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US 201916288550 A | Semiconductor device including a high-speed receiver being capable of adjusting timing skew for multi-level signal and testing equipment including the receiver | A semiconductor device including a signal generator and decoding and timing skew adjusting circuit is provided. The signal generator is configured to receive n multi-level signals having m signal levels and convert the n multi-level signals into n*(m−1) single level signals having two signal levels. The decoding and timing skew adjusting circuit is configured to receive the single level signals, perform a predefined operation on the single level signals to generate an output signal, and compensate for timing skew between the n multi-level signals, using the single level signals. The n and m are natural numbers, where n>=2 and m>=3. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevB.85.235121 | Challenges in truncating the hierarchy of time-dependent reduced density matrices equations | In this work, we analyze the Born, Bogoliubov, Green, Kirkwood, and Yvon (BBGKY) hierarchy of equations for describing the full time evolution of a many-body fermionic system in terms of its reduced density matrices (at all orders). We provide an exhaustive study of the challenges and open problems linked to the truncation of such a hierarchy of equations to make them practically applicable. We restrict our analysis to the coupled evolution of the one- and two-body reduced density matrices, where higher-order correlation effects are embodied into the approximation used to close the equations. We prove that within this approach, the number of electrons and total energy are conserved, regardless of the employed approximation. Further, we demonstrate that although most of the truncation schemes available in the literature give acceptable ground-state energy, when applied to describe driven electron dynamics, they exhibit undesirable and unphysical behavior, e. g. , violation and even divergence in local electronic density, both in weakly and strongly correlated regimes. We illustrate and analyze these problems within the few-site Hubbard model. The model can be solved exactly and provides a unique reference for our detailed study of electron dynamics for different values of interaction, different initial conditions, and the large set of approximations considered here. Moreover, we study the role of compatibility between two hierarchical equations and positive semidefiniteness of reduced density matrices in the instability of electron dynamics. We show that even if the used approximation holds the compatibility, electron dynamics can still diverge when positive definitiveness is violated. We propose some partial solutions of such problems and point out the main paths for future work in order to make this approach applicable for the description of the correlated electron dynamics in complex systems. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.3847/1538-4357/ab3b0c | A Tale of Two Clusters: An Analysis of Gas-phase Metallicity and Nebular Gas Conditions in Proto-cluster Galaxies at z ∼ 2 | The ZFIRE survey has spectroscopically confirmed two proto-clusters using the MOSFIRE instrument on Keck I: One at z = 2. 095 in COSMOS and another at z = 1. 62 in UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UDS). Here, we use an updated ZFIRE data set to derive the properties of ionized gas regions of proto-cluster galaxies by extracting fluxes from emission lines Hβ 4861 Å, [O iii] 5007 Å, Hα 6563 Å, [N ii] 6585 Å, and [S ii] 6716,6731 Å. We measure gas-phase metallicity of members in both proto-clusters using two indicators, including a strong-line indicator relatively independent of the ionization parameter and electron density. Proto-cluster and field galaxies in both UDS and COSMOS lie on the same Mass-Metallicity Relation with both metallicity indicators. We compare our results to recent IllustrisTNG results, which report no significant gas-phase metallicity offset between proto-cluster and field galaxies until z = 1. 5. This is in agreement with our observed metallicities, where no offset is measured between proto-cluster and field populations. We measure tentative evidence from stacked spectra that indicate UDS high-mass proto-cluster and field galaxies have differing [O iii]/Hβ ratios; however, these results are dependent on the sample size of the high-mass stacks. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
interreg_2346 | Practical Use of MONITORing in Natural Disaster Management | Management of natural hazards constitutes a common challenge in the SEES. Until now, neither hazard mapping nor contingency planning have been transnationally coordinated and defined in a sufficient manner. These gaps will be tackled in MONITOR II with the development of a common methodology and a CSA ("Continuous Situation Awareness") system. The integration of monitoring systems facilitates periodic update of hazard maps and contingency plans and thus makes them usable in real-time for disaster situations. Products of these activities are a harmonized methodology and a ready-to-use system, which are applied by the partners for implementation in their characteristic test beds. The practical implementation of CSA system will result in improved hazard maps and contingency plans. It will thus support prevention of natural hazards, improve efficiency of workflows in the disaster management cycle and mitigate natural hazards intensified by climate change phenomena. Legal, technological and participatory aspects, which are vital for successful risk management, will be considered in a broad discussion among a variety of partners and external stakeholders all over SEES. Stakeholders addressed include the public, politicians, emergency services and experts. Prevention of natural hazards requires intensive awareness raising and training for preparedness. The ambitious communication structure and dissemination strategy of MONITOR II will help to achieve these objectives. The partnership combines transnational scientific experts, authorities, public services and end-users, which ensures practical relevance as well as application of results. The project will strongly profit from existing network structures and their experience (e.g. MONITOR, DIS-ALP) and will use their results as a starting point. MONITOR II will improve the usability of hazard maps and contingency plans. Its products will facilitate communication in all phases of disaster management. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
772505 | Inheritance, expressivity and epistasis hidden behindthe phenotypic landscape of natural populations | Elucidating the causes of the awesome phenotypic diversity observed in natural populations is a major challenge in biology. It is now clear that the understanding of traits is not only hampered by non-heritable factors such as the environment and epigenetic variation, but also confounded by the lack of complete knowledge concerning the genetic components of traits. More than a century after the rediscovery of Mendel’s law, the genetic architecture of traits still resists generalization. First, this is increasingly evident as shown by recent genome-wide association studies, where identified causal loci explained relatively little of the heritability of most complex traits, leading to the “missing heritability”. Second, we also have recently shown that monogenic mutations can display a significant, variable and continuous phenotypic expression, called expressivity, across different genetic backgrounds. Altogether, these observations clearly indicate that a better understanding of the genetic architecture of traits requires a deeper knowledge of the variability of the phenotypic effect of genetic variants across an entire population. In the frame of the Phenome'N'al project, I plan to marry classical but high-throughput genetic methods with new approaches based on population genomics to connect the phenotypic and allelic landscape by taking advantage of the powerful budding yeast model system. With our recent completion of the whole genome resequencing of over 1,011 natural isolates (http://1002genomes.u-strasbg.fr/), plus the accompanying phenotyping efforts, we have currently one of the best understanding of the natural genetic and phenotypic diversity of any eukaryote model system to date. These datasets will lay the foundation of Phenome'N'al, which aims to dissect the inheritance, expressivity and genetic interactions hidden behind the phenotypic landscape of an entire natural population. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
629355 | Tissue-Engineering the tumour microenvironment to improve treatment of pancreatic cancer | My vision is to address a clinical problem with a novel and transformative approach. Using my unique expertise in cell biology, tissue engineering and translational research I will design technology platforms to test new treatments for human pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic tumours are cancers of unmet medical need with 85% of patients dying within 9 months of diagnosis. To find better therapies, we need patient-specific models that mimic the biology of tumour tissues and target interactions between malignant and non-malignant cells. Biomimetic tissue engineering is a powerful approach to generate 3D cancer models, however, only a few scientists use these technologies. Most 3D cultures of human cells include reconstituted matrices that originate from murine tumours containing undefined amounts of extracellular matrix and growth factors. There is no tissue-engineered 3D model that allows control over patient-specific and biomechanical characteristics of the pancreatic tumour microenvironment.
I hypothesise that 3D approaches that replicate the native tissue composition and biomechanical properties will behave like real tumours to provide clinically predictive platforms and to test novel treatments that target both malignant and non-malignant cells.
To test my hypothesis, I will:
•3D-print matrix and cellular elements of the microenvironment of human pancreatic tumours
•Develop a cancer-on-a-chip model of liver metastasis
•Compare the crosstalk of malignant and other microenvironment components with the human disease
•Validate my new platforms with treatments in clinical trials and test novel combination treatments that slow down or reduce tumour growth.
In a multidisciplinary project, I will use:
•3D printing to build platforms composed of hydrogels, fibrous scaffolds and patient-derived cells
•Extracellular matrix molecules for chemical crosslinking into hydrogels
•Cancer-on-a-chip models to study tumour metastasis
•Imaging, biomechanical and multi-omics analyses. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1126/science.aaj1562 | Root diffusion barrier control by a vasculature-derived peptide binding to the SGN3 receptor | The root endodermis forms its extracellular diffusion barrier by developing ringlike impregnations called Casparian strips. A factor responsible for their establishment is the SCHENGEN3/GASSHO1 (SGN3/GSO1) receptor-like kinase. Its loss of function causes discontinuous Casparian strips. SGN3 also mediates endodermal overlignification of other Casparian strip mutants. Yet, without ligand, SGN3 function remained elusive. Here we report that schengen2 (sgn2) is defective in an enzyme sulfating peptide ligands. On the basis of this observation, we identified two stele-expressed peptides (CASPARIAN STRIP INTEGRITY FACTORS, CIF1/2) that complement sgn2 at nanomolar concentrations and induce Casparian strip mislocalization as well as overlignification - all of which depend on SGN3. Direct peptide binding to recombinant SGN3 identifies these peptides as SGN3 ligands. We speculate that CIF1/2-SGN3 is part of a barrier surveillance system, evolved to guarantee effective sealing of the supracellular Casparian strip network. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W1445299084 | Statistical Modeling of Surface Roughness and its Estimation using Neural Network | Surface roughness, is a measure of surface quality is one of the specified requirements in a machining process. The machine vision applications have been carried out many researches in industries, as they have the benefit of being non-contact and speedy process than contact methods. In machine vision, is possible to analyze and determine the area of the surface, in which machine vision information will assist sensors to make intelligent decision on the applications. In this work, surface roughness estimation has been done by machine vision system. The extraction of features for the enhanced images is in spatial frequency domain done with the facilitate of Fourier Transform and Wavelet Transform. A neural network (NN) is trained with feature extracted values as input acquired from wavelet transform and examined to obtain Rt as output. The estimated surface roughness parameter (Rt) based on NN, which is compared with the Rt values from Stylus method is obtained as results. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Mathematics"
]
|
W2052333057 | Gravitational detection of a low-mass dark satellite galaxy at cosmological distance | The mass-function of dwarf satellite galaxies that are observed around Local Group galaxies substantially differs from simulations based on cold dark matter: the simulations predict many more dwarf galaxies than are seen. The Local Group, however, may be anomalous in this regard. A massive dark satellite in an early-type lens galaxy at z = 0.222 was recently found using a new method based on gravitational lensing, suggesting that the mass fraction contained in substructure could be higher than is predicted from simulations. The lack of very low mass detections, however, prohibited any constraint on their mass function. Here we report the presence of a 1.9 +/- 0.1 x 10^8 M_sun dark satellite in the Einstein-ring system JVAS B1938+666 at z = 0.881, where M_sun denotes solar mass. This satellite galaxy has a mass similar to the Sagittarius galaxy, which is a satellite of the Milky Way. We determine the logarithmic slope of the mass function for substructure beyond the local Universe to be alpha = 1.1^+0.6_-0.4, with an average mass-fraction of f = 3.3^+3.6_-1.8 %, by combining data on both of these recently discovered galaxies. Our results are consistent with the predictions from cold dark matter simulations at the 95 per cent confidence level, and therefore agree with the view that galaxies formed hierarchically in a Universe composed of cold dark matter. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
646827 | Analysis, Design and Experimental Evolution of Novel Carbon Fixation Pathways | Carbon fixation is a prerequisite for accumulating biomass and storing energy in most of the living world. As such, it supplies our food and dominates land and water usage by humanity. In agriculture, where water and nutrients are abundant, the rate of carbon fixation often limits growth rate. Therefore increasing the rate of carbon fixation is of global importance towards agricultural and energetic sustainability.
What are the limits on the possible rate of carbon fixation? Attempts to improve RuBisCO, the key enzyme in the Calvin-Benson cycle, have achieved only limited results. My lab focuses on trying to overcome this global challenge by building synthetic pathways for carbon fixation. We create a computational framework that designs and scores pathways and creates step-wise selection strategies for in-vivo experimental implementation. Our most promising synthetic carbon fixation pathways are found to utilize the highly effective carboxylating enzyme, PEP carboxylase. We experimentally test these pathways in the most genetically tractable context by constructing an E.coli strain that depends on atmospheric CO2 fixation. We will gradually incorporate the pathways, initially as essential reaction steps for biomass production, and finally with CO2 as sole carbon input of the cell.
As a stepping-stone towards this challenging goal, we will construct an autotrophic E.coli strain that uses the Calvin-Benson cycle. We systematically convert this synthetic biology grand challenge into a gradual evolutionary ladder with independently selectable steps. We recently achieved key steps in the ladder, such as semi-autotrophic growth, serving as powerful proofs of concept.
The proposed research will advance our basic-science understanding of evolutionary plasticity of metabolic pathways. It also paves the way for a hybrid rational-design/experimental-evolution approach to revisit and advance the capacity of metabolism for agricultural productivity and renewable energy storage. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1080/10586458.2017.1409144 | Derived Hecke Algebra For Weight One Forms | We study the action of the derived Hecke algebra on the space of weight one forms. By analogy with the topological case, we formulate a conjecture relating this to a certain Stark unit. We verify t. . . | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1038/s41564-019-0488-4 | Nanoscale polarization of the entry fusion complex of vaccinia virus drives efficient fusion | To achieve efficient binding and subsequent fusion, most enveloped viruses encode between one and five proteins1. For many viruses, the clustering of fusion proteins—and their distribution on virus particles—is crucial for fusion activity2,3. Poxviruses, the most complex mammalian viruses, dedicate 15 proteins to binding and membrane fusion4. However, the spatial organization of these proteins and how this influences fusion activity is unknown. Here, we show that the membrane of vaccinia virus is organized into distinct functional domains that are critical for the efficiency of membrane fusion. Using super-resolution microscopy and single-particle analysis, we found that the fusion machinery of vaccinia virus resides exclusively in clusters at virion tips. Repression of individual components of the fusion complex disrupts fusion-machinery polarization, consistent with the reported loss of fusion activity5. Furthermore, we show that displacement of functional fusion complexes from virion tips disrupts the formation of fusion pores and infection kinetics. Our results demonstrate how the protein architecture of poxviruses directly contributes to the efficiency of membrane fusion, and suggest that nanoscale organization may be an intrinsic property of these viruses to assure successful infection. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1029/2012GL051157 | Holocene Subsurface Temperature Variability In The Eastern Antarctic Continental Margin | [1] We reconstructed subsurface (∼45–200 m water depth) temperature variability in the eastern Antarctic continental margin during the late Holocene, using an archaeal lipid-based temperature proxy (TEX86L). Our results reveal that subsurface temperature changes were probably positively coupled to the variability of warmer, nutrient-rich Modified Circumpolar Deep Water (MCDW, deep water of the Antarctic circumpolar current) intrusion onto the continental shelf. The TEX86Lrecord, in combination with previously published climatic records, indicates that this coupling was probably related to the thermohaline circulation, seasonal variability in sea ice extent, sea temperature, and wind associated with high frequency climate dynamics at low-latitudes such as internal El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This in turn suggests a linkage between centennial ENSO-like variability at low-latitudes and intrusion variability of MCDW into the eastern Antarctic continental shelf, which might have further impact on ice sheet evolution. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1126/science.aah5454 | The sacral autonomic outflow is sympathetic | A kinship between cranial and pelvic visceral nerves of vertebrates has been accepted for a century. Accordingly, sacral preganglionic neurons are considered parasympathetic, as are their targets in the pelvic ganglia that prominently control rectal, bladder, and genital functions. Here, we uncover 15 phenotypic and ontogenetic features that distinguish pre- and postganglionic neurons of the cranial parasympathetic outflow from those of the thoracolumbar sympathetic outflow in mice. By every single one, the sacral outflow is indistinguishable from the thoracolumbar outflow. Thus, the parasympathetic nervous system receives input from cranial nerves exclusively and the sympathetic nervous system from spinal nerves, thoracic to sacral inclusively. This simplified, bipartite architecture offers a new framework to understand pelvic neurophysiology as well as development and evolution of the autonomic nervous system. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1084/jem.20150542 | IKKβ in intestinal mesenchymal cells promotes initiation of colitis-associated cancer | The importance of mesenchymal cells in inflammation and/or neoplastic transformation is well recognized, but their role in the initiation of these processes, particularly in the intestine, remains elusive. Using mouse models of colorectal cancer, we show that IKKβ in intestinal mesenchymal cells (IMCs) is critically involved in colitis-associated, but not spontaneous tumorigenesis. We further demonstrate that IMC-specific IKKβ is involved in the initiation of colitis-associated cancer (CAC), as in its absence mice develop reduced immune cell infiltration, epithelial cell proliferation, and dysplasia at the early stages of the disease. At the molecular level, these effects are associated with decreased early production of proinflammatory and protumorigenic mediators, including IL-6, and reduced STAT3 activation. Ex vivo IKKβ-deficient IMCs show defective responses to innate immune stimuli such as LPS, as shown by decreased NF-κB signaling and reduced expression of important NF-κB target genes. Collectively, our results reveal a hitherto unknown role of mesenchymal IKKβ in driving inflammation and enabling carcinogenesis in the intestine. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W2521411036 | Archaeology and development at loggerheads: But should they be? | In a recent South African Archaeological Bulletin (vol. 66, no. 194), two articles on the concerns against coal mining at Vele near Mapungubwewere published (Meskell 2011; Swanepoel 2011). This discussion forum article attempts to respond to some of the points raised in the article by Natalie Swanepoel. More importantly, I aim to take the discussion forward by recommending that we bridge the polarity that exists between archaeologists and those who can collectively be called developers. The latter are considered destructive in their approach, which brings them at loggerheads with the former. Without finding a common ground between us and the developers, we shall remain at loggerheads, and our own purposes will not be served. Some in the discipline might beg to differ. However, I will submit that this is the debate that we must have. I begin by presenting a general perspective I have of the conflict between archaeologists and developers. And in doing so, I argue that they win the support 'race' over us because they play their cards very well. Rather than 'shout' at the outside world, I further argue that we need to undertake an introspective stance and ask to what extent are we cleaning our discipline so that it has the human face developers claim to have. Some of the problems are of our own doing, and until we own up and attend to the problems within archaeology, we would be failing ourselves. | [
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
Q2692149 | Working capital grant for SCORPION Stasik TADEUSZ,Stasik MARIA,Stasik ŁUKASZ,Stasik TOMASZ,Stasik MICHAŁ | The project concerns support to the entrepreneur in providing liquidity and support to day-to-day activities due to the financial difficulties that have occurred to the entrepreneur as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Financial assistance under scheme SA.57015 (2020/N) | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
864972 | Using Evolutionary Algorithms to Understand and Secure Web/Enterprise Systems | --------------------
With the EAST project, I aim to improve our understanding of the intrinsic characteristics of web/enterprise systems related to their security. I will achieve it by designing novel techniques that are able to scale to automatically generate test cases for large web/enterprise systems, and that can automatically find common types of security threats. This is a necessary stepping stone before reaching the high risk / high impact goal of designing testing systems that can adapt and learn, finding classes of security threats for which currently there is no automated solution due to the oracle-problem.
I will contribute towards this goal by constructing and studying classes of co-evolutionary algorithms that evolve in competition in separate populations of test cases for graphical user interfaces (e.g., web app GUIs) and direct network calls (e.g., HTTP).
The tools and techniques developed in the EAST project will be instrumental to study and broaden our understanding of what kinds of security-related mistakes do developers make in practice, and why they are made. Such scientific knowledge will be at the base to form a so much needed theoretical framework for the field of security testing.
The project will contribute to software engineering (insight in web/enterprise systems and automated methods for system testing), evolutionary computation (in particular co-evolutionary algorithms for the domain of software test generation), and computer security (in particular developing breakthroughs in investigating the so-called oracle-problem). | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1063/1.3087119 | Astrophysical S Factor For Α Capture Of 113In In The P Process Energy Range | The cross sections of 113In(α,γ)117Sb and 113In(α,n)116Sb reactions have been measured using the activation method. The experiments were carried out at the ATOMKI cyclotron accelerator in the center of mass energy range from 8. 7 to 13. 7 MeV. Astrophysical S‐factors have been calculated, and preliminary results are compared with statistical model predictions. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1017/s2071832200023178 | Beyond Judicial Councils: Forms, Rationales and Impact of Judicial Self-Governance in Europe | A few years ago, judicial councils composed primarily of judges were viewed as a panacea for virtually all problems of court administration in Europe. The burgeoning literature on judicial councils has shown that this is not necessarily the case. This article builds on this literature, but it argues that judicial self-governance is much broader phenomenon than judicial councils and may also take different forms. Therefore, it is high time to look beyond judicial councils and to view judicial self-governance as a much more complex network of actors and bodies with different levels of participation of judges. To that end this article conceptualizes judicial self-governance and identifies crucial actors within the judiciary who may engage in judicial governance (such as judicial councils, judicial appointment commissions, promotion committees, court presidents and disciplinary panels). Subsequently, it shows that both the forms, rationales, and effects of judicial self-governance have varied across Europe. Finally, this article argues that it is necessary to take into account the liquid nature of judicial self-governance and its responsiveness to political, social, and cultural changes. Moreover, the rise of judicial self-governance is not necessarily a panacea, as it may lead to political contestation and the creation of new channels of politicization of the judiciary. | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1128/AEM.03292-14 | XoxF-type methanol dehydrogenase from the anaerobic methanotroph "Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera" | "Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera" is a newly discovered anaerobic methanotroph that, surprisingly, oxidizes methane through an aerobic methane oxidation pathway. The second step in this aerobic pathway is the oxidation of methanol. In Gramnegative bacteria, the reaction is catalyzed by pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent methanol dehydrogenase (MDH). The genome of "Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera" putatively encodes three different MDHs that are localized in one large gene cluster: one so-called MxaFI-type MDH and two XoxF-type MDHs (XoxF1 and XoxF2). MxaFI MDHs represent the canonical enzymes, which are composed of two PQQ-containing large (α) subunits (MxaF) and two small (β) subunits (MxaI). XoxF MDHs are novel, ecologically widespread, but poorly investigated types of MDHs that can be phylogenetically divided into at least five different clades. The XoxF MDHs described thus far are homodimeric proteins containing a large subunit only. Here, we purified a heterotetrameric MDH from "Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera" that consisted of two XoxF and two MxaI subunits. The enzyme was localized in the periplasm of "Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera" cells and catalyzed methanol oxidation with appreciable specific activity and affinity (Vmax of 10 μmol min-1 mg-1 protein, Km of 17 μM). PQQ was present as the prosthetic group, which has to be taken up from the environment since the known gene inventory required for the synthesis of this cofactor is lacking. The MDH from "Ca. Methylomirabilis oxyfera" is the first representative of type 1 XoxF proteins to be described. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1016/j.coi.2013.05.004 | Multiple players in mouse B cell memory | B cell memory has long been considered the attribute of the sole IgG-positive B cell subset. Since a few years, and due to new B-cell subset identification procedures, increasing heterogeneity has been identified among the memory B cell pool. IgM-positive cells and germinal center-independent subsets are recent additions to the field. This review describes the diversity of memory B cells, as well as controversial issues on their relative contribution to the recall response. The impact of a protracted germinal center response to the specific mobilization of IgM memory B cells is proposed. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.1021/jz201616z | Ethanol diffusion on rutile TiO <inf>2</inf>(110) mediated by H adatoms | We have studied the diffusion of ethanol on rutile TiO 2(110)-(1 × 1) by high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Time-lapsed STM images recorded at ∼200 K revealed the diffusion of ethanol molecules both parallel and perpendicular to the rows of surface Ti atoms. The diffusion of ethanol molecules perpendicular to the rows of surface Ti atoms was found to be mediated by H adatoms in the rows of bridge-bonded O (O br) atoms similarly to previous results obtained for water monomers. In contrast, the diffusion of H adatoms across the Ti rows, mediated by ethanol molecules, was observed only very rarely and exclusively on fully hydrogenated TiO 2(110) surfaces. Possible reasons why the diffusion of H adatoms across the Ti rows mediated by ethanol molecules occurs less frequently than the cross-row diffusion of ethanol molecules mediated by H adatoms are discussed. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1088/0264-9381/29/24/244001 | Nr Hep Roadmap For The Future | Physics in curved spacetime describes a multitude of phenomena, ranging from astrophysics to high energy physics. The last few years have witnessed further progress on several fronts, including the accurate numerical evolution of the gravitational field equations, which now allows highly nonlinear phenomena to be tamed. Numerical relativity simulations, originally developed to understand strong field astrophysical processes, could prove extremely useful to understand high-energy physics processes like trans-Planckian scattering and gauge-gravity dualities. We present a concise and comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art and important open problems in the field(s), along with guidelines for the next years. This writeup is a summary of the "NR/HEP Workshop" held in Madeira, Portugal from August 31st to September 3rd 2011. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1111/jomf.12523 | Childhood Family Structure and the Accumulation of Wealth Across the Life Course | Objective: The aim of this article is to document how childhood family structure is related to the accumulation of wealth. Background: Childhood family structure is a commonly studied determinant of child and adult outcomes, but little is known about its effects on wealth accumulation. Wealth is affected by a wide variety of factors, including human capital formation, family dynamics, and intergenerational transfers. Studying wealth therewith sheds light on how childhood family structure relates to the accumulation of advantages across life. Method: Data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (N = 7,066) are employed to document wealth differences at ages 47 to 55. Growth curve models are estimated to understand at what ages these differences emerge. Results: A median wealth penalty of at least $61,600 at ages 47 to 55 is observed for individuals who did not live continuously with both parents from birth to age 18, depending on the alternative childhood family trajectory considered. A subsequent mediation analysis of the “wealth penalty” related to the permanent departure of a parent from the household during childhood points at human capital formation and own family dynamics as the primary channels through which wealth differences are produced; intergenerational transfers matter rather less. Conclusion: Childhood family structure has moderate effects on multiple different life domains that accrue during the life course and collectively add up to a more considerable penalty in wealth. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1128/MCB.01177-13 | Miro 1 Links Mitochondria And Microtubule Dynein Motors To Control Lymphocyte Migration And Polarity | The recruitment of leukocytes to sites of inflammation is crucial for a functional immune response. In the present work, we explored the role of mitochondria in lymphocyte adhesion, polarity, and migration. We show that during adhesion to the activated endothelium under physiologicalflow conditions, lymphocyte mitochondria redistribute to the adhesion zone together with the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in an integrin-dependent manner. Mitochondrial redistribution and efficient lymphocyte adhesion to the endothelium require the function of Miro-1, an adaptor molecule that couples mitochondria to microtubules. Our data demonstrate that Miro-1 associates with the dynein complex. Moreover, mitochondria accumulate around the MTOC in response to the chemokine CXCL12/SDF-1; this redistribution is regulated by Miro-1. CXCL12-dependent cell polarization and migration are reduced in Miro-1-silenced cells, due to impaired myosin II activation at the cell uropod and diminished actin polymerization. These data point to a key role of Miro-1 in the control of lymphocyte adhesion and migration through the regulation of mitochondrial redistribution. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1109/JIOT.2017.2773200 | Semiotics Semantically Enhanced Iot Enabled Intelligent Control Systems | In today’s “smart era” there is a growing ecosystem of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices, which exploit (wireless) Internet connectivity and use standard communication protocols to interact with each other and the environment. As various IoT components are becoming widely available in the marketplace, a key challenge from a feedback control viewpoint is the ability to seamlessly integrate new IoT components or modify existing configurations in feedback control settings without having to halt the operation of the system and redesign the overall feedback control scheme. This paper exploits technologies from the semantic Web domain, for the design of a novel semantically enhanced IoT-enabled intelligent control system (SEMIoTICS) architecture. The proposed SEMIoTICS scheme incorporates a supervisor module able to facilitate the semantic modeling of IoT components and the subsequent online composition/reconfiguration of feedback control loops. We demonstrate the applicability of the SEMIoTICS architecture through illustrative scenarios from the smart buildings domain. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1007/s10596-015-9550-3 | Sensitivity of HF radar-derived surface current self-organizing maps to various processing procedures and mesoscale wind forcing | We performed a number of sensitivity experiments by applying a mapping technique, self-organizing maps (SOM) method, to the surface current data measured by high-frequency (HF) radars in the northern Adriatic and surface winds modelled by two state-of-the-art mesoscale meteorological models, the Aladin (Aire Limitée Adaptation Dynamique Développement InterNational) and the Weather and Research Forecasting models. Surface current data used for the SOM training were collected during a period in which radar coverage was the highest: between February and November 2008. Different pre-processing techniques, such as removal of tides and low-pass filtering, were applied to the data in order to test the sensitivity of characteristic patterns and the connectivity between different SOM solutions. Topographic error did not exceed 15 %, indicating the applicability of the SOM method to the data. The largest difference has been obtained when comparing SOM patterns originating from unprocessed and low-pass filtered data. Introduction of modelled winds in joint SOM analyses stabilized the solutions, while sensitivity to wind forcing coming from the two different meteorological models was found to be small. Such a low sensitivity is considered to be favourable for creation of an operational ocean forecasting system based on neural networks, HF radar measurements and numerical weather prediction mesoscale models. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2013074665 | War trauma and battle injuries. Battlefield health care | The study of war trauma and treatment of the wounded on the battlefield nowadays presents a scientific challenge, given the evolving complexity and contemporary elements of war. Understanding the distinction between civil and war trauma as well as their philosophy of management is an essential need. The principles of injury management currently applied in the urban environment are inevitably modified for casualties on the battlefield where penetrating trauma is frequent, local conditions difficult, the environment inhospitable and the availability of materials and tools minimal. Causative mechanisms of war trauma and the distinction between battle injuries and non-battle injuries on the battlefield constitute a separate focus of study in modern literature. War trauma mortality and trauma management are defined differently in relation to common urban trauma. The provision of care “under fire”, “at tactical level” and “during the evacuation — transportation” of casualties represents a new specialist area involving different priorities and principles of assessment and management. The analysis of conditions surrounding trauma management on the battlefield aims to highlight the need for well-organized and trained teams consisting of military medical personnel able to respond to mass or non-mass casualty emergencies. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
10.1007/s10751-019-1586-7 | A compact RFQ cooler buncher for CRIS experiments | A compact radio frequency cooler buncher (RFQCB) is currently in development between The University of Manchester, KU Leuven, and CERN. The device will be installed as part of the Collinear Resonance Ionisation Spectroscopy (CRIS) experiment at the Isotope separator On-line device (ISOLDE) at CERN. The purpose of developing a dedicated RFQCB for the CRIS experiment is to increase data collection efficiency, and simplify the process of obtaining reference measurements with stable isotopes. The CRIS technique is outlined in addition to an overview of the proposed RFQCB, and its potential compatibility for implementation at ISOLDE. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W1913647084 | Interleukin-6 Deficiency Corrects Nephritis, Lymphocyte Abnormalities, and Secondary Sjögren's Syndrome Features in Lupus-ProneSle1.YaaMice | To assess disease features in Sle1.Yaa mice with genetic interleukin-6 (IL-6) deficiency.Sera and tissues were collected from C57BL/6 (B6), Sle1.Yaa, and Sle1.Yaa.IL-6(-/-) mice and analyzed for various features of disease. Using serum samples, autoantibody specificities were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence, cytokine production was analyzed by Luminex and ELISA, and levels of blood urea nitrogen were determined by ELISA. Renal, lung, and salivary gland tissue sections were evaluated for pathologic changes. Lymphocyte phenotypes, including CD4+ T cell cytokine production, and those of follicular and extrafollicular T helper subsets, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells, were determined using flow cytometry.IL-6 deficiency not only ameliorated autoantibody production and renal disease in this model, but also effectively reduced inflammation of lungs and salivary glands. Furthermore, IL-6 deficiency abrogated differentiation of Th1 and extrafollicular T helper cells, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells in the spleen and eliminated renal T cells with IL-17, interferon-γ, and IL-21 production potential.Our findings highlight IL-6-mediated T cell aberrations in Yaa-driven autoimmunity and support the concept of therapeutic IL-6/IL-6 receptor blockade in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome by impairing the production of autoantibodies and lymphocytic infiltration of the kidneys, lungs, and salivary glands. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.4064/sm180212-30-7 | Poisson processes and a log-concave Bernstein theorem | We discuss interplays between log-concave functions and log-concave sequences. We prove a Bernstein-type theorem, which characterizes the Laplace transform of log-concave measures on the half-line in terms of log-concavity of the alternating Taylor coefficients. We establish concavity inequalities for sequences inspired by the Prékopa–Leindler and the Walkup theorems. One of our main tools is a stochastic variational formula for the Poisson average. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
2716890 | Monitoring multidimensional aspects of quality of life after cancer immunotherapy - an open smart digital platform for personalized prevention and patient management | Cancer immunotherapy brought about significant progress in cancer treatment. It resulted in high efficacy in some cancers; e.g., up to 60% objective response rate in melanoma and 80% complete response rate in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Nevertheless, two main challenges still impede improving cancer patients’ health status and quality of life (QoL) after immunotherapy initiation: 1) a crucial need for “predictive markers” of occurrence of immunotherapy-related adverse events (IR-AEs) to predict and improve patients’ health status and promote their QoL; and, 2) the lack of knowledge on patients after start of immunotherapy outside randomised controlled trials. To reach these goals, significantly more diversified sources of data are required.
Project QUALITOP aims at developing a European immunotherapy-specific open Smart Digital Platform and using big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and simulation modelling approaches. This will enable collecting and aggregating efficiently real-world data to monitor health status and QoL of cancer patients given immunotherapy. Through causal inference analyses, QUALITOP will identify the determinants of health status regarding IR-AEs and define patient profiles in a real-world context. For this, heterogeneous data sources (big data), both retrospective and prospective --collected for QUALITOP from clinical centres in four EU countries—will integrate lifestyle, genetic, and psychosocial determinants of QoL. Using machine learning approaches, QUALITOP will provide ""real-time"" recommendations stemming from patient profiles and feedbacks via the Smart Digital Platform. Furthermore, an increased visibility on patients’ behaviour, a better IR-AEs prediction, and an improvement of care coordination will help analysing through simulation modelling approaches the gain in cost-effectiveness. Guidelines will be issued over the short and long-term.
| [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1618239114 | Stem cell migration and mechanotransduction on linear stiffness gradient hydrogels | The spatial presentation of mechanical information is a key parameter for cell behavior. We have developed a method of polymerization control in which the differential diffusion distance of unreacted cross-linker and monomer into a prepolymerized hydrogel sink results in a tunable stiffness gradient at the cell-matrix interface. This simple, low-cost, robust method was used to produce polyacrylamide hydrogels with stiffness gradients of 0. 5, 1. 7, 2. 9, 4. 5, 6. 8, and 8. 2 kPa/mm, spanning the in vivo physiological and pathological mechanical landscape. Importantly, three of these gradients were found to be nondurotactic for human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs), allowing the presentation of a continuous range of stiffnesses in a single well without the confounding effect of differential cell migration. Using these nondurotactic gradient gels, stiffness-dependent hASC morphology, migration, and differentiation were studied. Finally, the mechanosensitive proteins YAP, Lamin A/C, Lamin B, MRTF-A, and MRTF-B were analyzed on these gradients, providing higher-resolution data on stiffness-dependent expression and localization. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Materials Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1016/j.copbio.2014.10.006 | Novel opportunities for next-generation probiotics targeting metabolic syndrome | Various studies have described the beneficial effects of specific bacteria on the characteristics of metabolic syndrome. Intestinal microbiota might therefore represent a modifiable trait for translational intervention to improve the metabolic profiles of obese and type 2 diabetic patients. However, identifying potential probiotic strains that can effectively colonize the gastrointestinal tract and significantly affect host metabolism has been challenging. This review aims to summarize the notable advances and contributions in the field that may prove useful for identifying next-generation probiotics that target metabolic syndrome and its related disorders. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W3018162134 | A review paper on 3D-printing technology and its application medical field | 3D-printing is a hot topic of today's technological discussion. A large number of research papers have been published every year on additive manufacturing and its application in medical cases. A significant number of papers from that are studied and various applications of 3d-printing in the field of medical analyzed for delivering the best and reliable method for the development of scaffolds and biomedical implants. This study will illustrate the advantages of 3D-printing as compared to conventional manufacturing methods. Numerous application of additive manufacturing is represented in the different field of today's world. The paper aims to show the 3D-Printing technology as being utilized in medical and its advantages alongside present days and future applications. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1080/23745118.2015.1061744 | The governance of citizenship practices in the post-yugoslav states: The impact of europeanisation | This Introduction explains the origins of the project of exploring citizenship and citizenship-related issues in the framework of Europeanisation in the new states in South East Europe. It defines the terminology used in the contributions and explains the conceptual underpinnings of the project and the structure of the edited collection. Finally, these introductory remarks also give an overview of the contributions to the special issue of Perspectives on European Politics and Societies entitled, ‘The governance of citizenship practices in the post-Yugoslav states: The impact of Europeanisation. ’ | [
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
219937 | Sacred landscapes in late byzantium | This interdisciplinary project will explore texts composed by the fourteenth-century Constantinopolitan Patriarch Philotheos Kokkinos, with a threefold focus on:
1. The creation of sacred landscape in fourteenth-century Byzantium.
2. The attitude(s) towards and representation(s) of women in late Byzantine patriarchal society.
3. The textual transmission of Kokkinos’ saints’ lives.
The project includes the preparation of critical editions for two hitherto unedited hagiographical texts written by Kokkinos.
The fellow will receive training in digital humanities and textual criticism which will further his career goal of becoming a lecturer in Medieval Studies. This research project will contribute to a better understanding of Eastern medieval thought-worlds, particularly during the troubled period of the fourteenth century, which saw a shrunken Byzantium struggle for survival between the growing Muslim East and the Latin West. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
Q4938323 | (16807.19102018.132000426) WEEVOLVE — W.E. | ¿ESTAMOS EVOLUCIONANDO? UN PROYECTO DISEÑADO POR CHARGET S.R.L. PARA RESPONDER A LA NECESIDAD DE ORGANIZACIÓN Y ESTRUCTURACIÓN INTERNA, CON EL FIN DE DOTARSE DE LOS MEDIOS NECESARIOS PARA PODER COMPETIR EN EL SECTOR DE REFERENCIA: DE MODA RÁPIDA. ¿CON LA EXPRESIÓN «MODA RÁPIDA»? FAST FASHION?SE REFIERE A AQUELLAS EMPRESAS DE ROPA QUE PRODUCEN O VENDEN PRENDAS DE MODA CON UN PRECIO MEDIO — BAJO, PROPONIENDO AL MERCADO UNA CONTINUA NOVEDAD MUCHO MÁS ALLÁ DE LAS DOS COLECCIONES CLÁSICAS: OTOÑO-INVIERNO? ¿Y LA PRIMAVERA DE VERANO?.CHARGET S.R.L.? ARRAIGADO EN EL NORTE DE ITALIA CENTRAL CON 20 PUNTOS DE VENTA Y HA CERRADO UN PRESUPUESTO CON UNA FACTURACIÓN DE MÁS DE 10 MILLONES DE EUROS, REALIZADO GRACIAS AL COMERCIO DE ROPA PARA UN PÚBLICO JUVENIL, TANTO EN TIENDAS DE MARCA COMO EN LA PLATAFORMA DE COMERCIO ELECTRÓNICO. ¿LA COMPAÑÍA? SE LAS ARREGLÓ PARA ARRAIGAR EN UN ENTORNO ALTAMENTE COMPETITIVO Y DESAFIANTE, ¿POR QUÉ? FUE CAPAZ DE PONER EN MARCHA LAS HABILIDADES DE LOS DIRECTORES, DECIDIDOS A DAR FORMA A LA EMPRESA ANTERIOR. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
225543 | Uncovering the pathway of dna-induced autophagy and its biological functions in viral central nervous system infection | Pathogens establish a range of strategies to efficiently infect and persist in their hosts. These mechanisms are as varied as pathogens themselves, which poses many difficulties for fighting infections. A deep understanding of host defense mechanisms is thus crucial for developing innovative therapies. Sensing of pathogen-derived nucleic acids is pivotal for induction of host defense. The adaptor molecule STING plays a central role in this defense and coordinate activation of immune responses. Recent studies showed that cytosolic DNA sensing and subsequent STING activation also leads to induction of autophagy, a degradative pathway involved in metabolic recycling and regulation of infections and immunity. Both STING and autophagy are involved in a range of diseases e.g. infectious and autoimmune diseases, neurodegeneration and cancers. However, the links between STING and autophagy and their regulation of the balance between protective responses and harmful inflammation is elusive. Likewise, the roles of STING-mediated autophagy during viral infections is unknown. Using cutting-edge tools e.g. ImageStream X flow cytometry and genome-editing of human stem cells-derived brain cells using CRISPR/Cas9, PathAutoBIO will decipher the pathway of this novel STING function. We will then combine in vitro and in vivo models of central nervous system viral infection to explore STING-mediated autophagy functions at this unique site, where autophagy and STING are important for viral clearance. We will build upon the expertise of the host lab in DNA sensing, take advantage of unique tools developed for the project, and integrate leading international collaborators. Combined with my strong background in infection cell biology, our work will provide insights on the cross-regulations between autophagy and immunity. This will lead to a broader understanding of mechanisms regulating diseases presenting global threats for societies and will help the design of broad-spectrum therapies. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W3086108345 | Benefit–Risk Assessment of Vaccines. Part I: A Systematic Review to Identify and Describe Studies About Quantitative Benefit–Risk Models Applied to Vaccines | Understanding the balance between the benefits and risks of vaccination is essential to ensure informed and adequate public health decision making. Quantitative benefit–risk models (qBRm) represent useful tools to help decision makers with supporting benefit–risk assessment throughout the lifecycle of a medical product. However, few initiatives have been launched to harmonise qBRm approaches, specifically for vaccines. The aim of this paper was to identify publications about qBRm applied to vaccines through a systematic literature review, and to describe their characteristics. Medline, Scopus and Institute for Scientific Information Web of Knowledge databases were searched to identify articles in English, published from database inceptions up to December 2019. The search strategy included the combination of three key concepts: ‘benefit–risk’, ‘modelling’ and ‘vaccines’. Data extracted included the modelling context and the methodological approaches used. Of 3172 publications screened, 48 original publications were included. Most of the selected studies were published over the past decade and focused on rotavirus (15), dengue (10) and influenza (6) vaccines. The majority (30) of studies reported analyses related to high-income countries. The methodology of the studies differed, particularly in modelling techniques, benefit–risk measures, and sensitivity analyses. The present work also pointed out a high level of variability in the quality of reporting across studies, with particular regard to input parameters and methodological approaches. This review provides an extensive list of qBRm applied to vaccines. Discrepancies across studies were identified during our review. While the number of published qBRm studies is increasing, no reporting guidance for qBRm applied to vaccines is currently available. This may affect decision makers’ confidence in the results and their benefit–risk assessment(s); therefore, the development of such reporting guidance is highly needed. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
W4317034759 | Abordagem da espiritualidade nas instituições de ensino superior de odontologia do Brasil [Spirituality approach in Brazilian higher education institutions of dentistry] [Enfoque de la espiritualidad en las instituciones brasileñas de enseñanza superior de odontología en Brasil] | Objetivo: avaliar o ensino da espiritualidade nos cursos de Odontologia. Método: estudo transversal, realizado junto a docentes e discentes do curso de odontologia em diferentes instituições de ensino superior (IES) do Brasil. Resultados: a baixa espiritualidade foi mais prevalente (53,3%), sendo esta estatisticamente significante para a alunos (60,1%) e o sexo feminino (55,8%). Quando os participantes foram questionados sobre a abordagem do tema espiritualidade nas atividades curriculares, 82,1% responderam que nunca ou raramente; 78,5% disseram que as informações recebidas são poucas ou muito poucas para abordarem a espiritualidade com os pacientes. Quando questionados se acreditam que temas relacionados a Saúde e Espiritualidade deveriam fazer parte dos currículos de Odontologia, 81,5% responderam afirmativamente. Conclusão: a religiosidade/espiritualidade é escassamente abordada nos cursos de graduação em odontologia, ou acontece de forma incipiente, contudo, a pesquisa revela que o tema deveria ser abordado, preparando o acadêmico adequadamente.ABSTRACTObjective: to evaluate the teaching of spirituality in Dentistry courses. Method: this cross-sectional study was conducted with professors and students of Dentistry in higher education institutions in Brazil. Results: a low level of spirituality was more prevalent (53.3%), which was statistically significant for students (60.1%) and female gender (55.8%). When asked whether spirituality was addressed in curricular activities, 82.1% answered never or rarely, 78.5% said that the information received was insufficient or very insufficient to address spirituality with patients. When asked if they believed that topics relating to Health and Spirituality should be part of Dentistry curricula, 81.5% answered affirmatively. Conclusion: religiosity/spirituality is scarcely addressed in undergraduate Dentistry courses or is only incipient, although the study revealed that the subject should be addressed in order to prepare students properly.RESUMENObjetivo: evaluar la enseñanza de la espiritualidad en los cursos de odontología. Método: estudio transversal, realizado con profesores y estudiantes del curso de odontología en diferentes instituciones de educación superior (IES) de Brasil. Resultados: la baja espiritualidad fue más prevalente (53,3%), lo que fue estadísticamente significativo para la categoría (es decir, estudiantes) (60,1%) y el sexo (es decir, mujeres) (55,8%). Cuando se les preguntó a los participantes sobre el enfoque de la espiritualidad en las actividades curriculares, el 82,1% respondió que nunca o rara vez; el 78,5% dijo que la información recibida es poca o muy poca respecto a abordar la espiritualidad con los pacientes. Cuando se les preguntó si creen que los temas relacionados con la Salud y la Espiritualidad deberían formar parte del programa del curso de odontología, el 81,5% respondió afirmativamente. Conclusión: la religiosidad/espiritualidad apenas se aborda en los cursos de odontología de pregrado, o sucede de manera incipiente, sin embargo, la investigación revela que el tema debe abordarse, preparando al académico adecuadamente. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1016/j.dib.2017.04.034 | Data on metabolic-dependent antioxidant response in the cardiovascular tissues of living zebrafish under stress conditions | In this article we used transgenic zebrafish lines that express compartment-specific isoforms of the roGFP2-Orp1 and Grx1-roGFP2 biosensors, described in Panieri et al (2017) [1], to test the contribute of the pentose phosphate pathway and of the glutathione biosynthesis in the antioxidant capacity of myocardial and endothelial cells in vivo. The transgenic zebrafish embryos were subdued to metabolic inhibition and subsequently challenged with H2O2 or the redox-cycling agent menadione to respectively mimic acute or chronic oxidative stress. Confocal time-lapse recordings were performed to follow the compartmentalized H2O2 and EGSH changes in the cardiovascular tissues of zebrafish embryos at 48 h post fertilization. After sequential excitation at 405 nm and 488 nm the emission was collected between 500–520 nm every 2 min for an overall duration of 60 min. The 405/488 nm ratio was normalized to the initial value obtained before oxidants addition and plotted over time. The analysis and the interpretation of the data can be found in the associated article [1]. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
10.2533/chimia.2017.851 | Sunlight-driven environmental benign production of bioactive natural products with focus on diterpenoids and the pathways involved in their formation | Diterpenoids are high value compounds characterized by high structural complexity. They constitute the largest class of specialized metabolites produced by plants. Diterpenoids are flexible molecules able to engage in specific binding to drug targets like receptors and transporters. In this review we provide an account on how the complex pathways for diterpenoids may be elucidated. Following plant pathway discovery, the compounds may be produced in heterologous hosts like yeasts and E. coli. Environmentally contained production in photosynthetic cells like cyanobacteria, green algae or mosses are envisioned as the ultimate future production system. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1126/sciadv.aao3820 | Synthetic electromagnetic knot in a three-dimensional skyrmion | Classical electromagnetism and quantum mechanics are both central to the modern understanding of the physical world and its ongoing technological development. Quantum simulations of electromagnetic forces have the potential to provide information about materials and systems that do not have conveniently solvable theoretical descriptions, such as those related to quantum Hall physics, or that have not been physically observed, such as magnetic monopoles. However, quantum simulations that simultaneously implement all of the principal features of classical electromagnetism have thus far proved elusive. We experimentally realize a simulation in which a charged quantum particle interacts with the knotted electromagnetic fields peculiar to a topological model of ball lightning. These phenomena are induced by precise spatiotemporal control of the spin field of an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate, simultaneously creating a Shankar skyrmion-a topological excitation that was theoretically predicted four decades ago but never before observed experimentally. Our results reveal the versatile capabilities of synthetic electromagnetism and provide the first experimental images of topological three-dimensional skyrmions in a quantum system. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.1016/bs.ctdb.2015.07.027 | The Morphogenetic Role of Apoptosis | Beyond safeguarding the organism from cell misbehavior and controlling cell number, apoptosis (or programmed cell death) plays key roles during animal development. In particular, it has long been acknowledged that apoptosis participates in tissue remodeling. Yet, until recently, this contribution to morphogenesis was considered as "passive," consisting simply in the local removal of unnecessary cells leading to a new shape. In recent years, applying live imaging methods to study the dynamics of apoptosis in various contexts has considerably modified our vision, revealing that in fact, dying cells remodel their neighborhood actively. Here, we first focus on the intrinsic cellular properties of apoptotic cells during their dismantling, in particular the role of the cytoskeleton during their characteristic morphological changes. Second, we review the various roles of apoptosis during developmental morphogenetic processes and pinpoint the crucial role of live imaging in revealing new concepts, in particular apoptosis as a generator of mechanical forces to control tissue dynamics. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
803466 | Preservation and Efficacy of Music and Singing in Ageing, Aphasia, and Alzheimer’s Disease | For the human brain, music is a highly complex and versatile stimulus that is closely linked to speech, executive-motor, emotion, and memory networks. In severe ageing-related neurological disorders, such as post-stroke aphasia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia, music and singing may provide a valuable alternative route to verbal and emotional expression and to memory and self-awareness. However, the neural processes underlying this are still poorly understood. Moreover, although there is increasing evidence for the efficacy of musical activities in supporting normal neurocognitive ageing and enhancing neurological recovery, the focus has been on individual-level musical activities, overlooking the enormous social potential of music.
PREMUS will combine modern behavioural and neuroimaging methods in the unique context of cross-sectional and cohort studies and clinical trials to achieve both fundamental and applied research goals. The fundamental goal of PREMUS is to determine the neural basis of singing, music-evoked emotions and memories, and explicit and implicit musical learning (i) across normal ageing, (ii) in aphasia, and (iii) in different stages of AD. The applied goal of PREMUS is to uncover the rehabilitative potential of social musical activities by (iv) exploring the long-term efficacy of choir singing on neurocognitive, emotional, and social functioning in normal ageing and mild cognitive impairment and (v) determining the rehabilitative efficacy of a novel intervention that utilizes adapted choir singing, melodic intonation therapy, and computer-based singing training on verbal, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning in aphasia, together with uncovering the structural and functional neuroplasticity changes underlying the effects of the singing interventions. The outcome of PREMUS will have major scientific, clinical, and societal value as well as enormous practical impact on promoting healthy ageing, aphasia rehabilitation, and dementia care | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1145/2187980.2188037 | Profound Program Analysis Based Form Understanding | An important feature of web search interfaces are the restrictions enforced on input values - those reflecting either the semantics of the data or requirements specific to the interface. Both integrity constraints and "access restrictions" can be of great use to web exploration tools. We demonstrate here a novel technique for discovering constraints that requires no form submissions whatsoever. We work via statically analyzing the JavaScript client-side code used to enforce the constraints, when such code is available. We combine custom recognizers for JavaScript functions relevant to constraint checking with a generic program analysis layer. Integrated with a web browser, our system shows the constraints detected on accessed web forms, and allows a user to see the corresponding JavaScript code fragment. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
742067 | Deconstructing Ageing: from molecular mechanisms to intervention strategies | Over many years, our research group has explored the complex relationship between cancer and ageing. As part of this work, we have generated mouse models of protease deficiency which are protected from cancer but exhibit accelerated ageing. Further studies with these mice have allowed us to unveil novel mechanisms of both normal and pathological ageing, to discover two new human progeroid syndromes, and to develop therapies for the Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, now in clinical trials. We have also integrated data from many laboratories to first define The hallmarks of ageing and the current possibilities for Metabolic control of longevity. Now, we propose to leverage our extensive experience in this field to further explore the relative relevance of cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic mechanisms of ageing. Our central hypothesis is that ageing derives from the combination of both systemic and cell-autonomous deficiencies which lead to the characteristic loss of fitness associated with this process. Accordingly, it is necessary to integrate multiple approaches to understand the mechanisms underlying ageing. This integrative and multidisciplinary project is organized around three major aims: 1) to characterize critical cell-intrinsic alterations which drive ageing; 2) to investigate ageing as a systemic process; and 3) to design intervention strategies aimed at expanding longevity. To fully address these objectives, we will use both hypothesis-driven and unbiased approaches, including next-generation sequencing, genome editing, and cell reprogramming. We will also perform in vivo experiments with mouse models of premature ageing, genomic and metagenomic studies with short- and long-lived organisms, and functional analyses with human samples from both progeria patients and centenarians. The information derived from this project will provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of ageing and may lead to discover new opportunities to extend human healthspan. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
626158 | Ai-Enabled robotics platform robo wunderkind | Currently, Europe is lagging behind the US and China in programming and robotics education as well as producing graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Robo Wunderkind is Austrian company seeking to revolutionise the way children learn about new technologies and to help them enter the world of robotics and coding, as well as to develop STEM skills, creativity and problem-solving – skills that are increasingly essential.
We brought the first generation of our award-winning robotics kit to market in late 2017, following three years of development and a successful crowdfunding campaign. Today, Robo Wunderkind, as well as the curriculum we have developed, is already used in thousands of homes and more than 500 schools around the world.
Now, we are seeking to take our product offering to the next level with the support of the Horizon 2020 program. Based on our existing technology, we will develop a product of the next generation: a robotics education platform that will offer users AI-based personalised learning and content sharing functionality.
1) We are going to launch a new application that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to evaluate children’s’ learning progress, and provide recommendations and feedback;
2) We are adding a content sharing platform where users – children as well as educators and parents – will be able to share projects and other content;
3) By adding new Internet of Things (IoT) functionality, we are expanding our target group up to the age of sixteen years;
4) By bringing down the price of our entry-level robotics kit to €79, we are making it more broadly accessible to schools, educational institutions and economically disadvantaged families.
5) By developing content for children with special needs, we will cater to this niche market.
These steps will allow us to establish Robo Wunderkind as a market leader in STEM education, not only in Europe but also in other key global markets. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.jbiomech.2016.09.004 | The effect of the extensor mechanism on maximum isometric fingertip forces: A numerical study on the index finger | The extensor mechanism is a tendinous network connecting intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the finger and its function has not yet been fully understood. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of the extensor mechanism on the maximum isometric fingertip forces – a parameter which is essential for grasping. For this purpose, maximum fingertip forces in all directions (i. e. feasible force sets) of two musculoskeletal models of the index finger were compared: the wEM model included a full representation of the extensor mechanism, whereas in the noEM model the extensor mechanism was replaced by a single extensor tendon without connectivity to intrinsic muscles. The feasible force sets were computed in the flexion-extension plane for nine postures. Forces in four predefined directions (palmar, proximal, dorsal, and distal), and the peak resultant forces were evaluated. Averaged forces in all four predefined directions were considerably larger in the wEM model (+187. 6%). However, peak resultant forces were slightly lower in the wEM model (−4. 3% on average). The general advantage of the wEM model could be explained by co-contraction of intrinsic and extrinsic extensor muscles which allowed reaching larger activation levels of the extrinsic flexors. Only within a narrow range of force directions the co-contraction of intrinsic muscles limited the fingertip forces and lead to lower peak resultant forces in the wEM model. Rather than maximizing peak resultant forces, it appears that the extensor mechanism is a sophisticated tool for increasing maximum fingertip forces over a broad range of postures and force directions – making the finger more versatile during grasping. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
263747 | Crossroads of empires: archaeology, material culture and socio-political relationships in West Africa | Knowledge of the last 1000 years in the West African Sahel comes largely from historical sources, which say that many regions were ruled by vast polities.
The aim of my archaeological project is to seize how, in fact, lhe 'empires' of this region structured the landscape, and the movemenl of peoples, ideas, and
things, with a focus on the period AD 1200-1850. Is 'empire' really a useful term? I will confront historical evidence with archaeological data from one area at
the intersection of several polities: the dallols in Niger. This area is rich in remains, said to result from population movements and processes of religious and
political change, but these remains have been only briefly described so far. As this region is a key area of migrations and cross-influences, it is the ideal
'laboratory' for exploring the materialisation of contacts and boundaries, through a mapping of material culture distributions.
My project will approach these sites holistically, carrying out archaeological regional survey and prospection. Excavation will indicate chronology and cultural
affiliation. At lhe same time, I will take an interdisciplinary approach, using anthropological and oral-historical enquiries to obtain background information to
test hypotheses generated by the archaeological data. Enquiries will assess how material culture can show group belonging and population shifts, and
examine the role of individuals called 'technical specialists'. This will help solve the current impasse in our understanding of vast empires which, though they
are historically known, remain poorly understood.
My project will not just improve our knowledge of an almost-unknown part of the world, but thanks to its geographical location, interdisciplinary nature and
strong thematic framework, open up avenues of thinking about the relalion between archaeological and historical data, the mediation of relations through
artefacts, and the archaeology of empires, all widely-relevant research issues | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1098/rstb.2015.0438 | Synthetic transitions: Towards a new synthesis | The evolution of life in our biosphere has been marked by several major innovations. Such major complexity shifts include the origin of cells, genetic codes or multicellularity to the emergence of non-genetic information, language or even consciousness. Understanding the nature and conditions for their rise and success is a major challenge for evolutionary biology. Along with data analysis, phylogenetic studies and dedicated experimental work, theoretical and computational studies are an essential part of this exploration. With the rise of synthetic biology, evolutionary robotics, artificial life and advanced simulations, novel perspectives to these problems have led to a rather interesting scenario, where not only the major transitions can be studied or even reproduced, but even new ones might be potentially identified. In both cases, transitions can be understood in terms of phase transitions, as defined in physics. Such mapping (if correct) would help in defining a general frame- work to establish a theory of major transitions, both natural and artificial. Here, we review some advances made at the crossroads between statistical physics, artificial life, synthetic biology and evolutionary robotics. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W1843707727 | Taking Advantage of Computer Assisted Audit Tools and Techniques during Testing Phase in Financial Audits: An Empirical Study in a Food Processing Company in Turkey | The main aim of this study is to analyze and report on the advantages provided by Computer Assisted Tools and Techniques (CAATTs) especially during the testing phase of financial audits. Design/Methodology/Approach: To realize the aim of this study, the literature and applications regarding specifically designed computer software and hardware, known as Computer Assisted Audit Tools (CAATs) or interactive Data Extracting and Analysis Systems (DEASs) in general, have been reviewed and searched. In order to give a clearer demonstration of the advantages of CAATs and DEASs, a number of audit tests and procedures focusing on the Sales Cycle accounts of a food processing company in Turkey are presented in this study.Findings: It is firmly believed that various products of computer and information technology have provided great benefits to Certified Public Accountants. These include the improvement of quality and reliability of certain audit tasks and reaching a final audit opinion, as well as time and money saved while completing various audit procedures in a more comprehensive manner, and higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness achieved by the auditors. Originality/Value: The research was conducted in a manner that would enable the audit of the whole data without omitting any accounting records in the desired fields. This enables the auditor to test the whole database without the inconvenience of selecting appropriate samples. As a result, the reliability of the tests conducted and opinion reached increase. It is hoped the findings will contribute to understanding of benefits provided by CAATs/DEASs while performing financial audits. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
W2337489174 | A review of toxicity testing protocols and endpoints with Artemia spp. | Abstract Artemia spp. is an historically popular biological model still requiring an official internationally based standardization. Several endpoints are currently available. Short-term acute endpoints include biomarker (acetylcholinesterase; heat stress proteins; lipid peroxidation; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; thioredoxin reductase; glutathione-peroxidase; glutathione S -transferase; glutathione reductase; aldehyde dehydrogenase; and adenylpyrophosphatase and Fluotox), hatching (dry biomass, morphological disorders and size), behavioral (swimming speed and path length), teratogenicity (growth), and immobilization (meaning mortality after 5–30 s observation). Long-term chronic tests focus on growth, reproduction and survival or mortality after 7–28 d exposure from larval to adulthood stage. We analyzed each test looking at its endpoint, toxicant and experimental design including replicates, exposure time, number of exposed cysts or organisms and their relative life stage, exposure conditions during hatching and testing (salinity, pH, light intensity, aeration dilution media, and food supply), type of testing chambers, and quality assurance and quality control criteria. Similarities and differences between the identified approaches were highlighted. Results evidenced that hatching 24 h short-term and 14 d long-term mortality are the most promising Artemia spp. protocols that should go forward with international standardization. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1109/ULTSYM.2016.7792830 | Does Contrast Ultrasound Dispersion Imaging Reveal Changes In Tortuosity A Comparison With Acoustic Angiography | Higher microvascular density with tortuous and irregular vessels are hallmarks of cancer vasculature. These alterations can be captured by contrast ultrasound dispersion imaging (CUDI) and acoustic angiography (AA) at different scales: CUDI aims at obtaining an implicit measure of structural alteration by determining the dispersion kinetics of contrast agents. At a smaller scale, AA images the vascular architecture by detecting the high-frequency components generated with ultrasound contrast agents (UCA). This work shows the performance of these techniques by imaging cancerous and control regions in 3 rat xenograft models. Furthermore, it investigates the diagnostic value of the vascular features extracted using CUDI and AA with the aim to answer the question: does CUDI reveal changes in vascular tortuosity? | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1038/nmeth.2408 | Nucleotide-resolution DNA double-strand break mapping by next-generation sequencing | We present a genome-wide approach to map DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at nucleotide resolution by a method we termed BLESS (direct in situ breaks labeling, enrichment on streptavidin and next-generation sequencing). We validated and tested BLESS using human and mouse cells and different DSBs-inducing agents and sequencing platforms. BLESS was able to detect telomere ends, Sce endonuclease-induced DSBs and complex genome-wide DSB landscapes. As a proof of principle, we characterized the genomic landscape of sensitivity to replication stress in human cells, and we identified >2,000 nonuniformly distributed aphidicolin-sensitive regions (ASRs) overrepresented in genes and enriched in satellite repeats. ASRs were also enriched in regions rearranged in human cancers, with many cancer-associated genes exhibiting high sensitivity to replication stress. Our method is suitable for genome-wide mapping of DSBs in various cells and experimental conditions, with a specificity and resolution unachievable by current techniques. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.032 | Cancer-Specific Synthetic Lethality between ATR and CHK1 Kinase Activities | ATR and CHK1 maintain cancer cell survival under replication stress and inhibitors of both kinases are currently undergoing clinical trials. As ATR activity is increased after CHK1 inhibition, we hypothesized that this may indicate an increased reliance on ATR for survival. Indeed, we observe that replication stress induced by the CHK1 inhibitor AZD7762 results in replication catastrophe and apoptosis, when combined with the ATR inhibitor VE-821 specifically in cancer cells. Combined treatment with ATR and CHK1 inhibitors leads to replication fork arrest, ssDNA accumulation, replication collapse, and synergistic cell death in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of CDK reversed replication stress and synthetic lethality, demonstrating that regulation of origin firing by ATR and CHK1 explains the synthetic lethality. In conclusion, this study exemplifies cancer-specific synthetic lethality between two proteins in the same pathway and raises the prospect of combining ATR and CHK1 inhibitors as promising cancer therapy. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
176657 | The impact of climate change on the uptake of arsenic into rice | Rice is the staple food worldwide. Unfortunately, global rice yield is already falling behind population growth. One of the reasons for this is the presence of toxic arsenic (As) in many South(-East) Asian paddy soils, which is known to decrease rice growth and productivity. The current change in Earth’s climate is known to cause land loss due to desertification and inundation and lower (rice) crop yields, thus, threatening the global food security. According to the highest emission scenario for greenhouse gases presented in the 5th assessment report of the IPCC, global annual temperatures could rise by more than 5°C by the year 2100. How increased temperatures and CO2 concentrations affect As uptake into rice and ultimately the quality and production of rice is unknown and the main research question of this proposal. Rice will be grown in fully controlled growth chambers with elevated temperature and partial pressure of CO2, simulating the cli-mate of the year 2100. Besides determining changes in rice growth and grain yield, the amount of organic and inorganic As in the grain will be determined to assess rice quality. Furthermore, the biogeochemical pro-cesses occurring in the soil and atmosphere during climate change will be investigated and thus, will allow to understand the observed changes in rice yield and quality due to climate change. The amount and speciation of As will be quantified in the soil, plant, and atmosphere. Changes in microbial community abundance and richness will be assessed with modern pyrosequencing techniques. Functional microbial guilds of interest (iron and arsenic metabolizing bacteria) will be assessed by qPCR, pyrosequencing, and clone libraries. Overall, the knowledge obtained within the MSC-GF action on the impact of climate change on As uptake by rice will allow a better risk assessment for productivity of rice in the future and may give ideas for how to prevent a loss in rice yield and quality in a strongly climate impacted future. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2065193259 | Nucleons come together | Certain light nuclei can be described in terms of crystal-like arrangements of α-particles, which consist of two protons and two neutrons. The nature of the strong interaction within nuclei may explain such structures. See Letter p.341
Nucleonic matter — the protons and neutrons that comprise atomic nuclei — acts predominantly as a quantum liquid, but lighter nuclei behave more like molecules composed of clusters of protons and neutrons. Clustering is related to the overall nuclear interaction, but its detailed mechanism is not fully understood. These authors use theoretical modelling to calculate the conditions that cause clustering in neon-20, a small nucleus thought to favour clustering. They find that the depth of the confining nuclear potential plays an important part in cluster formation, with a particularly pronounced effect for relativistic functionals. More generally, clustering is considered as a transitional phenomenon between crystalline and quantum liquid phases. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
10.1007/s12232-016-0253-4 | The role of persuasion in cultural evolution dynamics | We analyze the evolution of a society in which types evolve not only depending on how much they are fit but also on how much they are able to persuade others about their fitness. This mechanism makes possible to reach equilibria not feasible under standard dynamics. We first provide necessary conditions for a generic matrix and generic class of cultural competition mechanisms in order to observe polymorphic equilibria, comparing it with the standard case. Then, necessary and sufficient conditions for polymorphic equilibrium stability are provided in the case of particular competition rule family, at each competition level. We show that some social dilemmas as prisoner’s dilemma or stag hunt can have their dynamics dramatically changed. We then analyze the prisoner’s dilemma framework finding that also full cooperation is sustainable in equilibrium. Finally we show that this persuasion mechanisms generally increase the equilibrium aggregate production of the society. | [
"Mathematics",
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.009 | Reframing the Food–Biodiversity Challenge | Given the serious limitations of production-oriented frameworks, we offer here a new conceptual framework for how to analyze the nexus of food security and biodiversity conservation. We introduce four archetypes of social-ecological system states corresponding to win–win (e. g. , agroecology), win–lose (e. g. , intensive agriculture), lose–win (e. g. , fortress conservation), and lose–lose (e. g. , degraded landscapes) outcomes for food security and biodiversity conservation. Each archetype is shaped by characteristic external drivers, exhibits characteristic internal social-ecological features, and has characteristic feedbacks that maintain it. This framework shifts the emphasis from focusing on production only to considering social-ecological dynamics, and enables comparison among landscapes. Moreover, examining drivers and feedbacks facilitates the analysis of possible transitions between system states (e. g. , from a lose–lose outcome to a more preferred outcome). | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
10.1029/2018JB015836 | Olivine Grain Size Distributions In Faults And Shear Zones Evidence For Nonsteady State Deformation | The grain size distribution of deformed rocks may provide valuable information about their deformation history and the associated mechanisms. Here we present a unique set of olivine grain size distributions from ultramafic rocks deformed under a wide range of stress and strain rate conditions. Both experimentally deformed and naturally deformed samples are included. We observe a surprisingly uniform behavior, and most samples show power law grain size distributions. Convincing lognormal distributions across all scales were only observed for samples experimentally deformed at high temperature (1200 °C) and for some mantle-deformed natural samples. Single power law distributions were observed for natural samples deformed by brittle mechanisms and by samples deformed experimentally in the regime of low-temperature plasticity. Most natural samples show a crossover in power law scaling behavior near the median grain size from a steep slope for the larger grain fraction to a more gentle slope for the smaller grains. The small grain fraction shows a good data collapse when normalized to the crossover length scale. The associated power law slope indicates a common grain size controlling process. We propose a model that explains how such a scaling behavior may arise in the dislocation creep regime from the competition between the rate involved in the dislocation dynamics and the imposed strain rate. The common departure from lognormal distributions suggests that naturally deformed samples often have a deformation history that is far from a steady state scenario and probably reflects deformation under highly variable stress and strain rates. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1002/chem.201502288 | A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Stereodynamics of Monoaza[5]helicenes: Solvent-Induced Increase of the Enantiomerization Barrier in 1-Aza-[5]helicene | Helicenes and heterohelicenes are attractive compounds with great potential in materials sciences to be used in optoelectronics as ligand backbones in enantioselective catalysis and as chiral sensors. The properties of these materials are related to the stereodynamics of these helical chiral compounds. However, little is known about features controlling stereodynamics in helicenes; in particular, for heterohelicenes the position of the heteroatom could be relevant in this respect. Herein the complete stereodynamic characterization of monoaza[5]helicenes is shown by enantioselective dynamic HPLC and DFT calculations. At variance with previous theoretical calculations, 1-aza[5]helicene shows a surprisingly high enantiomerization barrier, which is triggered by specific solvent interactions. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1002/mnfr.201500940 | At the interface of antioxidant signalling and cellular function: Key polyphenol effects | The hypothesis that dietary (poly)phenols promote well-being by improving chronic disease-risk biomarkers, such as endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation and plasma uric acid, is the subject of intense current research, involving human interventions studies, animal models and in vitro mechanistic work. The original claim that benefits were due to the direct antioxidant properties of (poly)phenols has been mostly superseded by detailed mechanistic studies on specific molecular targets. Nevertheless, many proposed mechanisms in vivo and in vitro are due to modulation of oxidative processes, often involving binding to specific proteins and effects on cell signalling. We review the molecular mechanisms for 3 actions of (poly)phenols on oxidative processes where there is evidence in vivo from human intervention or animal studies. (1) Effects of (poly) phenols on pathways of chronic inflammation leading to prevention of some of the damaging effects associated with the metabolic syndrome. (2) Interaction of (poly)phenols with endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, leading to effects on blood pressure and endothelial dysfunction, and consequent reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. (3) The inhibition of xanthine oxidoreductase leading to modulation of intracellular superoxide and plasma uric acid, a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1007/s12038-017-9725-2 | Sisyphus desperately seeking publisher | As a punishment for his trickery, King Sisyphus was made to endlessly roll a huge boulder up a steep hill. The maddening nature of the punishment was reserved for King Sisyphus due to his hubristic belief that his cleverness surpassed that of Zeus himself. Today’s scientists also pay a heavy price for their hubris and narcissism. They try to trick the editors of a few ‘top’ journals by peppering their papers with glitter and ‘bling-bling’, making overblown promises, and giving minimal credit to their predecessors. The editors wield their Olympian authority by making today’s scientists endlessly push their weighty boulders up steep hills. By bowing to this implacable ritual, we scientists confer undue power to a handful of popular but irresponsible journals. | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Social World and Its Interactions"
]
|
10.1016/j.epsl.2019.06.035 | Challenges in isolating primary remanent magnetization from Tethyan carbonate rocks on the Tibetan Plateau: Insight from remagnetized Upper Triassic limestones in the eastern Qiangtang block | Carbonate rocks, widely used for paleomagnetically quantifying the drift history of the Gondwana-derived continental blocks of the Tibetan Plateau and evolution of the Paleo/Meso/Neo-Tethys Oceans, are prone to pervasive remagnetization. Identifying remagnetization is difficult because it is commonly undetectable through the classic paleomagnetic field tests. Here we apply comprehensive paleomagnetic, rock magnetic, and petrographic studies to upper Triassic limestones in the eastern Qiangtang block. Our results reveal that detrital/biogenic magnetite, which may carry the primary natural remanent magnetization (NRM), is rarely preserved in these rocks. In contrast, authigenic magnetite and hematite pseudomorphs after pyrite, and monoclinic pyrrhotite record three episodes of remagnetization. The earliest remagnetization was induced by oxidation of early diagenetic pyrite to magnetite, probably related to the collision between the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and the Qiangtang block after closure of the Paleo-Tethys Ocean in the Late Triassic. The second remagnetization, residing in hematite and minor goethite, which is the further subsurface oxidation product of pyrite/magnetite, is possibly related to the development of the localized Cenozoic basins soon after India-Asia collision in the Paleocene. The youngest remagnetization is a combination of thermoviscous and chemical remanent magnetization carried by authigenic magnetite and pyrrhotite, respectively. Our analyses suggest that a high supply of organic carbon during carbonate deposition, prevailing sulfate reducing conditions during early diagenesis, and widespread orogenic fluid migration related to crustal shortening during later diagenesis, have altered the primary remanence of the shallow-water Tethyan carbonate rocks of the Tibetan Plateau. We emphasize that all paleomagnetic results from these rocks must be carefully examined for remagnetization before being used for paleogeographic reconstructions. Future paleomagnetic investigations of the carbonate rocks in orogenic belts should be accompanied by thorough rock magnetic and petrographic studies to determine the origin of the NRM. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1890/12-2231.1 | The Past Ecology Of Abies Alba Provides New Perspectives On Future Responses Of Silver Fir Forests To Global Warming | Paleoecology can provide valuable insights into the ecology of species that complement observation and experiment-based assessments of climate impact dynamics. New paleoecological records (e. g. , pollen, macrofossils) from the Italian Peninsula suggest a much wider climatic niche of the important European tree species Abies alba (silver fir) than observed in its present spatial range. To explore this discrepancy between current and past distribution of the species, we analyzed climatic data (temperature, precipitation, frost, humidity, sunshine) and vegetation-independent paleoclimatic reconstructions (e. g. , lake levels, chironomids) and use global coupled carbon-cycle climate (NCAR CSM1. 4) and dynamic vegetation (LandClim) modeling. The combined evidence suggests that during the mid-Holocene (;6000 years ago), prior to humanization of vegetation, A. alba formed forests under conditions that exceeded the modern (1961–1990) upper temperature limit of the species by ;5–78C (July means). Annual precipitation during this natural period was comparable to today (. 700–800 mm), with drier summers and wetter winters. In the meso-Mediterranean to sub-Mediterranean forests A. alba co-occurred with thermophilous taxa such as Quercus ilex, Q. pubescens, Olea europaea, Phillyrea, Arbutus, Cistus, Tilia, Ulmus, Acer, Hedera helix, Ilex aquifolium, Taxus, and Vitis. Results from the last interglacial (ca. 130 000–115 000 BP), when human impact was negligible, corroborate the Holocene evidence. Thermophilous Mediterranean A. alba stands became extinct during the last 5000 years when land-use pressure and specifically excessive anthropogenic fire and browsing disturbance increased. Our results imply that the ecology of this key European tree species is not yet well understood. On the basis of the reconstructed realized climatic niche of the species, we anticipate that the future geographic range of A. alba may not contract regardless of migration success, even if climate should become significantly warmer than today with summer temperatures increasing by up to 5–78C, as long as precipitation does not fall below 700–800 mm/yr, and anthropogenic disturbance (e. g. , fire, browsing) does not become excessive. Our finding contradicts recent studies that projected range contractions under global-warming scenarios, but did not factor how millennia of human impacts reduced the realized climatic niche of A. alba. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1016/j.enpol.2011.07.052 | Efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation: Data selection and trends | This paper studies patenting dynamics in efficiency improving electricity generation technologies as an important indicator of innovation activity. We build a novel database of worldwide patent applications in efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation and then analyse patenting trends over time and across countries. We find that patenting has mostly been stable over time, with a recent decreasing trend. OECD countries represent the top innovators and the top markets for technology. Some non-OECD countries, and particularly China, are also very active in terms of patenting activity in this sector. The majority of patents are first filed in OECD countries and only then in BRIC and other non-OECD countries. BRIC and other non-OECD countries apply for patents that are mostly marketed domestically, but BRIC countries represent important markets for patent duplication of OECD inventions. These results are indicative of significant technology transfer in the field of efficiency-improving technologies for electricity production. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
interreg_1048 | Dinamiche insediative e demografiche ed effetti sulla qualità del suolo | The project tries to find indicators useful to assess territorial system and support local planning.
The project will follow the following steps:
- Description of the demographic tendencies and their distribution on the territory with a specific focus on ageing phenomenon and the concentration of the population on few nodes, leaving empty the historical regions.
- Analisys of the evolution of land use according to the previous phenomenon with focus on positive and negative effect caused by human intervention.
- Highlight similarities occurring in the phenomenon examined and depict a serious of environmental indicators which can help to contribute to local planning initiatives
| [
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-662-54388-7_5 | Deterring Certificate Subversion Efficient Double Authentication Preventing Signatures | We present highly efficient double authentication preventing signatures DAPS. In a DAPS, signing two messages with the same first part and differing second parts reveals the signing key. In the context of PKIs we suggest that CAs who use DAPS to create certificates have a court-convincing argument to deny big-brother requests to create rogue certificates, thus deterring certificate subversion. We give two general methods for obtaining DAPS. Both start from trapdoor identification schemes. We instantiate our transforms to obtain numerous specific DAPS that, in addition to being efficient, are proven with tight security reductions to standard assumptions. We implement our DAPS schemes to show that they are not only several orders of magnitude more efficient than prior DAPS but competitive with in-use signature schemes that lack the double authentication preventing property. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1039/c4nr06058j | Bifunctional redox tagging of carbon nanoparticles | Despite extensive work on the controlled surface modification of carbon with redox moieties, to date almost all available methodologies involve complex chemistry and are prone to the formation of polymerized multi-layer surface structures. The modification method in this paper provides a generic approach to monolayer modifications of carbon and carbon nanoparticle surfaces. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2081195937 | Religion and Spirituality in Coping with Advanced Breast Cancer: Perspectives from Malaysian Muslim Women | This article is part of a larger study on the role of spirituality in coping with breast cancer among Malaysian Muslim women. The study seeks to reveal the meaning of the experience through the stories of three Muslim women surviving advanced breast cancer, to better understand the deep meanings that inform their experiences with spirituality and transformation as they cope with the challenges of breast cancer. Data were gathered using in-depth interview. Qualitative methods were used in identifying two themes--illness as an awakening and hope and freedom comes from surrendering to God. The themes were discussed in the context of two broad areas: (1) what are the new meanings these women discovered in their experiences with cancer; and (2) how did the new meanings change their lives? The study suggests that cancer survivors' experiences with cancer and their learning processes must be understood within the appropriate cultural context. This is especially so for spirituality. The common emphasis of spirituality on relationship with God, self and others, may significantly influence how people learn to live with cancer. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1016/j.jqsrt.2019.05.013 | Bayesian inversion of a forest reflectance model using Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8 satellite images | The inversion of reflectance models is a generalizable tool to obtain estimates on forest biophysical parameters, such as leaf area index, with theoretically little information need from a study area, instead relying on the knowledge about physical processes in the forest radiation regime. The use of prior information can greatly improve the reflectance model inversion, however, the literature does not yet provide much information on the selection of priors and their influence on the inversion results. In this study, we used a Bayesian approach to invert the PARAS forest reflectance model and retrieve leaf area index from Sentinel-2 MSI and Landsat 8 OLI multispectral satellite images. The PARAS model is based on the theory of spectral invariants, which describes the influence of wavelength-independent parameters on forest radiative transfer. The Bayesian inversion approach is highly flexible, provides uncertainty quantification, and enables the explicit incorporation of prior knowledge into the inversion process. We found that the choice of prior information is crucial in inverting a forest reflectance model to predict leaf area index. Regularizing and informative priors for leaf area index strongly improved the predictions, relative to an uninformative prior, in that they counteracted the saturation effect of the optical signal occuring at high values for leaf area index. The predictions of leaf area index were more accurate for Landsat 8 than for Sentinel-2, due to potential inconsistencies in the visible bands of Sentinel-2 in our data, and the higher spectral resolution. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.3389/fmars.2018.00307 | Enrichment of bacterioplankton able to utilize one-carbon and methylated compounds in the coastal Pacific ocean | Understanding the temporal variations and succession of bacterial communities involved in the turnover of one-carbon and methylated compounds is necessary to better predict bacterial impacts on the marine carbon cycle and air-sea carbon fluxes. The ability of the local bacterioplankton community to exploit one-carbon and methylated compounds as main source of bioavailable carbon during a productive and less productive period was assessed through enrichment experiments. Surface seawater was amended with methanol and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), and bacterial abundance, production, oxygen consumption, as well as methanol turnover and growth rates of putative methylotrophs were followed. Bacterial community structure and functional diversity was examined through amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and methanol dehydrogenase (mxaF) marker genes. 2-fold increase in oxygen consumption and bacterial growth rates, and up to 4-fold higher methanol assimilation were observed in the amended seawater samples. Capacity to drawdown the substrates was similar between both experiments. In less productive conditions, methanol enriched obligate methylotrophs, especially Methylophaga spp. , accounted for ~70% of bacterial cells analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, while TMAO enriched taxa belonged to Oceanospirillales and putative β- and γ-Proteobacterial methylotrophs. In the experiment performed during the more productive period, bacterial communities were structurally resistant, suggesting that facultative organisms may have dominated the observed methylotrophic activity. Moreover, enrichment of distinct methylotrophic taxa but similar activity rates observed in response to different substrate additions suggests a functional redundancy of substrate specific marine methylotrophic populations. Marine bacterioplankton cycling of one-carbon and methylated compounds appears to depend on the system productivity, and hence may have predictable temporal impacts on air-sea fluxes of volatile organic compounds. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
W2154566547 | GIS Based Analysis of Biophysical and Socio - Economic Factors for Land Degradation in Kandaketiya DS Division | Soil erosion is one of the major factors that contributes to land degradation in the up and mid country of Sri Lanka. It is important to assess the rate of soil erosion under different environmental and socio-economic contexts to identify and apply suitable management interventions. A number of parametric models have been developed to predict soil erosion at drainage basins. Yet Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) is the most widely used empirical equation for estimating annual soil loss from small agricultural lands. This study was carried out with the objective of developing a land degradation assessment model using a geospatial approach. The study area was Kandaketiya DS division in Badulla district. USLE together with some socio - economic factors were used to develop the model for predicting land degradation. Slope length (L) and slope gradient (S) factors were derived from Digital Elevation Model. Rainfall erosivity (R) factor was determined using a correlation developed for Sri Lanka in a past research. Soil erodibility (K) factor was derived from the soil map. Crop management (C) factor and Erosion control practices (P) factor related to land cover derived from remotely sensed data taken from the literature. Annual soil erosion was computed using the above factors. The computed soil erosion map was coupled with the socioeconomic factors on population density, agricultural land to man ratio, land to man ratio and number of Samurdhi beneficiaries to assess the land degradation severity. The results showed that marginal tea lands are the highest contributor to soil loss in the study area. According to the study, soil erosion and population density contributed more to the land degradation. A strong negative relationship was found between land degradation and land to man ratio. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/tar.v21i4.3312 TAR 2010; 21(3): 361-367 | [
"Earth System Science",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
217644 | Combinatorics of networks and computation | Networks are present in our lives in numerous different environments: to name just a few, networks can model social relationships, they can model the Internet and links between web pages, they might model the spread of a virus infection between people, and they might represent computer processors/sensors that have to exchange information.
This project aims to obtain new insights into the behaviour of networks, which are studied from a geometric and computational perspective. Thereto, the project brings together researchers from different areas such as computational geometry, discrete mathematics, graph drawing, and probability. Among of the topics of research are enumerative problems on geometric networks, crossing numbers, random networks, imprecise models of data, restricted orientation geometry. Combinatorial approaches are combined with algorithms. Algorithmic applications of networks are also studied in the context of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and in the context of musical information retrieval (MIR).
The project contains the work packages: “Geometric networks”, ""Stochastic Geometry and Networks"", “Restricted orientation geometry”, “Graph-based algorithms for UAVs and for MIR”, and “Dissemination and gender equality promotion”.
The project connects researchers from 14 universities located in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, and Spain, who will collaborate and share their different expertise in order to obtain new knowledge on the combinatorics of networks and applications.
| [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
W2119983520 | A Process Design for Auditing Fair Value | Today, accounting standards are designed to reflect the current market conditions. At the same time, primary aim of the changes in standards is to enable financial statement users to evaluate risk structures of financial statements easily. The shift from historical cost approach to fair value applications may be interpreted within this context. The differentiation in the approaches has the advantage of reflecting the economic substance better but it may also cause uncertainty and subjectivity in financial reporting. Because of these two factors, auditing risk of financial statements is increasing.After the Enron Scandal in 2001 and recent financial crisis in 2008, the probable adverse effects of accounting with fair value and auditing sensitivities are being discussed severely in the fair value literature (Laux and Leuz, 2009; Zhou and Ding, 2009; Veron, 2008; Enria, A., Capiello, L., Dierick, Grittini, S., Haralambous, A., Maddaloni, A., Molitor, P., Pires, F. and Poloni, P., 2004; Novoa, Scarlata and Sole, 2009; Gwilliam and Jackson,2008; Benston, 2008; Ronen, 2002). In many situations, auditing of fair value accounting and estimation of fair value in a verifiable and objective way becomes the core subject in this field.This paper aims to analyze possible problems related to the auditing of fair value and model a process design to prevent these problems. More specifically, it aims to develop a conceptual model with reference to a case study on auditing of investment properties. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1140/epjb/e2010-00018-5 | Analysis of the electronic structure of ultrathin NiO/Ag(100) films | Thin films of nickel oxide on a silver substrate have been extensively studied both experimentally and theoretically. In this paper we present band structure calculations of one, two, three and five layer NiO/Ag(100) systems using a GGA+U density functional method and study the approach of the system towards the bulk situation. We find that the interfacial layer is metallised and that even for a five-layer system, the substrate still affects the properties of the outermost and central layers, suggesting that these layers have not yet reached convergence towards bulk properties. This may affect some of the more sensitive properties of the system. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
US 0150900 W | LOW WATTAGE FLUORESCENT LAMP | A low-wattage mercury lamp (figure 1) is provided for use with existing 110V high frequency electronic ballasts. The lamp has a discharge sustain fill (22) of mercury and an inert gas mixture of krypton and argon that does not require a starting aid. The phosphor layer (16) has a coating weight of 2.0-3.9 mg/cm<2>. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
714621 | Molecular steps of gas-to-particle conversion: From oxidation to precursors, clusters and secondary aerosol particles. | Atmospheric aerosol particles impact Earth’s climate, by directly scattering sunlight and indirectly by affecting cloud properties. The largest uncertainties in climate change projections are associated with the atmospheric aerosol system that has been altered by anthropogenic activities. A major source of that uncertainty involves the formation of secondary particles and cloud condensation nuclei from natural and anthropogenic emissions of volatile compounds. This research challenge persists despite significant efforts within recent decades.
I will build a research group that aims to resolve the atmospheric oxidation processes that convert volatile trace gases to particle precursor vapours, clusters and new aerosol particles. We will create novel measurement techniques and utilize the tremendous potential of mass spectrometry for detection of i) particle precursor vapours ii) oxidants, both conventional but also recently discovered stabilized Criegee intermediates, and, most importantly, iii) newly formed clusters. These methods and instrumentation will be applied for resolving the initial steps of new particle formation on molecular level from oxidation to clusters and stable aerosol particles. To reach these goals, targeted laboratory and field experiments together with long term field measurements will be performed employing the state-of-the-art instrumentation developed.
Principal outcomes of this project include i) new experimental methods and techniques vital for atmospheric research and a deep understanding of ii) oxidation pathways producing aerosol particle precursors, iii) the initial molecular steps of new particle formation and iv) mechanisms of growth of freshly formed clusters toward larger sizes, particularly in the crucial size range of a few nanometers. The conceptual understanding obtained during this project will open multiple new research horizons from oxidation chemistry to Earth system modeling. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
225364 | Functionalization of ethereal c-o bonds enabled by metallaphotoredox catalysis | The direct utilization of native functional groups without the need for prefunctionalized holds considerable promise to revolutionize organic synthesis. While significant advances have been realized within the area of C-H activation, the functionalization of inert C-O bonds in aryl ethers is still at its infancy. Prompted by the natural abundance of aryl ethers in Lignin, the second most abundant biopolymer (30% of non-fossil organic carbon on earth), chemists have been challenged to devise, conceptuality and practicality aside, mild, general and widely applicable catalytic technologies for ethereal C-O funcionalization. At present, however, these technologies remain confined to the use of rather activated extended p-systems, stoichiometric metal reagents and, in many instances, harsh conditions. ET-PHOTOX will offer an innovative and challenging approach for functionalizing aryl C-O bonds by merging nickel catalysis and photoredox catalysis via electron donor-acceptor complexation events. Such synergistic catalysis will unlock unconceivable scenarios within the C-O bond-cleavage arena, including the use of non-extended p-systems, non-organometallic based nucleophiles or even carbon dioxide as coupling partner. Therefore, this project holds potential to change concepts in catalysis, allowing new tactics to be implemented in organic synthesis from ubiquitous C-O bonds, thus enhancing the ever-growing quality of the European research. The prospective impact of ET-PHOTOX, together with the new scientific, technical training, competences and transferable skills received will position the candidate with a unique opportunity to start an independent career at a European academic institution after the execution of the project. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1111/mec.12226 | Genetic variation and structure of house sparrow populations: Is there an island effect? | Population genetic structure and intrapopulation levels of genetic variation have important implications for population dynamics and evolutionary processes. Habitat fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity. It leads to smaller population sizes and reduced gene flow between populations and will thus also affect genetic structure. We use a natural system of island and mainland populations of house sparrows along the coast of Norway to characterize the different population genetic properties of fragmented populations. We genotyped 636 individuals distributed across 14 populations at 15 microsatellite loci. The level of genetic differentiation was estimated using F-statistics and specially designed Mantel tests were conducted to study the influence of population type (i. e. mainland or island) and geographic distance on the genetic population structure. Furthermore, the effects of population type, population size and latitude on the level of genetic variation within populations were examined. Our results suggest that genetic processes on islands and mainland differed in two important ways. First, the intrapopulation level of genetic variation tended to be lower and the occurrence of population bottlenecks more frequent on islands than the mainland. Second, although the general level of genetic differentiation was low to moderate, it was higher between island populations than between mainland populations. However, differentiation increased in mainland populations somewhat faster with geographical distance. These results suggest that population bottleneck events and genetic drift have been more important in shaping the genetic composition of island populations compared with populations on the mainland. Such knowledge is relevant for a better understanding of evolutionary processes and conservation of threatened populations. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1007/s11401-018-1064-6 | Internal Controllability for Parabolic Systems Involving Analytic Non-local Terms | This paper deals with the problem of internal controllability of a system of heat equations posed on a bounded domain with Dirichlet boundary conditions and perturbed with analytic non-local coupling terms. Each component of the system may be controlled in a different subdomain. Assuming that the unperturbed system is controllable—a property that has been recently characterized in terms of a Kalman-like rank condition—the authors give a necessary and sufficient condition for the controllability of the coupled system under the form of a unique continuation property for the corresponding elliptic eigenvalue system. The proof relies on a compactness-uniqueness argument, which is quite unusual in the context of parabolic systems, previously developed for scalar parabolic equations. The general result is illustrated by two simple examples. | [
"Mathematics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1145/2766921 | Seamless Surface Mappings | We introduce a method for computing seamless bijective mappings between two surface-meshes that interpolates a given set of correspondences. A common approach for computing a map between surfaces is to cut the surfaces to disks, flatten them to the plane, and extract the mapping from the flattenings by composing one flattening with the inverse of the other. So far, a significant drawback in this class of techniques is that the choice of cuts introduces a bias in the computation of the map that often causes visible artifacts and wrong correspondences. In this paper we develop a surface mapping technique that is indifferent to the particular cut choice. This is achieved by a novel type of surface flattenings that encodes this cut-invariance, and when optimized with a suitable energy functional results in a seamless surface-to-surface map. We show the algorithm enables producing high-quality seamless bijective maps for pairs of surfaces with a wide range of shape variability and from a small number of prescribed correspondences. We also used this framework to produce three-way, consistent and seamless mappings for triplets of surfaces. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Mathematics"
]
|
W46940755 | Primary symptomatic adrenal insufficiency induced by megestrol acetate. | Megestrol acetate (MA) is a progestational agent for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and endometrial cancer. MA has also been used to promote weight gain in malnourished elderly patients, in patients with immunodeficiency virus and in cancer-induced cachexia. In addition to thromboembolic disease, MA may induce hyperglycaemia, osteoporosis, suppression of the gonadal axis, and Cushing's syndrome. MA has also been shown to cause symptomatic suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis owing to its intrinsic glucocorticoid-like effect. Three additional patients are presented who developed symptomatic adrenal insufficiency while they were receiving 160-320 mg MA daily. The patients were treated with cortisone acetate supplements, had clear evidence of HPA-axis suppression but recovered fully after MA was discontinued. Patients receiving MA might have an inadequate adrenal response during stressful conditions, possibly because 160-320 mg MA daily may not provide adequate protection to prevent the symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. The adverse MA effect on the HPA axis is probably not well recognised in clinical practice, and clinicians need an increased awareness of the endocrine complications secondary to MA treatment. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1314485111 | Sudestada1, a Drosophila ribosomal prolyl-hydroxylase required for mRNA translation, cell homeostasis, and organ growth | Genome sequences predict the presence of many 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent oxygenases of unknown biochemical and biological functions in Drosophila. Ribosomal protein hydroxylation is emerging as an important 2OG oxygenase catalyzed pathway, but its biological functions are unclear. We report investigations on the function of Sudestada1 (Sud1), a Drosophila ribosomal oxygenase. As with its human and yeast homologs, OGFOD1 and Tpa1p, respectively, we identified Sud1 to catalyze prolyl-hydroxylation of the small ribosomal subunit protein RPS23. Like OGFOD1, Sud1 catalyzes a single prolyl-hydroxylation of RPS23 in contrast to yeast Tpa1p, where Pro-64 dihydroxylation is observed. RNAi-mediated Sud1 knockdown hinders normal growth in different Drosophila tissues. Growth impairment originates from both reduction of cell size and diminution of the number of cells and correlates with impaired translation efficiency and activation of the unfolded protein response in the endoplasmic reticulum. This is accompanied by phosphorylation of eIF2a and concomitant formation of stress granules, as well as promotion of autophagy and apoptosis. These observations, together with those on enzyme homologs described in the companion articles, reveal conserved biochemical and biological roles for a widely distributed ribosomal oxygenase. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W3207207843 | Maladaptive Consequences of Mental Intrusions with Obsessive, Dysmorphic, Hypochondriac, and Eating-disorders Related Contents: Cross-cultural Differences | Unwanted mental intrusions (UMIs) with contents related to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), and Eating Disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent, independently of the cultural and/or social context. Cognitive-behavioral explanations for these disorders postulates that the escalation from common UMIs to clinically relevant symptoms depends on the maladaptive consequences (i.e., emotions, appraisals, and control strategies) of experiencing UMIs. This study examines, from a cross-cultural perspective, the cognitive-behavioral postulates of the maladaptive consequences of having UMIs.Non-clinical 1,473 participants from Europe, the Middle-East, and South America completed the Questionnaire of Unpleasant Intrusive Thoughts to assess the maladaptive consequences of experiencing highly disturbing OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs-related UMIs.Findings revealed main effects for both the country and the consequences associated with the four UMI contents. Interaction effects between the consequences of each UMI content and the sample location were also observed.Cognitive-Behavioral models for OCD, BDD, IAD, and EDs should be implemented along with socio-cultural variables that increase the understanding of the role of these variables in the phenomenology of UMIs and their associated consequences.Las intrusiones mentales no deseadas (IM) de contenidos relacionados con el Trastorno Obsesivo-Compulsivo (TOC), el Trastorno Dismórfico Corporal (TDC), la Ansiedad por la Enfermedad (AE), y los Trastornos Alimentarios (TAs) son muy prevalentes, independientemente de la cultura y/o el contexto social. Las explicaciones cognitivo-conductuales de esos trastornos postulan que la escalada de IM normales a síntomas clínicamente relevantes depende de las consecuencias desadaptativas (i.e., emociones, valoraciones y estrategias de control) de las IM. Este estudio examina los planteamientos sobre dichas consecuencias desde una perspectiva transcultural.1.473 participantes de Europa, Oriente Medio y Suramérica completaron el Inventario de Pensamientos Intrusos Desagradables para evaluar las consecuencias desadaptativas de experimentar IM muy molestas con contenidos de TOC, TDC, AE y TAs.Se obtuvieron efectos principales tanto para el país como para las consecuencias asociadas con los cuatro contenidos de IM, así como efectos de interacción entre las consecuencias de cada modalidad de IM y la localización de la muestra.Los modelos cognitivo-conductuales sobre el TOC, el TDC, la AE y los TAs deben complementarse con variables socioculturales que aumenten la comprensión del papel de esas variables en la fenomenología de las IM y sus consecuencias asociadas. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
interreg_929 | Cross the line, weave a story - The search for oral traditions through tales and meetings at the border | This project aims at providing students with the opportunity to get acquainted with and discover common cultural roots of this cross-border area where different cultures coexist, by contributing in person to the drawing up of a didactic course. The main theme of the project consists in connecting a series of events to social entertainment and the organisation of several leisure opportunities, with particular emphasis on fairy tales, habits and customs that characterise the various phases of a person’s life. In order to better understand these research elements and analyse their peculiarities participants study the written sources on the various subjects. This work is further enriched by a search on-site, starting from the family environment to expand to complex social contexts (children, youth, adults, elderly). The project intends to identify and bring to the fore a connection among the elements detected in the tales and the events that mark the passages in the life of every individual. The attention of the young researchers will focus on the identification of moral teachings and the psychological traits of the characters. Also, they try to pinpoint the tales that offer different ways of representing a certain occurrence, in order to identify elements that are shared by various cultures and different geographical areas. The project also gives the students the opportunity to put in place an articulated research that requires their active participation in the definition of their study areas, the identification of adequate research tools, the drawing up of criteria for the purpose of comparison and the production of a single paper containing a critical evaluation on the work performed. | [
"Studies of Cultures and Arts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1517930113 | In vitro reconstruction and analysis of evolutionary variation of the tomato acylsucrose metabolic network | Plant glandular secreting trichomes are epidermal protuberances that produce structurally diverse specialized metabolites, including medically important compounds. Trichomes of many plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) produce O-acylsugars, and in cultivated and wild tomatoes these are mixtures of aliphatic esters of sucrose and glucose of varying structures and quantities documented to contribute to insect defense. We characterized the first two enzymes of acylsucrose biosynthesis in the cultivated tomato Solanum lycopersicum. These are type I/IV trichome-expressed BAHD acyltransferases encoded by Solyc12g006330-or S. lycopersicum acylsucrose acyltransferase 1 (Sl-ASAT1)-and Solyc04g012020 (Sl-ASAT2). These enzymes were used. in concert with two previously identified BAHD acyltransferases. to reconstruct the entire cultivated tomato acylsucrose biosynthetic pathway in vitro using sucrose and acyl-CoA substrates. Comparative genomics and biochemical analysis of ASAT enzymes were combined with in vitro mutagenesis to identify amino acids that influence CoA ester substrate specificity and contribute to differences in types of acylsucroses that accumulate in cultivated andwild tomato species. This work demonstrates the feasibility of the metabolic engineering of these insecticidal metabolites in plants and microbes. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-642-54108-7_8 | Program Checking With Less Hassle | The simple and often imprecise specifications that programmers may write are a significant limit to a wider application of rigorous program verification techniques. Part of the reason why non-specialists find writing good specification hard is that, when verification fails, they receive little guidance as to what the causes might be, such as implementation errors or inaccurate specifications. To address these limitations, this paper presents two-step verification, a technique that combines implicit specifications, inlining, and loop unrolling to provide improved user feedback when verification fails. Two-step verification performs two independent verification attempts for each program element: one using standard modular reasoning, and another one after inlining and unrolling; comparing the outcomes of the two steps suggests which elements should be improved. Two-step verification is implemented in AutoProof, our static verifier for Eiffel programs integrated in EVE the Eiffel Verification Environment and available online. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-319-26706-7_15 | Synergy Based Optimal Sensing Techniques For Hand Pose Reconstruction | Most of the neuroscientific results on synergies and their technical implementations in robotic systems, which are widely discussed throughout this book (see e. g. Chaps. 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 12 and 13), moved from the analysis of hand kinematics in free motion or during the interaction with the external environment. This observation motivates both the need for the development of suitable and manageable models for kinematic recordings, as described in Chap. 14, and the calling for accurate and economic systems or “gloves” able to provide reliable hand pose reconstructions. However, this latter aspect, which represents a challenging point also for many human-machine applications, is hardly achievable in economically and ergonomically viable sensing gloves, which are often imprecise and limited. To overcome these limitations, in this chapter we propose to exploit the bi-directional relationship between neuroscience and robotic/artificial systems, showing how the findings achieved in one field can inspire and be used to advance the state of art in the other one, and vice versa. More specifically, our leading approach is to use the concept of kinematic synergies to optimally estimate the posture of a human hand using non-ideal sensing gloves. Our strategy is to collect and organize synergistic information and to fuse it with insufficient and inaccurate glove measurements in a consistent manner and with no extra costs. Furthermore, we will push forward such an analysis to the dual problem of how to design pose sensing devices, i. e. how and where to place sensors on a glove, to get maximum information about the actual hand posture, especially with a limited number of sensors. We will study the optimal design of gloves of different nature. Conclusions that can be drawn take inspiration from and might inspire further investigations on the biology of human hand receptors. Experimental evaluations of these techniques are reported and discussed. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1373/clinchem.2013.215079 | Prognostic Relevance of Viable Circulating Tumor Cells Detected by EPISPOT in Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients | Abstract
BACKGROUND
Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTC) in breast cancer patients is currently performed in many clinical trials, using different technologies, in particular the EpCAM-dependent CellSearch® system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and prognostic relevance of viable CTC in a large cohort of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. METHODS
A total of 254 MBC patients were enrolled in a prospective multicenter study at first diagnosis of metastatic disease or disease progression (before the start of a new treatment regimen). After EpCAM-independent enrichment, viable CTC releasing cytokeratin-19 as an epithelial cell marker were detected in the peripheral blood by an EPISPOT assay, and the Food and Drug Administration cleared CellSearch was used as the reference method. RESULTS
Using the EPISPOT assay, CTC were detected in 59% of MBC patients. The overall survival (OS) was linked with the CTC status measured by EPISPOT (P = 0. 0191), which allowed stratification of MBC patients in low- and high-risk groups. This stratification could be improved by addition of the CTC status assessed by the CellSearch system. In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, the 3 methods used to determine the level of CTC (EPISPOT, CellSearch, and combination of EPISPOT/CellSearch) were compared by the Bayesian information criterion method. Interestingly, the combination of the EPISPOT and CellSearch assays was the strongest predictor of OS (hazard ratio, 22. 6; 95% CI, 2. 8–184. 08). CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study in which CTC detection using the EPISPOT assay was evaluated on a large cohort of MBC patients, showing prognostic relevance of the presence of viable CTC. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.7554/eLife.26120 | Metaphase chromosome structure is dynamically maintained by condensin I-directed DNA (de)catenation | Mitotic chromosome assembly remains a big mystery in biology. Condensin complexes are pivotal for chromosome architecture yet how they shape mitotic chromatin remains unknown. Using acute inactivation approaches and live-cell imaging in Drosophila embryos, we dissect the role of condensin I in the maintenance of mitotic chromosome structure with unprecedented temporal resolution. Removal of condensin I from pre-established chromosomes results in rapid disassembly of centromeric regions while most chromatin mass undergoes hyper-compaction. This is accompanied by drastic changes in the degree of sister chromatid intertwines. While wild-type metaphase chromosomes display residual levels of catenations, upon timely removal of condensin I, chromosomes present high levels of de novo Topoisomerase II (TopoII)-dependent re- entanglements, and complete failure in chromosome segregation. TopoII is thus capable of re- intertwining previously separated DNA molecules and condensin I continuously required to counteract this erroneous activity. We propose that maintenance of chromosome resolution is a highly dynamic bidirectional process. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1002/wmts.23 | Kainate receptor trafficking | Kainate receptors (KARs) are ligand-gated ion channels that can regulate neuronal network activity and are involved in processes ranging from neuronal development and differentiation to neurodegeneration and neuronal cell death. They are tetrameric assemblies which can comprise different subunit combinations and are differentially targeted to specific cell surface compartments including pre- and postsynaptic membranes where they perform distinct functional roles. The processes regulating the constitutive and activity-dependent trafficking of KARs are subtle and complex. Intricate combinations of protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications orchestrate their surface membrane delivery, residence time, internalization, and recycling or degradation. Furthermore, in addition to regulating surface expression, interacting proteins connect receptors to anchoring and signaling pathways. Although our knowledge of the processes that regulate KAR trafficking is far from complete, there has been significant progress toward defining the roles of many of these protein partners and post-translational modifications. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1126/scitranslmed.aaw3210 | An ocular glymphatic clearance system removes β-amyloid from the rodent eye | Despite high metabolic activity, the retina and optic nerve head lack traditional lymphatic drainage. We here identified an ocular glymphatic clearance route for fluid and wastes via the proximal optic nerve in rodents. β-amyloid (Aβ) was cleared from the retina and vitreous via a pathway dependent on glial water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and driven by the ocular-cranial pressure difference. After traversing the lamina barrier, intra-axonal Aβ was cleared via the perivenous space and subsequently drained to lymphatic vessels. Light-induced pupil constriction enhanced efflux, whereas atropine or raising intracranial pressure blocked efflux. In two distinct murine models of glaucoma, Aβ leaked from the eye via defects in the lamina barrier instead of directional axonal efflux. The results suggest that, in rodents, the removal of fluid and metabolites from the intraocular space occurs through a glymphatic pathway that might be impaired in glaucoma. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2065135387 | Microfluidic pillar array sandwich immunofluorescence assay for ocular diagnostics | Uveitis and primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) are diseases associated with the invasion of lymphocytes into various regions of the eye, accompanied by expression of inflammatory cytokines. While these diseases are very different in terms of survivability and treatment options they have similar symptoms that make accurate diagnosis challenging. Furthermore, the diagnostic yield with state-of-the-art techniques for cell and cytokine analysis of vitreous and aqueous humor samples is under 20% due to inadequate sensitivity. This paper describes a simple sandwich immunofluorescence assay (sIFA) microfluidic device that is capable of identifying important analytes in ocular biopsies as a potential alternative to current diagnostic approaches. Detection is accomplished by capture of the target molecules on antibody-coated, vertical, oval shaped pillars in a microfluidic device followed by a biotinylated detection antibody and finally fluorescent avidin for target molecule quantification. Cytokine concentration measurements were carried out on aqueous humor samples from rats with endotoxin-induced uveitis as well as human cataract patients. Results correlated well with conventional protein quantification techniques and additionally, measurements from the human samples surpassed detection limits of current state-of-the-art immunoassay techniques. The single-digit femtomolar range of detection of this sIFA system provides lower limits of detection when compared to traditional techniques and allows for the mapping of the cytokine content of vitreous biopsies with detection limits that have yet to be realized using cost effective microfluidics. Furthermore, the relative simplicity of the device design, fabrication and ability to automate makes it easily translatable from the laboratory to a clinical setting. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
W2474982059 | Survey of domain-specific languages for FPGA computing | High-performance FPGA programming has typically been the exclusive domain of a small band of specialized hardware developers. They are capable of reasoning about implementation concerns at the register-transfer level (RTL) which is analogous to assembly-level programming in software. Sometimes these developers are required to push further down to manage even lower levels of abstraction closer to physical aspects of the design such as detailed layout to meet critical design constraints. In contrast, software programmers have long since moved away from textual assembly-level programming towards relying on graphical integrated development environments (IDEs), high-level compilers, smart static analysis tools and runtime systems that optimize, manage and assist the program development tasks. Domain-specific languages (DSLs) can bridge this productivity gap by providing higher levels of abstraction in environments close to the domain of application expert. DSLs carefully limit the set of programming constructs to minimize programmer mistakes while also enabling a rich set of domain-specific optimizations and program transformations. With a large number of DSLs to choose from, an inexperienced FPGA user may be confused about how to select an appropriate one for the intended domain. In this paper, we review a combination of legacy and state-of-the-art DSLs available for FPGA development and provide a taxonomy and classification to guide selection and correct use of the framework. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
715262 | High-Pressure High-Temperature Superconductivity | Superconductors promote electrical currents without loss and are exploited for applications like magnets in medical imaging. Further applications like large scale usage in electrical power generation and transmission, however, are limited by the need to cool materials below a critical temperature Tc. Thus, novel superconductors with higher Tc are highly desirable.
High Tc has been predicted almost 50 years ago for hydrogen and hydrogen compounds but was only confirmed in 2015 with the discovery of superconductivity at a record temperature of 203K in hydrogen sulphide H3S at high pressures. This long term effort highlights that finding new superconductors remains challenging as theory is very limited in predicting specific compounds for high-temperature superconductivity. The reason for this is that a favourable combination of materials and electronic properties is needed. This project will unravel the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity in H3S, derive design principles, and find new high-temperature superconductors.
We will measure key parameters of the superconducting state in H3S including the London penetration depth, coherence length, superconducting gap, charge carrier concentration, electron-phonon coupling, and Fermi surface topology as well as the isotope effect on these. This will be achieved through measurements of the critical field, Hall effect, quantum oscillations, and tunnelling spectroscopy.
This insight will be used to derive design principles for new superconductors with increased Tc and at lower pressures. We will work together with theory and materials science to predict, synthesise and test novel superconductors working towards hydrogen based high-temperature superconductivity at ambient pressure. We will focus on two materials classes with high hydrogen content: i) phosphanes with excellent control of complementary elements and ii) hydrogen storage materials alanates and borohydrades with light complementary elements. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.3389/fmicb.2017.01508 | AmoA-targeted polymerase chain reaction primers for the specific detection and quantification of comammox Nitrospira in the environment | Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia via nitrite to nitrate, has always been considered to be catalyzed by the concerted activity of ammonia- and nitrite-oxidizing microorganisms. Only recently, complete ammonia oxidizers ("comammox"), which oxidize ammonia to nitrate on their own, were identified in the bacterial genus Nitrospira, previously assumed to contain only canonical nitrite oxidizers. Nitrospira are widespread in nature, but for assessments of the distribution and functional importance of comammox Nitrospira in ecosystems, cultivation-independent tools to distinguish comammox from strictly nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira are required. Here we developed new PCR primer sets that specifically target the amoA genes coding for subunit A of the distinct ammonia monooxygenase of comammox Nitrospira. While existing primers capture only a fraction of the known comammox amoA diversity, the new primer sets cover as much as 95% of the comammox amoA clade A and 92% of the clade B sequences in a reference database containing 326 comammox amoA genes with sequence information at the primer binding sites. Application of the primers to 13 samples from engineered systems (a groundwater well, drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment plants) and other habitats (rice paddy and forest soils, rice rhizosphere, brackish lake sediment and freshwater biofilm) detected comammox Nitrospira in all samples and revealed a considerable diversity of comammox in most habitats. Excellent primer specificity for comammox amoA was achieved by avoiding the use of highly degenerate primer preparations and by using equimolar mixtures of oligonucleotides that match existing comammox amoA genes. Quantitative PCR with these equimolar primer mixtures was highly sensitive and specific, and enabled the efficient quantification of clade A and clade B comammox amoA gene copy numbers in environmental samples. The measured relative abundances of comammox Nitrospira, compared to canonical ammonia oxidizers, were highly variable across environments. The new comammox amoA-targeted primers enable more encompassing future studies of nitrifying microorganisms in diverse habitats. For example, they may be used to monitor the population dynamics of uncultured comammox organisms under changing environmental conditions and in response to altered treatments in engineered and agricultural ecosystems. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
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