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10.1093/imrn/rnz032 | Novikov Fundamental Group | Given a degree 1 cohomology class u on a closed manifold M, we define a Novikov fundamental group associated with u, generalizing the usual fundamental group in the same spirit as Novikov homology generalizes Morse homology to the case of non exact 1-forms. As an application, lower bounds for the minimal number of indexes 1 and 2 critical points of Morse closed 1-forms are obtained, that are different in nature from those derived from the Novikov homology. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1073/pnas.1805224115 | Gain control explains the effect of distraction in human perceptual, cognitive, and economic decision making | When making decisions, humans are often distracted by irrelevant information. Distraction has a different impact on perceptual, cognitive, and value-guided choices, giving rise to well-described behavioral phenomena such as the tilt illusion, conflict adaptation, or economic decoy effects. However, a single, unified model that can account for all these phenomena has yet to emerge. Here, we offer one such account, based on adaptive gain control, and additionally show that it successfully predicts a range of counterintuitive new behavioral phenomena on variants of a classic cognitive paradigm, the Eriksen flanker task. We also report that blood oxygen level-dependent signals in a dorsal network prominently including the anterior cingulate cortex index a gain-modulated decision variable predicted by the model. This work unifies the study of distraction across perceptual, cognitive, and economic domains. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
10.1016/j.bbabio.2017.02.015 | Interaction between the photoprotective protein LHCSR3 and C<inf>2</inf>S<inf>2</inf> Photosystem II supercomplex in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii | Photosynthetic organisms can thermally dissipate excess of absorbed energy in high-light conditions in a process known as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). In the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii this process depends on the presence of the light-harvesting protein LHCSR3, which is only expressed in high light. LHCSR3 has been shown to act as a quencher when associated with the Photosystem II supercomplex and to respond to pH changes, but the mechanism of quenching has not been elucidated yet. In this work we have studied the interaction between LHCSR3 and Photosystem II C2S2 supercomplexes by single particle electron microscopy. It was found that LHCSR3 predominantly binds at three different positions and that the CP26 subunit and the LHCII trimer of C2S2 supercomplexes are involved in binding, while we could not find evidences for a direct association of LHCSR3 with the PSII core. At all three locations LHCSR3 is present almost exclusively as a dimer. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
176060 | Deciphering pi3k biology in health and disease | The Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is at the core of multiple fundamental biological processes controlling metabolism, protein synthesis, cell growth, survival, and migration. This inevitably leads to the involvement of the PI3K signalling pathway in a number of different diseases, ranging from inflammation and diabetes to cancer, with PI3K pathway alterations present in almost 80% of human cancers. Therefore, PI3Ks have emerged as important targets for drug discovery and, during 2014, the first PI3K inhibitor was approved by FDA in the US for the treatment of a lymphocytic leukaemia. Nonetheless, our understanding of PI3K-mediated signalling is still poor and only a fraction of the potential therapeutic applications have been addressed so far, leaving a large amount of translational work unexplored. Europe features a set of top quality research institutions and pharmaceutical companies focused on PI3K studies but their activities have been so far scattered. This proposal fills this gap by providing a multidisciplinary network (biochemistry, mouse studies, disease models, drug development, software development) and an unprecedented training opportunity from the bench to the bedside (from pre-clinical discoveries to clinical trials), through cutting edge molecular biology, drug discovery and clinical trial organization. The proposal is aimed at training young investigators in deep understanding of the different PI3K isoforms in distinct tissues and to translate this knowledge into a new generation of PI3K inhibitors, treatment modalities and into identify new uses for existing PI3K inhibitors. | [
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
GB 2009000097 W | RETRACTOR | Apparatus for use in an operating theatre equipped with a surgical table, comprises a lifting frame (12) attachable to the surgical table and adapted for lifting a body part of a subject undergoing a surgical procedure upon the surgical table, and comprising an upright support post (18) incorporating a jack (54), and a lifting arm (17) pivotally mounted upon the post, whereby the arm can be turned about the upright support post on thrust bearing (57) to either overhang the surgical table, or be pivoted away to permit access to the surgical table. The arm is adapted to support a retractor that comprises a blade portion incorporating a plurality of independent lighting devices positioned in light ports (71, 72, 73) and configured to provide discrete illumination selectively to zones within the surgical field according to (a) a predetermined sequence programme, or (b) a sequence determined by a user of the retractor. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.crma.2016.10.009 | Uniqueness and Lagrangianity for solutions with lack of integrability of the continuity equation | We deal with the uniqueness of distributional solutions to the continuity equation with a Sobolev vector field and with the property of being a Lagrangian solution, i. e. transported by a flow of the associated ordinary differential equation. We work in a framework of lack of local integrability of the solution, in which the classical DiPerna–Lions theory of uniqueness and Lagrangianity of distributional solutions does not apply due to the insufficient integrability of the commutator. We introduce a general principle to prove that a solution is Lagrangian: we rely on a disintegration along the unique flow and on a new directional Lipschitz extension lemma, used to construct a large class of test functions in the Lagrangian distributional formulation of the continuity equation. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1101/sqb.2013.77.014605 | Epigenetic variation, inheritance, and selection in plant populations | Plant populations show phenotypic diversity, which may be caused by genetic and epigenetic variation. It has recently been shown that new epigenetic variants are generated at a higher rate than genetic variants and several studies have shown that epigenetic variation can be influenced by the environment. Although the heritability of environmentally induced epigenetic traits has gained increasing interest in past years, it is still not clear whether and to what extent induced epigenetic changes have a role in ecology and evolution. Some reports on model and nonmodel species support the possibility of adaptive epigenetic alleles, indicating that epigenetic variants are subject to natural selection. However, most of these studies rely solely on phenotypic data and no information is available about the underlying mechanisms. Thus, the role of inherited epigenetic variation for plant adaptation is unclear and further investigations are required to gain insights into the significance of epigenetic variation for ecological and evolutionary processes. Here, we review mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, epigenetic responses to environmental challenges, their inheritance, and their implication for adaptation and plant evolution. | [
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
GB 2017051363 W | FOLDABLE BICYCLE | A folding bicycle comprises a steerable front wheel (1) assembly including a front frame member (4) and a rear wheel (2) assembly including a lower frame member, a seat post member and a rear wheel, the lower frame member (3) comprising a first hinge connected to the seat post member (7) and operating on a horizontal axis to allow the bicycle to be folded, the steerable front wheel assembly comprising a hinged handlebar (30) operable in use to position the handlebar in contact with the rear wheel, thereby reducing the size of the bicycle. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
803491 | Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying brite adipocyte specification and activation | Brown adipocytes can dissipate energy in a process called adaptive thermogenesis. Whilst the classical brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots disappear during early life in humans, cold exposure can promote the appearance of brown-like adipocytes within the white adipose tissue (WAT), termed brite (brown-in-white). Increased BAT activity results in increased energy expenditure and has been correlated with leanness in humans. Hence, recruitment of brite adipocytes may constitute a promising therapeutic strategy to treat obesity and its associated metabolic diseases. Despite the beneficial metabolic properties of brown and brite adipocytes, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying their specification and activation in vivo. This proposal focuses on understanding the complex biology of thermogenic adipocyte biology by studying the epigenetic and transcriptional aspects of WAT britening and BAT recruitment in vivo to identify pathways of therapeutic relevance and to better define the brite precursor cells. Specific aims are to 1) investigate epigenetic and transcriptional states and heterogeneity in human and mouse adipose tissue; 2) develop a novel time-resolved method to correlate preceding chromatin states and cell fate decisions during adipose tissue remodelling; 3) identify and validate key (drugable) epigenetic and transcriptional regulators involved in brite adipocyte specification. Experimentally, I will use adipose tissue samples from human donors and mouse models, to asses at the single-cell level cellular heterogeneity, transcriptional and epigenetic states, to identify subpopulations, and to define the adaptive responses to cold or β-adrenergic stimulation. Using computational methods and in vitro and in vivo validation experiments, I will define epigenetic and transcriptional networks that control WAT britening, and develop a model of the molecular events underlying adipocyte tissue plasticity. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1063/1.5110885 | Particle Particle Ladder Based Basis Set Corrections Applied To Atoms And Molecules Using Coupled Cluster Theory | We investigate the basis-set convergence of electronic correlation energies calculated using coupled cluster theory and a recently proposed finite basis-set correction technique. The correction is applied to atomic and molecular systems and is based on a diagrammatically decomposed coupled cluster singles and doubles correlation energy. Only the second-order energy and the particle-particle ladder term are corrected for their basis-set incompleteness error. We present absolute correlation energies and results for a large benchmark set. Our findings indicate that basis set reductions by two cardinal numbers are possible for atomization energies, ionization potentials and electron affinities without compromising accuracy when compared to conventional CCSD calculations. In the case of reaction energies we find that reductions by one cardinal number are possible compared to conventional CCSD calculations. The employed technique can readily be applied to other many-electron theories without the need for three- or four-electron integrals. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
DE 2421424 A | Numerically controlled machine tool drill - has cutting part in tool body and partly cylindrical connection to shaft | Tool with peak drill for drilling or centering of holes, partic. on numerically controlled machines, with a cutting part formed in the tool body and a partly cylindrical section where this cutting part connects to the tool shaft. This intermediary part from the cutting surface to the shaft takes the form of part of a cylinder, the axis of which is inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tool body, at an angle of between 30 and 60 deg. and pref. 45 deg. The axis of the intermediary part's cylinder extends over the cutting angle. The design is partic. intended to produce a more stable tool. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
220404 | Nuclear envelope attachment and dynamics of human telomeres - unravelling nuclear organization | The spatial and temporal organization of the nucleus and its components are essential for genome regulation. During interphase of mammalian cells the nuclear envelope maintains the shape and the mechanical integrity of the nucleus, but also provides an anchor for chromatin that is connected to its inner side. This interaction mediates the regulation of gene expression, DNA replication and the maintenance of genome stability. In human cells I found that a large subset of telomeres, the natural ends of linear chromosomes, are transiently anchored to the nuclear envelope specifically during postmitotic nuclear assembly. Chromatin organization undergoes extensive changes during progression through the cell cycle, particularly during mitosis with the nuclear envelope breakdown and the compaction of chromatin into metaphase chromosomes. The interaction between chromosome ends and the nuclear envelope at the stage where the nucleus is reforming post-mitosis suggests a new role for telomeres in nuclear organization. My aims are 1) to screen for interacting partners that mediate the cell-cycle dependent telomere tethering to the nuclear membrane; 2) to unravel the molecular mechanism of telomere-nuclear envelope association over the cell cycle by combining biochemistry and state-of-the-art microscopy; 3) to map the subset of chromosomes which ends are tethered using subtelomere specific FISH probes and determine whether they are conserved throughout cell divisions and if it plays a role in organizing chromosome territories; 4) to examine telomere dynamics in cells from premature aging syndromes affecting the nuclear envelope integrity using live imaging confocal microscopy, and understand the connection between telomeres, nuclear envelope, and aging. The originality of my scientific approach is to combine state-of-the-art cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology for an integrated view of human telomere function in nuclear organization. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W1917092001 | Enhancing Teachers’ Awareness About Relations Between Science and Religion | Educators advocate that science education can help the development of more responsible worldviews when students learn not only scientific concepts, but also about science, or “nature of science”. Cosmology can help the formation of worldviews because this topic is embedded in socio-cultural and religious issues. Indeed, during the Cold War period, the cosmological controversy between Big Bang and Steady State theory was tied up with political and religious arguments. The present paper discusses a didactic sequence developed for and applied in a pre-service science teacher-training course on history of science. After studying the historical case, pre-service science teachers discussed how to deal with possible conflicts between scientific views and students’ personal worldviews related to religion. The course focused on the study of primary and secondary sources about cosmology and religion written by cosmologists such as Georges Lemaitre, Fred Hoyle and the Pope Pius XII. We used didactic strategies such as short seminars given by groups of pre-service teachers, videos, computer simulations, role-play, debates and preparation of written essays. Along the course, most pre-service teachers emphasized differences between science and religion and pointed out that they do not feel prepared to conduct classroom discussions about this topic. Discussing the relations between science and religion using the history of cosmology turned into an effective way to teach not only science concepts but also to stimulate reflections about nature of science. This topic may contribute to increasing students’ critical stance on controversial issues, without the need to explicitly defend certain positions, or disapprove students’ cultural traditions. Moreover, pre-service teachers practiced didactic strategies to deal with this kind of unusual content. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Texts and Concepts"
]
|
10.1017/etds.2014.70 | Invariant coupling of determinantal measures on sofic groups | To any positive contraction $Q$ on $\ell ^{2}(W)$, there is associated a determinantal probability measure $\mathbf{P}^{Q}$ on $2^{W}$, where $W$ is a denumerable set. Let ${\rm\Gamma}$ be a countable sofic finitely generated group and $G=({\rm\Gamma},\mathsf{E})$ be a Cayley graph of ${\rm\Gamma}$. We show that if $Q_{1}$ and $Q_{2}$ are two ${\rm\Gamma}$-equivariant positive contractions on $\ell ^{2}({\rm\Gamma})$ or on $\ell ^{2}(\mathsf{E})$ with $Q_{1}\leq Q_{2}$, then there exists a ${\rm\Gamma}$-invariant monotone coupling of the corresponding determinantal probability measures witnessing the stochastic domination $\mathbf{P}^{Q_{1}}\preccurlyeq \mathbf{P}^{Q_{2}}$. In particular, this applies to the wired and free uniform spanning forests, which was known before only when ${\rm\Gamma}$ is residually amenable. In the case of spanning forests, we also give a second more explicit proof, which has the advantage of showing an explicit way to create the free uniform spanning forest as a limit over a sofic approximation. Another consequence of our main result is to prove that all determinantal probability measures $\mathbf{P}^{Q}$ as above are $\bar{d}$-limits of finitely dependent processes. Thus, when ${\rm\Gamma}$ is amenable, $\mathbf{P}^{Q}$ is isomorphic to a Bernoulli shift, which was known before only when ${\rm\Gamma}$ is abelian. We also prove analogous results for sofic unimodular random rooted graphs. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
W2347012989 | Failed fertilization with conventional oocyte insemination can be overcome with the ability of ICSI according to binding or failing to bind to the zona pellucida | To determine the frequency of failed fertilization with conventional oocyte insemination and to determine the ability of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to overcome the failed fertilization according to binding or failing to bind to the zona pellucida. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of 12,448 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle to identify cycles where failed fertilization occurred following conventional oocyte insemination with seemingly normal sperm. A number of three oocytes retrieved was required. Results: There were only 12 cases of failed fertilization (0.1%). Six were related to failure of any or few sperm attaching to the zona pellucida These six had high fertilization rates with ICSI. Six had normal attachment and five attempted another cycle, this time with ICSI. Only 60% had good fertilization. Conclusions: When there is failed fertilization with normal sperm oocyte binding following conventional oocyte insemination, ICSI may still be effective in 60% of the cases, but it would be probably recommended to combine ICSI with artificial oocyte activation by calcium ionophore. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201322977 | The Gaia Eso Survey Abundance Ratios In The Inner Disk Open Clusters Trumpler 20 Ngc 4815 Ngc 6705 | Context. Open clusters are key tools to study the spatial distribution of abundances in the disk and their evolution with time. Aims. Using the first release of stellar parameters and abundances of the Gaia-ESO Survey, we analyse the chemical properties of stars in three old/intermediate-age open clusters, namely NGC 6705, NGC 4815, and Trumpler 20, which are all located in the inner part of the Galactic disk at Galactocentric radius R-GC similar to 7 kpc. We aim to prove their homogeneity and to compare them with the field population. Methods. We study the abundance ratios of elements belonging to two different nucleosynthetic channels: alpha-elements and iron-peak elements. For each element, we analyse the internal chemical homogeneity of cluster members, and we compare the cumulative distributions of cluster abundance ratios with those of solar neighbourhood turn-off stars and of inner-disk/bulge giants. We compare the abundance ratios of field and cluster stars with two chemical evolution models that predict different alpha-enhancement dependences on the Galactocentric distance due to different assumptions on the infall and star-formation rates. Results. The main results can be summarised as follows: i) cluster members are chemically homogeneous within 3 sigma in all analysed elements; ii) the three clusters have comparable [El/Fe] patterns within similar to 1 sigma, but they differ in their global metal content [El/H] with NGC 4815 having the lowest metallicity; their [El/Fe] ratios show differences and analogies with those of the field population, in both the solar neighbourhood and the bulge/inner disk; iii) comparing the abundance ratios with the results of two chemical evolution models and with field star abundance distributions, we find that the abundance ratios of Mg, Ni, and Ca in NGC 6705 might require an inner birthplace, implying a subsequent variation in its R-GC during its lifetime, which is consistent with previous orbit determination. Conclusions. Using the results of the first internal data release, we show the potential of the Gaia-ESO Survey through a homogeneous and detailed analysis of the cluster versus field populations to reveal the chemical structure of our Galaxy using a completely uniform analysis of different populations. We verify that the Gaia-ESO Survey data are able to identify the unique chemical properties of each cluster by pinpointing the composition of the interstellar medium at the epoch and place of formation. The full dataset of the Gaia-ESO Survey is a superlative tool to constrain the chemical evolution of our Galaxy by disentangling different formation and evolution scenarios. | [
"Universe Sciences"
]
|
10.1007/978-94-007-5787-5 | Oxidative stress and Redox regulation | Many physiological conditions such as host defense or aging and pathological conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes are associated with the accumulation of high levels of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. This generates a condition called oxidative stress. Low levels of reactive oxygen species, however, which are continuously produced during aerobic metabolism, function as important signaling molecules, setting the metabolic pace of cells and regulating processes ranging from gene expression to apoptosis. For this book we would like to recruit the experts in the field of redox chemistry, bioinformatics and proteomics, redox signaling and oxidative stress biology to discuss how organisms achieve the appropriate redox balance, the mechanisms that lead to oxidative stress conditions and the physiological consequences that contribute to aging and disease. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems"
]
|
10.1080/14697688.2018.1529420 | Short Time Near The Money Skew In Rough Fractional Volatility Models | We consider rough stochastic volatility models where the driving noise of volatility has fractional scaling, in the ‘rough’ regime of Hurst parameter H<1/2. This regime recently attracted a lot of . . . | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
996883 | A novel, cost-, time- and energy-efficient, electric hammer to replace the traditional hydraulic hammer | The LEKAEH innovation project aims to bring to market a novel, energy-efficient, electric hammer as a replacement to the traditional hydraulic hammer (also known as a hydraulic breaker).
The product is supporting the electric transformation trend of construction and mining machines. The innovation saves up to 75% energy, is more verstaile in use, has higher performance values and is more environmentally friendly. All this is possible due to electric transformation in the mentioned segment. We are no more limited to use only hydraulics as high power level energy source. Instead, high power levels of electricity are available in hybrid and all electric machines.
In this feasibility study of the SME Phase I project Lekatech aims firstly to build co-operation with potential future customers and define its position within the value chain of construction and mining machine sector. Secondly Lekatech aims to continue its technical feasibility work and reach the next milestone, the design of commercial prototype that builds on the current technology prototype. Thirdly Lekatech intends to improve the quality of its overall business plan, especially in relation to differentiating between and evaluating the most attractive primary business strategy and the second most attractive strategies that are to be considered as backups and expansion opportunities for the future.
This innovation project is essential in paving the path to commercializing this disruptive technology. This project is targeted to prepare the company for successful application to Phase II as next.
Lekatech Oy was founded solely to commercialize this novel technology and its success is measured only by its performance in this. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1007/JHEP09(2017)150 | Geometric Polarization Of Plasmas And Love Numbers Of Ads Black Branes | We use AdS/CFT holography to study how a strongly-coupled plasma polarizes when the geometry where it resides is not flat. We compute the linear-response polarization coefficients, which are directly related to the static two-point correlation function of the stress-energy tensor. In the gravitational dual description, these parameters correspond to the tidal deformation coefficients — the Love numbers — of a black brane. We also compute the coefficients of static electric polarization of the plasma. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1039/c2cc16447g | Asymmetric oxidative Lewis base catalysis—unifying iminium and enamine organocatalysis with oxidations | Enantioselective oxidative domino reactions of allylic alcohols to functionalized aldehydes have been developed. The one pot domino oxidation-iminium activation represents a convenient strategy for the enantioselective addition of malonates to allylic alcohols and the asymmetric formation of formyl cyclopropanes. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1016/j.stem.2016.08.001 | Adventitial MSC-like Cells Are Progenitors of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Drive Vascular Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease | Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like cells reside in the vascular wall, but their role in vascular regeneration and disease is poorly understood. Here, we show that Gli1+ cells located in the arterial adventitia are progenitors of vascular smooth muscle cells and contribute to neointima formation and repair after acute injury to the femoral artery. Genetic fate tracing indicates that adventitial Gli1+ MSC-like cells migrate into the media and neointima during athero- and arteriosclerosis in ApoE−/− mice with chronic kidney disease. Our data indicate that Gli1+ cells are a major source of osteoblast-like cells during calcification in the media and intima. Genetic ablation of Gli1+ cells before induction of kidney injury dramatically reduced the severity of vascular calcification. These findings implicate Gli1+ cells as critical adventitial progenitors in vascular remodeling after acute and during chronic injury and suggest that they may be relevant therapeutic targets for mitigation of vascular calcification. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
EP 10173257 A | Pharmaceutical composition of tegafur and natural flavonoid derivative catechin for potentiating antitumour effect and for treating tumours | Novel pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer, preferably malignant cancer by way of enteral use have been described, which contain natural flavonoid derivative Catechin and cancer chemotherapeutic agent TEGAFUR | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
10.24963/ijcai.2017/49 | Mechanisms for Online Organ Matching | Matching donations from deceased patients to patients on the waiting list account for over 85\% of all kidney transplants performed in Australia. We propose a simple mechanisms to perform this matching and compare this new mechanism with the more complex algorithm currently under consideration by the Organ and Tissue Authority in Australia. We perform a number of experiments using real world data provided by the Organ and Tissue Authority of Australia. We find that our simple mechanism is more efficient and fairer in practice compared to the other mechanism currently under consideration. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
EP 18155592 A | IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD | According to an aspect of an exemplary embodiment, an image display method may include displaying, on a display (120), an item list including a plurality of items and a cursor; detecting a user input for moving the cursor; and moving the cursor based on the user input and changing a property of at least one item of the plurality of items included in the item list based on a spatial relationship between the at least one item and the cursor. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3165-13.2014 | A Hierarchy Of Responses To Auditory Regularities In The Macaque Brain | Can monkeys learn simple auditory sequences and detect when a new sequence deviates from the stored pattern? Here we tested the predictive-coding hypothesis, which postulates that cortical areas encode internal models of sensory sequences at multiple hierarchical levels, and use these predictive models to detect deviant stimuli. In humans, hierarchical predictive coding has been supported by studies of auditory sequence processing, but it is unclear whether internal hierarchical models of auditory sequences are also available to nonhuman animals. Using fMRI, we evaluated the encoding of auditory regularities in awake monkeys listening to first- and second-order sequence violations. We observed distinct fMRI responses to first-order violations in auditory cortex and to second-order violations in a frontoparietal network, a distinction only demonstrated in conscious humans so far. The results indicate that the capacity to represent and predict the structure of auditory sequences is shared by humans and nonhuman primates. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System"
]
|
W2122539385 | Validation of multi-angle imaging spectroradiometer aerosol products in China | Based on AErosol RObotic NETwork and Chinese Sun Hazemeter Network data, the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) level 2 aerosol optical depth (AOD) products are evaluated in China. The MISR retrievals depict well the temporal aerosol trend in China with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.8 except for stations located in northeast China and at the Lanzhou site. In general, the MISR AOD retrievals agree well with ground-based observations for AOD 0.5 in the east, southwest and northeast regions of China. Concerning surface types, the greatest underestimations occur in farmland and forest ecosystems. The largest and smallest biases are seen in spring and in summer, respectively. The systematic underestimation seems to stem from the use of too high single scattering albedos ∼0.96 which is significantly higher than those estimated from ground-based observations. Further improvements to the MISR aerosol algorithm, especially in the aerosol model, are recommended. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1051/cocv/2018072 | Junction conditions for finite horizon optimal control problems on multi-domains with continuous and discontinuous solutions | This paper deals with junction conditions for Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equations for finite horizon control problems on multi-domains. We consider two different cases where the final cost is continuous or lower semi-continuous. In the continuous case, we extend the results in Z. Rao and H. Zidani, Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations on multi-domains, in Control and Optimization with PDE Constraints, Vol. 164 of International Series of Numerical Mathematics. Birkhäuser, Basel (2013) 93–116. in a more general framework with switching running costs and weaker controllability assumptions. The comparison principle has been established to guarantee the uniqueness and the stability results for the HJB system on such multi-domains. In the lower semi-continuous case, we characterize the value function as the unique lower semi-continuous viscosity solution of the HJB system, under a local controllability assumption. | [
"Mathematics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W1981733545 | In situ measurement of fixed charge evolution at silicon surfaces during atomic layer deposition | Interfacial fixed charge or interfacial dipoles are present at many semiconductor-dielectric interfaces and have important effects upon device behavior, yet the chemical origins of these electrostatic phenomena are not fully understood. We report the measurement of changes in Si channel conduction in situ during atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum oxide using trimethylaluminum and water to probe changes in surface electrostatics. Current-voltage data were acquired continually before, during, and after the self-limiting chemical reactions that result in film growth. Our measurements indicated an increase in conductance on p-type samples with p+ ohmic contacts and a decrease in conductance on analogous n-type samples. Further, p+ contacted samples with n-type channels exhibited an increase in measured current and n+ contacted p-type samples exhibited a decrease in current under applied voltage. Device physics simulations, where a fixed surface charge was parameterized on the channel surface, connect the surface charge to changes in current-voltage behavior. The simulations and analogous analytical relationships for near-surface conductance were used to explain the experimental results. Specifically, the changes in current-voltage behavior can be attributed to the formation of a fixed negative charge or the modification of a surface dipole upon chemisorption of trimethylaluminum. These measurements allow for the observation of fixed charge or dipole formation during ALD and provide further insight into the electrostatic behavior at semiconductor-dielectric interfaces during film nucleation. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.3390/app10072222 | Electro-Optical Ion Trap for Experiments with Atom-Ion Quantum Hybrid Systems | In the development of atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics, atom-ion hybrid systems are characterized by the presence of a new tool in the experimental AMO toolbox: atom-ion interactions. One of the main limitations in state-of-the-art atom-ion experiments is represented by the micromotion component of the ions’ dynamics in a Paul trap, as the presence of micromotion in atom-ion collisions results in a heating mechanism that prevents atom-ion mixtures from undergoing a coherent evolution. Here, we report the design and the simulation of a novel ion trapping setup especially conceived of for integration with an ultracold atoms experiment. The ion confinement is realized by using an electro-optical trap based on the combination of an optical and an electrostatic field, so that no micromotion component will be present in the ions’ dynamics. The confining optical field is generated by a deep optical lattice created at the crossing of a bow-tie cavity, while a static electric quadrupole ensures the ions’ confinement in the plane orthogonal to the optical lattice. The setup is also equipped with a Paul trap for cooling the ions produced by photoionization of a hot atomic beam, and the design of the two ion traps facilitates the swapping of the ions from the Paul trap to the electro-optical trap. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.jcat.2017.10.001 | Preparation and particle size effects of Ag/Α-Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf> catalysts for ethylene epoxidation | Currently, for the industrial ethylene epoxidation α-alumina supported silver catalysts are the only catalyst of choice. We demonstrate a novel method to produce these catalysts with different silver particle sizes, but without changing other key parameters that may affect the catalytic performance such as support specific surface area or metal precursor. α-Alumina was impregnated with a silver oxalate solution, and was subsequently dried and treated in different gas atmospheres and at different temperatures to tune the silver particle sizes in the range of 20–500 nm. Particles of 20 nm exhibited a lower turnover frequency than particles of 70 nm and larger, which exhibit a constant turnover frequency, in accordance with results in literature. However, the selectivity, when measured at constant conversion, was particle size independent. This is the first time that the effect of the particle size on the selectivity of ethylene epoxidation is reported at constant conversion. This was made possible by a new method of producing supported silver catalysts, which we expect that is also applicable for silver catalysts with other supports and for the preparation of other supported metal catalysts. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1016/j.jinteco.2017.06.006 | Cascading trade protection: Evidence from the US | In a world with increasingly integrated global supply chains, trade policy targeting upstream products has unintended consequences on their downstream industries. In this paper, we examine whether protection granted to intermediate manufacturers leads to petition for protection by their downstream users. We first provide a simple model based on the quantitative framework of Ossa (2014) which identifies the key factors and their interactions that cause cascading protection to motivate our empirical analysis. Then, we test our model by identifying the input-output relationships among the time-varying temporary trade barriers of the US using its detailed input-output tables. As predicted by the theory, we find that measures on imported inputs increase the likelihood of their downstream users' subsequent trade remedy petition over the 1988–2013 period. Moreover, our simulation exercise shows that cascading protection can cause additional welfare losses, and hence we propose that trade policy investigations should take vertical linkages into account. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
10.1215/00127094-2010-015 | Homological Mirror Symmetry For The 4 Torus | We use the quilt formalism of Mau, Wehrheim, and Woodward to give a sufficient condition for a finite collection of Lagrangian submanifolds to split-generate the Fukaya category, and deduce homological mirror symmetry for the standard 4-torus. As an application, we study Lagrangian genus 2 surfaces Σ2⊂T4 of Maslov class zero, deriving numerical restrictions on the intersections of Σ2 with linear Lagrangian 2-tori in T4 | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1088/2041-8205/739/1/L17 | Expanded Very Large Array Continuum Observations Toward Hot Molecular Core Candidates | We have used the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) with two 1 GHz wide bands to obtain K-band (1. 3 cm) continuum observations toward the following five hot molecular core candidates: IRAS 18151 – 1208, IRAS 18182 – 1433, IRAS 18345 – 0641, IRAS 18470 – 0044, and IRAS 19012 + 0536. The sources were selected from the 2002 list of Sridharan et al. and are characterized by high FIR luminosity, dense molecular and dust condensations, massive large-scale CO flows, and the absence of strong cm continuum emission. These properties are indicative of massive star-forming regions in an evolutionary phase prior to ultra- or hypercompact H II regions. We detect a total of 10 individual 1. 3 cm continuum sources toward this sample, and derive in-band spectral indices between 19. 3 and 25. 5 GHz consistent with thermal free-free emission, for all sources except component A in IRAS 18182 – 1433, which has a negative spectral index indicative of synchrotron emission. We suggest that in most cases the 1. 3 cm sources are due to shock-induced ionization, rather than direct photoionization by massive objects. The momentum rate present in these ionized flows is sufficient to drive the large-scale molecular flows. We discuss a number of morphological features supporting this hypothesis. The present observations demonstrate that the EVLA has sufficient sensitivity to study the regions near very young massive stars in the cm continuum. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
W2288383743 | Fest: A feature extraction and selection tool for Android malware detection | Android has become one of the most popular mobile operating systems because of numerous applications (apps) it provides. However, Android malware downloaded from third-party markets threatens users' privacy, and most of them remain undetected because of the lack of efficient and accurate detecting techniques. Prior efforts on Android malware detection attempted to build precise classification models by manually choosing features, and few of them has used any feature selection algorithms to help pick typical features. In this paper, we present Feature Extraction and Selection Tool (Fest), a feature-based machine learning approach for malware detection. We first implement a feature extraction tool, AppExtractor, which is designed to extract features, such as permissions or APIs, according to the predefined rules. Then we propose a feature selection algorithm, FrequenSel. Unlike existing selection algorithms which pick features by calculating their importance, FrequenSel selects features by finding the difference their frequencies between malware and benign apps, because features which are frequently used in malware and rarely used in benign apps are more important to distinguish malware from benign apps. In experiments, we evaluate our approach with 7972 apps, and the results show that Fest gets nearly 98% accuracy and recall, with only 2% false alarms. Moreover, Fest only takes 6.5s to analyze an app on a common PC, which is very time-efficient for malware detection in Android markets. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
10.1038/s41556-018-0107-2 | Regulation of cell cycle progression by cell-cell and cell-matrix forces | It has long been proposed that the cell cycle is regulated by physical forces at the cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interfaces 1-12 . However, the evolution of these forces during the cycle has never been measured in a tissue, and whether this evolution affects cell cycle progression is unknown. Here, we quantified cell-cell tension and cell-ECM traction throughout the complete cycle of a large cell population in a growing epithelium. These measurements unveil temporal mechanical patterns that span the entire cell cycle and regulate its duration, the G1-S transition and mitotic rounding. Cells subjected to higher intercellular tension exhibit a higher probability to transition from G1 to S, as well as shorter G1 and S-G2-M phases. Moreover, we show that tension and mechanical energy are better predictors of the duration of G1 than measured geometric properties. Tension increases during the cell cycle but decreases 3 hours before mitosis. Using optogenetic control of contractility, we show that this tension drop favours mitotic rounding. Our results establish that cell cycle progression is regulated cooperatively by forces between the dividing cell and its neighbours. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
770936 | Newton strata - geometry and representations | The Langlands programme is a far-reaching web of conjectural or proven correspondences joining the fields of representation theory and of number theory. It is one of the centerpieces of arithmetic geometry, and
has in the past decades produced many spectacular breakthroughs, for example the proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem by Taylor and Wiles.
The most successful approach to prove instances of Langlands’ conjectures is via algebraic geometry, by studying suitable moduli spaces such as Shimura varieties. Their cohomology carries actions both of a linear algebraic group (such as GLn) and a Galois group associated with the number field one is studying. A central tool in the study of the arithmetic properties of these moduli spaces is the Newton stratification, a natural decomposition based on the moduli description of the space. Recently the theory of Newton strata has seen two major new developments: Representation-theoretic methods and results have been successfully established to describe their geometry and cohomology. Furthermore, an adic version of the Newton stratification has been defined and is already of prime importance in new approaches within the Langlands programme.
This project aims at uniting these two novel developments to obtain new results in both contexts with direct applications to the Langlands programme, as well as a close relationship and dictionary between the classical and the adic stratifications. It is subdivided into three parts which mutually benefit from each other: Firstly we investigate the geometry of Newton strata in loop groups and Shimura varieties, and representations in their cohomology. Secondly, we study corresponding geometric and cohomological properties of adic Newton strata. Finally, we establish closer ties between the two contexts. Here we want to obtain analogues to results on one side for the other, but more importantly aim at a direct comparison that explains the similar behaviour directly. | [
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1021/acs.macromol.5b02119 | Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of All-Acrylic Diblock Copolymers via RAFT Dispersion Polymerization in Alkanes | A series of all-acrylic poly(lauryl acrylate)-poly(benzyl acrylate) (PLA-PBzA) diblock copolymer nanoparticles are prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization of benzyl acrylate in n-heptane, n-dodecane, or isohexadecane. As the PBzA block grows from the soluble PLA block it eventually becomes insoluble, which drives in situ polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA). High monomer conversions (>99%) can be achieved and high blocking efficiencies are observed using 1H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography, respectively. However, final Mw/Mn values range from 1. 36 to 2. 10, which suggests that chain transfer to polymer occurs in these all-acrylic PISA formulations. The soft, film-forming nature of these all-acrylic nanoparticles makes conventional TEM studies problematic. However, inspecting the visual appearance of these dispersions combined with DLS studies allows the construction of a phase diagram, which has been validated by cryo-TEM studies of selected copolymers. The latter technique confirms that spherical, worm-like or vesicular morphologies can be obtained depending on the copolymer concentration, mean degree of polymerization of the core and stabilizer blocks, and choice of solvent. Oscillatory rheology studies indicate that PLA-PBzA worms form free-standing worm gels at 20 °C with relatively low moduli (G′ ∼ 20 Pa). Moreover, reversible thermal transitions are observed below ∼15 °C and above ∼67 °C. Finally, worm gels that exhibit critical gelation concentrations as low as 2. 5% w/w at 20 °C can be prepared at up to 40% w/w solids using a convenient one-pot protocol. In summary, this new PISA formulation represents a cost-effective, facile synthesis route to all-acrylic nano-objects in non-polar solvents. | [
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.3389/feart.2017.00062 | Rates and cycles of microbial sulfate reduction in the hyper-saline dead sea over the last 200 kyrs from sedimentary δ<sup>34</sup> S and δ<sup>18</sup> O<inf>(SO4)</inf> | We report the δ34 S and δ18 O(SO4) measured in gypsum, pyrite, and elemental sulfur through a 456-m thick sediment core from the center of the Dead Sea, representing the last ∼200 kyrs, as well as from the exposed glacial outcrops of the Masada M1 section located on the margins of the modern Dead Sea. The results are used to explore and quantify the evolution of sulfur microbial metabolism in the Dead Sea and to reconstruct the lake’s water column configuration during the late Quaternary. Layers and laminae of primary gypsum, the main sulfur-bearing mineral in the sedimentary column, display the highest δ34 S and δ18 O(SO4) in the range of 13–28 and 13–30%, respectively. Within this group, gypsum layers deposited during interglacials display lower δ34 S and δ18 O(SO4) relative to those associated with glacial or deglacial stages. The reduced sulfur phases, including chromiumreducible sulfur, andsecondary gypsumcrystals are characterizedby extremely low δ34 S in the range of −27 to +7%. The δ18 O(SO4) of the secondary gypsum in the M1 outcrop ranges from 8 to 14%. The relationship between δ34 S and δ18 O(SO4) of primary gypsumsuggests that the rate of microbial sulfate reduction was lower during glacial relative to interglacial times. This suggests that the freshening of the lake during glacial wet intervals, and the subsequent rise in sulfate concentrations, slowed the rate of microbial metabolism. Alternatively, this could imply that sulfate-driven anaerobic methane oxidation, the dominant sulfur microbial metabolism today, is a feature of the hypersalinity in the modern Dead Sea. Sedimentary sulfides are quantitatively oxidized during epigenetic exposure, retaining the lower δ34 S signature; the δ18 O(SO4) of this secondary gypsum is controlled by oxygen atoms derived equally from atmospheric oxygen and from water, which is likely a unique feature in this hyperarid environment. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
interreg_2451 | Multidisciplinary approach and solutions to development of intermodal transport in region | The European Commission has launched a Freight Transport Logistic Action Plan (COM(2007) 607) that is proposing a series of measures to promote the freight transport logistics, make intermodal transportation more competitive, create a framework which will allow European ports to attract investment for their modernization, put maritime freight transport on an equal footing with other transport modes and review progress made in development of sustainable mobility. Based on that plan, project MultiAPPRO combines different approaches to reach most of the goals highlighted by the EC. Therefore, overall objective of the project is development of intermodal transport in Adriatic-Ionian region. The first approach is focused on systematic collection and providing solutions to all bottlenecks, both on national or regional level. Since White Paper (COM(2011) 144 final) of EC identifies promotion as one of the priority activities in transport development, the next approach innovatively and systematically performs promotion of the intermodal transport in the region and also creates a network of promotional centers. Furthermore, to assure high quality service, project will design specific port quality measures indicators. Investments in the transport infrastructure require exceptional financial means. These are capital projects, in which cost rationalisation is the key for the future competitiveness of that direction. MultiAPPRO project will thus create a model, that will be able to measure the effect of each new investment, in relation to the existing situation, in a simple and logical way. Hence, it will be possible to bring objective and rational decisions about future investments in intermodal infrastructure, in the area of the entire Adriatic-Ionian region. Given the above, project outputs include development of two supported transnational cooperation networks: _x000D_
1) Intermodal Transport Network and _x000D_
2) Promotion network as well as a SSS and MoS promotion action plan and a Transport Performance Strategy. _x000D_
Intermodal Transport Network will be composed of partner representatives, national authorities and experts working on activities to improve regional intermodal transport while Promotion network will encourage establishment of new Promotion Centres into coordinated work of already existing Centres within European Shortsea Network. Furthermore, SSS and MoS promotion action plan will serve as a strategic document for performing common promotion campaign and finally, Transport Performance Strategy will enable actors to define the effect of any investment by defining the strategy and action plan for future investments in the region. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Human Mobility, Environment, and Space"
]
|
W1894698861 | Conversion to high forest in ageing Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) coppices | Research, started in 1996, has been carried out in an aged coppice of turkish oak. Thesis considered were: natural evolution of coppice and thinning of different intensity, aimed to convert coppice into high forest. About 600-800 stems per hectare were released in plots where conversion was made. During silvicultural tending, in summer 1996, times of felling and successive operations were taken, including arrangement in bunches and yarding with PVC drag furrows. Data allow to define structure of stand before, immediately and six years after thinning. At a distance of six years thinning result successful and have determined a new structure of the stand, depressing the presence of dominated layer. In contro1 plots a reduction of number of stems and stumps way observed, whereas in plots where thinning was ere carried out, no damage or result of natural selection was observed. Plots where 600 stems per hectare were released exhibit an increment of 35 m 3 , v. 32 measured in plots with 800 stems per hectare. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1021/acs.chemmater.6b05143 | Atomic Layer Deposition of Titanium Oxide on Single-Layer Graphene: An Atomic-Scale Study toward Understanding Nucleation and Growth | Controlled synthesis of a hybrid nanomaterial based on titanium oxide and single-layer graphene (SLG) using atomic layer deposition (ALD) is reported here. The morphology and crystallinity of the oxide layer on SLG can be tuned mainly with the deposition temperature, achieving either a uniform amorphous layer at 60 °C or ∼2 nm individual nanocrystals on the SLG at 200 °C after only 20 ALD cycles. A continuous and uniform amorphous layer formed on the SLG after 180 cycles at 60 °C can be converted to a polycrystalline layer containing domains of anatase TiO2 after a postdeposition annealing at 400 °C under vacuum. Using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (AC-TEM), characterization of the structure and chemistry was performed on an atomic scale and provided insight into understanding the nucleation and growth. AC-TEM imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy revealed that rocksalt TiO nanocrystals were occasionally formed at the early stage of nucleation after only 20 ALD cycles. Understanding and controlling nucleation and growth of the hybrid nanomaterial are crucial to achieving novel properties and enhanced performance for a wide range of applications that exploit the synergetic functionalities of the ensemble. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.1097/CCM.0b013e318260c90e | Interferon-γ production by natural killer cells and cytomegalovirus in critically ill patients | Objective:: The mechanisms involved in cytomegalovirus reactivation in critically ill patients who were previously immunocompetent are still unknown. The current study was designed to evaluate the possible role of natural killer cells in the reactivation of cytomegalovirus in these patients. DESIGN:: Prospective observational. SETTING:: A medical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS:: Fifty-one subjects, including 15 patients who experienced cytomegalovirus reactivation (cases) during their intensive care unit stay and 15 patients who matched intensive care unit controls, selected from a cohort of consecutive nonimmunocompromised intensive care unit patients, as well as healthy controls. INTERVENTIONS:: Tests included weekly systematic immunomonitoring and routine screening for cytomegalovirus infection until discharge from the intensive care unit or death. The immunophenotype and functions of natural killer cells were performed by flow cytometry, and serum levels of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN Results:: The overall occurrence of cytomegalovirus reactivation in the cohort was 27%. No differences of natural killer cell effector functions were observed at admission between cases and controls. Instead, before cytomegalovirus reactivation, the ability of natural killer cells to secrete interferon-γ was significantly reduced in cases as compared with controls upon stimulation with antibody-coated target cells (p = . 029) and with K562 cell stimulation (p = . 029). No phenotypic or quantitative differences were observed between cases and controls. Cases exhibited higher levels of interleukin 10 (p = . 031) and interleukin 15 (p = . 021) than controls before cytomegalovirus reactivation. Conclusions:: Impaired natural killer cell function with reduced interferon-γ secretion precedes the occurrence of cytomegalovirus reactivation among previously immunocompetent critically ill patients. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
173725 | Single molecule study of protease mechano-specificity | Single-molecule enzymology offers new possibilities to dissect catalytic reactions that were previously unapproachable using biochemistry techniques conducted in the bulk. In particular, recent discoveries conducted at the single molecule level, such as the unanticipated force-mediated protein degradation pathway in the proteasome, highlight the close relation between mechanical forces and proteolysis in vivo. While much has been discovered about protein enzymology in the recent decades, the question of how mechanical force affects enzymatic catalysis remains vastly elusive. The main goal of this proposal is to understand the mechanobiology of proteolysis at the single molecule level. We will use the newly developed force-clamp spectroscopy technique, together with molecular biology engineering techniques and bioinformatics structural analysis to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie protease catalysis under mechanical force. Successful enzymatic activity relies on the enzyme:substrate (E:S) assembly. Upon mechanical unfolding, proteins unveil their buried substrate sites, also called cryptic sites, thus favoring the formation of the E:S complex and ultimately permitting the subsequent chemical reaction. A key feature of recent mechano-chemistry experiments at the single bond level is that the rate at which the reduction of a protein disulfide bond occurs in the presence of a nucleophile is exponentially dependent on the stretching force. Hence, it is tempting to speculate that, in the case of an enzymatic reaction, the catalytic rate will be also force-dependent. We anticipate that the curved geometry of the bound substrate inhibits the E:S assembly at high-forces, implying a novel mechano-specificity character of proteases. Within a multidisciplinary approach, here we propose a series of innovative experiments to directly probe the effect of force on the kinetics of protease hydrolysis. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1021/ac203391z | Filter diagonalization method-based mass spectrometry for molecular and macromolecular structure analysis | Molecular and macromolecular structure analysis by high resolution and accurate mass spectrometry (MS) is indispensable for a number of fundamental and applied research areas, including health and energy domains. Comprehensive structure analysis of molecules and macromolecules present in the extremely complex samples and performed under time-constrained experimental conditions demands a substantial increase in the acquisition speed of high resolution MS data. We demonstrate here that signal processing based on the filter diagonalization method (FDM) provides the required resolution for shorter experimental transient signals in ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) MS compared to the Fourier transform (FT) processing. We thus present the development of a FDM-based MS (FDM MS) and demonstrate its implementation in ICR MS. The considered FDM MS applications are in bottom-up and top-down proteomics, metabolomics, and petroleomics. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1038/s41477-019-0542-5 | PIN-driven auxin transport emerged early in streptophyte evolution | PIN-FORMED (PIN) transporters mediate directional, intercellular movement of the phytohormone auxin in land plants. To elucidate the evolutionary origins of this developmentally crucial mechanism, we analysed the single PIN homologue of a simple green alga Klebsormidium flaccidum. KfPIN functions as a plasma membrane-localized auxin exporter in land plants and heterologous models. While its role in algae remains unclear, PIN-driven auxin export is probably an ancient and conserved trait within streptophytes. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution"
]
|
10.1038/nature14565 | Timing and climate forcing of volcanic eruptions for the past 2,500 years | Volcanic eruptions contribute to climate variability, but quantifying these contributions has been limited by inconsistencies in the timing of atmospheric volcanic aerosol loading determined from ice cores and subsequent cooling from climate proxies such as tree rings. Here we resolve these inconsistencies and show that large eruptions in the tropics and high latitudes were primary drivers of interannual-to-decadal temperature variability in the Northern Hemisphere during the past 2,500 years. Our results are based on new records of atmospheric aerosol loading developed from high-resolution, multi-parameter measurements from an array of Greenland and Antarctic ice cores as well as distinctive age markers to constrain chronologies. Overall, cooling was proportional to the magnitude of volcanic forcing and persisted for up to ten years after some of the largest eruptive episodes. Our revised timescale more firmly implicates volcanic eruptions as catalysts in the major sixth-century pandemics, famines, and socioeconomic disruptions in Eurasia and Mesoamerica while allowing multi-millennium quantification of climate response to volcanic forcing. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1002/jbio.201700233 | Rapid and label-free optical detection of individual carbon air pollutant nanoparticulates in biomedical samples | Carbonaceous particle exposure and air pollution in general lead to a multitude of adverse human health effects and pose multiple challenges in terms of exposure, risk and safety assessment. Highly desirable for fast screening are label-free approaches for detecting these particle types in biological or medical context. We report a powerful approach for detecting carbonaceous particles using photothermal pump-probe microscopy, which directly probes their strong light absorption. The principle and reliability of this approach is demonstrated by examining 4 different carbon black (CB) species modeling soot with diameters ranging from 13 to 500 nm. Our results show that the proposed approach is applicable to a large number of CB types as well as black carbon. As the particles show a strong absorption over a wide spectral range as compared to other absorbing species, we can image CB particles almost background free. Our pump-probe approach allows label-free optical detection and unambiguous localization of CB particles in (bio)fluids and 3D cellular environments. In combination with fluorescence microscopy, this method allows for simultaneous colocalization of CB with different cellular components using fluorophores as shown here for human lung fibroblasts. We further demonstrate the versatility of pump-probe detection in a flow cell. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
257661 | Traffic Management by Macroscopic Models | We propose to investigate traffic phenomena from the macroscopic point of view, using models derived from fluid-dynamics consisting in hyperbolic conservation laws. In fact, even if the continuum hypothesis is clearly not physically satisfied, macroscopic quantities can be regarded as measures of traffic features and allow to depict the spatio-temporal evolution of traffic waves.
Continuum models have shown to be in good agreement with empirical data. Moreover, they are suitable for analytical investigations and very efficient from the numerical point of view. Therefore, they provide the right framework to state and solve control and optimization problems, and we believe that the use of macroscopic models can open new horizons in traffic management.
The major mathematical difficulties related to this study follow from the mandatory use of weak (possibly discontinuous) solutions in distributional sense. Indeed, due to the presence of shock waves and interactions among them, standard techniques are generally useless for solving optimal control problems, and the available esults are scarce and restricted to particular and unrealistic cases. This strongly limits their applicability.
Our scope is to develop a rigorous analytical framework and fast and efficient numerical tools for solving optimization and control problems, such as queues lengths control or buildings exits design. This will allow to elaborate reliable predictions and to optimize traffic fluxes. To achieve this goal, we will move from the detailed structure of the solutions in order to construct ad hoc methods to tackle the analytical and numerical difficulties arising in this study. The foreseen applications target the sustainability and safety issues of modern society. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1177/0964663914541591 | Legal Revolutions And The Sociology Of Law | This article critically examines the importance of Hauke Brunkhorst’s work for the sociology of law, arguing that it provides new bearings for contemporary legal–sociological research. It pays particular attention to his methodological fusion of Systems Theory and Critical Theory and to the analysis of the correlation between national and cosmopolitan political structures in his theory of legal normativity. The article concludes by offering an alternative framework for observing the sociolegal processes at the center of Brunkhorst’s work. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01833 | Complete Exchange of the Hydrophobic Dispersant Shell on Monodisperse Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles | High-temperature synthesized monodisperse superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are obtained with a strongly bound ligand shell of oleic acid and its decomposition products. Most applications require a stable presentation of a defined surface chemistry; therefore, the native shell has to be completely exchanged for dispersants with irreversible affinity to the nanoparticle surface. We evaluate by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TGA/DSC) the limitations of commonly used approaches. A mechanism and multiple exchange scheme that attains the goal of complete and irreversible ligand replacement on monodisperse nanoparticles of various sizes is presented. The obtained hydrophobic nanoparticles are ideally suited for magnetically controlled drug delivery and membrane applications and for the investigation of fundamental interfacial properties of ultrasmall core-shell architectures. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.1364/OE.20.020506 | Second Order Nonlinear Silicon Organic Hybrid Waveguides | We describe a concept for second-order nonlinear optical processes in silicon photonics. A silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) double slot waveguide is dispersion-engineered for mode phase-matching (MPM). The proposed waveguide enables highly efficient nonlinear processes in the mid-IR range. With a cladding nonlinearity of χ(2) = 230 pm/V and 20 dBm pump power at a CW wavelength of 1550 nm, we predict a gain of 14. 7 dB/cm for a 3100 nm signal. The suggested structure enables for the first time efficient second-order nonlinear optical mixing in silicon photonics with standard technology. | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
EP 2010001032 W | METHOD FOR PRODUCING MULTIPLE FIBER STRIPS IN PARALLEL AND APPARATUS FOR EXECUTING SAID METHOD | The invention relates to methods for simultaneously producing crimped fiber strips in parallel, in particular filter tow strips, in a crimping machine (KM) having an inlet region (3), a squeezing zone (6) formed between two transport rollers (4, 5), and a compression channel (7), comprising the following steps: a) simultaneously feeding in parallel a plurality of fiber strips (1, 2) via the inlet region (3), wherein the fiber strips are guided separately in the inlet region (3), using a first separating device (31), b) simultaneously transporting and compacting in parallel the fiber strips in the squeezing zone (6) by way of the two transport rollers (4, 5), and c) simultaneously crimping in parallel the fiber strips in the compression channel (7), wherein the fiber strips are guided separately in method step b) by using a second separating device (61) and in method step c) by using a third separating device (71), and wherein the first, second and third separating devices (31, 61, 71) are designed such that the separate guidance in parallel of the fiber strips takes place from the inlet region (3) through the squeezing zone (6) into the compression channel (7) without interruption. Moreover, the invention relates to an apparatus for executing said method. The invention enables the simultaneous formation of a plurality of separate, crimped fiber strips, having a substantially constant and symmetric crimping characteristic over the respective entire fiber strip cross-section, and in particular also cost-effective production of crimped filter tow strips, having a low overall titer, by avoiding the phenomenon of the split-off edge, by way of a conventional spinning and crimping machine. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
US 2012/0054896 W | A COMPOSITION FOR PREPARING A BONDING MATERIAL AND USES THEREOF | The present invention discloses a composition for preparing a bonding material for use in a circuit board comprising a polymerizable acrylate system and a curable epoxy resin system, the composition being photocurable. The present invention also provides a circuit board comprising the bonding material. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2004891871 | Distribution of the Common Squid Todarodes pacificus Paralavae in the Southern Coastal Waters in the East Sea in August and September 2013 | Paralarvae of the common squid, Todarodes pacificus Steenstrup were sampled with the bongo net (diameter: 60 cm, mesh: ) by using oblique tow method with the oceanographic research vessel (Tamgu 12) at 21 stations along the southwestern coastal waters of the East Sea in August and September, 2013. Paralarvae were collected 16 ind./ in August and 7 ind./ in September at approximately, and bottom depth was from 70 m to 500 m. Mantle length of paralarvae was from 1.7 to 6.0 mm. Paralavae were distributed mainly in offshore stations in August and near by Cape Janggi in September. Optimum embryo survival temperature () was formed shallower than 35 m depth for almost stations where paralarvae were existed, and survival temperature () for embryo stage was located shallower than 75 m. | [
"Earth System Science"
]
|
2715780 | Ground-Breaking perovskite technologies for advanced x-ray medical imaging systems | The PEROXIS project will develop a new X-ray imaging system with higher sensitivity and spatial resolution compared to conventional ones, which will support diagnosis during intervention and treatments of various diseases.
The emerging semiconducting perovskite materials, largely used for photovoltaic applications, are a good candidate since they have the potential to globally address the following ambitious objectives:
-Advancing X-ray based imaging systems for advanced diagnostics and treatments of two major diseases: cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
-Improving the efficiency and spatial resolution of flat panel X-ray detectors
-Groundbreaking perovskite-based direct conversion X-ray imaging detectors for large-area compatibility
-Validating the feasibility of phase contrast imaging for earlier detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
PEROXIS is a multidisciplinary project engaging 7 EU partners from 4 countries (France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands) covering the academic, RTO and industrial (3 major medical equipment manufacturers) worlds. An implementation plan is presented in the form of 8 work packages, 6 of which are technical in nature. Synergy in communication and dissemination by the several partners and stakeholders (external advisory board mainly composed of physicians who provide letters of intent) will permit to maximize the PEROXIS project impact.
Both solutions to overcome the fundamental technological barriers as well as appropriate deliverables, tasks, milestones and risks in order to complete the project objectives in due time are presented. The medical sector will be highly impacted by the PEROXIS project outcome: future applications of an improved PEROXIS imaging system will not be limited to COPD and CVD only, but may be extended to various other clinical domains in which the performance of diagnostic driven therapy systems is limited by current flat panel X-ray detector technology. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Materials Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
W1999766697 | Assessment of environmental hazards in the north western coast -Egypt using RS and GIS | Soil erosion, salinity and sodicity hazards are serious problems in the northern west coast of Egypt and lead to reducing the soil quality and increasing the degradation of soil resources. Sidi Barrani and Al-Sallum regions are selected as study areas which are located from a longitude of 25°10′00″ to 26°55′00″East and from a latitude of 31°00′0″ to 31°37′30″ North. Erosion hazard was estimated using the ‘Universal Soil Loss Equation’ (USLE), which is a simple empirical model that is widely used for assessing long-term annual soil loss .The salinity and sodicity hazards were estimated based on FAO method as standard reference. The resultant map of annual soil erosion shows a maximum soil loss of 60 t h −1 y −1 with a close relation to foot slopes and wide units on the steep side-slopes (with high LS value) and the erodibility value reached to 0.1 t h −1 y −1 . Meanwhile sand beaches and sabkha units are characterized by high environmental hazards of both water erosion, salinity and sodicity, while in the overflow basin units are identified as low environmental hazards. The spatial environmental hazards assessment is conducted by using integrated GIS and RS which can serve as effective inputs in deriving strategies for sustainable land use planning and management. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
US 63979609 A | Oxygenation of a fluid | Method and apparatus for producing an oxygenated fluid. In accordance with various embodiments, a flow of pressurized fluid is established. A flow of oxygen is injected into the flow of pressurized fluid to provide a fluid/oxygen mixture. The mixture is passed through a venturi assembly in the presence of a magnetic field established by an adjacent magnetic assembly. The mixture is next flowed from the venturi assembly to a gas/liquid separation tank, where a liquid component of the mixture is passed downstream with a selected dissolved oxygen content and a gas component is directed back for injection into the pressurized fluid flow. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Products and Processes Engineering"
]
|
10.1126/sciadv.aat5895 | Evidence of a low-temperature dynamical transition in concentrated microgels | A low-temperature dynamical transition has been reported in several proteins. We provide the first observation of a “protein-like” dynamical transition in nonbiological aqueous environments. To this aim, we exploit the popular colloidal system of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) microgels, extending their investigation to unprecedentedly high concentrations. Owing to the heterogeneous architecture of the microgels, water crystallization is avoided in concentrated samples, allowing us to monitor atomic dynamics at low temperatures. By elastic incoherent neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations, we find that a dynamical transition occurs at a temperatureTd~ 250 K, independently from PNIPAM mass fraction. However, the transition is smeared out on approaching dry conditions. The quantitative agreement between experiments and simulations provides evidence that the transition occurs simultaneously for PNIPAM and water dynamics. The similarity of these results with hydrated protein powders suggests that the dynamical transition is a generic feature in complex macromolecular systems, independently from their biological function. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
10.7554/eLife.02109 | Long term functional plasticity of sensory inputs mediated by olfactory learning | Sensory inputs are remarkably organized along all sensory pathways. While sensory representations are known to undergo plasticity at the higher levels of sensory pathways following peripheral lesions or sensory experience, less is known about the functional plasticity of peripheral inputs induced by learning. We addressed this question in the adult mouse olfactory system by combining odor discrimination studies with functional imaging of sensory input activity in awake mice. Here we show that associative learning, but not passive odor exposure, potentiates the strength of sensory inputs up to several weeks after the end of training. We conclude that experience-dependent plasticity can occur in the periphery of adult mouse olfactory system, which should improve odor detection and contribute towards accurate and fast odor discriminations. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
740548 | Common Interactive Objects | In CIO, common interactive objects are developed and explored to extend human control over the technological environment by human beings, both individually and together. CIO leads to a coherent framework of user interfaces to be applied in interaction design. Common interactive objects will provide a useful frame for furthering human computer interaction (HCI) theory, development of interaction design methods and the underlying technical platforms. Common interactive objects will empower users to better understand and develop the technologies they use.
When carried through, the project offers new ways for people to construct and configure human physical and virtual environments, together, over time and within communities.
The main objectives of CIO are to
1. develop the conception of common interactive objects in order to offer a new understanding of human-computer interaction, focusing on human control.
2. develop support for building user interfaces in a coherent and unified framework.
3. make common interactive objects that will empower users to better understand and develop the technologies they use.
4. carry out ground-breaking research regarding the technological basis of common interactive objects with focus on malleability, control and shareability over time.
CIO is methodologically rooted in HCI. CIO’s research methods combine empirical, analytical, theoretical, and design approaches, all with focus on the relationship between common interactive objects and their human users.
CIO presents the idea that common interactive objects may radically innovate our understanding of use and building user interfaces. The gains of CIO will be a coherent new, high-impact way of understanding and building HCI across physical and virtual structures, bringing control back to the users. The risks are in delivering this alternative in a manner that is able to confront the current strong commercial interests in the Internet-of-Things and the 'new' Artificial Intelligence | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1109/IPDPS.2017.48 | General Purpose Task Dependence Management Hardware For Task Based Dataflow Programming Models | Task-based programming models such as OpenMP, IntelTBB and OmpSs offer the possibility of expressing dependences among tasks to drive their execution at runtime. Managing these dependences introduces noticeable overheads when targeting fine-grained tasks, diminishing the potential speedups or even introducing performance losses. To overcome this drawback, we present a general purpose hardware accelerator, Picos++, to manage the inter-task dependences efficiently in both time and energy. Our design also includes a novel nested task support. To this end, a new hardware/software co-design is presented to overcome the fact that nested tasks with dependences could result in system deadlocks due to the limited amount of resources in hardware task dependence managers. In this paper we describe a detailed implementation of this design and evaluate a parallel task-based programming model using Picos++ in a Linux embedded system with two ARM Cortex-A9 and a FPGA. The scalability and energy consumption of the real system implemented have been studied and compared against a software runtime. Even in a system limited to 2 threads, using Picos++ results in more than 1. 8x speedup and 40% of energy savings in the most demanding parallelizations of real benchmarks. As a matter of fact, a hardware task dependence manager should be able to achieve much higher speedup and provide more energy savings with more threads. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"Systems and Communication Engineering"
]
|
US 2005/0047642 W | CHANNEL ESTIMATION FOR INTERFERENCE CANCELLATION | A method and system for interference cancellation (IC). Based on an improved channel estimation, obtained from demodulated symbols that have correctly decoded (CRC). | [
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1098/rspa.2017.0681 | Bifurcation of elastic solids with sliding interfaces | Lubricated sliding contact between soft solids is an interesting topic in biomechanics and for the design of small-scale engineering devices. As a model of this mechanical set-up, two elastic nonlinear solids are considered jointed through a frictionless and bilateral surface, so that continuity of the normal component of the Cauchy traction holds across the surface, but the tangential component is null. Moreover, the displacement can develop only in a way that the bodies in contact do neither detach, nor overlap. Surprisingly, this finite strain problem has not been correctly formulated until now, so this formulation is the objective of the present paper. The incremental equations are shown to be non-trivial and different from previously (and erroneously) employed conditions. In particular, an exclusion condition for bifurcation is derived to show that previous formulations based on frictionless contact or ‘spring-type’ interfacial conditions are not able to predict bifurcations in tension, while experiments—one of which, ad hoc designed, is reported—show that these bifurcations are a reality and become possible when the correct sliding interface model is used. The presented results introduce a methodology for the determination of bifurcations and instabilities occurring during lubricated sliding between soft bodies in contact. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2316841577 | Diş Hekimliğinde Ozon Terapisi | With the advancements in the field of dentistry, new treatment protocols are budding day by day to combat human ailments in a much natural better and simpler way. One such advancement is the application of ozone in dentistry. Ozone is a natural element protects us from ultraviolet rays. It has several properties including analgesics, immunostimulant and antimicrobial properties. In Dentistry its uses are abundance from gingival diseases, infection control, temporomandibular disorders, radiation and chemotherapy induced mucositis, lichen planus etc. Researchers believe that this therapy is in state of equilibrium with benefit and drawback. This review throws light on the history, properties, methods of administration, uses in the field of medicine and dentistry, toxicity, contraindications of ozone. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy"
]
|
10.1109/JPROC.2020.2969687 | Combinatorial Optimization Of Graphical User Interface Designs | The graphical user interface (GUI) has become the prime means for interacting with computing systems. It leverages human perceptual and motor capabilities for elementary tasks such as command exploration and invocation, information search, and multitasking. For designing a GUI, numerous interconnected decisions must be made such that the outcome strikes a balance between human factors and technical objectives. Normally, design choices are specified manually and coded within the software by professional designers and developers. This article surveys combinatorial optimization as a flexible and powerful tool for computational generation and adaptation of GUIs. As recently as 15 years ago, applications were limited to keyboards and widget layouts. The obstacle has been the mathematical definition of design tasks, on the one hand, and the lack of objective functions that capture essential aspects of human behavior, on the other. This article presents definitions of layout design problems as integer programming tasks, a coherent formalism that permits identification of problem types, analysis of their complexity, and exploitation of known algorithmic solutions. It then surveys advances in formulating evaluative functions for common design-goal foci such as user performance and experience. The convergence of these two advances has expanded the range of solvable problems. Approaches to practical deployment are outlined with a wide spectrum of applications. This article concludes by discussing the position of this application area within optimization and human–computer interaction research and outlines challenges for future work. | [
"Computer Science and Informatics",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1080/14789450.2017.1344102 | Hepatitis C Virus Apolipoprotein Interactions Molecular Mechanisms And Clinical Impact | ABSTRACTIntroduction: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver failure. Moreover, chronic HCV infection is associated with liver steatosis and metabolic disorders. With 130–150 million people chronically infected in the world, HCV infection represents a major public health problem. One hallmark on the virus is its close link with hepatic lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Areas covered: HCV is associated with lipoprotein components such as apolipoproteins. These interactions play a key role in the viral life cycle, viral persistence and pathogenesis of liver disease. This review introduces first the role of apolipoproteins in lipoprotein metabolism, then highlights the molecular mechanisms of HCV-lipoprotein interactions and finally discusses their clinical impact. Expert commentary: While the study of virus-host interactions has resulted in a improvement of the understanding of the viral life cycle and the development of highly efficient t. . . | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1177/0333102414550108 | Understanding Migraine Using Dynamic Network Biomarkers | BackgroundMathematical modeling approaches are becoming ever more established in clinical neuroscience. They provide insight that is key to understanding complex interactions of network phenomena, . . . | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1017/S0022226713000030 | Covert systematicity in a distributionally complex system | Current thinking on inflection classes views them as organized networks rather than random assemblages of allomorphs (a view that reaches back to the 1980s, with such notions as Wurzel's paradigm structure conditions and Carstairs's paradigm economy). But we still find systems which appear to lack any visible implicative structure. A particularly striking example comes from VÃro (a variety of South Estonian). Its system of verbal inflectional suffixes is formally simple but distributionally complex: although there are never more than three allomorphs in competition, nearly two dozen inflectional patterns emerge through rampant cross-classification of the allomorphs. Allomorph choice in one part of the paradigm thus fails to constrain allomorph choice in the rest, so it looks as if the paradigms would have to be memorized en masse. The key to these patterns lies outside the system of suffixation itself, in the more conventional formal complexity of stem alternations and their paradigmatic patterning. The computationally implemented analysis presented here provides a model of inflection in which the implicational network of phonological, morphophonological and morphological conditions on formal realization are unified in a single representation. | [
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
294354 | Manipulating and Imaging Stem Cells at Work | Stem cells are promise and threat at the same time. To understand how stem cells act it is crucial to study their behavior in their natural context. Following and manipulating an individual stem cell and its descendants on their path to differentiation has so far not been possible. We have recently developed new microscopy and image analysis tools that allow long term in vivo observations. Novel genetic tools allow to stochastically label individual cells and thus to follow all descendants derived from the cell initially marked. We have modified and adapted this technology for the fish system and will extend its potential to allow functional clonal analysis in vivo. The transparent fish medaka (Oryzias latipes) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) are ideally suited to combine advanced imaging and the genetic lineage manipulation of stem cells. This way the influence of genetic pathways implicated in cell proliferation and differentiation is directly addressed in vivo. Clones originating from single wild type or manipulated cells are followed in their in vivo context and the physiological consequences of this manipulation is directly measured. Individually labelled clones will be followed by DSLM 4D microscopy over periods of up to 7 days in juvenile and adult fish. We will interfere with signaling pathways and key transcription factors in these cells combining the brainbow approach with lineage specific gain- and loss-of-function. That way a specific color will indicate a specific experimental condition. We will focus on the path of decisions taken by retinal stem cells and their descendants on the one hand and on cells composing induced tumors on the other. This will be highly relevant for our understanding of stem cell and tumor cell proliferation and differentiation. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1039/C2NR30192J | Electroplated Porous Polypyrrole Nanostructures Patterned By Colloidal Lithography For Drug Delivery Applications | Porous nanostructures of polypyrrole (Ppy) were fabricated using colloidal lithography and electrochemical techniques for potential applications in drug delivery. A sequential fabrication method was developed and optimized to maximize the coverage of the Ppy nanostructures and to obtain a homogeneous layer over the substrate. This was realized by masking with electrophoretically-assembled polystyrene (PS) nanospheres and then electroplating. Drug/biomolecule adsorption and the release characteristics for the porous nanostructures of Ppy were investigated using rhodamine B (Rh-B). Rh-B is an easily detectable small hydrophobic molecule that is used as a model for many drugs or biological substances. The porous Ppy nanostructures with an enhanced surface area exhibited higher Rh-B loading capacity than bulk planar films of Ppy. Moreover, tunability of surface morphology for further applications (e. g. , sensing, cell adhesion) was demonstrated. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
W1979876573 | Gang affiliation, aggression, and violent offending in a sample of youth offenders | Gang affiliation, aggression, and violent offending were examined in case files of 390 youth offenders aged between 16 and 18 years. Results indicated that youth offenders who were gang members and those who were not gang members but exposed to friends in gangs had a significantly higher likelihood of violent offending compared with a reference group of youth offenders who had neither gang affiliation nor friends in gangs. Additionally, youth offenders who had friends in gangs but were themselves not gang members had a lower likelihood of violent offending than youth offenders who were gang members. Finally, results showed that a history of aggressive behavior was significantly associated with violent offending. Implications such as the need to address the influence of delinquent peers and need to address the management of anger and aggression in youths will be discussed. Also, findings point towards the need for prevention and early intervention work. | [
"The Social World and Its Interactions",
"The Human Mind and Its Complexity"
]
|
10.1016/j.compositesa.2019.105477 | Interlaminar toughening in structural carbon fiber/epoxy composites interleaved with carbon nanotube veils | The susceptibility to delamination is one of the main concerns in fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPs). This work demonstrates improvements of 60% in Mode-I fracture toughness after integration of thin (∼30 µm), continuous veils of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) directly deposited onto carbon fiber fabric as the CNTs are drawn from the gas-phase using a semi-industrial process. A combination of optical imaging, scanning electron microscopy and a Raman spectroscopy provide a new rapid tool to unambiguously determine the crack propagation path by simple visual inspection of fracture surface. The results show that interlaminar crossing between CNT veil/CF interfaces is of paramount importance. The crack front alternatingly propagates above and below the CNT-toughened interlayer, significantly improving the fracture toughness of resultant laminates. This mechanism is strongly influenced by the method used to integrate the veils onto the CF. CNT veils directly deposited onto the fabrics as a low-density layer lead to large improvements in interlaminar properties, whereas compact CNT veils densified by solvent exposure prior to their integration in the lay-up act as defects. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
W2335948335 | Comparison of Cone-beam Computed Tomography and Multi-slice Spiral Computed Tomography Bone Density Measurements in the Maxilla and Mandible. | The purpose of this study was to compare cone-beam computer tomography (CBCT) and multi-slice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) bone density measurements in the maxilla and mandible to determine whether any discrepancies between imaging modalities exist.33 sets of CBCT and MSCT scans were evaluated using Simplant software. Density measurements were made in eight regions of interest on each scan and were compared and analyzed.Correlation of density measurements at specific regions of interest between CBCT and MSCT was only fair and ranged from 0.61-0.86. High-density areas, such as the anterior mandible, showed a higher correlation between imaging modalities than low-density regions, such as the posterior maxilla.Care should be taken when relying upon CBCT to determine bone density, especially in low-density regions such as the posterior maxilla. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Materials Engineering"
]
|
10.3847/0004-637X/824/1/49 | Sensitivity Kernels For Flows In Time Distance Helioseismology Extension To Spherical Geometry | We extend an existing Born approximation method for calculating the linear sensitivity of helioseismic travel times to flows from Cartesian to spherical geometry. This development is necessary for using the Born approximation for inferring large-scale flows in the deep solar interior. As first sanity check, we compare two f-mode kernels from our spherical method and from an existing Cartesian method. The horizontal and total integrals agree to within 0. 3%. As a second consistency test, we consider a uniformly rotating Sun and a travel distance of 42°. The analytical travel-time difference agrees with the forward-modeled travel-time difference to within 2%. In addition, we evaluate the impact of different choices of filter functions on the kernels for a meridional travel distance of 42°. For all filters, the sensitivity is found to be distributed over a large fraction of the convection zone. We show that the kernels depend on the filter function employed in the data analysis process. If modes of higher harmonic degree (90 l 170) are permitted, a noisy pattern of a spatial scale corresponding to l ≈ 260 appears near the surface. When mainly low-degree modes are used (l 70), the sensitivity is concentrated in the deepest regions and it visually resembles a ray-path-like structure. Among the different low-degree filters used, we find the kernel for phase-speed-filtered measurements to be best localized in depth. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1021/jp508501w | On the participation of photoinduced N-H bond fission in aqueous adenine at 266 and 220 nm: A combined ultrafast transient electronic and vibrational absorption spectroscopy study | A combination of ultrafast transient electronic absorption spectroscopy (TEAS) and transient vibrational absorption spectroscopy (TVAS) is used to investigate whether photoinduced N-H bond fission, mediated by a dissociative 1πσ∗ state, is active in aqueous adenine (Ade) at 266 and 220 nm. In order to isolate UV/visible and IR spectral signatures of the adeninyl radical (Ade[-H]), formed as a result of N-H bond fission, TEAS and TVAS are performed on Ade in D2O under basic conditions (pD = 12. 5), which forms Ade[-H]- anions via deprotonation at the N7 or N9 sites of Ade's 7H and 9H tautomers. At 220 nm we observe one-photon detachment of an electron from Ade[-H]-, which generates solvated electrons (eaq-) together with Ade[-H] radicals, with clear signatures in both TEAS and TVAS. Additional wavelength dependent TEAS measurements between 240-260 nm identify a threshold of 4. 9 ± 0. 1 eV (∼250 nm) for this photodetachment process in D2O. Analogous TEAS experiments on aqueous Ade at pD = 7. 4 generate a similar photoproduct signal together with eaq- after excitation at 266 and 220 nm. These eaq- are born from ionization of Ade, together with Ade+ cations, which are indistinguishable from Ade[-H] radicals in TEAS. Ade+ and Ade[-H] are found to have different signatures in TVAS and we verify that the pD = 7. 4 photoproduct signal observed in TEAS following 220 nm excitation is solely due to Ade+ cations. Based on these observations, we conclude that: (i) N-H bond fission in aqueous Ade is inactive at wavelengths ≥220 nm; and (ii) if such a channel exists in aqueous solution, its threshold is strongly blue-shifted relative to the onset of the same process in gas phase 9H-Ade (≤233 nm). In addition, we extract excited state lifetimes and vibrational cooling dynamics for 9H-Ade and Ade[-H]-. In both cases, excited state lifetimes of <500 fs are identified, while vibrational cooling occurs within a time frame of 4-5 ps. In contrast, 7H-Ade is confirmed to have a longer excited state lifetime of ∼5-10 ps through both TEAS and TVAS. (Figure Presented). | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2886800555 | Strategic Direction and Sustainable Development in Franchising Organizations: A Conceptual Study | Franchising is viewed as a significant industry in contributing to the global economic development by generating an average of $3.7 billion in annual franchise sales from 40 countries and provides over 18 million jobs opportunities. Due to the expansion of franchise business markets in Malaysia, the number of franchise outlets keeps increasing more than doubled within six years, with total 10720 outlets in 2010 to 23140 outlets in 2016. To intensify the continuance of this expanding process, franchise entrepreneurs need to conserve a sustainable creative value in undergoing the challenging of the business environment. The limitations of internal and external factors such as core capability, government support and other related dimensions affect the stability of franchise organization. This paper pursues to explore the related existing literature and underpinning theories that reinforce the sustainable development of franchise business. Most of the franchise models are captured in the different analysis of dimensions and strategies on sustainable development goals. The objective of this study is to conceptualize the strategic direction practices and propose a theoretical framework of sustainable franchising that can help the continuance of franchise business. Therefore, by supporting and participation of stakeholders, entrepreneurs, academicians, researchers, and governments, future analysis can develop and expose a sustainable model of franchising. | [
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1177/2515256418825409 | The Endoplasmic Reticulum Mitochondria Encounter Structure Complex Coordinates Coenzyme Q Biosynthesis | Loss of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria encounter structure (ERMES) complex that resides in contact sites between the yeast ER and mitochondria leads to impaired respiration; however, t. . . | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0701-14.2014 | Bridging The Gap A Reticulo Propriospinal Detour Bypassing An Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury | Anatomically incomplete spinal cord injuries are often followed by considerable functional recovery in patients and animal models, largely because of processes of neuronal plasticity. In contrast to the corticospinal system, where sprouting of fibers and rearrangements of circuits in response to lesions have been well studied, structural adaptations within descending brainstem pathways and intraspinal networks are poorly investigated, despite the recognized physiological significance of these systems across species. In the present study, spontaneous neuroanatomical plasticity of severed bulbospinal systems and propriospinal neurons was investigated following unilateral C4 spinal hemisection in adult rats. Injection of retrograde tracer into the ipsilesional segments C3-C4 revealed a specific increase in the projection from the ipsilesional gigantocellular reticular nucleus in response to the injury. Substantial regenerative fiber sprouting of reticulospinal axons above the injury site was demonstrated by anterograde tracing. Regrowing reticulospinal fibers exhibited excitatory, vGLUT2-positive varicosities, indicating their synaptic integration into spinal networks. Reticulospinal fibers formed close appositions onto descending, double-midline crossing C3-C4 propriospinal neurons, which crossed the lesion site in the intact half of the spinal cord and recrossed to the denervated cervical hemicord below the injury. These propriospinal projections around the lesion were significantly enhanced after injury. Our results suggest that severed reticulospinal fibers, which are part of the phylogenetically oldest motor command system, spontaneously arborize and form contacts onto a plastic propriospinal relay, thereby bypassing the lesion. These rearrangements were accompanied by substantial locomotor recovery, implying a potential physiological relevance of the detour in restoration of motor function after spinal injury. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration"
]
|
W2006287459 | Treatment and outcome of stage Ia1 squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix | To evaluate the treatment and clinical outcome of patients with FIGO stage IA1 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).Medical records, including 5-year follow-up, were reviewed for 276 patients with stage IA1 SCC.As definitive surgery, 152 (55.1%), 72 (26.1%), 40 (14.5%), and 12 (4.3%) patients underwent conization, hysterectomy, hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy (PL), and radical hysterectomy with PL, respectively. Among these groups, the 5-year recurrence-free rate was 94.1%, 98.6%, 95%, and 100%, respectively, and the survival rate was 98.7%, 98.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Recurrent disease was identified among 12 (4.3%) patients, and was related to the depth of invasion (P<0.001). Eleven (4.0%) of 276 patients were found to have lymph vascular space invasion (LVSI). There were no positive lymph nodes among 52 patients who underwent PL, including those with LVSI. Conization was followed by hysterectomy in 49 patients. In these patients, residual intraepithelial neoplasia was found in 18 women, 3 of whom had no involved margins on previous conization. In the group of patients treated by conization, recurrence correlated with the status of the endocervical and lateral cone margin (P<0.001).As a conservative approach, conization is an effective and reasonable treatment option for stage IA1 SCC, especially in actively reproductive women. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W2268883547 | Glueballs as rotating folded closed strings | In previous papers we argued that mesons and baryons can be described as rotating open strings in holographic backgrounds. Now we turn to closed strings, which should be the duals of glueballs. We look at the rotating folded closed string in both flat and curved backgrounds. A basic prediction of the closed string model is that the slope of Regge trajectories is half that of open strings. We propose that a simple method to identify glueballs is to look for resonances that belong to trajectories with a slope of approximately 0.45 GeV^-2, half the meson slope. We therefore look at the experimental spectra of flavorless light mesons to see if such a scheme, where some of the states are placed on open string trajectories and some on closed ones, can fit known experimental data. We look at the f_0 (J^PC = 0^++) and f_2 (2^++) resonances. As there is no preference for a single scheme of sorting the different states into meson and glueball trajectories, we present several possibilities, each identifying a different state as the glueball. We supplement each scheme with predictions for the masses of excited glueballs. We show that the width of the decay into two mesons is different for glueballs and mesons thus providing a supplementary tool to distinguish between them. In addition, we look at some lattice QCD results for glueball spectra and check their compatibility with the closed string model. One of the main conclusions of this paper is that an extension of experimental data on the spectrum of flavorless hadrons is needed, in particular in the region between around 2.4 GeV and 3 GeV. | [
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter",
"Mathematics"
]
|
10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.183401 | Quantum-Mechanical Relation between Atomic Dipole Polarizability and the van der Waals Radius | The atomic dipole polarizability α and the van der Waals (vdW) radius RvdW are two key quantities to describe vdW interactions between atoms in molecules and materials. Until now, they have been determined independently and separately from each other. Here, we derive the quantum-mechanical relation RvdW=const×α1/7, which is markedly different from the common assumption RvdW�α1/3 based on a classical picture of hard-sphere atoms. As shown for 72 chemical elements between hydrogen and uranium, the obtained formula can be used as a unified definition of the vdW radius solely in terms of the atomic polarizability. For vdW-bonded heteronuclear dimers consisting of atoms A and B, the combination rule α=(αA+αB)/2 provides a remarkably accurate way to calculate their equilibrium interatomic distance. The revealed scaling law allows us to reduce the empiricism and improve the accuracy of interatomic vdW potentials, at the same time suggesting the existence of a nontrivial relation between length and volume in quantum systems. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
W4210919750 | Apontamentos retóricos sobre o conceito de oração em Teresa d'Ávila: | Apontamentos retóricos sobre o conceito de oração em Teresa d'Ávila: rumo a uma pedagogia mística Resumo: Neste texto apresento algumas reflexões que se constituíram por meio de leituras do pensamento filosófico e religioso de Teresa D’Ávila. Meus objetivos concentram-se em identificar elementos teóricos vinculados à educação do pensamento renascentista-moderno na Espanha. Dentre os conceitos investigados, ressalto a relação entre ensino, oração e praxis no discurso cristão, inferindo, neste contexto, sobre a possibilidade de uma pedagogia teresiana. O foco de minha análise repousa na obra Castelo interior, a qual, do ponto de vista retórico, configura-se como um relato da experiência vivida pela autora. Tal fato leva-me a refletir os escritos da monja carmelita como um certo tipo de ensino, fundado na experiência mística. Assim, a estrutura do conceito de oração em Teresa desvela-se em uma prática de meditação que gera e impulsiona o conhecimento de si e para o outro. A oração, então, pode ser apreendida tal como qualquer outro tipo de instrução (técnica), por meio de etapas (método), e apresentando um resultado: a união entre a alma e Deus. Dessa união resulta um tipo subjetivo de conhecimento, a saber: o conhecimento místico. Palavras chaves: oração; técnica; ensino; retórica; conhecimento. Rhetorical notes on the concept of prayer in Teresa of Ávila: towards a mystical pedagogy Abstract: In this paper, I present some reflections resulting from readings on Teresa of Ávila philosophical and religious thought. My objectives are focused on identifying theoretical elements that are linked to education in the Renaissance Modern thought in Spain. Among the concepts investigated, I highlight the relationship between teaching, prayer and praxis in Christian discourse, inferring, in this context, the existence of a Teresian pedagogy. The focus of my analysis is on Interior castle, which, from a rhetorical point of view, is configured as an account of the experience lived by the author. This fact leads me to reflect on the writings of the Carmelite nun as a certain type of teaching, based on mystical experience. Thus, the structure of the concept of prayer in Teresa is revealed in a meditation practice that generates and impels knowledge of oneself and for the other. Prayer, then, can be apprehended just like any other kind of instruction (technique), through stages (method), and presenting a result: the union between the soul and God (mystical knowledge). From this union results a subjective type of knowledge, namely: mystical knowledge. Key-words: prayer; technique; teaching, rhetoric; knowledge. Note retoriche sul concetto preghiera in pensiero teresiano: verso uma pedagogia mistica Astratto: In questo testo presentiamo alcune riflessioni che sono state costituite attraverso letture del pensiero filosofico e religioso di Teresa de Ávila. Nostri obiettivi sono focalizzati sull'individuazione di elementi teorici legati all'educazione del pensiero medievale. Tra i concetti indagati, si evidenzia il rapporto tra insegnamento, preghiera e prassi nel discorso cristiano, inferendo, in questo contesto, la possibilità di una pedagogia teresiana. Il fulcro della nostra analisi poggia sull'opera Castelo interior, che, da un punto di vista retorico, si configura come racconto dell'esperienza vissuta dall'autore. Questo fatto ci porta a riflettere gli scritti della monaca carmelitana come un certo tipo di insegnamento, basato sull'esperienza mistica. Così, la struttura del concetto di preghiera in Teresa si rivela in una pratica meditativa che genera e spinge alla conoscenza di sé e per l'altro. La preghiera, quindi, può essere appresa proprio come qualsiasi altro tipo di istruzione (tecnica), attraverso passaggi (metodo), e presentando un risultato finale: l'unione tra l'anima e Dio (conoscenza mistica). Parola chiave: preghiera; técnica; insgnamento; retorica; conoscenza. Data de registro: 19/02/2021 Data de aceite: 20/10/2021 | [
"Texts and Concepts",
"The Study of the Human Past"
]
|
W1038099777 | Forest restoration on degraded lands in Laos | Deforestation and land-use change have been, and still are, major threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services in the tropics, and forest areas are being lost at high rates in many countries in Southeast Asia, including Laos. Progress in the development and application of forest policies and programs, coupled with increasing trends to end damaging practices associated with swidden cultivation have created opportunities to restore forests. However, there is little scientific knowledge pertaining to forest restoration in Laos. Thus, the studies presented in this thesis examined factors influencing the recovery of secondary forests on abandoned fallows and tested site-specific approaches to restore forests on fallows, former grazing lands and a logged-over mixed deciduous forest. The results showed that 29% of the species richness, 39% of the stem density, 18% of the total basal area, as well as 41% and 7% of the density and basal area of commercial tree species of the surrounding natural forest fragments were recovered within a 20-year fallow period. The major factors influencing recovery are the distance from the forest edge, the fallow history and competition from increased occurrence of bamboo. A mixed-species planting trial established on fallows showed that the use of a mixture of pioneer and later-successional species results in good ecological compatibility, as evidenced by > 70% survival rates and subsequent growth of all planted species. Further, the addition of rice husk biochar to improve soil fertility resulted in 1.2-fold increase in seedling and sapling growth compared to the control and its effect was comparable with that of inorganic fertilizer application. An experiment involving direct seeding of former grazing lands using four native species showed that seedling establishment success was better for later-successional species (59-65%) than pioneer species (3-13%), and the establishment success varied with methods of sowing, the nature of the seeds, the seeding rate and site factors. In addition, an enrichment planting trial, involving five early- and late-successional species and two planting methods, showed that the shade-tolerant dipterocarps had better survival and growth rates than the light-demanding legumes in gaps than planting lines. Overall, the studies provide an important contribution, representing a major advance in the evidence base for selecting appropriate methods to accelerate forest restoration in Laos and other seasonal tropical environments in order to meet key economic and environmental objectives. | [
"Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution",
"Earth System Science"
]
|
10.1007/978-3-662-48410-4_7 | The 0-1 test for chaos: A review | We review here theoretical as well as practical aspects of the 0-1 test for chaos for deterministic dynamical systems. The test is designed to distinguish between regular, i. e. periodic or quasi-periodic, dynamics and chaotic dynamics. It works directly with the time series and does not require any phase space reconstruction. This makes the test suitable for the analysis of discrete maps, ordinary differential equations, delay differential equations, partial differential equations and real world time series. To illustrate the range of applicability we apply the test to examples of discrete dynamics such as the logistic map, Pomeau–Manneville intermittency maps with both summable and nonsummable autocorrelation functions, and the Hamiltonian standardmap exhibitingweak chaos. We also consider examples of continuous time dynamics such as the Lorenz-96 system and a driven and damped nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Finally, we show the applicability of the 0-1 test for time series contaminated with noise as found in real world applications. | [
"Mathematics",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
311255 | Glomerulonephritis and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis as a Model to Investigate the Link between Inflammation and Kidney Disease:
From Basic Mechanisms to Clinical Application | Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are severe kidney diseases responsible for irreversible renal failure, which is a major risk factor for mortality. Despite the aggressiveness of immunosuppressive protocols applied, treatments against RPGN have limited effectiveness. Similarly, there is no specific treatment for FSGS. We built this research project on novel identification of molecular pathways and markers of pathogenic glomerular epithelial cells (GEC). Although major roles of endothelial activation with immune-mediated insult and imbalance between coagulation and fibrinolysis have been demonstrated, our findings reinforce this paradigm that “activation” of resident glomerular cells play a key role in disease and extend the concept by examining interactions between surrounding cellular systems. We hypothesize that abnormal activation of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and EGFR may synergize to switch the phenotype of GECs from healthy to pathological. We propose that coagulation and dysfunction of the capillary barrier, may provide GPCR ligands to receptors present in target cells such as GECs. GPCRs, themselves implicated in GN, are known to transactivate the EGFR. The EGFR has the potential to amplify actions of GPCRs in GECs, leading to cytoskeletal rearrangement, and cell death. We hypothesise that interactions between “switched GECs” and T cells are essential for the perpetuation of the immuno-inflammatory response in such glomerular diseases, after the potentially groundbreaking discovery that lymphocytes display functional EGFR, sensitive to ligands produced by pathological GECs. Finally, we will harness this knowledge for a better identification of patients at risk of glomerular demolition. Our project should identify complementary therapeutic pathways that could then be targeted on top of current immunosuppressive regiments. We also propose that this approach would be beneficial to FSGS. | [
"Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
10.1007/s10584-016-1626-0 | Expert views - and disagreements - about the potential of energy technology R&D | Mitigating climate change will require innovation in energy technologies. Policy makers are faced with the question of how to promote this innovation, and whether to focus on a few technologies or to spread their bets. We present results on the extent to which public R&D might shape the future cost of energy technologies by 2030. We bring together three major expert elicitation efforts carried out by researchers at UMass Amherst, Harvard, and FEEM, covering nuclear, solar, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), bioelectricity, and biofuels. The results show experts believe that there will be cost reductions resulting from R&D and report median cost reductions around 20 % for most of the technologies at the R&D budgets considered. Although the improvements associated to solar and CCS R&D show some promise, the lack of consensus across studies, and the larger magnitude of the R&D investment involved in these technologies, calls for caution when defining what technologies would benefit the most from additional public R&D. In order to make R&D funding decisions to meet particular goals, such as mitigating climate change or improving energy security, or to estimate the social returns to R&D, policy makers need to combine the information provided in this study on cost reduction potentials with an analysis of the macroeconomic implications of these technological changes. We conclude with recommendations for future directions on energy expert elicitations. | [
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations",
"Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems"
]
|
10.1007/s00024-011-0301-7 | Fault Roughness at Seismogenic Depths from LIDAR and Photogrammetric Analysis | Fault surface roughness is a principal factor influencing earthquake mechanics, and particularly rupture initiation, propagation, and arrest. However, little data currently exist on fault surfaces at seismogenic depths. Here, we investigate the roughness of slip surfaces from the seismogenic strike-slip Gole Larghe Fault Zone, exhumed from ca. 10 km depth. The fault zone exploited pre-existing joints and is hosted in granitoid rocks of the Adamello batholith (Italian Alps). Individual seismogenic slip surfaces generally show a first phase of cataclasite production, and a second phase with beautifully preserved pseudotachylytes of variable thickness. We determined the geometry of fault traces over almost five orders of magnitude using terrestrial laser-scanning (LIDAR, ca. 500 to <1 m scale), and 3D mosaics of high-resolution rectified digital photographs (10 m to ca. 1 mm scale). LIDAR scans and photomosaics were georeferenced in 3D using a Differential Global Positioning System, allowing detailed multiscale reconstruction of fault traces in Gocad ®. The combination of LIDAR and high-resolution photos has the advantage, compared with classical LIDAR-only surveys, that the spatial resolution of rectified photographs can be very high (up to 0. 2 mm/pixel in this study), allowing for detailed outcrop characterization. Fourier power spectrum analysis of the fault traces revealed a self-affine behaviour over 3-5 orders of magnitude, with Hurst exponents ranging between 0. 6 and 0. 8. Parameters from Fourier analysis have been used to reconstruct synthetic 3D fault surfaces with an equivalent roughness by means of 2D Fourier synthesis. Roughness of pre-existing joints is in a typical range for this kind of structure. Roughness of faults at small scale (1 m to 1 mm) shows a clear genetic relationship with the roughness of precursor joints, and some anisotropy in the self-affine Hurst exponent. Roughness of faults at scales larger than net slip (>1-10 m) is not anisotropic and less evolved than at smaller scales. These observations are consistent with an evolution of roughness, due to fault surface processes, that takes place only at scales smaller or comparable to the observed net slip. Differences in roughness evolution between shallow and deeper faults, the latter showing evidences of seismic activity, are interpreted as the result of different weakening versus induration processes, which also result in localization versus delocalization of deformation in the fault zone. From a methodological point of view, the technique used here is advantageous over direct measurements of exposed fault surfaces in that it preserves, in cross-section, all of the structures which contribute to fault roughness, and removes any subjectivity introduced by the need to distinguish roughness of original slip surfaces from roughness induced by secondary weathering processes. Moreover, offsets can be measured by means of suitable markers and fault rocks are preserved, hence their thickness, composition and structural features can be characterised, providing an integrated dataset which sheds new light on mechanisms of roughness evolution with slip and concomitant fault rock production. | [
"Earth System Science",
"Materials Engineering",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences"
]
|
884902 | Rational Design of Soft Hierarchical Materials with Responsive Functionalities: Machine learning Soft Matter to create Soft Machines | Nature displays fascinating examples of self-assembled materials that reconfigure and respond to external stimuli, e.g. chameleons change color for camouflage, pine cones release seeds upon a change in humidity. Advances in colloid synthesis have resulted in a diversity of self-assembled nanostructures with interesting functional properties. These nanostructures are however passive!
The aim of this project is to explore the new physics that emerges when static nanostructures are elastically coupled to a soft elastic matrix or hydrogel, e.g. nanoparticles with (cross-linked) ligands, core-shell microgel particles. These hydrogels can be actuated by pH, temperature, light, resulting in a (de)swelling of the gel and a reconfiguration of the nanostructure.
Reconfigurable dynamic materials are interesting for applications, but their rational design remains a major challenge as it requires a detailed comprehension of the highly non-trivial coordination of dynamic behaviors of materials across different time and length scales.
Using extensive simulations, coarse-graining and machine learning, I propose to unravel the microscopic origin of the structural and dynamic behavior of soft reconfigurable materials. I will build coarse-grained models at multiple levels to study the structure and properties of these soft materials. I will then investigate the dynamics and shape transformation kinetics of the nanostructure and hydrogel upon actuation.
The final goal is to reverse-engineer using evolutionary algorithms new classes of soft responsive materials from the atomic scale by designing colloids that self-assemble at the mesoscale into large-scale structures, to the macroscopic scale by tailoring the shape-morphing properties.
This research will produce unprecedented insight, novel simulation methods, and fundamental models for the rational design of soft responsive materials that arise from the hierarchical assembly of structures and their dynamic behaviors across scales. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Materials Engineering",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
639938 | Imaging Brain Circuits to Decode Brain Computations: Multimodal Multiscale Imaging of Cortical Microcircuits to Model Predictive Coding in Human Vision | The human brain is one of the largest and most complex biological networks known to exist. The architecture of its circuits, and therefore the computational basis of human cognition, remains largely unknown. The central aim of this proposal is to image human cortical connectivity at multiple spatial scales in order to understand human cortical computations.
Whereas canonical cortical microcircuits are an established theory of the repeating structure of the neocortex’s circuits, predictive coding provides a prominent proposal of what these circuits compute. This leads to the core hypothesis of this proposal: the variations in predictive coding computations performed by human cortical microcircuits in different visual areas are grounded in variations in their microcircuit connectivity. As a central case-study, this proposal investigates human visual apparent motion perception in V1/2/3 and V5/MT+.
The proposed research program is organized in two workpackages (WP I and II). WP I has the aim of imaging the multiscale connections of human neocortical microcircuits. The projects in WP I focus on structure and move from the mesoscale down to the microscale. WP II has the aim of modelling how microcircuits support predictive coding computations. The projects in WP II focus on function and move from the microscale back up to the mesoscale. Structural and functional assessment of microcircuitry in the human brain only recently became possible with the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at ultra-high field-strengths (UHF) of 7T and above. UHF diffusion MRI, combined with light microscopy, is used to image circuit structure in WP I. UHF functional MRI is used for computational modelling of computations in WP II.
Successful completion of the planned research will significantly advance our understanding of the computations in cortical microcircuits, deliver important new human connectomic reference data, and improve generative models of human cortical processing. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1051/0004-6361/201629018 | Planck Intermediate Results Xlix Parity Violation Constraints From Polarization Data | Parity violating extensions of the standard electromagnetic theory cause in vacuo rotation of the plane of polarization of propagating photons. This effect, also known as cosmic birefringence, impacts the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy angular power spectra, producing non-vanishing $T$--$B$ and $E$--$B$ correlations that are otherwise null when parity is a symmetry. Here we present new constraints on an isotropic rotation, parametrized by the angle $\alpha$, derived from Planck 2015 CMB polarization data. To increase the robustness of our analyses, we employ two complementary approaches, in harmonic space and in map space, the latter based on a peak stacking technique. The two approaches provide estimates for $\alpha$ that are in agreement within statistical uncertainties and very stable against several consistency tests. Considering the $T$--$B$ and $E$--$B$ information jointly, we find $\alpha = 0. 31^{\circ} \pm 0. 05^{\circ} \, ({\rm stat. })\, \pm 0. 28^{\circ} \, ({\rm syst. })$ from the harmonic analysis and $\alpha = 0. 35^{\circ} \pm 0. 05^{\circ} \, ({\rm stat. })\, \pm 0. 28^{\circ} \, ({\rm syst. })$ from the stacking approach. These constraints are compatible with no parity violation and are dominated by the systematic uncertainty in the orientation of Planck's polarization-sensitive bolometers. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Fundamental Constituents of Matter"
]
|
883609 | Functional electrical stimulation for at home rehabilitation | The Context
Stroke has huge human and economic cost. 1 million people suffer strokes in Europe every year, with an average life expectancy after stroke of 8 years. Roughly 20% of stroke survivors suffer from drop foot, with 45 billion euros spent on rehabilitating stroke patients in Europe every year.
The opportunity:
FES offers the tantalising prospect of retraining voluntary motor functions such as walking. However:
- FES rehabilitation must be carried out in a hospital with the support of trained healthcare professionals;
- Transporting patients and supervising treatment is expensive;
- Patient’s treatment plan is sub-optimal;
- Per patient rehabilitation costs reach 32,000 euros
Our solution:
Fesia WalkHome is a FES rehabilitation device for drop foot patients which can be administered by the patient in their own home. This not only reduces costs by 43% but also means patients can have an optimal treatment plan, improving their speed of recovery.
The use of Fesia Walk at home will give autonomy, independence and improve the quality of life for chronic patients. It will also mean a substantial reduction of waiting lists, health costs, number of physician office visits, and carer support.
The Project:
WalkHome represents a disruptive change of paradigm for the FES rehabilitation standard of care. The aim of the phase 1 project is to improve our understanding of the EU market for FES rehabilitation, identifying regional market variations in terms of key decision makers, appropriate business models, pricing structure and identifying which are the most attractive markets for us to use as a beachhead. We will also analyse what key improvements need to be made to the existing technology to create the new FES home care rehabilitation market.
The Market:
Currently, there is no FES rehabilitation technology that is offered outside of a clinical setting. We estimate that this new home FES rehabilitation market could be worth up to 40 billion euros in Europe alone. | [
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases",
"Products and Processes Engineering",
"Systems and Communication Engineering",
"Individuals, Markets and Organisations"
]
|
W3034648874 | Electron microscopy-based semi-automated characterization of aggregation in monoclonal antibody products | Aggregation is a critical parameter for protein-based therapeutics, due to its impact on the immunogenicity of the product. The traditional approach towards characterization of such products is to use a collection of orthogonal tools. However, the fact that none of these tools is able to completely classify the distribution and physical characteristics of aggregates, implies that there exists a need for additional analytical methods. We report one such method for characterization of heterogeneous population of proteins using transmission electron microscopy. The method involves semi-automated, size-based clustering of different protein species from micrographs. This method can be utilized for quantitative characterization of heterogeneous populations of antibody/protein aggregates from TEM images of proteins, and may also be applicable towards other instances of protein aggregation. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1088/0067-0049/206/2/10 | Candels Multiwavelength Catalogs Source Identification And Photometry In The Candels Ukidss Ultra Deep Survey Field | We present the multiwavelength—ultraviolet to mid-infrared—catalog of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Ultra-Deep Survey field observed as part of the Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS). Based on publicly available data, the catalog includes the CANDELS data from the Hubble Space Telescope (near-infrared WFC3 F125W and F160W data and visible ACS F606W and F814W data); u-band data from CFHT/Megacam; B, V, Rc , i', and z' band data from Subaru/Suprime-Cam; Y and Ks band data from VLT/HAWK-I; J, H, and K band data from UKIDSS (Data Release 8); and Spitzer/IRAC data (3. 6, 4. 5 μm from SEDS; 5. 8 and 8. 0 μm from SpUDS). The present catalog is F160W-selected and contains 35, 932 sources over an area of 201. 7 arcmin2 and includes radio- and X-ray-detected sources and spectroscopic redshifts available for 210 sources. | [
"Universe Sciences",
"Computer Science and Informatics"
]
|
10.1002/adom.201900484 | Electrically Tuneable Exciton-Polaritons through Free Electron Doping in Monolayer WS<inf>2</inf> Microcavities | This study demonstrates control over light–matter coupling at room temperature combining a field effect transistor (FET) with a tuneable optical microcavity. This microcavity FET comprises a monolayer tungsten disulfide, WS2, semiconductor which is transferred onto a hexagonal boron nitride flake that acts as a dielectric spacer in the microcavity, and as an electric insulator in the FET. In this tuneable system, strong coupling between excitons in the monolayer WS2 and cavity photons can be tuned by controlling the cavity length, which is achieved with excellent stability, allowing to choose from the second to the fifth order of the cavity modes. Once the strong coupling regime is achieved, the oscillator strength of excitons is then modified in the semiconductor material by modifying the free electron carrier density in the conduction band of the WS2. This enables strong Coulomb repulsion between free electrons, which reduces the oscillator strength of excitons until the Rabi splitting completely disappears. The charge carrier density is controlled from 0 up to 3. 2 × 1012 cm−2, and over this range the Rabi splitting varies from a maximum value that depends on the cavity mode chosen, down to zero, so the system spans the strong to weak coupling regimes. | [
"Condensed Matter Physics",
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Synthetic Chemistry and Materials"
]
|
10.1021/ol300086w | A cell-penetrating ratiometric nanoprobe for intracellular chloride | NanoChlor, a nanoparticle-based fluorescent probe for chloride that is both ratiometric and capable of spontaneously penetrating neuronal cells at submillimolar concentrations, was designed and studied. NanoChlor is built on silica nanoparticles grafted with 6-methoxyquinolinium as the chloride-sensitive component and fluorescein as the reference dye. A Stern-Volmer constant of 50 M -1 was measured in Ringer's buffer at pH 7. 2, and the response to chemically induced chloride currents was recorded in real time in hippocampal cells. | [
"Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences",
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Condensed Matter Physics"
]
|
10.1038/emboj.2012.303 | Auxin reflux between the endodermis and pericycle promotes lateral root initiation | Lateral root (LR) formation is initiated when pericycle cells accumulate auxin, thereby acquiring founder cell (FC) status and triggering asymmetric cell divisions, giving rise to a new primordium. How this auxin maximum in pericycle cells builds up and remains focused is not understood. We report that the endodermis plays an active role in the regulation of auxin accumulation and is instructive for FCs to progress during the LR initiation (LRI) phase. We describe the functional importance of a PIN3 (PIN-formed) auxin efflux carrier-dependent hormone reflux pathway between overlaying endodermal and pericycle FCs. Disrupting this reflux pathway causes dramatic defects in the progress of FCs towards the next initiation phase. Our data identify an unexpected regulatory function for the endodermis in LRI as part of the fine-tuning mechanism that appears to act as a check point in LR organogenesis after FCs are specified. | [
"Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration",
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions"
]
|
W2516911323 | Assessment of the Saccular Function in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy | Our investigation was designed to assess the saccular function of the vestibular system upon postural control dysfunction amongst children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) using recording of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs), as well as to compare such findings with those in healthy subjects. Sixty two-children (aged 7-12 years) were enrolled and assigned to two groups. There were 31 cases of spastic CP with the functional levels of I or II according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System in the patient group and 31 aged-matched healthy children as controls. The examined parameters were the latencies of the P13 and N23 waves, P13–N23 peak-to-peak amplitude, amplitude asymmetry ratio (AAR), and the cVEMP threshold. The cVEMP responses were recorded in 93.5% of cases in the CP group and in all healthy subjects. Only 51.6% of the CP-group cases were within the normal AAR spectrum range. There were significant differences between the two groups with regard to the N23 wave latency (P < 0.001), P13–N23 wave amplitude (P < 0.001), and cVEMP threshold (P<0.05). The significant difference in the cVEMP measured values between the CP cases and healthy controls may be attributed to a motor development delay and deficits in the vestibulo-collic reflex pathway. Our findings suggest that cVEMP recording may be considered an auxiliary tool for the assessment of the vestibular system in children with spastic CP. Such a test is expected to help more adequate planning for interventions. | [
"Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System",
"Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing"
]
|
W4221109562 | Un committente catalano nel monastero di Santa Scolastica a Subiaco: Lluís de Prades e la cappella degli Angeli | La cappella degli Angeli in Santa Scolastica a Subiaco costituisce una testimonianza artistica assai significativa, sia per la presenza del ciclo dipinto a tema angelico, un tema iconografico raro nel contesto peninsulare di quegli anni, sia per il carattere del luogo, che ingloba una grotta alla base della fabbrica abbaziale. L’importanza dell’oratorio è legata però soprattutto alla figura del committente, il vescovo di Mallorca Lluís de Prades, che si rifugiò a Subiaco nel terzo decennio del Quattrocento, dopo aver abbandonato la fazione avignonese dello scisma, e che qui fu sepolto dopo la morte a Roma nel 1429. Studi recenti hanno già proposto significativi collegamenti tra la cappella sublacense e il mondo aragonese, ma in questa sede un rinnovato sguardo alla figura del prelato e al suo retaggio culturale rende possibile comprendere la natura di questo luogo e il significato delle pitture. Il presente studio, dunque, si concentrerà dapprima sulla vicenda biografica del vescovo tra Spagna e Italia, quindi sulla ricostruzione del tessuto delle sue relazioni politiche e culturali. Si passerà quindi ad analizzare la peculiare architettura della cappella e il ciclo dipinto dal punto di vista formale e soprattutto iconografico, e si presenteranno alcune ipotesi di lettura dei dipinti, e del luogo che li accoglie, in relazione alla figura del loro committente. | [
"The Study of the Human Past",
"Studies of Cultures and Arts"
]
|
10.1167/iovs.12-10658 | Inhibition of choroidal and corneal pathologic neovascularization by plgf1-de gene transfer | Purpose. Ocular neovascularization (NV), the primary cause of blindness, typically is treated via inhibition of VEGF-A activity. However, besides VEGF-A, other proteins of the same family, including VEGF-B and placental growth factor (PlGF, all together VEGFs), have a crucial role in the angiogenesis process. PlGF and VEGF, which form heterodimers if co-expressed, both are required for pathologic angiogenesis. We generated a PlGF1 variant, named PlGF1-DE, which is unable to bind and activate VEGFR-1, but retains the ability to form heterodimer. PlGF1-DE acts as dominant negative of VEGF-A and PlGF1wt through heterodimerization mechanism. The purpose of our study was to explore the therapeutic potential of Plgf1-de gene in choroid and cornea NV context. Methods. In the model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV), Plgf1-de gene, and as control Plgf1wt, LacZ, or gfp genes, were delivered using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector by subretinal injection 14 days before the injury. After 7 days CNV volume was assessed. Corneal NV was induced by scrape or suture procedures. Expression vectors for PlGF1wt or PlGF1-DE, and as control the empty vector pCDNA3, were injected in the mouse cornea after the vascularization insults. NV was evaluated with CD31 and LYVE-1 immunostaining. Results. The expression of Plgf1-de induced significant inhibition of choroidal and corneal NV by reducing VEGF-A homodimer production. Conversely, the delivery of Plgf1wt, despite induced similar reduction of VEGF-A production, did not affect NV. Conclusions. Plgf1-de gene is a new therapeutic tool for the inhibition of VEGFs driven ocular NV. | [
"Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions",
"Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases"
]
|
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