.16% while that for the negative numbers is 0.8%. The error can be further minimized by taking more bits for the fractional bit representation. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
interreg_3464 | Achieving SUSTainability through an integrated approach to the management of CULTural heritage | Many valuable heritage sites in the SEE region are under pressure. Cultural heritage is often used to respond to economic concerns (tourism), rarely to valorise culturally a territory, its people, its traditions, its roots. The innovative approach of SUSTCULT is that cultural heritage has a social and ecological intrinsic significance which shall be safeguarded as a source of sustainable development (SD). Improving the effectiveness of cultural sites management is a priority and the common cultural and political challenge to be addressed by SEE partners is the integration of cultural heritage management into planning and development of urban settlements and territories. SUSTCULT's main objective is to improve the effectiveness of heritage sites management through the development, testing and dissemination of an holistic approach capable of valorising the complexity of SEE cultural heritage. The SUSTCULT partnership includes Italy, Slovenia, Albania, Greece, FYROM, Romania and Hungary; it involves 12 institutions with diverse competencies and experience: diversity in cultural management capacity, cultural resources and contexts are valorised and subsidiarity and multilevel cooperation is ensured. Expected results are: Increased awareness among wider public and stakeholders of the SEE heritage value and its potential for attracting financial resources and sustainable growth; Shared knowledge and geo-referenced information on cultural heritage; Transferable framework for the sustainable management of heritage through the development of a common methodology; Greater institutional capacity in managing and promoting heritage; Greater use of ICT for mapping and promoting cultural resources; Improved management and integration of cultural heritage sites in planning instruments; Better understanding and knowledge of market opportunities and strategies for increasing tourist attractiveness of targeted sites and income generation. | [
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
833337 | New Horizons in C–H Activation: the ‘Real-World Molecules’ Challenge | A 2018 joint report from pharma identified organic synthesis as one of the major bottlenecks in drug discovery today. In the highly competitive discovery environments, only fast-to-synthesise molecules are targeted, based mostly on five well-tested and proven synthetic methods. This approach has led to only a small portion of the chemical shape space being explored over the last decades and has been partly blamed for the recent low success rates in new drug development. The report emphasises the need for ideal tools such as late stage functionalisation, which would allow simply replacing any C‒H bond in a bioactive molecule with any desired functionality, thus greatly accelerating the synthesis of new candidates from a lead compound. However, the field of C‒H activation is significantly behind in achieving this aim: most biologically active molecules contain several polar and/or delicate functionalities (‘real world’ molecules), whereas most C‒H activation methods use harsh conditions, incompatible with delicate groups, and catalysts that tend to poison in the presence of polar groups.
This ERC Advanced Grant addresses this major challenge by building a new tool-set of ruthenium catalysts that will finally be able to deliver late stage functionalisation on ‘real world’ molecules, thus allowing a new dawn for development not only of new drugs, but also of agrochemicals, aromatic based organic materials and associated areas. The project builds on a recent key mechanistic breakthrough by the PI's group on the operation of Ru-catalysts (Nature Chemistry 2018) that reveals a completely different pathway to catalyst design from that followed in the field in the last two decades. This new class of catalysts presents unprecedented high reactivity and compatibility with sensitive ‘real world’ molecules. The PI is in a unique position to capitalize on this discovery and lead the way towards global late stage functionalisation of ‘real world’ molecules. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
835300 | Multivalent interactions driving RNP dynamics in development and disease | Ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) play many key regulatory roles in development. Moreover, mutations causing cancer or neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often occur in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). These mutations are concentrated in the intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), which play a central role in the control of RNP assembly and disassembly. RNP dynamics is often driven by multivalent interactions that are mediated by multiple elements within IDRs of RBPs, which can condense the RNP such that it separates from the surrounding liquid through the phenomenon of liquid-liquid phase separation. Transcriptomic insights into the physiological functions of such multivalent RNP assembly are needed to understand their regulation, or deregulation through disease-causing mutations. Here, we will build a framework of experimental and computational methods to study the mechanisms by which the dynamic multivalent interactions drive RNP remodelling, and how such RNP dynamics contributes to cellular transitions in development and disease. The first objective will be to identify the functions of specific RBPs in cell-state transitions during neuronal differentiation, and the mechanisms of IDR-mediated multivalent interactions in these functions. The next objective will be to establish new tools to manipulate RNP assembly through multivalent RNA binding sites and IDRs. Finally, the new insights and tools will be integrated with the goal to fine-tune the RNP assembly of ALS-mutant RBPs, and thereby ameliorate their toxicity. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1007/JHEP05(2019)120 | Elliptic Polylogarithms And Feynman Parameter Integrals | In this paper we study the calculation of multiloop Feynman integrals that cannot be expressed in terms of multiple polylogarithms. We show in detail how certain types of two- and three-point functions at two loops, which appear in the calculation of higher order corrections in QED, QCD and in the electroweak theory (EW), can naturally be expressed in terms of a recently introduced elliptic generalisation of multiple polylogarithms by direct integration over their Feynman parameter representation. Moreover, we show that in all examples that we considered a basis of pure Feynman integrals can be found. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1021/acsomega.6b00131 | Interfacial Activity of Gold Nanoparticles Coated with a Polymeric Patchy Shell and the Role of Spreading Agents | Gold patchy nanoparticles (PPs) were prepared under surfactant-free conditions by functionalization with a binary ligand mixture of polystyrene and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as hydrophobic and hydrophilic ligands, respectively. The interfacial activity of PPs was compared to that of homogeneous hydrophilic nanoparticles (HPs), fully functionalized with PEG, by means of pendant drop tensiometry at water/air and water/decane interfaces. We compared interfacial activities in three different spreading agents: water, water/chloroform, and pure chloroform. We found that the interfacial activity of PPs was close to zero (a2 mN/m) when the spreading agent was water and increased to a14 mN/m when the spreading agent was water/chloroform. When the nanoparticles were deposited with pure chloroform, the interfacial activity reached up to 60 mN/m by compression. In all cases, PPs exhibited higher interfacial activity than HPs, which were not interfacially active, regardless of the spreading agent. The interfacial activity at the water/decane interface was found to be significantly lower than that at the water/air interface because PPs aggregate in decane. Interfacial dilatational rheology showed that PPs form a stronger elastic shell at the pendant drop interface, compared to HPs. The significantly high interfacial activity obtained with PPs in this study highlights the importance of the polymeric patchy shell and the spreading agent. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
679814 | IMPROVING PHOTOSYNTHETIC SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION IN MICROALGAL CULTURES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOFUELS AND HIGH VALUE PRODUCTS | Solar Energy is the most abundant renewable energy source available for our Planet. Light energy conversion into chemical energy by photosynthetic organisms is indeed the main conversion energy step, which originated high energy containing fossil deposits, now being depleted. By the way, plant or algae biomass may still be used to produce biofuels, as bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-hydrogen. Microalgae exploitation for biofuels production have the considerable advantages of being sustainable and not in competition with food production, since not-arable lands, waste water and industrial gasses can be used for algae cultivation. Considering that only 45% of the sunlight covers the range of wavelengths that can be absorbed and used for photosynthesis, the maximum photosynthetic efficiency achievable in microalgae is 10%. On these bases, a photobioreactor carrying 600 l/m-2 would produce 294 Tons/ha/year of biomass of which 30% to 80%, depending on strain and growth conditions, being oil. However this potential has not been exploited yet, since biomass and biofuels yield on industrial scale obtained up to now were relatively low and with high costs of production. The main limitation encountered for sustained biomass production in microalgae by sunlight conversion is low light use efficiency, reduced from the theoretical value of 10% to 1-3%. This low light use efficiency is mainly due to a combined effect of reduced light penetration to deeper layers in highly pigmented cultures, where light available is almost completely absorbed by the outer layers, and an extremely high (up to 80%) thermal dissipation of the light absorbed. This project aims to investigate the molecular basis for efficient light energy conversion into chemical energy, in order to significantly increase the biomass production in microalgae combining a solid investigation of the principles of light energy conversion with biotechnological engineering of algal strains. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
W1973500152 | Using high-power LEDs in harsh environments | Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are becoming common as energy efficient light sources. Their long life, small footprint and low energy consumption show great promise in many applications including those that relate to harsh environments. However, in designing an efficient light source, a mathematical model is required. The development of such a mathematical model was identified as a priority task by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010 for general lighting. In this paper, we report an experiment involving two high-power white LED models which were stressed with different currents and junction temperatures. It shows the large variation between different models and stress conditions that takes place in the degradation process. This is part of an effort to develop a tool for the simulation of LED degradation for harsh environment lighting conditions. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
985469 | Microbial genome defence pathways: from molecular mechanisms to next-generation molecular tools | The constant arms race between prokaryotic microbes and their molecular parasites such as viruses, plasmids and transposons has driven the evolution of complex genome defence mechanisms. The CRISPR-Cas defence systems provide adaptive RNA-guided immunity against invasive nucleic acid elements. CRISPR-associated effector nucleases such as Cas9, Cas12a and Cas13 have emerged as powerful tools for precision genome editing, gene expression control and nucleic acid detection. However, these technologies suffer from drawbacks that limit their efficacy and versatility, necessitating the search for additional exploitable molecular activities. Building on our recent structural and biochemical studies, the goal of this project is to investigate the molecular architectures and mechanisms of CRISPR-associated systems and other genome defence mechanisms, aiming not only to shed light on their biological roles but also inform their technological development. Specifically, the proposed studies will examine (i) the molecular basis of cyclic oligoadenylate signalling in type III CRISPR-Cas systems, (ii) the mechanism of transposon-associated type I CRISPR-Cas systems and their putative function in RNA-guided DNA transposition, and (iii) molecular activities associated with recently described non-CRISPR defence systems. Collectively, the proposed studies will advance our understanding of the molecular functions of genome defence mechanisms in shaping the evolution of prokaryotic genomes and make critical contributions to their development as novel genetic engineering tools. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1109/CCA.2010.5611215 | Dynamic Models With Quantized Output For Modeling Patient Response To Pharmacotherapy | This article presents a way of modeling patient response to a pharmacotherapy by means of dynamic models with quantized output. The proposed modeling technique is exemplified by treatment of Parkinson's disease with Duodopa ®, where the drug is continuously administered via duodenal infusion. Titration of Duodopa ® is currently performed manually by a nurse judging the patient's motor symptoms on a quantized scale and adjusting the drug flow provided by a portable computer-controlled infusion pump. The optimal drug flow value is subject to significant inter-individual variation and the titration process might take up to two weeks for some patients. In order to expedite the titration procedure via automation, as well as to find optimal dosing strategies, a mathematical model of this system is sought. The proposed model is of Wiener type with a linear dynamic block, cascaded with a static nonlinearity in the form of a non-uniform quantizer where the quantizer levels are to be identified. An identification procedure based on the prediction error method and the Gauss-Newton algorithm is suggested. The datasets available from titration sessions are scarce so that finding a parsimonious model is essential. A few different model parameterizations and identification algorithms were initially evaluated. The results showed that models with four parameters giving accurate predictions can be identified for some of the available datasets. | [
"Mathematics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
Q4869259 | THE ICE CREAM HOUSE | PURPOSE ÃÂ Â: GREEN TRANSITION OBJECTIVES: — INCREASE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF THE PRODUCTION SYSTEM: FUNCTIONAL INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OR IN ANY CASE TO LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION, TO RATIONALISE ENERGY FLOWS AND MINIMISE ANY ENERGY WASTE, TO RECOVER OR ENHANCE DISPERSED ENERGY | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.15252/embr.201439927 | A sulfur-based transport pathway in Cu<sup>+</sup>-ATPases | Cells regulate copper levels tightly to balance the biogenesis and integrity of copper centers in vital enzymes against toxic levels of copper. PIB-type Cu+-ATPases play a central role in copper homeostasis by catalyzing the selective translocation of Cu+ across cellular membranes. Crystal structures of a copper-free Cu+-ATPase are available, but the mechanism of Cu+ recognition, binding, and translocation remains elusive. Through X-ray absorption spectroscopy, ATPase activity assays, and charge transfer measurements on solid-supported membranes using wild-type and mutant forms of the Legionella pneumophila Cu+-ATPase (LpCopA), we identify a sulfur-lined metal transport pathway. Structural analysis indicates that Cu+ is bound at a high-affinity transmembrane-binding site in a trigonal-planar coordination with the Cys residues of the conserved CPC motif of transmembrane segment 4 (C382 and C384) and the conserved Met residue of transmembrane segment 6 (M717 of the MXXXS motif). These residues are also essential for transport. Additionally, the studies indicate essential roles of other conserved intramembranous polar residues in facilitating copper binding to the high-affinity site and subsequent release through the exit pathway. Synopsis This study identifies a copper transport pathway dominated by sulfur-based residues for the Cu+-ATPase LpCopA from Legionella pneumophila thus providing insights into how metal selectivity and transport is achieved in Cu+-ATPases. Cu+ selection and subsequent extrusion involves a single high-affinity transmembrane Cu+ binding site located at transmembrane helices (TM) 4 and 6. The transmembrane translocation conduit is dominated by sulfur-containing residues. Conserved transmembrane polar residues in TM4-6 possess distinct roles in the transport catalytic cycle. This study identifies a copper transport pathway dominated by sulfur-based residues for the Cu+-ATPase LpCopA from Legionella pneumophila thus providing insights into how metal selectivity and transport is achieved in Cu+-ATPases. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
176177 | International doctoral programme in biological bases of human diseases | The major aim of Bio4Med (Biology for Medicine) programme is to provide unique, international, inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral doctoral training for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) in the domain of biological bases of human diseases. To achieve this goal it combines 22 leading research groups at the Nencki Institute and their scientific partners from world-class laboratories located in EU Member States, Switzerland, Ukraine, Japan, Canada and US. Research programme includes basic science PhD-projects focused on molecular basis of neurodegeneration, neurological disorders, cancer and metabolic diseases. All supervising researchers engaged in the Bio4Med are at the international forefront of biomedical research and have experience in PhD student supervision. Our programme will foster young researchers’ career development and employability by addressing the following objectives: (i) to offer excellent training in modern biology and endow ESRs with unique scientific knowledge, and experience in cutting-edge experimental techniques; (ii) to enhance research-oriented
and transferable skills of ESRs; (iii) to promote scientific mobility via international, inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral collaboration. The objectives of Bio4Med will be delivered through activities encompassing practical laboratory training, hands-on workshops, lectures corresponding to the theoretical aspects of doctoral projects, research-oriented generic skills courses, transferrable skills courses, progress talks and meetings. The training programme itself, focused on medically important issues, will make ESRs highly attractive to commercial enterprises, particularly in biotechnology and
pharmaceutical sectors. Bio4Med programme will increase the regional, national as well as EU competitiveness by providing a new generation of visionary and innovative researchers able to transform basic science into healthcare solutions. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
IL 2008000277 W | A CAMPING APPARATUS | In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a camping apparatus comprising: a plurality of camping appliances; and at least one connector, for connecting two or more of the camping appliances. According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the camping appliances is a tent. According to another embodiment of the invention, at least two of the camping appliances are tents. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, at least one of the camping appliances is a mattress. The mattress may be adapted to be filled with gas or fluid. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, one of the camping appliances is a sleeping appliance such as a blanket, linen, a pillow, a sleeping bag, and so forth. The connector may be a zipper, Velcro, a button, sewing, gluing, and so forth. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.automatica.2014.03.008 | Scalable anomaly detection in large homogeneous populations | Anomaly detection in large populations is a challenging but highly relevant problem. It is essentially a multi-hypothesis problem, with a hypothesis for every division of the systems into normal and anomalous systems. The number of hypothesis grows rapidly with the number of systems and approximate solutions become a necessity for any problem of practical interest. In this paper we take an optimization approach to this multi-hypothesis problem. It is first shown to be equivalent to a non-convex combinatorial optimization problem and then is relaxed to a convex optimization problem that can be solved distributively on the systems and that stays computationally tractable as the number of systems increase. An interesting property of the proposed method is that it can under certain conditions be shown to give exactly the same result as the combinatorial multi-hypothesis problem and the relaxation is hence tight. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
321186 | Reaction-Diffusion Equations, Propagation and Modelling | Our goal is to accomplish a leap forward in the knowledge on propagation phenomena in reaction-diffusion equations, in heterogeneous media and/or non standard diffusion, systems as well as non local interactions. This proposal deals both with the general theory of nonlinear PDE’s of elliptic and parabolic type as well as with the development and study of some specific models. These range from ecology, medicine, mathematical economics and social sciences.
Reaction-diffusion models, especially in ecology (for instance those describing biological invasions), feature long range interactions and heterogeneities, whose understanding is a current outstanding challenge. Models in theoretical medicine couple multi-scale phenomena to complex geometries and mixtures of local and nonlocal interactions. Economy is a constant source of new
and nonstandard free boundary problems. We therefore propose to bring our expertise in propagation phenomena for reaction-diffusion, calculus of variations and free boundary problems, to treat a large class of these new models. The level of both generality and precision we are aiming at has not, to our knowledge, been reached before.
The project is especially timely: on the one hand, the international activity in reaction-diffusion equations and all related topics is intense. On the other hand, the modelling activity in theoretical biology, ecology, medicine and social sciences is experiencing a considerable growth. The PI of this proposal being at the leading edge of both fields, there is a unique occasion to give a new impulse to a domain that is important both to mathematical analysis and to its potential applications. | [
"Mathematics",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.07.039 | Probabilistic functional tractography of the human cortex revisited | In patients with pharmaco-resistant focal epilepsies investigated with intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG), direct electrical stimulations of a cortical region induce cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEP) in distant cerebral cortex, which properties can be used to infer large scale brain connectivity. In 2013, we proposed a new probabilistic functional tractography methodology to study human brain connectivity. We have now been revisiting this method in the F-TRACT project (f-tract. eu) by developing a large multicenter CCEP database of several thousand stimulation runs performed in several hundred patients, and associated processing tools to create a probabilistic atlas of human cortico-cortical connections. Here, we wish to present a snapshot of the methods and data of F-TRACT using a pool of 213 epilepsy patients, all studied by stereo-encephalography with intracerebral depth electrodes. The CCEPs were processed using an automated pipeline with the following consecutive steps: detection of each stimulation run from stimulation artifacts in raw intracranial EEG (iEEG) files, bad channels detection with a machine learning approach, model-based stimulation artifact correction, robust averaging over stimulation pulses. Effective connectivity between the stimulated and recording areas is then inferred from the properties of the first CCEP component, i. e. onset and peak latency, amplitude, duration and integral of the significant part. Finally, group statistics of CCEP features are implemented for each brain parcel explored by iEEG electrodes. The localization (coordinates, white/gray matter relative positioning) of electrode contacts were obtained from imaging data (anatomical MRI or CT scans before and after electrodes implantation). The iEEG contacts were repositioned in different brain parcellations from the segmentation of patients’ anatomical MRI or from templates in the MNI coordinate system. The F-TRACT database using the first pool of 213 patients provided connectivity probability values for 95% of possible intrahemispheric and 56% of interhemispheric connections and CCEP features for 78% of intrahemisheric and 14% of interhemispheric connections. In this report, we show some examples of anatomo-functional connectivity matrices, and associated directional maps. We also indicate how CCEP features, especially latencies, are related to spatial distances, and allow estimating the velocity distribution of neuronal signals at a large scale. Finally, we describe the impact on the estimated connectivity of the stimulation charge and of the contact localization according to the white or gray matter. The most relevant maps for the scientific community are available for download on f-tract. eu (David et al. , 2017) and will be regularly updated during the following months with the addition of more data in the F-TRACT database. This will provide an unprecedented knowledge on the dynamical properties of large fiber tracts in human. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.029 | Distinctive Patterns of Transcription and RNA Processing for Human lincRNAs | Numerous long intervening noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are generated from the mammalian genome by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. Although multiple functions have been ascribed to lincRNAs, their synthesis and turnover remain poorly characterized. Here, we define systematic differences in transcription and RNA processing between protein-coding and lincRNA genes in human HeLa cells. This is based on a range of nascent transcriptomic approaches applied to different nuclear fractions, including mammalian native elongating transcript sequencing (mNET-seq). Notably, mNET-seq patterns specific for different Pol II CTD phosphorylation states reveal weak co-transcriptional splicing and poly(A) signal-independent Pol II termination of lincRNAs as compared to pre-mRNAs. In addition, lincRNAs are mostly restricted to chromatin, since they are rapidly degraded by the RNA exosome. We also show that a lincRNA-specific co-transcriptional RNA cleavage mechanism acts to induce premature termination. In effect, functional lincRNAs must escape from this targeted nuclear surveillance process. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.3390/app10041310 | Glassy PEEK-WC vs. Rubbery Pebax®1657 Polymers: Effect on the Gas Transport in CuNi-MOF Based Mixed Matrix Membranes | Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) are seen as promising candidates to overcome the fundamental limit of polymeric membranes, known as the so-called Robeson upper bound, which defines the best compromise between permeability and selectivity of neat polymeric membranes. To overcome this limit, the permeability of the filler particles in the MMM must be carefully matched with that of the polymer matrix. The present work shows that it is not sufficient to match only the permeability of the polymer and the dispersed phase, but that one should consider also the individual contributions of the diffusivity and the solubility of the gas in both components. Here we compare the gas transport performance of two different MMMs, containing the metal–organic framework CuNi-MOF in the rubbery Pebax®1657 and in the glassy poly(ether-ether-ketone) with cardo moiety, PEEK-WC. The chemical and structural properties of MMMs were investigated by means of FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and EDX analysis. The influence of MOF on the mechanical and thermal properties of both polymers was investigated by tensile tests and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. The MOF loading in Pebax®1657 increased the ideal H2/N2 selectivity from 6 to 8 thanks to an increased H2 permeability. In general, the MOF had little effect on the Pebax®165 membranes because an increase in gas solubility was neutralized by an equivalent decrease in effective diffusivity. Instead, the addition of MOF to PEEK-WC increases the ideal CO2/CH4 selectivity from 30 to ~48 thanks to an increased CO2 permeability (from 6 to 48 Barrer). The increase in CO2 permeability and CO2/CH4 selectivity is maintained under mixed gas conditions. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1177/0146167220946187 | The Association Between Threat And Politics Depends On The Type Of Threat The Political Domain And The Country | Theories link threat with right-wing political beliefs. We use the World Values Survey (60,378 participants) to explore how six types of threat (e. g. , economic, violence, and surveillance) are associated with multiple political beliefs (e. g. , cultural, economic, and ideological identification) in 56 countries/territories. Multilevel models with individuals nested in countries revealed that the threat-political belief association depends on the type of threat, the type of political belief, and the country. Economic-related threats tended to be associated with more left-wing economic political beliefs and violence-related threats tended to be associated with more cultural right-wing beliefs, but there were exceptions to this pattern. Additional analyses revealed that the associations between threat and political beliefs were different across countries. However, our analyses identified few country characteristics that could account for these cross-country differences. Our findings revealed that political beliefs and perceptions of threat are linked, but that the relationship is not simple. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1080/17441692.2017.1281328 | From Coastal To Global The Transnational Flow Of Ayurveda And Its Relevance For Indo African Linkages | Driven by long-standing ties with India, and intertwined with global market interests, a growing influx of materia medica from South Asia is currently emerging in East Africa. To compete at a global level and framed within the language of 'South-South cooperation for mutual benefit', India presents itself as an appropriate exporter of medical products suitable for African clientele. The expansion of India's medical sector into Africa is particularly relevant for Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals. Ayurveda's diaspora into Africa exemplifies the emergence of new health interventions and medical assemblages in a transnationally interconnected world and implies innovative coalitions involved in the complex promotion of local/Global Health industries. By tracking the flow of Ayurvedic pharmaceuticals to East Africa, this paper aims to contribute to the understanding of medical practices as they are configured by the dynamics of global mobility. It interrogates the extent to which the industrialisation of Ayurveda occupies a strategic position in Indo-African discursive practices and the creation of new market opportunities. Moreover, it explores the ways in which South-South alliances between Indian and African actors produce (new) solidarities, but also hierarchies and power imbalances. Special attention will be directed to the political-economic implications of the expansion of transnational markets. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1172/JCI96147 | Rip Kinase 1 Dependent Endothelial Necroptosis Underlies Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome | Receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) has important kinase-dependent and kinase-independent scaffolding functions that activate or prevent apoptosis or necroptosis in a cell context-dependent manner. The kinase activity of RIPK1 mediates hypothermia and lethality in a mouse model of TNF-induced shock, reflecting the hyperinflammatory state of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), where the proinflammatory "cytokine storm" has long been viewed as detrimental. Here, we demonstrate that cytokine and chemokine levels did not predict survival and, importantly, that kinase-inactive Ripk1D138N/D138N hematopoietic cells afforded little protection from TNF- or TNF/zVAD-induced shock in reconstituted mice. Unexpectedly, RIPK1 kinase-inactive mice transplanted with WT hematopoietic cells remained resistant to TNF-induced shock, revealing that a nonhematopoietic lineage mediated protection. TNF-treated Ripk1D138N/D138N mice exhibited no significant increases in intestinal or vascular permeability, nor did they activate the clotting cascade. We show that TNF administration damaged the liver vascular endothelium and induced phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase domain-like (phospho-MLKL) reactivity in endothelial cells isolated from TNF/zVAD-treated WT, but not Ripk1D138N/D138N, mice. These data reveal that the tissue damage present in this SIRS model is reflected, in part, by breaks in the vasculature due to endothelial cell necroptosis and thereby predict that RIPK1 kinase inhibitors may provide clinical benefit to shock and/or sepsis patients. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1063/1.4923746 | Experimental And Numerical Study Of Electrically Driven Magnetohydrodynamic Flow In A Modified Cylindrical Annulus I Base Flow | Shear layers in confined liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow play an important role in geo- and astrophysical bodies as well as in engineering applications. We present an experimental and numerical study of liquid metal MHD flow in a modified cylindrical annulus that is driven by an azimuthal Lorentz force resulting from a forced electric current under an imposed axial magnetic field. Hartmann and Reynolds numbers reach Mmax ≈ 2000 and Remax ≈ 1. 3 × 104, respectively, in the steady regime. The peculiarity of our model geometry is the protruding inner disk electrode which gives rise to a free Shercliff layer at its edge. The flow of liquid GaInSn in the experimental device ZUCCHINI (ZUrich Cylindrical CHannel INstability Investigation) is probed with ultrasound Doppler velocimetry. We establish the base flow in ZUCCHINI and study the scaling of velocities and the free Shercliff layer in both experiment and finite element simulations. Experiment and numerics agree well on the mean azimuthal velocity. . . | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1109/COMST.2017.2751058 | Spectrum Inference In Cognitive Radio Networks Algorithms And Applications | Spectrum inference, also known as spectrum prediction in the literature, is a promising technique of inferring the occupied/free state of radio spectrum from already known/measured spectrum occupancy statistics by effectively exploiting the inherent correlations among them. In the past few years, spectrum inference has gained increasing attention owing to its wide applications in cognitive radio networks (CRNs), ranging from adaptive spectrum sensing, and predictive spectrum mobility, to dynamic spectrum access and smart topology control, to name just a few. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey and tutorial on the recent advances in spectrum inference. Specifically, we first present the preliminaries of spectrum inference, including the sources of spectrum occupancy statistics, the models of spectrum usage, and characterize the predictability of spectrum state evolution. By introducing the taxonomy of spectrum inference from a time-frequency-space perspective, we offer an in-depth tutorial on the existing algorithms. Furthermore, we provide a comparative analysis of various spectrum inference algorithms and discuss the metrics of evaluating the efficiency of spectrum inference. We also portray the various potential applications of spectrum inference in CRNs and beyond, with an outlook to the fifth-generation mobile communications and next generation high frequency communications systems. Last but not least, we highlight the critical research challenges and open issues ahead. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1039/c6sc03139k | Dendritic polarizing agents for DNP SENS | Dendrimer-shielded polarizing agents for the application of DNP SENS to reactive surfaces. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1093/qje/qjx018 | Optimal tax progressivity: An analytical framework | What shapes the optimal degree of progressivity of the tax and transfer system? On the one hand, a progressive tax system can counteract inequality in initial conditions and substitute for imperfect private insurance against idiosyncratic earnings risk. On the other hand, progressivity reduces incentives to work and to invest in skills, distortions that are especially costly when the government must finance public goods. We develop a tractable equilibrium model that features all of these trade-offs. The analytical expressions we derive for social welfare deliver a transparent understanding of how preference, technology, and market structure parameters influence the optimal degree of progressivity. A calibration for the U. S. economy indicates that endogenous skill investment, flexible labor supply, and the desire to finance government purchases play quantitatively similar roles in limiting optimal progressivity. In a version of the model where poverty constrains skill investment, optimal progressivity is close to the U. S. value. An empirical analysis on cross-country data offers support to the theory. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1021/nl300930m | Multifunctional devices and logic gates with undoped silicon nanowires | We report on the electronic transport properties of multiple-gate devices fabricated from undoped silicon nanowires. Understanding and control of the relevant transport mechanisms was achieved by means of local electrostatic gating and temperature-dependent measurements. The roles of the source/drain contacts and of the silicon channel could be independently evaluated and tuned. Wrap gates surrounding the silicide-silicon contact interfaces were proved to be effective in inducing a full suppression of the contact Schottky barriers, thereby enabling carrier injection down to liquid helium temperature. By independently tuning the effective Schottky barrier heights, a variety of reconfigurable device functionalities could be obtained. In particular, the same nanowire device could be configured to work as a Schottky barrier transistor, a Schottky diode, or a p-n diode with tunable polarities. This versatility was eventually exploited to realize a NAND logic gate with gain well above one. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W2114164241 | String Searching Engine for Virus Scanning | A memory-efficient hardware string searching engine for antivirus applications is presented. The proposed QSV method is based on quick sampling of the input stream against fixed-length pattern prefixes, and on-demand verification of variable-length pattern suffixes. Patterns handled by the QSV method are required to have at least 16 bytes, and possess distinct 16-byte prefixes. The latter requirement can be fulfilled by a preprocessing procedure. The search engine uses the pipelined Aho-Corasick (P-AC) architecture developed by the first author to process 4 to 15-byte short patterns and a small number of exception cases. Our design was evaluated using the ClamAV virus database having 82,888 strings with a total size that exceeds 8 Mbyte. In terms of byte count, 99.3 percent of the pattern set is handled by the QSV method and 0.7 percent of the pattern set is handled by P-AC. A pattern with distinct 16-byte prefix only occupies up to three lookup table entries in QSV. The overall memory cost of our system is about 1.4 Mbyte, i.e., 1.4 bit per character of the ClamAV pattern set. The proposed method is memory-based, hence, updates to the pattern set can be accommodated by modifying the contents of the lookup tables without reconfiguring the hardware circuits. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
224811 | History and impact of neuroimaging on society | The development of neuroimaging techniques, such as computed axial tomography (CAT scanning), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), has been one of the major biomedical achievements of the past hundred years. These techniques allow the in vivo visualisation of the brain and gave new impetus to medicine, neurology, psychiatry, psychology, philosophy, economics and related fields by providing two unprecedented types of insight.
Nations worldwide are making unprecedented investments in neuroimaging-related research: key projects include the European Human Brain Project, which is a H2020 FET Flagship Project (started in 2013, $1.2 billion), the US BRAIN Initiative (2013, $1 billion) and the Japanese Brain/MINDS (2014, $310m).
Neuroimaging breakthroughs are making history, but the history of neuroimaging needs to be comprehensively assessed and the impact of neuroimaging on our society still needs to be properly defined. These are the key aims of this MSC Action, which is aimed at developing the first interdisciplinary platform worldwide on the history and impact of neuroimaging.
Investigating neuroimaging in a historical perspective will fundamentally contribute to an integrated understanding of how neuroimaging has been shaping and is shaping biomedicine, culture and society. A critical history of the ways in which we see and study the brain is also crucial to increase the awareness about past and current research with neuroimaging, to involve the general public in a constructive debate about neuroscientific and societal challenges, and to promote a scientific culture about neuroimaging techniques and their applications. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1107/S1600576716008074 | Sharp A Distributed Gpu Based Ptychographic Solver | Ever brighter light sources, fast parallel detectors and advances in phase retrieval methods have made ptychography a practical and popular imaging technique. Compared to previous techniques, ptychography provides superior robustness and resolution at the expense of more advanced and time-consuming data analysis. By taking advantage of massively parallel architectures, high-throughput processing can expedite this analysis and provide microscopists with immediate feedback. These advances allow real-time imaging at wavelength-limited resolution, coupled with a large field of view. This article describes a set of algorithmic and computational methodologies used at the Advanced Light Source and US Department of Energy light sources. These are packaged as a CUDA-based software environment named SHARP (http://camera. lbl. gov/sharp), aimed at providing state-of-the-art high-throughput ptychography reconstructions for the coming era of diffraction-limited light sources. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
W2105434121 | Convex hull of imprecise points ino(n log n)time after preprocessing | Motivated by the desire to cope with data imprecision, we study methods for preprocessing a set of line-segments (or just lines) in the plane such that whenever we are given a set of points, each of which lies on a distinct object, we can compute their convex hull more efficiently than in standard settings (that is, without preprocessing).In particular, we study the following problem: given a set L of n lines in the plane, we wish to preprocess L such that later, upon receiving a set P of n points, each of which lies on a distinct line of L, we can construct the convex hull of P efficiently. We show that in quadratic time and space it is possible to construct a data structure on L that enables us to compute the convex hull of any such point set P in O(n alpha(n) log* n) expected time. If we further assume that the points are oblivious with respect to the data structure, the running time improves to O(n alpha(n)). The analysis applies almost verbatim when L is a set of line-segments, and yields similar asymptotic bounds. We present several extensions, including a trade-off between space and query time and an output-sensitive algorithm. We also study the dual problem where we show how to efficiently compute the ( | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.matpur.2020.03.006 | Optimal control of an energy-critical semilinear wave equation in 3D with spatially integrated control constraints | This paper is concerned with an optimal control problem subject to the H1-critical defocusing semilinear wave equation on a smooth and bounded domain in three spatial dimensions. Due to the criticality of the nonlinearity in the wave equation, unique solutions to the PDE obeying energy bounds are only obtained in special function spaces related to Strichartz estimates and the nonlinearity. The optimal control problem is complemented by pointwise-in-time constraints of Trust-Region type ‖u(t)‖L2(Ω)≤ω(t). We prove existence of globally optimal solutions to the optimal control problem and give optimality conditions of both first- and second order necessary as well as second order sufficient type. A nonsmooth regularization term for the natural control space L1(0,T;L2(Ω)), which also promotes sparsity in time of an optimal control, is used in the objective functional. | [
"Mathematics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pbio.3000302 | Plant health emergencies demand open science: Tackling a cereal killer on the run | Outbreaks of emerging plant diseases and insect pests are increasing at an alarming rate threatening the food security needs of a booming world population. The role of plant pathologists in addressing these threats to plant health is critical. Here, we share our personal experience with the appearance in Bangladesh of a destructive new fungal disease called wheat blast and stress the importance of open-science platforms and crowdsourced community responses in tackling emerging plant diseases. Benefits of the open-science approach include recruitment of multidisciplinary experts, application of cutting-edge methods, and timely replication of data analyses to increase the robustness of the findings. Based on our experiences, we provide some general recommendations and practical guidance for responding to emerging plant diseases. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1257/aer.20150443 | Imported Inputs and Productivity | We estimate a model of importers in Hungarian microdata and conduct counterfactual analysis to investigate the effect of imported inputs on productivity. We find that importing all input varieties would increase a firm’s revenue productivity by 22 percent, about one-half of which is due to imperfect substitution between foreign and domestic inputs. Foreign firms use imports more effectively and pay lower fixed import costs. We attribute one-quarter of Hungarian productivity growth during the 1993–2002 period to imported inputs. Simulations show that the productivity gain from a tariff cut is larger when the economy has many importers and many foreign firms. (JEL D24, F13, F14, L60) | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
887899 | Flow control techniques enabling increased pressure ratios in aero engine core compressors for ultra-high propulsive efficiency engine architectures | The ultra-high propulsive efficiency demonstrator engine developed by Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Germany (GEDE) within Clean Sky 2 promises a considerable reduction of pollutant and noise emissions as well as aero engine fuel burn. While the geared architecture allows a further increase in bypass ratio and thus propulsive efficiency, a core engine with increased pressure ratio maximizes the turbofan´s thermal efficiency and performance. However, the increased pressure ratio within the HPC demands a reduction of the flow cross section, which results in larger relative clearances and endwall boundary flows that penalize the compressor efficiency and operability.
The objectives of the proposed project are, first, to develop an innovative HPC rear stage concept that addresses the challenging aerodynamics associated with increased rotor clearances by combining the casing treatment technology with complimentary flow control techniques to strengthen the flow across the entire span, second, to provide a high-speed, large-scale multi-stage compressor test facility and execute an engine-representative rig test to validate the rear stage concepts collaboratively developed by GEDE and the Technische Universität München (TUM), third, to apply advanced data acquisition techniques that provide a detailed compressor performance and operability assessment as well as a thorough understanding of the unsteady flow physics and aerodynamic loss mechanisms.
TUM´s years of experience in aerodynamic blade design and the development of flow treatment technologies in conjunction with its high-speed compressor test facility that is particularly suited for the validation of compressor rear stage concepts as well as the institute´s proven capability to successfully execute rig tests on an industrial standard will greatly benefit GEDE´s research efforts and ensure a technology maturation to TRL5, thus, allowing for a subsequent technology validation in a ground test demonstrator. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.02.014 | Asymmetric dopaminergic degeneration and levodopa alter functional corticostriatal connectivity bilaterally in experimental parkinsonism | Asymmetric dopamine loss is commonly found in early Parkinson's disease (PD), but its effects on functional networks have been difficult to delineate in PD patients because of variations in age, disease duration and therapy. Here we used unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned (6-OHDA) rats and controls and treated them with a single intraperitoneal injection of levodopa (L-DOPA) before performing diffusion weighted MRI and resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). In accordance with a neurodegeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, diffusion tensor imaging showed increased radial diffusivity and decreased fractional anisotropy in the lesioned substantia nigra. Likewise a deterministic connectometry approach showed increase of isotropic diffusion values in the medial forebrain bundle. rs-fMRI showed reduced interhemispheric functional connectivity (FC) between the intact and the 6-OHDA lesioned caudate-putamen. Unexpectedly, there was an increased FC between the 6-OHDA lesioned caudate-putamen and sensorimotor cortices of both hemispheres. L-DOPA reversed the FC changes between the dopamine denervated caudate-putamen and the sensorimotor cortices, but not the reduced interhemispheric FC between caudate-putamina. Similarly, L-DOPA induced c-fos expression in both sensorimotor cortices, but only in the dopamine-depleted caudate-putamen. Taken together, these data suggest that asymmetric degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway results in functional asynchrony between the intact and 6-OHDA-lesioned caudate-putamen and increased interhemispheric synchrony between sensorimotor cortices. The results also indicate that the initial effect of L-DOPA is to restore functional corticostriatal connectivity rather than synchronize caudate-putamina. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1111/imb.12271 | Novel seminal fluid proteins in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus identified by a proteomic and transcriptomic approach | The seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus is a significant agricultural pest and increasingly studied model of sexual conflict. Males possess genital spines that increase the transfer of seminal fluid proteins (SFPs) into the female body. As SFPs alter female behaviour and physiology, they are likely to modulate reproduction and sexual conflict in this species. Here, we identified SFPs using proteomics combined with a de novo transcriptome. A prior 2D-sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis identified male accessory gland protein spots that were probably transferred to the female at mating. Proteomic analysis of these spots identified 98 proteins, a majority of which were also present within ejaculates collected from females. Standard annotation workflows revealed common functional groups for SFPs, including proteases and metabolic proteins. Transcriptomic analysis found 84 transcripts differentially expressed between the sexes. Notably, genes encoding 15 proteins were highly expressed in male abdomens and only negligibly expressed within females. Most of these sequences corresponded to ‘unknown’ proteins (nine of 15) and may represent rapidly evolving SFPs novel to seed beetles. Our combined analyses highlight 44 proteins for which there is strong evidence that they are SFPs. These results can inform further investigation, to better understand the molecular mechanisms of sexual conflict in seed beetles. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1063/1.5100290 | Energy Weighted Density Matrix Embedding Of Open Correlated Chemical Fragments | We present a multiscale approach to efficiently embed an ab initio correlated chemical fragment described by its energy-weighted density matrices and entangled with a wider mean-field many-electron system. This approach, first presented by Fertitta and Booth [Phys. Rev. B 98, 235132 (2018)], is here extended to account for realistic long-range interactions and broken symmetry states. The scheme allows for a systematically improvable description in the range of correlated fluctuations out of the fragment into the system, via a self-consistent optimization of a coupled auxiliary mean-field system. It is discussed that the method has rigorous limits equivalent to the existing quantum embedding approaches of both dynamical mean-field theory and density matrix embedding theory, to which this method is compared, and the importance of these correlated fluctuations is demonstrated. We derive a self-consistent local energy functional within the scheme and demonstrate the approach for hydrogen rings, where quantitative accuracy is achieved despite only a single atom being explicitly treated. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
W2088287930 | A taxonomic review of the genus Minettiella Malloch (Diptera: Lauxaniidae) in Palearctic Region | Abstract The genus Minettiella (Diptera: Lauxaniidae) in Palearctic Region is reviewed. This genus currently includes two Palearctic and three Oriental species. We here provide a key to the five known Minettiella species and detailed redescriptions of the two Palearctic species (M. coracina and M. dolabriformis) based on the specimens discovered for the first time in South Korea. We also clarified some taxonomic confusion involving these two species. Currently, Minettiella can only be distinguished from the closely resembling genera, Melinomyia and Minettia, by the combination of the yellow body coloration and single katepisternal seta. These characters, however, do not seem to justify their generic differentiation, because body coloration and chaetotaxy of thorax tend to vary within a single genus in Lauxaniidae. Therefore, we believe that the genera Minettiella (five species), Melinomyia (single species) and the large genus Minettia (over 100 known species) should be more carefully revised based on a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis involving them as well as related taxa. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
W2003045110 | Tuned iterated filtering | Iterated filtering is an algorithm for estimating parameters in partially observed Markov process (POMP) models. The real-world performance of the algorithm depends on several tuning parameters. We propose a simple method for optimizing the parameter governing the joint dynamics of the hidden parameter process (called the Σ matrix). The tuning is implemented using a fixed-lag sequential Monte Carlo expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm. We introduce two different versions of the tuning parameter, the approximately estimated Σ matrix, and a normalized version of the same matrix. Our simulations show that the finite-sample performance for the normalized matrix outperform the standard iterated filter, while the naive version is doing more harm than good. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
219984 | Bringing persuasive computing training assistance for healthcare personnel from lab experiments to educational practice | The aim of this proposal is to develop a strategy for transforming the results of a series of experiments in using persuasive computing technologies in emergency nurse training into a system that can be used in real life educational settings. The experiments were conducted as part of the SmartSociety FET Open project, which aims to develop new ways of human-machine collaboration. They were jointly done by the partners of this proposal with DFKI being in charge of the technology and Southampton providing the experimental setting within their nursing school that puts hundreds of professional nurses and nurse candidates through elaborate training simulations each year. The experiments have shown that sensor-based activity recognition combined with novel interaction techniques can, in principle provide significant benefit to both the students and the trainers. They also generate significant interest within the health care community, which included both enthusiasms for the potential and sepsis on potential problems. In this project, we want to understand which parts of the experiments are suitable for short to mid-term transition into real life education practice, how to overcome the corresponding technical, regulatory and social hurdles and how the introduction of such systems could be financed. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/s41564-018-0258-8 | A surface endogalactanase in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron confers keystone status for arabinogalactan degradation | Glycans are major nutrients for the human gut microbiota (HGM). Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) comprise a heterogenous group of plant glycans in which a β1,3-galactan backbone and β1,6-galactan side chains are conserved. Diversity is provided by the variable nature of the sugars that decorate the galactans. The mechanisms by which nutritionally relevant AGPs are degraded in the HGM are poorly understood. Here we explore how the HGM organism Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron metabolizes AGPs. We propose a sequential degradative model in which exo-acting glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 43 β1,3-galactanases release the side chains. These oligosaccharide side chains are depolymerized by the synergistic action of exo-acting enzymes in which catalytic interactions are dependent on whether degradation is initiated by a lyase or GH. We identified two GHs that establish two previously undiscovered GH families. The crystal structures of the exo-β1,3-galactanases identified a key specificity determinant and departure from the canonical catalytic apparatus of GH43 enzymes. Growth studies of Bacteroidetes spp. on complex AGP revealed 3 keystone organisms that facilitated utilization of the glycan by 17 recipient bacteria, which included B. thetaiotaomicron. A surface endo-β1,3-galactanase, when engineered into B. thetaiotaomicron, enabled the bacterium to utilize complex AGPs and act as a keystone organism. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
884608 | A PRECISION CELL REPLACEMENT STRATEGY FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE | Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of substantia nigra neurons (A9/SNs), a subset of midbrain dopaminergic neurons (mDAs) that are required for functional re-innervation of the striatum. Current treatments for PD are symptomatic and do not prevent disease progression. Proof-of-concept clinical studies using human fetal midbrain tissue for transplantation have shown that replacement of mDAs can change the course of PD. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are currently used to generate mDAs for cell replacement therapy in clinical trials. However, our single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of these preparations revealed that they comprise a complex mixture of cell types, including mDAs but also excessive vascular progenitor-like cells and serotonin neurons, thought to drive dyskinesias.
Selective generation of A9/SNs for PD cell replacement therapy remains thus a major challenge. Here I propose to identify how human adult A9/SNs are generated in order to develop a novel cell type-specific precision cell replacement therapy for PD. I hypothesize that a yet undefined network of transcription factors and regulators control A9/SN subtype specification, and that such factors can be used to engineer A9/SNs starting from hPSCs or astrocytes, moving the field beyond the state of the art.
This will be achieved by: 1) Using cutting-edge CRISPR and single cell methodologies to identify the factors controlling the specification of human A9/SNs; and 2) developing two novel cell replacement strategies for PD, involving either transplantation of hPSC-derived progenitors forward-programmed into A9/SNs or reprogramming of endogenous striatal glia in situ into A9/SNs, using a method we recently developed.
I expect PreciseCellPD will generate groundbreaking knowledge of the mechanisms controlling the generation of human A9/SNs and will set the basis of a novel and transformative precision cell replacement therapy for PD | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1016/j.jacc.2014.01.050 | MicroRNAs in cardiovascular diseases: Current knowledge and the road ahead | Over the last few years, the field of microribonucleic acid (miRNA) in cardiovascular biology and disease has expanded at an incredible pace. miRNAs are themselves part of a larger family, that of non-coding RNAs, the importance of which for biological processes is starting to emerge. miRNAs are ∼22-nucleotide-long RNA sequences that can legate messenger (m)RNAs at partially complementary binding sites, and hence regulate the rate of protein synthesis by altering the stability of the targeted mRNAs. In the cardiovascular system, miRNAs have been shown to be critical regulators of development and physiology. They control basic functions in virtually all cell types relevant to the cardiovascular system (such as endothelial cells, cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, inflammatory cells, and fibroblasts) and, thus, are directly involved in the pathophysiology of many cardiovascular diseases. As a result of their role in disease, they are being studied for exploitation in diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. However, there are still significant obstacles that need to be overcome before they enter the clinical arena. We present here a review of the literature and outline the directions toward their use in the clinic. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.15252/embj.201490105 | Chemokine-guided cell migration and motility in zebrafish development | Chemokines are vertebrate-specific, structurally related proteins that function primarily in controlling cell movements by activating specific 7-transmembrane receptors. Chemokines play critical roles in a large number of biological processes and are also involved in a range of pathological conditions. For these reasons, chemokines are at the focus of studies in developmental biology and of clinically oriented research aimed at controlling cancer, inflammation, and immunological diseases. The small size of the zebrafish embryos, their rapid external development, and optical properties as well as the large number of eggs and the fast expansion in genetic tools available make this model an extremely useful one for studying the function of chemokines and chemokine receptors in an in vivo setting. Here, we review the findings relevant to the role that chemokines play in the context of directed single-cell migration, primarily in neutrophils and germ cells, and compare it to the collective cell migration of the zebrafish lateral line. We present the current knowledge concerning the formation of the chemokine gradient, its interpretation within the cell, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular response to chemokine signals during directed migration. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1287/opre.2016.1527 | Revealed preference tests of collectively rational consumption behavior: Formulations and algorithms | This paper focuses on revealed preference tests of the collective model of household consumption. We start by showing that the decision problems corresponding to testing collective rationality are NP-complete. This makes the application of these tests problematic for (increasingly available) large(r)-scale data sets. We then present two approaches to overcome this negative result. First, we introduce exact algorithms based on mixed-integer programming (MIP) formulations of the collective rationality tests, which can be usefully applied to medium-sized data sets. Next, we propose simulated annealing heuristics, which allow for efficient testing of the collective model in the case of large data sets. We illustrate our methods by a number of computational experiments based on Dutch labor supply data. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
W639195200 | Pliocene and Pleistocene paleoceanography in the western subarctic Pacific based on diatom analyses of ODP Leg 145 Hole 884B and IODP Expedition 323 Holes U1341B and U1343E | Abstract Late Pliocene–Pleistocene fossil diatom assemblages from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 145 Hole 884B in the western subarctic Pacific were investigated to improve the diatom biostratigraphy. Moreover, the paleoceanographic records at Hole 884B were compared with those in Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 323 Holes U1341B and U1343E in the Bering Sea for the time interval of 2.5–0 Ma in order to clarify the differences in the diatom assemblage fluctuations and the history of past ocean circulations around the subarctic Pacific. In Hole 884B, five diatom zones from the Neodenticula koizumii–Neodenticula kamtschatica Zone to the Neodenticula seminae Zone were identified. The decreases in the relative abundance of temperate-water species were recognized at ca. 1.9 Ma in Hole U1343E, ca. 2.1 Ma in Holes 884B and U1341B. The decreases of the temperate-water species at these sites indicate that a widespread cooling event must have occurred over the subarctic Pacific at ~2 Ma. In addition, the continuous low occurrences of the sea-ice related species from around 2 Ma onward, which indicate the presence of sea-ice, were observed at Sites 884 and U1341. We also point out that the age differences in decrease of temperate-water species at the three sites (i.e., delay in response of the temperate-water species at Site U1343) may be related to changes of seawater inflow from the North Pacific to Sites U1341 and U1343 and of the East Kamchatka Current from the Bering Sea to Site 884. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2593296795 | Impacts of terrain attributes on economics and the environment: costs of reducing potential nitrogen pollution in wheat production | The economic cost of achieving desired environmental outcomes from uniform and variable rate fertilizer application technologies depends both on market forces and agronomic properties. Using spatial econometric methods, we analyze the impact of nitrogen fertilizer supply by terrain attribute on the yield and protein content of hard red spring wheat grown in Eastern Washington as well as the impact on residual nitrogen. We find significant association with all three. The economic impact of nitrogen restrictions depends critically on both prices and level of the restriction. Uniform application of nitrogen was found to economically outperform variable rate application, but variable rate application provided positive environmental benefits due to less residual nitrogen. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
864358 | Animals Make identities. The Social Bioarchaeology of Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic Cemeteries in North-East Europe | AMI aims to provide a novel interpretation of social links between humans and animals in hunter-gatherer cemeteries in North-East Europe, c. 9000–7500 years ago. AMI brings together cutting-edge developments in bioarchaeological science and the latest understanding of how people’s identities form in order to study the relationships between humans and animals. Grave materials and human remains will be studied from the viewpoint of process rather than as isolated objects, and will be interpreted through their histories.
The main objectives are
1) Synthesize the animal related bioarchaeological materials in mortuary contexts in North-East Europe,
2) Conduct a systematic multimethodological analysis of the animal-derived artefacts and to study them as actors in human social identity construction,
3) Reconstruct the individual life histories of humans, animals, and animal-derived artefacts in the cemeteries, and
4) Produce models for the reconstruction of social identities based on the data from the bioanalyses, literature, and GIS.
Various contextual, qualitative and quantitative biodata from animals and humans will be analysed and compared. Correlations and differences will be explored. Intra-site spatial analyses and data already published on cemeteries will contribute significantly to the research. Ethnographic information about recent hunter-gatherers from circumpolar regions gathered from literature will support the interpretation of the results from these analyses.
The research material derives from almost 300 burials from eight sites in North-East Europe and includes, for example, unique materials from Russia that have not previously been available for modern multidisciplinary research. The project will make a significant contribution to our understanding of how humans living in the forests of North-East Europe adapted the animals they shared their environment with into their social and ideological realities and practices. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevD.85.055014 | Complementarity of indirect and accelerator dark matter searches | Even if supersymmetric particles are found at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), it will be difficult to prove that they constitute the bulk of the dark matter (DM) in the Universe using LHC data alone. We study the complementarity of LHC and DM indirect searches, working out explicitly the reconstruction of the DM properties for a specific benchmark model in the coannihilation region of a 24-parameters supersymmetric model. Combining mock high-luminosity LHC data with presentday null searches for gamma rays from dwarf galaxies with the Fermi Large Area Telescope, we show that current Fermi Large Area Telescope limits already have the capability of ruling out a spurious wino-like solution which would survive using LHC data only, thus leading to the correct identification of the cosmological solution. We also demonstrate that upcoming Planck constraints on the reionization history will have a similar constraining power and discuss the impact of a possible detection of gamma rays from DM annihilation in the Draco dwarf galaxy with a Cherenkov-Telescope-Array-like experiment. Our results indicate that indirect searches can be strongly complementary to the LHC in identifying the DM particles, even when astrophysical uncertainties are taken into account. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
Q3751273 | NewHaapKome2020 — growth and global competitiveness with investment in development | The main objectives of the NewHaapKome2020 project are to raise the production capacity, production equipment and digital working environment of the Haapajärvi plant to a level that promotes growth and internationalisation. The aim is also to improve our global competitiveness by developing the operating and management model of the digital order-supply chain. An important part of the NewHaapKome2020 project is to support the comprehensive implementation of Haapajärven KoME Oy’s corporate-level NewKome2020 development programme. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1063/1.4890600 | Carbon nanotube quantum dots on hexagonal boron nitride | We report the fabrication details and low-temperature characteristics of carbon nanotube (CNT) quantum dots on flakes of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as substrate. We demonstrate that CNTs can be grown on hBN by standard chemical vapor deposition and that standard scanning electron microscopy imaging and lithography can be employed to fabricate nanoelectronic structures when using optimized parameters. This proof of concept paves the way to more complex devices on hBN, with more predictable and reproducible characteristics and electronic stability. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1210688109 | Structure of the human MTERF4-NSUN4 protein complex that regulates mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis | Proteins crucial for the respiratory chain are translated by the mitochondrial ribosome. Mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis is therefore critical for oxidative phosphorylation capacity and disturbances are known to cause human disease. This complex process is evolutionary conserved and involves several RNA processing and modification steps required for correct ribosomal RNA maturation. We recently showed that a member of the mitochondrial transcription termination factor (MTERF) family of proteins, MTERF4, recruits NSUN4, a 5-methylcytosine RNA methyltransferase, to the large ribosomal subunit in a process crucial for mitochondrial ribosome biogenesis. Here, we describe the 3D crystal structure of the human MTERF4-NSUN4 complex determined to 2. 9 Å resolution. MTERF4 is composed of structurally repeated MTERF-motifs that form a nucleic acid binding domain. NSUN4 lacks an N- or C-terminal extension that is commonly used for RNA recognition by related RNA methyltransferases. Instead, NSUN4 binds to the C-terminus of MTERF4. A positively charged surface forms an RNA binding path from the concave to the convex side of MTERF4 and further along NSUN4 all of the way into the active site. This finding suggests that both subunits of the protein complex likely contribute to RNA recognition. The interface between MTERF4 and NSUN4 contains evolutionarily conserved polar and hydrophobic amino acids, and mutations that change these residues completely disrupt complex formation. This study provides a molecular explanation for MTERF4-dependent recruitment of NSUN4 to ribosomal RNA and suggests a unique mechanism by which other members of the large MTERF-family of proteins can regulate ribosomal biogenesis. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
225089 | A drosophila model for understanding the basis of meniere’s disease | Too little is known about the complex hearing impairments and vestibular syndromes that develop in adults during their life course; new insights and novel scientific models are required. My project focuses on Meniere’s Disease (MD), a multifactorial impairment of the inner ear characterized by varying grades of (i) adult onset sensorineural hearing loss, (ii) episodic vertigo and (iii) tinnitus. During my PhD, I devised new approaches to decipher the genetic factors contributing to MD by combining whole exome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. I identified candidate genes for MD and validated the expression of the associated proteins in two functional domains of the human and rodent inner ear: the sensory epithelial sheets of the vestibular system and the auditory Organ of Corti. To understand the functional importance of MD candidate genes, and their interplay with environmental factors, requires an experimentally tractable in vivo model. I here propose to use the hearing and balance system of Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model of MD. This will involve devising and employing novel experimental tools, such as novel tests of hearing and vestibular function, genome-wide transcription studies (RNA-Seq) and bioinformatics analysis. The project will provide a better understanding of the heterogeneous landscape of adult-onset inner ear pathologies, which will inform new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
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