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10.1007/s12268-019-1003-4 | The customized proteome: Protein modification by proteolysis | Site-specific proteolytic processing is an irreversible post-translational protein modification with essential regulatory functions. Dedicated methods enable proteome-wide characterization of differentially processed proteoforms based on their distinct protease-generated N termini. Exemplary profiling of murine glomeruli revealed processed forms of proteins with important functions in the renal filtration barrier. Altered processing was observed in cellular and animal models of glomerular disease. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1364/CLEO_QELS.2013.QM1D.4 | All Optical Polariton Transistor | Optical technology has proved to be the best choice for the transmission of information at high data rate over long distances. However, the implementation of high-speed, low-energy, all-optical logics in semiconductors represents a formidable challenge due to the intrinsic difficulty of all-optical devices to satisfy the basic system requirements [1]. In particular, cascadability is difficult to obtain in optical systems, and it is assured only if the output of one stage is in the correct form to drive the input of the next stage. In this context, we demonstrate a scheme of all-optical transistor based on exciton polaritons in semiconductor microcavities, which exhibits full connectivity in the same chip plane. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1088/1748-9326/10/10/104012 | The Dependence Of Wintertime Mediterranean Precipitation On The Atmospheric Circulation Response To Climate Change | Climate models indicate a future wintertime precipitation reduction in the Mediterranean region but there is large uncertainty in the amplitude of the projected change. We analyse CMIP5 climate model output to quantify the role of atmospheric circulation in the Mediterranean precipitation change. It is found that a simple circulation index, i. e. the 850 hPa zonal wind (U850) in North Africa, well describes the year to year fluctuations in the area-averaged Mediterranean precipitation, with positive (i. e. westerly) U850 anomalies in North Africa being associated with positive precipitation anomalies. Under climate change, U850 in North Africa and the Mediterranean precipitation are both projected to decrease consistently with the relationship found in the inter-annual variability. This enables us to estimate that about 85% of the CMIP5 mean precipitation response and 80% of the variance in the inter-model spread are related to changes in the atmospheric circulation. In contrast, there is no significant correlation between the mean precipitation response and the global-mean surface warming across the models. It follows that the uncertainty in cold-season Mediterranean precipitation projection will not be narrowed unless the uncertainty in the atmospheric circulation response is reduced. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1029/2018GL077427 | Characterization of the Extraterrestrial Magnesium Source in the Atmosphere Using a Meteoric Ablation Simulator | Ablation of Mg from meteoroids entering the Earth's atmosphere was studied experimentally using a Meteoric Ablation Simulator: micron-sized particles of representative meteoritic material were flash heated to simulate atmospheric entry and the ablation rate of Mg with respect to Na measured by fast time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence. Over the range of particle diameters and entry velocities studied, Mg ablates 4. 3 ± 2. 1 times less efficiently than Na and 2. 4 ± 0. 8 times less efficiently than Fe. The resulting evaporation profiles indicate that Mg mostly ablates around 84 km in the atmosphere, compared with Fe at 88 km and Na at 95 km. The chemical ablation model Chemical Ablation Model predicts satisfactorily the measured peak ablation altitudes and relative ablated fractions of Mg, Na, Fe, and Ca but does not capture the breadth of the ablation profiles, probably due to the inhomogeneity of the minerals present in meteoroids combined with experimental limitations. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1021/jacs.8b05332 | Major G-Quadruplex Form of HIV-1 LTR Reveals a (3 + 1) Folding Topology Containing a Stem-Loop | Nucleic acids can form noncanonical four-stranded structures called G-quadruplexes. G-quadruplex-forming sequences are found in several genomes including human and viruses. Previous studies showed that the G-rich sequence located in the U3 promoter region of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) folds into a set of dynamically interchangeable G-quadruplex structures. G-quadruplexes formed in the LTR could act as silencer elements to regulate viral transcription. Stabilization of LTR G-quadruplexes by G-quadruplex-specific ligands resulted in decreased viral production, suggesting the possibility of targeting viral G-quadruplex structures for antiviral purposes. Among all the G-quadruplexes formed in the LTR sequence, LTR-III was shown to be the major G-quadruplex conformation in vitro. Here we report the NMR structure of LTR-III in K+ solution, revealing the formation of a unique quadruplex-duplex hybrid consisting of a three-layer (3 + 1) G-quadruplex scaffold, a 12-nt diagonal loop containing a conserved duplex-stem, a 3-nt lateral loop, a 1-nt propeller loop, and a V-shaped loop. Our structure showed several distinct features including a quadruplex-duplex junction, representing an attractive motif for drug targeting. The structure solved in this study may be used as a promising target to selectively impair the viral cycle. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
US 2008/0075118 W | SUBSTITUTED AMINO ALCOHOLS | Disclosed herein are substituted amino alcohol anti-mycobacterial agents and/or chelation therapy agents of Formula (I), process of preparation thereof, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods of use thereof. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W2148991756 | An Action–Sound Approach to Teaching Interactive Music | The conceptual starting point for an ‘action–sound approach’ to teaching music technology is the acknowledgment of the couplings that exist in acoustic instruments between sounding objects, sound-producing actions and the resultant sounds themselves. Digital music technologies, on the other hand, are not limited to such natural couplings, but allow for arbitrary new relationships to be created between objects, actions and sounds. The endless possibilities of such virtual action–sound relationships can be exciting and creatively inspiring, but they can also lead to frustration among performers and confusion for audiences. This paper presents the theoretical foundations for an action–sound approach to electronic instrument design and discusses the ways in which this approach has shaped the undergraduate course titled ‘Interactive Music’ at the University of Oslo. In this course, students start out by exploring various types of acoustic action–sound couplings before moving on to designing, building, performing and evaluating both analogue and digital electronic instruments from an action–sound perspective. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W1941445231 | Stoichiometry control of the electronic properties of the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface | We investigate the effect of the laser parameters of pulsed laser deposition on the film stoichiometry and electronic properties of LaAlO_3/SrTiO_3 (001) heterostructures. The La/Al ratio in the LaAlO_3 films was varied over a wide range from 0.88 to 1.15, and was found to have a strong effect on the interface conductivity. In particular, the carrier density is modulated over more than two orders of magnitude. The film lattice expansion, caused by cation vacancies, is found to be the important functional parameter. These results can be understood to arise from the variations in the electrostatic boundary conditions, and their resolution, with stoichiometry. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.amepre.2018.02.010 | The Impact of U.S. Free Trade Agreements on Calorie Availability and Obesity: A Natural Experiment in Canada | Introduction: Globalization via free trade and investment agreements is often implicated in the obesity pandemic. Concerns center on how free trade and investment agreements increase population exposure to unhealthy, high-calorie diets, but existing studies preclude causal conclusions. Few studies of free trade and investment agreements and diets isolated their impact from confounding changes, and none examined any effect on caloric intake, despite its critical role in the etiology of obesity. This study addresses these limitations by analyzing a unique natural experiment arising from the exceptional circumstances surrounding the implementation of the 1989 Canada–U. S. Free Trade Agreement. Methods: Data from the UN (2017) were analyzed using fixed-effects regression models and the synthetic control method to estimate the impact of the Canada–U. S. Free Trade Agreement on calorie availability in Canada, 1978–2006, and coinciding increases in U. S. exports and investment in Canada's food and beverage sector. The impact of changes to calorie availability on body weights was then modeled. Results: Calorie availability increased by ≅170 kilocalories per capita per day in Canada after the Canada–U. S. Free Trade Agreement. There was a coinciding rise in U. S. trade and investment in the Canadian food and beverage sector. This rise in calorie availability is estimated to account for an average weight gain of between 1. 8 kg and 12. 2 kg in the Canadian population, depending on sex and physical activity levels. Conclusions: The Canada–U. S. Free Trade Agreement was associated with a substantial rise in calorie availability in Canada. U. S. free trade and investment agreements can contribute to rising obesity and related diseases by pushing up caloric intake. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0158558 | Regional regulation of purkinje cell dendritic spines by integrins and Eph/ephrins | Climbing fibres and parallel fibres compete for dendritic space on Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Normally, climbing fibres populate the proximal dendrites, where they suppress the multiple small spines typical of parallel fibres, leading to their replacement by the few large spines that contact climbing fibres. Previous work has shown that ephrins acting via EphA4 are a signal for this change in spine type and density. We have used an in vitro culture model in which to investigate the ephrin effect on Purkinje cell dendritic spines and the role of integrins in these changes. We found that integrins α3, α5 and β4 are present in many of the dendritic spines of cultured Purkinje cells. pFAK, the main downstream signalling molecule from integrins, has a similar distribution, although the intenstity of pFAK staining and the percentage of pFAK+ spines was consistently higher in the proximal dendrites. Activating integrins with Mg2+ led to an increase in the intensity of pFAK staining and an increase in the proportion of pFAK+ spines in both the proximal and distal dendrites, but no change in spine length, density or morphology. Blocking integrin binding with an RGD-containing peptide led to a reduction in spine length, with more stubby spines on both proximal and distal dendrites. Treatment of the cultures with ephrinA3-Fc chimera suppressed dendritic spines specifically on the proximal dendrites and there was also a decrease of pFAK in spines on this domain. This effect was blocked by simultaneous activation of integrins with Mn2+. We conclude that Eph/ephrin signaling regulates proximal dendritic spines in Purkinje cells by inactivating integrin downstream signalling. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
interreg_2082 | Landscape opportunities for territorial organization | As emphasised by the ESDP and the European Landscape Convention, the different landscape characterization of the territories is a resource to safeguard. Given that the territory is constantly developing, transformations of the landscape cannot be avoided, but it is important for them to be guided with awareness. On the other hand, whoever designs or plans the territory does not easily have access to tools that can be used to resolve the problem. The project intends to provide tools that govern the evolution of the landscape through the knowledge of the dynamics of transformation, intending the landscape itself as a reference framework for any project of an accurate and territorial scale, aimed at directing the territorial planning/design tools in a complementary manner. So, we propose identifying a method of interpreting the landscape that could be a shared operative reference to guide and verify the territorial transformation choices. | [
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2140708727 | Who were the urban gentry? Social elites in an English provincial town, c. 1680–1760 | ABSTRACT This paper explores the identity and social worlds of the ‘urban gentry’ of Chester as they developed from the late seventeenth to the mid eighteenth century. In place of the political and cultural definitions which characterise analyses of this group, it takes the self-defined ‘occupational’ titles of probate records as a starting point for an investigation into the background and activities of those styling themselves ‘gentleman’. Central to their identity were networks of friendship and trust. These reveal the urban gentry to have been closely tied with both the urban middling sorts and the rural gentry: a position which at once reflected and underpinned their particular situation within eighteenth-century society. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1021/jp200399p | Structural and electronic properties of helical TiS<inf>2</inf> nanotubes studied with objective molecular dynamics | Structural and electronic properties of chiral and achiral single-walled TiS2 nanotubes are the focus of the present paper. Two TiS 2 nanotube structures (with octahedrally and trigonal-prismatically coordinated walls) have been systematically investigated by means of an objective molecular dynamics method coupled with a density functional tight-binding scheme. We report that the structure of small diameter chiral nanotubes exhibits a significant departure from the rolled-up construction with large axial prestrains and intrinsic twists. The TiS2 nanotubes exhibit wall structure-, diameter-, and chirality-dependent electronic properties, which make them interesting for applications. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1002/pssr.201900381 | Imaging Nanoscale Inhomogeneities and Edge Delamination in As-Grown MoS<inf>2</inf> Using Tip-Enhanced Photoluminescence | Methods for nanoscale material characterization are in ever-increasing demand, especially those that can provide a broader range of information at once. Near-field techniques based on combinations of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and Raman or photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy (tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy [TERS] and/or tip-enhanced photoluminescence [TEPL]) are, thanks to their capabilities and fast development, strong candidates for becoming widespread across the scientific community as SPM and Raman microscopy did only a decade or two ago. Herein, a gap-less TEPL study is performed directly on as-grown MoS2 monolayer samples without any pretreatment or transfer, i. e. , without the utilization of plasmonic substrate. Thanks to a mapping resolution as low as a few tens of nanometers, homogeneous layer interiors from defective edge fronts in the grown monolayers can be distinguished. With the aid of additional high-resolution SPM modes, like local surface potential and capacitance measurements, together with nanomechanical mapping, a combination of defects and a lack of substrate doping is suggested as being responsible for the observed PL behavior in the partially delaminated MoS2 layers. In contrast, mechanically exfoliated flakes show topography- and contamination-related heterogeneities in the whole flake area. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.cortex.2018.08.019 | Adolescents with autism show typical fMRI repetition suppression, but atypical surprise response | Recent theoretical frameworks have hypothesized that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be marked by an altered balance between sensory inputs and prior knowledge–the so-called hypoprior hypothesis. Yet evidence regarding such an altered balance is mixed. Here, we aimed to test this hypothesis within the domain of visual perception, by examining how neural activity in the visual system was modulated by stimulus repetition and stimulus expectation in healthy and ASD participants. We presented 22 adolescents with ASD and 22 typically developing (TD) adolescents with pairs of object stimuli, while measuring brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Stimulus pairs could be stimulus repetitions or not and could be expected or not. We examined neural activity in early (V1) and object-selective (LOC) visual cortex. Both ASD and TD individuals showed robust and equal repetition suppression in LOC. By contrast, ASD and TD groups showed a different response to expected versus unexpected stimuli, specifically in V1. Thereby, our results suggest that while the more automatic modulation of activity by repetition is unaffected in ASD, there is some evidence that the balance between sensory evidence and prior knowledge may indeed be altered in early visual cortex of ASD. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1524888113 | Indonesian fire activity and smoke pollution in 2015 show persistent nonlinear sensitivity to El Niño-induced drought | The 2015 fire season and related smoke pollution in Indonesia was more severe than the major 2006 episode, making it the most severe season observed by the NASA Earth Observing System satellites that go back to the early 2000s, namely active fire detections from the Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS), MODIS aerosol optical depth, Terra Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) carbon monoxide (CO), Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) CO, Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aerosol index, and Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) CO. The MLS CO in the upper troposphere showed a plume of pollution stretching from East Africa to the western Pacific Ocean that persisted for 2 mo. Longer-term records of airport visibility in Sumatra and Kalimantan show that 2015 ranked after 1997 and alongside 1991 and 1994 as among the worst episodes on record. Analysis of yearly dry season rainfall from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) and rain gauges shows that, due to the continued use of fire to clear and prepare land on degraded peat, the Indonesian fire environment continues to have nonlinear sensitivity to dry conditions during prolonged periods with less than 4 mm/d of precipitation, and this sensitivity appears to have increased over Kalimantan. Without significant reforms in land use and the adoption of early warning triggers tied to precipitation forecasts, these intense fire episodes will reoccur during future droughts, usually associated with El Niño events. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201935941 | The Young Stellar Content Of The Giant H Ii Regions M 8 G333 6 0 2 And Ngc 6357 With Vlt Kmos | Context. The identification and characterisation of populations of young massive stars in (giant) HII regions provides important constraints on (i) the formation process of massive stars and their . . . | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1007/s10797-012-9225-0 | Bottlenecks in ramping up public investment | A windfall in a developing economy with capital scarcity and investment adjustment costs facing a temporary windfall should be used to give more consumption to poorer present generations and to speed up development by ramping up public investment and paying off debt taking due account of the increasing inefficiency as investment gets ramped up. The optimal strategy requires negative genuine saving; the permanent income requires zero genuine saving. The optimal real consumption increments are smaller once one allows for absorption constraints resulting from Dutch disease and sluggish adjustment of 'home-grown' public capital. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
IT 0300140 W | METHOD FOR THE CREATION OF CLEARANCE HOLES | According to this invention, slots are made on the plane of any material; the depth of these slots is equal to half the thickness of the plane, plus the length of the radius of the stay bolt or stud to be entered, plus a tolerance margin; the slots have the required length and are made on two or more sides of the plane, in an alternate manner, so that the slot made on one side overlaps by a few millimeters the slot made on the opposite side, creating in such a way the space for the passage of a stay bolt and stud that serves as the anchorage for the various pieces that make up to object to be realized. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/ncomms16032 | Activity dependent feedback inhibition may maintain head direction signals in mouse presubiculum | Orientation in space is represented in specialized brain circuits. Persistent head direction signals are transmitted from anterior thalamus to the presubiculum, but the identity of the presubicular target neurons, their connectivity and function in local microcircuits are unknown. Here, we examine how thalamic afferents recruit presubicular principal neurons and Martinotti interneurons, and the ensuing synaptic interactions between these cells. Pyramidal neuron activation of Martinotti cells in superficial layers is strongly facilitating such that high-frequency head directional stimulation efficiently unmutes synaptic excitation. Martinotti-cell feedback plays a dual role: precisely timed spikes may not inhibit the firing of in-tune head direction cells, while exerting lateral inhibition. Autonomous attractor dynamics emerge from a modelled network implementing wiring motifs and timing sensitive synaptic interactions in the pyramidal - Martinotti-cell feedback loop. This inhibitory microcircuit is therefore tuned to refine and maintain head direction information in the presubiculum. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
10.1038/s41598-018-36087-8 | Figure-ground perception in the awake mouse and neuronal activity elicited by figure-ground stimuli in primary visual cortex | Figure-ground segregation is the process by which the visual system identifies image elements of figures and segregates them from the background. Previous studies examined figure-ground segregation in the visual cortex of monkeys where figures elicit stronger neuronal responses than backgrounds. It was demonstrated in anesthetized mice that neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) of mice are sensitive to orientation contrast, but it is unknown whether mice can perceptually segregate figures from a background. Here, we examined figure-ground perception of mice and found that mice can detect figures defined by an orientation that differs from the background while the figure size, position or phase varied. Electrophysiological recordings in V1 of awake mice revealed that the responses elicited by figures were stronger than those elicited by the background and even stronger at the edge between figure and background. A figural response could even be evoked in the absence of a stimulus in the V1 receptive field. Current-source-density analysis suggested that the extra activity was caused by synaptic inputs into layer 2/3. We conclude that the neuronal mechanisms of figure-ground segregation in mice are similar to those in primates, enabling investigation with the powerful techniques for circuit analysis now available in mice. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
US 0120882 W | GREASE, OIL AND WAX RESISTANT PAPER COMPOSITION | In order to provide grease, oil and wax resistance to a paper substrate, a coating containing a binder, a filler material and calcium carbonate is used. The coating of the invention is essentially free from fluorocarbons, which are considered harmful to human and animal populations, and surfactants and other chemicals which may alter the color of the coated paper. The coated paper has a GE brightness level between approximately 50 and approximately 90, while providing superior grease, oil and wax resistance. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
631906 | Neural circuit mechanisms of memory destabilization | Memories can be rendered rewritable through a phenomenon called reconsolidation. The all-limiting step in this memory re-evaluation process is its initiation; the retrieval-dependent destabilization of the memory. However, the understanding of how a stable memory can be switched into a vulnerable but modifiable state is mostly in its infancy. Therefore, I aim to investigate the neural circuit mechanisms underlying retrieval-induced memory destabilization in the tractable fruit fly brain.
A prerequisite to investigate the neural mechanisms involved in destabilizing a memory is to know where the learned information is stored and to have access to the associated network. Olfactory memories in flies are stored in the mushroom body as changes between odor coding principle cells and valence coding output neurons. The cell specific genetic access to the 2500 neurons of each mushroom body allows to manipulate and monitor the activity of all components of the network in behaving animals. Recently I established a paradigm that allows to study the mechanisms underlying memory reconsolidation in this numerically simple brain structure. First results indicate that I have identified specific neurons which are crucial for destabilizing reward memory. Starting from these findings I will study the neural circuit mechanisms involved in memory destabilization.
I aim to generate an understanding of
1) the neural circuits underlying memory destabilization
2) how restrictive conditions gate reconsolidation
3) the role of targeted protein degradation in the destabilization of memory
The work will establish the first mechanistic insight into how memories are destabilized, how a destabilized memory is represented in the brain and how boundary conditions prevent the initiation of memory reconsolidation. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1515/cog-2014-0089 | Vision verbs dominate in conversation across cultures, but the ranking of non-visual verbs varies | AbstractTo what extent does perceptual language reflect universals of experience and cognition, and to what extent is it shaped by particular cultural preoccupations? This paper investigates the universality~relativity of perceptual language by examining the use of basic perception terms in spontaneous conversation across 13 diverse languages and cultures. We analyze the frequency of perception words to test two universalist hypotheses: that sight is always a dominant sense, and that the relative ranking of the senses will be the same across different cultures. We find that references to sight outstrip references to the other senses, suggesting a pan-human preoccupation with visual phenomena. However, the relative frequency of the other senses was found to vary cross-linguistically. Cultural relativity was conspicuous as exemplified by the high ranking of smell in Semai, an Aslian language. Together these results suggest a place for both universal constraints and cultural shaping of the language of perception. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1111/bij.12754 | Habitat use and its implications to functional morphology: Niche partitioning and the evolution of locomotory morphology in Lake Tanganyikan cichlids (Perciformes: Cichlidae) | Animal locomotory morphology, i. e. morphological features involved in locomotion, is under the influence of a diverse set of ecological and behavioral factors. In teleost fish, habitat choice and foraging strategy are major determinants of locomotory morphology. In this study, we assess the influence of habitat use and foraging strategy on important locomotory traits, namely the size of the pectoral and caudal fins and the weight of the pectoral fin muscles, as applied to one of the most astonishing cases of adaptive radiation: the species flock of cichlid fishes in East African Lake Tanganyika. We also examine the course of niche partitioning along two main habitat axes, the benthic vs. limnetic and the sandy vs. rocky substrate axis. The results are then compared with available data on the cichlid adaptive radiation of neighbouring Lake Malawi. We find that pectoral fin size and muscle weight correlate with habitat use within the water column, as well as with substrate composition and foraging strategies. Niche partitioning along the benthic-limnetic axis in Lake Tanganyikan cichlids seems to follow a similar course as in Lake Malawi, while the course of habitat use with respect to substrate composition appears to differ between the cichlid assemblages of these two lakes. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1088/0067-0049/199/1/15 | Bayesian Noise Estimation For Non Ideal Cosmic Microwave Background Experiments | We describe a Bayesian framework for estimating the time-domain noise covariance of cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations, typically parameterized in terms of a 1/f frequency profile. This framework is based on the Gibbs sampling algorithm, which allows for exact marginalization over nuisance parameters through conditional probability distributions. In this paper, we implement support for gaps in the data streams and marginalization over fixed time-domain templates, and also outline how to marginalize over confusion from CMB fluctuations, which may be important for high signal-to-noise experiments. As a by-product of the method, we obtain proper constrained realizations, which themselves can be useful for map making. To validate the algorithm, we demonstrate that the reconstructed noise parameters and corresponding uncertainties are unbiased using simulated data. The CPU time required to process a single data stream of 100,000 samples with 1000 samples removed by gaps is 3 s if only the maximum posterior parameters are required, and 21 s if one also wants to obtain the corresponding uncertainties by Gibbs sampling. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
283837 | Local Governance and Dynamic Conflict in Developing Countries | This proposal is divided into two main strands.
The first strand seeks to understand the effects of local marginal institutional change in autocracies. In particular, we will examine the introduction of local democracy in rural China. Our first contribution is to collect a representative panel of villages in rural China. With this unique data we will examine three main questions: First, we will establish the effect of the introduction of local elections on policies that are determined at the village level: land allocation, tax collection, public good provision and the enforcement of the one child policy. Second, the data will provide a unique opportunity to explore the interaction between formal and informal institutions of accountability by leveraging our information on social infrastructure in these villages. Third, we will determine whether leaders' characteristics change with the introduction of elections. These unique data will also set the stage for examining many other recent policy reforms in rural China.
The second strand of the proposal seeks to focus the formal conflict literature to the study of insurgencies, a currently prevalent form of organized violence in developing countries. To capture the basic characteristics of these conflicts, we need models that allow for (i) meaningful conflict dynamics, (ii) a central role for the non-combatant population, (iii) fundamental asymmetry between government and insurgents and (iv) economic transfers and service provision as a strategic ability of the contenders. To reach this goal we will build a series of models whose main contribution to the formal literature of conflict is the introduction of tools from the dynamic principal agent framework. Several building blocks will be analyzed before integrating them in a coherent theory of insurgency from which optimal policy and empirical implications can be derived. | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.3390/s19061341 | Accurate Positioning System Based on Chipless Technology | In this paper, we present an accurate method to localize an object on a 2D plan using the chipless technology. This method requires a single antenna and a chipless tag. Phase difference between a reference position and an unknown position is used to estimate the distances between each resonator and the antenna. Then, multi-lateration is used to determine the position of the chipless tag in the plan. This method provides a better accuracy compared to classical ones based on received signal strength indicator (RSSI) or round-trip time-of-flight. In a square of 10 cm side above the antenna, error over distance determination between each resonators and the antenna is less than 2 mm and localization error on the tag coordinates in the 2D plan is lower than 1 cm. To increase the robustness of this method, we propose also a selection of a subset of the resonators used by the multi-lateration process. This method permits to increase the localization area by more than 20%. All the results have been obtained in real environment, and at different heights to show the robustness of the proposed approach. Finally, localization sensors based on this method can also be used as classical chipless RFID tag for identification with the same coding capacity. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1063/1.4862930 | Thermochromic Undoped And Mg Doped Vo2 Thin Films And Nanoparticles Optical Properties And Performance Limits For Energy Efficient Windows | Undoped and Mg-doped thermochromic VO2 films with atom ratios z equivalent to Mg/(Mg + V) of 0 <= z < 0. 21 were deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering onto heated glass and carbon subs . . . | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1145/2980179.2980221 | Birefractive Stereo Imaging For Single Shot Depth Acquisition | We propose a novel birefractive depth acquisition method, which allows for single-shot depth imaging by just placing a birefringent material in front of the lens. While most transmissive materials present a single refractive index per wavelength, birefringent crystals like calcite posses two, resulting in a double refraction effect. We develop an imaging model that leverages this phenomenon and the information contained in the ordinary and the extraordinary refracted rays, providing an effective formulation of the geometric relationship between scene depth and double refraction. To handle the inherent ambiguity of having two sources of information overlapped in a single image, we define and combine two different cost volume functions. We additionally present a novel calibration technique for birefringence, carefully analyze and validate our model, and demonstrate the usefulness of our approach with several image-editing applications. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2028062737 | A method for estimating radiation interaction coefficients for tissues from single energy CT | A parametric model for the x-ray linear attenuation coefficient is used to describe the compositional dependence of Hounsfield numbers measured by medical CT scanners. Measurements with materials of known density and composition, that span and evenly sample the compositional range of tissues, are written as linear simultaneous equations and solved for model coefficients. An algorithm is identified for this purpose. Results are expressed as atomic cross-sections in units of barn per electron divided by the attenuation coefficient for water. With the CT scanner characterised, a virtual CT scan can be simulated to predict HN for tissues based upon their known density and composition. Similar calculations using the tabulations and mixture rule deliver attenuation coefficients and mass energy absorption coefficients for mono-energetic radiation 10 keV to 20 MeV. Results are presented for measurements with a radiotherapy CT simulator, the RMI-467 phantom with tissue substitute materials, plus common polymer materials and silicon. Published measurements with earlier generations of the phantom and tissue substitutes using different CT scanners are also considered. Measured atomic cross-sections differ from expectations for mono-energetic radiation due to the use of a filtered spectrum and energy integrating detection system. The cross-sections for different CT scanners are similar, without large variations with kVp. Results are presented showing the relationship between predicted HN for tissues, electron density and photon interaction coefficients for healthy tissues and mono-energetic radiation. A strategy is suggested for accommodating strongly attenuating materials such as calculi and metallic implants. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1021/om300983m | Regioselective electrophilic C-H bond activation in triazolylidene metal complexes containing a N-bound phenyl substituent | Transmetalation of a 1,4-diphenyl-substituted 1,2,3-triazolylidene silver complex with an electrophilic metal center, e. g. , RuII, Ir III, or RhIII, induces spontaneous and chemoselective cyclometalation involving C-H bond activation of the N-bound phenyl group exclusively. Less electrophilic metals such as IrI, RhI, and PtII yield a monodentate triazolylidene complex, while cyclometalation with borderline cases (PdII) or the activation of the C-bound phenyl ring requires acetate as a promoter. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.03.021 | Allo-parental care in Damaraland mole-rats is female biased and age dependent, though independent of testosterone levels | In Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis), non-breeding subordinates contribute to the care of offspring born to the breeding pair in their group by carrying and retrieving young to the nest. In social mole-rats and some cooperative breeders, dominant females show unusually high testosterone levels and it has been suggested that high testosterone levels may increase reproductive and aggressive behavior and reduce investment in allo-parental and parental care, generating age and state-dependent variation in behavior. Here we show that, in Damaraland mole-rats, allo-parental care in males and females is unaffected by experimental increases in testosterone levels. Pup carrying decreases with age of the non-breeding helper while the change in social status from non-breeder to breeder has contrasting effects in the two sexes. Female breeders were more likely than female non-breeders to carry pups but male breeders were less likely to carry pups than male non-breeders, increasing the sex bias in parental care compared to allo-parental care. Our results indicate that testosterone is unlikely to be an important regulator of allo-parental care in mole-rats. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1128/AAC.02590-16 | Age Weight And Cyp2D6 Genotype Are Major Determinants Of Primaquine Pharmacokinetics In African Children | Low-dose primaquine is recommended to prevent Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission in areas threatened by artemisinin resistance and areas aiming for malaria elimination. Community treatment campaigns with artemisinin-based combination therapy in combination with the gametocytocidal primaquine dose target all age groups, but no studies thus far have assessed the pharmacokinetics of this gametocytocidal drug in African children. We recruited 40 children participating in a primaquine efficacy trial in Burkina Faso to study primaquine pharmacokinetics. These children received artemether-lumefantrine and either a 0. 25- or a 0. 40-mg/kg primaquine dose. Seven blood samples were collected from each participant for primaquine and carboxy-primaquine plasma levels determinations: one sample was collected before primaquine administration and six after primaquine administration according to partially overlapping sampling schedules. Physiological population pharmacokinetic modeling was used to assess the impact of weight, age, and CYP2D6 genotype on primaquine and carboxy-primaquine pharmacokinetics. Despite linear weight normalized dosing, the areas under the plasma concentration-time curves and the peak concentrations for both primaquine and carboxy-primaquine increased with age and body weight. Children who were CYP2D6 poor metabolizers had higher levels of the parent compound, indicating a lower primaquine CYP2D6-mediated metabolism. Our data indicate that primaquine and carboxy-primaquine pharmacokinetics are influenced by age, weight, and CYP2D6 genotype and suggest that dosing strategies may have to be reconsidered to maximize the transmission-blocking properties of primaquine. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials. gov under registration no. NCT01935882. ). | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W4284671986 | Depois da dialética | PUCCIARELLI, Daniel. Materialismus und Kritik: Konzept, Aussichten und Grenzen des Materialismus um Ausgang von der Negativen Dialektik Theodor W. Adornos. Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann, 2019. | [
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
W1992317257 | Experiencing ‘an opening’ | As a part of our ongoing exploration of training processes, this article asks a fundamental question that is close to the authors' heart: 'What is Yoga?'. Although this is undoubtedly a question that has no fixed and determined response, it becomes the framing through which we consider how a knowledge and daily practice of yoga might influence both the execution and readings of various body-based performance practices. The specific area of focus for this article is a consideration of yoga as a potential preparatory strategy for the development and preparation for performance art practices. Using our own relationship to Ashtanga yoga (both as practitioners and as teachers) as its base and its filter as an ad hoc training for witnessing performance art, the article focuses upon three interrelated pieces by Marina Abramovic (Marina Abramovic Presents ... as part of the Manchester International Festival, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, UK, The Pigs of Today are the Hams of Tomorrow, Plymouth, UK and The Artist is Present at MoMA, New York, USA). The focus of the thesis is the idea of the ‘expert-witness’ and how expertness might develop through a body-based process, and what the implications are for the genitive vs. intuitive responses to practice as articulated in Malcolm Gladwell's concept of 'thin slicing'. Alongside this is a consideration of contemporary scholarship exploring posture practice in modern yoga pedagogy. | [
"Studies of Cultures and Arts",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
10.1080/20548923.2015.1110421 | Textile Technology In Nepal In The 5Th 7Th Centuries Ce The Case Of Samdzong | AbstractThe first results of textile and dye analyses of cloth remains recovered in Samdzong, Upper Mustang, Nepal, are presented. The site consists of ten shaft tombs, dated between the 400-650 CE, cut into a high cliff face at an elevation of 4000 m asl. The dry climate and high altitude favoured the exceptional preservation of organic materials. One of the objects recovered from the elite Samdzong 5 tomb complex is composed of wool fabrics to which copper, glass and cloth beads are attached and probably constitutes the remains of a complex decorative headwear, which may have been attached to a gold/silver mask. SEM was used to identify the fibre sources of the textiles, which are all of animal nature. Two of the textiles are made of degummed silk. There is no evidence for local silk production suggesting that Samdzong was inserted into the long-distance trade network of the Silk Road. HPLC-DAD analysis permitted identification of a variety of organic dyes, including Indian lac, munjeet, turmeric and kn. . . | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1007/s00221-017-5006-4 | Moving higher and higher: imitators’ movements are sensitive to observed trajectories regardless of action rationality | Humans sometimes perform actions which, at least superficially, appear suboptimal to the goal they are trying to achieve. Despite being able to identify these irrational actions from an early age, humans display a curious tendency to copy them. The current study recorded participants’ movements during an established imitation task and manipulated the rationality of the observed action in two ways. Participants observed videos of a model point to a series of targets with either a low, high or ‘superhigh’ trajectory either in the presence or absence of obstacles between her targets. The participants’ task was to watch which targets the model pointed to and then point to the same targets on the table in front of them. There were no obstacles between the participants’ targets. Firstly, we found that the peak height of participants’ movements between their targets was sensitive to the height of the model’s movements, even in the ‘superhigh’ condition where the model’s action was rated as irrational. Secondly, participants showed obstacle priming—the peak height of participants’ movements was higher after having observed the model move over obstacles to reach her targets, compared to when there were no obstacles between her targets. This suggests that participants code the environment of co-actors into their own motor programs, even when this compromises the efficiency of their own movements. We discuss the implications of our findings in terms of theories of imitation and obstacle priming. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
10.1353/ajm.2018.0013 | Stability of the brascamp-lieb constant and applications | We prove that the best constant in the general Brascamp-Lieb inequality is a locally bounded function of the underlying linear transformations. As applications we deduce certain very general Fourier restriction, Kakeya-type, and nonlinear variants of the Brascamp-Lieb inequality which have arisen recently in harmonic analysis. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1038/s41467-018-06675-3 | Modulation of AMPA receptor surface diffusion restores hippocampal plasticity and memory in Huntington’s disease models | Impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity contributes to cognitive impairment in Huntington’s disease (HD). However, the molecular basis of such synaptic plasticity defects is not fully understood. Combining live-cell nanoparticle tracking and super-resolution imaging, we show that AMPAR surface diffusion, a key player in synaptic plasticity, is disturbed in various rodent models of HD. We demonstrate that defects in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)–tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) signaling pathway contribute to the deregulated AMPAR trafficking by reducing the interaction between transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory proteins (TARPs) and the PDZ-domain scaffold protein PSD95. The disturbed AMPAR surface diffusion is rescued by the antidepressant drug tianeptine via the BDNF signaling pathway. Tianeptine also restores the impaired LTP and hippocampus-dependent memory in different HD mouse models. These findings unravel a mechanism underlying hippocampal synaptic and memory dysfunction in HD, and highlight AMPAR surface diffusion as a promising therapeutic target. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W2107479270 | Features of the Earth surface deformations in the Kamchatka peninsula and their relation to geoacoustic emission | Abstract. The paper presents the results of investigations of deformation processes in the near-surface sedimentary rocks, which have been carried out in a seismically active region of the Kamchatka peninsula since 2007. The peculiarity of the experiments on registration of geodeformations is the application of a laser strainmeter–interferometer constructed according to the Michelson interferometer scheme. Besides rock deformations, geoacoustic emission in the frequency range from several hertz to the first tens of kilohertz is under investigation. Piezoceramic hydrophones installed in artificial water reservoirs are applied. It is shown that periods of primary rock compression and tension with a duration of up to several months are distinguished in the geodeformation process at the observation site. During the direction change in the deformations, when the geodeformation process rate grows, an increase in geoacoustic radiation is observed. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1163/22941932-00000013 | Complementary Imaging Techniques For Charcoal Examination And Identification | Identification of ancient charcoal fragments is a valuable tool in reconstructing past environments and determining natural and anthropogenic disturbances, and for understanding past cultures and societies. Although in Europe such studies are fairly straightforward, utilising charcoal records from the tropics is more complicated due to the species-richness of the natural vegetation. Comprehensive databases have greatly aided identification but often identification of charcoalified woods from the tropics relies on minute anatomical features that can be difficult to observe due to preservation or lack of abundance. This article illustrates the relative potential of four imaging techniques and discusses how they can provide optimal visualisation of charcoal anatomy, such that specific difficulties encountered during charcoal examination can be evaluated and fine anatomical characters can be observed enabling high-level identification of charcoal (and wood) taxa. Specifically reflected Light Microscopy is often used to quickly group large numbers of charcoal fragments into charcoal types. Scanning Electron Microscopy and High-Throughput X-ray Computed Tomography are employed to observe fine anatomical detail. More recently X-ray Computed Tomography at very high resolution has proved successful for imaging hidden or ‘veiled’ anatomical features that cannot be detected on exposed surfaces but need three-dimensional volumetric imaging. | [
"Earth System Science",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1038/srep00285 | Developmental regulation of CB1-mediated spike-time dependent depression at immature mossy fiber-CA3 synapses | Early in postnatal life, mossy fibres (MF), the axons of granule cells in the dentate gyrus, release GABA which is depolarizing and excitatory. Synaptic currents undergo spike-time dependent long-term depression (STD-LTD) regardless of the temporal order of stimulation (pre versus post and viceversa). Here we show that at P3 but not at P21, STD-LTD, induced by negative pairing, is mediated by endocannabinoids mobilized from the postsynaptic cell during spiking-induced membrane depolarization. By diffusing backward, endocannabinoids activate cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptors probably expressed on MF. Thus, STD-LTD was prevented by CB1 receptor antagonists and was absent in CB1-KO mice. Consistent with these data, in situ hybridization experiments revealed detectable level of CB1 mRNA in the granule cell layer at P3 but not at P21. These results indicate that CB1 receptors are transiently expressed on immature MF terminals where they counteract the enhanced neuronal excitability induced by the excitatory action of GABA. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1016/j.molcel.2019.02.027 | A Role for Chromatin Remodeling in Cohesin Loading onto Chromosomes | Cohesin is a conserved, ring-shaped protein complex that topologically embraces DNA. Its central role in genome organization includes functions in sister chromatid cohesion, DNA repair, and transcriptional regulation. Cohesin loading onto chromosomes requires the Scc2-Scc4 cohesin loader, whose presence on chromatin in budding yeast depends on the RSC chromatin remodeling complex. Here we reveal a dual role of RSC in cohesin loading. RSC acts as a chromatin receptor that recruits Scc2-Scc4 by a direct protein interaction independent of chromatin remodeling. In addition, chromatin remodeling is required to generate a nucleosome-free region that is the substrate for cohesin loading. An engineered cohesin loading module can be created by fusing the Scc2 C terminus to RSC or to other chromatin remodelers, but not to unrelated DNA binding proteins. These observations demonstrate the importance of nucleosome-free DNA for cohesin loading and provide insight into how cohesin accesses DNA during its varied chromosomal activities. Despite our increasing understanding of cohesin, how this essential protein complex accesses chromosomes is incompletely understood. Muñoz et al. provide insight into this by revealing that a molecular machine that mobilizes nucleosomes assists with cohesin loading and defines the DNA entry points for cohesin in the context of chromatin. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.3182/20120823-5-NL-3013.00013 | Auto Generation Of Implicit Integrators For Embedded Nmpc With Microsecond Sampling Times | Abstract Algorithms for fast real-time Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) for mechatronic systems face several challenges. They need to respect tight real-time constraints and need to run on embedded control hardware with limited computing power and memory. A combination of efficient online algorithms and code generation of explicit integrators was shown to be able to overcome these hurdles. This paper generalizes the idea of code generation to Implicit Runge-Kutta (IRK) methods with efficient sensitivity generation. It is shown that they often outperform existing auto-generated Explicit Runge-Kutta (ERK) methods. Moreover, the new methods allow to treat Differential Algebraic Equation (DAE) systems by NMPC with microsecond sampling times. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2301900601 | EFFECTS OF NEPOTISM AND FAMILY CONFLICTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF | Drawing on the agency theory and stewardship perspective, this article examines the extent to which nepotism and family conflicts affect the performance of family-owned firms in Tanzania. From a sample of 163 family firms and the Structural Equation Model (SEM) results, our article indicates that nepotism and family conflicts have no significant negative effect on both the financial and market-based performance of family firms. Contrary to previous studies which report that nepotism and family conflicts are detrimental to firm performance, this article demonstrates that the small family-owned firms operating in a developing economy with an inadequate institutional environment are better off engaging committed and productive staff from those with a common family background and culture. While our article supports the stewardship perspective regarding family enterprises, it indicates the need for further investigation into the impact of family characteristics on firm performance given the differing views that exist in the academic literature. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1021/jp401017u | Molecular mechanisms for adsorption in Cu-BTC metal organic framework | We use molecular simulations to analyze the preferential adsorption sites of molecules that differ in size, shape, and polarizability in Cu-BTC metal organic framework. The cage system of the framework can be exploited to enhance adsorption of small gases. We find that nonpolar molecules adsorb preferentially in the small tetrahedral cages, whereas alcohols and water molecules adsorb close to the copper atoms in one of the big cages. Blocking potentially enhances selective adsorption and separation and we therefore investigate how to block these cages in a practical manner. We propose to use ionic liquids for it and we find that the addition of these components reduces the adsorption of polar molecules near the open metal centers. For this reason, the presence of ionic liquids reduces the attack of the molecules of water to the metallic centers improving the framework stability. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
683099 | Why does Clostridium botulinum kill? – In search for botulinum neurotoxin regulators | Bacterial toxins cause devastating diseases in humans and animals, ranging from necrotic enteritis to gas gangrene and tetraplegia. While toxin synthesis probably endows these bacteria with a selective advantage in their natural habitats, toxigenesis is likely to represent a fitness cost. It is thus plausible that mild environments encourage bacteria to give up toxin production, or reduce the number of toxigenic cells in populations. The cellular strategies bacteria use to silence toxin production and to establish stably non-toxigenic subpopulations represent targets for innovative antitoxin and vaccine strategies that can be utilized by the food, feed, medical, and agricultural sectors. I have found the first repressor that blocks the production of the most poisonous substance known to mankind, botulinum neurotoxin (BOT). This toxin, also known as “botox”, kills in nanogram quantities and is produced by the notorious food pathogen, Clostridium botulinum. In whyBOTher, I will extend the knowledge from this single regulator to comprehensive understanding of how C. botulinum cultures coordinate BOT production between single cells and cell subpopulations in response to their physical and social environment, and which genetic and plastic cellular strategies the cells take to attenuate BOT production in short and long term. I will experimentally force evolution of BOT-producing and non-producing cell lines, and explore the genetic, epigenetic, and cellular factors that explain the emergence of the two cell lines. To achieve this goal, I will extend the research on C. botulinum biology in two dimensions: from population level to fluorescent single-cell biology, and from genomic information to functional analysis of regulatory and metabolic networks controlling BOT production. whyBOTher represents an unprecedented research effort into regulation of bacterial toxins, and introduces a shift in paradigm from population-level observations to the life of single bacterial cells. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1038/s41467-018-06388-7 | Sex and species specific hearing mechanisms in mosquito flagellar ears | Hearing is essential for the courtship of one of the major carriers of human disease, the mosquito. Males locate females through flight-tone recognition and both sexes engage in mid-air acoustic communications, which can take place within swarms containing thousands of individuals. Despite the importance of hearing for mosquitoes, its mechanisms are still largely unclear. We here report a multilevel analysis of auditory function across three disease-transmitting mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus). All ears tested display transduction-dependent power gain. Quantitative analyses of mechanotransducer function reveal sex-specific and species-specific variations, including male-specific, highly sensitive transducer populations. Systemic blocks of neurotransmission result in large-amplitude oscillations only in male flagellar receivers, indicating sexually dimorphic auditory gain control mechanisms. Our findings identify modifications of auditory function as a key feature in mosquito evolution. We propose that intra-swarm communication has been a driving force behind the observed sex-specific and species-specific diversity. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1021/acsenergylett.7b01111 | Quantifying Total Superoxide, Peroxide, and Carbonaceous Compounds in Metal-O<inf>2</inf> Batteries and the Solid Electrolyte Interphase | Passivation layers on electrode materials are ubiquitous in nonaqueous battery chemistries and strongly govern performance and lifetime. They comprise breakdown products of the electrolyte including carbonate, alkyl carbonates, alkoxides, carboxylates, and polymers. Parasitic chemistry in metal-O2 batteries forms similar products and is tied to the deviation of the O2 balance from the ideal stoichiometry during formation/decomposition of alkaline peroxides or superoxides. Accurate and integral quantification of carbonaceous species and peroxides or superoxides in battery electrodes remains, however, elusive. We present a refined procedure to quantify them accurately and sensitively by pointing out and rectifying pitfalls of previous procedures. Carbonaceous compounds are differentiated into inorganic and organic ones. We combine mass and UV-vis spectrometry to quantify evolved O2 and complexed peroxide and CO2 evolved from carbonaceous compounds by acid treatment and Fenton's reaction. The capabilities of the method are exemplified by means of Li-O2 and Na-O2 cathodes, graphite anodes, and LiNi0. 8Co0. 15Al0. 05O2 cathodes. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1186/1471-2180-10-191 | Establishment Of A Cre Loxp Recombination System For N Terminal Epitope Tagging Of Genes In Tetrahymena | Background
Epitope tagging is a powerful strategy to study the function of proteins. Although tools for C-terminal protein tagging in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila have been developed, N-terminal protein tagging in this organism is still technically demanding. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
W2154749459 | The effect of plant population densities on growth, yield and yield components of two spring rapeseed cultivars | Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important alternate oilseed crop in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. No information on plant density for rapeseed is available in this region. Therefore a&nbsp;study was initiated to investigate the effects of spacings between rows and spacings within rows on the yield and agronomic characteristics of two genotypes of spring rapeseed (Tower and Lirawell) in Erzurum, eastern Anatolia, during 1994 and 1995. The effects of spacings between or within rows on the yield and yield components of Tower and Lirawell, two cultivars of Brassica napus L., were studied for 2&nbsp;years inErzurum,Turkey. Rows were spaced at 15, 30 and45 cm. Spacings within rows were 5, 10 and15 cm. The results of this study suggested that seed yield was significantly affected by spacings between rows but not by spacings within rows, and that rape yields were higher at the narrow (15 cm) row spacing compared to the middle (30 cm) and wider (45 cm) spacings. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1002/hpm.2271 | Perspective: Lessons from the past | A considered analysis of some factors used in the past 50-70years in medical education, care on a hospital ward, organisation of health services, medical research and the attitudes of media and politics to health services is described. The possible reasons for changes in these areas over time are considered, and recommendations are made in each area on how current practice could be improved in the light of past experience. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1007/s10071-020-01426-8 | A dung beetle that path integrates without the use of landmarks | Unusual amongst dung beetles,Scarabaeus galenusdigs a burrow that it provisions by making repeated trips to a nearby dung pile. Even more remarkable is that these beetles return home moving backwards, with a pellet of dung between their hind legs. Here, we explore the strategy thatS. galenususes to find its way home. We find that, like many other insects, they use path integration to calculate the direction and distance to their home. If they fail to locate their burrow, the beetles initiate a distinct looping search behaviour that starts with a characteristic sharp turn, we have called a ‘turning point’. When homing beetles are passively displaced or transferred to an unfamiliar environment, they initiate a search at a point very close to the location of their fictive burrow—that is, a spot at the same relative distance and direction from the pick-up point as the original burrow. Unlike other insects,S. galenusdo not appear to supplement estimates of the burrow location with landmark information. Thus,S. galenusrepresents a rare case of a consistently backward-homing animal that does not use landmarks to augment its path integration strategy. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
1261536 | Anal fistula treatment | Signum Surgical Ltd. is a medical device company developing a solution to anal fistula disease. Anal fistulas are a common rectal disease affecting 2 out of every 10,000 people globally. An anal fistula is an artificial tunnel that, in the majority of cases, develops from an infection that begins within a blocked anal gland. If the infection cannot be cleared from the anal gland an abscess forms and the infection burrows though muscles in the rectum and exits externally at the buttocks. Patients endure a poor quality of life, experiencing pain associated with the tract and related abscesses and suffering faecal, pus and blood discharge from the fistula tract. Many patients must wear pads to control leakage, and those who seek treatment face poor surgical outcomes.
There is currently no gold standard treatment for anal fistula treatment, which has not changed significantly in over 2,500 years when Hippocrates described using horse hair and silk to drain the fistula tracts. Surgeons are frustrated with the commercially available treatment options which either result in inadequate healing of the initial condition, introduce incontinence as a consequence of surgical treatment, or result in repeat procedures and additional cost to health care system.
Through close collaboration with expert colorectal surgeons, Signum Surgical has developed the BioHealx device - an intuitive novel single use technology which improves upon current state of the art devices and surgical procedures to meet all identified critical clinical requirements to reliably heal anal fistulas. During this H2020 project, the company seek to demonstrate the technology in man to enable product launch and growth of sales in the U.S. and Europe. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Materials Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1145/2858036.2858328 | Machine learning of personal gesture variation in music conducting | This note presents a system that learns expressive and idiosyncratic gesture variations for gesture-based interaction. The system is used as an interaction technique in a music conducting scenario where gesture variations drive music articulation. A simple model based on Gaussian Mixture Modeling is used to allow the user to configure the system by providing variation examples. The system performance and the influence of user musical expertise is evaluated in a user study, which shows that the model is able to learn idiosyncratic variations that allow users to control articulation, with better performance for users with musical expertise. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W1991442891 | ‘Shut up and squat!’ Learning body knowledge within the gym | The aim of this article is to describe and analyse learning processes among bodybuilders in bodybuilding environments, focusing on the ways activities form the basis for incorporation of both physical and cultural knowledge. Emanating from an ethnographic study, the arguments are based on a constructionist approach to knowledge. The result provides an understanding of knowledge as being, and becoming, embodied through different learning processes. This article shows how knowledge of exercise, nutrition and physiology is gradually acquired and physically experienced, eventually becoming knowledge ‘in the body’ rather than ‘about the body’. Through these learning processes, the individual develops perceptual as well as tactile abilities that, earlier, were unexplored or bodily inaccessible. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W2034717186 | Supply chain risk management: a literature review | Risk management plays a vital role in effectively operating supply chains in the presence of a variety of uncertainties. Over the years, many researchers have focused on supply chain risk management (SCRM) by contributing in the areas of defining, operationalising and mitigating risks. In this paper, we review and synthesise the extant literature in SCRM in the past decade in a comprehensive manner. The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, we present and categorise SCRM research appearing between 2003 and 2013. Second, we undertake a detailed review associated with research developments in supply chain risk definitions, risk types, risk factors and risk management/mitigation strategies. Third, we analyse the SCRM literature in exploring potential gaps. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0053030 | Influence of Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) Genetic Variants on Myocardial Infarction Risk and PTX3 Plasma Levels | PTX3 is a long pentraxin of the innate immune system produced by different cell types (mononuclear phagocytes, dendritic cells, fibroblasts and endothelial cells) at the inflammatory site. It appears to have a cardiovascular protective function by acting on the immune-inflammatory balance in the cardiovascular system. PTX3 plasma concentration is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) but the influence of PTX3 genetic variants on PTX3 plasma concentration has been investigated very little and there is no information on the association between PTX3 variations and AMI. Subjects of European origin (3245, 1751 AMI survivors and 1494 controls) were genotyped for three common PTX3 polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs2305619, rs3816527, rs1840680). Genotype and allele frequencies of the three SNPs and the haplotype frequencies were compared for the two groups. None of the genotypes, alleles or haplotypes were significantly associated with the risk of AMI. However, analysis adjusted for age and sex indicated that the three PTX3 SNPs and the corresponding haplotypes were significantly associated with different PTX3 plasma levels. There was also a significant association between PTX3 plasma concentrations and the risk of all-cause mortality at three years in AMI patients (OR 1. 10, 95% CI: 1. 01-1. 20, p = 0. 02). Our study showed that PTX3 plasma levels are influenced by three PTX3 polymorphisms. Genetically determined high PTX3 levels do not influence the risk of AMI, suggesting that the PTX3 concentration itself is unlikely to be even a modest causal factor for AMI. Analysis also confirmed that PTX3 is a prognostic marker after AMI. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W1082334881 | Experimental and numerical investigations on roof slab of a pool type sodium cooled fast reactor based on model studies | Abstract The objective of the work is to predict the structural integrity of the roof slab of 500 MWe sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) under static loading conditions. The roof slab is an annular box type structure consisting of top and bottom plates with connecting stiffeners and has been designed to support various components such as control plug, pumps and heat exchangers entering into the main vessel of the reactor. The net static load acting on it is about 3800 t under normal condition and about 5000 t under design basis earthquake. Experiments on 1/12th scaled down model of the roof slab are carried out and test data is compared with the results of numerical simulation by finite element analysis. The numerical as well as experimental investigations carried out on the model demonstrate the robustness of assumptions made for the analysis carried out towards respecting design code limits as well as raise the confidence on the structural integrity of the roof slab. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W1981842598 | Enantioselective synthesis of the sex pheromone of the grey pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), for determination of the absolute configuration | The grey pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley, originally found on Hawaii and on Australasian islands, was recently discovered on a southwestern island (Ishigaki Island) of Japan. Because D. neobrevipes is known to attack many fruits and other crops, it is essential to establish a strategy to prevent the spread of this potential pest. Detection and monitoring by use of pheromone traps would provide important information about its distribution. The sex pheromone of D. neobrevipes has been isolated and identified as (E)-2-isopropyl-5-methylhexa-3,5-dien-1-yl acetate, although its absolute configuration was unknown. In this study, we achieved enantioselective synthesis of this compound by use of porcine pancreas lipase (PPL)-catalyzed acylation. Acetyl transfer from vinyl acetate to prochiral 2-isopropyl-1,3-propanediol in the presence of PPL in an organic solvent predominantly produced the (R) enantiomer of the monohydroxy acetate (86 % ee). In contrast, PPL-catalyzed hydrolysis of 2-isopropyl-1,3-diacetoxypropane in phosphate buffer yielded the (S) enantiomer of the monohydroxy acetate (75 % ee). Each enantiomer of the monohydroxy acetate was oxidized to a formyl acetate then coupled with a Wittig reagent, to produce the (R)-(−) and (S)-(+) pheromones. Analysis by gas chromatography with a chiral column and by polarimetry revealed the natural pheromone to be the (S)-(+) enantiomer. In a field trap experiment, the attractiveness of the pheromone produced by this route was equivalent to that of the pure (+) enantiomer (>99 % ee). | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1007/JHEP11(2016)151 | K Decompositions And 3D Gauge Theories | This paper combines several new constructions in mathematics and physics. Mathematically, we study framed flat PGL(K, ℂ)-connections on a large class of 3-manifolds M with boundary. We introduce a moduli space ℒ
K
(M) of framed flat connections on the boundary ∂M that extend to M. Our goal is to understand an open part of ℒ
K
(M) as a Lagrangian subvariety in the symplectic moduli space $$ {\mathcal{X}}_K^{\mathrm{un}}\left(\partial M\right) $$
of framed flat connections on the boundary — and more so, as a “K2-Lagrangian,” meaning that the K2-avatar of the symplectic form restricts to zero. We construct an open part of ℒ
K
(M) from elementary data associated with the hypersimplicial K-decomposition of an ideal triangulation of M, in a way that generalizes (and combines) both Thurston’s gluing equations in 3d hyperbolic geometry and the cluster coordinates for framed flat PGL(K, ℂ)-connections on surfaces. By using a canonical map from the complex of configurations of decorated flags to the Bloch complex, we prove that any generic component of ℒ
K
(M) is K2-isotropic as long as ∂M satisfies certain topological constraints (theorem 4. 2). In some cases this easily implies that ℒ
K
(M) is K2-Lagrangian. For general M, we extend a classic result of Neumann and Zagier on symplectic properties of PGL(2) gluing equations to reduce the K2-Lagrangian property to a combinatorial statement. Physically, we translate the K-decomposition of an ideal triangulation of M and its symplectic properties to produce an explicit construction of 3d $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$
superconformal field theories T
K
[M] resulting (conjecturally) from the compactification of K M5-branes on M. This extends known constructions for K = 2. Just as for K = 2, the theories T
K
[M] are described as IR fixed points of abelian Chern-Simons-matter theories. Changes of triangulation (2-3 moves) lead to abelian mirror symmetries that are all generated by the elementary duality between N
f
= 1 SQED and the XYZ model. In the large K limit, we find evidence that the degrees of freedom of T
K
[M] grow cubically in K. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1038/srep41228 | Using the MitoB method to assess levels of reactive oxygen species in ecological studies of oxidative stress | In recent years evolutionary ecologists have become increasingly interested in the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the life-histories of animals. ROS levels have mostly been inferred indirectly due to the limitations of estimating ROS from in vitro methods. However, measuring ROS (hydrogen peroxide, H2 O2) content in vivo is now possible using the MitoB probe. Here, we extend and refine the MitoB method to make it suitable for ecological studies of oxidative stress using the brown trout Salmo trutta as model. The MitoB method allows an evaluation of H2 O2 levels in living organisms over a timescale from hours to days. The method is flexible with regard to the duration of exposure and initial concentration of the MitoB probe, and there is no transfer of the MitoB probe between fish. H2 O2 levels were consistent across subsamples of the same liver but differed between muscle subsamples and between tissues of the same animal. The MitoB method provides a convenient method for measuring ROS levels in living animals over a significant period of time. Given its wide range of possible applications, it opens the opportunity to study the role of ROS in mediating life history trade-offs in ecological settings. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1145/2544173.2509530 | Class Hierarchy Complementation | We present the problem of class hierarchy complementation: given a partially known hierarchy of classes together with subtyping constraints ("A has to be a transitive subtype of B") complete the hi. . . | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
3739803 | Revisiting europeanization in southeast europe. an historical approach | The future of Europe will vitally depend on its ability to transform and unify the continent. Southeast Europe, with its complex historical trajectories and its own particularistic Europeanness, has been labelled difficult to Europeanize. Yet, Europeanization in Southeast Europe has a far longer history reaching back into the 19th century and earlier. The main goal of the RESEE project is to establish Europeanization research on the Southeast Europe as a complex historically grounded process, firstly through developing a meaningful narrative integration of the prevailing knowledge in the historical dimension of Europeanization of Southeast Europe; secondly through discussing the usefulness of Europeanization and its related process bringing historical cases of how Europe has influenced Southeast Europe and vice versa; and thirdly through tracing the process back we build an explanatory model that maps the events and actors, the causal mechanisms and factors that interact when a specific historical Europeanization process unfolds in Southeast Europe.
RESEE is an innovative project studying a long and much disputed ‘European otherness periphery’ contributing to the rethinking of the region in such a reflexive way that it have meaning and utility in the current EU political project of European Integration. RESEE main academic outputs include a Living Review on the literature, a course proposal and a workshop on the historical dimension of Europeanization on Southeast Europe, a policy paper on best-practices of successful historical cases of Europeanization in Southeast Europe and a number of other dissemination and communication activities. These outputs will attract the attention of academia, policy-makers and also European society since they are a valuable source of scholarly knowledge; they expose high policy relevance to practitioners and they have societal importance in particular to improving citizens perceptions on Southeast Europe and European Integration. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
W2751418033 | Redox Controls over the Stability of U(IV) in Floodplains of the Upper Colorado River Basin | Aquifers in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) exhibit persistent uranium (U) groundwater contamination plumes originating from former ore processing operations. Previous observations at Rifle, Colorado, have shown that fine grained, sulfidic, organic-enriched sediments accumulate U in its reduced form, U(IV), which is less mobile than oxidized U(VI). These reduced sediment bodies can subsequently act as secondary sources, releasing U back to the aquifer. There is a need to understand if U(IV) accumulation in reduced sediments is a common process at contaminated sites basin-wide, to constrain accumulated U(IV) speciation, and to define the biogeochemical factors controlling its reactivity. We have investigated U(IV) accumulation in organic-enriched reduced sediments at three UCRB floodplains. Noncrystalline U(IV) is the dominant form of accumulated U, but crystalline U(IV) comprises up to ca. 30% of total U at some locations. Differing susceptibilities of these species to oxidative remobilization can explain this variability. Particle size, organic carbon content, and pore saturation, control the exposure of U(IV) to oxidants, moderating its oxidative release. Further, our data suggest that U(IV) can be mobilized under deeply reducing conditions, which may contribute to maintenance and seasonal variability of U in groundwater plumes in the UCRB. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1063/1.5063986 | Boundary Triples For The Dirac Operator With Coulomb Type Spherically Symmetric Perturbations | We determine explicitly a boundary triple for the Dirac operator H≔−iα⋅∇+mβ+V(x) in R3, for m∈R and V(x)=|x|−1(νI4+μβ−iλα⋅x/|x| β), with ν,μ,λ∈R. Consequently, we determine all the self-adjoint realizations of H in terms of the behavior of the functions of their domain in the origin. When supx|x||V(x)|≤1, we discuss the problem of selecting the distinguished extension requiring that its domain is included in the domain of the appropriate quadratic form. We determine explicitly a boundary triple for the Dirac operator H≔−iα⋅∇+mβ+V(x) in R3, for m∈R and V(x)=|x|−1(νI4+μβ−iλα⋅x/|x| β), with ν,μ,λ∈R. Consequently, we determine all the self-adjoint realizations of H in terms of the behavior of the functions of their domain in the origin. When supx|x||V(x)|≤1, we discuss the problem of selecting the distinguished extension requiring that its domain is included in the domain of the appropriate quadratic form. | [
"Mathematics",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
interreg_3120 | Risk communication strategies | The concept of risk management includes a wide range of measures, which deal with natural hazards and which are divided into different topics such as prevention, protection, preparation, event management and reconstruction. A correct risk perception in the population and an efficient communication of risks, build up an important starting point to deal with natural hazards. The main objective of the project is the improvement of the collaboration between institutions and the population on the communication about the risk regarding natural hazards. It is in fact necessary to
increase the awareness in the population, through the development of specific communication tools. To this purpose the current status shall be surveyed at first and then good practice examples will be collected; these will be used to plan interviews and analysis of the needs concerning the different stakeholders and to develop tailor-made communication tools, such as a web platform. The activities to rise resilience will be completed by measures about the development of awareness for actors involved in risk management. Within the improvement of the risk awareness in border
zones such as South Tyrol and Carinzia, particular importance will be given to the presence of different languages, to gender mainstreaming and to socio-cultural aspects. The continuous exchange of information will build up a multiplier of the project results, which will be available to all the active subjects within the risk management. | [
"Earth System Science",
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
W2770676323 | Mass Spectrometry Imaging: A Review of Emerging Advancements and Future Insights | Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful tool that enables untargeted investigations into the spatial distribution of molecular species in a variety of samples. It has the capability to image thousands of molecules, such as metabolites, lipids, peptides, proteins, and glycans, in a single experiment without labeling. The combination of information gained from mass spectrometry (MS) and visualization of spatial distributions in thin sample sections makes this a valuable chemical analysis tool useful for biological specimen characterization. After minimal but careful sample preparation, the general setup of an MSI experiment involves defining an (x, y) grid over the surface of the sample, with the grid area chosen by the user. The mass spectrometer then ionizes the molecules on the surface of the sample and collects a mass spectrum at each pixel on the section, with the resulting spatial resolution defined by the pixel size. After collecting the spectra, computational software can be used to select an ... | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W4312510093 | Residência de Medicina de Família e Comunidade: percepções de egressos sobre sua formação e processo de trabalho | Analisou-se como as residências de Medicina de Família e Comunidade (RMFC) de uma capital da região norte do Brasil contribuíram para a formação e o desenvolvimento do atual processo de trabalho de seus egressos. Estudo exploratório, descritivo e transversal, com abordagem qualitativa focada em 31 egressos por meio de aplicação de questionário eletrônico com perguntas abertas. As respostas foram interpretadas por Análise de Conteúdo Temática, constituídas por quatro categorias empíricas: a formação em Medicina de Família e Comunidade (MFC) no processo de trabalho do egresso; reconhecimento e aplicação dos atributos da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS); potências da formação em RMFC; e os desafios da especialidade. Os programas de RMFC estudados contribuem para a formação da prática profissional e do perfil dos seus egressos por meio do fortalecimento e da efetivação dos atributos da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS), inclusive estendendo-se para além da especialidade. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
W2565693063 | Technical efficiency and its determinants of the various cropping systems in the purple-soiled, hilly region of southwestern China | This study examines the technical efficiency (TE) differences among typical cropping systems of smallholder farmers in the purple-soiled hilly region of southwestern China. Household-, plot-, and crop- level data and community surveys were conducted to explore TE levels and determinants of typical cropping systems by using a translog stochastic frontier production function. Results indicate significant difference in TE and its determinants among cropping systems. The mean TEs of the rice cropping system (R), the rice-rape cropping system (RR), the rice-rape-potato cropping system (RRP), and the oil cropping system (O) are 0.86, 0.90, 0.84, and 0.85, respectively, which are over 1.17 times higher than those of the maize-sweet potato-other crop cropping system (MSO) and the maize-sweet potato-wheat cropping system (MSW) at 0.78 and 0.69, respectively. Moreover, Technical inefficiency (TIE) of different cropping systems is significantly affected by characteristics of the household as well as plot. However, the impact of land quality, mechanical cultivation conditions, crop structure, farming system, farm radius, household type, cultivated land area per capita, and annual household income per capital on TIE vary by cropping system. Additionally, output elasticity of land, labor, and capital, as a group, is greater than the one of agricultural machinery and irrigation. Finally, when household-owned effective agricultural labor is at full farming capacity, optimal plot sizes for the R, RR, RRP, MSO, MSW, and O cropping systems are 1.12 hm2, 0.35 hm2, 0.25 hm2, 2.82 hm2, 1.87 hm2, and 1.17 hm2, respectively. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
692891 | Simulating Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Atmospheric Multicomponent Clusters | Atmospheric aerosol particles play a key role in regulating the climate, and particulate matter is responsible for most of the 7 million deaths per year attributed to air pollution. Lack of understanding of aerosol processes, especially the formation of ice crystals and secondary particles from condensable trace gases, hampers the development of air quality modelling, and remains one of the major uncertainties in predicting climate.
The purpose of this project is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of atmospheric nanocluster and ice crystal formation based on fundamental physico-chemical principles. We will use a wide palette of theoretical methods including quantum chemistry, reaction kinetics, continuum solvent models, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo simulations, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, computational fluid dynamics, cluster kinetic and thermodynamic models. We will study non-equilibrium effects and kinetic barriers in atmospheric clustering, and use these to build cluster distribution models with genuine predictive capacity.
Chemical ionization mass spectrometers can, unlike any other instruments, detect the elemental composition of many of the smallest clusters at ambient low concentrations. However, the charging process and the environment inside the instrument change the composition of the clusters in hitherto unquantifiable ways. We will solve this problem by building an accurate model for the fate of clusters inside mass spectrometers, which will vastly improve the amount and quality of information that can be extracted from mass spectrometric measurements in atmospheric science and elsewhere.
DAMOCLES will produce reliable and consistent models for secondary aerosol and ice particle formation and growth. This will lead to improved predictions of aerosol concentrations and size distributions, leading to improved air quality forecasting, more accurate estimates of aerosol indirect climate forcing and other aerosol-cloud-climate interactions. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2512639264 | First magmatism in the New England Batholith, Australia: forearc and arc–back-arc components in the Bakers Creek Suite gabbros | Abstract. The New England Orogen, eastern Australia, was established as an outboard extension of the Lachlan Orogen through the migration of magmatism into forearc basin and accretionary prism sediments. Widespread S-type granitic rocks of the Hillgrove and Bundarra supersuites represent the first pulse of magmatism, followed by I- and A-types typical of circum-Pacific extensional accretionary orogens. Associated with the former are a number of small tholeiite–gabbroic to intermediate bodies of the Bakers Creek Suite, which sample the heat source for production of granitic magmas and are potential tectonic markers indicating why magmatism moved into the forearc and accretionary complexes rather than rifting the old Lachlan Orogen arc. The Bakers Creek Suite gabbros capture an early ( ∼ 305 Ma) forearc basalt-like component with low Th ∕ Nb and with high Y ∕ Zr and Ba ∕ La, recording melting in the mantle wedge with little involvement of a slab flux and indicating forearc rifting. Subsequently, arc–back-arc like gabbroic magmas (305–304 Ma) were emplaced, followed by compositionally diverse magmatism leading up to the main S-type granitic intrusion ( ∼ 290 Ma). This trend in magmatic evolution implicates forearc and other mantle wedge melts in the heating and melting of fertile accretion complex sediments and relatively long ( ∼ 10 Myr) timescales for such melting. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
Q3272715 | USS | Zweck und Ziel des FEI-Projekts ist die Entwicklung eines neuen Systems zur Selbstabschottung der Abdeckungen verschiedener Geräte und Geräte, die zur Verwendung in Einzelhandelsgeräten für den Vertrieb von Lebensmitteln bestimmt sind. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1375/twin.15.2.158 | Causes of Comorbidity: Pleiotropy or Causality? Shared Genetic and Environmental Influences on Migraine and Neuroticism | Comorbidity — the clustered occurrence of two traits or disorders — may be studied in genetically informative designs such as the classical twin study, to test whether genetic and/or environmental factors underlying the two disorders are correlated. When a genetic correlation is found, this can be explained by several mechanisms, including pleiotropy (the same genes influencing multiple traits), and causality (one trait causing the other). With a cotwin control design, it can be investigated which scenario is most plausible. In this design, monozygotic twin pairs discordant for the first trait (i. e. , one twin is affected, the other is not) are compared in terms of their risk for the second trait: under a causal model, only the twins affected for the first trait will be at increased risk for the second trait. Under genetic pleiotropy, this risk will be increased in both twins because they share the same risk genes. We first discuss the cotwin control design and then illustrate its application with data on migraine and neuroticism that were collected in 5,200 Dutch twins, including 1,648 complete twin pairs (981 monozygotic and 667 dizygotic pairs). There was a significant association between migraine and neuroticism, which could be attributed to genetic and environmental correlations (rG = . 27 and rE = . 19). In monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs discordant for neuroticism, the risk of migraine was significantly higher in the twins with a high neuroticism score. This pattern of results is consistent with a causal relationship, suggesting that neuroticism increases the risk of migraine. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-319-10879-7_23 | An Empirical Study And Some Improvements Of The Minimac Protocol For Secure Computation | Recent developments in Multi-party Computation (MPC) has resulted in very efficient protocols for dishonest majority in the preprocessing model. In particular, two very promising protocols for Boolean circuits have been proposed by Nielsen et al. (nicknamed TinyOT) and by Damgard and Zakarias (nicknamed MiniMac). While TinyOT has already been implemented, we present in this paper the first implementation of MiniMac, using the same platform as the existing TinyOT implementation. We also suggest several improvements of MiniMac, both on the protocol design and implementation level. In particular, we suggest a modification of MiniMac that achieves increased parallelism at no extra communication cost. This gives an asymptotic improvement of the original protocol as well as an 8-fold speed-up of our implementation. We compare the resulting protocol to TinyOT for the case of secure computation in parallel of a large number of AES encryptions and find that it performs better than results reported so far on TinyOT, on the same hardware. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
616823 | Attosecond physics at nanoscale metal tips - strong field physics in the near-field optics regime | Electron dynamics in metals and nanostructures take place on attosecond timescales. Until today, these extremely fast processes are little understood let alone utilized. With NearFieldAtto, strong-field driven phenomena at nanoscale metal structures will be explored to elucidate collective electron dynamics and to induce optical-field-driven currents -- on attosecond timescales. We will investigate the near-field of a nanotip, resulting from the collective dynamics, both in amplitude and phase. Conversely, we will use the tip as a nanometric sensor to map out the electric field inside the focus of a pulsed laser beam and will directly measure the local phase. In two-tip and molecular junctions, we will explore the ultrafast steering of electronic currents by optical fields, both over a nanometric gap and inside a molecule, taking advantage of the large near-field enhancement the systems offer.
My group has recently shown that attosecond physics phenomena can be observed at solids, namely at nanoscale tips [Krüger et al., Nature 2011]. Hence, in NearFieldAtto we will employ techniques well known from attosecond physics with isolated objects, like gas-phase atoms and molecules, to steer laser-emitted electrons with the electric field of few-cycle laser pulses. We will use these electrons as nanometric probes to investigate optical properties of the solid state system and compare the results with those of isolated objects in gas-phase measurements. With two tips facing each other, we will realize a nanometric junction over which we will steer electrons with the optical field. A molecule placed between two tips will enable the investigation of a novel, ultrafast switching mechanism.
NearFieldAtto will bring attosecond physics a leap forward as compared to the state-of-the-art, will introduce strong-field physics into (quantum-)plasmonics, and will open the door towards lightwave or petahertz nano-electronics in metallic and molecular nano-systems. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
EA 201690417 A | СИСТЕМА ПЛАВУЧЕГО БАССЕЙНА И СПОСОБЫ ОБРАБОТКИ ВОДЫ В ПЛАВУЧЕМ БАССЕЙНЕ | Изобретение относится к плавучим бассейнам и к обработке воды в таких бассейнах. Изобретение также относится к большим плавучим бассейнам, которые могут быть установлены в природном или искусственном водоеме для улучшения характеристик воды, которые являются непригодными для рекреационного использования. Плавучий бассейн может быть снабжен системой подачи химикатов; системой фильтрации, включающей мобильное откачивающее устройство и фильтры; устройством для собирания загрязнений с поверхности и, возможно, системой координации. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
3740492 | Nanoscale aromaticity and supramolecular electronic materials | ARO-MAT will target emergent cooperative electronic and magnetic phenomena in molecules with dimensions of 5–25 nm (i.e. as big as many proteins). The project will develop supramolecular architectures with large pi-systems and well-defined geometries, in which the frontier orbitals coherently delocalize charge over the whole nanostructure. Aromaticity is a key emergent phenomenon; it can be defined as the ability of a cyclic molecule to sustain a ring current when placed in a magnetic field. Until recently, it was thought that aromaticity is restricted to small molecules, with circuits of less than about 22 pi-electrons. Anderson has shown that circuits of more than 160 pi-electrons (circumference > 15 nm) can exhibit strong aromatic ring currents. Testing even larger rings will elucidate the link between aromaticity and the persistent currents found in non-molecular mesoscopic rings (diameter 50–500 nm). ARO-MAT will explore the effects of molecular size and topology on nanoscale aromaticity. Other emergent phenomena to be addressed include the formation of open-shell singlet polyradical ground states, magnetic bistability in systems with many paramagnetic metal centers, and the control of charge transport through single-molecule devices by quantum interference. This multidisciplinary project combines organic synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, theory, electronic structure calculations, NMR and EPR spectroscopy, magnetochemistry, molecular electronics and low-temperature charge transport experiments. The core objective is to create low band gap materials with unprecedented electronic and magnetic properties, and to understand the structure-property relationships governing the behavior of these new materials. Most of the target structures are based on metalloporphyrins because of their redox activity, stability, structural versatility, suitability for template-directed synthesis and ability to position multiple strongly coupled paramagnetic metal centers. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.5194/gmd-2015-225 | PMCAMx-2015 evaluation over Europe against AERONET and MODIS aerosol optical depth measurements | Abstract. The ability of the chemical transport model (CTM) PMCAMx to reproduce aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements by the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over Europe during a photochemically active period is evaluated. Periods with high dust levels are excluded so the analysis focuses on the ability of the model to simulate the mostly secondary aerosol and its interactions with water. PMCAMx reproduces the monthly mean MODIS and AERONET AOD values over the Iberian Peninsula, the British Isles, central Europe, and Russia with fractional bias less than 15 % and fractional error less than 30 %. However, the model overestimates the AOD over northern Europe probably due to an overestimation of organic aerosol and sulfates. On the other end, PMCAMx underestimates the monthly mean MODIS AOD over the Balkans, the Mediterranean, and the South Atlantic. These errors are probably due to an underestimation of sulfates. Sensitivity tests indicate that the evaluation results of the monthly mean AODs are quite sensitive to the relative humidity (RH) fields used by PMCAMx, but are not sensitive to the simulated size distribution and the black carbon mixing state. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1016/j.cell.2019.08.055 | R Loops: From Physiological to Pathological Roles | DNA-RNA hybrids play a physiological role in cellular processes, but often, they represent non-scheduled co-transcriptional structures with a negative impact on transcription, replication and DNA repair. Accumulating evidence suggests that they constitute a source of replication stress, DNA breaks and genome instability. Reciprocally, DNA breaks facilitate DNA-RNA hybrid formation by releasing the double helix torsional conformation. Cells avoid DNA-RNA accumulation by either preventing or removing hybrids directly or by DNA repair-coupled mechanisms. Given the R-loop impact on chromatin and genome organization and its potential relation with genetic diseases, we review R-loop homeostasis as well as their physiological and pathological roles. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
260927 | Population transcriptional genomics in humans using high throughput sequencing | Gene expression is one of the marks of cellular state and function. The relative abundance of transcripts defines and is a result of the differentiation status of a cell. Interrogation of gene expression levels and patterns in the human and other genomes can be informative about perturbations from the average pattern due to external stimuli or internal factors such as genetic variants. Gene expression profiles have been extensively used to assess developmental processes, pathways contributing to cell differentiation, and predicting the outcome of disease status.
Understanding the effects of genetic variation in basic cellular processes such as gene expression is key to the dissection of the genetic contributions to whole organism phenotypes.
We propose to interrogate the transcriptome of primary fibroblasts, primary T-cells and EBV-transformed B-cell (lymphoblastoid cell lines or LCLs) from umbilical cords of 200 individuals of European descent using next generation sequencing (mRNAseq). A subset will also be interrogated for transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerases (GROseq) and protein abundance. These data will be analyzed for the detection of eQTLs and other genetic effects associated with variation in alternative splicing and other properties of the transcripts and dissection of the genetic effects from primary transcription to protein and their tissue specific effects. These data will be integrated with genome-wide association studies and other efforts to dissect the genetic basis of complex traits and diseases in humans. In addition, we will develop bioinformatic models to understand the fine scale regulatory signals that are responsible for the regulatory patterns observed and how sequence variants have an effect on them. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1907799117 | Chitin perception in plasmodesmata characterizes submembrane immune-signaling specificity in plants | The plasma membrane (PM) is composed of heterogeneous subdomains, characterized by differences in protein and lipid composition. PM receptors can be dynamically sorted into membrane domains to underpin signaling in response to extracellular stimuli. In plants, the plasmodesmal PM is a discrete microdomain that hosts specific receptors and responses. We exploited the independence of this PM domain to investigate how membrane domains can independently integrate a signal that triggers responses across the cell. Focusing on chitin signaling, we found that responses in the plasmodesmal PM require the LysM receptor kinases LYK4 and LYK5 in addition to LYM2. Chitin induces dynamic changes in the localization, association, or mobility of these receptors, but only LYM2 and LYK4 are detected in the plasmodesmal PM. We further uncovered that chitin-induced production of reactive oxygen species and callose depends on specific signaling events that lead to plasmodesmata closure. Our results demonstrate that distinct membrane domains can integrate a common signal with specific machinery that initiates discrete signaling cascades to produce a localized response. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1080/00107514.2015.1125624 | Conditional And Unconditional Gaussian Quantum Dynamics | This article focuses on the general theory of open quantum systems in the Gaussian regime and explores a number of diverse ramifications and consequences of the theory. We shall first introduce the Gaussian framework in its full generality, including a classification of Gaussian (also known as "general-dyne") quantum measurements. In doing so, we will give a compact proof for the parametrisation of the most general Gaussian completely positive map, which we believe to be missing in the existing literature. We will then move on to consider the linear coupling with a white noise bath, and derive the diffusion equations that describe the evolution of Gaussian states under such circumstances. Starting from these equations, we outline a constructive method to derive general master equations that apply outside the Gaussian regime. Next, we include the general-dyne monitoring of the environmental degrees of freedom and recover the Riccati equation for the conditional evolution of Gaussian states. Our derivation relies exclusively on the standard quantum mechanical update of the system state, through the evaluation of Gaussian overlaps. The parametrisation of the conditional dynamics we obtain is novel and, at variance with existing alternatives, directly ties in to physical detection schemes. We conclude our study with two examples of conditional dynamics that can be dealt with conveniently through our formalism, demonstrating how monitoring can suppress the noise in optical parametric processes as well as stabilise systems subject to diffusive scattering. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
320620 | The calm before the storm: Pre-stellar cores as Astrophysical Laboratories | Stars like our Sun and planets like our Earth form in dense regions within interstellar molecular clouds, called pre-stellar cores (PSCs). PSCs provide the initial conditions in the process of star and planet formation, but large uncertainties exist concerning basic astrophysical processes and parameters, such as surface chemistry, the cosmic-ray ionization rate, the H2 ortho-to-para ratio, the abundance of atomic Oxygen and ""metals"". In current models, these parameters/processes are typically fixed to some ""canonical"" values and variations across PSCs are neglected. With the new generation of telescopes and the advances in radiative transfer and dynamical/chemical modelling, the time has now come to develop theoretical models without highly uncertain parameters.
PCSs are dark, cold and quiescent. They are the simplest units in the process of star formation. Thus, they provide a unique opportunity for the study of fundamental astrophysical processes in a ""calm"" environment, just before the battering of the protostellar ""storm"". For this reason, PSCs can be used as ideal laboratories to refine our understanding of how stars and planets form. With this advanced grant fellowship, I plan to connect state of the art dynamical and chemical models and test them against detailed observations of prototypical PCSs to first deliver parameters and processes that are needed to understand basic physical mechanisms. I will then explore in detail the formation, evolution and physical/chemical structure of PSCs in different environments. Finally, with the help of ALMA data, I will focus on the central few thousands AU and study the first steps toward the formation and early evolution of proto-planetary disks (PPDs).
This is sorely needed to enable us to understand the initial conditions in the process of star and planet formation and to link PSCs with PPDs, currently studied by different communities, with the ultimate aim of understanding our chemical/physical heritage. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
W2512715980 | COST OF INTENSIVE CARE IN INDIA | Objectives: The majority of patients in India access private sector providers for curative medical services. However, there is scanty information on the cost of treatment of critically ill patients in this setting. The study evaluates the cost and extent of financial subsidy required for patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in India. Methods: Data on direct medical, direct nonmedical, and indirect cost were prospectively collected from critically ill patients admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital in India. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) amount was obtained from the next-of-kin following admission and the actual cost paid by the family at discharge was recorded. Results: The main diagnoses ( n = 499) were infection (26 percent) and poisoning (21 percent). The mean APACHE-II score was 13.9 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 13.3–14.5); 86 percent were ventilated. ICU stay was 7.8 days (95 percent CI, 7.3–8.3). Hospital mortality was 27.9 percent. Direct medical cost accounted for 77 percent (US$ 2164) of the total treatment cost (US$ 2818). Indirect cost and direct nonmedical cost contributed to 19 percent (US$ 547.5) and 4 percent (US$ 106.5), respectively. Average total and daily ICU cost were US$ 1,897 and US$ 255, respectively. Although the family's WTP was 53 percent (US$ 1146; 95 percent CI, 1090–1204) of direct medical cost, their final contribution was 67.7 percent (US$ 1465; 95 percent CI, 1327–1604). Conclusions: The cost of an ICU admission in our setting is US$ 2818. Although the family's contribution to expenses exceeded their initial WTP, a substantial subsidy (33 percent) is still required. Alternate financing strategies for the poor and optimization of ICU resources are urgently required. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1807750115 | Mechanics of elastomeric molecular composites | A classic paradigm of soft and extensible polymer materials is the difficulty of combining reversible elasticity with high fracture toughness, in particular for moduli above 1 MPa. Our recent discovery of multiple network acrylic elastomers opened a pathway to obtain precisely such a combination. We show here that they can be seen as true molecular composites with a well–cross-linked network acting as a percolating filler embedded in an extensible matrix, so that the stress–strain curves of a family of molecular composite materials made with different volume fractions of the same cross-linked network can be renormalized into a master curve. For low volume fractions (<3%) of cross-linked network, we demonstrate with mechanoluminescence experiments that the elastomer undergoes a strong localized softening due to scission of covalent bonds followed by a stable necking process, a phenomenon never observed before in elastomers. The quantification of the emitted luminescence shows that the damage in the material occurs in two steps, with a first step where random bond breakage occurs in the material accompanied by a moderate level of dissipated energy and a second step where a moderate level of more localized bond scission leads to a much larger level of dissipated energy. This combined use of mechanical macroscopic testing and molecular bond scission data provides unprecedented insight on how tough soft materials can damage and fail. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
Q2889302 | Inizia a Basto | Il progetto Start In Basto consiste nella promozione di una serie di azioni volte a promuovere e promuovere l'imprenditorialità nella regione di Basto, che copre 6 comuni a bassa densità. Si tratta di territori con scarsa attrattività. Il progetto Star in Basto mira a creare nuove opportunità per il pubblico più svantaggiato, i più colpiti dalla disoccupazione, le scarse qualifiche e le situazioni di dipendenza finanziaria. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
W1983075410 | Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of triclosan on TiO2 nanotube arrays and toxicity change | Triclosan, one of the most widely used disinfectants, has been found to be toxic to animals and human beings. In this paper, triclosan was degraded on TiO2 nanotube arrays, using a photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) process under UV illumination, with Na2SO4 as the supporting electrolyte. The effect of bias potential was investigated and the results showed that 0V was the most appropriate potential for the degradation of triclosan. In 30min, 78.7% of triclosan had degraded during the PEC process. Intermediate analysis showed that 2,7-dichlorodibenzodioxin (DCDD) had formed during the degradation. The toxicity change during the PEC process was investigated using a luminescent bacteria test, with the results demonstrating that the toxicity of the reaction liquid decreased at the beginning and subsequently increased to a stable level. The indications were that some intermediates such as 2,7-dichlorodibenzodioxin was more toxic and stable than triclosan in the solution. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
895957 | An avant-garde measuring principle based on the potentiometric method using signals from the kidney to monitor hospitalised patients water-volemic state | The need of high quality and cost-efficient hemodynamic and metabolic state monitoring devices is increasing exponentially, due to e.g. ageing population, chronic health conditions, health support system advance in developing courtiers and rural areas and the growing number of cases of chronic conditions in Europe and worldwide.
Existing monitoring technologies are either very basic (e.g. ECG and heart rate), energy consuming or are difficult in use and installation among many other drawbacks. Several research studies suggest using alternative urinary ammonium measurements (e.g. 24-hours analysis). But urine anion and osmolar gaps connected to this type of analysis are not accurate enough to be reliable surrogate measures, since this method requires sample treatment.
KARDIA a company founded in 1995 in Milan, developed a monitoring device that doesn’t require sample treatment, is non-invasive, low cost, low energy consuming and it is easy to use, install, move, handle: K.IN.G.- Kidney INstantaneous monitorinG.
K.IN.G. aims to reduce morbidity and mortality rates among patients and to optimize therapeutic strategies by providing a cost-effective innovative and non-invasive monitoring solution. The solution also simplifies work of medical staff as it is portable and easy to use. K.IN.G. offers strong environmental advantages, as it diminish the energy consumption by 50%. It. also has the potential to boost the growth of KARDIA, reaching unprecedented sales parameters leading to the creation of new jobs and to contribute to KARIDA’s mission to ensure gender balance by recruiting female staff. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0193098 | Identification of relevant drugable targets in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma using a genome-wide unbiased CD20 guilt-by association approach | Forty percent of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) show resistant disease to standard chemotherapy (CHOP) in combination with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab (R). Although many new anti-cancer drugs were developed in the last years, it is unclear which of these drugs can be safely combined to improve standard therapy without antagonizing anti-CD20 efficacy. In this study, we aimed to identify rituximab compatible drug-target combinations for DLBCL. For this, we collected gene expression profiles of 1,804 DLBCL patient samples. Subsequently, we performed a guilt-by-association analysis with MS4A1 (CD20) and prioritized the 500 top-ranked CD20-associated gene probes for drug-target interactions. This analysis showed the well-known genes involved in DLBCL pathobiology, but also revealed several genes that are relatively unknown in DLBCL, such as WEE1 and PARP1. To demonstrate potential clinical relevance of these targets, we confirmed high protein expression of WEE1 and PARP1 in patient samples. Using clinically approved WEE1 and PARP1 inhibiting drugs in combination with rituximab, we demonstrated significantly improved DLBCL cell killing, also in rituximab-insensitive cell lines. In conclusion, as exemplified by WEE1 and PARP1, our CD20-based genome-wide analysis can be used as an approach to identify biological relevant drug-targets that are rituximab compatible and may be implemented in phase 1/2 clinical trials to improve DLBCL treatment. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1038/ncomms11032 | Roquin recognizes a non-canonical hexaloop structure in the 3′-UTR of Ox40 | The RNA-binding protein Roquin is required to prevent autoimmunity. Roquin controls T-helper cell activation and differentiation by limiting the induced expression of costimulatory receptors such as tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily 4 (Tnfrs4 or Ox40). A constitutive decay element (CDE) with a characteristic triloop hairpin was previously shown to be recognized by Roquin. Here we use SELEX assays to identify a novel U-rich hexaloop motif, representing an alternative decay element (ADE). Crystal structures and NMR data show that the Roquin-1 ROQ domain recognizes hexaloops in the SELEX-derived ADE and in an ADE-like variant present in the Ox40 3′-UTR with identical binding modes. In cells, ADE-like and CDE-like motifs cooperate in the repression of Ox40 by Roquin. Our data reveal an unexpected recognition of hexaloop cis elements for the posttranscriptional regulation of target messenger RNAs by Roquin. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1038/ncomms9322 | Expanding the biotechnology potential of lactobacilli through comparative genomics of 213 strains and associated genera | Lactobacilli are a diverse group of species that occupy diverse nutrient-rich niches associated with humans, animals, plants and food. They are used widely in biotechnology and food preservation, and are being explored as therapeutics. Exploiting lactobacilli has been complicated by metabolic diversity, unclear species identity and uncertain relationships between them and other commercially important lactic acid bacteria. The capacity for biotransformations catalysed by lactobacilli is an untapped biotechnology resource. Here we report the genome sequences of 213 Lactobacillus strains and associated genera, and their encoded genetic catalogue for modifying carbohydrates and proteins. In addition, we describe broad and diverse presence of novel CRISPR-Cas immune systems in lactobacilli that may be exploited for genome editing. We rationalize the phylogenomic distribution of host interaction factors and bacteriocins that affect their natural and industrial environments, and mechanisms to withstand stress during technological processes. We present a robust phylogenomic framework of existing species and for classifying new species. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.3389/fncel.2015.00246 | Reappraisal of Bergmann glial cells as modulators of cerebellar circuit function | Just as there is a huge morphological and functional diversity of neuron types specialized for specific aspects of information processing in the brain, astrocytes have equally distinct morphologies and functions that aid optimal functioning of the circuits in which they are embedded. One type of astrocyte, the Bergmann glial cell (BG) of the cerebellum, is a prime example of a highly diversified astrocyte type, the architecture of which is adapted to the cerebellar circuit and facilitates an impressive range of functions that optimize information processing in the adult brain. In this review we expand on the function of the BG in the cerebellum to highlight the importance of astrocytes not only in housekeeping functions, but also in contributing to plasticity and information processing in the cerebellum. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
W797422329 | An Extensible Neuroimaging e-Repository for Clinical Trials of Paediatric Brain Tumours. | Novel imaging techniques are playing an increasing role in tumour characterisation, assessment and management. However, incorporating imaging data into clinical trials presents a number of challenges in terms of quality control, standardisation in data collection, interoperability of widely used archiving systems and extensibility of imaging software architectures. Additionally, currently available monolithic applications cannot fulfil the diverse and rapidly changing needs of the clinical imaging research community. This paper discusses the limitations of the current CCLG Remote Data Entry (RDE) system and introduces the prototype of an alternative modular system based on the Extensible Neuroimaging Archive Toolkit (XNAT). The modular nature of the presented prototype promotes incremental software evolution and allows for flexible system customisation to suit the needs of individual imaging centres. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
789240 | The evolution of adaptive response mechanisms | In an era of rapid climate change there is a pressing need to understand whether and how organisms are able to adapt to novel environments. Such understanding is hampered by a major divide in the life sciences. Disciplines like systems biology or neurobiology make rapid progress in unravelling the mechanisms underlying the responses of organisms to their environment, but this knowledge is insufficiently integrated in eco-evolutionary theory. Current eco-evolutionary models focus on the response patterns themselves, largely neglecting the structures and mechanisms producing these patterns. Here I propose a new, mechanism-oriented framework that views the architecture of adaptation, rather than the resulting responses, as the primary target of natural selection. I am convinced that this change in perspective will yield fundamentally new insights, necessitating the re-evaluation of many seemingly well-established eco-evolutionary principles.
My aim is to develop a comprehensive theory of the eco-evolutionary causes and consequences of the architecture underlying adaptive responses. In three parallel lines of investigation, I will study how architecture is shaped by selection, how evolved response strategies reflect the underlying architecture, and how these responses affect the eco-evolutionary dynamics and the capacity to adapt to novel conditions. All three lines have the potential of making ground-breaking contributions to eco-evolutionary theory, including: the specification of evolutionary tipping points; resolving the puzzle that real organisms evolve much faster than predicted by current theory; a new and general explanation for the evolutionary emergence of individual variation; and a framework for studying the evolution of learning and other general-purpose mechanisms. By making use of concepts from information theory and artificial intelligence, the project will also introduce various methodological innovations. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2370099646 | Using Lorenz Curve to Analyze Land Use Structure in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps | Based on land use data from 1996 to 2009 in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps,the quantitative analysis of land use structure was conducted by using Lorenz curve and Gini coefficients which were applied to measure property,the extent of the resource allocation.The results indicated that town village and industrial land and the transportation land distribution is more balanced,the spatial gene coefficient are 0.064,0183 respectively;garden distribution is the most concentrated with the gene coefficient 0.485.The last 10a,forest land,town village and industrial land,transportation land use distribution trend is balanced,the rest of class distribution tend to concentrate.Among them,the garden change is the most significant.Space Lorentz curve theory can reflect the regional land use types in the region configuration and contrast relations,concentration quantitative research by using Gini coefficient can provide a reference for land use structure optimization of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1086/668058 | The Coordinated Radio And Infrared Survey For High Mass Star Formation The Cornish Survey I Survey Design | We describe the motivation, design and implementation of the CORNISH survey, an arcsecond resolution radio continuum survey of the inner Galactic plane at 5GHz using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). It is a blind survey co-ordinated with the northern Spitzer GLIMPSE I region covering 10 o < l <65 o and |b| <1 o at similar resolution. We discuss in detail the strategy that we employed to control the shape of the synthesised beam across this survey that covers a wide range of fairly low declinations. Two snapshots separated by 4 hours in hour angle kept the beam elongation to less that 1. 5 over 75% of the survey area and less than 2 over 98% of the survey. The prime scientific motivation is to provide an unbiased survey for ultra-compact H II regions to study this key phase in massive star formation. A sensitivity around 2mJy will allow the automatic distinction between radio loud and quiet mid-IR sources found in the Spitzer surveys. This survey has many legacy applications beyond star formation including evolved stars, active stars and binaries, and extragalactic sources. The CORNISH survey for compact ionized sources complements other Galactic plane surveys that target diffuse and non-thermal sources as well as atomic and molecular phases to build up a complete picture of the ISM in the Galaxy. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-0348-0939-9_12 | On Global Well Ill Posedness Of The Euler Poisson System | We discuss the problem of well-posedness of the Euler-Poisson system arising, for example, in the theory of semi-conductors, models of plasma and gaseous stars in astrophysics. We introduce the concept of dissipative weak solution satisfying, in addition to the standard system of integral identities replacing the original system of partial differential equations, the balance of total energy, together with the associated relative entropy inequality. We show that strong solutions are unique in the class of dissipative solutions (weak-strong uniqueness). Finally, we use the method of convex integration to show that the Euler-Poisson system may admit even infinitely many weak dissipative solutions emanating from the same initial data. | [
"Mathematics",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201220019 | The Pre Launch Planck Sky Model A Model Of Sky Emission At Submillimetre To Centimetre Wavelengths | We present the Planck Sky Model (PSM), a parametric model for the generation of all-sky, few arcminute resolution maps of sky emission at submillimetre to centimetre wavelengths, in both intensity and polarisation. Several options are implemented to model the cosmic microwave background, Galactic diffuse emission (synchrotron, free-free, thermal and spinning dust, CO lines), Galactic H-II regions, extragalactic radio sources, dusty galaxies, and thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich signals from clusters of galaxies. Each component is simulated by means of educated interpolations/extrapolations of data sets available at the time of the launch of the Planck mission, complemented by state-of-the-art models of the emission. Distinctive features of the simulations are: spatially varying spectral properties of synchrotron and dust; different spectral parameters for each point source; modeling of the clustering properties of extragalactic sources and of the power spectrum of fluctuations in the cosmic infrared background. The PSM enables the production of random realizations of the sky emission, constrained to match observational data within their uncertainties, and is implemented in a software package that is regularly updated with incoming information from observations. The model is expected to serve as a useful tool for optimizing planned microwave and sub-millimetre surveys and to test data processing and analysis pipelines. It is, in particular, used for the development and validation of data analysis pipelines within the planck collaboration. A version of the software that can be used for simulating the observations for a variety of experiments is made available on a dedicated website. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
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