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10.1016/j.tics.2017.07.002 | Comparing Parietal Quantity-Processing Mechanisms between Humans and Macaques | Quantity processing studies typically assume functional homology between regions within macaque and human intraparietal sulcus (IPS), where apparently similar locations respond to broadly similar tasks. However, macaque single cell neurophysiology is difficult to compare to human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); particularly in multivoxel pattern analysis and adaptation paradigms, or where different tasks are used. fMRI approaches incorporating neural tuning models allow closer comparison, revealing human numerosity-selective responses only outside the IPS. Extensive functional similarities support this novel homology of physical quantity processing. Human IPS instead houses a network responding to comparisons of physical quantities, symbolic numbers, and other stimulus features. This network likely reflects interactions between physical quantity processing, spatial processing, and (in humans) linguistic processing. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1126/sciadv.aav0693 | New tolerance factor to predict the stability of perovskite oxides and halides | Predicting the stability of the perovskite structure remains a long-standing challenge for the discovery of new functional materials for many applications including photovoltaics and electrocatalysts. We developed an accurate, physically interpretable, and one-dimensional tolerance factor, τ, that correctly predicts 92% of compounds as perovskite or nonperovskite for an experimental dataset of 576 ABX3 materials (X = O2−, F−, Cl−, Br−, I−) using a novel data analytics approach based on SISSO (sure independence screening and sparsifying operator). τ is shown to generalize outside the training set for 1034 experimentally realized single and double perovskites (91% accuracy) and is applied to identify 23,314 new double perovskites (A2BB′X6) ranked by their probability of being stable as perovskite. This work guides experimentalists and theorists toward which perovskites are most likely to be successfully synthesized and demonstrates an approach to descriptor identification that can be extended to arbitrary applications beyond perovskite stability predictions. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2120551111 | Time-Dependent Spatial Amplitude Patterns of Harmonic Tremor at Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica: Seismic-Wave Interferences? | Seismograms recorded at the receivers of a small‐aperture seismic array usually display very similar waveforms and amplitudes, as a consequence of their close proximity. During the analysis of the volcanic tremor wave field at Arenal volcano, Costa Rica, we detected significant differences in the amplitudes of harmonic tremor recorded at the stations of a small‐aperture (∼210 m) seismic array. The amplitude distributions are geometrically complex and characterized by strong gradients. They occur just for harmonic tremors; any other type of seismic event produces nearly uniform amplitudes across the array. This suggests some relation with harmonic frequency content. Moreover, the spatial amplitude patterns change with time. Some of these observations could be explained by an extreme combination of source, path, and site effects. But they also could be produced by interference of different components of the seismic wave field. We use numerical calculations to investigate the amplitude pattern generated by two interfering plane waves, and are able to reproduce the main features of the observed amplitude patterns. We propose mechanisms that might generate seismic wave fields with multiple components and conclude that interference can explain the complexity and variability of the harmonic tremor wave field at Arenal volcano.
Online Material: Wave‐field animation. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.02.033 | Effect of bone inhomogeneity on tibiofemoral contact mechanics during physiological loading | It is not known how inhomogeneous mechanical properties of bone affect contact mechanics and cartilage response during physiological loading of the knee joint. In this study, a finite element model of a cadaver knee joint was constructed based on quantitative computed tomography (QCT). The mechanical properties of bone were altered and their effect on tibiofemoral contact mechanics and cartilage stresses, strains and pore pressures were evaluated during the first 20% of stance. For this purpose, models with rigid, homogeneous and inhomogeneous bones were created. When bone was modeled to be rigid, the resulting contact pressures were substantially higher in the medial side of the joint, as compared to the non-rigid bones. Similar changes were revealed also in stresses, strains and pore pressures throughout the cartilage depth at the cartilage-cartilage contact area. Furthermore, the mechanical response of medial tibial cartilage was found to be highly dependent on the bone properties. When Young's modulus in the model with homogeneous bone was 5 GPa, cartilage mechanical response approached to that of the model with inhomogeneous bone. Finally, when the apparent bone mineral densities were decreased globally in the inhomogeneous bone, stresses, strains and pore pressures were decreased at all layers of medial tibial cartilage. Similar changes were observed also in cartilage-cartilage contact area of the lateral compartment but with a lesser extent. These results indicate that during physiological loading Young's modulus of bone has a substantial influence on cartilage stresses and strains, especially in the medial compartment. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1002/adom.201600884 | Coupling Surface Plasmon Polariton Modes to Complementary THz Metasurfaces Tuned by Inter Meta-Atom Distance | The authors study the interaction of complementary terahertz (THz) split ring resonators with THz surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) as a function of the meta-atom distance. The THz transmission properties of 15 samples for which the array dimensions are varied keeping the resonator shape constant are investigated. The linewidth of the inductive-capacitive (LC-)resonance is decreasing with increasing meta-atom distance, up to the frequency matching with the first SPP-mode. The SPP-mode couples to the narrow LC-resonance leading to an anti-crossing of the modes. In contrast, the narrow SPP-mode tunes across the broader dipole-like mode in orthogonal polarization. The excitation direction of the SPP-mode is found to lie along the electric field polarization of the THz. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
W1950587040 | Appropriate Methods for Evaluating the Agricultural Policies Consequences at the Farm Level | TheCommon Agricultural Policyis foreseen to suffer important reforms after 2013, which will greatly affect the farms production environment. For thea priorianalysis of such policy measures, there was built a recursive single period model adapted to the Romanian farming system. The positive mathematical programming method in use, proved to be in the last period highly applied inagricultural policiesimpact studies at the European level. Furthermore, the model was employed in order to test three different agricultural scenarios that were proposed by the European Commission as reform alternatives. The first policy option presumes to leave unchanged the current direct payment system while slightly changing the payment distribution pattern among Member States. The second policy option envisages substantial changes of the direct payment system that would be allocated only if farmers bring societal benefits. The last option consists in phasing outdirect paymentsand provides limited financial support to farmers through the second Common Agricultural Policy pillar (rural development). All these options were investigated on the economical and financial data of 21 Romanian farms categorized according to the European classification system as mixed crops livestock farms. Results show that all these policy options have important effects on the farm revenue, in the sense that a decrease in the subsidy level produces important average gross margin falls. Soft landing approach in the first CAP pillars reform is desirable especially for the Romanian agriculture that still presents important farm structural shortcomings. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
Q3834139 | Sostegno alle piccole imprese con un fatturato superiore a 500 000 BGN per superare l'impatto economico della pandemia di COVID-19 | Sostegno alle piccole imprese con un fatturato superiore a 500 000 BGN per superare l'impatto economico della pandemia di COVID-19 | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1021/acsnano.7b06765 | Width-Dependent Band Gap in Armchair Graphene Nanoribbons Reveals Fermi Level Pinning on Au(111) | We report the energy level alignment evolution of valence and conduction bands of armchair-oriented graphene nanoribbons (aGNR) as their band gap shrinks with increasing width. We use 4,4″-dibromo-para-terphenyl as the molecular precursor on Au(111) to form extended poly-para-phenylene nanowires, which can subsequently be fused sideways to form atomically precise aGNRs of varying widths. We measure the frontier bands by means of scanning tunneling spectroscopy, corroborating that the nanoribbon's band gap is inversely proportional to their width. Interestingly, valence bands are found to show Fermi level pinning as the band gap decreases below a threshold value around 1. 7 eV. Such behavior is of critical importance to understand the properties of potential contacts in GNR-based devices. Our measurements further reveal a particularly interesting system for studying Fermi level pinning by modifying an adsorbate's band gap while maintaining an almost unchanged interface chemistry defined by substrate and adsorbate. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
772244 | Hypertension Susceptibility in African Migrants: Solving the puzzle through transcontinental prospective cohort study design | Hypertension is the most important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Migrants, especially people of Sub-Saharan African heritage, are extremely affected for reasons that are unclear. This project aims to understand the mechanisms underlying the high risk of hypertension among African migrants by assessing the role of epigenetic modifications that result from rapid socio-environmental and behaviour change.
To achieve this, Agyemang and his team will establish an innovative transcontinental prospective cohort study of a homogeneous group of Sub-Saharan African migrants (Ghanaians) living in the Netherlands and non-migrant Ghanaians living in rural and urban Ghana. We will first examine and identify the key changes in modifiable environmental factors influencing the high risk of hypertension among migrants. Second, we will examine changes in epigenetic modifications and their effects on hypertension risk in migrants. Third, we will identify the key environmental factors that are driving the epigenetic changes. Last, we will estimate for the first time the individual and combined effect of environmental factors, and epigenetic modifications to the high risk of hypertension in migrants relative to non-migrant Europeans and Ghanaian counterparts living in Africa.
This project will yield new insights into the key drivers of hypertension and deliver a major breakthrough in knowledge about prevention and treatment among African and other population groups. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
3731610 | Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying yap activation in intestinal tissue repair | Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are chronic and debilitating pathologies of the intestines that affect 2.5-3.0 million patients in Europe and impose an economic burden of approximately €5.0bn/year on European healthcare systems. Currently, no curative therapies are available and standard of care is limited to palliative anti-inflammatory treatments that fail to promote healing of the intestinal lining. Enhancing epithelial regeneration is likely to accelerate functional recovery and reduce exposure to luminal microbes, thereby avoiding further inflammation and, ultimately, chronic damage. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying regeneration of intestinal epithelium are not yet fully understood, and thus opportunities for pharmacological modulation remain scarce. Recently, the mechanoresponsive transcription factor YAP has been identified as a key mediator of epithelial repair in experimental IBD models. Yet, the molecular details of its function remain elusive. Here, I propose to carry out a proteomic study to dissect the mechanisms by which YAP is activated and exerts its functions in intestinal tissue repair. I will leverage the intestinal stem cell organoid technology and my expertise in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to: i) perform a detailed characterisation of YAP post-translational modifications and interacting protein partners using unbiased proteomic approaches; and ii) define the function of identified partners using novel in vitro and animal models of intestinal tissue repair. I envisage the study will provide a clear map of signalling pathways and molecular networks underlying YAP function and uncover potential druggable targets for pharmacological enhancement of intestinal tissue repair. From a professional perspective, execution of the project will equip me a valuable set of technical and transferable skills and ultimately facilitate my transition into a group leader position. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
2728356 | Charge-Transfer states for high-performance organic electronics | Thin films comprising a blend of electron donating (D) and electron accepting (A) molecules are ubiquitous in organic electronic devices. At the D-A interfaces, intermolecular charge-transfer (CT) states form, in which an electron is transferred from D to A. Electrical doping (p- and n-type) involves ground-state CT from dopant to host and results in increased conductivities of the host organic semiconductor. Furthermore, the performances of organic solar cells, photodetectors and light emitting diodes depend crucially on D-A interfaces where the CT state is an excited state, mediating between photons and free charge carriers. New applications of intermolecular CT states, such as transparent conductors, artificial synapses, biosensors, organic persistent luminescent materials and low cost narrowband near-infrared sensors have emerged in the past years, and there is clearly potential for additional innovation. However, current progress is hampered by a lack of understanding of the fundamental properties of intermolecular CT states and their decay and dissociation mechanisms. ConTROL aims to fill this knowledge gap and link device performance to molecular parameters of D-A interfaces. Electro-optical properties will be tuned by molecular design and appropriate D-A selection, as well as by weak and strong interactions with the opto-electronic device’s optical cavity. The knowledge generated will not merely result in improved performance of existing organic electronic devices, but new avenues and novel exciting applications of intermolecular CT states will be demonstrated. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W4289530813 | Écrire en guerre, Écrire la guerre. Ego-documents des légionnaires italiens pendant la guerre d’Indochine | À travers l’étude des sources autobiographiques, l’article analyse la complexité de l’expérience de guerre vécue par les légionnaires italiens employés en Indochine. La conscience de la nouveauté et du caractère unique de l’expérience de la guerre, ainsi que la nostalgie d’affections lointaines, ont poussé certains légionnaires à écrire des lettres, des journaux intimes – parfois rédigés après la guerre –, des mémoires. Les récits individuels nous permettront d’accéder aux souvenirs et de comprendre la centralité de cette expérience dans la vie du combattant, constituant pour ceux qui racontent ainsi que pour leurs familles un véritable turning point . Il s’agit donc de réfléchir à des parcours individuels étant pertinents non seulement pour leurs aspects subjectifs, mais aussi en ce qui concerne leur inscription dans le contexte plus large des changements sociaux et politiques de l’histoire italienne et française de l’après-guerre. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
W2548425158 | UOCR: A ligature based approach for an Urdu OCR system | Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system translates text images into digitally editable text files. There exist OCRs for different languages but developing an OCR for Urdu is a challenging task because of its cursive nature and context sensitivity. This is the main reason behind very limited work on very Urdu OCRs systems, and the previous works on Urdu OCR are not very efficient in converting the image text file into editable text files. In this paper, we have proposed a UOCR system for converting printed Nastalique Urdu Script image file into digitally editable text files. It takes printed Nastalique Urdu image file as input and after performing operations like binarization, segmentation, feature extraction and classification on that document, it finally produces digitally Urdu editable text files as output. We are using SIFT and SURF methods for computing descriptor in our feature extraction approach. Our proposed UOCR system is-very efficient in conversion. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1063/1.4716232 | Analysis Of Rayleigh Wave Interactions For Surface Crack Characterization | Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) have been used in pitch-catch mode for a better characterization of surface cracks in metals. The system, which combines the measurement of Rayleigh wave velocity in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions, has been used to understand the interaction of Rayleigh waves with inclined surface cracks. This shows a stronger and more prominent enhancement pattern when compared to the enhancement caused by cracks which are normal to the surface. In addition, measurements in the far-field are combined with the near-field enhancement measurement, with a view to characterize the cracks. An algorithm for characterizing surface cracks is presented. A finite element method model has been computed to simulate the experiment, and the cause of the prominent enhancement in the inclined cracks is explained. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
771793 | 3D micro-supercapacitors for embedded electronics | The realization of high-performance micro-supercapacitors is currently a big challenge but the ineluctable applications requiring such miniaturized energy storage devices are continuously emerging, from wearable electronic gadgets to wireless sensor networks. Although they store less energy than micro-batteries, micro-supercapacitors can be charged and discharged very rapidly and exhibit a quasi-unlimited lifetime. The global scientific research is consequently largely focused on the improvement of their capacitance and energetic performances. However, to date, they are still far from being able to power sensors or electronic components.
Here I propose a 3D paradigm shift of micro-supercapacitor design to ensure increased energy storage capacities. Hydrous ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) is a pseudocapacitive material for supercapacitor electrode well-known for its high capacitance. A thin-film of ruthenium will be deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), followed by an electrochemical oxidation process, onto a high-surface-area 3D current collector prepared via an ingenious dynamic template built with hydrogen bubbles. The structural features of these 3D architectures will be controllably tailored by the processing methodologies. These electrodes will be combined with an innovative electrolyte in solid form (a protic ionogel) able to operate over an extended cell voltage. In a parallel investigation, we will develop a fundamental understanding of electrochemical reactions occurring at the nanoscale with a FIB-patterned (Focused Ion Beam) RuO2 nano-supercapacitor. The resulting 3D micro-supercapacitors should display extremely high power, long lifetime and – for the first time – energy densities competing or even exceeding that of micro-batteries. As a key achievement, prototypes will be designed using a new concept based on a self-adaptative micro-supercapacitors matrix, which arranges itself according to the global amount of energy stored. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1093/cvr/cvx006 | Elucidating arrhythmogenic mechanisms of long-QT syndrome CALM1-F142L mutation in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes | Aims Calmodulin (CaM) is a small protein, encoded by three genes (CALM1-3), exerting multiple Ca2+-dependent modulatory roles. A mutation (F142L) affecting only one of the six CALM alleles is associated with long QT syndrome (LQTS) characterized by recurrent cardiac arrests. This phenotypic severity is unexpected from the predicted allelic balance. In this work, the effects of heterozygous CALM1-F142L have been investigated in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) obtained from a LQTS patient carrying the F142L mutation, i. e. in the context of native allelic ratio and potential gene modifiers. Methods and Results Skin fibroblasts of the mutation carrier and two unrelated healthy subjects (controls) were reprogrammed to hiPSC and differentiated into hiPSC-CMs. Scanty IK1 expression, an hiPSC-CMs feature potentially biasing repolarization, was corrected by addition of simulated IK1 (Dynamic-Clamp). Abnormalities in repolarization rate-dependency (in single cells and cell aggregates), membrane currents and intracellular Ca2+ dynamics were evaluated as putative arrhythmogenic factors. CALM1-F142L prolonged repolarization, altered its rate-dependency and its response to isoproterenol. This was associated with severe impairment of Ca2+-dependent inactivation (CDI) of ICaL, resulting in augmented inward current during the plateau phase. As a result, the repolarization of mutant cells failed to adapt to high pacing rates, a finding well reproduced by using a recent hiPSC-CM action potential model. The mutation failed to affect IKs and INaL and changed If only marginally. Intracellular Ca2+ dynamics and Ca2+ store stability were not significantly modified. Mutation-induced repolarization abnormalities were reversed by verapamil. Conclusion The main functional derangement in CALM1-F142L was prolonged repolarization with altered rate-dependency and sensitivity to β-adrenergic stimulation. Impaired CDI of ICaL underlined the electrical abnormality, which was sensitive to ICaL blockade. High mutation penetrance was confirmed in the presence of the native genotype, implying strong dominance of effects. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.112.132159 | Nadph Oxidase 1 Plays A Key Role In Diabetes Mellitus Accelerated Atherosclerosis | Background—In diabetes mellitus, vascular complications such as atherosclerosis are a major cause of death. The key underlying pathomechanisms are unclear. However, hyperglycemic oxidative stress derived from NADPH oxidase (Nox), the only known dedicated enzyme to generate reactive oxygen species appears to play a role. Here we identify the Nox1 isoform as playing a key and pharmacologically targetable role in the accelerated development of diabetic atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—Human aortic endothelial cells exposed to hyperglycemic conditions showed increased expression of Nox1, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory markers in a Nox1-siRNA reversible manner. Similarly, the specific Nox inhibitor, GKT137831, prevented oxidative stress in response to hyperglycemia in human aortic endothelial cells. To examine these observations in vivo, we investigated the role of Nox1 on plaque development in apolipoprotein E–deficient mice 10 weeks after induction of diabetes mellitus. Deletion of Nox1, but not N. . . | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
864863 | Structural Models for Text and other Unstructured Data | Most usable data is unstructured. Examples include text, transaction data, images, and web browsing histories. Although rich and plentiful, most economists do not use unstructured data. The few that do generally quantify it with off-the-shelf algorithms that are unrelated to the economic environment in which it is generated, which makes connecting it to economic models difficult. I instead propose to build novel probabilistic models of unstructured data that link it directly to relevant economic parameters. This powerful approach will use the information in unstructured data to test and estimate economic models in a way that is not currently possible with existing methods.
I will focus on three distinct themes. The first studies how information about economic conditions is dispersed among agents, and how they aggregate it through interactions. This process it at the heart of the policymaking process, and the use of text data provides a unique opportunity to structurally model this information in innovative ways.
The second theme jointly models unstructured data and the evolution of an economy hit by multiple, unobserved shocks. This will provide a novel forecasting tool, which is of key interest to policymakers. But it will also use unstructured data to estimate equilibrium models of the macroeconomy, and hence recover economic fundamentals.
The final theme will use transaction payments between firms, and extend probabilistic models of network formation to create new definitions of markets that go well beyond anything in the current literature. This will contribute to measuring market power and the transmission of economic shocks, both questions of fundamental importance.
Beyond these specific themes, my research will also pave the way for the use of probabilistic machine learning that combines novel data with clear economic models. The frameworks I introduce will provide a template for others to follow in the future. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201731178 | Energetics Of The Kelvin Helmholtz Instability Induced By Transverse Waves In Twisted Coronal Loops | Aims. We quantify the effects of twisted magnetic fields on the development of the magnetic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) in transversely oscillating coronal loops. Methods. We modelled a fundamental standing kink mode in a straight, density-enhanced magnetic flux tube using the magnetohydrodynamics code, Lare3d. In order to evaluate the impact of an azimuthal component of the magnetic field, various degrees of twist were included within the flux tube’s magnetic field. Results. The process of resonant absorption is only weakly affected by the presence of a twisted magnetic field. However, the subsequent evolution of the KHI is sensitive to the strength of the azimuthal component of the field. Increased twist values inhibit the deformation of the loop’s density profile, which is associated with the growth of the instability. Despite this, much smaller scales in the magnetic field are generated when there is a non-zero azimuthal component present. Hence, the instability is more energetic in cases with (even weakly) twisted fields. Field aligned flows at the loop apex are established in a twisted regime once the instability has formed. Further, in the straight field case, there is no net vertical component of vorticity when integrated across the loop. However, the inclusion of azimuthal magnetic field generates a preferred direction for the vorticity which oscillates during the kink mode. Conclusions. The KHI may have implications for wave heating in the solar atmosphere due to the creation of small length scales and the generation of a turbulent regime. Whilst magnetic twist does suppress the development of the vortices associated with the instability, the formation of the KHI in a twisted regime will be accompanied by greater Ohmic dissipation due to the larger currents that are produced, even if only weak twist is present. The presence of magnetic twist will likely make the instability more difficult to detect in the corona, but will enhance its contribution to heating the solar atmosphere. Further, the development of velocities along the loop may have observational applications for inferring the presence of magnetic twist within coronal structures. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
W4281874095 | Atenção primária e a tecnologia da informação: melhorias e desafios da estratégia e-SUS em um município potiguar | O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em analisar as principais melhorias e desafios da gestão da informação em saúde, a partir da implantação da Estratégia "e-SUS Atenção Primária à Saúde", no município de Doutor Severiano-RN. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como um estudo de caso de caráter exploratório e descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa. No universo da pesquisa foram 17 servidores da Atenção Primária à Saúde no município de Doutor Severiano/RN. A coleta de dados deu-se por meio de um questionário aberto e fechado, aplicado pelo Google Forms. Os dados foram analisados pela técnica de análise de conteúdo. Diante dos dados analisados, constatou-se que os principais desafios enfrentados pelos profissionais são a falta de capacitação e suporte técnico, e que as principais melhorias a partir da implantação da estratégia e-SUS foi a agilidade e qualidade das informações. Mediante isso, conclui-se que o município estudado visa otimizar sua gestão das informações da APS, contribuindo positivamente para a saúde pública. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1016/j.celrep.2013.09.004 | Bisphosphonates Target B Cells to Enhance Humoral Immune Responses | Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that are widely used to inhibit loss of bone mass in patients. We show here that the administration of clinically relevant doses of bisphosphonates in mice increases antibody responses to live and inactive viruses, proteins, haptens, and existing commercial vaccine formulations. Bisphosphonates exert this adjuvant-like activity in the absence of CD4+ and γδ Tcells, neutrophils, or dendritic cells, and their effect does not rely on local macrophage depletion, Toll-like receptor signaling, or the inflammasome. Rather, bisphosphonates target directly B cells and enhance B cell expansion and antibody production upon antigen encounter. These data establish bisphosphonates as an additional class of adjuvants that boost humoral immune responses | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1007/s10955-011-0385-6 | Transport Properties of a Chain of Anharmonic Oscillators with Random Flip of Velocities | We consider the stationary states of a chain of n anharmonic coupled oscillators, whose deterministic Hamiltonian dynamics is perturbed by random independent sign change of the velocities (a random mechanism that conserve energy). The extremities are coupled to thermostats at different temperature Tℓ and Tr and subject to constant forces τℓ and τr. If the forces differ τℓ≠τr the center of mass of the system will move of a speed Vs inducing a tension gradient inside the system. Our aim is to see the influence of the tension gradient on the thermal conductivity. We investigate the entropy production properties of the stationary states, and we prove the existence of the Onsager matrix defined by Green-Kubo formulas (linear response). We also prove some explicit bounds on the thermal conductivity, depending on the temperature. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00700 | Near-Infrared Fluorescent Proteins, Biosensors, and Optogenetic Tools Engineered from Phytochromes | Phytochrome photoreceptors absorb far-red and near-infrared (NIR) light and regulate light responses in plants, fungi, and bacteria. Their multidomain structure and autocatalytic incorporation of linear tetrapyrrole chromophores make phytochromes attractive molecular templates for the development of light-sensing probes. A subclass of bacterial phytochromes (BphPs) utilizes heme-derived biliverdin tetrapyrrole, which is ubiquitous in mammalian tissues, as a chromophore. Because biliverdin possesses the largest electron-conjugated chromophore system among linear tetrapyrroles, BphPs exhibit the most NIR-shifted spectra that reside within the NIR tissue transparency window. Here we analyze phytochrome structure and photochemistry to describe the molecular mechanisms by which they function. We then present strategies to engineer BphP-based NIR fluorescent proteins and review their properties and applications in modern imaging technologies. We next summarize designs of reporters and biosensors and describe their use in the detection of protein-protein interactions, proteolytic activities, and posttranslational modifications. Finally, we provide an overview of optogenetic tools developed from phytochromes and describe their use in light-controlled cell signaling, gene expression, and protein localization. Our review provides guidelines for the selection of NIR probes and tools for noninvasive imaging, sensing, and light-manipulation applications, specifically focusing on probes developed for use in mammalian cells and in vivo. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201833325 | Universal Thermodynamic Properties Of The Intracluster Medium Over Two Decades In Radius In The X Cop Sample | Context. The hot plasma in a galaxy cluster is expected to be heated to high temperatures through shocks and adiabatic compression. The thermodynamical properties of the gas encode information on the processes leading to the thermalization of the gas in the cluster's potential well and on non-gravitational processes such as gas cooling, AGN feedback, shocks, turbulence, bulk motions, cosmic rays and magnetic field. Aims: In this work we present the radial profiles of the thermodynamic properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) out to the virial radius for a sample of 12 galaxy clusters selected from the Planck all-sky survey. We determine the universal profiles of gas density, temperature, pressure, and entropy over more than two decades in radius, from 0. 01R500 to 2R500. Methods: We exploited X-ray information from XMM-Newton and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich constraints from Planck to recover thermodynamic properties out to 2R500. We provide average functional forms for the radial dependence of the main quantities and quantify the slope and intrinsic scatter of the population as a function of radius. Results: We find that gas density and pressure profiles steepen steadily with radius, in excellent agreement with previous observational results. Entropy profiles beyond R500 closely follow the predictions for the gravitational collapse of structures. The scatter in all thermodynamical quantities reaches a minimum in the range [0. 2 - 0. 8]R500 and increases outward. Somewhat surprisingly, we find that pressure is substantially more scattered than temperature and density. Conclusions: Our results indicate that once accreting substructures are properly excised, the properties of the ICM beyond the cooling region (R > 0. 3R500) follow remarkably well the predictions of simple gravitational collapse and require few non-gravitational corrections. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
US 2010/0026722 W | EFFICIENCY ENHANCEMENT OF SOLAR CELLS USING LIGHT MANAGEMENT | A photovoltaic cell includes a junction, formed from an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material, a trench, opening toward the light-incident side of the junction, for trapping reflected light, and two photon conversion layers. A first photon conversion layer, arranged at the light-incident side of the junction, converts photons from a higher energy to a lower energy suitable for absorption by the semiconductor material, and a second photon conversion layer, arranged at the opposite side of the junction, converts photons from a lower energy to a higher energy suitable for absorption by the semiconductor material. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1007/978-1-62703-586-6_1 | Human Monoclonal Antibodies The Residual Challenge Of Antibody Immunogenicity | One of the major reasons for seeking human monoclonal antibodies has been to eliminate immunogenicity seen with rodent antibodies. Thus far, there has yet been no approach which absolutely abolishes that risk for cell-binding antibodies. In this short article, I draw attention to classical work which shows that monomeric immunoglobulins are intrinsically tolerogenic if they can be prevented from creating aggregates or immune complexes. Based on these classical studies two approaches for active tolerization to therapeutic antibodies are described. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
755865 | Towards Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Eurasian Boreal Forests: a Novel Stable Isotope Approach | The vast boreal forests play a critical role in the carbon cycle. As a consequence of increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2, forest growth and subsequently carbon sequestration may be strongly affected. It is thus crucial to understand and predict the consequences of climate change on these ecosystems. Stable isotope analysis of tree rings represents a versatile archive where the effects of environmental changes are recorded. The main goal of the project is to obtain a better understanding of δ13C and δ18O in tree rings that can be used to infer the response of forests to climate change. The goal is achieved by a detailed analysis of the incorporation and fractionation of isotopes in trees using four novel methods: (1) We will measure compound-specific δ13C and δ18O of leaf sugars and (2) combine these with intra-annual δ13C and δ18O analysis of tree rings. The approaches are enabled by methodological developments made by me and ISOBOREAL collaborators (Rinne et al. 2012, Lehmann et al. 2016, Loader et al. in prep.). Our aim is to determine δ13C and δ18O dynamics of individual sugars in response to climatic and physiological factors, and to define how these signals are altered before being stored in tree rings. The improved mechanistic understanding will be applied on tree ring isotope chronologies to infer the response of the studied forests to climate change. (3) The fact that δ18O in tree rings is a mixture of source and leaf water signals is a major problem for its application on climate studies. To solve this we aim to separate the two signals using position-specific δ18O analysis on tree ring cellulose for the first time, which we will achieve by developing novel methods. (4) We will for the first time link the climate signal both in leaf sugars and annual rings with measured ecosystem exchange of greenhouse gases CO2 and H2O using eddy-covariance techniques. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
EP 2016073518 W | METHODS OF USING SMAD7 ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES BASED ON BIOMARKER EXPRESSION | Described herein are methods of treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a patient having IBD using SMAD7 antisense oligonucleotides. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
250124 | Generation of AAV-based, arrayed genetic libraries for in vivo functional selection: an innovative approach to identify secreted factors and microRNAs against degenerative disorders | A foremost health problem stems from the burden of degenerative diseases, including heart failure, neurodegeneration, retinal degeneration and diabetes, essentially linked to the aging of the human population and the incapacity of post-mitotic tissues to undergo efficient repair. This is an ambitious, highly innovative project aimed at developing an in vivo selection procedure, based on gene transfer of two genetic libraries cloned into Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV)-based vectors, for the identification of novel secreted factors or microRNAs providing benefit against various degenerative diseases. Two arrayed libraries will be generated, one coding for ~1,300 cDNAs from the mouse secretome, the other for all known microRNAs (~800 genes). Pools of vectors from each library will be obtained with serotypes suitable for in vivo transduction of different organs. The vectors will be injected in a series of mouse models of degenerative disorders involving damage to cardiomyocytes,, neurodegeneration, retinal degeneration and loss of beta-cells in the pancreas. The degenerative conditions will drive the selection for secreted factors or miRNA putatively preventing cell apoptosis, enhancing residual cell function or, in the best possible scenario, promoting tissue regeneration. This in vivo selection approach, which is supported by very encouraging preliminary results, has never been attempted before and is rendered possible by the property of AAV vectors to be produced at high titers, infect tissues at high multiplicity, persist in the transduced cells for prolonged period of times and efficiently express their transgenes in vivo. In addition to its final goal of identifying novel biotherapeutics, the project entails the successful achievement of several intermediate objectives and is expected to extend both technology and knowledge beyond the state-of-the art. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1007/JHEP08(2017)147 | Holographic Reconstruction Of Ads Exchanges From Crossing Symmetry | Motivated by AdS/CFT, we address the following outstanding question in large N conformal field theory: given the appearance of a single-trace operator in the $$ \mathcal{O}\times \mathcal{O} $$
OPE of a scalar primary $$ \mathcal{O} $$
, what is its total contribution to the vacuum four-point function $$ \left\langle \mathcal{OOOO}\right\rangle $$
as dictated by crossing symmetry? We solve this problem in 4d conformal field theories at leading order in 1/N. Viewed holographically, this provides a field theory reconstruction of crossing-symmetric, four-point exchange amplitudes in AdS5. Our solution takes the form of a resummation of the large spin solution to the crossing equations, supplemented by corrections at finite spin, required by crossing. The method can be applied to the exchange of operators of arbitrary twist τ and spin s, although it vastly simplifies for even-integer twist, where we give explicit results. The output is the set of OPE data for the exchange of all double-trace operators $$ {\left[\mathcal{O}\mathcal{O}\right]}_{n,\ell } $$
. We find that the double-trace anomalous dimensions γ
n,l
are negative, monotonic and convex functions of l, for all n and all l > s. This constitutes a holographic signature of bulk causality and classical dynamics of even-spin fields. We also find that the “derivative relation” between double-trace anomalous dimensions and OPE coefficients does not hold in general, and derive the explicit form of the deviation in several cases. Finally, we study large n limits of γ
n,l, relevant for the Regge and bulk-point regimes. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
interreg_4059 | Boosting innovative Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Regions for young entrepreneurs | “Europe is a land of innovation waiting for cultivation. SMEs are its seed, ESIFs its tools, and growth and jobs are its harvest. We are iEER – cultivating young entrepreneurs within and between the regions to be the crop of Europe’s future.”
Composed of EER (European Entrepreneurial Region) and non-EER regions, the project iEER addresses the challenges regional authorities face in optimizing structural funds to support young entrepreneurs in the regions due to 1) Lack of awareness or entrepreneurial competence both for local and regional authorities (LRAs) and the higher education institution (HEIs); 2) Fragmented actions of actors either operating in silos or duplication of efforts, 3) Uneven development and resources between outlying and centre areas of a region and 4) Limited funding provision or at risk of ineffective management of funds.
iEER aims to define paths and solution for partner regions enabling HEIs and the other Quadruple Helix actors to be a part of thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem supporting young entrepreneurship through improving 11 ESIF programmes in 10 diverse regions from FI, DK, UK, IE, ES, IT, DE, FR, PL and RO.
In the 2 years of interregional learning and 2 years of monitoring, iEER taps the pool of EER expertise and transfers the best practices through peer-learning, guided workshops and bottom-up approach empowering the LRAs, HEIs, business and young entrepreneurs to take ownership of the development and implementation of 10 action plans. iEER also constantly involves non-partner regions (in particular less-developed regions) to validate the transferability of the best practices for European upscale.
Each endorsed action plan is envisaged to improve the addressed ESIFs through: project pipelines for best practise importing (entrepreneurial university and startup support), adaption of multi- level governance, multi-funding or/and a evaluation tool which ultimately lead to growth and more jobs. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
W4310528159 | Perfil epidemiológico de um centro especializado em oftalmologia em Fortaleza-CE | Objetivo: Contribuir para o arsenal literário oftalmológico, no que tange ao perfil ocular da população brasileira. Metodologia: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo e retrospectivo, através da análise de prontuários eletrônicos de pacientes atendidos em um hospital especializado em doenças oftalmológicas (Fundação Leiria de Andrade), abrangendo a população da região metropolitana de Fortaleza – Ceará – Brasil. A amostragem foi realizada de forma aleatória simples e estratificada por idade. Resultado: Dos 382 prontuários selecionados, foi obtido uma idade média de 36 anos e um desvio padrão de 19. Ademais, dentre as doenças mais prevalentes, estavam conjuntivite (51,2%), trauma (12,3%), calázio/hordéolo (7,9%), olho vermelho (6,8%) e blefarite (5,2%). Entre os casos de conjuntivite, a prevalência foi maior entre os meses de fevereiro e abril, que correspondem aos meses chuvosos no estado do Ceará. Conclusão: Os dados epidemiológicos obtidos mostraram uma busca elevada de atendimento oftalmológico pela população economicamente ativa e, principalmente, para doenças como a conjuntivite. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
W2016587549 | Hybrid Information Flow Monitoring against Web Tracking | Motivated by the problem of stateless web tracking (fingerprinting), we propose a novel approach to hybrid information flow monitoring by tracking the knowledge about secret variables using logical formulae. This knowledge representation helps to compare and improve precision of hybrid information flow monitors. We define a generic hybrid monitor parametrised by a static analysis and derive sufficient conditions on the static analysis for soundness and relative precision of hybrid monitors. We instantiate the generic monitor with a combined static constant and dependency analysis. Several other hybrid monitors including those based on well-known hybrid techniques for information flow control are formalised as instances of our generic hybrid monitor. These monitors are organised into a hierarchy that establishes their relative precision. The whole framework is accompanied by a formalisation of the theory in the Coq proof assistant. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201731998 | Infrared Spectra Of Complex Organic Molecules In Astronomically Relevant Ice Matrices I Acetaldehyde Ethanol And Dimethyl Ether | Context. The number of identified complex organic molecules (COMs) in inter- and circumstellar gas-phase environments is steadily increasing. Recent laboratory studies show that many such species form on icy dust grains. At present only smaller molecular species have been directly identified in space in the solid state. Accurate spectroscopic laboratory data of frozen COMs, embedded in ice matrices containing ingredients related to their formation scheme, are still largely lacking. Aims. This work provides infrared reference spectra of acetaldehyde (CH$_3$CHO), ethanol (CH$_3$CH$_2$OH), and dimethyl ether (CH$_3$OCH$_3$) recorded in a variety of ice environments and for astronomically relevant temperatures, as needed to guide or interpret astronomical observations, specifically for upcoming James Webb Space Telescope observations. Methods. Fourier transform transmission spectroscopy (500-4000 cm$^{-1}$ / 20-2. 5 $\mu$m, 1. 0 cm$^{-1}$ resolution) was used to investigate solid acetaldehyde, ethanol and dimethyl ether, pure or mixed with water, CO, methanol, or CO:methanol. These species were deposited on a cryogenically cooled infrared transmissive window at 15~K. A heating ramp was applied, during which IR spectra were recorded until all ice constituents were thermally desorbed. Results. We present a large number of reference spectra that can be compared with astronomical data. Accurate band positions and band widths are provided for the studied ice mixtures and temperatures. Special efforts have been put into those bands of each molecule that are best suited for identification. For acetaldehyde the 7. 427 and 5. 803 $\mu$m bands are recommended, for ethanol the 11. 36 and 7. 240 $\mu$m bands are good candidates, and for dimethyl ether bands at 9. 141 and 8. 011 $\mu$m can be used. All spectra are publicly available in the Leiden Database for Ice. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201834071 | How Planetary Growth Outperforms Migration | Planetary migration is a major challenge for planet-formation theories. The speed of type-I migration is proportional to the mass of a protoplanet, while the final decade of growth of a pebble-accreting planetary core takes place at a rate that scales with the mass to the two-thirds power. This results in planetary growth tracks (i. e. , the evolution of the mass of a protoplanet versus its distance from the star) that become increasingly horizontal (migration dominated) with the rising mass of the protoplanet. It has been shown recently that the migration torque on a protoplanet is reduced proportional to the relative height of the gas gap carved by the growing planet. Here we show from 1D simulations of planet-disc interaction that the mass at which a planet carves a 50% gap is approximately 2. 3 times the pebble isolation mass. Our measurements of the pebble isolation mass from 1D simulations match published 3D results relatively well, except at very low viscosities (α < 10 -3
) where the 3D pebble isolation mass is significantly higher, possibly due to gap edge instabilities that are not captured in 1D. The pebble isolation mass demarks the transition from pebble accretion to gas accretion. Gas accretion to form gas-giant planets therefore takes place over a few astronomical units of migration after reaching first the pebble isolation mass and, shortly after, the 50% gap mass. Our results demonstrate how planetary growth can outperform migration both during core accretion and during gas accretion, even when the Stokes number of the pebbles is small, St ∼ 0. 01, and the pebble-to-gas flux ratio in the protoplanetary disc is in the nominal range of 0. 01-0. 02. We find that planetary growth is very rapid in the first million years of the protoplanetary disc and that the probability for forming gas-giant planets increases with the initial size of the protoplanetary disc and with decreasing turbulent diffusion. | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1002/chem.201904879 | Single-Molecule Magnets DyM<inf>2</inf>N@C<inf>80</inf> and Dy<inf>2</inf>MN@C<inf>80</inf> (M=Sc, Lu): The Impact of Diamagnetic Metals on Dy<sup>3+</sup> Magnetic Anisotropy, Dy⋅⋅⋅Dy Coupling, and Mixing of Molecular and Lattice Vibrations | The substitution of scandium in fullerene single-molecule magnets (SMMs) DySc2N@C80 and Dy2ScN@C80 by lutetium has been studied to explore the influence of the diamagnetic metal on the SMM performance of dysprosium nitride clusterfullerenes. The use of lutetium led to an improved SMM performance of DyLu2N@C80, which shows a higher blocking temperature of magnetization (TB=9. 5 K), longer relaxation times, and broader hysteresis than DySc2N@C80 (TB=6. 9 K). At the same time, Dy2LuN@C80 was found to have a similar blocking temperature of magnetization to Dy2ScN@C80 (TB=8 K), but substantially different interactions between the magnetic moments of the dysprosium ions in the Dy2MN clusters. Surprisingly, although the intramolecular dipolar interactions in Dy2LuN@C80 and Dy2ScN@C80 are of similar strength, the exchange interactions in Dy2LuN@C80 are close to zero. Analysis of the low-frequency molecular and lattice vibrations showed strong mixing of the lattice modes and endohedral cluster librations in k-space. This mixing simplifies the spin–lattice relaxation by conserving the momentum during the spin flip and helping to distribute the moment and energy further into the lattice. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
Q2698962 | «Mise en œuvre de solutions de processus innovantes dans le domaine de la coupe du béton grâce à des investissements dans des actifs corporels modernes» | Le projet consiste en l’achat d’équipements professionnels pour le béton vertical, horizontal et fendé (en tym:piła mur, corde de diamant, scie à chaîne et table de travail), qui sera multi-outils, modulaire, utilisant la technologie haute fréquence et la technique diamantaire en application. pour effectuer des travaux spécialisés dans le domaine de la découpe, le forage et la démolition des structures de construction. et de l’industrie du béton, du béton et de l’acier. Le projet consiste également en la construction d’une installation de service.-magazine. avec une superficie totale d’utilisation d’environ 345 m², où dans l’objet susmentionné les services de traitement de petites dimensions d’éléments de démolition seront effectués, ce qui justifie la construction de l’installation susmentionnée. Grâce à l’application des dispositifs susmentionnés, les limitations telles que l’accès, la taille de la structure, la menace pour les personnes et l’environnement seront réduites à des minims. L’équipement prévu à l’achat permettra de couper et de percer grâce à l’utilisation de techniques de diamant.dans des endroits difficiles à atteindre dans la gamme de:-perçage de trous jusqu’à 600 mm-coupage en profondeur jusqu’à 730 mm-coupures avec des formes irrégulières (par exemple sous conduits de ventilation carrée), éviter les chevauchements dans les coins des murs, éviter les embouteillages et assurer la plus haute qualité de coupe disponible sur le marché. Le système des dispositifs susmentionnés apportera sur le marché de nouvelles solutions de qualité et innovantes (environ dans le pays pendant moins de 3 ans et non appropriées. dans la voïvodie). Kuj.Pom.) dans l’approche de la planification de tâches complexes ingénieur. et leur exécution. L’intention susmentionnée est d’investir dans des actifs corporels liés à un changement fondamental dans le processus réel de prestation des services, ce qui entraînera une augmentation du nombre de concurrents. Les entreprises (grâce à l’introduction de l’offre améliorée. produits), une augmentation de l’emploi des revenus des ventes dans l’entreprise. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1088/0266-5611/31/4/045001 | Enclosure Method For The P Laplace Equation | We study the enclosure method for the p-Calderon problem, which is a nonlinear generalization of the inverse conductivity problem due to Calderon that involves the p-Laplace equation. The method allows one to reconstruct the convex hull of an inclusion in the nonlinear model by using exponentially growing solutions introduced by Wolff. We justify this method for the penetrable obstacle case, where the inclusion is modelled as a jump in the conductivity. The result is based on a monotonicity inequality and the properties of the Wolff solutions. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1186/s13068-020-1670-x | Whole-cell biocatalysis for hydrogen storage and syngas conversion to formate using a thermophilic acetogen | In times of global climate change, the conversion and capturing of inorganic CO2 have gained increased attention because of its great potential as sustainable feedstock in the production of biofuels and biochemicals. CO2 is not only the substrate for the production of value-added chemicals in CO2-based bioprocesses, it can also be directly hydrated to formic acid, a so-called liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), by chemical and biological catalysts. Recently, a new group of enzymes were discovered in the two acetogenic bacteria Acetobacterium woodii and Thermoanaerobacter kivui which catalyze the direct hydrogenation of CO2 to formic acid with exceptional high rates, the hydrogen-dependent CO2 reductases (HDCRs). Since these enzymes are promising biocatalysts for the capturing of CO2 and the storage of molecular hydrogen in form of formic acid, we designed a whole-cell approach for T. kivui to take advantage of using whole cells from a thermophilic organism as H2/CO2 storage platform. Additionally, T. kivui cells were used as microbial cell factories for the production of formic acid from syngas. This study demonstrates the efficient whole-cell biocatalysis for the conversion of H2 + CO2 to formic acid in the presence of bicarbonate by T. kivui. Interestingly, the addition of KHCO3 not only stimulated formate formation dramatically but it also completely abolished unwanted side product formation (acetate) under these conditions and bicarbonate was shown to inhibit the membrane-bound ATP synthase. Cell suspensions reached specific formate production rates of 234 mmol gprotein−1 h−1 (152 mmol gCDW−1 h−1), the highest rates ever reported in closed-batch conditions. The volumetric formate production rate was 270 mmol L−1 h−1 at 4 mg mL−1. Additionally, this study is the first demonstration that syngas can be converted exclusively to formate using an acetogenic bacterium and high titers up to 130 mM of formate were reached. The thermophilic acetogenic bacterium T. kivui is an efficient biocatalyst which makes this organism a promising candidate for future biotechnological applications in hydrogen storage, CO2 capturing and syngas conversion to formate. | [
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1088/0031-8949/88/06/068511 | Future Directions Of Μsr Laser Excitation | We discuss the general principles of laser-excited muon pump–probe spin spectroscopy (photo-μSR), including the historical origins of the technique, and discuss the overall experimental method. We review examples of past work using this technique, then discuss the future upgrade of the HiFi spectrometer with a high-power laser system. In particular, we note that performing photo-μSR experiments at high field around avoided level crossing resonances in unsaturated organic materials, offers advantages over the work previously performed at lower magnetic fields. We then present some results from some preliminary modelling of a rather simple two-electron spin system, where we see quite a complicated behaviour of the avoided level crossings. Finally, we discuss some potential applications in the biosciences, such as electron transfer in peptides and photochemistry of carotenoids, as well as magnetism which is a more traditional area for study with muons. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1038/srep19238 | Forests as a natural seismic metamaterial: Rayleigh wave bandgaps induced by local resonances | We explore the thesis that resonances in trees result in forests acting as locally resonant metamaterials for Rayleigh surface waves in the geophysics context. A geophysical experiment demonstrates that a Rayleigh wave, propagating in soft sedimentary soil at frequencies lower than 150 Hz, experiences strong attenuation, when interacting with a forest, over two separate large frequency bands. This experiment is interpreted using finite element simulations that demonstrate the observed attenuation is due to bandgaps when the trees are arranged at the sub-wavelength scale with respect to the incident Rayleigh wave. The repetitive bandgaps are generated by the coupling of the successive longitudinal resonances of trees with the vertical component of the Rayleigh wave. For wavelengths down to 5 meters, the resulting bandgaps are remarkably large and strongly attenuating when the acoustic impedance of the trees matches the impedance of the soil. Since longitudinal resonances of a vertical resonator are inversely proportional to its length, a man-made engineered array of resonators that attenuates Rayleigh waves at frequency ≤10 Hz could be designed starting from vertical pillars coupled to the ground with longitudinal resonance ≤10 Hz. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1111/evo.12641 | The interpretation of selection coefficients | Evolutionary biologists have an array of powerful theoretical techniques that can accurately predict changes in the genetic composition of populations. Changes in gene frequencies and genetic associations between loci can be tracked as they respond to a wide variety of evolutionary forces. However, it is often less clear how to decompose these various forces into components that accurately reflect the underlying biology. Here, we present several issues that arise in the definition and interpretation of selection and selection coefficients, focusing on insights gained through the examination of selection coefficients in multilocus notation. Using this notation, we discuss how its flexibility-which allows different biological units to be identified as targets of selection-is reflected in the interpretation of the coefficients that the notation generates. In many situations, it can be difficult to agree on whether loci can be considered to be under "direct" versus "indirect" selection, or to quantify this selection. We present arguments for what the terms direct and indirect selection might best encompass, considering a range of issues, from viability and sexual selection to kin selection. We show how multilocus notation can discriminate between direct and indirect selection, and describe when it can do so. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1039/C4EE02256D | Selective High Temperature Permeation Of Nitrogen Oxides Using A Supported Molten Salt Membrane | Molten nitrate/ceramic membranes of KNO3/Al2O3 and KNO3/La0. 6Sr0. 4Co0. 2Fe0. 8O3−δ (LSCF) were designed and successfully operated for the selective permeation of nitrogen oxides. With the presence of oxygen on the feed side of the membrane, the KNO3/Al2O3 membrane showed no measurable oxygen permeation while the KNO3/LSCF membrane exhibited nitrogen dioxide and oxygen co-permeation. For the KNO3/LSCF membrane, a permeance of up to 6. 9 × 10−8 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1 was achieved while the nitrogen dioxide to oxygen permeate ratio appeared to be approximately constant with a value of around unity. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1039/c9dt00702d | Reactivity of a gold(i)/platinum(0) frustrated Lewis pair with germanium and tin dihalides | The rich reactivity of tetrylene dihalides towards a metallic FLP: phosphine exchange reactions and formation of homo and heterobimetallic compounds. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1109/TNSRE.2015.2501979 | Bayesian Filtering Of Surface Emg For Accurate Simultaneous And Proportional Prosthetic Control | The amplitude of the surface EMG (sEMG) is commonly estimated by rectification or other nonlinear transformations, followed by smoothing (low-pass linear filtering). Although computationally efficient, this approach leads to an estimation accuracy with a limited theoretical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Since sEMG amplitude is one of the most relevant features for myoelectric control, its estimate has become one of the limiting factors for the performance of myoelectric control applications, such as powered prostheses. In this study, we present a recursive nonlinear estimator of sEMG amplitude based on Bayesian filtering. Furthermore, we validate the advantage of the proposed Bayesian filter over the conventional linear filters through an online simultaneous and proportional control (SPC) task, performed by eight able-bodied subjects and three below-elbow limb deficient subjects. The results demonstrated that the proposed Bayesian filter provides significantly more accurate SPC, particularly for the patients, when compared with conventional linear filters. This result presents a major step toward accurate prosthetic control for advanced multi-function prostheses. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
3725656 | Was sex inflexible? practices, knowledge, techniques, and technologies of “sex change” embodiment in argentina during the twentieth century | My project seeks to analyse the making of transsexual bodies in Argentina during the twentieth century. It has three keygoals: (i) to investigate the history of a repertoire of medical and social practices that includes the use of self-injected hormones, cosmetic and sex change surgeries, prosthetics, as well as international travel to attain medical treatment, document falsification, among others; (ii) to examine the transformations of the notion of “sex,” and the development of the multiple meanings that doctors, patients, journalists, and judges assigned to it; and (iii) to establish a connection between transsexual embodiment practices and gender-normative technologies performed in the first half of the twentieth century for cissexual men and women.
Unlike other countries where sex change surgery access was restricted (the United States) or existed in a legal vacuum (Chile and Mexico), Argentina prohibited surgeries that affected reproductive organs and punished public display of attributes of the “other sex.” As a consequence, the daily lives of transvestites, transsexuals and female homosexuals became public transgressions and “sex change” procedures became clandestine, expensive and dangerous. By analyzing documents such as trial records and using oral history techniques, I will write the first book of the trans* body making in Argentina. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
W2025552049 | Instructional Leadership in Compulsory Schools in Iceland and the Role of School Principals | The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a study of instructional leadership in 20 Icelandic compulsory schools. More specifically, the perceptions of staff concerning supervision of instruction, and the views of principals regarding their role as supervisors of instructional development. Data was collected with questionnaires from staff and interviews with principals. The approach was based on a mixed-methods design. The findings indicate that supervision of instruction differs between the schools. Principals provide for little direct supervision of teachers, however, they provide considerable indirect supervision. The supervision of instruction suggests that collegial supervisory emphasis is considerable in most of the schools. The collegial model, however, emphasizes systematic collection of data on what happens in classrooms, an important element that is largely neglected in the Icelandic schools. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
240720 | Cultural Heritage of Christian Ethiopia: Salvation, Preservation and Research | Ethiopia is one of the countries with the most ancient Christian history, and the only country in Africa where Christianity became official religion as early as in the 4th century A.D. It is also the only country in the region where the history has been documented in written sources: manuscripts in possession of ca. 600 monasteries and 20,000 churches, some of which date back to early Middle Ages, have been estimated to number up to ca. 200,000. Only a minor part of these archives have so far received scholarly evaluation, only less than one tenth of manuscripts have been microfilmed or digitalized, and only those that have come in possession of European libraries have been duly catalogued and are well protected. A great part of this unique heritage is on the verge of extinction, and urgent action needs to be taken to save it from complete disappearance. A thorough research into the texts will grant insight into the mentality of this African region and provide parallels to the ways other African regions without ancient written tradition may have developed, as well as to the ways Christianity spread in medieval Europe: in monastic Ethiopia some features now lost in the civilized world may still be observed. The project will unite scholars working in the fields of philology, codicology, digital philology, religious studies, anthropology, art history, and book preservation, who will secure the most important pieces of historical written evidence and carry out first-hand in-depth research into the witnesses. Local history and oral traditions collected during field research will allow a comprehensive and complete evaluation of the sources. Focus on historiographic and legal documents will allow a detailed reconstruction of local history of selected regions. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.12.027 | A semi-random field finite element method to predict the maximum eccentric compressive load for masonry prisms | An accurate prediction of the compressive strength of masonry is essential both for the analysis of existing structures and the construction of new masonry buildings. Since experimental material testing of individual masonry components (e. g. , masonry unit and mortar joints) often produces highly variable results, this paper presents a numerical modelling based approach to address the associated uncertainty for the prediction of the maximum compressive load of masonry prisms. The method considers a numerical model to be semi-random for a masonry prism by adopting a Latin Hypercube simulation method used in conjunction with a parametric finite element model of the individual masonry prism. The proposed method is applied to two types of masonry prisms (hollow blocks and solid clay bricks), for which experimental testing was conducted as part of the 9th International Masonry Conference held at Guimarães in July 2014. A Class A prediction (presented before the tests were conducted) was generated for the two masonry prisms according to the proposed methodology, and the results were compared to the final experimental testing results. The root mean square deviation of the method for prediction of eccentric compressive strength of both types of prisms differed by only 2. 2 KN, thereby demonstrating the potential for this probabilistic approach. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
220280 | A study of the roles of the immune and inflammatory systems in hypertension. | Hypertension is a common disease impacting 1 billion people worldwide, which leads to catastrophic cardiovascular complications. The cause of primary hypertension is unknown and the disease remains uncontrolled in many patients. By interrogating the key hypothesis that inflammatory dysregulation fundamentally controls development of hypertension and vascular remodelling, InflammaTENSION provides a new paradigm for the management of the disease, with the potential to lead to identification of novel therapeutic targets to control hypertension. InflammaTENSION will result in the discovery of novel biomarkers, capable of identifying patients who could benefit from such immune targeted therapies. Importantly, we already made the seminal observation that the immune system not only mediates target organ damage, but is essential for the development of hypertension. This finding has initiated numerous studies, that defined the roles of pro-inflammatory T cells, monocytes and anti-inflammatory T regulatory cells. However, our current knowledge remains very fragmented and so far has not been applied to human pathology. InflammaTENSION will for the first time advance the knowledge procured in rodent models into human studies. By combining clinical translational and model mechanistic studies it will identify novel inflammatory factors that can control immune mechanisms of hypertension. We will: (1) characterize the immunophenotypic signature of human hypertension; (2) define key concepts in cytokine biology of hypertension with TNF-α and IL-6 as key exemplars; (3) understand how chronic cytokines regulate the T cell dependent mechanisms of hypertension. InflammaTENSION will go beyond current state-of-the-art through comprehensive combination of immunology and cardiovascular medicine to create a new understanding of how the immune system may lead to human hypertension and will have major impact on the field, enabling translation of these exciting findings to clinical practice. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
Q4752780 | FATICONI_BANDO R&S | TRAFFID+. THE PROJECT AIMS TO EQUIP THE TRAFFID PLATFORM (ALL EXISTING) WITH AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR THE AUTHENTICATION OF MARKINGS FOR PARKING SPACES RESERVED FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND ACCESS TO THE LZL, FOR THE VERIFICATION OF THE AUTHORISATIONS ISSUED FOR THE POSITIONING OF ROADWAY SIGNS, FOR THE MERCATALI STALLS, FOR ADVERTISING, DEHORS, CONSTRUCTION SITES AND ROAD CUTS. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS EVOLUTION, IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THE ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT OF AUTHENTICATION DATA. FOR THE ACQUISITION OF DATA IT IS NECESSARY TO EQUIP THE ZTL GATES AND PARKING SPACES RESERVED FOR DISABLED PEOPLE WITH APPROPRIATE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS FOR DATA MANAGEMENT, THE SAME SYSTEMS MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THE INFORMATION ACQUIRED TO A BACK INFRASTRUCTURE | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
interreg_601 | Spatial dynamics and integrated territorial development scenarios for the functional area of Central Europe | The Interreg Central Europe (CE) programme area encompasses the territory of nine EU Member States, i.e. Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, as well as parts of Germany and Italy. It makes up 23% of the EU territory and covers countries from both sides of the former ’Iron Curtain’.
Despite major progress, economic and social differences between ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ countries are still pronounced. The area is characterised by an uneven distribution of economic strength, which is rooted in the historical, political and economic development (East-West divide: command economy vs market economy) as well as in structural differences between regions (urban and industrialised areas vs. rural and peripheral areas). Research and development (R&D), as well as investments, are concentrated in few, mostly urban growth poles including capital city agglomerations like Warsaw, Prague, Berlin, Vienna, and Budapest. As a consequence, rural and peripheral areas often show lower competitiveness combined with significant brain-drain. Also, social disparities within CE can be observed especially along the former ‘Iron Curtain’ and the eastern external frontier of the EU.
A recent study analysed the main challenges for the CE region which were identified as: a) globalisation, b) digital economy, c) transport and accessibility, d) energy, e) circular economy/environment, f) climate change, g) employment and skills, h) social risks, i) demographic change/migration and j) governance. The study concluded that CE is a functional area and that this functionality is not only based on the geographic proximity of countries but on spatial interactions and linkages within different sectors such as economics and business, governance etc.
The CE-FLOWS targeted analysis shall look into the spatial dynamics and existing flows across the regions making up the CE functional area. With this focus on the functional geography of CE, the project is well anchored in the European policy context in view of the objectives of European regional development and Cohesion Policy for the forthcoming funding period 2021-2027.
The draft ETC regulation introduces the notion of functional areas, therefore the methodology and approach tested by CE-FLOWS in the CE area can be applied in the analysis of functional relationships in other transnational Interreg programme areas outside the four Macro-Regional Strategy (MRS) areas (e.g. South-West Europe, North-West Europe, Mediterranean, North Sea Region). Furthermore, the methodology developed in CE-FLOWS can be applied to a smaller scale than the transnational one, i.e. for capturing dynamics and flows at the cross-border level.
The analysis in the framework of CE-FLOWS shall also consider complementarities and synergies with other EU instruments and policies, including macro-regional strategies. A better understanding of the flows and interdependencies within CE will allow to increase the impacts of other EU policy instruments through better coordination and valorisation of synergies as well as strengthen the linkages of CE with other adjacent functional areas. This will further reinforce cooperation between stakeholders and territories, leading not only to an effective integrated territorial development of the CE functional area but, considering its location at the heart of Europe and its economic importance, to more cohesion in the entire EU. | [
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1002/cssc.201402357 | Methanol Steam Reforming Promoted by Molten Salt-Modified Platinum on Alumina Catalysts | We herein describe a straight forward procedure to increase the performance of platinum-on-alumina catalysts in methanol steam reforming by applying an alkali hydroxide coating according to the “solid catalyst with ionic liquid layer” (SCILL) approach. We demonstrate by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) studies that potassium doping plays an important role in the catalyst activation. Moreover, the hygroscopic nature and the basicity of the salt modification contribute to the considerable enhancement in catalytic performance. During reaction, a partly liquid film of alkali hydroxides/carbonates forms on the catalyst/alumina surface, thus significantly enhancing the availability of water at the catalytically active sites. Too high catalyst pore fillings with salt introduce a considerable mass transfer barrier into the system as indicated by kinetic studies. Thus, the optimum interplay between beneficial catalyst modification and detrimental mass transfer effects had to be identified and was found on the applied platinum-on-alumina catalyst at KOH loadings around 7. 5 mass %. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.automatica.2012.05.026 | On the estimation of transfer functions, regularizations and Gaussian processes-Revisited | Intrigued by some recent results on impulse response estimation by kernel and nonparametric techniques, we revisit the old problem of transfer function estimation from input-output measurements. We formulate a classical regularization approach, focused on finite impulse response (FIR) models, and find that regularization is necessary to cope with the high variance problem. This basic, regularized least squares approach is then a focal point for interpreting other techniques, like Bayesian inference and Gaussian process regression. The main issue is how to determine a suitable regularization matrix (Bayesian prior or kernel). Several regularization matrices are provided and numerically evaluated on a data bank of test systems and data sets. Our findings based on the data bank are as follows. The classical regularization approach with carefully chosen regularization matrices shows slightly better accuracy and clearly better robustness in estimating the impulse response than the standard approach-the prediction error method/maximum likelihood (PEM/ML) approach. If the goal is to estimate a model of given order as well as possible, a low order model is often better estimated by the PEM/ML approach, and a higher order model is often better estimated by model reduction on a high order regularized FIR model estimated with careful regularization. Moreover, an optimal regularization matrix that minimizes the mean square error matrix is derived and studied. The importance of this result lies in that it gives the theoretical upper bound on the accuracy that can be achieved for this classical regularization approach. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
642393 | Culture in talk: neoliberalism, welfare and school education in sweden, the uk and russia | The study is the first to apply a cultural prism to comparatively examine the diverse and contradictory enactments of neoliberal education reforms in three welfare states - Sweden, the UK and Russia. In contrast to other studies that examine neoliberal expansion in education from the perspective of official policy narratives and numbers this study embraces a bottom-up approach by studying grassroots societal voices. Building bridges between cultural sociology, public policy and comparative education, the study will help redefine the relationship between culture and policy as a continuous feedback loop that enables grassroots policy interpretations to trickle up to policy discourse and inform policy action.
Empirically, the study will map contemporary meanings of education in the three case countries, highlight ongoing sources of tension between neoliberal and welfare educational values, and unpack similar and divergent cultural logics of resistance. Theoretically, the study will enrich our understanding of the widely recognised but under-explored cultural dimension of policy. The study will contribute to enabling more effective dialogue between grassroots and nation-level education actors by advancing the view of social policy as co-produced and co-owned by grassroots actors.
This ambitious multi-language project will bring the researcher to the forefront of the global conversation about the role of grassroots resistance in public policy-making. It will solidify the researcher’s transnational expertise that spans Russia, the UK, the US, Scandinavia and Sub-Saharan Africa, and catalyse her independence in comparative public policy research. It will also sharpen her unique methodological expertise in the interrogation of social meanings through computational and digital research. Finally, it will enhance the researcher’s profile and visibility in international policy consultancy, with a view to her going on to lead her own consulting practice. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2017.06.020 | Alzheimer's disease markers in the aged sheep (Ovis aries) | This study reports the identification and characterization of markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in aged sheep (Ovis aries) as a preliminary step toward making a genetically modified large animal model of AD. Importantly, the sequences of key proteins involved in AD pathogenesis are highly conserved between sheep and human. The processing of the amyloid-β (Aβ) protein is conserved between sheep and human, and sheep Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratios in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are also very similar to human. In addition, total tau and neurofilament light levels in CSF are comparable with those found in human. The presence of neurofibrillary tangles in aged sheep brain has previously been established; here, we report for the first time that plaques, the other pathologic hallmark of AD, are also present in the aged sheep brain. In summary, the biological machinery to generate the key neuropathologic features of AD is conserved between the human and sheep, making the sheep a good candidate for future genetic manipulation to accelerate the condition for use in pathophysiological discovery and therapeutic testing. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
interreg_993 | Developing Sustainable Regions through Responsible SMEs | The issue to be tackled by the DESUR project is that of the difficulty that the SME of today is experiencing in becoming a business responsible with their environment. SMEs have neither the resources nor the awareness necessary to adopt sustainable practices such as: respect for the natural environment, removal of barriers and inequalities, lifelong learning, increased productivity, efficient resource usage, better quality of life for employees, etc.
Given that 99% of companies in the EU-27 are SMEs and that they employ two thirds of European workers (European Commission Oct. 2010), the inactivity of SMEs in adopting such practices is a barrier to the sustainable development in a region.
The regions that make up the project want to develop policies to make it easier for SMEs to adopt sustainable practices in their day to day business. That is, foster eco-innovation in the SMEs to increase competitiveness, create quality employment and be more respectful with the environment.
The main objective of the project is, therefore, to improve policies, instruments and methodologies to promote responsible innovation in SMEs to progress on the path of sustainability.
The DESUR partnership is made up of local and regional representatives from 7 European countries, including regions with a high degree of experience in such policies and regions who wish to advance in the development of new policies.
The innovative component of the project is to address the issue from a holistic perspective. The responsible company is one that performs actions based on the three pillars of sustainability: Profit, People and Planet while at the same time maintaining the balance between all three. Without economic benefit (Profit), it is not possible to perform actions on the other axis. Without motivated personnel (People), a company will be less successful. Without caring for their environment (Planet), it cannot be said that the company achieves good results.
The activities to be developed throughout the project will achieve the exchange of experiences, knowledge and good practices in policies through the collaboration of the participating regions.
Activities will be developed to train staff members so that specific good practices in policies and tools can be transferred to their region; such as innovative public procurement, tax relief or public recognition through labeling or award schemes. The transfer will be ensured through the preparation and production of Implementation Plans for each region. Furthermore, the results and findings of the project that may also be of interest to other regions will be disseminated, as a guide of Good Practices and Recommendations.
The improved policies as a result of all these activities will contribute to the local or regional level of compliance of the objectives the EU 2020 Strategy, to become a smart sustainable and inclusive economy. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1002/ijch.201700017 | Imaging of Extracellular pH Using Hyperpolarized Molecules | Many diseases can overrule natural pH regulatory mechanisms and alter the extracellular pH (pHe). A non-invasive method that resolves pHe in vivo with high spatial and temporal resolution could therefore improve diagnosis and monitoring of diseases, contributing to the concept of precision medicine. During the last decades, several techniques have been proposed to image pHe non-invasively. The majority of these methods rely on magnetic resonance because of its good spatial resolution, high penetration depth, non-ionizing radiation and excellent complimentary soft tissue contrast. Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is an emerging concept to enhance nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals by more than four orders of magnitude, making it possible to observe in vivo metabolic processes in real-time. Here, we summarize and review recent developments in pHe imaging techniques based on hyperpolarization methods and give an overview of recently discovered hyperpolarized pH sensor molecules that have been applied in vitro and in vivo. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2111848028 | A study of human capital development in young entrepreneurs | In recent years young entrepreneurs have attracted considerable attention from policy makers and the media, and there is evidence that increasingly many young people aspire to start their own business. However, there has been little research into how young entrepreneurs actually build their businesses, and the limited existing research about young entrepreneurs has tended to focus on participants who have struggled to achieve business survival and growth.
By contrast, this thesis investigates how young entrepreneurs are able to build high performing businesses. All participants have built a business with a turnover between £1 million and £90 million or otherwise raised at least £1 million in external investment. It takes a qualitative approach, based primarily on semi-structured interviewing, to understanding the knowledge and skills 21 young entrepreneurs used to build their businesses. It uses a human capital theory framework to analyse how the young entrepreneurs developed relevant knowledge and skills prior to start-up in order to build a business. It then considers what additional human and social capital the young entrepreneurs acquired during the venture creation process itself.
The findings identify three different pathways, each of which typifies the human capital used by particular young entrepreneurs, according to their educational background and the precise age at which they started their business. The study also establishes the necessary human capital which all of the young entrepreneurs developed prior to start-up or during the early stages of starting their ventures, which was important to their success in growing a business. The study finally contributes to the debate about whether general human capital or venture-specific human capital is most important to entrepreneurs, finding that for young entrepreneurs developing pre-start-up general human capital is particularly significant. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1109/PRIME.2015.7251085 | Optimized Electrochemical Detection Of Anti Cancer Drug By Carbon Nanotubes Or Gold Nanoparticles | Nanostructured biosensors with the aim of electroactive cancer-drug detection were investigated. The aim of this work is improvement of the sensitivity and limit of detection of two differently nanostructured biosensors to find out the best choice for quantifying the concentration of etoposide, as a widely used electroactive cancer drug, in its therapeutic range. To this purpose etoposide concentrations, ranging from zero to 60 μM, were sensed at multi-walled carbon nanotube and gold nanoparticle functionalized bioelectrodes using cyclic voltammetry. The optimum scan rate for voltammetric experiments was found out equal to 70 mV s−1 and 130 mV s−1 for multi-walled carbon nanotube and gold nanoparticle based electrodes, respectively. For nanostructuring the electrodes, the optimum nanomaterial mass were experimentally obtained for multi-walled carbon nanotube and gold nanoparticle based electrodes equal to 20 μ g (4314 mm of additional electroactive surface area) and 104 g (6471 mm of additional electroactive surface area), respectively. Bioelectrodes produced based on this optimized configurations showed sensitivity of 0. 98 ± 0. 41 μA μM−1 cm−2 and 1. 43 ± 0. 26 μA μM−1 cm−2, and limit of detection of 1. 52 ± 0. 89 μM and 1. 29 ± 0. 48 μM for multi-walled carbon nanotube and gold nanoparticles based electrodes. Comparing the limit of detection achieved in this work with the therapeutic range of etoposide verifies the possibility of using both nanostructured bioelectrodes for etoposide detection. However, gold nanoparticle based electrodes exhibit better electrochemical improvements in terms of both sensitivity and limit of detection. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
EP 2018066902 W | HEATING SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING SAME | The invention relates to a heating system (1) for a powertrain or a component thereof as well as to a process for manufacturing same. In order to design a device of said type that can be inexpensively integrated into an existing system, at least one heating element (4) for actively electrically heating a powertrain or a component thereof is combined with or provided in a pre-existing part (2) for thermal and/or acoustic shielding. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1126/sciadv.1501087 | Atomic-resolution structure of cytoskeletal bactofilin by solid-state NMR | Bactofilins are a recently discovered class of cytoskeletal proteins of which no atomic-resolution structure has been reported thus far. The bacterial cytoskeleton plays an essential role in a wide range of processes, including morphogenesis, cell division, and motility. Among the cytoskeletal proteins, the bactofilins are bacteria-specific and do not have a eukaryotic counterpart. The bactofilin BacA of the speciesCaulobacter crescentusis not amenable to study by x-ray crystallography or solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) because of its inherent noncrystallinity and insolubility. We present the atomic structure of BacA calculated from solid-state NMR–derived distance restraints. We show that the core domain of BacA forms a right-handed β helix with six windings and a triangular hydrophobic core. The BacA structure was determined to 1. 0 Å precision (heavy-atom root mean square deviation) on the basis of unambiguous restraints derived from four-dimensional (4D) HN-HN and 2D C-C NMR spectra. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W4309130144 | mediterrane Faszination. | Am 22. Januar 1891 verabschiedete Kaiser Wilhelm II in Cuxhaven den Passagierdampfer Augusta Victoria, der zwei Monate lang das Mittelmeer und einige seiner wichtigsten Städte auskundschaften sollte, und läutete damit das Zeitalter der Vergnügungs-Schifffahrten ein. An Bord waren 241 betuchte Passagiere, unter ihnen der Zeichner Ch. W. Allers, der seine Reiserinnerungen in Backschisch. Die erste deutsche Kreuzfahrt in das Mittelmeer dokumentiert und damit ein einmaliges Zeugnis über die mediterrane Faszination im imperialistischen Zeitalter abgibt. Auf der Grundlage eines eurozentrischen bzw. nationalen Gefühls wird der Mittelmeerraum von dem Mikrokosmos der deutschen Reisegesellschaft als naturräumliche und ideologische Einheit wahrgenommen. Die kulturellen Gemeinsamkeiten bestimmen dabei die Erfahrung der Fremde und vermengen vermeintlich mediterrane Spezifika mit Wunschprojektionen der Tourismuswerbung und kolonialen Propaganda. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
743217 | Soft Micro Robotics | The field of Micro and Nano Robotics has made impressive strides over the past decade as researchers have created a variety of small devices capable of locomotion within liquid environments. Robust fabrication techniques have been developed, some devices have been functionalized for potential applications, and therapies are being actively considered. While excitement remains high for this field, we are facing a number of significant challenges that must be addressed head-on if continued progress towards clinical relevance is to be made. This project will address what we consider to be primary roadblocks to be overcome. This includes the development of bioerodable and non-cytotoxic microrobots, development of autonomous devices capable of self-directed targeting, catheter-based delivery of microrobots near the target, tracking and control of swarms of devices in vivo, and the pursuit of clinically relevant therapies.
As we consider these advances, it becomes clear that the field of micro and nanorobotics is moving away from hard microfabricated structures and towards soft, polymeric structures capable of shape modification induced by environmental conditions and other “smart” behaviors. Just as the field of robotics witnessed the emergence of “soft robotics” in which soft and deformable materials are used as primary structural components, the field of microrobotics is beginning to experience a move towards “soft microrobots.” Soft microrobots are made of soft, deformable materials capable of sensing and actuation and have the potential to exhibit behavioral response. As we develop more complex soft microrobots, we are poised to realize intelligent microrobots that autonomously respond to their environment to perform more complex tasks. This project will develop a number of fundamental technologies required for the fabrication of intelligent soft microrobots suitable for in vivo applications. Animal trials and preclinical studies will be performed. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1117/12.2005988 | Vessel Filtering Of Photoacoustic Images | This paper investigates the application of the vessel lter proposed by Frangi et al. , [MICCAI, LNCS vol. 1496, pp. 130-137, 1998] to photoacoustic images of the vasculature. The lter works by classifying the eigenvalue decomposition of the local Hessian matrix at each image voxel to nd tubular structures in the image. A detailed analysis of the algorithm is provided, and the eect of the lters on photoacoustic images is studied using numerical and experimental phantoms. In particular, the impact of the lter on image resolution, feature preservation, and noise is discussed. The vessel lter is then applied to photoacoustic images of the vasculature in mice. The classical Hessian lter is shown to be highly eective at removing noise and highlighting vessels, at the expense of reducing the sharpness of vessel edges. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1016/j.yexcr.2011.07.008 | The unfolded protein response and its role in intestinal homeostasis and inflammation | The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a signaling pathway from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the nucleus that protects cells from the stress caused by misfolded or unfolded proteins [1, 2]. As such, ER stress is an ongoing challenge for all cells given the central biologic importance of secretion as part of normal physiologic functions. This is especially the case for cells that are highly dependent upon secretory function as part of their major duties. Within mucosal tissues, the intestinal epithelium is especially dependent upon an intact UPR for its normal activities [3]. This review will discuss the UPR and the special role that it provides in the functioning of the intestinal epithelium and, when dysfunctional, its implications for understanding mucosal homeostasis and intestinal inflammation, as occurs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2016629430 | Two-proton decay of12O and its isobaric analog state in12N | Following neutron knockout from an ${}^{13}$O beam, ${}^{12}$O fragments were created and the three decay products following two-proton decay were detected. A new ground-state mass was determined by the invariant mass method implying a decay kinetic energy of 1.638(24) MeV, and the width was found to be less than 72 keV. The latter is inconsistent with previous measurements with lower experimental resolutions but consistent with theoretical estimates. The isobaric analog of ${}^{12}$O in ${}^{12}$N was produced from proton knockout reactions with the same beam and decayed by two-proton emission to the isobaric analog state in ${}^{10}$B with a decay kinetic energy of 1.165(29) MeV. It represents only the second case of an analog state where two-proton decay is the only isospin- and energy-conserving particle decay mode. With our measurements of the mass excesses of ${}^{12}$O and its analog, the quadratic form of the isobaric multiplet mass equation was found to fit the $A=12$ quintet and any deviations are less than the magnitude found for the $A=8$ quintet and $A=7$ and 9 quartets. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
W2906887941 | Structure and Dynamics of a Tropical Dry Forest Plant Community | This thesis is spurred by the overarching question “why is a plant where it is in space and time?”, which, when asked in different global communities over the last century or so, has contributed to the development of general theories of plant community ecology and has provided information relevant to understanding, managing, and predicting the future of those communities. The question is asked in the context of a seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) plant community in southern India, based on long-term research conducted in a permanent 50-ha sampling plot. We employ a layered approach to answering this question, wherein we deconstruct the structure and dynamics of the plant community by first establishing the spatial structure of soils, topography and lithology in the plot. Next we assess how this spatial structure, together with temporal variation in precipitation, affects plant abundances in space and time. Next we break up abundance variation into the components of recruitment, mortality and stem radial growth and assess how these respond to variation in environmental factors such as precipitation, temperature, soils, topography and fire, and biotic neighborhoods.
In Chapter 2, we examine the roles of lithology, topography, vegetation and fire in generating local-scale (<1 km2) soil spatial variability in the 50-ha plot. For this, we mapped soil (available nutrients, Al, total C, pH, moisture and texture in the top 10cm), rock outcrops, topography, all native woody plants ≥1 cm diameter at breast height (DBH), and spatial variation in fire frequency (times burnt during the 17 years preceding soil sampling) in a permanent 50-ha plot. Unlike classic catenas, lower elevation soils had lesser moisture, plant-available Ca, Cu, Mn, Mg, Zn, B, clay and total C. The distribution of plant-available Ca, Cu, Mn and Mg appeared to largely be determined by the whole-rock chemical composition differences between amphibolites and hornblende-biotite gneisses. Amphibolites were associated with summit positions, while gneisses dominated lower elevations, an observation that concurs with other studies in the region which suggest that hillslope-scale topography has been shaped by differential weathering of lithologies. This “inverse catena” pattern is possibly reinforced by topography due to nutrient leaching and clay depletion in the drainage area. Neither NO3 – N nor NH4+-N was explained by the basal area of trees belonging to Fabaceae, a family associated with N-fixing species, and no long-term effects of fire on soil parameters were detected. A strong SW-NE trending P pattern remained unexplained by any of the factors considered. Local-scale lithological variation is an important first-order control over soil variability at the hillslope scale in this SDTF, by both direct influence on nutrient stocks and indirect influence via control of local relief.
The extent to which interspecific niche differences structure plant communities is highly debated, with extreme viewpoints ranging from fine-scaled niche partitioning,… | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2041999749 | Adaptive Soft Frequency Reuse Scheme for Wireless Cellular Networks | Spectrum scarcity and intercell interference (ICI) are two fundamental limiting factors in wireless cellular systems. Soft frequency reuse (SFR) has been proposed as an effective way to manage the spectrum and reduce ICI in cellular systems. In a static SFR scheme, the allocations of transmit power or subcarriers in each cell are fixed prior to system deployment. This limits the potential performance of the SFR scheme. In this paper, we propose an intercell resource-allocation algorithm, which is referred to as the adaptive SFR algorithm (ASFR), that dynamically optimizes subcarrier and power allocations for multicell wireless networks to improve system capacity. The ASFR first finds the subcarrier and power allocations in each cell by using exhaustive search and greedy descend methods and then iteratively repeats among cells until a predefined convergence criterion is satisfied. The theoretical analysis proves the convergence of the ASFR algorithm. Simulation results show that the ASFR achieves a higher system throughput and better cell edge user performance than existing frequency reuse schemes. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevB.93.115317 | Optimizing spin-orbit splittings in InSb Majorana nanowires | Semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures represent a promising platform for the detection of Majorana zero modes and subsequently the processing of quantum information using their exotic non-Abelian statistics. Theoretical modeling of such low-dimensional heterostructures is generally based on phenomenological effective models. However, a more microscopic understanding of the band structure and, especially, of the spin-orbit coupling of electrons in these devices is important for optimizing their parameters for applications in quantum computing. In this paper, we approach this problem by first obtaining a highly accurate effective tight-binding model of bulk InSb from ab initio calculations. This model is symmetrized and correctly reproduces both the band structure and the wave function character. It is then used to simulate slabs of InSb in external electric fields. The results of this simulation are used to determine a growth direction for InSb nanowires that optimizes the conditions for the experimental realization of Majorana zero modes. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
171622 | Interactive charging | The INteractive CHarging (INCH) project will introduce the next-generation charging station for electric vehicles (EVs), named Etrel Smartcharger. It will enable charging of an increasing number of EVs in a smart and sustainable manner, which is the only way to optimise energy use in transport and reduce related greenhouse gas emissions. In the long term, it will not be possible to use EVs without using solutions such as the Smartcharger. The Smartcharger is a new version of Etrel's current product generation, designed as a low-voltage AC charging station for use at homes, offices, and car parks. It will bring down the cost of smart charging infrastructure deployment where it matters the most (more than 90 % of charging takes place at home or at work). At the same time, it will bring the charging network to a new level, allowing each and every connected car to adjust its consumption to the needs of the energy grid.
Market adoption of the Smartcharger will be driven mostly by EV drivers who require an interactive solution that can automatically charge their car in the desired time without overloading the circuit. The Smartcharger will allow each EV user to save 140 EUR per year in charging costs and will return the investment in 3-4 years, roughly a third of its lifetime. Users will be able to share control over their charging with power companies in exchange for financial compensation. This will give the power companies an option to control EV charging load, in order to reduce it in time of peak demand or use the batteries as a reservoir for electricity from renewable sources at times of high production. With an additional investment of 1.322.000 EUR, an estimated 67M EUR of profits and 65 new jobs within the company are expected over the course of 10 years after the end of the project. The INCH project will also present an enabling technology for the integration of EV charging into European smart grids and for the provision of new services in electromobility. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1038/nri.2016.70 | A guide to immunometabolism for immunologists | In recent years a substantial number of findings have been made in the area of immunometabolism, by which we mean the changes in intracellular metabolic pathways in immune cells that alter their function. Here, we provide a brief refresher course on six of the major metabolic pathways involved (specifically, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway, fatty acid oxidation, fatty acid synthesis and amino acid metabolism), giving specific examples of how precise changes in the metabolites of these pathways shape the immune cell response. What is emerging is a complex interplay between metabolic reprogramming and immunity, which is providing an extra dimension to our understanding of the immune system in health and disease. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W1160740975 | Deoxynivalenol and its masked forms in food and feed | Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most frequently occurring mycotoxins in cereal crops worldwide. DON poses a risk to human and animal health due to its wide range of adverse effects. Recently, novel insights into the metabolism of DON enabled the use of the biomarker approach for human exposure assessment. In certain subpopulations, a considerable proportion of tested individuals were found to exceed the maximum tolerable intake for DON. Since the masked mycotoxin deoxynivalenol-3-β- d -glucoside (DON-3-Glc) is partly cleaved during mammalian digestion, liberation of DON might further increase the total mycotoxin burden. However, progress in better understanding detoxification strategies along the food and feed chain has been made and the first product for DON detoxification in feed was approved in the EU. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
716472 | Vapor deposition of crystalline porous solids | Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline solids with highly regular pores in the nanometer range. The possibility to create a tailored nano-environment inside the MOF pores makes these materials high-potential candidates for integration with microelectronics, e.g. as sensor coatings, solid electrolytes, etc. However, current solvent-based methods for MOF film deposition, a key enabling step in device integration, are incompatible with microelectronics fabrication because of contamination and corrosion issues.
VAPORE will open up the path to integrate MOFs in microelectronics by developing a solvent-free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) route for MOF films. MOF-CVD will be the first example of vapor-phase deposition of any type of microporous crystalline network solid and marks an important milestone in processing such materials. Development of the MOF-CVD technology platform will start from a proof-of-concept case and will be supported by the following pillars: (1) Insight in the process, (2) expansion of the materials scope and (3) fine-tuning process control. The potential of MOF-CVD coatings will be illustrated in proof-of-concept sensors.
In summary, by growing porous crystalline films from the vapor phase for the first time, VAPORE implements molecular self-assembly as a scalable tool to fabricate highly controlled nanopores. In doing so, the project will enable cross-fertilization between the worlds of nanoscale chemistry and microelectronics, two previously incompatible fields. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1088/1475-7516/2014/08/028 | The Clustering Of Baryonic Matter Ii Halo Model And Hydrodynamic Simulations | We recently developed a generalization of the halo model in order to describe the spatial clustering properties of each mass component in the Universe, including hot gas and stars. In this work we discuss the complementarity of the model with respect to a set of cosmological simulations including hydrodynamics of different kinds. We find that the mass fractions and density profiles measured in the simulations do not always succeed in reproducing the simulated matter power spectra, the reason being that the latter encode information from a much larger range in masses than that accessible to individually resolved structures. In other words, this halo model allows one to extract information on the growth of structures from the spatial clustering of matter, that is complementary with the information coming from the study of individual objects. We also find a number of directions for improvement of the present implementation of the model, depending on the specific application one has in mind. The most relevant one is the necessity for a scale dependence of the bias of the diffuse gas component, which will be interesting to test with future detections of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium. This investigation confirms the possibility to gain information onmore » the physics of galaxy and cluster formation by studying the clustering of mass, and our next work will consist of applying the halo model to use future high-precision cosmic shear surveys to this end. « less | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.1017/thg.2012.61 | Twins, Tissue, and Time: An Assessment of SNPs and CNVs | With the desire to assess genetic variation across the lifespan in large-scale collaborative projects, one question is whether inference of copy number (CN) is sensitive to the source of material for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis (e. g. , blood and buccal) and another question is whether CN is stable as individuals age. Here, we address these questions by applying Affymetrix 6. 0 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) micro-arrays to 1,472 DNA samples from 710 individuals from the Netherlands Twin Register, including twin and non-twin individuals (372 with buccal and blood derived DNA and 388 with longitudinal data). Similar concordance for CN and genotype inference between samples from the same individual [or from the monozygotic (MZ) co-twins] was found for blood and buccal tissues. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in across-tissue concordance compared with concordance of samples from the same tissue type. No temporal effect was seen on CN variation from the 388 individuals sampled at two time points ranging from 1 to 12 years apart. The majority of our individuals were sampled at age younger than 20 years. Genotype concordance was very high (R2 > 99%) between co-twins from 43 MZ pairs. For 75 dizygotic (DZ) pairs, R2 was ≈65%. CN estimates were highly consistent between co-twins from MZ pairs for both deletions (R2 ≈ 90%) and duplications (R2 ≈ 86%). For DZ, these were similar for within-individual comparisons, but naturally lower between co-twins (R2 ≈ 50–60%). These results suggest that DNA from buccal samples perform as well as DNA from blood samples on the current generation of micro-array technologies. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.3390/ijms21093036 | Cracking the Monoubiquitin Code of Genetic Diseases | Ubiquitination is a versatile and dynamic post-translational modification in which single ubiquitin molecules or polyubiquitin chains are attached to target proteins, giving rise to mono- or poly-ubiquitination, respectively. The majority of research in the ubiquitin field focused on degradative polyubiquitination, whereas more recent studies uncovered the role of single ubiquitin modification in important physiological processes. Monoubiquitination can modulate the stability, subcellular localization, binding properties, and activity of the target proteins. Understanding the function of monoubiquitination in normal physiology and pathology has important therapeutic implications, as alterations in the monoubiquitin pathway are found in a broad range of genetic diseases. This review highlights a link between monoubiquitin signaling and the pathogenesis of genetic disorders. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
249390 | Cultural Evolution of Neolithic Europe | The last 30 years have seen the rapid emergence and growth of a new high-profile interdisciplinary field, the study of cultural evolution, which has produced novel ways of understanding human cultural and socio-economic behaviour. In particular, it has produced mathematical models derived from evolutionary biology demonstrating the importance of culture and history in understanding human cultures and societies, while at the same time taking into account the adaptive dimension. The field has seen a great deal of theoretical development and some empirical work, not least by myself and colleagues at the UCL AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity and its predecessor. However, there has been no substantive attempt to bring the different sub-fields of cultural evolutionary theory and method together in an integrated fashion and apply them to large-scale case-studies in history or prehistory to address specific questions concerning the links between demographic, economic, social and cultural patterns and processes. The aim of this proposal is to do that for the first time and in doing so to provide the basis for a new account of the role of farming in transforming early European farming societies, c.6000-2000 calBC, focussing on the western half of Europe, where the available data are best. The project will have a major impact on the field of cultural evolution by providing a model example for cultural evolutionary studies of early societies in other parts of the world. It will also provide important new insights into the history of European society and give a significant impetus to re-orienting the disciplinary field of archaeology, making it part of the broader inter-disciplinary endeavour of evolutionary social science, as other researchers follow its example. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.030 | DNA Entry into and Exit out of the Cohesin Ring by an Interlocking Gate Mechanism | Structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) complexes are proteinaceous rings that embrace DNA to enable vital chromosomal functions. The ring is formed by two SMC subunits, closed at a pair of ATPase heads, whose interaction is reinforced by a kleisin subunit. Using biochemical analysis of fission-yeast cohesin, we find that a similar series of events facilitates both topological entrapment and release of DNA. DNA-sensing lysines trigger ATP hydrolysis to open the SMC head interface, whereas the Wapl subunit disengages kleisin, but only after ATP rebinds. This suggests an interlocking gate mechanism for DNA transport both into and out of the cohesin ring. The entry direction is facilitated by a cohesin loader that appears to fold cohesin to expose the DNA sensor. Our results provide a model for dynamic DNA binding by all members of the SMC family and explain how lysine acetylation of cohesin establishes enduring sister chromatid cohesion. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
223877 | Shuttle catalysis for reversible molecular construction | Homogeneous catalysis is one of the pillars of modern chemical synthesis because it enables the sustainable preparation of molecules that find applications in medicinal chemistry, agrochemistry, and materials science. However, many catalytic reactions use hazardous reagents, are unpractical on laboratory-scale or limited in scope. Moreover, while a relatively broad set of catalytic reactions are available to construct chemical bonds, methods to cleave those, which could find applications in biomass and waste valorization, are rare.
Inspired by the synthetic power of other metal-catalyzed reversible reactions, such as transfer hydrogenation and alkene metathesis, I herein describe a groundbreaking approach to homogeneous catalysis that makes use of a novel paradigm called “shuttle catalysis”, defined as the catalytic reversible transfer of chemical moieties between two molecules, to construct and deconstruct organic compounds. The first part of the proposal describes the invention of reversible catalytic functionalization reactions of alkenes following this principle. The second part addresses the challenge of developing safer catalytic carbonylation and decarbonylation reactions that do not use nor release toxic carbon monoxide gas. Finally, the last part proposes to apply the shuttle catalysis concept to the invention of unprecedented C–X (X = P, O, S, N) bond metathesis reactions. This new approach to catalysis has the potential to revolutionize the preparation, and streamline the discovery, of numerous important molecules with applications across the molecular sciences. Importantly, in order to mitigate the high risks inherent to such a groundbreaking approach, we have collected preliminary results to demonstrate the feasibility of each of the proposed subprojects. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
176391 | Laser-Induced vapour nanobubbles for intracellular delivery of nanomaterials and treatment of biofilm infections | Lasers have found widespread application in medicine, such as for photothermal therapy. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), are often used as enhancers of the photothermal effect since they can efficiently absorb laser light and convert it into thermal energy. When absorbing intense nano- or picosecond laser pulses, AuNPs can become extremely hot and water vapor nanobubbles (VNBs) can emerge around these particles in tissue. A VNB will expand up to several hundred nm until the thermal energy from the AuNP is consumed, after which the bubble violently collapses, causing mechanical damage to neighbouring structures. In this project the aim is to make use of the disruptive mechanical force of VNBs to enable highly controlled and efficient delivery of macromolecules and nanoparticles in cells and biofilms. First, optical set-ups and microfluidics devices will be developed for high-throughput treatment of cells and biofilms. Second, VNBs will be used to achieve efficient cytosolic delivery of functional macromolecules in mammalian cells by cell membrane perforation or by inducing endosomal escape of endocytosed nanomedicine formulations that are functionalized with AuNPs. These concepts will be applied to tumorigenesis research, generation of induced pluripotent stem cells and modulation of effector T-cells for adoptive T-cell anti-cancer therapy. Third, contrast nanoparticles for cell imaging will be delivered into the cytosol of mammalian cells through VNB induced cell membrane perforation. This will enable more reliable in vivo imaging of labelled cells, labelling of subcellular structures for time-lapse microscopy and intracellular biosensing. Finally, [... confidential...] laser-induced VNBs will be used [... confidential...] for improved eradication of biofilms. This concept will be applied to biofilm infections in dental root canals and chronic wounds. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
W2336246663 | Simplified Neutrosophic Linguistic Multi-criteria Group Decision-Making Approach to Green Product Development | For many companies, green product development has become a key strategic consideration due to regulatory requirements and market trends. In this paper, the life cycle assessment technique is used to develop an innovative multi-criteria group decision-making approach that incorporates power aggregation operators and a TOPSIS-based QUALIFLEX method in order to solve green product design selection problems using neutrosophic linguistic information. Differences in semantics as well as the risk preferences of decision-makers are considered in the proposed method. The practicality and effectiveness of the proposed approach are then demonstrated through an illustrative example, in which the proposed method is used to select the optimum green product design, followed by sensitivity and comparative analyses. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1080/02723638.2015.1133993 | Economic Decline And Residential Segregation A Swedish Study With Focus On Malmo | Economic crises are often associated with increasing levels of income segregation and income polarization. Poor neighborhoods generally hit more severely, with unemployment levels increasing and income levels dropping more than in better-off neighborhoods. In this article, we study the correlation between economic recession and income segregation in Malmo, Sweden, with focus on development in the regions’ poorest neighborhoods. We compare and contrast these areas’ development during a period of economic crisis (1990–1995) with development during a period characterized by relative economic stability. Our findings suggest that (1) income segregation and income polarization indeed increased during the period of economic crisis; (2) neighborhoods that were already poor before the crisis fared worse than the region in general; and (3) this development was due to both in situ changes and to residential sorting, where the differences in income and employment status between people moving into a neighborhood, those moving out, and those who remained in place were greater during the period of recession compared to the more stable period. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
W2028544621 | Microcontroller Based Implementation of an Integrated Navigation System for Ground Vehicles | Integration of low-cost inertial sensors with global position system is commonly used approach to increase the reliability and accuracy of navigation. Such systems are widely used in vehicle navigation and tracking systems. Integration of inertial navigation system and global positioning system (INS/GPS) is followed by the implementation of the Extended Kalman filter (EKF) for the purpose of optimal error estimation. The essence of integration lies in the fact that errors of each system are mutually uncorrelated. GPS data are the main source of information. In cases when GPS data are not available, INS data together with the EKF estimation are used. The main INS disadvantage is that it provides precise data only in short period of time. The EKF algorithm is implemented on the “mbed” microcontroller module and for purposes of communication with microcontroller, the user application is written. Original data have been collected during the real drive, while the intervals of GPS absence are simulated. The results obtained by simulation and practical implementation are presented in this paper. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
644987 | Sensation and inferences in perception, metacognition and action | The perceptual experience of humans is seamless, although there are major spatial gaps in the available sensory information due to internal (e.g. absence of photoreceptors in the blind-spot) or external reasons (e.g. occlusion by other objects). While the contents of these sensory gaps seem to be completed by inferences, it is unknown how those inferences are dealt with in further processing compared to veridical sensory information. Recently, we and others showed that inferred information is preferred over sensory information in metacognition. This contradicts one of the axioms of current thinking about human information processing, according to which information is weighted by its reliability.
SENCES aims to investigate the processing and usage of inferred information in comparison to veridical sensory information. First, we will use psychophysical and behavioral experiments to understand the role of inferences in perception, metacognition and action. Second, we will use EEG to distinguish between different models concerning the neural processing of inferences. Third, we will assess the role of inferences in pathological retinal scotomata and their plasticity along three time scales: across the lifespan by comparing healthy observers and patients experienced with missing sensory information due to long-term visual disorders; in the mid-term by studying the progression of pathological retinal scotomata in patients; in the short-term by training healthy observers with artificially missing sensory information.
SENCES will provide crucial insights into how a seamless perceptual experience is constructed and how it is shielded from gaps in sensory information. Studying different phenomena of perceptual completion will allow for the discovery of general principles. Finally, it will uncover positive and negative consequences of perceptual completion in pathological scotomata and might point towards new approaches for early diagnosis and behavioral treatment. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
W2795689702 | Abrigos temporários: um olhar arquitetônico sobre a relação entre usuário e ambiente | Temporary shelters are directly related to human survival in the early stages of a disaster. In that sense, shelters must provide an adequate response, focusing on spatial characteristics that should be relevant to social and environmental expectations. These work studies which spatial attributes of temporary shelters must be explored through a dimensional approach of public places proposed by Holanda and Kohlsdorf. Designing temporary shelters with a specific regard on the user-environment relationship is an activity that must also be based on the compatibility between the principles of Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Logistics, concepts that will be also approached in this study. From the dimensional approach to places, the authors also present spatial attributes that must be explored when seeking the best possible performance for temporary shelters.Keywords: architecture, emergency shelters, spatial attributes, Humanitarian Logistics, natural disaster. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
670986 | Development of Molecular-defined Non-noble Metal Complexes and Nano-structured Materials for Sustainable Redox Reactions Development of Molecular-defined Non-noble Metal Complexes and Nano-structured | The major objective of this proposal is the development of new active and selective catalysts based on earth abundant metals (e.g. Fe, Mn, Co, Cu). These catalysts will be used for improved synthetic transformations which are of interest for organic chemistry in general and which are also of significant practical value for the chemical and life science industries. Traditional catalysts based on non-noble metals are not efficient for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes under mild conditions. However, by creating a suitable microenvironment with M-N interactions they are becoming active and selective. According to our concept the suitable surrounding will be created either by using nitrogen-containing pincer ligands or nitrogen-doped graphenes. Consequently, a variety of both molecular-defined homogeneous catalysts as well as nano-structured heterogeneous materials will be prepared, characterized and tested in various catalytic applications. More specifically, the following redox transformations will be investigated: Hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation of carboxylic acids, esters, and nitriles; hydrogenation of amides and peptides; hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and selective oxidative coupling of alcohols to esters, amides, and nitriles. Furthermore, “waste-free” carbon-carbon bond forming reactions such as alkylations with alcohols and domino-synthesis of heterocycles from alcohols will be exploited. Finally, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts from earth abundant metals will be used in industrially relevant oxidative carbonylation reactions. With respect to methodology this proposal combines homogeneous with heterogeneous catalysis, which will result in new ideas for both fields. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
W2123575979 | Guaranteed characterization of exact confidence regions for FIR models under mild assumptions on the noise via interval analysis | SPS is one of the two methods proposed recently by Campi et al. to obtain exact, non-asymptotic confidence regions for parameter estimates under mild assumptions on the noise distribution. It does not require the measurement noise to be Gaussian (or to have any other known distribution for that matter). The numerical characterization of the resulting confidence regions is far from trivial, however, and has only be carried out so far on very low-dimensional problems via methods that could not guarantee their results and could not be extended to large-scale problems because of their intrinsic complexity. The aim of the present paper is to show how interval analysis can contribute to a guaranteed characterization of exact confidence regions in large-scale problems. The application considered is the estimation of the parameters of finite-impulse-response (FIR) models. The structure of the problem makes it possible to define a very efficient specific contractor, allowing the treatement of models with a large number of parameters, as is the rule for FIR models, and thus escaping the curse of dimensionality that often plagues interval methods. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1007/s10342-016-0990-7 | Elevational response in leaf and xylem phenology reveals different prolongation of growing period of common beech and Norway spruce under warming conditions in the Bavarian Alps | Alpine ecosystems face multiple environmental impacts caused by extraordinary rapid warming. One of the impacts caused by rising temperature is the prolongation of the growing season. To determine temperature-driven variation in leaf and xylem phenology, we studied Norway spruce and European beech along two elevational transects in the Northern Limestone Alps, southern Germany. Phenology was observed, and microcore samples were taken regularly from May to October 2011. Microcore thin sections were analyzed for expanding, wall thickening and mature cells in the forming tree ring. Leaf phenology and xylem phenology were compared in respect of onset dates, elevational responses and aspects. Both tree species showed similar responses to elevation in early spring leaf and xylem phenological phases. Delayed start dates and advanced end dates led to shortened growing seasons with elevation for both leaf and xylem development. Elevational responses of phenological phases were similar to each other throughout the growing season in spruce, but only at the beginning of the season for beech. Xylem growth periods from cell expansion until the end of lignification were strongly reduced with elevation for beech, especially the period in which new cells were formed. This was mainly due to an earlier end of xylem cell formation in higher elevations. For spruce, the length of the xylem cell growth period decreased less with elevation. Colder conditions in high elevations seemed to lead to a longer period of cell maturation in spruce. We conclude that with warmer temperature conditions, the tree-ring growth period could be lengthened more in beech compared to spruce, as long as it is not limited by drought stress or unfulfilled chilling requirements. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1354/vp.45-6-865 | Review Paper: A Review of the Pathology of Abnormal Placentae of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Clone Pregnancies in Cattle, Sheep, and Mice | Cloning of cattle, sheep, and mice by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) can result in apparently healthy offspring, but the probability of a successful and complete pregnancy is less than 5%. Failures of SCNT pregnancy are associated with placental abnormalities, such as placentomegaly, reduced vascularisation, hypoplasia of trophoblastic epithelium, and altered basement membrane. The pathogenesis of these changes is poorly understood, but current evidence implicates aberrant reprogramming of donor nuclei by the recipient oocyte cytoplast, resulting in epigenetic modifications of key regulatory genes essential for normal placental development. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the anatomic pathology of abnormal placentae of SCNT clones and to summarize current knowledge concerning underlying pathogenetic mechanisms. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1007/s00429-013-0538-2 | Amygdalar connections of the macaque areas 45A and 45B | In the present study, based on injections of retro- or retro-anterograde tracers at the cortical level, we analyzed the amygdalar connections of the caudal ventrolateral prefrontal areas 45A and 45B of the macaque and compared them with those of the adjacent areas 8/FEF, 8r, 46v, and 12r. The results showed that areas 45A and 45B display reciprocal amygdalar connections, which appear to be considerably richer than those of their neighboring areas. Specifically, these two areas are a target of differentially weighted projections originating predominantly from the magnocellular and the intermediate subdivisions of the basal nucleus and are a source of projections mostly directed to the magnocellular subdivision of the basal nucleus and the dorsal part of the lateral nucleus. The present data, together with previous data on the thalamic connectivity of areas 45A and 45B (Contini et al. Eur J Neurosci 32:1337-53, 2010), suggest that direct and indirect-trans-thalamic- amygdalar connectivity is a characterizing connectional feature of these two areas. Specifically, the amygdalar connections of area 45A, for which a role in communication behavior has been proposed, could convey information on the emotional significance of communicative signals to this area, where it could play a crucial role in guiding appropriate social interactions. Furthermore, the amygdalar connections of area 45B, possibly involved in higher-order aspects of visual guidance of gaze, could convey information related to the relevance of visual stimuli, which could contribute to a representation of priority maps in this VLPF area. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-319-96142-2_21 | Reasoning About Tso Programs Using Reduction And Abstraction | We present a method for proving that a program running under the Total Store Ordering (TSO) memory model is robust, i. e. , all its TSO computations are equivalent to computations under the Sequential Consistency (SC) semantics. This method is inspired by Lipton’s reduction theory for proving atomicity of concurrent programs. For programs which are not robust, we introduce an abstraction mechanism that allows to construct robust programs over-approximating their TSO semantics. This enables the use of proof methods designed for the SC semantics in proving invariants that hold on the TSO semantics of a non-robust program. These techniques have been evaluated on a large set of benchmarks using the infrastructure provided by CIVL, a generic tool for reasoning about concurrent programs under the SC semantics. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1107/S0909049512017682 | Multimodal Hard X Ray Imaging Of A Mammography Phantom At A Compact Synchrotron Light Source | The Compact Light Source is a miniature synchrotron producing X-rays at the interaction point of a counter-propagating laser pulse and electron bunch through the process of inverse Compton scattering. The small transverse size of the luminous region yields a highly coherent beam with an angular divergence of a few milliradians. The intrinsic monochromaticity and coherence of the produced X-rays can be exploited in high-sensitivity differential phase-contrast imaging with a grating-based interferometer. Here, the first multimodal X-ray imaging experiments at the Compact Light Source at a clinically compatible X-ray energy of 21 keV are reported. Dose-compatible measurements of a mammography phantom clearly demonstrate an increase in contrast attainable through differential phase and dark-field imaging over conventional attenuation-based projections. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
633417 | Towards intelligent dc-based hybrid grids optimizing the network performance | DC grids attractiveness has been increased in the last years due to the high proliferation of renewable energy sources together with the increase in DC loads (electronics, LED lighting, electric vehicles, energy storage…). The main drivers behind this paradigm shift are related to the improved efficiency, flexibility, security and reliability DC grids may provide, thus increasing the sustainability of the energy distribution system. However, there is a need for demonstration of DC technologies and grid topologies so that these solutions are able to evolve from a promising solution for the future smart grids to a commercially available technological option.
Under this context, TIGON aims to achieve a smooth deployment and integration of intelligent DC-based grid architectures within the current energy system while providing ancillary services to the main network. To do so, TIGON proposes a four-level approach aiming at improving 1) Reliability, 2) Resilience 3) Performance, and 4) Cost Efficiency of hybrid grids through the development of an innovative portfolio of power electronic solutions and software systems and tools focused on the efficient monitoring, control and management of DC grids. These solutions will be demonstrated in two main Demo-Sites located in France and Spain, while additional use cases in the residential and urban railway sectors will act as niche markets for analysing and further solidifying the replication of TIGON developments after the project’s end.
TIGON has involved for this purpose a multidisciplinary team of 15 partners from 8 different European Member States with a well-balanced consortium integrated by 7 non-profit entities and 7 companies. This partnership provides the required expertise from fields such as power electronics, cybersecurity, standardisation, etc. to design the solutions proposed within TIGON as well as the industrial capabilities required for the manufacturing, integration and validation of the whole TIGON concept. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0053877 | DNA Methylation in the Neuropeptide S Receptor 1 (NPSR1) Promoter in Relation to Asthma and Environmental Factors | Asthma and allergy are complex disorders influenced by both inheritance and environment, a relationship that might be further clarified by epigenetics. Neuropeptide S Receptor 1 (NPSR1) has been associated with asthma and allergy and a study suggested modulation of the genetic risk by environmental factors. We aimed to study DNA methylation in the promoter region of NPSR1 in relation to asthma and environmental exposures. Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) was used to investigate potential functional roles of both genotypes and methylation status in the NPSR1 promoter. DNA methylation was analysed using EpiTYPER in blood samples from two well-characterized cohorts; the BIOAIR study of severe asthma in adults and the Swedish birth cohort BAMSE. We observed that DNA methylation and genetic variants in the promoter influenced the binding of nuclear proteins to DNA, suggesting functional relevance. Significant, although small, differences in methylation were related to both adult severe asthma (p = 0. 0001) and childhood allergic asthma (p = 0. 01). Furthermore, DNA methylation was associated with exposures such as current smoking in adults for two CpG sites (p = 0. 005 and 0. 04), parental smoking during infancy in the children (p = 0. 02) and in which month the sample was taken (p = 0. 01). In summary, DNA methylation levels in the promoter of NPSR1 showed small but significant associations with asthma, both in adults and in children, and to related traits such as allergy and certain environmental exposures. Both genetic variation and the methylated state of CpG sites seem to have an effect on the binding of nuclear proteins in the regulatory region of NPSR1 suggesting complex regulation of this gene in asthma and allergy. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1007/s10909-019-02222-6 | Niobium Nitride Thin Films for Very Low Temperature Resistive Thermometry | We investigate thin-film resistive thermometry based on metal-to-insulator transition (niobium nitride) materials down to very low temperature. The variation of the NbN thermometer resistance has been calibrated versus temperature and magnetic field. High sensitivity in temperature variation detection is demonstrated through efficient temperature coefficient of resistance. The nitrogen content of the niobium nitride thin films can be tuned to adjust the optimal working temperature range. In the present experiment, we show the versatility of the NbN thin-film technology through applications in very different low-temperature use cases. We demonstrate that thin-film resistive thermometry can be extended to temperatures below 30 mK with low electrical impedance. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2213456051 | Cyber physical system (CPS) for contactless IC testing | In this paper, we study the testing flow in fabrication process of stacked-die products. We discuss the difficulties of traditional testing mechanism. To improve production yield, a contactless testing with cyber physical system (CPS) for pre-bond interposers is proposed in this paper. We propose a testing framework comprising a heating laser and an infrared-radiation camera. In addition, we also build a completely correct model of a functional interposer. By our proposed Classification Algorithm and BDA classifier, functional and defective interposers can be differentiated. Our experimental results show that the proposed framework provides an over 97% accuracy to identify functional interposers from a whole batch of untested products. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1167/18.12.9 | Visual Perceptual Learning Modulates Decision Network In The Human Brain The Evidence From Psychophysics Modeling And Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Perceptual learning refers to improved perceptual performance after intensive training and was initially suggested to reflect long-term plasticity in early visual cortex. Recent behavioral and neurophysiological evidence further suggested that the plasticity in brain regions related to decision making could also contribute to the observed training effects. However, how perceptual learning modulates the responses of decision-related regions in the human brain remains largely unknown. In the present study, we combined psychophysics and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and adopted a model-based approach to investigate this issue. We trained participants on a motion direction discrimination task and fitted their behavioral data using the linear ballistic accumulator model. The results from model fitting showed that behavioral improvement could be well explained by a specific improvement in sensory information accumulation. A critical model parameter, the drift rate of the information accumulation, was correlated with the fMRI responses derived from three spatial independent components: ventral premotor cortex (PMv), supplementary eye field (SEF), and the fronto-parietal network, including intraparietal sulcus (IPS) and frontal eye field (FEF). In this decision network, we found that the behavioral training effects were accompanied by signal enhancement specific to trained direction in PMv and FEF. Further, we also found direction-specific signal reduction in sensory areas (V3A and MT+), as well as the strengthened effective connectivity from V3A to PMv and from IPS to FEF. These findings provide evidence for the learning-induced decision refinement after perceptual learning and the brain regions that are involved in this process. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1111/febs.13319 | Laminin L4 domain structure resembles adhesion modules in ephrin receptor and other transmembrane glycoproteins | The ∼ 800 kDa laminin heterotrimer forms a distinctive cross-shaped structure that further self-assembles into networks within the extracellular matrix. The domains at the laminin chain termini, which engage in network formation and cell-surface interaction, are well understood both structurally and functionally. By contrast, the structures and roles of additional domains embedded within the limbs of the laminin cross have remained obscure. Here, we report the X-ray crystal structure, determined to 1. 2 Å resolution, of the human laminin α2 subunit L4b domain, site of an inframe deletion mutation associated with mild congenital muscular dystrophy. The α2 L4b domain is an irregular β-sandwich with many short and broken strands linked by extended loops. The most similar known structures are the carbohydrate-binding domains of bacterial cellulases, the ephrin-binding domain of ephrin receptors, and MAM adhesion domains in various other eukaryotic cell-surface proteins. This similarity to mammalian adhesion modules, which was not predicted on the basis of amino acid sequence alone due to lack of detectable homology, suggests that laminin internal domains evolved from a progenitor adhesion molecule and may retain a role in cell adhesion in the context of the laminin trimer. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1109/TPAMI.2017.2711011 | Netvlad Cnn Architecture For Weakly Supervised Place Recognition | We tackle the problem of large scale visual place recognition, where the task is to quickly and accurately recognize the location of a given query photograph. We present the following four principal contributions. First, we develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture that is trainable in an end-to-end manner directly for the place recognition task. The main component of this architecture, NetVLAD, is a new generalized VLAD layer, inspired by the “Vector of Locally Aggregated Descriptors” image representation commonly used in image retrieval. The layer is readily pluggable into any CNN architecture and amenable to training via backpropagation. Second, we create a new weakly supervised ranking loss, which enables end-to-end learning of the architecture's parameters from images depicting the same places over time downloaded from Google Street View Time Machine. Third, we develop an efficient training procedure which can be applied on very large-scale weakly labelled tasks. Finally, we show that the proposed architecture and training procedure significantly outperform non-learnt image representations and off-the-shelf CNN descriptors on challenging place recognition and image retrieval benchmarks. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
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