id
stringlengths 6
42
| title
stringlengths 3
499
| abstract
stringlengths 0
6.24k
| label
listlengths 1
6
|
|---|---|---|---|
10.1051/0004-6361/201219223 | Resolving Hd 100546 Disc In The Mid Infrared Small Inner Disc And Asymmetry Near The Gap | A region of roughly half of the solar system scale around the star HD 100546 is largely cleared of gas and dust, in contrast to the bright outer disc. However, some material is observed in the immediate vicinity of the star. We investigate how the dust is distributed within and outside the gap, and constrain the disc geometry with mid-infrared interferometric observations using VLTI/MIDI. With baseline lengths of 40m, our long baseline observations are sensitive to the inner few AU from the star, and we combined them with observations at shorter, 15m baselines, to probe emission beyond the gap at up to 20AU from the star. We modelled the mid-infrared emission using radial temperature profiles. Our model is composed of infinitesimal concentric annuli emitting as black bodies, and it has distinct inner and outer disc components. We derived an upper limit of 0. 7AU for the radial size of the inner disc, from our longest baseline data. This small dusty disc is separated from the edge of the outer disc by a large, roughly 10AU wide gap. Our short baseline data place a bright ring of emission at 11+-1AU, consistent with prior observations of the transition region between the gap and the outer disc, known as the disc wall. The inclination and position angle are constrained by our data to i=53+-8deg and PA=145+-5deg. Compared to the rim and outer disc geometry this suggests co-planarity. Brightness asymmetry is evident in both short and long baseline data, and it is unequivocally discernible from any atmospheric or instrumental effects. The origin of the asymmetry is consistent with the bright disc wall, which we find to be 1-2AU wide. The gap is cleared of micron-sized dust, but we cannot rule out the presence of larger particles and/or perturbing bodies. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-030-45388-6_1 | The Randomized Slicer For Cvpp Sharper Faster Smaller Batchier | Following the recent line of work on solving the closest vector problem with preprocessing (CVPP) using approximate Voronoi cells, we improve upon previous results in the following ways:
We derive sharp asymptotic bounds on the success probability of the randomized slicer, by modelling the behaviour of the algorithm as a random walk on the coset of the lattice of the target vector. We thereby solve the open question left by Doulgerakis–Laarhoven–De Weger [PQCrypto 2019] and Laarhoven [MathCrypt 2019]. We obtain better trade-offs for CVPP and its generalisations (strictly, in certain regimes), both with and without nearest neighbour searching, as a direct result of the above sharp bounds on the success probabilities. We show how to reduce the memory requirement of the slicer, and in particular the corresponding nearest neighbour data structures, using ideas similar to those proposed by Becker–Gama–Joux [Cryptology ePrint Archive, 2015]. Using \(2^{0. 185d + o(d)}\) memory, we can solve a single CVPP instance in \(2^{0. 264d + o(d)}\) time. We further improve on the per-instance time complexities in certain memory regimes, when we are given a sufficiently large batch of CVPP problem instances for the same lattice. Using \(2^{0. 208d + o(d)}\) memory, we can heuristically solve CVPP instances in \(2^{0. 234d + o(d)}\) amortized time, for batches of size at least \(2^{0. 058d + o(d)}\). | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
W2046077564 | Set-specific capture can be reduced by pre-emptively occupying a limited-capacity focus of attention | Recent work has shown that contingent attentional capture effects can be especially large when multiple attentional sets for color guide visual search (Moore & Weissman, 2010). In particular, this research suggests that detecting a target-colored (e.g., orange) distractor leads the corresponding attentional set (e.g., identify orange letters) to enter a limited-capacity focus of attention in working memory, where it remains briefly while the distractor is being attended. Consequently, the ability to identify a differently-colored (e.g., green) target 100-300 ms later is impaired because the appropriate set (e.g., identify green letters) cannot also enter the focus of attention. In two experiments, we investigated whether such set-specific capture can be reduced by preemptively occupying the focus of attention. As predicted, a target-colored central distractor presented 233 ms before a target-colored peripheral distractor eliminated set-specific capture arising from the peripheral distractor. Moreover, this effect was observed only when the central distractor's color (e.g., orange) (a) matched a different set than the upcoming peripheral distractor's color (e.g., green) and (b) matched the same set as the upcoming central target's color (e.g., orange). We conclude that the same working memory limitations that give rise to set-specific capture can be preemptively exploited to reduce it. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1126/sciadv.aau9000 | Escaping undesired gas-phase chemistry: Microwave-driven selectivity enhancement in heterogeneous catalytic reactors | Research in solid-gas heterogeneous catalytic processes is typically aimed toward optimization of catalyst composition to achieve a higher conversion and, especially, a higher selectivity. However, even with the most selective catalysts, an upper limit is found: Above a certain temperature, gas-phase reactions become important and their effects cannot be neglected. Here, we apply a microwave field to a catalyst-support ensemble capable of direct microwave heating (MWH). We have taken extra precautions to ensure that (i) the solid phase is free from significant hot spots and (ii) an accurate estimation of both solid and gas temperatures is obtained. MWH allows operating with a catalyst that is significantly hotter than the surrounding gas, achieving a high conversion on the catalyst while reducing undesired homogeneous reactions. We demonstrate the concept with the CO2-mediated oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutane, but it can be applied to any system with significant undesired homogeneous contributions. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1364/BOE.3.002471 | In Vivo Human Crystalline Lens Topography | Custom high-resolution high-speed anterior segment spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to characterize three-dimensionally (3-D) the human crystalline lens in vivo. The system was provided with custom algorithms for denoising and segmentation of the images, as well as for fan (scanning) and optical (refraction) distortion correction, to provide fully quantitative images of the anterior and posterior crystalline lens surfaces. The method was tested on an artificial eye with known surfaces geometry and on a human lens in vitro, and demonstrated on three human lenses in vivo. Not correcting for distortion overestimated the anterior lens radius by 25% and the posterior lens radius by more than 65%. In vivo lens surfaces were fitted by biconicoids and Zernike polynomials after distortion correction. The anterior lens radii of curvature ranged from 10. 27 to 14. 14 mm, and the posterior lens radii of curvature ranged from 6. 12 to 7. 54 mm. Surface asphericities ranged from −0. 04 to −1. 96. The lens surfaces were well fitted by quadrics (with variation smaller than 2%, for 5-mm pupils), with low amounts of high order terms. Surface lens astigmatism was significant, with the anterior lens typically showing horizontal astigmatism (Z22 ranging from −11 to −1 µm) and the posterior lens showing vertical astigmatism (Z22 ranging from 6 to 10 µm). | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00202 | The impact of perceived similarity on tacit coordination: Propensity for matching and aversion to decoupling choices | Homophily, or “love for similar others,” has been shown to play a fundamental role in the formation of interpersonal ties and social networks. Yet no study has investigated whether perceived similarities can affect tacit coordination. We had 68 participants attempt to maximize real monetary earnings by choosing between a safe but low paying option (that could be obtained with certainty) and a potentially higher paying but “risky” one, which depended on the choice of a matched counterpart. While making their choices participants were mutually informed of whether their counterparts similarly or dissimilarly identified with three person-descriptive words as themselves. We found that similarity increased the rate of “risky” choices only when the game required counterparts to match their choices (stag hunt games). Conversely, similarity led to decreased risk rates when they were to tacitly decouple their choices (entry games). Notably, though similarity increased coordination in the matching environment, it did not did not increase it in the decoupling game. In spite of this, similarity increased (expected) payoffs across both coordination environments. This could shed light on why homophily is so successful as a social attractor. Finally, this propensity for matching and aversion to decoupling choices was not observed when participants “liked” their counterparts but were dissimilar to them. We thus conclude that the impact of similarity of coordination should not be reduced to “liking” others (i. e. , social preferences) but it is also about predicting them. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1007/s10240-017-0088-x | Double ramification cycles on the moduli spaces of curves | Curves of genus g which admit a map to P1 with specified ramification profile μ over 0 ∈ P1 and ν over ∞ ∈ P1 define a double ramification cycle DRg(μ, ν) on the moduli space of curves. The study of the restrictions of these cycles to the moduli of nonsingular curves is a classical topic. In 2003, Hain calculated the cycles for curves of compact type. We study here double ramification cycles on the moduli space of Deligne-Mumford stable curves. The cycle DRg(μ, ν) for stable curves is defined via the virtual fundamental class of the moduli of stable maps to rubber. Our main result is the proof of an explicit formula for DRg(μ, ν) in the tautological ring conjectured by Pixton in 2014. The formula expresses the double ramification cycle as a sum over stable graphs (corresponding to strata classes) with summand equal to a product over markings and edges. The result answers a question of Eliashberg from 2001 and specializes to Hain’s formula in the compact type case. When μ= ν= ∅ , the formula for double ramification cycles expresses the top Chern class λg of the Hodge bundle of M‾ g as a push-forward of tautological classes supported on the divisor of non-separating nodes. Applications to Hodge integral calculations are given. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1093/mnras/staa047 | Weighing the stellar constituents of the galactic halo with APOGEE red giant stars | ABSTRACT
The stellar mass in the halo of the Milky Way is notoriously difficult to determine, owing to the paucity of its stars in the solar neighbourhood. With tentative evidence from Gaia that the nearby stellar halo is dominated by a massive accretion event – referred to as Gaia-Enceladus or Sausage – these constraints are now increasingly urgent. We measure the mass in kinematically selected mono-abundance populations (MAPs) of the stellar halo between −3 < [Fe/H] < −1 and 0. 0 < [Mg/Fe] < 0. 4 using red giant star counts from APOGEE DR14. We find that MAPs are well fit by single power laws on triaxial ellipsoidal surfaces, and we show that that the power-law slope α changes such that high [Mg/Fe] populations have α ∼ 4, whereas low [Mg/Fe] MAPs are more extended with shallow slopes, α ∼ 2. We estimate the total stellar mass to be $M_{*,\mathrm{tot}} = 1. 3^{+0. 3}_{-0. 2}\times 10^{9}\ \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$, of which we estimate ${\sim}0. 9^{+0. 2}_{-0. 1} \times 10^{9}\ \mathrm{M_{\odot}}$ to be accreted. We estimate that the mass of accreted stars with e > 0. 7 is M*,accreted, e > 0. 7 = 3 ± 1 (stat. ) ± 1 (syst. ) × 108 M⊙, or ${\sim}30{-}50{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the accreted halo mass. If the majority of these stars are the progeny of a massive accreted dwarf, this places an upper limit on its stellar mass, and implies a halo mass for the progenitor of ∼1010. 2 ± 0. 2 M⊙. This constraint not only shows that the Gaia-Enceladus/Sausage progenitor may not be as massive as originally suggested, but that the majority of the Milky Way stellar halo was accreted. These measurements are an important step towards fully reconstructing the assembly history of the Milky Way. | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1002/2016JD025801 | Sensitivity Of Simulated Summer Monsoonal Precipitation In Langtang Valley Himalaya To Cloud Microphysics Schemes In Wrf | A better understanding of regional-scale precipitation patterns in the Himalayan region is required to increase our knowledge of the impacts of climate change on downstream water availability. This study examines the impact of four cloud microphysical schemes (Thompson, Morrison, WRF Single-Moment 5-class, and WRF Double-Moment 6-class) on summer monsoon precipitation in the Langtang Valley in the central Nepalese Himalayas, as simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at 1-km grid spacing for a 10-day period in July 2012. The model results are evaluated through a comparison with surface precipitation and radiation measurements made at two observation sites. Additional understanding is gained from a detailed examination of the microphysical characteristics simulated by each scheme, which are compared with measurements using a spaceborne radar/lidar cloud product. Also examined are the roles of large and small-scale forcing. In general the schemes are able to capture the timing of surface precipitation better than the actual amounts in the Langtang Valley, which are predominately underestimated, with the Morrison scheme showing the best agreement with the measured values. The schemes all show a large positive bias in incoming radiation. Analysis of the radar/lidar cloud product and hydrometeors from each of the schemes suggests that ‘cold-rain’ processes are a key precipitation formation mechanism, which is also well represented by the Morrison scheme. As well as microphysical structure, both large-scale and localised forcing is also important. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1002/adma.201707489 | A Living-Dead Magnetic Layer at the Surface of Ferrimagnetic DyTiO<inf>3</inf> Thin Films | When ferromagnetic films become ultrathin, key properties such as the Curie temperature and the saturation magnetization are usually depressed. This effect is thoroughly investigated in magnetic oxides such as half-metallic manganites, but much less in ferrimagnetic insulating perovskites such as rare-earth titanates RTiO3, despite their appeal to design correlated 2D electron gases. Here, the magnetic properties of epitaxial DyTiO3 thin films are reported. While films thicker than about 50 nm show a bulk-like response, at low thickness a surprising increase of the saturation magnetization is observed. This behavior is described using a classical model of a “dead layer” but assuming that this layer is actually “living,” that is, it responds to the magnetic field with a strong paramagnetic susceptibility. Through depth-dependent X-ray absorption and photoemission spectroscopy, it is shown that the “living-dead layer” corresponds to surface regions where magnetic (S = 1/2) Ti3+ ions are replaced by nonmagnetic Ti4+ ions. Hysteresis cycles at the Dy M5 and Ti L3 edges indicate that the surface Ti4+ ions decouple the Dy3+ ions, thus unleashing their strong paramagnetic response. Finally, it is shown how capping the DyTiO3 film can help increase the Ti3+ content near the surface and thus recover a better ferrimagnetic behavior. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1083/jcb.201403127 | A RAB5/RAB4 recycling circuitry induces a proteolytic invasive program and promotes tumor dissemination | The mechanisms by which tumor cells metastasize and the role of endocytic proteins in this process are not well understood. We report that overexpression of the GTPase RAB5A, a master regulator of endocytosis, is predictive of aggressive behavior and metastatic ability in human breast cancers. RAB5A is necessary and sufficient to promote local invasion and distant dissemination of various mammary and nonmammary tumor cell lines, and this prometastatic behavior is associated with increased intratumoral cell motility. Specifically, RAB5A is necessary for the formation of invadosomes, membrane protrusions specialized in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. RAB5A promotes RAB4- and RABENOSYN-5–dependent endo/exocytic cycles (EECs) of critical cargos (membrane-type 1 matrix metalloprotease [MT1-MMP] and β3 integrin) required for invadosome formation in response to motogenic stimuli. This trafficking circuitry is necessary for spatially localized hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/MET signaling that drives invasive, proteolysis-dependent chemotaxis in vitro and for conversion of ductal carcinoma in situ to invasive ductal carcinoma in vivo. Thus, RAB5A/RAB4 EECs promote tumor dissemination by controlling a proteolytic, mesenchymal invasive program. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
724537 | Inside the Self: from interoception to self- and other-awareness | Modern psychology has long focused on the importance of the body as the basis of the self. However, this focus concerned the exteroceptive body, that is, the body as perceived from the outside, as when we recognize ourselves in the mirror. This influential approach has neglected another important dimension of the body, namely the interoceptive body, that is, the body as perceived from within, as for example when one feels her racing heart. In psychology, research on interoception has focused mainly on its role in emotion. INtheSELF, however, goes beyond this approach, aiming instead to show how interoception and interoceptive awareness serve the unity and stability of the self, analogous to the role of interoception in maintaining physiological homeostasis. To test this hypothesis we go beyond the division between interoception and exteroception to consider their integration in self-awareness. INtheSELF will develop novel, pioneering methods for the study of causal relationships between interoceptive and exteroceptive awareness (WP1), allowing us to test how these two sources of information about the self interact to reflect the balance between stability and adaptation (WP2); how their inter-relation is built in parallel to the development of self-awareness in early childhood and adolescence (WP3); and the role that their interaction has for social relatedness (WP4). INtheSELF provides an alternative to existing psychological theories of the self insofar it goes beyond the apparent antagonism between the awareness of the self from the outside and from within, to consider their dynamic integration. In doing so, INtheSELF aims to elucidate for the first time how humans navigate the challenging balance between inside and out, in terms of both the individual’s natural (interoception vs. exteroception) and social (self vs. others) embodiment in the world. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
10.1021/es405581g | Glyoxal induced atmospheric photosensitized chemistry leading to organic aerosol growth | In recent years, it has been proposed that gas phase glyoxal could significantly contribute to ambient organic aerosol (OA) mass through multiphase chemistry. Of particular interest is the reaction between glyoxal and ammonium cations producing light-absorbing compounds such as imidazole derivatives. It was recently shown that imidazole-2-carboxaldehyde (IC) can act as a photosensitizer, initiating aerosol growth in the presence of gaseous volatile organic compounds. Given the potential importance of this new photosensitized growth pathway for ambient OA, the related reaction mechanism was investigated at a molecular level. Bulk and flow tube experiments were performed to identify major products of the reaction of limonene with the triplet state of IC by direct (±)ESI-HRMS and UPLC/(±)HESI-HRMS analysis. Detection of recombination products of IC with limonene or with itself, in bulk and flow tube experiments, showed that IC is able to initiate a radical chemistry in the aerosol phase under realistic irradiation conditions. Furthermore, highly oxygenated limonene reaction products were detected, clearly explaining the observed OA growth. The chemistry of peroxy radicals derived from limonene upon addition of oxygen explains the formation of such low-volatile compounds without any traditional gas phase oxidant. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W185191021 | Assessment of CO2 Emission Reduction in Road Construction Using Recycled Concrete Materials | Climatic change is a grave threat for human life. After the industrial revolution, the rapid increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide (CO2), is primarily responsible for global warming over the past 50 years. Particularly, the high emission of CO2 in civil works becomes a critical issue for urban development and construction due to its high energy demand and fuel consumption. Therefore, it is important to make the effort to reduce the CO2 emission from each quality construction project. Based on product-category rules (PCR), two major road construction materials, asphalt concrete and cement concrete, were studied in this paper. Carbon footprints of the studied materials were examined through the cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) from raw material mining and transportation to factory manufacturing. Our results showed that the primary factor controlling the CO2 emission factor of recycled concrete is the proportion of recycled materials in the mixture of cement and fine-grained aggregates. The amount of CO2 emission of road construction using recycled asphalt concrete was 4.533 kg CO2 less than those using normal asphalt concrete. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1007/s00418-017-1604-2 | Recapitulating in vivo-like plasticity of glioma cell invasion along blood vessels and in astrocyte-rich stroma | Diffuse invasion of glioma cells into the brain parenchyma leads to nonresectable brain tumors and poor prognosis of glioma disease. In vivo, glioma cells can adopt a range of invasion strategies and routes, by moving as single cells, collective strands and multicellular networks along perivascular, perineuronal and interstitial guidance cues. Current in vitro assays to probe glioma cell invasion, however, are limited in recapitulating the modes and adaptability of glioma invasion observed in brain parenchyma, including collective behaviours. To mimic in vivo-like glioma cell invasion in vitro, we here applied three tissue-inspired 3D environments combining multicellular glioma spheroids and reconstituted microanatomic features of vascular and interstitial brain structures. Radial migration from multicellular glioma spheroids of human cell lines and patient-derived xenograft cells was monitored using (1) reconstituted basement membrane/hyaluronan interfaces representing the space along brain vessels; (2) 3D scaffolds generated by multi-layered mouse astrocytes to reflect brain interstitium; and (3) freshly isolated mouse brain slice culture ex vivo. The invasion patterns in vitro were validated using histological analysis of brain sections from glioblastoma patients and glioma xenografts infiltrating the mouse brain. Each 3D assay recapitulated distinct aspects of major glioma invasion patterns identified in mouse xenografts and patient brain samples, including individually migrating cells, collective strands extending along blood vessels, and multicellular networks of interconnected glioma cells infiltrating the neuropil. In conjunction, these organotypic assays enable a range of invasion modes used by glioma cells and will be applicable for mechanistic analysis and targeting of glioma cell dissemination. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
742345 | Cryogenic Rare-event Observatory with Surface Sensitivity | CROSS will set the grounds for large-scale experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta decay with zero background at an exposure scale of ~1 tonne x year and with very high energy resolution – about 1.5‰ – in the region of interest. These features will enable searching for lepton number violation with unprecedented sensitivity, penetrating in prospect the direct-ordering region of the neutrino masses. CROSS will be based on arrays of TeO2 and Li2MoO4 bolometers enriched in the isotopes of interest 130Te and 100Mo, respectively. There are strong arguments in favor of these choices, such as the high double beta transition energy of these candidates, the easy crystallization processes of TeO2 and Li2MoO4, and the superior bolometric performance of these compounds in terms of energy resolution and intrinsic purity. The key idea in CROSS is to reject surface events (a dominant background source) by pulse-shape discrimination, obtained by exploiting solid-state-physics phenomena in superconductors. The surfaces of the crystals will be coated by an ultrapure superconductive aluminium film, which will act as a pulse-shape modifier by delaying the pulse development in case of shallow energy depositions, exploiting the long quasi-particle life-time in aluminium. This method will allow getting rid of the light detectors used up to now to discriminate surface alpha particles, simplifying a lot the bolometric structure and achieving the additional advantage to reject also beta surface events, which unfortunately persist as an ultimate background source if only alpha particles are tagged. The intrinsic modularity and the simplicity of the read-out will make CROSS easily expandable. The CROSS program is focused on an intermediate experiment with 90 crystals, installed underground in the Canfranc laboratory, which will be not only extremely competitive in the international context but also a decisive step to demonstrate the enormous potential of CROSS in terms of background. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1080/19472498.2019.1576300 | Law Governance And Culture In Gilgit Baltistan Introduction | This paper offers an introduction to law, governance and culture in Gilgit-Baltistan. The first section provides a historical survey of the most significant events that make of Gilgit-Baltistan a d. . . | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1117/12.2013201 | Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis Over A 240 Km Long Fiber Loop With No Repeater | In this paper we combine the use of optical pulse coding and seeded second-order Raman amplification to extend the sensing distance of Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) sensors. Using 255-bit Simplex coding, the power levels of the Raman pumps and the Brillouin pump and probe signals were adjusted in order to extend the real physical sensing distance of a BOTDA sensor up to 120 km away from the sensor interrogation unit, employing a 240-km long loop of standard single-mode fiber (SSMF) with no repeater. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that distributed measurements are carried out over such a long distance with no active device inserted into the entire sensing loop, constituting a considerable breakthrough in the field. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
US 2020/0023318 W | COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING A PHOSPHORUS DERIVATIVE OF NICOTINAMIDE RIBOSIDE AND METHODS FOR MODULATION OF NICOTINAMIDE ADENINE DINUCLEOTIDE | The invention relates to compounds and compositions for modulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The invention also relates to methods of making such compounds and compositions. The invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing one or more NAD+ modulating compounds as a first ingredient in combination with one or more active pharmaceutical ingredients. Further, the invention relates to methods of using such compounds or compositions to promote the increase of intracellular levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) in cells and tissues for treating diseases and/or improving cell and tissue survival. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1145/3371079 | Persistency Semantics Of The Intel X86 Architecture | Emerging non-volatile memory (NVM) technologies promise the durability of disks with the performance of RAM. To describe the persistency guarantees of NVM, several memory persistency models have been proposed in the literature. However, the persistency semantics of the ubiquitous x86 architecture remains unexplored to date. To close this gap, we develop the Px86 (‘persistent x86’) model, formalising the persistency semantics of Intel-x86 for the first time. We formulate Px86 both operationally and declaratively, and prove that the two characterisations are equivalent. To demonstrate the application of Px86, we develop two persistent libraries over Px86: a persistent transactional library, and a persistent variant of the Michael–Scott queue. Finally, we encode our declarative Px86 model in Alloy and use it to generate persistency litmus tests automatically. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
US 0122259 W | STRUCTURED FINANCE PERFORMANCE MONITORING INDEX | A method for assessing and dynamically rating transactions (180) for structured finance transactions. The method assesses the deviation (170) from a payment promise to be expected from securities backed by pools of assets of various forms (100), the securities being issued in a plurality of tranches (125). The liabilities of the transaction, including triggers and external form of credit enhancement, are taken into account precisely to compute the deviation from the payment promise to be expected by liability holders. Data representing the structure of the transaction and the current state of the asset pool are received (100). A Markov chain formalism (150) is applied on the received data, and a cash flow model is constructed to predict the cash flow performance (180) of the asset pool. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
Q4753821 | INCREASE COMPETITIVENESS SMES — ECO CENTER SARDEGNA S.R.L. | THE INITIATIVE IS AIMED AT INCREASING THE PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF THE COMPANY’S PLANT THROUGH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING UNCOVERED AREA FOR THE CREATION OF NEW OPEN-AIR SPACES FOR THE RESERVOIR OF WASTE BY MEANS OF MASONRY WORKS, THE PURCHASE OF A PLANT FOR THE PACKAGING OF THE DRY FRACTION OF MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE, OF A TRAILER, OF COMPACTERS AND VARIOUS EQUIPMENT. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
interreg_419 | Cost-effective rehabilitation of public buildings into smart and resilient nano-grids using storage | The high energy consumption in the building sector, that is primarily fossil-fuel based, and the limited availability of the national electric grid in some remote or rural areas of the Mediterranean region call for new solutions that ensure stability and power quality of energy provision and higher penetration of renewable energy sources. In this context, BERLIN aims to implement cross-border pilot measures to support innovative and cost-effective energy rehabilitations in public buildings based on the nano-grid concept, the building block for smart micro-grids. The project will focus on increasing grid penetration, combined with energy storage and demand-side management, along with enhancement of energy efficiency in buildings. The goal is to reach high levels of self-resilience in public buildings and to make them greener, smarter, more innovative and sustainable. The project will implement 8 energy rehabilitation pilot actions which bring effectively together photovoltaic, energy storage, smart grid elements, home automation, etc. to achieve a self-sufficient nano-grid. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
648329 | Groups, Representations and Analysis in Number Theory | The last decade has seen remarkable progress in the study of growth in infinite families of groups. The main approach has its roots in additive combinatorics, but has truly given fruit in a non-commutative context. It is becoming clear that the central role is played not by groups in isolation, but by actions of groups. It is from this perspective that my plan addresses, at the same time, questions on growth in groups as such and hard problems in analytic number theory.
While this line of research on growth started with the study of matrix groups, it has now given strong results on permutation groups as well. Two outstanding matters are the control of dependence on rank in matrix groups, and the removal of the need for the Classification Theorem in permutation groups. Going beyond these questions on diameter and expansion, there are at least three new directions I propose to follow: towards algorithms, towards geometric group theory, and towards number theory.
Some of the main recent results in the area take the form of diameter bounds. Bounding a diameter amounts to showing that one can express any element of a group as a short product of generators. One of the main algorithmic questions consists in actually finding such an expression, and doing so rapidly. Links between geometric group theory (which studies growth in infinite groups) and the new combinatorial techniques ought to become stronger. Sofic and hyperlinear groups -- which arose in part from geometric group theory -- seem to invite a combinatorial approach.
Additive combinatorics has already shown its relevance to exponential sums, a key subject in analytic number theory. Can a newer perspective based on actions of groups give more general results? Short Kloosterman sums, which are particularly hard to bound, can be framed as a test case.
I also plan to pursue related interests in automorphic forms - which are a classical example of the relevance of group actions to number theory - and model theory. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.nuclphysbps.2013.04.013 | Testing the Reactor and Gallium Anomalies with Intense (Anti)Neutrino Emitters | Several observed anomalies in neutrino oscillation data could be explained by a hypothetical fourth neutrino separated from the three standard neutrinos by a squared mass difference of a few 0. 1eV2 or more. This hypothesis can be tested with MCi neutrino electron capture sources (51Cr) or kCi antineutrino β-source (144Ce) deployed inside or next to a large low background neutrino detector. In particular, the compact size of this source coupled with the localization of the interaction vertex lead to an oscillating pattern in event spatial (and possibly energy) distributions that would unambiguously determine neutrino mass differences and mixing angles. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
948152 | Note-taking and Notebooks as Channels of Medieval Academic Dissemination across Europe | Note-taking is a common intellectual practice. In academia, it is a universal endeavor that we share with students since the origin of the universities. Yet no one has focused on this practice as an original and independent object of research that, once investigated, will bring innovation and expand our knowledge of European intellectual history. Project NOTA is an ambitious enterprise, rooted in the discovery that decoding medieval notebooks produced in the context of late medieval universities will reveal invisible aspects of the process of producing scientific knowledge, of the European networking of scholars, and of the dynamic circulation of texts. Stemming from the Faculty of Theology during the 14th and 15th centuries, when paper invaded the university as an accessible material support, the student’s notebooks constitute the ideal laboratory in which we can investigate how knowledge was formed and disseminated by means of note-taking. It was one of the superior faculties, meaning that the note-takers had reached intellectual maturity, offering notes of better quality than those of students in the liberal arts. Proposing a unique corpus of Latin manuscripts, project NOTA will launch creative reflections on the motivation and the technical aspects involved in producing notebooks. The project will combine interdisciplinary approaches (doctrinal, codicological and paleographical) and will impact the present state of the art by showing the potential of data that can be obtained by deciphering the practice of note-taking. New concepts will be launched (classification of notebooks, technical practices), traces of unknown authors and texts will be identified, and connections between scholars, institutions and texts will be established, fully justifying the recognition of notebooks as a new subject in the field of intellectual history and as an element of cultural identity shared by universities all around Europe. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
10.1016/j.cplett.2012.05.040 | A DFT study of magnetic interactions in photoswitchable systems | The magnetic coupling of an experimentally well characterized photoswitchable system, a diarylethene functionalized by two nitronyl nitroxides spin carriers, is investigated at Density Functional Theory (DFT) level allowing for a semi-quantitative description of their magnetic coupling. Based on the analysis of computed spin density patterns, the same computational approach is then applied to the design of new photoswitchable molecules in order to selectively modulate both the strength and the nature of the magnetic coupling. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.5194/acp-16-12715-2016 | Source characterization of highly oxidized multifunctional compounds in a boreal forest environment using positive matrix factorization | Abstract. Highly oxidized multifunctional compounds (HOMs) have been demonstrated to be important for atmospheric secondary organic aerosols (SOA) and new-particle formation (NPF), yet it remains unclear which the main atmospheric HOM formation pathways are. In this study, a nitrate-ion-based chemical ionization atmospheric-pressure-interface time-of-flight mass spectrometer (CI-APi-TOF) was deployed to measure HOMs in the boreal forest in Hyytiälä, southern Finland. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was applied to separate the detected HOM species into several factors, relating these “factors” to plausible formation pathways. PMF was performed with a revised error estimation derived from laboratory data, which agrees well with an estimate based on ambient data. Three factors explained the majority (> 95 %) of the data variation, but the optimal solution found six factors, including two nighttime factors, three daytime factors, and a transport factor. One nighttime factor is almost identical to laboratory spectra generated from monoterpene ozonolysis, while the second likely represents monoterpene oxidation initiated by NO3. The exact chemical processes forming the different daytime factors remain unclear, but they all have clearly distinct diurnal profiles, very likely related to monoterpene oxidation with a strong influence from NO, presumably through its effect on peroxy radical (RO2) chemistry. Apart from these five “local” factors, the sixth factor is interpreted as a transport related factor. These findings improve our understanding of HOM production by confirming current knowledge and inspiring future research directions and provide new perspectives on using factorization methods to understand short-lived atmospheric species. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1088/1742-6596/759/1/012003 | Energy Fluxes In Turbulent Separated Flows | Turbulent separation in channel flow containing a curved wall is studied using a generalised form of Kolmogorov equation. The equation successfully accounts for inhomogeneous effects in both the physical and separation spaces. We investigate the scale-by-scale energy dynamics in turbulent separated flow induced by a curved wall. The scale and spatial fluxes are highly dependent on the shear layer dynamics and the recirculation bubble forming behind the lower curved wall. The intense energy produced in the shear layer is transferred to the recirculation region, sustaining the turbulent velocity fluctuations. The energy dynamics radically changes depending on the physical position inside the domain, resembling planar turbulent channel dynamics downstream. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1371/journal.pone.0163892 | The sense of agency as tracking control | Does sense of agency (SoA) arise merely from action-outcome associations, or does an additional real-time process track each step along the chain? Tracking control predicts that deviant intermediate steps between action and outcome should reduce SoA. In two experiments, participants learned mappings between two finger actions and two tones. In later test blocks, actions triggered a robot hand moving either the same or a different finger, and also triggered tones, which were congruent or incongruent with the mapping. The perceived delay between actions and tones gave a proxy measure for SoA. Action-tone binding was stronger for congruent than incongruent tones, but only when the robot movement was also congruent. Congruent tones also had reduced N1 amplitudes, but again only when the robot movement was congruent. We suggest that SoA partly depends on a real-time tracking control mechanism, since deviant intermediate action of the robot reduced SoA over the tone. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1016/j.jad.2019.02.007 | Cross-sectional associations between long-term exposure to particulate matter and depression in China: The mediating effects of sunlight, physical activity, and neighborly reciprocity | Background: Although numerous studies have speculated about the direct and indirect linkage between long-term air pollution (i. e. , PM 2. 5 ) concentrations and mental health in developed countries, evidence for developing countries is limited. Our aim was to examine the mediation effects of sunlight, physical activity, and neighborly reciprocity on the association between air pollution and depression. Methods: In a sample of 20,861 individuals in China in 2016, depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression screener (CES-D) and linked to annual city-wide PM 2. 5 data. We used multilevel regression models to assess the associations between depressive symptoms and PM 2. 5 and tested the mediation of sunlight, physical activity, and neighborly reciprocity in this association. Propensity score matching was used to evaluate whether selection bias may affect the association between CES-D scores and PM 2. 5 . Results: PM 2. 5 concentration was positively associated with depression symptoms. All mediators were significantly and negatively associated with PM 2. 5 . Our mediation analyses indicated that physical activity, neighborly reciprocity, and exposure to sunlight are important mechanisms through which PM 2. 5 affects depressive symptoms. Limitations: The limitations of the present study were the cross-sectional nature of the data and modifiable areal unit problem. Conclusions: Our findings suggest not only that PM 2. 5 is directly associated with depression, but also that this association seems to be partially mediated by physical activity, neighborly reciprocity, and sunlight. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
W2591730523 | Physiologic Storyboarding for Scenario Development in High-Fidelity Simulation | This paper outlines the use of a physiologic storyboard for the development and implementation of scenarios for high-fidelity simulation. High-fidelity simulation has become a fundamental part of postgraduate medical education in Canada and the USA. It is especially useful for teaching and learning in disciplines like anesthesiology, which often involves stressful clinical situations. The physiologic storyboard is a flexible visual representation of a learning scenario that takes the physiology of the mannequin as the starting point and allows that physiology to determine the manner in which the scenario unfolds. The mannequin’s physiology responds directly to the clinical management, lack of management, or mismanagement provided by the learners. This adaptation of storyboarding for high-fidelity simulation facilitates the initial development of scenarios and allows for the proactive implementation of scenarios based on the physiologic changes in the mannequin. It has the potential to streamline and standardize scenario development and implementation wherever simulation is used as a teaching tool. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
682676 | Going Beyond the WIMP: From Theory to Detection of Light Dark Matter | The identity of dark matter (DM) is still unknown. For more than three decades, significant theoretical and experimental efforts have been directed towards the search for a Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP), often overlooking other possibilities. The lack of an unambiguous positive signal, at indirect- and direct-detection experiments and at the LHC, stresses the need to expand on other theoretical possibilities, and more importantly, to develop new experimental capabilities. Indeed it is conceivable that the WIMP paradigm has been misleading, and other theoretically motivated scenarios must be explored vigorously.
This proposal focuses on light, sub-GeV dark matter. In addition to novel theoretical paradigms that point to DM in the low-mass regime, several new strategies to directly detect dark matter particles with MeV to GeV mass, far below standard direct detection capabilities, are studied. In particular, techniques to search for ionized electrons or chemical bond-breaking are considered. The latter possibility is revolutionary and requires new dedicated technologies and experiments. Sensitivity to one or few electrons, on the other hand, has been established and the PI has recently derived the first direct-detection limits on MeV to GeV dark matter using XENON10 data, demonstrating proof-of-principle. Significant efforts are required to lay the theoretical foundation of light DM and to study in depth and develop the various possibilities to directly detect it. The proposal is centered around these efforts.
The innovative theoretical paradigms and novel avenues to experimentally detect sub-GeV DM, open up a new and groundbreaking field of research. The proposal at hand takes the necessary steps, and offers the opportunity to pave the way and enable the discovery of such a particle, if it exists. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
W2791560227 | Efficient Cross Section Reconstruction on Modern Multi and Many Core Architectures | The classical Monte Carlo (MC) neutron transport employs energy lookup on long tables to compute the cross sections needed for the simulation. This process has been identified as an important performance hotspot of MC simulations, because poor cache utilization caused by random access patterns and large memory footprint makes it unfriendly to modern architectures. A former study [1] shows that such method presents little vectorization potential in a real-case simulation due to the memory-bound nature. In this paper, we revisit a cross section reconstruction method introduced by Hwang [2] to evaluate another solution. The reconstruction converts the problem from memory-bound to compute-bound. Only several variables for each resonance are required instead of the conventional pointwise table covering the entire resolved resonance region. Though the memory space is largely reduced, this method is really time-consuming. After a series of optimizations, results show that the reconstruction kernel benefits well from vectorization and can achieve 1806 GFLOPS (single precision) on a Knights Landing 7250, which represents 67% of its effective peak performance. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/sdata.2016.61 | A data set from flash X-ray imaging of carboxysomes | Ultra-intense femtosecond X-ray pulses from X-ray lasers permit structural studies on single particles and biomolecules without crystals. We present a large data set on inherently heterogeneous, polyhedral carboxysome particles. Carboxysomes are cell organelles that vary in size and facilitate up to 40% of Earth's carbon fixation by cyanobacteria and certain proteobacteria. Variation in size hinders crystallization. Carboxysomes appear icosahedral in the electron microscope. A protein shell encapsulates a large number of Rubisco molecules in paracrystalline arrays inside the organelle. We used carboxysomes with a mean diameter of 115±26 nm from Halothiobacillus neapolitanus. A new aerosol sample-injector allowed us to record 70,000 low-noise diffraction patterns in 12 min. Every diffraction pattern is a unique structure measurement and high-throughput imaging allows sampling the space of structural variability. The different structures can be separated and phased directly from the diffraction data and open a way for accurate, high-throughput studies on structures and structural heterogeneity in biology and elsewhere. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
W1123714353 | PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE USE OF UREA ACTIVATED MELON (Citrullus colocynthis) HUSK IN THE ADSORPTION OF CADMIUM FROM WASTE WATER | Adsorption studies were carried out using urea activated melon (Citrullus colocynthis) husks as a low-cost potential adsorbent to remove cadmium from industrial effluents. Bioabsorption parameters considered were as contact time, adsorbent dosage and adsorbate concentration. Cadmium removal was found to be dependent on the three parameters with maximum removal attained at 50 minutes with 0.8 and 1.0g of urea activated melon husk. Cadmium ions were mostly removed at low adsorbate concentration. Maximum removal was attained at 20 minutes with 97.6% adsorption. Adsorption isotherms had positive correlation with both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and their r 2 values ranged from 0.911 – 1.00. Experimental data were also evaluated to find out kinetic characteristics of the adsorption process. Adsorption process for the heavy metal ion was found to follow pseudo-second order adsorption kinetics with the r 2 value of 0.8309. Activated melon husk, a readily available adsorbent was found to be efficient in the uptake of Cd (II) ions in industrial effluents, thus, confirming it as an excellent alternative for the removal of heavy metals from water and waste water. Keywords : Bioadsorption, Cadmium removal, Waste water, Melon husk | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1038/NMAT4623 | Tailoring The Nature And Strength Of Electron Phonon Interactions In The Srtio3 001 2D Electron Liquid | Surfaces and interfaces offer new possibilities for tailoring the many-body interactions that dominate the electrical and thermal properties of transition metal oxides. Here, we use the prototypical two-dimensional electron liquid (2DEL) at the SrTiO3(001) surface to reveal a remarkably complex evolution of electron-phonon coupling with the tunable carrier density of this system. At low density, where superconductivity is found in the analogous 2DEL at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface, our angle-resolved photoemission data show replica bands separated by 100 meV from the main bands. This is a hallmark of a coherent polaronic liquid and implies long-range coupling to a single longitudinal optical phonon branch. In the overdoped regime the preferential coupling to this branch decreases and the 2DEL undergoes a crossover to a more conventional metallic state with weaker short-range electron-phonon interaction. These results place constraints on the theoretical description of superconductivity and allow a unified understanding of the transport properties in SrTiO3-based 2DELs. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
W3088041137 | On the Observability of Smart Grids and Related Optimization Methods | Management of energy systems is one of the biggest challenges of our time. The daily demand for energy increases constantly for many reasons. Moreover, the wide use of renewable energies, aimed at limiting polluting emissions, can create instability in the networks and uncertainty in energy production. In this context, Operational Research is a crucial tool that allows optimizing strategic, tactical, and operational decisions to be taken. We focus on a strategic problem in smart grids, the phasor measurement units placement. The aim is to make the grid observable, i.e., to install devices that can communicate the status of the grid. Being able to observe it allows the grid manager to improve efficiency. We introduce and compare several mathematical optimization formulations proposed in the literature. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
US 201213354429 A | COUNTER-ROTATING OPHTHALMIC SCANNER DRIVE MECHANISM | An endoprobe for ophthalmic microsurgical procedures including a hand-piece including a motor, a cannula assembly coupled to the hand-piece, and a transmission system coupling the motor to the cannula assembly is provided. The cannula assembly having an outer tube and an inner tube concentric with the outer tube, each able to rotate about the longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end. The transmission system rotates the outer tube in a first direction and the inner tube in a second, opposing direction about the longitudinal axis. A method for scanning a light beam along a linear trajectory using a cannula assembly as above is also provided. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1063/1.5091997 | Evidence For A Narrow Band Gap Phase In 1T Ws2 Nanosheet | While 1T′ phase-pure MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = Se, Te) have recently been reported to be superconductors, Weyl semimetals, or quantum spin Hall insulators, the electronic properties of phase-pure 1T′-WS2 samples are still lacking thorough investigation. Here, we report the study of single-layer 1T′-WS2 nanosheets prepared from lithium exfoliation of WS2. We confirmed the composition and structure of single layer 1T′-WS2 flakes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and aberration corrected transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The distorted octahedral structure related to the 1T′ phase with a 2a × 2a superstructure is evidenced using STEM. Photoemission and electronic measurements uncover the presence of a narrow bandgap (>120 meV) in the 1T′-WS2 nanosheets, which is completely different from semiconducting bulk or single-layer 1H-WS2. The material is found to be ambipolar with a p-type nature. At low temperatures, a slow photoresponse is also observed. While 1T′ phase-pure MX2 (M = Mo, W; X = Se, Te) have recently been reported to be superconductors, Weyl semimetals, or quantum spin Hall insulators, the electronic properties of phase-pure 1T′-WS2 samples are still lacking thorough investigation. Here, we report the study of single-layer 1T′-WS2 nanosheets prepared from lithium exfoliation of WS2. We confirmed the composition and structure of single layer 1T′-WS2 flakes using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and aberration corrected transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The distorted octahedral structure related to the 1T′ phase with a 2a × 2a superstructure is evidenced using STEM. Photoemission and electronic measurements uncover the presence of a narrow bandgap (>120 meV) in the 1T′-WS2 nanosheets, which is completely different from semiconducting bulk or single-layer 1H-WS2. The material is found to be ambipolar with a p-type nature. At low temperatures, a slow photoresponse is also observed. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
670216 | Engineering of a minimal bacterial therapeutic chassis | Engineering bacteria to deliver therapeutic agents or to present antigens for vaccination is an emerging area of research with great clinical potential. The most challenging issue in this field is the selection of the right bacteria to engineer, commonly known as “chassis”. The best chassis depends on the application but there is a common drawback in bacteria used nowadays: their complexity and the lack of quantitative information for many reactions which limits genome engineering to classical trial and error approaches. In this project, we want to engineer the genome-reduced bacterium M. pneumoniae using a whole-cell model that will drive the rational to create a chassis for human and animal therapy. Its small size (816 Kbases), the lack of cell wall, and the vast amount of comprehensive quantitative –omics datasets makes this bacterium one of the best candidates for chassis design. By combining bioinformatics, -omics, and biochemistry approaches with genome engineering tools, systems biology analyses, and computational whole-cell models, MYCOCHASSIS aims to: i) develop a whole cell-model based on organism-specific experimental data that will be validated experimentally and that can predict the impact of genome modifications; ii) implement genome engineering tools to delete non-essential pathogenic and virulent elements predicted by the whole-cell model to engineer a therapeutical chassis; iii) using the whole-cell model design and engineer genes and circuits to improve growth rate in a defined medium. iv) as a proof of concept introduce orthogonal gene circuits to secrete peptides and enzymes capable of dissolving in vitro biofilms made by the lung pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococus aureus. This project will validate the usefulness of whole-cell models for synthetic biology by modelling multiple genomic modifications orientated to facilitate engineering of biological systems. | [
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W7073769 | [Analysis of coronary rotational atherectomy related complications]. | To analysis the complications of coronary rotational atherectomy and evaluate the safety of this procedure.A total of 250 rotational atherectomy cases from April 1994 to February 2012 were screened retrospectively and 22 cases patients (8.8%) with rotational atherectomy-related complications were included in this analysis.Among these 22 patients, all lesions were either type B2 or C calcified lesions as evidenced by coronary angiography. After the rotation procedure, there were seven cases (2.8%) with slow reflow and two (0.8%) cases with no reflow. Seven cases (2.8%) developed severe coronary spasm and two cases (0.8%) had sinus bradycardia. Coronary dissection occurred in two cases (0.8%), while one case (0.4%) had coronary perforation and cardiac tamponade. Burr entrapment happened in one case (0.4%). There was no malignant arrhythmia, acute myocardial infarction, emergent coronary artery bypass graft or device related death during and post procedure. Comparison with baseline data, the concentration of CK-MB elevated significantly after the rotational atherectomy [(31.2 ± 4.8) mmol/L vs. (11.4 ± 6.5) mmol/L, P < 0.05].Coronary rotational atherectomy is safe and procedure-related complications are rare. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W1997584915 | 108 A CRITICAL-SIZE CRANIOFACIAL BONE DEFECT MODEL IN THE YORKSHIRE PIG | Substantial and innovative developments in the field of bone tissue engineering have prompted increased demand for suitable pre-clinical large animal models. The pig has several advantages over other non-primate species, including availability, rapid growth, large litters, and similar anatomy and physiology to humans. These characteristics make them ideal models for research in diverse applications such as cardiovascular disease, pharmacological activity testing, and organ transplantation. There has been an increased interest in the use of swine as a model for bone healing and grafting techniques. Maxillofacial surgeons strive to develop the best therapy for large bone defects in the face resulting from tumour resection, congenital abnormalities, and traumatic injuries. Creating a model to study a critical-sized bone defect in the mandible, which does not spontaneously heal without clinical intervention, would be a method to test growth factors and synthetic bone graft therapies. However, the size of bone defect required to create this condition has not been ascertained. In the current study, we examined the in vivo healing response for 4, 8, and 16 weeks of surgically created bone defects in the posterior region of the pig mandible. Yorkshire barrows (n = 12) 6–7 months of age were used for the study. All animal experiments conformed to the University of Illinois Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) guidelines. Animals were maintained under general anaesthesia and transcortical, circular defects with diameters of 6, 10, 16, or 25 mm were created on both sides of the mandible. The presence and amount of calcified tissue was assessed using radiographs and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Tissue morphology was examined using hard-tissue histological methods and a light microscope. Defect diameters of 6, 10, and 16 mm had completed healing or were in the process of healing within the 16-week timeframe of the study. Compared to controls, average percent differences in bone mineral density, in order of increasing defect size, were 0.62%, 28.1%, and 54.5%, respectively. In contrast, 25 mm diameter defects displayed limited collagenous tissue ingrowth, and the presence of calcified tissue was not detected, as indicated by radiographs and histological staining. As the defect size increased, the time required to heal was prolonged until a critical size was determined and normal bone was not completely regenerated. In conclusion, circular defects in the posterior region of the pig mandible with diameters equal or greater than 25 mm will result in limited healing without additional medical intervention and can be termed critical-sized defects. This porcine model will allow for the rapid development and testing of new approaches for the repair of damaged bone, which is especially prevalent in the craniofacial area. This work was partially supported by the Carle Foundation Hospital (#2007-04072) and the Illinois Regenerative Medicine Institute (IDPH #63080017). | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201731391 | Molecular Gas In The Herschel Selected Strongly Lensed Submillimeter Galaxies At Z 2 4 As Probed By Multi J Co Lines | We present the IRAM-30 m observations of multiple-J CO (Jup mostly from 3 up to 8) and [C I](3P2 → 3P1) ([C I](2–1) hereafter) line emission in a sample of redshift ~2–4 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs). These SMGs are selected among the brightest-lensed galaxies discovered in the Herschel-Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS). Forty-seven CO lines and 7 [C I](2–1) lines have been detected in 15 lensed SMGs. A non-negligible effect of differential lensing is found for the CO emission lines, which could have caused significant underestimations of the linewidths, and hence of the dynamical masses. The CO spectral line energy distributions (SLEDs), peaking around Jup ~ 5–7, are found to be similar to those of the local starburst-dominated ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and of the previously studied SMGs. After correcting for lensing amplification, we derived the global properties of the bulk of molecular gas in the SMGs using non-LTE radiative transfer modelling, such as the molecular gas density nH2 ~ 102. 5–104. 1 cm-3 and the kinetic temperature Tk ~ 20–750 K. The gas thermal pressure Pth ranging from~105 K cm-3 to 106 K cm-3 is found to be correlated with star formation efficiency. Further decomposing the CO SLEDs into two excitation components, we find a low-excitation component with nH2 ~ 102. 8–104. 6 cm-3 and Tk ~ 20–30 K, which is less correlated with star formation, and a high-excitation one (nH2 ~ 102. 7–104. 2 cm-3, Tk ~ 60–400 K) which is tightly related to the on-going star-forming activity. Additionally, tight linear correlations between the far-infrared and CO line luminosities have been confirmed for the Jup ≥ 5 CO lines of these SMGs, implying that these CO lines are good tracers of star formation. The [C I](2–1) lines follow the tight linear correlation between the luminosities of the [C I](2–1) and the CO(1–0) line found in local starbursts, indicating that [C I] lines could serve as good total molecular gas mass tracers for high-redshift SMGs as well. The total mass of the molecular gas reservoir, (1–30) × 1010M⊙, derived based on the CO(3–2) fluxes and αCO(1–0) = 0. 8 M⊙ ( K km s-1 pc2)-1, suggests a typical molecular gas depletion time tdep ~ 20–100 Myr and a gas to dust mass ratio δGDR ~ 30–100 with ~20%–60% uncertainty for the SMGs. The ratio between CO line luminosity and the dust mass L′CO/Mdust appears to be slowly increasing with redshift for high-redshift SMGs, which need to be further confirmed by a more complete SMG sample at various redshifts. Finally, through comparing the linewidth of CO and H2O lines, we find that they agree well in almost all our SMGs, confirming that the emitting regions of the CO and H2O lines are co-spatially located. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
W2371418910 | Research on Dual Margin of China's Export after Entry into WTO | By applying the decomposition method of Hummels and Klenow(2005), this paper finds that China's export growth after its entry into the WTO mainly stems from the intensive margin and the contribution of the extensive margin is insignificant. There was no substantial change in this growth mode before or after the financial crisis. By a close decomposition of the intensive margin,this paper finds that the export growth from the intensive margin is principally a result of the quantity expansion. Therefore, to transform this growth mode is a matter of great urgency. Using bilateral panel data of China with its 22 trade partners, the empirical research suggests that the main decisive factors of the extensive margin are destination market scale, multi-lateral resistance and FDI, and the main decisive factor of the intensive margin is fixed cost. The conclusions provide some important empirical support for China's formulation of current export stabilization policies | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
771383 | Global Horizons in Pre-Modern Art | The horizon is the line that seems to separate earth from sky, the line that divides all visible categories into two categories: those that intersect the earth’s surface and those that do not. The horizon is key to the experience of space; it defines our perspective on the visible world. The GLOBAL HORIZONS project will investigate the historical meanings and functions of the horizon in visual and intellectual cultures of the pre-Modern world on a global scale. Examining how pre-Modern cultures conceived of the horizon opens a crucial line of inquiry into understanding the many different ways in which humans have conceived of the relationship between an invisible cosmos and the visible world.
Non-western art history is rarely taught at European institutions although countless important works of Non-Western art are kept in museum collections all across Europe. Including non-western concepts of pictorial space is key to the project, however, for Eurocentric models of art history have generally privileged the rise of the linear perspective. This framing has limited our understanding of the horizon’s complex rhetorical, visual and epistemological roles.
The project’s specific question connects a variety of objects and epistemological categories, such as panel painting, manuscript illumination, profane und religious objects, cartography, travel accounts, and cosmological treaties. The applied methodological approaches will range from art history, visual studies and cultural anthropology. They will also draw upon interdisciplinary expertise, such as technologies of art production, history of science and philosophy. The project thus makes an important contribution to global art history, a highly innovative area in which only very few pre-modern topics have been addressed. It is the ultimate goal of GLOBAL HORIZONS is to suggest a new history of representation in Western medieval art. | [
"Studies of Cultures and Arts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
10.1021/acs.chemmater.9b03435 | Integrated Cleanroom Process for the Vapor-Phase Deposition of Large-Area Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Thin Films | Robust and scalable thin-film deposition methods are key to realize the potential of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in electronic devices. Here, we report the first integration of the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of MOF coatings in a custom reactor within a cleanroom setting. As a test case, the MOF-CVD conditions for the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 are optimized to enable smooth, pinhole-free, and uniform thin films on full 200 mm wafers under mild conditions. The single-chamber MOF-CVD process and the impact of the deposition parameters are elucidated via a combination of in situ monitoring and ex situ characterization. The resulting process guidelines will pave the way for new MOF-CVD formulations and a plethora of MOF-based devices. | [
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
Q2691695 | Betriebsmittelzuschuss für TRAKT | Das Projekt betrifft die Unterstützung des Unternehmers bei der Bereitstellung finanzieller Liquidität und die Unterstützung laufender Tätigkeiten aufgrund finanzieller Schwierigkeiten, die der Unternehmer infolge des COVID-19-Ausbruchs erlebt hat. Finanzielle Unterstützung im Rahmen des Programms SA.57015 (2020/N) | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1088/1367-2630/15/9/093015 | Compact Gaussian Quantum Computation By Multi Pixel Homodyne Detection | We study the possibility of producing and detecting continuous variable cluster states in an optical set-up in an extremely compact fashion. This method is based on a multi-pixel homodyne detection system recently demonstrated experimentally, which includes classical data post-processing. It allows to incorporate the linear optics network, usually employed in standard experiments for the production of cluster states, in the stage of the measurement. After giving an example of cluster state generation by this method, we further study how this procedure can be generalized to perform gaussian quantum computation. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1707658114 | The immunopeptidomic landscape of ovarian carcinomas | Immunotherapies, particularly checkpoint inhibitors, have set off a revolution in cancer therapy by releasing the power of the immune system. However, only little is known about the antigens that are essentially presented on cancer cells, capable of exposing them to immune cells. Large-scale HLA ligandome analysis has enabled us to exhaustively characterize the immunopeptidomic landscape of epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs). Additional comparative profiling with the immunopeptidome of a variety of benign sources has unveiled a multitude of ovarian cancer antigens (MUC16, MSLN, LGALS1, IDO1, KLK10) to be presented by HLA class I and class II molecules exclusively on ovarian cancer cells. Most strikingly, ligands derived from mucin 16 and mesothelin, a molecular axis of prognostic importance in EOC, are prominent in a majority of patients. Differential gene-expression analysis has allowed us to confirm the relevance of these targets for EOC and further provided important insights into the relationship between gene transcript levels and HLA ligand presentation. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1364/BOE.8.000828 | High Speed Oct Light Sources And Systems Invited | Imaging speed is one of the most important parameters that define the performance of optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems. During the last two decades, OCT speed has increased by over three orders of magnitude. New developments in wavelength-swept lasers have repeatedly been crucial for this development. In this review, we discuss the historical evolution and current state of the art of high-speed OCT systems, with focus on wavelength swept light sources and swept source OCT systems. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W2061993019 | Bibliometric analysis of <i>African Journal Of Library</i>, <i>Archives and Information Science</i> from 2000-2012 | Purpose – This study aims to examine the pattern of publications, using a bibliometric analysis, of the African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science (AJLAIS) for the period between 2000 and 2012. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses appropriate measures and techniques of bibliometric analysis. Keeping the objectives of the study in mind, the data were collected from the AJLAIS covering the 13 identified years. The analysis covers mainly the number of articles published per volume in each of the specified years, the authorship patterns, the subject areas covered, the length of articles, the citation pattern of articles and the article types. Findings – The results of the study reveal that a total of 218 articles were published in the 13-year period, with 21 (9.63 per cent) articles being the highest total in the year 2002. The study showed that the majority of the articles, i.e. 126 (57.8 per cent), were published by single authors, out of which, a large number were on information retrieval. Of the total number of articles published, 86 (39.4 per cent) were 6-10 pages in length. Volume 19 in 2009 had the highest number of citations with a total of 451 (12.4 per cent). In addition, the study revealed that the majority of the articles were theoretical papers, with a total of 108 (49.5 per cent), while the others were empirical papers, book reviews and short communications. Practical implications – This bibliometric study will enlarge the knowledge base of information professionals on the present condition of library and information science (LIS) research in the current African context and provide some basis for future projections of the discipline. The study will also be helpful for librarians in the process of collection development. This is because, due to increased journal costs and slim budgets for libraries, collection development specialists must make careful selections based on the qualities and standards of journals. Originality/value – Researchers who shy away from this particular type of research owing to its rigorous and time-consuming nature should gather the courage to do so. Further studies should focus on analysing journals that are published in the field of librarianship in Africa, as it will create more awareness of the field of study among other professionals or researchers who are yet to know about it. The study has also revealed AJLAIS as one of the LIS standard journals in terms of its wider citation by contributors in the broader LIS literature. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
W7196778 | Laparoscopic transperitoneal anterior adrenalectomy. | Aim of this study was to report the authors' experience with the anterior transperitoneal approach, and with an anterior submesocolic approach in case of left sided lesions.From January 1994 to January 2011, 122 males and 170 females with a mean age of 50.7 years (range: 19-84) underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) at 2 centers in Ancona and Rome (Italy) (that follow the same protocol). Fifteen patients underwent bilateral LA, the anterior transperitoneal approach was used in 233 cases (79.8%) and the anterior submesocolic in 59 (20.2%). One hundred and two patients had Conn's syndrome, 51 miscellaneous lesions, 55 Cushing's syndrome, 47 incidentalomas, 46 pheochromocytoma, 2 metastatic masses, 2 myelolipomas and 2 adrenogenital syndromes. The lesions had a mean diameter of 3.24 cm (range: 0.5-10).Mean operating time was 120 minutes (range: 30-390). Conversion to open surgery was required in 13 cases (4,45%). Blood pressure and heart rate were stable during the operation. There were 5 major complications. Mobilization and resumption of diet occurred on the first postoperative day. Mean hospital stay was 4.32 days (range: 2-30).Early identification and ligature of the adrenal vein, with minimal gland manipulation, are the major advantages, especially in case of pheochromocytoma.Adrenal masses can be successfully treated using a laparoscopic transperitoneal anterior approach, in presence of a suitable anesthesiological and surgical team's experience.Adrenal tumors, Laparoscopic adrenalectomy, Pheochromocytoma. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
230113 | Media and Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe: Qualities of Democracy, Qualities of Media | The relationship between democracy and the media in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is poorly understood. Not only have western media models been unhelpful in understanding these transitions but there has also been a notable lack of attention given to media within the transitions literature. This project intends to address this by taking a novel and interdisciplinary approach to this question. The traditional orientation of academic studies to this question is strictly limited to whether media are good or bad for democracy. This rests on the assumptions that both democratic institutions have pre-dated the rise of media and that core qualities of democratic governance exist (i.e. rule of law, political pluralism, freedom of speech and information, etc.). Unfortunately for the countries of CEE, these are problematic assumptions to make. Thus, this project asks: What kind of democracy is needed for media to perform its agreed-upon normative functions? That is, we are interested in the quality of the media as a function of the quality of democracy. The principal investigators are leading academic authorities in the field of European Politics and of Media and Communications. They have expertise in the study of Eastern Europe and experience in managing large interdisciplinary research projects. The Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, its Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics offer a unique academic and journalistic environment of the highest possible quality for this proposed study. The expected results and outputs will not only help us to understand democracy and the media in the new member states of the European Union but will also be more broadly applicable to the study of the relationship between democracy and the media in other consolidating democracies, including the Balkans, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1146/annurev-immunol-032712-095916 | Broadly neutralizing antiviral antibodies | A fascinating aspect of viral evolution relates to the ability of viruses to escape the adaptive immune response. The widely held view has been that the great variability of viral glycoproteins would be an absolute obstacle to the development of antibody-based therapies or vaccines that could confer broad and long-lasting protection. In the past five years, new approaches have been developed to interrogate human memory B cells and plasma cells with high efficiency and to isolate several broadly neutralizing antiviral antibodies against highly variable pathogens such as HIV-1 and influenza virus. These antibodies not only provide new tools for prophylaxis and therapy for viral diseases but also identify conserved epitopes that may be used to design new vaccines capable of conferring broader protection. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W4226254398 | Early diagnosis and better rhythm management to improve outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation: the 8th AFNET/EHRA consensus conference | Despite marked progress in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), detecting AF remains difficult and AF-related complications cause unacceptable morbidity and mortality even on optimal current therapy. This document summarizes the key outcomes of the 8th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference of the Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA). Eighty-three international experts met in Hamburg for 2 days in October 2021. Results of the interdisciplinary, hybrid discussions in breakout groups and the plenary based on recently published and unpublished observations are summarized in this consensus paper to support improved care for patients with AF by guiding prevention, individualized management, and research strategies. The main outcomes are (i) new evidence supports a simple, scalable, and pragmatic population-based AF screening pathway; (ii) rhythm management is evolving from therapy aimed at improving symptoms to an integrated domain in the prevention of AF-related outcomes, especially in patients with recently diagnosed AF; (iii) improved characterization of atrial cardiomyopathy may help to identify patients in need for therapy; (iv) standardized assessment of cognitive function in patients with AF could lead to improvement in patient outcomes; and (v) artificial intelligence (AI) can support all of the above aims, but requires advanced interdisciplinary knowledge and collaboration as well as a better medico-legal framework. Implementation of new evidence-based approaches to AF screening and rhythm management can improve outcomes in patients with AF. Additional benefits are possible with further efforts to identify and target atrial cardiomyopathy and cognitive impairment, which can be facilitated by AI. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
338252 | Molecular Characterization of the microRNA Life-Cycle | Small silencing RNAs regulate gene expression in nearly all eukaryotes and have enormous biotechnological and therapeutic potential. MicroRNAs belong to the larges family of trans-acting gene regulatory molecules in multicellular organisms. In flies and mammals, they control more than half of the protein-coding transcriptome, and act as key regulators of organismal development, physiology, and disease.
Here, we propose to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate microRNA homeostasis. We aim to understand how distinct small RNA profiles are established and maintained to coordinate the expression of more than half of all protein coding genes in flies and mammals. Our studies will provide insight into the processes that regulate the function of miRNAs, determine possible causes for aberrant miRNA levels, that have been associated with human diseases, and provide guidelines how to efficiently inhibit miRNA function for analytical and therapeutic purposes.
We aim to identify and characterize the molecular determinants of microRNA stability, to dissect the pathways that promote the sequence-specific degradation of microRNAs, and to understand the biological consequences and therapeutic potential of small RNA decay. We will develop novel tools to obtain a view on the intracellular dynamics of RNA silencing pathways, in order to determine the molecular features associated with small RNA biogenesis and decay.
Because of its genetic and biochemical tools, we will use Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. We will employ a combination of bioinformatics, cell-free biochemical experiments, cell culture methods, and in vivo genetics. What we learn in flies we will test in vitro in mammalian cell extracts, in cultured human cell lines and in vivo in mice to identify where these processes are conserved and where they diverge.
Overall, our goal is to determine fundamental biological mechanisms of RNA silencing, a phenomenon with enormous biological and biomedical impact. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1146/annurev-micro-091313-103416 | Viroids: Survivors from the RNA world? | Because RNA can be a carrier of genetic information and a biocatalyst, there is a consensus that it emerged before DNA and proteins, which eventually assumed these roles and relegated RNA to intermediate functions. If such a scenario-the so-called RNA world-existed, we might hope to find its relics in our present world. The properties of viroids that make them candidates for being survivors of the RNA world include those expected for primitive RNA replicons: (a) small size imposed by error-prone replication, (b) high G + C content to increase replication fidelity, (c) circular structure for assuring complete replication without genomic tags, (d) structural periodicity for modular assembly into enlarged genomes, (e) lack of protein-coding ability consistent with a ribosome-free habitat, and (f) replication mediated in some by ribozymes, the fingerprint of the RNA world. With the advent of DNA and proteins, those protoviroids lost some abilities and became the plant parasites we now know. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1186/gb-2013-14-9-r104 | Pint lincrna connects the p53 pathway with epigenetic silencing by the polycomb repressive complex 2 | Background: The p53 transcription factor is located at the core of a complex wiring of signaling pathways that are critical for the preservation of cellular homeostasis. Only recently it has become clear that p53 regulates the expression of several long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). However, relatively little is known about the role that lincRNAs play in this pathway. Results: Here we characterize a lincRNA named Pint (p53 induced noncoding transcript). We show that Pint is a ubiquitously expressed lincRNA that is finely regulated by p53. In mouse cells, Pint promotes cell proliferation and survival by regulating the expression of genes of the TGF-β, MAPK and p53 pathways. Pint is a nuclear lincRNA that directly interacts with the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), and is required for PRC2 targeting of specific genes for H3K27 tri-methylation and repression. Furthermore, Pint functional activity is highly dependent on PRC2 expression. We have also identified Pint human ortholog (PINT), which presents suggestive analogies with the murine lincRNA. PINT is similarly regulated by p53, and its expression significantly correlates with the same cellular pathways as the mouse ortholog, including the p53 pathway. Interestingly, PINT is downregulated in colon primary tumors, while its overexpression inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells, suggesting a possible role as tumor suppressor. Conclusions: Our results reveal a p53 autoregulatory negative mechanism where a lincRNA connects p53 activation with epigenetic silencing by PRC2. Additionally, we show analogies and differences between the murine and human orthologs, identifying a novel tumor suppressor candidate lincRNA. ; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1145/3077136.3080821 | On The Power Laws Of Language Word Frequency Distributions | About eight decades ago, Zipf postulated that the word frequency distribution of languages is a power law, i. e. , it is a straight line on a log-log plot. Over the years, this phenomenon has been documented and studied extensively. For many corpora, however, the empirical distribution barely resembles a power law: when plotted on a log-log scale, the distribution is concave and appears to be composed of two differently sloped straight lines joined by a smooth curve. A simple generative model is proposed to capture this phenomenon. The word frequency distributions produced by this model are shown to match the observations both analytically and empirically. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1021/nn204601n | Blue-UV-Emitting ZnSe(Dot)/ZnS(Rod) core/shell nanocrystals prepared from CdSe/CdS nanocrystals by sequential cation exchange | Great control over size, shape and optical properties is now possible in colloidal Cd-based nanocrystals, which has paved the way for many fundamental studies and applications. One popular example of such class of nanocrystals is represented by CdSe(spherical core)/CdS(rod shell) nanorods. These can be nearly monodisperse in size and shape and have strong and stable photoluminescence that is tunable in the visible range (mainly by varying the size of the CdSe core). The corresponding Zn-based core/shell nanorods would be good candidates for tunable emission in the blue-UV region. However, while the synthesis of ZnS nanocrystals with elongated shapes has been demonstrated based on the oriented-attachment mechanism, elongated ZnS shells are difficult to fabricate because the more common cubic phase of ZnS has a highly symmetric crystal structure. We report here a procedure based on a sequence of two cation exchange reactions, namely, Cd 2+→Cu + and then Cu +→Zn 2+, by which we transform colloidal CdSe(core)/CdS(shell) nanorods first into into Cu 2Se/Cu 2S nanorods, which are then converted into blue-UV fluorescent ZnSe(core)/ ZnS(shell) nanorods. The procedure transfers the morphological and structural information of the initial Cd-based nanorods to the Zn-based nanorods. Therefore, the final nanoparticles are made by a ZnSe dot embedded in a rod-shaped shell of wurtzite ZnS. Since in the starting Cd-based nanorods the size of the CdSe core and the length of the CdS shell can be well controlled, the same holds for the final Zn-based rods. In the second step of the exchange reaction (Cu +→Zn 2+), a large excess of Zn 2+ ions added over the Cu + ions present in the Cu 2Se/Cu 2S nanorods is the key requisite to obtain bright, band-edge emission (with quantum yields approaching 15%) with narrow line widths (approaching 75 meV). In these ZnSe/ZnS nanorods, photogenerated carriers appear to be more confined in the core region compared to their parent CdSe/CdS nanorods. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1007/s00023-019-00793-4 | On “Hard Stars” in General Relativity | We study spherically symmetric solutions to the Einstein–Euler equations which model an idealised relativistic neutron star surrounded by vacuum. These are barotropic fluids with a free boundary, governed by an equation of state which sets the speed of sound equal to the speed of light. We demonstrate the existence of a 1-parameter family of static solutions, or “hard stars” and describe their stability properties: First, we show that small stars are a local minimum of the mass energy functional under variations which preserve the total number of particles. In particular, we prove that the second variation of the mass energy functional controls the “mass aspect function”. Second, we derive the linearisation of the Euler–Einstein system around small stars in “comoving coordinates” and prove a uniform boundedness statement for an energy, which is exactly at the level of the variational argument. Finally, we exhibit the existence of time-periodic solutions to the linearised system, which shows that energy boundedness is optimal for this problem. | [
"Mathematics",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1557/mrs.2017.271 | Self-organizing materials built with DNA | Abstract | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1093/nar/gkr1155 | Non-coding telomeric and subtelomeric transcripts are differentially regulated by telomeric and heterochromatin assembly factors in fission yeast | While telomere repeat-containing non-coding RNA has been identified in a variety of eukaryotes, its biological role is not yet clear. We have identified telomeric transcripts in fission yeast, a model system that combines precise genetic manipulability with telomeres remarkably similar to those of human. Like human and budding yeast, fission yeast harbours a population of telomeric RNA molecules containing G-rich telomeric repeats transcribed from the subtelomere to the telomere. In addition, we detect substantial levels of C-rich telomeric RNA whose appearance is independent of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, suggesting that the telomere repeats themselves serve as promoter sites; multiple distinct subtelomeric RNAs are also present. The regulation of these transcripts depends on the telomere-associated proteins Taz1 and Rap1, as deletion of taz1 + or rap1 + leads to increased levels of both telomere repeat-containing and subtelomeric transcripts. In contrast, loss of the heterochromatin proteins Swi6 or Clr4 or the telomerase regulator Rif1 results in elevated subtelomeric RNA levels while telomere-repeat containing transcript levels remain repressed. Coupled with the large body of knowledge surrounding the functions of telomeric and heterochromatin factors in fission yeast, these in vivo analyses suggest testable models for the roles of TERRA in telomere function. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1084/jem.20131768 | Immunity induced by a broad class of inorganic crystalline materials is directly controlled by their chemistry | There is currently no paradigm in immunology that enables an accurate prediction of how the immune system will respond to any given agent. Here we show that the immunological responses induced by members of a broad class of inorganic crystalline materials are controlled purely by their physicochemical properties in a highly predictable manner. We show that structurally and chemically homogeneous layered double hydroxides (LDHs) can elicit diverse human dendritic cell responses in vitro. Using a systems vaccinology approach, we find that every measured response can be modeled using a subset of just three physical and chemical properties for all compounds tested. This correlation can be reduced to a simple linear equation that enables the immunological responses stimulated by newly synthesized LDHs to be predicted in advance from these three parameters alone. We also show that mouse antigen–specific antibody responses in vivo and human macrophage responses in vitro are controlled by the same properties, suggesting they may control diverse responses at both individual component and global levels of immunity. This study demonstrates that immunity can be determined purely by chemistry and opens the possibility of rational manipulation of immunity for therapeutic purposes. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
Q2730575 | The internationalisation of the composite filtration system and therapy | In its structure, Križevci is one of the companies belonging to it. This type of business is a major source of entrepreneurial skills, innovation and new jobs, but results show that barriers to internationalisation are systematically higher for small businesses than larger companies and that the size of small businesses is crucial for the level of international activity. It has developed innovation that is likely to improve and significantly improve the cleaning up of indoor air, which is a global problem today. The aim of the project is to exit the international market, raise the profile and find business partners through participation at international fairs. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.10.015 | The Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex and the connected Lusi system: Geochemical evidences | For the first time we present the geochemical characterization of fluids emitted from the Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex and compare the results with those obtained sampling the neighboring spectacular Lusi eruption site (Java Island, Indonesia). The isotopic composition of the hydrothermal and cold waters from the Welirang volcanic complex indicate a meteoric origin for these springs, with values ranging from −65 to −50 and −6 to −1‰ vs V-SMOW respectively for δD and δ18O. The water erupted from the Lusi site showed clustered higher δD and δ18O isotopic values, ranging around −6 and +10 vs V-SMOW respectively. We ascribe these results to mixing between hydrothermal fluids, meteoric water, saline formation fluids, and water released during clay mineral illitization ultimately altered by additional evaporation processes. The chemical and isotopic composition of fluids emitted from fumaroles and hydrothermal springs of the Welirang volcano showed a clear magmatic signature where a CO2-dominated gas reveals δ13CCO2 ranging between −5. 9 and −2. 4 and helium isotope with R/Ra = 7. 3. These values are very close to those measured at Lusi site (R/Ra = 7) that also have high CO2/CH4 ratio (1. 7–2. 2) supporting the high contribution of magmatic gases. Moreover, a great contribution of andesitic water has been recognized in the water vapour emitted from the summit fumaroles. Converging geochemical data indicate that the plumbing system of the Lusi eruption site is connected at depth with the Arjuno-Welirang volcanic complex. These data support a scenario where hydrothermal fluids from the volcanic system migrated in the sedimentary basin triggering metamorphic reactions in the organic-rich sediments that ultimately resulted in a venting system at the surface. After eleven years of incessant activity this venting system remains constantly fed by the fluids from the volcanic complex and became world known as “Lusi” the largest ongoing clastic geysering system on Earth. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201527705 | Simulations Of Ram Pressure Stripping In Galaxy Cluster Interactions | Context. Observationally, the quenching of star-forming galaxies appears to depend both on their mass and environment. The exact cause of the environmental dependence is still poorly understood, yet semi-analytic models (SAMs) of galaxy formation need to parameterise it to reproduce observations of galaxy properties. Aims. In this work, we use hydrodynamical simulations to investigate the quenching of disk galaxies through ram-pressure stripping (RPS) as they fall into galaxy clusters with the goal of characterising the importance of this effect for the reddening of disk galaxies. In particular, we compare our findings for the mass loss and evolution of the star formation rate in our simulations with prescriptions commonly employed in SAMs. We also analyse the gaseous wake of the galaxy, focusing on gas mixing and metal enrichment of the intracluster medium (ICM). Methods. Our set-up employs a live model of a galaxy cluster that interacts with infalling disk galaxies on different orbits. We use the moving-mesh code AREPO, augmented with a special refinement strategy to yield high resolution around the galaxy on its way through the cluster in a computationally efficient way. Cooling, star formation, and stellar feedback are included according to a simple sub-resolution model. Stellar light maps and the evolution of galaxy colours are computed with the stellar synthesis code FSPS to draw conclusions about quenching timescales of our model galaxies. Results. We find that the stripping models employed in current SAMs often differ substantially from our direct simulations. In most cases, the actual stripping radius of the simulated disk galaxies is larger than assumed in the SAMs, corresponding to an over prediction of the mass loss in SAMs. As long as the disk is not completely stripped in peaks of RPS during pericentre passage, some gas that remains bound to the galaxies is redistributed to the outer parts of disks as soon as the ram pressure becomes weaker again, an effect that is not captured in simplified treatements of RPS. Star formation in our model galaxies is quenched mainly because the hot gas halo is stripped, depriving the galaxy of its gas supply. The cold gas disk is only stripped completely in extreme cases, leading to full quenching and significant reddening on a very short timescale. Depending on the inclination angle, this can light up a galaxy for a few hundred Myrs until all of the gas is stripped or consumed and star formation drops to almost zero, suggesting a typical quenching timescale of ~200 Myr. On the other hand, galaxies experiencing only mild ram pressure actually show an enhanced star formation rate that is consistent with observations. Stripped gas in the wake is mixed efficiently with intracluster gas already a few tens of kpc behind the disk, and this gas is free of residual star formation. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b11717 | Structural Insights into the Mechanism of Chiral Recognition and Chirality Transfer in Host-Guest Assemblies at the Liquid-Solid Interface | Understanding structure-efficiency relationships in chiral recognition and chirality transfer constitutes an important step toward the rational design of improved chiral probes and chirality auxiliaries or inducers. Recently discovered enantioselective host-guest adsorption opened a new pathway toward the enantioselective reconstruction of on-surface monolayers. In this study, we explored the importance of size matching between host cavity and chiral guest for the efficiency of chiral recognition and subsequent chirality induction in the initially racemic host. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
W2358637697 | The Order-Number Dependence of Burg Spectrum and Choice of Optimum Regularization Parameter | The power spectrum of the signal polluted with the white noise is analysed by Burg method,and its result is compared with the periodogram method.When the ratio of the order-number is little,Burg spectrum is over-smooth and the signal is covered by the noise;with the increase of the order-number,the resolution increases too. When the order-number further increases,the false peak occurs and gradually increases,so that the signal is submerged by the noise.The results show that there must be an order-number and the best quality in burg spectrum near this order number;meanwhile,it is indicated that this order-number is just the optimum regularization parameter,just to further consider NCP of the residual and K-S limit,the optimum regularization parameter may be detemined. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1007/978-1-62703-182-0_12 | Contrast Enhanced Ultrasonography | Ultrasound is the cornerstone for prostatic imaging and covers diagnostics, therapy monitoring, and follow-up. In the aspect of focal therapy, accurate prostate cancer localization is mandatory. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a promising imaging technique which has shown to greatly increase the chances to find prostate cancer in biopsies. At the moment, CEUS is only performed in expert centers because of difficult interpretation and steep learning curves. CEUS quantification techniques can make reliable and objective interpretation, with a high sensitivity, possible outside of expert centers. Focal therapy and active surveillance are increasingly used, but require to be supported by proper imaging techniques. CEUS seems a promising technique for real-time monitoring and follow-up of focal therapy treatment. In the near future, the use of targeted contrast agents will be a major breakthrough in the combat against prostate cancer. They show promising results regarding better visualization and longer lasting contrast enhancement of prostate cancer in in-vitro as well as in in-vivo animal experiments. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1021/sb400002n | Quantifying translational coupling in E. coli synthetic operons using RBS modulation and fluorescent reporters | Translational coupling is the interdependence of translation efficiency of neighboring genes encoded within an operon. The degree of coupling may be quantified by measuring how the translation rate of a gene is modulated by the translation rate of its upstream gene. Translational coupling was observed in prokaryotic operons several decades ago, but the quantitative range of modulation translational coupling leads to and the factors governing this modulation were only partially characterized. In this study, we systematically quantify and characterize translational coupling in E. coli synthetic operons using a library of plasmids carrying fluorescent reporter genes that are controlled by a set of different ribosome binding site (RBS) sequences. The downstream gene expression level is found to be enhanced by the upstream gene expression via translational coupling with the enhancement level varying from almost no coupling to over 10-fold depending on the upstream gene's sequence. Additionally, we find that the level of translational coupling in our system is similar between the second and third locations in the operon. The coupling depends on the distance between the stop codon of the upstream gene and the start codon of the downstream gene. This study is the first to systematically and quantitatively characterize translational coupling in a synthetic E. coli operon. Our analysis will be useful in accurate manipulation of gene expression in synthetic biology and serves as a step toward understanding the mechanisms involved in translational expression modulation. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
W2051489330 | From potential to ability to compete: Towards a performance-based tourism competitiveness index | Abstract The purpose of this study is to design a ranking system for tourist destinations. The ranking system will be grounded in the competitiveness theory. The main tenet of the study reveals that the nexus inputs–outputs as entertained by several indices are not automatic. The study claims that a meaningful measurement of tourism competitiveness is performance. The study designs a tourism competitiveness index (TCI) derived from satisfaction, productivity and quality of life. The ranking in this study shows inconsistent results when compared to the World Economic Forum (WEF) tourism ranking. That is, the WEF tourism ranking revealed that countries at the top of the ranking are not necessarily strong in real tourism receipts per capita and quality of life; while the current study indicated that they actually are strong in those areas. The study further found that these two attributes (i.e. real receipts per capita and value added) strongly correlate with quality of life stressing the attributes of receipts per capita, value added and quality of life and their correlation as important elements in the descriptive theory building of tourism competitiveness. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
627376 | Toxin mimetics of human peptides as novel tools for drug discovery and design | Venomous animals use a myriad of toxins to specifically disrupt the physiology and behavior of their prey. Because of their high stability, potency, and specificity, toxins are important tools for biomedical research and have been developed as therapeutics for various human diseases. However, contributions to date pale in comparison to future prospects. We hypothesize that a small and essentially overlooked group of toxins, “ToxMims”, represent the most promising candidates for drug discovery and development. ToxMims potently disrupt the prey’s physiology by specifically mimicking the action of endogenous signaling peptides. Because many of these signaling peptides are critical players in human health and disease, ToxMims are exceptionally promising drug leads. Proof-of-concept is provided by our recent discovery of a toxin mimetic of insulin that is used by a marine cone snail to induce dangerously low blood sugar in fish prey. Because of its advantageous properties over human insulin, the venom insulin has rapidly become a novel drug lead for the treatment of diabetes. Despite their significant biomedical potential, ToxMims are rare and difficult to systematically detect using currently available methodologies. By leveraging recent advances in next-generation sequencing combined with our proven expertise in computational and experimental venom discovery and pharmacology, this project aims to develop a set of tools to enable the systematic identification and characterization of any ToxMim of the ~350 human signaling peptides with an emphasis on those implicated in disease. If successful, this research will not only identify a set of unique drug leads with profound impact on human health but elucidate previously unknown mechanisms of receptor activation, inhibition and signaling. Furthermore, this project will foster European excellence in venom research and develop scientific leadership competences for an independent, early-career researcher returning to Europe. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevA.94.022324 | Geometric approach to entanglement quantification with polynomial measures | We show that the quantification of entanglement of any rank-2 state with any polynomial entanglement measure can be recast as a geometric problem on the corresponding Bloch sphere. This approach provides insight into the properties of entanglement and allows us to relate different polynomial measures to each other, simplifying their quantification. In particular, unveiling and exploiting the geometric structure of the concurrence for two qubits, we show that the convex roof of any polynomial measure of entanglement can be quantified exactly for all rank-2 states of an arbitrary number of qubits which have only one or two unentangled states in their range. We give explicit examples by quantifying the three-tangle exactly for several representative classes of three-qubit states. We further show how our methods can be used to obtain analytical results for entanglement of more complex states if one can exploit symmetries in their geometric representation. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
W1992215201 | Aortic arch calcification is strongly associated with coronary artery calcification | Background: We aimed to investigate the association between aortic arch and coronary artery calcification (CAC). We postulated that low‐ and high‐risk CAC scores could be predicted with the evaluation of standard chest radiography for aortic arch calcification (AAC). Patients and methods: Consecutive patients who were referred for a multidetector computerized tomography (MDCT) examination were enrolled prospectively. All patients were scanned using a commercially available 64‐slice MDCT scanner for the evaluation of CAC score. A four‐point grading scale (0, 1, 2 and 3) was used to evaluate AAC on the standard posterior‐anterior chest radiography images. Results: The study group consisted of 248 patients. Median age of the study group was 52 (IQR: 10) years, and 165 (67 %) were male. AAC grades (r = 0.676, p < 0.0001) and age (r = 0.518, p < 0.0001) were significantly and positively correlated with CAC score. Presence of AAC was independently associated with the presence of CAC (OR: 11.20, 95 % CI 4.25 to 29.52). An AAC grade of ≥ 2 was the strongest independent predictor of a high‐risk CAC score (OR: 27.42, 95 % CI 6.09 to 123.52). Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis yielded a strong predictive ability of AAC grades for a CAC score of ≥ 100 (AUC = 0.892, P < 0.0001), and ≥ 400 (AUC = 0.894, P < 0.0001). Absence of AAC had a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 90 %, 84 % and 89 %, respectively, for a CAC score of < 100. An AAC grade of ≥ 2 predicted a CAC score of ≥400 with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 68 %, 98 % and 95 %, respectively. Conclusions: AAC is a strong and independent predictor of CAC. The discriminative performance of AAC is high in detecting patients with low‐ and high‐risk CAC scores. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1016/j.tecto.2013.01.010 | Basin evolution in a folding lithosphere: Altai-Sayan and Tien Shan belts in Central Asia | Central Asia is a classical example for continental lithospheric folding. In particular, the Altay-Sayan belt in South-Siberia and the Kyrgyz Tien Shan display a special mode of lithospheric deformation, involving decoupled lithospheric mantle folding and upper crustal folding and faulting. Both areas have a heterogenous crust with a long history of accretion-collision, subsequently reactivated as a far-field effect of the Indian-Eurasian collision. Thanks to the youthfulness of the tectonic deformation in this region (peak deformation in late Pliocene-early Pleistocene), the surface expression of lithospheric deformation is well documented by the surface topography and superficial tectonic structures. A review of the paleostress data and tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the Kurai-Chuya basin in Siberian Altai, Zaisan basin in Kazakh South Altai and Issyk-Kul basin in Kyrgyz Tien Shan suggests that they were initiated in an extensional context and inverted by a combination of fault-controlled deformation and flexural folding. In these basins, fault-controlled deformation alone appears largely insufficient to explain their architecture. Lithospheric buckling inducing surface tilting, uplift and subsidence also played an important role. They form typical basins in a folding lithosphere (FLB). Their characteristic basin fill and symmetry, inner structure, folding wavelength and amplitude, thermal regime, time frame are examined in relation to basement structure, stress field, strain rate, timing of deformation, and compared to existing modelling results. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00180 | Critical Overview of the Use of Ru(II) Polypyridyl Complexes as Photosensitizers in One-Photon and Two-Photon Photodynamic Therapy | Conspectus: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an emerging technique to treat certain types of cancer, bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and skin diseases. In past years, different research groups developed new ruthenium-containing photosensitizers (PSs) with tuned photophysical and biological properties to better fit the requirements of PDT. In this Account, we report and discuss the latest results in this research area, emphasizing particularly our own research. For example, inspired by the DNA intercalating complex [Ru(bpy)2(dppz)]2+ (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine; dppz = (dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine), a series of ruthenium complexes bearing differently functionalized dppz ligands were synthesized to target DNA. The introduction of the substituents on the dppz ligand did not reduce much the affinity of the complexes to DNA but highly affected their cellular uptake. The most effective complex in this series, [Ru(bpy)2(dppz-7-OMe)]2+, showed IC50 values in the low micromolar range against several types of cancer cells upon light irradiation and, importantly, a high phototoxic index (PI) of >150. This value is comparable to or even better than several PSs used in clinics under comparable experimental conditions. This compound was found to localize in the nucleus and to induce DNA damage in HeLa cells upon light irradiation. Interestingly, cells in the mitotic phase were found to be more affected and to have a different mechanism of cell death (apoptosis) upon light irradiation than those in the interphase (paraptosis). To take advantage of that, the PS was combined with a cell cycle inhibitor to synchronize cells in the mitotic phase, further improving the phototoxicity by a factor of 3. 6. In addition, our group recently demonstrated that [Ru(bphen)2(benzene-1,2-dislufinate)] (bphen = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) localizes in mitochondria and has an IC50 value of 0. 62 μM with a PI of over 80 in HeLa cells upon light irradiation at 420 nm. Interestingly, this complex was also found to efficiently kill Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus under light irradiation. Antimicrobial PDT (aPDT) is another field of research where Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes can play an interesting role to fight antibiotics resistance. [Ru(dqpCO2Me)(ptpy)]2+ (dqpCO2Me = 4-methylcarboxy-2,6-di(quinolin-8-yl)pyridine), ptpy = 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) is additionally efficient against Gram-negative Escherichia coli. The efficacy of positively charged Ru(II) PSs is related to their affinity to the negatively charged membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. A drawback of many Ru(II) polypyridyl PSs is their low absorption in the biological optical window (600-900 nm) where light penetration depth into tissue is the highest. The lowest energy transition in the UV/Vis spectra of Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes is usually a metal-to-ligand charge-transfer band. To shift the absorption into this range, tuning of the ligand system, for example, by extending ?-systems, has been described in the literature. Another approach to make excitation in the optical biological window possible is Two-Photon Absorption (2PA). High photon density is needed and usually confocal laser beams are used for excitation. In collaboration with the Chao group, a series of homoleptic Ru(II) complexes bearing tertiary alkyl ammonium substituted bipyridine ligands with two photon cross sections between 185 and 250 GM at around 800 nm was tested in vitro. They showed IC50 values in the micromolar range and PIs between 103 and 313. The highly positive-charged complexes were found to enter the cell via endocytosis and to target lysosomes. Studies on 3D tumor cell spheroids, a model closer to real tumors than commonly used 2D cell monolayers, were also performed. It could be demonstrated that 2P-PDT treatment with 800 nm laser irradiation was significantly more effective than that with 450 nm laser irradiation. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.1007/s00029-019-0518-3 | Categorified canonical bases and framed BPS states | We consider a cluster variety associated to a triangulated surface without punctures. The algebra of regular functions on this cluster variety possesses a canonical vector space basis parametrized by certain measured laminations on the surface. To each lamination, we associate a graded vector space, and we prove that the graded dimension of this vector space gives the expansion in cluster coordinates of the corresponding basis element. We discuss the relation to framed BPS states in N= 2 field theories of class S. | [
"Mathematics",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
221117 | Unique radar-drone used for subsurface water detection for precision agricultural irrigation | Given the pressure on natural resources, agriculture must improve its environmental performance through 'greener' farming practices. As EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2020) urge to increase productivity and sustainability, as well as farmers’ resilience towards climate change and world increasing population. In an agriculture market where gross margin and profitability are getting tighter, farmers demand to optimise & reduce water consumption, though precision irrigation. Currently no commercial solution measures underground water & soil nutritional content.
ADANT Srl, is an Italian SME expert in the RF and ITC sector that has developed AGRI Drone till TRL6, and has partnered the Italian SME ARETÉ Srl, specialised consultant agency for agro-industry, for its strategic commercialisation. AGRI Drone is a cost-effective breakthrough towards sustainable agriculture, composed by a P-band radar with the capacity of measuring underground humidity profile & shallow water table (till 3m depth) with a centimetre accuracy, and able to cover a survey area of 12Ha at 100-150m flying distance in about 10-15 minutes.
AGRI Drone, using cloud computing & intelligent software, allows to design improved irrigation management system to save water & energy & fertilizers up to 10,000€/100 ha/year. It offers a competitive solution with low operating cost (8€/Ha), either: 35,000€/unit with 3.5 years’ payback for large farmers, or a flight service (1,000€) with counselling service included.
Thanks to ADANT & ARETÈ, AGRI drone successful launch will be by 2020. The consortium will sell 264 AGRI Drone units and provide 15,2000 services that will be worth 24.7M€, with profit of 2.5M€ for ARETÈ and 9M€ for ADANT after 4 years. We already collaborate with key stakeholders: Accademia Nazionale di Agricoltura and Bologna University as technical counsellors, Mavetech Srl (drone manufacturer) and have 11 support letters from end users/farmers. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Earth System Science",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W2511520071 | Probing the intra-group medium of a z = 0.28 galaxy group | We present new MUSE observations of a galaxy group probed by a background quasar. The quasar sightline passes between multiple $z=0.28$ galaxies, whilst showing at the same redshift low ionised metal line species, including Ca II, Mg I, Mg II and Fe II. Based on the galaxy redshifts measured from the MUSE data, we estimate the galaxies to be part of a small galaxy group with a halo mass of $\approx6\times10^{12}$ M$_{\odot}$. We use the MUSE data to reveal the two dimensional dynamical properties of the gas and stars in the group galaxies, and relate these to the absorber kinematics. With these data we consider a number of scenarios for the nature of the gas probed by the sightline absorbers: a co-rotating gas halo associated with a single galaxy within the group; outflowing material from a single group member powered by recent star-formation; and cool dense gas associated with an intra-group medium. We find that the dynamics, galaxy impact parameters, star-formation rates, and the absorber strength suggest the cool gas can not be clearly associated with any single galaxy within the group. Instead we find that the observations are consistent with a superposition of cool gas clouds originating with the observed galaxies as they fall into the group potential, and are now likely in the process of forming the intra-group medium. | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
Q2883408 | Resuming HE Activity | Project to adapt the establishment to the new conditions of physical and hygiene distancing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the acquisition of personal protective equipment, hygiene materials, changes in the working layout, new methods of work organisation and relationship with customers and suppliers. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
W2064544828 | Tuning the Guest-Binding Ability of a Helically Folded Capsule by In Situ Modification of the Aromatic Oligoamide Backbone | Starting from a previously described aromatic oligoamide helically folded capsule that binds tartaric acid with high affinity and diastereoselectivity, we demonstrate the feasibility of the direct in situ modification of the helix backbone, which results in a conformational change that reduces its affinity for guests by two orders of magnitude. Specifically, ring contraction of the central pyridazine unit into a pyrrole in the full helical sequence was investigated by using electrochemical and chemical processes. The sequence containing the pyrrole was synthesized independently in a convergent manner to ascertain its structure. The conformation of the pyrrolic folded capsule was elucidated in the solid state by X-ray crystallography and in solution by using (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. Solution studies revealed an unanticipated solvent-dependent equilibrium between the anti-anti and syn-syn conformations of the pyrrole ring with respect to its two adjacent pyridine units. Titrations of the pyrrole-containing sequence monitored by (1)H NMR spectroscopy confirmed the expected drop in affinity for tartaric acid and malic acid that arises from the conformation change in the backbone that follows the replacement of the pyridazine by a pyrrole. The reduction of the pyridazine to a pyrrole was characterized by cyclic voltammetry both on the entire sequence and on a shorter precursor. The lower cathodic potential of the precursor made its preparative-scale electroreduction possible. Direct in situ modification of the pyridazine within the entire capsule sequence was achieved chemically by using zinc in acetic acid. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1016/j.jhep.2018.03.011 | A simple diet- and chemical-induced murine NASH model with rapid progression of steatohepatitis, fibrosis and liver cancer | Background and Aims: Although the majority of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have only steatosis without progression, a sizeable fraction develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Many established diet-induced mouse models for NASH require 24–52 weeks, which makes testing for drug response costly and time consuming. Methods: We have sought to establish a murine NASH model with rapid progression of extensive fibrosis and HCC by using a western diet (WD), which is high-fat, high-fructose and high-cholesterol, combined with low weekly dose of intraperitoneal carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), which serves as an accelerator. Results: C57BL/6J mice were fed a normal chow diet ± CCl 4 or WD ± CCl 4 for 12 and 24 weeks. Addition of CCl 4 exacerbated histological features of NASH, fibrosis, and tumor development induced by WD, which resulted in stage 3 fibrosis at 12 weeks and HCC development at 24 weeks. Furthermore, whole liver transcriptomic analysis indicated that dysregulated molecular pathways in WD/CCl 4 mice and immunologic features were similar to those of human NASH. Conclusions: Our mouse NASH model exhibits rapid progression of advanced fibrosis and HCC, and mimics histological, immunological and transcriptomic features of human NASH, suggesting that it will be a useful experimental tool for preclinical drug testing. Lay summary: A carefully characterized model has been developed in mice that recapitulates the progressive stages of human fatty liver disease, from simple steatosis, to inflammation, fibrosis and cancer. The functional pathways of gene expression and immune abnormalities in this model closely resemble human disease. The ease and reproducibility of this model make it ideal to study disease pathogenesis and test new treatments. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1063/1.3232213 | Simultaneous In Plane And Out Of Plane Exchange Bias Using A Single Antiferromagnetic Layer Resolved By X Ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism | We present a study of exchange bias in ferromagnet/antiferromagnet/ferromagnet (FM/AFM/FM) trilayers, with in-plane and out-plane easy axes. Using element-specific x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, we demonstrate that simultaneous in-plane and out-of-plane exchange bias can be induced using a single antiferromagnet and zero field cooling, whereas field cooling only induces exchange bias to the layer with easy axis parallel to the cooling field. Our results further evidence the presence of pinned uncompensated moments in both the FM and AFM layers, implying that the AFM layer is capable of supporting uncompensated spins in two orthogonal directions at the same time. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-0642 | Decoding Intratumoral Heterogeneity Of Breast Cancer By Multiparametric In Vivo Imaging A Translational Study | Differential diagnosis and therapy of heterogeneous breast tumors poses a major clinical challenge. To address the need for a comprehensive, non-invasive strategy to define the molecular and functional profiles of tumors in vivo, we investigated a novel combination of metabolic positron emission tomography (PET) and diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the polyoma virus middle T transgenic mouse model of breast cancer. The implementation of a voxelwise analysis for the clustering of intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity in this model resulted in a multiparametric profile based on [18F]FDG-PET and DW-MRI which identified 3 distinct tumor phenotypes in vivo, including solid acinar and solid nodular malignancies as well as cystic hyperplasia. To evaluate the feasibility of this approach for clinical use, we examined estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and progesterone receptor-positive (PR+) breast tumors from 5 patient cases using DW-MRI and [18F]FDG-PET in a simultaneous PET/MRI system. The post-surgical in vivo PET/MRI data was correlated to whole-slide histology using the latter traditional diagnostic standard to define phenotype. By this approach, we showed how molecular, structural (microscopic, anatomic) and functional information could be simultaneously obtained non-invasively to identify precancerous and malignant subtypes within heterogeneous tumors. Combined with an automatized analysis, our results suggest that multiparametric molecular and functional imaging may be capable of providing comprehensive tumor profiling for non-invasive cancer diagnostics. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.molcel.2019.06.032 | Thermophile 90S Pre-ribosome Structures Reveal the Reverse Order of Co-transcriptional 18S rRNA Subdomain Integration | Eukaryotic ribosome biogenesis involves RNA folding and processing that depend on assembly factors and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). The 90S (SSU-processome) is the earliest pre-ribosome structurally analyzed, which was suggested to assemble stepwise along the growing pre-rRNA from 5′ > 3′, but this directionality may not be accurate. Here, by analyzing the structure of a series of 90S assembly intermediates from Chaetomium thermophilum, we discover a reverse order of 18S rRNA subdomain incorporation. Large parts of the 18S rRNA 3′ and central domains assemble first into the 90S before the 5′ domain is integrated. This final incorporation depends on a contact between a heterotrimer Enp2-Bfr2-Lcp5 recruited to the flexible 5′ domain and Kre33, which reconstitutes the Kre33-Enp-Brf2-Lcp5 module on the compacted 90S. Keeping the 5′ domain temporarily segregated from the 90S scaffold could provide extra time to complete the multifaceted 5′ domain folding, which depends on a distinct set of snoRNAs and processing factors. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
184939 | Elucidating the role of clouds-circulation coupling in climate | This proposal focuses on two of climate science’s most fundamental questions: How sensitive is Earth's surface temperature to radiative forcing? and What governs the organization of the atmosphere into rain bands, cloud clusters and storms? These seemingly different questions are central to an ability to assess climate change on regional and global scales, and are in large part tied to a single and critical gap in our knowledge: A poor understanding of how clouds and atmospheric circulations interact.
To fill this gap, my goal is to answer three questions, which are critical to an understanding of cloud-circulation coupling and its role in climate: (i) How strongly is the low-clouds response to global warming controlled by atmospheric circulations within the first few kilometres of the atmosphere? (ii) What controls the propensity of the atmosphere to aggregate into clusters or rain bands, and what role does it play in the large-scale atmospheric circulation and in climate sensitivity? (iii) How much do cloud-radiative effects influence the frequency and strength of extreme events?
I will address these questions by organising the first airborne field campaign focused on elucidating the interplay between low-level clouds and the small-scale and large-scale circulations in which they are embedded, as this is key for questions (i) and (ii), by analysing data from other field campaigns and satellite observations, and by conducting targeted numerical experiments with a hierarchy of models and configurations.
This research stands a very good chance to reduce the primary source of the forty-year uncertainty in climate sensitivity, to demystify long-standing questions of tropical meteorology, and to advance the physical understanding and prediction of extreme events. EUREC4A will also support, motivate and train a team of young scientists to exploit the synergy between observational and modelling approaches to answer pressing questions of atmospheric and climate science. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
894051 | Advancing european research infrastcuture on highly pathogenic agents | One of the great challenges of the 21st century is to develop the capacity to prevent and react to outbreaks caused by highly pathogenic human and animal microorganisms, which are generally characterized by a high mortality rate, unavailability of prophylactics or effective therapeutic treatment and high human-to-human transmission.
ERINHA AISBL (European Research Infrastructure on Highly Pathogenic Agents), a pan-European Research Infrastructure (RI) dedicated to the study of high-consequence pathogens of Risk Group 4 (RG4), entered into implementation phase in July 2017. It now aims to ensure its long-term sustainability to better answer societal challenges in the field of Science, Health and Security.
The overall aim of the ERINHA-Advance project is to implement actions that will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the ERINHA RI, through enlargement of its membership and partnership and strengthening the overall services offer and framework by fostering the innovation potential of the RI.
To reach these goals, the RI will focus on the following specific objectives:
1. Enlarge ERINHA’s membership and research capacities (WP2);
2. Improve users services (WP3);
3. Stimulate the innovation potential of ERINHA and identify the co-innovation opportunities with industry (WP4);
4. Strengthen the overall services framework through long-term data-management and data sharing rules, clarification of IPR regimes and definition and implementation of the quality assurance system of the RI and its national nodes (WP5);
5. Reinforce ERINHA’s European and International cooperation with relevant countries, initiatives and networks (WP2 and WP6).
By achieving these objectives, ERINHA-Advance will largely contribute to providing access to larger number of high containment facilities to European and international scientists and foster research and innovation in the field of highly infectious diseases. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
638546 | Detailed Characterization of Spray Systems using Novel Laser Imaging Techniques | The multiple scattering of light is a complex phenomenon, commonly encountered but rarely desired. In imaging it induces strong blurring on the recorded photographs, limiting the range of applicability and accuracy of modern optical instruments. A typical example concerns the laser diagnostics of spray systems. The PI has revealed in 2008 a technique based on structured illumination with the important capability to remove the contributions from multiple light scattering, allowing the unique possibility of visualising through dense sprays. Based on this acquired knowledge, the aim of this proposal is to develop and apply three novel imaging techniques for the complete characterizations of spray systems:
The first technique will focus on visualizing with both high contrast and high resolution various spray phenomena that have not been observed in the past; such as complex spray breakup mechanisms in the near-nozzle region.
The second technique is related to the characterization of the formed droplets field. This concerns the accurate measurement of both droplets size and concentration using a three-dimensional imaging approach.
Finally, a third important task is the mapping of the spray temperature over the whole spray system. This information would lead to the determination of heat transfer and evaporation rate, which are key factors in the performance of combustion devices.
By extracting these important quantities - dynamics, droplets size/concentration and thermometry - fundamental insights which are still missing to fully understand the process of atomization will be provided. This will also serve at validating modern CFD models, leading to reliable predictions of spray behaviours. Even though this work can directly benefit to a large number of medical and industrial spray applications, it will mostly focus on fuel spray injections used in combustion devices. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1167/13.8.17 | Learning Diagnostic Features The Delta Rule Does Bubbles | It has been shown (Murray & Gold, 2004a) that the Bubbles paradigm for studying human perceptual identification can be formally analyzed and compared to reverse correlation methods when the underlying identification model is conceived as a linear amplifier (LAM). However the usefulness of a LAM for characterizing human perceptual identification mechanisms has subsequently been questioned (Gosselin & Schyns, 2004). In this article we show that a simple linear model that is formally analogous to the LAM--a linear perceptron trained with the delta rule--can make sense of several Bubbles experiments in the context of letter identification. Specifically, an analysis of input-output connection weights after training revealed that the most positive weights clustered around letter parts in a way that mimicked the diagnostic parts of letters revealed by the Bubbles technique (Fiset et al. , 2008). Our results suggest that linear observer models are indeed unreasonably effective, at least as first approximations to human letter identification mechanisms. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1016/j.shpsa.2015.07.004 | Expertise revisited, Part I-Interactional expertise | In Part I of this two part paper we try to set out the 'essence' of the notion of interactional expertise by starting with its origins. In Part II we will look at the notion of contributory expertise. The exercise has been triggered by recent discussion of these concepts in this journal by Plaisance and Kennedy and by Goddiksen. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
W1705898822 | Microfluidics and BioMEMS in Silicon | Microfluidic systems handle nanoliters and picoliters of fluids, predominantly liquids, but also vapors, gases and microplasmas. Microfluidic systems are characterized by huge surface-to-volume ratios which mean that surface interactions are important; small sizes that allow rapid diffusion and efficient heat transfer; and easy fabrication of complex channel geometries and parallelization. BioMEMS, defined as study of biomolecules, cells and tissue using microfabricated systems, are aqueous microfluidic systems. Multiphase systems, with aqueous droplets embedded in a stream of oil, allow ultimate miniaturization with a volume in the picoliter range. Inkjet printers, a silicon microfluidic device class invented in the 1970s, also produce droplets of picoliter volumes. In this chapter we will discuss the benefits of using silicon as the material for microfluidic devices. Silicon properties and microfabrication possibilities are explored, with applications in microreactors, nozzle and droplet generator systems, and various chemical and biochemical separation systems. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.cell.2020.01.015 | Single-Cell Transcriptome Atlas of Murine Endothelial Cells | A comprehensive murine atlas comprising >32,000 single endothelial-cell transcriptomes from 11 mouse tissues is reported, and among the subclusters various classical as well as tissue-specialized endothelial-cell subtypes are defined. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319174 | Estimating Emg Signals To Drive Neuromusculoskeletal Models In Cyclic Rehabilitation Movements | A main challenge in the development of robotic rehabilitation devices is how to understand patient's intentions and adapt to his/her current neuro-physiological capabilities. A promising approach is the use of electromyographic (EMG) signals which reflect the actual activation of the muscles during the movement and, thus, are a direct representation of user's movement intention. However, EMGs acquisition is a complex procedure, requiring trained therapists and, therefore, solutions based on EMG signals are not easily integrable in devices for home-rehabilitation. This work investigates the effectiveness of a subject- and task-specific EMG model in estimating EMG signals in cyclic plantar-dorsiflexion movements. Then, the outputs of this model are used to drive CEINMS toolbox, a state-of-the-art EMG-driven neuromusculoskeletal model able to predict joint torques and muscle forces. Preliminary results show that the proposed methodology preserves the accuracy of the estimates values. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1093/bioinformatics/btu716 | Automatic prediction of polysaccharide utilization loci in Bacteroidetes species | Motivation: A bacterial polysaccharide utilization locus (PUL) is a set of physically linked genes that orchestrate the breakdown of a specific glycan. PULs are prevalent in the Bacteroidetes phylum and are key to the digestion of complex carbohydrates, notably by the human gut microbiota. A given Bacteroidetes genome can encode dozens of different PULs whose boundaries and precise gene content are difficult to predict. Results: Here, we present a fully automated approach for PUL prediction using genomic context and domain annotation alone. By combining the detection of a pair of marker genes with operon prediction using intergenic distances, and queries to the carbohydrate-active enzymes database (www. cazy. org), our predictor achieved above 86% accuracy in two Bacteroides species with extensive experimental PUL characterization. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
896389 | New clinical endpoints in primary sjögren’s syndrome: an interventional trial based on stratifying patients | Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease (AID) involving 0.5 to 3/1000 persons. The disease affects exocrine glands leading to dryness of the eyes and the mouth and is associated with fatigue and limb pain. In 30% to 50% of the patients, systemic and extra-glandular manifestations may develop. The spectrum of extra-glandular manifestations in pSS is broad and includes vasculitis, peripheral neuropathy, synovitis, kidney involvement and interstitial lung disease. Moreover, pSS patients have a 10 to 20-fold higher risk of developing B cell lymphomas, conferring shorter lifetime expectancy to these patients.
Whereas 10 new targeted-immunomodulatory treatments have been marketed for rheumatoid arthritis in the past 20 years, only one drug has been licensed for other systemic AIDs, such as pSS and systemic erythematous lupus in the same period. There are several factors that may hamper the development of successful drugs for AID. Being multi-organ, these AIDs are considerably heterogeneous among individuals both in terms of clinical manifestations and biological disturbances, with, as a consequence, a great difficulty to set-up accurate composite clinical end-points sensitive to change and usable in clinical trials. In this project, our objectives are:
• To develop and assess sensitive clinical endpoints, for use in future clinical trials, able to evaluate response to drug treatments in patients with pSS with high disease burden and/or systemic involvement,
• To identify and evaluate discriminative biomarkers for stratification of pSS patients predictive of organ involvement and disease progression and thus available for inclusion in clinical trials,
• To set-up and perform an original multi-arm multi-stage clinical trial to validate the newly defined pSS endpoints and the identified biomarkers, by maximizing the chance of finding a difference between the placebo arm and the treated arm. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
W2525949833 | The Colonization of Iceland in Light of Isotope Analyses | Abstract A review of the mounting archaeological evidence for the colonization of Iceland suggests that the whole country was occupied within a couple of decades towards the end of the 9th century AD. Analyses of strontium in human bones show, however, that immigrants continued to arrive in Iceland throughout the 10th century. Here we discuss this apparent contradiction, suggesting that while continued immigration may have been needed to sustain the population, these patterns arise also from biases within the burial data. We argue that formal burial, of the kind that allows isotopic analyses, reflects growing affluence and the emergence of an indigenous gentry that sought to legitimate its power through association with the perceived homeland and its upper class. | [
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
W1542829142 | Landscape and forest exploitation at the ancient Neolithic site of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain) | This work is focused on the use of firewood by the first farming communities of the settlement of La Draga (Banyoles, Spain). The two occupation phases have been dated between 5324 and 4980 cal. bc. Charcoal remains are used to represent the vegetation landscape. The comparison of the charcoal analysis data with other archaeobotanical studies carried out at the site enables an appreciation of how wood resources were used and the impact of this use on the environment. A total of 22 taxa have been identified; riparian communities and oak forests were predominant in the surroundings and provided firewood as well as wood for other uses. Deciduous Quercus sp. and Laurus nobilis make up the largest part of the identified remains. Lakeside vegetation and the deciduous forests suffered the first impact of the farming communities. In the more recent phase, Buxus sempervirens was also used intensely. The importance of box may have been the result of the greater expansion of these taxa, as a result of the degradation of vegetation in the surroundings. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
175453 | Continuous non-invasive diagnosis of arterial pressure and hemodynamics | CNSystems' CNAP HD technology is an innovative diagnostic tool for a significant reduction of peri- and postoperative complications resulting in an enhanced recovery after surgery. Consequently, the use of CNAP HD reduces length of hospital stay and decreases costs substantially. The planned diagnostic devices CNAP HD integral and CNAP HD connect are designed for the continuous non-invasive or minimal-invasive measurement of hemodynamic (HD) parameters. These parameters are biomarkers, which classify as “measurable diagnostic indicators that are used to assess the risk or presence of disease”.
CNAP HD integral / connect will be used for diagnosing HD. It will guide intravenous fluid and inotropic therapy by achieving goals for cardiac output (CO) and other dynamic biomarkers in order to optimize the balance between oxygen supply and demand. Keeping the patient's fluid status in balance is the most effective way to combat complications such as infections, global tissue hypoxia, shock and multi organ failure.
Medical outcome of the new diagnostic method is impressive: if HD is optimised by CNAP HD, overall complication rate will be reduced by 34% (from 83% in a group with standard treatment to 55% in HD-optimised patients) and infections will decrease by 61% (from 57% in standard treatment to 22%). CNAP HD has further proven clinical accuracy shown in various validation, application and outcome studies.
The greatest impact regarding cost savings will be achieved in medium to high-risk surgeries and/or in medium to high-risk patients. Elderly patients with existing co-morbidities will benefit most. The annual cost savings potential for Europe with its age structure is ∼ €2.6 billion.
For its broad rollout, the technology has to fulfil usability needs of anaesthesiologists working in OR's. For that a vast innovation thrust is planned. The current proposal describes how CNSystems wants to successfully design its new diagnostic devices CNAP HD integral / connect. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.