Are All Program Elements Created Equal? Relations Between Specific Social and Emotional Learning Components and Teacher-Student Classroom Interaction Quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Abry, Tashia; Rimm-Kaufman, Sara E; Curby, Timothy W

2017-02-01

School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs are presented to educators with little understanding of the program components that have the greatest leverage for improving targeted outcomes. Conducted in the context of a randomized controlled trial, the present study used variation in treatment teachers' (N = 143) implementation of four core components of the Responsive Classroom approach to examine relations between each component and the quality of teachers' emotional, organizational, and instructional interactions in third, fourth, and fifth grade classrooms (controlling for pre-intervention interaction quality and other covariates). We also examined the extent to which these relations varied as a function of teachers' baseline levels of interaction quality. Indices of teachers' implementation of Morning Meeting, Rule Creation, Interactive Modeling, and Academic Choice were derived from a combination of teacher-reported surveys and classroom observations. Ratings of teacher-student classroom interactions were aggregated across five observations conducted throughout the school year. Structural path models indicated that teachers' use of Morning Meeting and Academic Choice related to higher levels of emotionally supportive interactions; Academic Choice also related to higher levels of instructional interactions. In addition, teachers' baseline interaction quality moderated several associations such that the strongest relations between RC component use and interaction quality emerged for teachers with the lowest baseline interaction quality. Results highlight the value of examining individual program components toward the identification of program active ingredients that can inform intervention optimization and teacher professional development.

Interactions of PLGA nanoparticles with blood components: protein adsorption, coagulation, activation of the complement system and hemolysis studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Fornaguera, Cristina; Calderó, Gabriela; Mitjans, Montserrat; Vinardell, Maria Pilar; Solans, Conxita; Vauthier, Christine

2015-04-14

The intravenous administration of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles has been widely reported as a promising alternative for delivery of drugs to specific cells. However, studies on their interaction with diverse blood components using different techniques are still lacking. Therefore, in the present work, the interaction of PLGA nanoparticles with blood components was described using different complementary techniques. The influence of different encapsulated compounds/functionalizing agents on these interactions was also reported. It is worth noting that all these techniques can be simply performed, without the need for highly sophisticated apparatus or skills. Moreover, their transference to industries and application of quality control could be easily performed. Serum albumin was adsorbed onto all types of tested nanoparticles. The saturation concentration was dependent on the nanoparticle size. In contrast, fibrinogen aggregation was dependent on nanoparticle surface charge. The complement activation was also influenced by the nanoparticle functionalization; the presence of a functionalizing agent increased complement activation, while the addition of an encapsulated compound only caused a slight increase. None of the nanoparticles influenced the coagulation cascade at low concentrations. However, at high concentrations, cationized nanoparticles did activate the coagulation cascade. Interactions of nanoparticles with erythrocytes did not reveal any hemolysis. Interactions of PLGA nanoparticles with blood proteins depended both on the nanoparticle properties and the protein studied. Independent of their loading/surface functionalization, PLGA nanoparticles did not influence the coagulation cascade and did not induce hemolysis of erythrocytes; they could be defined as safe concerning induction of embolization and cell lysis.

Major component analysis of dynamic networks of physiologic organ interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Kang K L; Ma, Qianli D Y; Ivanov, Plamen Ch; Bartsch, Ronny P

2015-01-01

The human organism is a complex network of interconnected organ systems, where the behavior of one system affects the dynamics of other systems. Identifying and quantifying dynamical networks of diverse physiologic systems under varied conditions is a challenge due to the complexity in the output dynamics of the individual systems and the transient and nonlinear characteristics of their coupling. We introduce a novel computational method based on the concept of time delay stability and major component analysis to investigate how organ systems interact as a network to coordinate their functions. We analyze a large database of continuously recorded multi-channel physiologic signals from healthy young subjects during night-time sleep. We identify a network of dynamic interactions between key physiologic systems in the human organism. Further, we find that each physiologic state is characterized by a distinct network structure with different relative contribution from individual organ systems to the global network dynamics. Specifically, we observe a gradual decrease in the strength of coupling of heart and respiration to the rest of the network with transition from wake to deep sleep, and in contrast, an increased relative contribution to network dynamics from chin and leg muscle tone and eye movement, demonstrating a robust association between network topology and physiologic function. (paper)

Simple functional-differential equations for the bound-state wave-function components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamuntavicius, G.P.

1986-01-01

The author presents a new method of a direct derivation of differential equations for the wave-function components of identical-particles systems. The method generates in a simple manner all the possible variants of these equations. In some cases they are the differential equations of Faddeev or Yakubovskii. It is shown that the case of the bound states allows to formulate very simple equations for the components which are equivalent to the Schroedinger equation for the complete wave function. The components with a minimal antisymmetry are defined and the corresponding equations are derived. (Auth.)

Intuitive Density Functional Theory-Based Energy Decomposition Analysis for Protein-Ligand Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Phipps, M J S; Fox, T; Tautermann, C S; Skylaris, C-K

2017-04-11

First-principles quantum mechanical calculations with methods such as density functional theory (DFT) allow the accurate calculation of interaction energies between molecules. These interaction energies can be dissected into chemically relevant components such as electrostatics, polarization, and charge transfer using energy decomposition analysis (EDA) approaches. Typically EDA has been used to study interactions between small molecules; however, it has great potential to be applied to large biomolecular assemblies such as protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. We present an application of EDA calculations to the study of ligands that bind to the thrombin protein, using the ONETEP program for linear-scaling DFT calculations. Our approach goes beyond simply providing the components of the interaction energy; we are also able to provide visual representations of the changes in density that happen as a result of polarization and charge transfer, thus pinpointing the functional groups between the ligand and protein that participate in each kind of interaction. We also demonstrate with this approach that we can focus on studying parts (fragments) of ligands. The method is relatively insensitive to the protocol that is used to prepare the structures, and the results obtained are therefore robust. This is an application to a real protein drug target of a whole new capability where accurate DFT calculations can produce both energetic and visual descriptors of interactions. These descriptors can be used to provide insights for tailoring interactions, as needed for example in drug design.

Assembling Components using SysML with Non-Functional Requirements

OpenAIRE

Chouali , Samir; Hammad , Ahmed; Mountassir , Hassan

2013-01-01

International audience; Non-functional requirements of component based systems are important as their functional requirements, therefore they must be considered in components assembly. These properties are beforehand specified with SysML requirement diagram. We specify component based system architecture with SysML block definition diagram, and component behaviors with sequence diagrams. We propose to specify formally component interfaces with interface automata, obtained from requirement and...

Brakes, brake control and driver assistance systems function, regulation and components

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

Braking systems have been continuously developed and improved throughout the last years. Major milestones were the introduction of antilock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability program. This reference book provides a detailed description of braking components and how they interact in electronic braking systems. Contents Motor vehicle safety.- Basic principles of vehicle dynamics.- Car braking systems.- Car braking-system components.- Wheel brakes.- Antilock breaking systems.- Traction control system.- Electronic stability program.- Automatic brake functions.- Hydraulic modulator.- Sensors for brake control.- Sensotronic brake control.- Active steering.- Occupant protection systems.- Driver assistance systems.- Adaptive cruise control.- Parking systems.- Instrumentation.- Orientation methods.- Navigation systems.- Workshop technology. The target groups Motor-vehicle technicians in education and vocational training Master-mechanics and technicians in garage-workshops Teachers and lecturers in vocation...

Functional Generalized Structured Component Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Suk, Hye Won; Hwang, Heungsun

2016-12-01

An extension of Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GSCA), called Functional GSCA, is proposed to analyze functional data that are considered to arise from an underlying smooth curve varying over time or other continua. GSCA has been geared for the analysis of multivariate data. Accordingly, it cannot deal with functional data that often involve different measurement occasions across participants and a large number of measurement occasions that exceed the number of participants. Functional GSCA addresses these issues by integrating GSCA with spline basis function expansions that represent infinite-dimensional curves onto a finite-dimensional space. For parameter estimation, functional GSCA minimizes a penalized least squares criterion by using an alternating penalized least squares estimation algorithm. The usefulness of functional GSCA is illustrated with gait data.

Interactive virtual mock-ups for Remote Handling compatibility assessment of heavy components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oosterhout, J. van, E-mail: j.vanoosterhout@differ.nl [FOM Institute DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research), Association EURATOM-FOM, Partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands); Heemskerk, C.J.M.; Koning, J.F. [Heemskerk Innovative Technology B.V., Jonckerweg 12, 2201 DZ Noordwijk 6 (Netherlands); Ronden, D.M.S.; Baar, M. de [FOM Institute DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research), Association EURATOM-FOM, Partner in the Trilateral Euregio Cluster, PO Box 1207, 3430 BE Nieuwegein (Netherlands)

2014-10-15

Highlights: •Specific ITER components require RHCA on hardware mock-ups. •Hardware mock-ups are expensive and have a long lead time. •Interactive Virtual Reality mock-ups are readily available and easily adapted. •This paper analysis and proposes improvements to simulator capabilities. -- Abstract: ITER standards Tesini (2009) require hardware mock-ups to validate the Remote Handling (RH) compatibility of RH class 1- and critical class 2-components. Full-scale mock-ups of large ITER components are expensive, have a long lead time and lose their relevance in case of design changes. Interactive Virtual Reality simulations with real time rigid body dynamics and contact interaction allow for RH Compatibility Assessment during the design iterations. This paper explores the use of interactive virtual mock-ups to analyze the RH compatibility of heavy component handling and maintenance. It infers generic maintenance operations from the analysis and proposes improvements to the simulator capabilities.

Interactive virtual mock-ups for Remote Handling compatibility assessment of heavy components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oosterhout, J. van; Heemskerk, C.J.M.; Koning, J.F.; Ronden, D.M.S.; Baar, M. de

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Specific ITER components require RHCA on hardware mock-ups. •Hardware mock-ups are expensive and have a long lead time. •Interactive Virtual Reality mock-ups are readily available and easily adapted. •This paper analysis and proposes improvements to simulator capabilities. -- Abstract: ITER standards Tesini (2009) require hardware mock-ups to validate the Remote Handling (RH) compatibility of RH class 1- and critical class 2-components. Full-scale mock-ups of large ITER components are expensive, have a long lead time and lose their relevance in case of design changes. Interactive Virtual Reality simulations with real time rigid body dynamics and contact interaction allow for RH Compatibility Assessment during the design iterations. This paper explores the use of interactive virtual mock-ups to analyze the RH compatibility of heavy component handling and maintenance. It infers generic maintenance operations from the analysis and proposes improvements to the simulator capabilities

A Unified Approach to Functional Principal Component Analysis and Functional Multiple-Set Canonical Correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Ji Yeh; Hwang, Heungsun; Yamamoto, Michio; Jung, Kwanghee; Woodward, Todd S

2017-06-01

Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) and functional multiple-set canonical correlation analysis (FMCCA) are data reduction techniques for functional data that are collected in the form of smooth curves or functions over a continuum such as time or space. In FPCA, low-dimensional components are extracted from a single functional dataset such that they explain the most variance of the dataset, whereas in FMCCA, low-dimensional components are obtained from each of multiple functional datasets in such a way that the associations among the components are maximized across the different sets. In this paper, we propose a unified approach to FPCA and FMCCA. The proposed approach subsumes both techniques as special cases. Furthermore, it permits a compromise between the techniques, such that components are obtained from each set of functional data to maximize their associations across different datasets, while accounting for the variance of the data well. We propose a single optimization criterion for the proposed approach, and develop an alternating regularized least squares algorithm to minimize the criterion in combination with basis function approximations to functions. We conduct a simulation study to investigate the performance of the proposed approach based on synthetic data. We also apply the approach for the analysis of multiple-subject functional magnetic resonance imaging data to obtain low-dimensional components of blood-oxygen level-dependent signal changes of the brain over time, which are highly correlated across the subjects as well as representative of the data. The extracted components are used to identify networks of neural activity that are commonly activated across the subjects while carrying out a working memory task.

Exchange-Correlation Effects for Noncovalent Interactions in Density Functional Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Otero-de-la-Roza, A; DiLabio, Gino A; Johnson, Erin R

2016-07-12

In this article, we develop an understanding of how errors from exchange-correlation functionals affect the modeling of noncovalent interactions in dispersion-corrected density-functional theory. Computed CCSD(T) reference binding energies for a collection of small-molecule clusters are decomposed via a molecular many-body expansion and are used to benchmark density-functional approximations, including the effect of semilocal approximation, exact-exchange admixture, and range separation. Three sources of error are identified. Repulsion error arises from the choice of semilocal functional approximation. This error affects intermolecular repulsions and is present in all n-body exchange-repulsion energies with a sign that alternates with the order n of the interaction. Delocalization error is independent of the choice of semilocal functional but does depend on the exact exchange fraction. Delocalization error misrepresents the induction energies, leading to overbinding in all induction n-body terms, and underestimates the electrostatic contribution to the 2-body energies. Deformation error affects only monomer relaxation (deformation) energies and behaves similarly to bond-dissociation energy errors. Delocalization and deformation errors affect systems with significant intermolecular orbital interactions (e.g., hydrogen- and halogen-bonded systems), whereas repulsion error is ubiquitous. Many-body errors from the underlying exchange-correlation functional greatly exceed in general the magnitude of the many-body dispersion energy term. A functional built to accurately model noncovalent interactions must contain a dispersion correction, semilocal exchange, and correlation components that minimize the repulsion error independently and must also incorporate exact exchange in such a way that delocalization error is absent.

Electromagnetic interactions in relativistic infinite component wave equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerry, C.C.

1979-01-01

The electromagnetic interactions of a composite system described by relativistic infinite-component wave equations are considered. The noncompact group SO(4,2) is taken as the dynamical group of the systems, and its unitary irreducible representations, which are infinite dimensional, are used to find the energy spectra and to specify the states of the systems. First the interaction mechanism is examined in the nonrelativistic SO(4,2) formulation of the hydrogen atom as a heuristic guide. A way of making a minimal relativistic generalization of the minimal ineractions in the nonrelativistic equation for the hydrogen atom is proposed. In order to calculate the effects of the relativistic minimal interactions, a covariant perturbation theory suitable for infinite-component wave equations, which is an algebraic and relativistic version of the Rayleigh-Schroedinger perturbation theory, is developed. The electric and magnetic polarizabilities for the ground state of the hydrogen atom are calculated. The results have the correct nonrelativistic limits. Next, the relativistic cross section of photon absorption by the atom is evaluated. A relativistic expression for the cross section of light scattering corresponding to the seagull diagram is derived. The Born amplitude is combusted and the role of spacelike solutions is discussed. Finally, internal electromagnetic interactions that give rise to the fine structure splittings, the Lamb shifts and the hyperfine splittings are considered. The spin effects are introduced by extending the dynamical group

Dark degeneracy and interacting cosmic components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aviles, Alejandro; Cervantes-Cota, Jorge L.

2011-01-01

We study some properties of the dark degeneracy, which is the fact that what we measure in gravitational experiments is the energy-momentum tensor of the total dark sector, and any split into components (as in dark matter and dark energy) is arbitrary. In fact, just one dark fluid is necessary to obtain exactly the same cosmological and astrophysical phenomenology as the ΛCDM model. We work explicitly the first-order perturbation theory and show that beyond the linear order the dark degeneracy is preserved under some general assumptions. Then we construct the dark fluid from a collection of interacting fluids. Finally, we try to break the degeneracy with a general class of couplings to baryonic matter. Nonetheless, we show that these interactions can also be understood in the context of the ΛCDM model as between dark matter and baryons. For this last investigation we choose two independent parametrizations for the interactions, one inspired by electromagnetism and the other by chameleon theories. Then, we constrain them with a joint analysis of CMB and supernovae observational data.

Specification of optical components using Wigner distribution function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jiancheng; Li Haibo; Xu Qiao; Chai Liqun; Fan Changjiang

2010-01-01

In order to characterize and specify small-scale local wavefront deformation of optical component, a method based on Wigner distribution function has been proposed, which can describe wavefront deformation in spatial and spatial frequency domain. The relationship between Wigner distribution function and power spectral density is analyzed and thus the specification of small-scale local wavefront deformation is obtained by Wigner distribution function. Simulation and experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The proposed method can not only identify whether the optical component meets the requirement of inertial confinement fusion (ICF), but also determine t he location where small-scale wavefront deformation is unqualified. Thus it provides an effective guide to the revision of unqualified optical components. (authors)

Three-wave interaction in two-component quadratic nonlinear lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Konotop, V. V.; Cunha, M. D.; Christiansen, Peter Leth

1999-01-01

We investigate a two-component lattice with a quadratic nonlinearity and find with the multiple scale technique that integrable three-wave interaction takes place between plane wave solutions when these fulfill resonance conditions. We demonstrate that. energy conversion and pulse propagation known...... from three-wave interaction is reproduced in the lattice and that exact phase matching of parametric processes can be obtained in non-phase-matched lattices by tilting the interacting plane waves with respect to each other. [S1063-651X(99)15110-9]....

Caliciviruses differ in their functional requirements for eIF4F components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chaudhry, Y.; Nayak, A.; Bordeleau, M-E.

2006-01-01

proteins can interact directly with the initiation factors eIF4E and eIF3. Translation initiation on feline calicivirus (FCV) RNA requires eIF4E because it is inhibited by recombinant 4E-BP1. However, to date, there have been no functional studies carried out with respect to norovirus translation...... translation require the RNA helicase component of the eIF4F complex, namely eIF4A, because translation was sensitive (albeit to different degrees) to a dominant negative form and to a small molecule inhibitor of eIF4A (hippuristanol). These results suggest that calicivirus RNAs differ with respect...... to their requirements for the components of the eIF4F translation initiation complex....

Physical interaction between components of DNA mismatch repair and nucleotide excision repair

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertrand, P.; Tishkoff, D.X.; Filosi, N.; Dasgupta, R.; Kolodner, R.D.

1998-01-01

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) and DNA mismatch repair are required for some common processes although the biochemical basis for this requirement is unknown. Saccharomyces cerevisiae RAD14 was identified in a two-hybrid screen using MSH2 as 'bait,' and pairwise interactions between MSH2 and RAD1, RAD2, RAD3, RAD10, RAD14, and RAD25 subsequently were demonstrated by two-hybrid analysis. MSH2 coimmunoprecipitated specifically with epitope-tagged versions of RAD2, RAD10, RAD14, and RAD25. MSH2 and RAD10 were found to interact in msh3 msh6 and mlh1 pms1 double mutants, suggesting a direct interaction with MSH2. Mutations in MSH2 increased the UV sensitivity of NER-deficient yeast strains, and msh2 mutations were epistatic to the mutator phenotype observed in NER-deficient strains. These data suggest that MSH2 and possibly other components of DNA mismatch repair exist in a complex with NER proteins, providing a biochemical and genetical basis for these proteins to function in common processes

Integrative Analysis of Subcellular Quantitative Proteomics Studies Reveals Functional Cytoskeleton Membrane-Lipid Raft Interactions in Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Anup D; Inder, Kerry L; Shah, Alok K; Cristino, Alexandre S; McKie, Arthur B; Gabra, Hani; Davis, Melissa J; Hill, Michelle M

2016-10-07

Lipid rafts are dynamic membrane microdomains that orchestrate molecular interactions and are implicated in cancer development. To understand the functions of lipid rafts in cancer, we performed an integrated analysis of quantitative lipid raft proteomics data sets modeling progression in breast cancer, melanoma, and renal cell carcinoma. This analysis revealed that cancer development is associated with increased membrane raft-cytoskeleton interactions, with ∼40% of elevated lipid raft proteins being cytoskeletal components. Previous studies suggest a potential functional role for the raft-cytoskeleton in the action of the putative tumor suppressors PTRF/Cavin-1 and Merlin. To extend the observation, we examined lipid raft proteome modulation by an unrelated tumor suppressor opioid binding protein cell-adhesion molecule (OPCML) in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells. In agreement with the other model systems, quantitative proteomics revealed that 39% of OPCML-depleted lipid raft proteins are cytoskeletal components, with microfilaments and intermediate filaments specifically down-regulated. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction network and simulation analysis showed significantly higher interactions among cancer raft proteins compared with general human raft proteins. Collectively, these results suggest increased cytoskeleton-mediated stabilization of lipid raft domains with greater molecular interactions as a common, functional, and reversible feature of cancer cells.

Calumenin interacts with serum amyloid P component

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorum, H; Jacobsen, Christian; Honoré, Bent

2000-01-01

with calumenin in the presence of Ca(2+). Amino acid sequencing identified this protein as serum amyloid P component (SAP). Furthermore, we verified and characterized the calumenin-SAP interaction by the surface plasmon resonance technique. The findings indicate that calumenin may participate...... in the immunological defense system and could be involved in the pathological process of amyloidosis that leads to formation of amyloid deposits seen in different types of tissues. Udgivelsesdato: 2000-Jan-14...

Functional components and medicinal properties of food: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Abuajah, Christian Izuchukwu; Ogbonna, Augustine Chima; Osuji, Chijioke Maduka

2015-05-01

Research has proved a relationship between functional components of food, health and well-being. Thus, functional components of food can be effectively applied in the treatment and prevention of diseases. They act simultaneously at different or identical target sites with the potential to impart physiological benefits and promotion of wellbeing including reducing the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, inflammation, type II diabetes, and other chronic degenerative diseases, lowering of blood cholesterol, neutralization of reactive oxygen species and charged radicals, anticarcinogenic effect, low-glycaemic response, etc. Previously, it was thought that functional ingredients such as non-starchy carbohydrates including soluble and insoluble dietary fibres, fucoidan; antioxidants including polyphenols, carotenoids, tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytosterols, isoflavones, organosulphur compounds; plant sterols and soy phytoestrogens occur only in plant foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) as phytochemicals. However, probiotics, prebiotics, conjugated linolenic acid, long-chain omega-3, -6 and -9-polyunsaturated fatty acids, and bioactive peptides have proved that functional components are equally available in animal products such as milk, fermented milk products and cold-water fish. The way a food is processed affects its functional components. Many processing techniques have been found to lower the concentration of functional components in food. Conversely, other techniques were found to increase them. Hence, in a time when the role of a healthy diet in preventing non-communicable diseases is well accepted, the borderline between food and medicine is becoming very thin.

Interaction between main components in wind farms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holdyk, Andrzej; Koldby, Erik

and the simplicity of the measurement methods using the device makes it a good candidate for performing black-box modelling of multiports whenever such models are not available from the manufacturers. Parametric variation method developed for EMT simulations in ATP-EMTP is a good tool for performing large...... with Frequency Domain Severity Factor proved to be a robust tool in assessing stresses on electric components arising from transient phenomena in offshore wind farms, including the voltage magnitude and frequency of oscillations. Quarter-wave resonance frequency is a good approximation of resonance frequency...... as well as performing parametric variation studies. Methods and tools were developed and shown to perform and estimate the severity of a potential mid- and high- frequency interaction between electric components in OWFs by robust sensitivity analysis in commercial EMT simulation tool. Performing...

The Meckel syndrome- associated protein MKS1 functionally interacts with components of the BBSome and IFT complexes to mediate ciliary trafficking and hedgehog signaling

Science.gov (United States)

Barrington, Chloe L.; Katsanis, Nicholas

2017-01-01

The importance of primary cilia in human health is underscored by the link between ciliary dysfunction and a group of primarily recessive genetic disorders with overlapping clinical features, now known as ciliopathies. Many of the proteins encoded by ciliopathy-associated genes are components of a handful of multi-protein complexes important for the transport of cargo to the basal body and/or into the cilium. A key question is whether different complexes cooperate in cilia formation, and whether they participate in cilium assembly in conjunction with intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins. To examine how ciliopathy protein complexes might function together, we have analyzed double mutants of an allele of the Meckel syndrome (MKS) complex protein MKS1 and the BBSome protein BBS4. We find that Mks1; Bbs4 double mutant mouse embryos exhibit exacerbated defects in Hedgehog (Hh) dependent patterning compared to either single mutant, and die by E14.5. Cells from double mutant embryos exhibit a defect in the trafficking of ARL13B, a ciliary membrane protein, resulting in disrupted ciliary structure and signaling. We also examined the relationship between the MKS complex and IFT proteins by analyzing double mutant between Mks1 and a hypomorphic allele of the IFTB component Ift172. Despite each single mutant surviving until around birth, Mks1; Ift172avc1 double mutants die at mid-gestation, and exhibit a dramatic failure of cilia formation. We also find that Mks1 interacts genetically with an allele of Dync2h1, the IFT retrograde motor. Thus, we have demonstrated that the MKS transition zone complex cooperates with the BBSome to mediate trafficking of specific trans-membrane receptors to the cilium. Moreover, the genetic interaction of Mks1 with components of IFT machinery suggests that the transition zone complex facilitates IFT to promote cilium assembly and structure. PMID:28291807

The Meckel syndrome- associated protein MKS1 functionally interacts with components of the BBSome and IFT complexes to mediate ciliary trafficking and hedgehog signaling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah C Goetz

Full Text Available The importance of primary cilia in human health is underscored by the link between ciliary dysfunction and a group of primarily recessive genetic disorders with overlapping clinical features, now known as ciliopathies. Many of the proteins encoded by ciliopathy-associated genes are components of a handful of multi-protein complexes important for the transport of cargo to the basal body and/or into the cilium. A key question is whether different complexes cooperate in cilia formation, and whether they participate in cilium assembly in conjunction with intraflagellar transport (IFT proteins. To examine how ciliopathy protein complexes might function together, we have analyzed double mutants of an allele of the Meckel syndrome (MKS complex protein MKS1 and the BBSome protein BBS4. We find that Mks1; Bbs4 double mutant mouse embryos exhibit exacerbated defects in Hedgehog (Hh dependent patterning compared to either single mutant, and die by E14.5. Cells from double mutant embryos exhibit a defect in the trafficking of ARL13B, a ciliary membrane protein, resulting in disrupted ciliary structure and signaling. We also examined the relationship between the MKS complex and IFT proteins by analyzing double mutant between Mks1 and a hypomorphic allele of the IFTB component Ift172. Despite each single mutant surviving until around birth, Mks1; Ift172avc1 double mutants die at mid-gestation, and exhibit a dramatic failure of cilia formation. We also find that Mks1 interacts genetically with an allele of Dync2h1, the IFT retrograde motor. Thus, we have demonstrated that the MKS transition zone complex cooperates with the BBSome to mediate trafficking of specific trans-membrane receptors to the cilium. Moreover, the genetic interaction of Mks1 with components of IFT machinery suggests that the transition zone complex facilitates IFT to promote cilium assembly and structure.

Functional Principal Components Analysis of Shanghai Stock Exchange 50 Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiliang Wang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to explore the principle components of Shanghai stock exchange 50 index by means of functional principal component analysis (FPCA. Functional data analysis (FDA deals with random variables (or process with realizations in the smooth functional space. One of the most popular FDA techniques is functional principal component analysis, which was introduced for the statistical analysis of a set of financial time series from an explorative point of view. FPCA is the functional analogue of the well-known dimension reduction technique in the multivariate statistical analysis, searching for linear transformations of the random vector with the maximal variance. In this paper, we studied the monthly return volatility of Shanghai stock exchange 50 index (SSE50. Using FPCA to reduce dimension to a finite level, we extracted the most significant components of the data and some relevant statistical features of such related datasets. The calculated results show that regarding the samples as random functions is rational. Compared with the ordinary principle component analysis, FPCA can solve the problem of different dimensions in the samples. And FPCA is a convenient approach to extract the main variance factors.

Development of damage functions for high-rise building components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kustu, O.; Miller, D.D.; Brokken, S.T.

1982-10-01

The component approach for predicting the effects that ground motion from underground nuclear explosions will have on structures involves predicting the damage to each structural and nonstructural component of a building on the basis of the expected local deformation that most affects the damage to the component. This study was conducted to provide the basic data necessary to evaluate the component approach. Available published laboratory test data for various high-rise building components were collected. These data were analyzed statistically to determine damage threshold values and their variabilities, which in turn were used to derive component damage functions. The portion of construction costs attributable to various building components was determined statistically. This information was needed because component damage functions define damage as a percentage of the replacement values of the component, and, in order to calculate the overall building damage factor, the relative cost of each component must be estimated. The feasibility of the component approach to damage prediction is demonstrated. It is recommended that further experimental research directed towards developing an adequate data base of component damage thresholds for all significant building components should be encouraged. Parallel to this effort, detailed damage data from specific buildings damaged in earthquakes should be collected to verify the theoretical procedure

Components, processes and interactions in the biosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2010-12-15

This report describes the processes and interactions between components in the biosphere that may be important in a safety assessment for radioactive waste disposal. The processes are general, i.e. they can be used in all safety analyses for underground repositories and are not specific to a particular method or location. Processes related to the geosphere and specific repository types (e.g. the KBS-3 method) can be found in /Skagius et al. 1995, SKB 2001, 2006, 2010a/. This report describes a biosphere interaction matrix that has been used in support of SR-Site and that can be used in future safety assessments. The work of defining and characterising processes in the biosphere is ongoing and many persons from different disciplines have been involved in the identification and characterisation of processes

Components, processes and interactions in the biosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-12-01

This report describes the processes and interactions between components in the biosphere that may be important in a safety assessment for radioactive waste disposal. The processes are general, i.e. they can be used in all safety analyses for underground repositories and are not specific to a particular method or location. Processes related to the geosphere and specific repository types (e.g. the KBS-3 method) can be found in /Skagius et al. 1995, SKB 2001, 2006, 2010a/. This report describes a biosphere interaction matrix that has been used in support of SR-Site and that can be used in future safety assessments. The work of defining and characterising processes in the biosphere is ongoing and many persons from different disciplines have been involved in the identification and characterisation of processes

Interpretable functional principal component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Zhenhua; Wang, Liangliang; Cao, Jiguo

2016-09-01

Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) is a popular approach to explore major sources of variation in a sample of random curves. These major sources of variation are represented by functional principal components (FPCs). The intervals where the values of FPCs are significant are interpreted as where sample curves have major variations. However, these intervals are often hard for naïve users to identify, because of the vague definition of "significant values". In this article, we develop a novel penalty-based method to derive FPCs that are only nonzero precisely in the intervals where the values of FPCs are significant, whence the derived FPCs possess better interpretability than the FPCs derived from existing methods. To compute the proposed FPCs, we devise an efficient algorithm based on projection deflation techniques. We show that the proposed interpretable FPCs are strongly consistent and asymptotically normal under mild conditions. Simulation studies confirm that with a competitive performance in explaining variations of sample curves, the proposed FPCs are more interpretable than the traditional counterparts. This advantage is demonstrated by analyzing two real datasets, namely, electroencephalography data and Canadian weather data. © 2015, The International Biometric Society.

Transcription Factor Functional Protein-Protein Interactions in Plant Defense Responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murilo S. Alves

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Responses to biotic stress in plants lead to dramatic reprogramming of gene expression, favoring stress responses at the expense of normal cellular functions. Transcription factors are master regulators of gene expression at the transcriptional level, and controlling the activity of these factors alters the transcriptome of the plant, leading to metabolic and phenotypic changes in response to stress. The functional analysis of interactions between transcription factors and other proteins is very important for elucidating the role of these transcriptional regulators in different signaling cascades. In this review, we present an overview of protein-protein interactions for the six major families of transcription factors involved in plant defense: basic leucine zipper containing domain proteins (bZIP, amino-acid sequence WRKYGQK (WRKY, myelocytomatosis related proteins (MYC, myeloblastosis related proteins (MYB, APETALA2/ ETHYLENE-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTORS (AP2/EREBP and no apical meristem (NAM, Arabidopsis transcription activation factor (ATAF, and cup-shaped cotyledon (CUC (NAC. We describe the interaction partners of these transcription factors as molecular responses during pathogen attack and the key components of signal transduction pathways that take place during plant defense responses. These interactions determine the activation or repression of response pathways and are crucial to understanding the regulatory networks that modulate plant defense responses.

Collaborative Encoding and Memory Accuracy: Examining the Effects of Interactive Components of Co-Construction Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Foley, Mary Ann; Fried, Adina Rachel; Cowan, Emily; Bays, Rebecca Brooke

2014-01-01

In 2 experiments, the effect of collaborative encoding on memory was examined by testing 2 interactive components of co-construction processes. One component focused on the nature of the interactive exchange between collaborators: As the partners worked together to create descriptions about ways to interact with familiar objects, constraints were…

The Prediction of Key Cytoskeleton Components Involved in Glomerular Diseases Based on a Protein-Protein Interaction Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Fangrui; Tan, Aidi; Ju, Wenjun; Li, Xuejuan; Li, Shao; Ding, Jie

2016-01-01

Maintenance of the physiological morphologies of different types of cells and tissues is essential for the normal functioning of each system in the human body. Dynamic variations in cell and tissue morphologies depend on accurate adjustments of the cytoskeletal system. The cytoskeletal system in the glomerulus plays a key role in the normal process of kidney filtration. To enhance the understanding of the possible roles of the cytoskeleton in glomerular diseases, we constructed the Glomerular Cytoskeleton Network (GCNet), which shows the protein-protein interaction network in the glomerulus, and identified several possible key cytoskeletal components involved in glomerular diseases. In this study, genes/proteins annotated to the cytoskeleton were detected by Gene Ontology analysis, and glomerulus-enriched genes were selected from nine available glomerular expression datasets. Then, the GCNet was generated by combining these two sets of information. To predict the possible key cytoskeleton components in glomerular diseases, we then examined the common regulation of the genes in GCNet in the context of five glomerular diseases based on their transcriptomic data. As a result, twenty-one cytoskeleton components as potential candidate were highlighted for consistently down- or up-regulating in all five glomerular diseases. And then, these candidates were examined in relation to existing known glomerular diseases and genes to determine their possible functions and interactions. In addition, the mRNA levels of these candidates were also validated in a puromycin aminonucleoside(PAN) induced rat nephropathy model and were also matched with existing Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) transcriptomic data. As a result, there are 15 of 21 candidates in PAN induced nephropathy model were consistent with our predication and also 12 of 21 candidates were matched with differentially expressed genes in the DN transcriptomic data. By providing a novel interaction network and prediction, GCNet

Gaze-based interaction with public displays using off-the-shelf components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

San Agustin, Javier; Hansen, John Paulin; Tall, Martin Henrik

Eye gaze can be used to interact with high-density information presented on large displays. We have built a system employing off-the-shelf hardware components and open-source gaze tracking software that enables users to interact with an interface displayed on a 55” screen using their eye movement...

Selecting the Number of Principal Components in Functional Data

KAUST Repository

Li, Yehua

2013-12-01

Functional principal component analysis (FPCA) has become the most widely used dimension reduction tool for functional data analysis. We consider functional data measured at random, subject-specific time points, contaminated with measurement error, allowing for both sparse and dense functional data, and propose novel information criteria to select the number of principal component in such data. We propose a Bayesian information criterion based on marginal modeling that can consistently select the number of principal components for both sparse and dense functional data. For dense functional data, we also develop an Akaike information criterion based on the expected Kullback-Leibler information under a Gaussian assumption. In connecting with the time series literature, we also consider a class of information criteria proposed for factor analysis of multivariate time series and show that they are still consistent for dense functional data, if a prescribed undersmoothing scheme is undertaken in the FPCA algorithm. We perform intensive simulation studies and show that the proposed information criteria vastly outperform existing methods for this type of data. Surprisingly, our empirical evidence shows that our information criteria proposed for dense functional data also perform well for sparse functional data. An empirical example using colon carcinogenesis data is also provided to illustrate the results. Supplementary materials for this article are available online. © 2013 American Statistical Association.

System diagnostics using qualitative analysis and component functional classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reifman, J.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1993-01-01

A method for detecting and identifying faulty component candidates during off-normal operations of nuclear power plants involves the qualitative analysis of macroscopic imbalances in the conservation equations of mass, energy and momentum in thermal-hydraulic control volumes associated with one or more plant components and the functional classification of components. The qualitative analysis of mass and energy is performed through the associated equations of state, while imbalances in momentum are obtained by tracking mass flow rates which are incorporated into a first knowledge base. The plant components are functionally classified, according to their type, as sources or sinks of mass, energy and momentum, depending upon which of the three balance equations is most strongly affected by a faulty component which is incorporated into a second knowledge base. Information describing the connections among the components of the system forms a third knowledge base. The method is particularly adapted for use in a diagnostic expert system to detect and identify faulty component candidates in the presence of component failures and is not limited to use in a nuclear power plant, but may be used with virtually any type of thermal-hydraulic operating system. 5 figures

Interaction of dispersed cubic phases with blood components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bode, J C; Kuntsche, Judith; Funari, S S

2013-01-01

The interaction of aqueous nanoparticle dispersions, e.g. based on monoolein/poloxamer 407, with blood components is an important topic concerning especially the parenteral way of administration. Therefore, the influence of human and porcine plasma on dispersed cubic phases was investigated. Part...... activity of cubic phases based on monoolein and poloxamer 188, on soy phosphatidylcholine, glycerol dioleate and polysorbate 80 or the parenteral fat emulsion Lipofundin MCT 20%....

Longitudinal functional principal component modelling via Stochastic Approximation Monte Carlo

KAUST Repository

Martinez, Josue G.

2010-06-01

The authors consider the analysis of hierarchical longitudinal functional data based upon a functional principal components approach. In contrast to standard frequentist approaches to selecting the number of principal components, the authors do model averaging using a Bayesian formulation. A relatively straightforward reversible jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo formulation has poor mixing properties and in simulated data often becomes trapped at the wrong number of principal components. In order to overcome this, the authors show how to apply Stochastic Approximation Monte Carlo (SAMC) to this problem, a method that has the potential to explore the entire space and does not become trapped in local extrema. The combination of reversible jump methods and SAMC in hierarchical longitudinal functional data is simplified by a polar coordinate representation of the principal components. The approach is easy to implement and does well in simulated data in determining the distribution of the number of principal components, and in terms of its frequentist estimation properties. Empirical applications are also presented.

Functional principal component analysis of glomerular filtration rate curves after kidney transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Jianghu J; Wang, Liangliang; Gill, Jagbir; Cao, Jiguo

2017-01-01

This article is motivated by some longitudinal clinical data of kidney transplant recipients, where kidney function progression is recorded as the estimated glomerular filtration rates at multiple time points post kidney transplantation. We propose to use the functional principal component analysis method to explore the major source of variations of glomerular filtration rate curves. We find that the estimated functional principal component scores can be used to cluster glomerular filtration rate curves. Ordering functional principal component scores can detect abnormal glomerular filtration rate curves. Finally, functional principal component analysis can effectively estimate missing glomerular filtration rate values and predict future glomerular filtration rate values.

Interactions of age and cognitive functions in predicting decision making under risky conditions over the life span.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Matthias; Schiebener, Johannes

2013-01-01

Little is known about how normal healthy aging affects decision-making competence. In this study 538 participants (age 18-80 years) performed the Game of Dice Task (GDT). Subsamples also performed the Iowa Gambling Task as well as tasks measuring logical thinking and executive functions. In a moderated regression analysis, the significant interaction between age and executive components indicates that older participants with good executive functioning perform well on the GDT, while older participants with reduced executive functions make more risky choices. The same pattern emerges for the interaction of age and logical thinking. Results demonstrate that age and cognitive functions act in concert in predicting the decision-making performance.

Identification of genetic components involved in Lotus-endophyte interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zgadzaj, Rafal Lukasz

of growth hormones or nitrogen fixation. However, the genes involved in plant-endophyte interactions and bacterial accomodation within plant tissues are not known. In order to shed some light on such processes, an approach “one host-one endophyte” was chosen. The focus on a single plant species and a single......Endophytes are microorganisms capable of colonising plant tissues without inducing host defense responses. They have a large impact on plants, since they can modulate plant responses to pathogens, herbivores and environmental stress. They can also induce plant growth promotion through synthesis...... bacterial strain aimed at obtaining a reliable and easy to handle system for plant-microsymbiont interaction research. Two different methods were tested for their usefulness in identification of genetic components involved in plant-endophyte interactions. The first method was based on measuring growth...

Revealing the Structural Complexity of Component Interactions of Topic-Specific PCK when Planning to Teach

Science.gov (United States)

Mavhunga, Elizabeth

2018-04-01

Teaching pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) at a topic-specific level requires clarity on the content-specific nature of the components employed, as well as the specific features that bring about the desirable depth in teacher explanations. Such understanding is often hazy; yet, it influences the nature of teacher tasks and learning opportunities afforded to pre-service teachers in a teaching program. The purpose of this study was twofold: firstly, to illuminate the emerging complexity when content-specific components of PCK interact when planning to teach a chemistry topic; and secondly, to identify the kinds of teacher tasks that promote the emergence of such complexity. Data collected were content representations (CoRes) in chemical equilibrium accompanied by expanded lesson outlines from 15 pre-service teachers in their final year of study towards a first degree in teaching (B Ed). The analysis involved extraction of episodes that exhibited component interaction by using a qualitative in-depth analysis method. The results revealed the structure in which the components of PCK in a topic interact among each other to be linear, interwoven, or a combination of the two. The interwoven interactions contained multiple components that connected explanations on different aspects of a concept, all working in a complementary manner. The most sophisticated component interactions emerged from teacher tasks on descriptions of a lesson sequence and a summary of a lesson. Recommendations in this study highlight core practices for making pedagogical transformation of topic content knowledge more accessible.

Topology-function conservation in protein-protein interaction networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Darren; Yaveroğlu, Ömer Nebil; Malod-Dognin, Noël; Stojmirovic, Aleksandar; Pržulj, Nataša

2015-05-15

Proteins underlay the functioning of a cell and the wiring of proteins in protein-protein interaction network (PIN) relates to their biological functions. Proteins with similar wiring in the PIN (topology around them) have been shown to have similar functions. This property has been successfully exploited for predicting protein functions. Topological similarity is also used to guide network alignment algorithms that find similarly wired proteins between PINs of different species; these similarities are used to transfer annotation across PINs, e.g. from model organisms to human. To refine these functional predictions and annotation transfers, we need to gain insight into the variability of the topology-function relationships. For example, a function may be significantly associated with specific topologies, while another function may be weakly associated with several different topologies. Also, the topology-function relationships may differ between different species. To improve our understanding of topology-function relationships and of their conservation among species, we develop a statistical framework that is built upon canonical correlation analysis. Using the graphlet degrees to represent the wiring around proteins in PINs and gene ontology (GO) annotations to describe their functions, our framework: (i) characterizes statistically significant topology-function relationships in a given species, and (ii) uncovers the functions that have conserved topology in PINs of different species, which we term topologically orthologous functions. We apply our framework to PINs of yeast and human, identifying seven biological process and two cellular component GO terms to be topologically orthologous for the two organisms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Two component systems: physiological effect of a third component.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baldiri Salvado

Full Text Available Signal transduction systems mediate the response and adaptation of organisms to environmental changes. In prokaryotes, this signal transduction is often done through Two Component Systems (TCS. These TCS are phosphotransfer protein cascades, and in their prototypical form they are composed by a kinase that senses the environmental signals (SK and by a response regulator (RR that regulates the cellular response. This basic motif can be modified by the addition of a third protein that interacts either with the SK or the RR in a way that could change the dynamic response of the TCS module. In this work we aim at understanding the effect of such an additional protein (which we call "third component" on the functional properties of a prototypical TCS. To do so we build mathematical models of TCS with alternative designs for their interaction with that third component. These mathematical models are analyzed in order to identify the differences in dynamic behavior inherent to each design, with respect to functionally relevant properties such as sensitivity to changes in either the parameter values or the molecular concentrations, temporal responsiveness, possibility of multiple steady states, or stochastic fluctuations in the system. The differences are then correlated to the physiological requirements that impinge on the functioning of the TCS. This analysis sheds light on both, the dynamic behavior of synthetically designed TCS, and the conditions under which natural selection might favor each of the designs. We find that a third component that modulates SK activity increases the parameter space where a bistable response of the TCS module to signals is possible, if SK is monofunctional, but decreases it when the SK is bifunctional. The presence of a third component that modulates RR activity decreases the parameter space where a bistable response of the TCS module to signals is possible.

A multi-dimensional functional principal components analysis of EEG data.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasenstab, Kyle; Scheffler, Aaron; Telesca, Donatello; Sugar, Catherine A; Jeste, Shafali; DiStefano, Charlotte; Şentürk, Damla

2017-09-01

The electroencephalography (EEG) data created in event-related potential (ERP) experiments have a complex high-dimensional structure. Each stimulus presentation, or trial, generates an ERP waveform which is an instance of functional data. The experiments are made up of sequences of multiple trials, resulting in longitudinal functional data and moreover, responses are recorded at multiple electrodes on the scalp, adding an electrode dimension. Traditional EEG analyses involve multiple simplifications of this structure to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, effectively collapsing the functional and longitudinal components by identifying key features of the ERPs and averaging them across trials. Motivated by an implicit learning paradigm used in autism research in which the functional, longitudinal, and electrode components all have critical interpretations, we propose a multidimensional functional principal components analysis (MD-FPCA) technique which does not collapse any of the dimensions of the ERP data. The proposed decomposition is based on separation of the total variation into subject and subunit level variation which are further decomposed in a two-stage functional principal components analysis. The proposed methodology is shown to be useful for modeling longitudinal trends in the ERP functions, leading to novel insights into the learning patterns of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers as well as comparisons between the two groups. Finite sample properties of MD-FPCA are further studied via extensive simulations. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Infinite-component conformal fields. Spectral representation of the two-point function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaikov, R.P.; Tcholakov, V.

1975-01-01

The infinite-component conformal fields (with respect to the stability subgroup) are considered. The spectral representation of the conformally invariant two-point function is obtained. This function is nonvanishing as/lso for one ''fundamental'' and one infinite-component field

Compact Representation for Specific Heat of Interacting Fermion Systems in Terms of Fully Renormalized Matsubara Green Function

OpenAIRE

Miyake, Kazumasa; Tsuruta, Atsushi

2015-01-01

On the basis of the Luttinger-Ward formalism for the thermodynamic potential, the specific heat of single-component interacting fermion systems with fixed chemical potential is compactly expressed in terms of the fully renormalized Matsubara Green function.

Lactic acid bacteria in dairy food: surface characterization and interactions with food matrix components.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgain, J; Scher, J; Francius, G; Borges, F; Corgneau, M; Revol-Junelles, A M; Cailliez-Grimal, C; Gaiani, C

2014-11-01

This review gives an overview of the importance of interactions occurring in dairy matrices between Lactic Acid Bacteria and milk components. Dairy products are important sources of biological active compounds of particular relevance to human health. These compounds include immunoglobulins, whey proteins and peptides, polar lipids, and lactic acid bacteria including probiotics. A better understanding of interactions between bioactive components and their delivery matrix may successfully improve their transport to their target site of action. Pioneering research on probiotic lactic acid bacteria has mainly focused on their host effects. However, very little is known about their interaction with dairy ingredients. Such knowledge could contribute to designing new and more efficient dairy food, and to better understand relationships between milk constituents. The purpose of this review is first to provide an overview of the current knowledge about the biomolecules produced on bacterial surface and the composition of the dairy matter. In order to understand how bacteria interact with dairy molecules, adhesion mechanisms are subsequently reviewed with a special focus on the environmental conditions affecting bacterial adhesion. Methods dedicated to investigate the bacterial surface and to decipher interactions between bacteria and abiotic dairy components are also detailed. Finally, relevant industrial implications of these interactions are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical Components of Borderline Personality Disorder and Personality Functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer, Marc; Andión, Óscar; Calvo, Natalia; Hörz, Susanne; Fischer-Kern, Melitta; Kapusta, Nestor D; Schneider, Gudrun; Clarkin, John F; Doering, Stephan

2018-01-01

Impairment in personality functioning (PF) represents a salient criterion of the DSM-5 alternative diagnostic model for personality disorders (AMPD). The main goal of this study is to analyze the relationship of the borderline personality disorder (BPD) clinical components derived from the DSM-5 categorical diagnostic model (affective dysregulation, behavioral dysregulation, and disturbed relatedness) with personality organization (PO), i.e., PF, assessed by the Structured Interview of Personality Organization (STIPO). STIPO and the Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV (SCID-I and -II) were administered to 206 BPD patients. The relationship between PO and BPD components were studied using Spearman correlations and independent linear regression analyses. Significant positive correlations were observed between STIPO scores and several DSM-5 BPD criteria and comorbid psychiatric disorders. STIPO dimensions mainly correlated with disturbed relatedness and, to a lesser extent, affective dysregulation components. Each BPD clinical component was associated with specific STIPO dimensions. Both diagnostic models, DSM-5 BPD criteria and PO, are not only related but complementary concepts. The results of this study particularly recommend STIPO for the assessment of relational functioning, which is a major domain of the Personality Functioning Scale Levels of the DSM-5 AMPD. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

β-casein as a functional food component

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sulewska, Anna Maria

Milk is a complex mixture of various components which include proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and minerals. Milk proteins can be divided into two classes: whey proteins (20%) and caseins (80% of total milk protein). As thermal treatment is a traditional method of food preservation, interactions...... with novel textures, is highly valuable to the dairy industry. Understanding interactions that undergo during food processing is necessary for proper design of process. For example control of aggregation is required to achieve desired texture of the final product....... which can improve stability and safety of food. Traditional methods of food preservation and sterilization require high temperature, which may result in undesirable changes such as change of color or texture. Development of novel food processing methods, which allow to create new milk-based products...

Applications of snake venom components to modulate integrin activities in cell-matrix interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Marcinkiewicz, Cezary

2013-01-01

Snake venom proteins are broadly investigated in the different areas of life science. Direct interaction of these compounds with cells may involve a variety of mechanisms that result in diverse cellular responses leading to the activation or blocking of physiological functions of the cell. In this review, the snake venom components interacting with integrins will be characterized in context of their effect on cellular response. Currently, two major families of snake venom proteins are considered as integrin-binding molecules. The most attention has been devoted to the disintegrin family, which binds certain types of integrins through specific motifs recognized as a tri-peptide structurally localized on an integrin-binding loop. Other snake venom integrin-binding proteins belong to the C-type lectin family. Snake venom molecules bind to the cellular integrins resulting in a modulation of cell signaling and in consequence, the regulation of cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Therefore, snake venom research on the integrin-binding molecules may have significance in biomedicine and basic cell biology. PMID:23811033

Interaction between Science Teaching Orientation and Pedagogical Content Knowledge Components

Science.gov (United States)

Demirdögen, Betül

2016-01-01

The purpose of this case study is to delve into the complexities of how preservice science teachers' science teaching orientations, viewed as an interrelated set of beliefs, interact with the other components of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Eight preservice science teachers participated in the study. Qualitative data were collected in the…

Order in large and chaos in small components of nuclear wave functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soloviev, V.G.

1992-06-01

An investigation of the order and chaos of the nuclear excited states has shown that there is order in the large and chaos in the small quasiparticle or phonon components of the nuclear wave functions. The order-to-chaos transition is treated as a transition from the large to the small components of the nuclear wave function. The analysis has shown that relatively large many-quasiparticle components of the wave function at an excitation energy (4-8)MeV may exist. The large many-quasiparticle components of the wave functions of the neutron resonances are responsible for enhanced E1-, M1- and E2-transition probabilities from neutron resonance to levels lying (1-2)MeV below them. (author)

Long-term intensive gymnastic training induced changes in intra- and inter-network functional connectivity: an independent component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huiyuan; Wang, Junjing; Seger, Carol; Lu, Min; Deng, Feng; Wu, Xiaoyan; He, Yuan; Niu, Chen; Wang, Jun; Huang, Ruiwang

2018-01-01

Long-term intensive gymnastic training can induce brain structural and functional reorganization. Previous studies have identified structural and functional network differences between world class gymnasts (WCGs) and non-athletes at the whole-brain level. However, it is still unclear how interactions within and between functional networks are affected by long-term intensive gymnastic training. We examined both intra- and inter-network functional connectivity of gymnasts relative to non-athletes using resting-state fMRI (R-fMRI). R-fMRI data were acquired from 13 WCGs and 14 non-athlete controls. Group-independent component analysis (ICA) was adopted to decompose the R-fMRI data into spatial independent components and associated time courses. An automatic component identification method was used to identify components of interest associated with resting-state networks (RSNs). We identified nine RSNs, the basal ganglia network (BG), sensorimotor network (SMN), cerebellum (CB), anterior and posterior default mode networks (aDMN/pDMN), left and right fronto-parietal networks (lFPN/rFPN), primary visual network (PVN), and extrastriate visual network (EVN). Statistical analyses revealed that the intra-network functional connectivity was significantly decreased within the BG, aDMN, lFPN, and rFPN, but increased within the EVN in the WCGs compared to the controls. In addition, the WCGs showed uniformly decreased inter-network functional connectivity between SMN and BG, CB, and PVN, BG and PVN, and pDMN and rFPN compared to the controls. We interpret this generally weaker intra- and inter-network functional connectivity in WCGs during the resting state as a result of greater efficiency in the WCGs' brain associated with long-term motor skill training.

The oligomeric assembly of the novel haem-degrading protein HbpS is essential for interaction with its cognate two-component sensor kinase

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ortiz de Orué Lucana, Darío; Bogel, Gabriele; Zou, Peijian; Groves, Matthew R

2009-01-01

HbpS, a novel protein of previously unknown function from Streptomyces reticuli, is up-regulated in response to haemin- and peroxide-based oxidative stress and interacts with the SenS/SenR two-component signal transduction system. In this study, we report the high-resolution crystal structures (2.2

Reliability analysis and component functional allocations for the ESF multi-loop controller design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Seop; Kim, D.H.; Choi, J.K.; Park, J.C.; Seong, S.H.; Lee, D.Y.

2006-01-01

This paper deals with the reliability analysis and component functional allocations to ensure the enhanced system reliability and availability. In the Engineered Safety Features, functionally dependent components are controlled by a multi-loop controller. The system reliability of the Engineered Safety Features-Component Control System, especially, the multi-loop controller which is changed comparing to the conventional controllers is an important factor for the Probability Safety Assessment in the nuclear field. To evaluate the multi-loop controller's failure rate of the k-out-of-m redundant system, the binomial process is used. In addition, the component functional allocation is performed to tolerate a single multi-loop controller failure without the loss of vital operation within the constraints of the piping and component configuration, and ensure that mechanically redundant components remain functional. (author)

Binaural interaction in auditory evoked potentials: Brainstem, middle- and long-latency components

OpenAIRE

McPherson, DL; Starr, A

1993-01-01

Binaural interaction occurs in the auditory evoked potentials when the sum of the monaural auditory evoked potentials are not equivalent to the binaural evoked auditory potentials. Binaural interaction of the early- (0-10 ms), middle- (10-50 ms) and long-latency (50-200 ms) auditory evoked potentials was studied in 17 normal young adults. For the early components, binaural interaction was maximal at 7.35 ms accounting for a reduction of 21% of the amplitude of the binaural evoked potentials. ...

Artificial ferroic systems: novel functionality from structure, interactions and dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heyderman, L J; Stamps, R L

2013-01-01

Lithographic processing and film growth technologies are continuing to advance, so that it is now possible to create patterned ferroic materials consisting of arrays of sub-1 μm elements with high definition. Some of the most fascinating behaviour of these arrays can be realised by exploiting interactions between the individual elements to create new functionality. The properties of these artificial ferroic systems differ strikingly from those of their constituent components, with novel emergent behaviour arising from the collective dynamics of the interacting elements, which are arranged in specific designs and can be activated by applying magnetic or electric fields. We first focus on artificial spin systems consisting of arrays of dipolar-coupled nanomagnets and, in particular, review the field of artificial spin ice, which demonstrates a wide range of fascinating phenomena arising from the frustration inherent in particular arrangements of nanomagnets, including emergent magnetic monopoles, domains of ordered macrospins, and novel avalanche behaviour. We outline how demagnetisation protocols have been employed as an effective thermal anneal in an attempt to reach the ground state, comment on phenomena that arise in thermally activated systems and discuss strategies for selectively generating specific configurations using applied magnetic fields. We then move on from slow field and temperature driven dynamics to high frequency phenomena, discussing spinwave excitations in the context of magnonic crystals constructed from arrays of patterned magnetic elements. At high frequencies, these arrays are studied in terms of potential applications including magnetic logic, linear and non-linear microwave optics, and fast, efficient switching, and we consider the possibility to create tunable magnonic crystals with artificial spin ice. Finally, we discuss how functional ferroic composites can be incorporated to realise magnetoelectric effects. Specifically, we discuss

Artificial ferroic systems: novel functionality from structure, interactions and dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyderman, L J; Stamps, R L

2013-09-11

Lithographic processing and film growth technologies are continuing to advance, so that it is now possible to create patterned ferroic materials consisting of arrays of sub-1 μm elements with high definition. Some of the most fascinating behaviour of these arrays can be realised by exploiting interactions between the individual elements to create new functionality. The properties of these artificial ferroic systems differ strikingly from those of their constituent components, with novel emergent behaviour arising from the collective dynamics of the interacting elements, which are arranged in specific designs and can be activated by applying magnetic or electric fields. We first focus on artificial spin systems consisting of arrays of dipolar-coupled nanomagnets and, in particular, review the field of artificial spin ice, which demonstrates a wide range of fascinating phenomena arising from the frustration inherent in particular arrangements of nanomagnets, including emergent magnetic monopoles, domains of ordered macrospins, and novel avalanche behaviour. We outline how demagnetisation protocols have been employed as an effective thermal anneal in an attempt to reach the ground state, comment on phenomena that arise in thermally activated systems and discuss strategies for selectively generating specific configurations using applied magnetic fields. We then move on from slow field and temperature driven dynamics to high frequency phenomena, discussing spinwave excitations in the context of magnonic crystals constructed from arrays of patterned magnetic elements. At high frequencies, these arrays are studied in terms of potential applications including magnetic logic, linear and non-linear microwave optics, and fast, efficient switching, and we consider the possibility to create tunable magnonic crystals with artificial spin ice. Finally, we discuss how functional ferroic composites can be incorporated to realise magnetoelectric effects. Specifically, we discuss

Role of antisymmetric spin-orbit component in effective interactions in the sd-shell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshinada, K.

1981-10-01

The antisymmetric spin-orbit interaction (ALS) proposed for sd-shell nuclei is investigated. It is shown that the centroid energy of the d sub(5/2) - d sub(3/2) interactions plays a crucial role in reproducing the excited band spectra of A = 18 - 24 nuclei. An empirical effective interaction without ALS component is proposed to reproduce the observed spectra of light sd-shell nuclei. (author)

Interaction function of coupled bursting neurons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Xia; Zhang Jiadong

2016-01-01

The interaction functions of electrically coupled Hindmarsh–Rose (HR) neurons for different firing patterns are investigated in this paper. By applying the phase reduction technique, the phase response curve (PRC) of the spiking neuron and burst phase response curve (BPRC) of the bursting neuron are derived. Then the interaction function of two coupled neurons can be calculated numerically according to the PRC (or BPRC) and the voltage time course of the neurons. Results show that the BPRC is more and more complicated with the increase of the spike number within a burst, and the curve of the interaction function oscillates more and more frequently with it. However, two certain things are unchanged: ϕ = 0, which corresponds to the in-phase synchronization state, is always the stable equilibrium, while the anti-phase synchronization state with ϕ = 0.5 is an unstable equilibrium. (paper)

Coupling functions: Universal insights into dynamical interaction mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Stankovski, Tomislav; Pereira, Tiago; McClintock, Peter V. E.; Stefanovska, Aneta

2017-10-01

The dynamical systems found in nature are rarely isolated. Instead they interact and influence each other. The coupling functions that connect them contain detailed information about the functional mechanisms underlying the interactions and prescribe the physical rule specifying how an interaction occurs. A coherent and comprehensive review is presented encompassing the rapid progress made recently in the analysis, understanding, and applications of coupling functions. The basic concepts and characteristics of coupling functions are presented through demonstrative examples of different domains, revealing the mechanisms and emphasizing their multivariate nature. The theory of coupling functions is discussed through gradually increasing complexity from strong and weak interactions to globally coupled systems and networks. A variety of methods that have been developed for the detection and reconstruction of coupling functions from measured data is described. These methods are based on different statistical techniques for dynamical inference. Stemming from physics, such methods are being applied in diverse areas of science and technology, including chemistry, biology, physiology, neuroscience, social sciences, mechanics, and secure communications. This breadth of application illustrates the universality of coupling functions for studying the interaction mechanisms of coupled dynamical systems.

Binding interactions between suberin monomer components and pesticides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olivella, M.À., E-mail: angels.olivella@udg.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politècnica Superior, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17071 Girona (Spain); Bazzicalupi, C.; Bianchi, A. [Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia, 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Río, J.C. del [Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, P.O. Box 1052, 41080 Seville (Spain); Fiol, N.; Villaescusa, I. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politècnica Superior, Universitat de Girona, Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 61, 17071 Girona (Spain)

2015-09-15

Understanding the role of biomacromolecules and their interactions with pollutants is a key for elucidating the sorption mechanisms and making an accurate assessment of the environmental fate of pollutants. The knowledge of the sorption properties of the different constituents of these biomacromolecules may furnish a significant contribution to this purpose. Suberin is a very abundant biopolymer in higher plants. In this study, suberin monomers isolated from cork were analyzed by thermally-assisted methylation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in a pyrolysis unit coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The isolated monomer mixture was used to study the sorption of three pesticides (isoproturon, methomyl and oxamyl). The modes of pesticide–sorbent interactions were analyzed by means of two modeling calculations, the first one representing only the mixture of suberin monomers used in the sorption study, and the second one including glycerol to the mixture of suberin monomers, as a building block of the suberin molecule. The results indicated that the highest sorption capacity exhibited by the sorbent was for isoproturon (33%) being methomyl and oxamyl sorbed by the main suberin components to a lesser extent (3% and < 1%, respectively). In addition to van der Waals interactions with the apolar region of sorbent and isoproturon, modeling calculations evidenced the formation of a hydrogen bond between the isoproturon NH group and a carboxylic oxygen atom of a suberin monomer. In the case of methomyl and oxamyl only weak van der Waals interactions stabilize the pesticide–sorbent adducts. The presence of glycerol in the model provoked significant changes in the interactions with isoproturon and methomyl. - Highlights: • Suberin has low affinity to retain pesticides of aliphatic character. • Suberin has a moderate affinity to adsorb isoproturon. • Modeling calculations show that apolar portion of suberin interacts with isoproturon. �

Binding interactions between suberin monomer components and pesticides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olivella, M.À.; Bazzicalupi, C.; Bianchi, A.; Río, J.C. del; Fiol, N.; Villaescusa, I.

2015-01-01

Understanding the role of biomacromolecules and their interactions with pollutants is a key for elucidating the sorption mechanisms and making an accurate assessment of the environmental fate of pollutants. The knowledge of the sorption properties of the different constituents of these biomacromolecules may furnish a significant contribution to this purpose. Suberin is a very abundant biopolymer in higher plants. In this study, suberin monomers isolated from cork were analyzed by thermally-assisted methylation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in a pyrolysis unit coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The isolated monomer mixture was used to study the sorption of three pesticides (isoproturon, methomyl and oxamyl). The modes of pesticide–sorbent interactions were analyzed by means of two modeling calculations, the first one representing only the mixture of suberin monomers used in the sorption study, and the second one including glycerol to the mixture of suberin monomers, as a building block of the suberin molecule. The results indicated that the highest sorption capacity exhibited by the sorbent was for isoproturon (33%) being methomyl and oxamyl sorbed by the main suberin components to a lesser extent (3% and < 1%, respectively). In addition to van der Waals interactions with the apolar region of sorbent and isoproturon, modeling calculations evidenced the formation of a hydrogen bond between the isoproturon NH group and a carboxylic oxygen atom of a suberin monomer. In the case of methomyl and oxamyl only weak van der Waals interactions stabilize the pesticide–sorbent adducts. The presence of glycerol in the model provoked significant changes in the interactions with isoproturon and methomyl. - Highlights: • Suberin has low affinity to retain pesticides of aliphatic character. • Suberin has a moderate affinity to adsorb isoproturon. • Modeling calculations show that apolar portion of suberin interacts with isoproturon. �

Self-interaction corrections in density functional theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuneda, Takao; Hirao, Kimihiko

2014-01-01

Self-interaction corrections for Kohn-Sham density functional theory are reviewed for their physical meanings, formulations, and applications. The self-interaction corrections get rid of the self-interaction error, which is the sum of the Coulomb and exchange self-interactions that remains because of the use of an approximate exchange functional. The most frequently used self-interaction correction is the Perdew-Zunger correction. However, this correction leads to instabilities in the electronic state calculations of molecules. To avoid these instabilities, several self-interaction corrections have been developed on the basis of the characteristic behaviors of self-interacting electrons, which have no two-electron interactions. These include the von Weizsäcker kinetic energy and long-range (far-from-nucleus) asymptotic correction. Applications of self-interaction corrections have shown that the self-interaction error has a serious effect on the states of core electrons, but it has a smaller than expected effect on valence electrons. This finding is supported by the fact that the distribution of self-interacting electrons indicates that they are near atomic nuclei rather than in chemical bonds

Emotional verbal fluency: a new task on emotion and executive function interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Sass, Katharina; Fetz, Karolina; Oetken, Sarah; Habel, Ute; Heim, Stefan

2013-09-01

The present study introduces "Emotional Verbal Fluency" as a novel (partially computerized) task, which is aimed to investigate the interaction between emotionally loaded words and executive functions. Verbal fluency tasks are thought to measure executive functions but the interaction with emotional aspects is hardly investigated. In the current study, a group of healthy subjects (n = 21, mean age 25 years, 76% females) were asked to generate items that are either part of a semantic category (e.g., plants, toys, vehicles; standard semantic verbal fluency) or can trigger the emotions joy, anger, sadness, fear and disgust. The results of the task revealed no differences between performance on semantic and emotional categories, suggesting a comparable task difficulty for healthy subjects. Hence, these first results on the comparison between semantic and emotional verbal fluency seem to highlight that both might be suitable for examining executive functioning. However, an interaction was found between the category type and repetition (first vs. second sequence of the same category) with larger performance decrease for semantic in comparison to emotional categories. Best performance overall was found for the emotional category "joy" suggesting a positivity bias in healthy subjects. To conclude, emotional verbal fluency is a promising approach to investigate emotional components in an executive task, which may stimulate further research, especially in psychiatric patients who suffer from emotional as well as cognitive deficits.

Emotional Verbal Fluency: A New Task on Emotion and Executive Function Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Oetken

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The present study introduces “Emotional Verbal Fluency” as a novel (partially computerized task, which is aimed to investigate the interaction between emotionally loaded words and executive functions. Verbal fluency tasks are thought to measure executive functions but the interaction with emotional aspects is hardly investigated. In the current study, a group of healthy subjects (n = 21, mean age 25 years, 76% females were asked to generate items that are either part of a semantic category (e.g., plants, toys, vehicles; standard semantic verbal fluency or can trigger the emotions joy, anger, sadness, fear and disgust. The results of the task revealed no differences between performance on semantic and emotional categories, suggesting a comparable task difficulty for healthy subjects. Hence, these first results on the comparison between semantic and emotional verbal fluency seem to highlight that both might be suitable for examining executive functioning. However, an interaction was found between the category type and repetition (first vs. second sequence of the same category with larger performance decrease for semantic in comparison to emotional categories. Best performance overall was found for the emotional category “joy” suggesting a positivity bias in healthy subjects. To conclude, emotional verbal fluency is a promising approach to investigate emotional components in an executive task, which may stimulate further research, especially in psychiatric patients who suffer from emotional as well as cognitive deficits.

Influence of functional food components on gut health.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Murphy L Y; Ling, K H; El-Nezami, Hani; Wang, M F

2018-01-30

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) lining the gastrointestinal tract establish a barrier between external environments and the internal milieu. An intact intestinal barrier maintains gut health and overall good health of the body by preventing from tissue injury, pathogen infection and disease development. When the intestinal barrier function is compromised, bacterial translocation can occur. Our gut microbiota also plays a fundamentally important role in health, for example, by maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, metabolism and modulating the immune system, etc. Any disruption of gut microbiota composition (also termed dysbiosis) can lead to various pathological conditions. In short, intestinal barrier and gut microbiota are two crucial factors affecting gut health. The gastrointestinal tract is a complex environment exposed to many dietary components and commensal bacteria. Dietary components are increasingly recognized to play various beneficial roles beyond basic nutrition, resulting in the development of the functional food concepts. Various dietary modifiers, including the consumption of live bacteria (probiotics) and ingestible food constituents such as prebiotics, as well as polyphenols or synbiotics (combinations of probiotics and prebiotics) are the most well characterized dietary bioactive compounds and have been demonstrated to beneficially impact the gut health and the overall well-being of the host. In this review we depict the roles of intestinal epithelium and gut microbiota in mucosal defence responses and the influence of certain functional food components on the modulation of gut health, with a particular focus on probiotics, prebiotics and polyphenols.

Extracting functional components of neural dynamics with Independent Component Analysis and inverse Current Source Density.

Science.gov (United States)

Lęski, Szymon; Kublik, Ewa; Swiejkowski, Daniel A; Wróbel, Andrzej; Wójcik, Daniel K

2010-12-01

Local field potentials have good temporal resolution but are blurred due to the slow spatial decay of the electric field. For simultaneous recordings on regular grids one can reconstruct efficiently the current sources (CSD) using the inverse Current Source Density method (iCSD). It is possible to decompose the resultant spatiotemporal information about the current dynamics into functional components using Independent Component Analysis (ICA). We show on test data modeling recordings of evoked potentials on a grid of 4 × 5 × 7 points that meaningful results are obtained with spatial ICA decomposition of reconstructed CSD. The components obtained through decomposition of CSD are better defined and allow easier physiological interpretation than the results of similar analysis of corresponding evoked potentials in the thalamus. We show that spatiotemporal ICA decompositions can perform better for certain types of sources but it does not seem to be the case for the experimental data studied. Having found the appropriate approach to decomposing neural dynamics into functional components we use the technique to study the somatosensory evoked potentials recorded on a grid spanning a large part of the forebrain. We discuss two example components associated with the first waves of activation of the somatosensory thalamus. We show that the proposed method brings up new, more detailed information on the time and spatial location of specific activity conveyed through various parts of the somatosensory thalamus in the rat.

Recovering four-component solutions by the inverse transformation of the infinite-order two-component wave functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barysz, Maria; Mentel, Lukasz; Leszczynski, Jerzy

2009-01-01

The two-component Hamiltonian of the infinite-order two-component (IOTC) theory is obtained by a unitary block-diagonalizing transformation of the Dirac-Hamiltonian. Once the IOTC spin orbitals are calculated, they can be back transformed into four-component solutions. The transformed four component solutions are then used to evaluate different moments of the electron density distribution. This formally exact method may, however, suffer from certain approximations involved in its numerical implementation. As shown by the present study, with sufficiently large basis set of Gaussian functions, the Dirac values of these moments are fully recovered in spite of using the approximate identity resolution into eigenvectors of the p 2 operator.

Calumenin interacts with serum amyloid P component

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vorum, H; Jacobsen, Christian; Honoré, Bent

2000-01-01

We recently reported the identification of human calumenin, a novel Ca(2+) binding, transformation-sensitive and secreted protein [Vorum et al. (1998) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1386, 121-131; Vorum et al. (1999) Exp. Cell Res. 248, 473-481] belonging to the family of multiple EF-hand proteins...... with calumenin in the presence of Ca(2+). Amino acid sequencing identified this protein as serum amyloid P component (SAP). Furthermore, we verified and characterized the calumenin-SAP interaction by the surface plasmon resonance technique. The findings indicate that calumenin may participate...... in the immunological defense system and could be involved in the pathological process of amyloidosis that leads to formation of amyloid deposits seen in different types of tissues. Udgivelsesdato: 2000-Jan-14...

Molecular structure and interactions of nucleic acid components in nanoparticles: ab initio calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubin, Yu.V.; Belous, L.F.

2012-01-01

Self-associates of nucleic acid components (stacking trimers and tetramers of the base pairs of nucleic acids) and short fragments of nucleic acids are nanoparticles (linear sizes of these particles are more than 10 A). Modern quantum-mechanical methods and softwares allow one to perform ab initio calculations of the systems consisting of 150-200 atoms with enough large basis sets (for example, 6-31G * ). The aim of this work is to reveal the peculiarities of molecular and electronic structures, as well as the energy features of nanoparticles of nucleic acid components. We had carried out ab initio calculations of the molecular structure and interactions in the stacking dimer, trimer, and tetramer of nucleic base pairs and in the stacking (TpG)(ApC) dimer and (TpGpC) (ApCpG) trimer of nucleotides, which are small DNA fragments. The performed calculations of molecular structures of dimers and trimers of nucleotide pairs showed that the interplanar distance in the structures studied is equal to 3.2 A on average, and the helical angle in a trimer is approximately equal to 30 o : The distance between phosphor atoms in neighboring chains is 13.1 A. For dimers and trimers under study, we calculated the horizontal interaction energies. The analysis of interplanar distances and angles between nucleic bases and their pairs in the calculated short oligomers of nucleic acid base pairs (stacking dimer, trimer, and tetramer) has been carried out. Studies of interactions in the calculated short oligomers showed a considerable role of the cross interaction in the stabilization of the structures. The contribution of cross interactions to the horizontal interactions grows with the length of an oligomer. Nanoparticle components get electric charges in nanoparticles. Longwave low-intensity bands can appear in the electron spectra of nanoparticles.

Three-dimensional fluid-structure interaction dynamics of a pool-reactor in-tank component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kulak, R.F.

1979-01-01

The safety evaluation of reactor-components often involves the analysis of various types of fluid/structural components interacting in three-dimensional space. For example, in the design of a pool-type reactor several vital in-tank components such as the primary pumps and the intermediate heat exchangers are contained within the primary tank. Typically, these components are suspended from the deck structure and largely submersed in the sodium pool. Because of this positioning these components are vulnerable to structural damage due to pressure wave propagation in the tank during a CDA. In order to assess the structural integrity of these components it is necessary to perform a dynamic analysis in three-dimensional space which accounts for the fluid-structure coupling. A model is developed which has many of the salient features of this fluid-structural component system

General optimization procedure towards the design of a new family of minimal parameter spin-component-scaled double-hybrid density functional theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Roch, Loïc M; Baldridge, Kim K

2017-10-04

A general optimization procedure towards the development and implementation of a new family of minimal parameter spin-component-scaled double-hybrid (mSD) density functional theory (DFT) is presented. The nature of the proposed exchange-correlation functional establishes a methodology with minimal empiricism. This new family of double-hybrid (DH) density functionals is demonstrated using the PBEPBE functional, illustrating the optimization procedure to the mSD-PBEPBE method, and the performance characteristics shown for a set of non-covalent complexes covering a broad regime of weak interactions. With only two parameters, mSD-PBEPBE and its cost-effective counterpart, RI-mSD-PBEPBE, show a mean absolute error of ca. 0.4 kcal mol -1 averaged over 66 weak interacting systems. Following a successive 2D-grid refinement for a CBS extrapolation of the coefficients, the optimization procedure can be recommended for the design and implementation of a variety of additional DH methods using any of the plethora of currently available functionals.

Physiological responses to taste signals of functional food components.

Science.gov (United States)

Narukawa, Masataka

2018-02-01

The functions of food have three categories: nutrition, palatability, and bioregulation. As the onset of lifestyle-related diseases has increased, many people have shown interest in functional foods that are beneficial to bioregulation. We believe that functional foods should be highly palatable for increased acceptance from consumers. In order to design functional foods with a high palatability, we have investigated about the palatability, especially in relation to the taste of food. In this review, we discuss (1) the identification of taste receptors that respond to functional food components; (2) an analysis of the peripheral taste transduction system; and (3) the investigation of the relationship between physiological functions and taste signals.

Calculation of deuteron wave functions with relativistic interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buck, W.W. III.

1976-01-01

Deuteron wave functions with a repulsive core are obtained numerically from a fully relativistic wave equation introduced by Gross. The numerical technique enables analytic solutions for classes of interactions composed of the relativistic exchanges of a single pion and a single phenomenological meson, sigma. The pion is chosen to interact as a mixture of pseudoscalar and pseudovector. The amount of mixture is determined by a free mixing parameter, lambda, ranging between 1 (pure pseudoscalar) and (pure pseudovector). Each value of lambda corresponds, then, to a different interaction. Solutions are found for lambda = 1, .9, .8, .6, and 0. The wave functions for each interaction come in a group of four. Of the four wave functions, two are the usual S and D state wave functions, while the remaining two, arising out of the relativistic prescription, are identified as 3 P 1 and 1 P 1 wave functions (P state wave functions). For the interactions solved for, the D state probabilities ranged between 5.1 percent and 6.3 percent, while the total P state probabilities ranged between 0.7 percent and 2.7 percent. The method of obtaining solutions was to adjust the sigma meson parameters to give the correct binding energy and a good quadrupole moment. All wave functions obtained are applied to relativistic N-d scattering in the backward direction where the effect of the P states is quite measurable

Time-dependent density functional theory for multi-component systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiecheng Li; Peiqing Tong

1985-10-01

The Runge-Gross version of Hohenberg-Kohn-Sham's density functional theory is generalized to multi-component systems, both for arbitrary time-dependent pure states and for arbitrary time-dependent ensembles. (author)

Predictability of Genetic Interactions from Functional Gene Modules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan H. Young

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Characterizing genetic interactions is crucial to understanding cellular and organismal response to gene-level perturbations. Such knowledge can inform the selection of candidate disease therapy targets, yet experimentally determining whether genes interact is technically nontrivial and time-consuming. High-fidelity prediction of different classes of genetic interactions in multiple organisms would substantially alleviate this experimental burden. Under the hypothesis that functionally related genes tend to share common genetic interaction partners, we evaluate a computational approach to predict genetic interactions in Homo sapiens, Drosophila melanogaster, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By leveraging knowledge of functional relationships between genes, we cross-validate predictions on known genetic interactions and observe high predictive power of multiple classes of genetic interactions in all three organisms. Additionally, our method suggests high-confidence candidate interaction pairs that can be directly experimentally tested. A web application is provided for users to query genes for predicted novel genetic interaction partners. Finally, by subsampling the known yeast genetic interaction network, we found that novel genetic interactions are predictable even when knowledge of currently known interactions is minimal.

Unveiling protein functions through the dynamics of the interaction network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irene Sendiña-Nadal

Full Text Available Protein interaction networks have become a tool to study biological processes, either for predicting molecular functions or for designing proper new drugs to regulate the main biological interactions. Furthermore, such networks are known to be organized in sub-networks of proteins contributing to the same cellular function. However, the protein function prediction is not accurate and each protein has traditionally been assigned to only one function by the network formalism. By considering the network of the physical interactions between proteins of the yeast together with a manual and single functional classification scheme, we introduce a method able to reveal important information on protein function, at both micro- and macro-scale. In particular, the inspection of the properties of oscillatory dynamics on top of the protein interaction network leads to the identification of misclassification problems in protein function assignments, as well as to unveil correct identification of protein functions. We also demonstrate that our approach can give a network representation of the meta-organization of biological processes by unraveling the interactions between different functional classes.

Centrality of Social Interaction in Human Brain Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Hari, Riitta; Henriksson, Linda; Malinen, Sanna; Parkkonen, Lauri

2015-10-07

People are embedded in social interaction that shapes their brains throughout lifetime. Instead of emerging from lower-level cognitive functions, social interaction could be the default mode via which humans communicate with their environment. Should this hypothesis be true, it would have profound implications on how we think about brain functions and how we dissect and simulate them. We suggest that the research on the brain basis of social cognition and interaction should move from passive spectator science to studies including engaged participants and simultaneous recordings from the brains of the interacting persons. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional Connectivity Parcellation of the Human Thalamus by Independent Component Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Sheng; Li, Chiang-Shan R

2017-11-01

As a key structure to relay and integrate information, the thalamus supports multiple cognitive and affective functions through the connectivity between its subnuclei and cortical and subcortical regions. Although extant studies have largely described thalamic regional functions in anatomical terms, evidence accumulates to suggest a more complex picture of subareal activities and connectivities of the thalamus. In this study, we aimed to parcellate the thalamus and examine whole-brain connectivity of its functional clusters. With resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 96 adults, we used independent component analysis (ICA) to parcellate the thalamus into 10 components. On the basis of the independence assumption, ICA helps to identify how subclusters overlap spatially. Whole brain functional connectivity of each subdivision was computed for independent component's time course (ICtc), which is a unique time series to represent an IC. For comparison, we computed seed-region-based functional connectivity using the averaged time course across all voxels within a thalamic subdivision. The results showed that, at p analysis, ICtc analysis revealed patterns of connectivity that were more distinguished between thalamic clusters. ICtc analysis demonstrated thalamic connectivity to the primary motor cortex, which has eluded the analysis as well as previous studies based on averaged time series, and clarified thalamic connectivity to the hippocampus, caudate nucleus, and precuneus. The new findings elucidate functional organization of the thalamus and suggest that ICA clustering in combination with ICtc rather than seed-region analysis better distinguishes whole-brain connectivities among functional clusters of a brain region.

van der Waals forces in density functional theory: Perturbational long-range electron-interaction corrections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angyan, Janos G.; Gerber, Iann C.; Savin, Andreas; Toulouse, Julien

2005-01-01

Long-range exchange and correlation effects, responsible for the failure of currently used approximate density functionals in describing van der Waals forces, are taken into account explicitly after a separation of the electron-electron interaction in the Hamiltonian into short- and long-range components. We propose a 'range-separated hybrid' functional based on a local density approximation for the short-range exchange-correlation energy, combined with a long-range exact exchange energy. Long-range correlation effects are added by a second-order perturbational treatment. The resulting scheme is general and is particularly well adapted to describe van der Waals complexes, such as rare gas dimers

Hepatoprotective effects of kombucha tea: identification of functional strains and quantification of functional components.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yong; Ji, Baoping; Wu, Wei; Wang, Ruojun; Yang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Di; Tian, Wenli

2014-01-30

Kombucha tea (KT), a traditional health beverage containing potential hepatoprotective agents, is fermented from sugared tea by a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria for 8 days. However, the functional strains that produce components for the hepatoprotective property of KT remain unclear. Multiple strains are involved in traditional KT production. Therefore, KT has not been standardized or produced commercially. This study aimed to identify the functional strains and quantify the functional components with hepatoprotective effects in kombucha tea. Gluconacetobacter sp. A4 was one of the microorganisms in KT in which the D-saccharic acid-1,4-lactone (DSL) produced by G. sp. A4 was significantly higher than that produced by original tea fungus at 8 days of fermentation. Traditional KT (TKT, tea broth fermented by mixed tea fungus), modified KT (MKT, fermented by single G. sp. A4), and DSL significantly inhibited the acetaminophen-induced increase of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride and malondialdehyde, as well as facilitating the reduction of total antioxidant capacity in mice. Furthermore, MKT and TKT are both similar to DSL in terms of protection against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice. These results suggested a positive relationship between DSL content and the hepatoprotective effect of TKT, MKT and DSL groups. G. sp. A4 was concluded to be a potential functional strain and DSL might be the key functional component for the hepatoprotective property in KT. The stronger capability of G. sp. A4 in producing DSL makes it a better choice for the commercial production of KT. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Studies on the interaction of blood components with ultra-smooth polymer surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlson, T.H. [New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States). School of Medicine

1989-04-17

This report is in three parts, though each is briefly described data is provided. The three parts address (1) radioiodination of human thrombin and fibrinogen; (2) interaction of blood components with ultra- smooth polymer surfaces; and (3) initial studies of Tecoflex and treated Tecoflex cups with normal serum samples.

Interaction between Palladium Nanoparticles and Surface-Modified Carbon Nanotubes: Role of Surface Functionalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Bingsen; Shao, Lidong; Zhang, Wei

2014-01-01

degrees C. We focus on probing the effects of oxygen and nitrogen-containing functional groups on supported palladium nanoparticles (NPs) in the model catalytic system. The stability of palladium NPs supported on CNTs depends strongly on the surface properties of CNTs. Moreover, the oxygen...... feature, instability, and subtle response of the components upon application of an external field. Herein, we use insitu TEM, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques to record the interaction in palladium on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from room temperature to 600...

Interactive web-based programs to teach functional anatomy: the pterygopalatine fossa.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinav, Ahmet; Ambron, Richard

2004-07-01

Certain areas of the body contain structures that are difficult to envision in their proper spatial orientations and whose functions are complex and difficult to grasp. This is especially true in the head, where many structures are relatively small and inaccessible. To address this problem, we are designing Web-based programs that consist of high-resolution interactive bitmap illustrations, prepared using Adobe Photoshop, and vector-based animations, prepared via Macromedia Flash. Flash action script language is used for the animations. We have used this approach to prepare a program on the pterygopalatine fossa, an important neurovascular junction in the deep face that is especially difficult to approach by dissection and to depict in static images in an atlas. The program can be viewed online at http://cds.osr.columbia.edu/anatomy/ppfossa/. A table of contents simplifies navigation through the program and a menu enables the user to identify each of the vascular and neuronal components and either to insert or to remove each from its position in the fossa. The functional anatomy of the nerves in the fossa is animated. For example, users can activate and subsequently follow action potentials as they course along axons to their targets. This high degree of interactivity helps promote learning.

IR-360 nuclear power plant safety functions and component classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousefpour, F.; Shokri, F.; Soltani, H.

2010-01-01

The IR-360 nuclear power plant as a 2-loop PWR of 360 MWe power generation capacity is under design in MASNA Company. For design of the IR-360 structures, systems and components (SSCs), the codes and standards and their design requirements must be determined. It is a prerequisite to classify the IR-360 safety functions and safety grade of structures, systems and components correctly for selecting and adopting the suitable design codes and standards. This paper refers to the IAEA nuclear safety codes and standards as well as USNRC standard system to determine the IR-360 safety functions and to formulate the principles of the IR-360 component classification in accordance with the safety philosophy and feature of the IR-360. By implementation of defined classification procedures for the IR-360 SSCs, the appropriate design codes and standards are specified. The requirements of specific codes and standards are used in design process of IR-360 SSCs by design engineers of MASNA Company. In this paper, individual determination of the IR-360 safety functions and definition of the classification procedures and roles are presented. Implementation of this work which is described with example ensures the safety and reliability of the IR-360 nuclear power plant.

IR-360 nuclear power plant safety functions and component classification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yousefpour, F., E-mail: fyousefpour@snira.co [Management of Nuclear Power Plant Construction Company (MASNA) (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shokri, F.; Soltani, H. [Management of Nuclear Power Plant Construction Company (MASNA) (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-10-15

The IR-360 nuclear power plant as a 2-loop PWR of 360 MWe power generation capacity is under design in MASNA Company. For design of the IR-360 structures, systems and components (SSCs), the codes and standards and their design requirements must be determined. It is a prerequisite to classify the IR-360 safety functions and safety grade of structures, systems and components correctly for selecting and adopting the suitable design codes and standards. This paper refers to the IAEA nuclear safety codes and standards as well as USNRC standard system to determine the IR-360 safety functions and to formulate the principles of the IR-360 component classification in accordance with the safety philosophy and feature of the IR-360. By implementation of defined classification procedures for the IR-360 SSCs, the appropriate design codes and standards are specified. The requirements of specific codes and standards are used in design process of IR-360 SSCs by design engineers of MASNA Company. In this paper, individual determination of the IR-360 safety functions and definition of the classification procedures and roles are presented. Implementation of this work which is described with example ensures the safety and reliability of the IR-360 nuclear power plant.

Accelerator system for producing two-component beams for studies of interactive surface effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaminsky, M.; Das, S.K.; Ekern, R.; Hess, D.C.

1977-01-01

For studies of interactive surface effects caused by the simultaneous bombardment of targets by both chemically active and inactive ion species (e.g., D + and He + , respectively) a two beam component accelerator facility was placed in operation. One component, consisting of light ions (e.g., H, D, He) is accelerated by a 2-MV Van de Graaff accelerator which provides a mass analyzed and focussed beam for the energy range from approximately 100-keV to 2-MeV (for singly charged ions). The other component is a beam of light ions in the energy range from approximately 10-keV to 100-keV. This is furnished by a 100-kV dc accelerator system which provides a mass analyzed focussed beam. This beam is guided into the beam line of the Van de Graaff accelerator electrostatically, and with the aid of beam steerers it is made to be co-axial with the Van de Graaff generated beam. The angle of incidence becomes hereby a free parameter for the interaction of the mixed beams with a surface. For each beam component, current densities of 650 μA cm -2 on target can readily be obtained. In order to reduce carbon contamination of the irradiated targets significantly, stainless steel beam lines have been used together with a combination of turbomolecular pumps and ion-sublimation pumps.A total pressure of 2 to 3 x 10 -8 torr in the beam lines and of 2 x 10 -9 torr in the target chamber can be obtained readily. Experimental results on the surface damage of Ni bombarded simultaneously with He + and D + ions are presented. The importance of such studies of interactive surface effects for the controlled thermonuclear fusion program are discussed

Near term and long term materials issues and development needs for plasma interactive components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattas, R.F.

1986-01-01

Plasma interactive components (PICs), including the first wall, limiter blades, divertor collector plates, halo scrapers, and RF launchers, are exposed to high particle fluxes that can result in high sputtering erosion rates and high heat fluxes. In addition, the materials in reactors are exposed to high neutron fluxes which will degrade the bulk properties. This severe environment will limit the materials and designs which can be used in fusion devices. In order to provide a reasonable degree of confidence that plasma interactive components will operate successfully, a comprehensive development program is needed. Materials research and development plays a key role in the successful development of PICs. The range of operating conditions along with a summary of the major issues for materials development is described. The areas covered include plasma/materials interactions, erosion/redeposition, baseline materials properties, fabrication, and irradiation damage effects. Candidate materials and materials development needs in the near term and long term are identified

Potyvirus helper component-proteinase self-interaction in the yeast two-hybrid system and delineation of the interaction domain involved.

Science.gov (United States)

Urcuqui-Inchima, S; Walter, J; Drugeon, G; German-Retana, S; Haenni, A L; Candresse, T; Bernardi, F; Le Gall, O

1999-05-25

Using the yeast two-hybrid system, a screen was performed for possible interactions between the proteins encoded by the 5' region of potyviral genomes [P1, helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro), and P3]. A positive self-interaction involving HC-Pro was detected with lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) and potato virus Y (PVY). The possibility of heterologous interaction between the HC-Pro of LMV and of PVY was also demonstrated. No interaction involving either the P1 or the P3 proteins was detected. A series of ordered deletions from either the N- or C-terminal end of the LMV HC-Pro was used to map the domain involved in interaction to the 72 N-terminal amino acids of the protein, a region known to be dispensable for virus viability but necessary for aphid transmission. A similar but less detailed analysis mapped the interacting domain to the N-terminal half of the PVY HC-Pro. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

A proteomic analysis of LRRK2 binding partners reveals interactions with multiple signaling components of the WNT/PCP pathway.

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Salašová, Alena; Yokota, Chika; Potěšil, David; Zdráhal, Zbyněk; Bryja, Vítězslav; Arenas, Ernest

2017-07-11

Autosomal-dominant mutations in the Park8 gene encoding Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) have been identified to cause up to 40% of the genetic forms of Parkinson's disease. However, the function and molecular pathways regulated by LRRK2 are largely unknown. It has been shown that LRRK2 serves as a scaffold during activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling via its interaction with the β-catenin destruction complex, DVL1-3 and LRP6. In this study, we examine whether LRRK2 also interacts with signaling components of the WNT/Planar Cell Polarity (WNT/PCP) pathway, which controls the maturation of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons, the main cell type lost in Parkinson's disease patients. Co-immunoprecipitation and tandem mass spectrometry was performed in a mouse substantia nigra cell line (SN4741) and human HEK293T cell line in order to identify novel LRRK2 binding partners. Inhibition of the WNT/β-catenin reporter, TOPFlash, was used as a read-out of WNT/PCP pathway activation. The capacity of LRRK2 to regulate WNT/PCP signaling in vivo was tested in Xenopus laevis' early development. Our proteomic analysis identified that LRRK2 interacts with proteins involved in WNT/PCP signaling such as the PDZ domain-containing protein GIPC1 and Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) in dopaminergic cells in vitro and in the mouse ventral midbrain in vivo. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that LRRK2 binds to two core components of the WNT/PCP signaling pathway, PRICKLE1 and CELSR1, as well as to FLOTILLIN-2 and CULLIN-3, which regulate WNT secretion and inhibit WNT/β-catenin signaling, respectively. We also found that PRICKLE1 and LRRK2 localize in signalosomes and act as dual regulators of WNT/PCP and β-catenin signaling. Accordingly, analysis of the function of LRRK2 in vivo, in X. laevis revelaed that LRKK2 not only inhibits WNT/β-catenin pathway, but induces a classical WNT/PCP phenotype in vivo. Our study shows for the first time that LRRK2 activates the WNT

Annexin-Phospholipid Interactions. Functional Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Turnay

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Annexins constitute an evolutionary conserved multigene protein superfamily characterized by their ability to interact with biological membranes in a calcium dependent manner. They are expressed by all living organisms with the exception of certain unicellular organisms. The vertebrate annexin core is composed of four (eight in annexin A6 homologous domains of around 70 amino acids, with the overall shape of a slightly bent ring surrounding a central hydrophilic pore. Calcium- and phospholipid-binding sites are located on the convex side while the N-terminus links domains I and IV on the concave side. The N-terminus region shows great variability in length and amino acid sequence and it greatly influences protein stability and specific functions of annexins. These proteins interact mainly with acidic phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine, but differences are found regarding their affinity for lipids and calcium requirements for the interaction. Annexins are involved in a wide range of intra- and extracellular biological processes in vitro, most of them directly related with the conserved ability to bind to phospholipid bilayers: membrane trafficking, membrane-cytoskeleton anchorage, ion channel activity and regulation, as well as antiinflammatory and anticoagulant activities. However, the in vivo physiological functions of annexins are just beginning to be established.

Component framework support for developing device drivers

OpenAIRE

Michiels, Sam; Kenens, Peter; Matthijs, Frank; Walravens, Dirk; Berbers, Yolande; Verbaeten, Pierre

2000-01-01

In this paper, we advocate the use of component framework technology for developing state-of-the-art system software. Relevant contributions of DiPS (Distrinet Protocol Stack), a component framework, include its anonymous interaction model, connectors for handling non-functional issues such as the concurrency model, and builder support. DiPS has effectively been used in industrial protocol stacks. This paper shows how we are using the DiPS component framework to build and support flexib...

A Layered Searchable Encryption Scheme with Functional Components Independent of Encryption Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Guangchun; Qin, Ke

2014-01-01

Searchable encryption technique enables the users to securely store and search their documents over the remote semitrusted server, which is especially suitable for protecting sensitive data in the cloud. However, various settings (based on symmetric or asymmetric encryption) and functionalities (ranked keyword query, range query, phrase query, etc.) are often realized by different methods with different searchable structures that are generally not compatible with each other, which limits the scope of application and hinders the functional extensions. We prove that asymmetric searchable structure could be converted to symmetric structure, and functions could be modeled separately apart from the core searchable structure. Based on this observation, we propose a layered searchable encryption (LSE) scheme, which provides compatibility, flexibility, and security for various settings and functionalities. In this scheme, the outputs of the core searchable component based on either symmetric or asymmetric setting are converted to some uniform mappings, which are then transmitted to loosely coupled functional components to further filter the results. In such a way, all functional components could directly support both symmetric and asymmetric settings. Based on LSE, we propose two representative and novel constructions for ranked keyword query (previously only available in symmetric scheme) and range query (previously only available in asymmetric scheme). PMID:24719565

Functional Interaction Network Construction and Analysis for Disease Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Guanming; Haw, Robin

2017-01-01

Network-based approaches project seemingly unrelated genes or proteins onto a large-scale network context, therefore providing a holistic visualization and analysis platform for genomic data generated from high-throughput experiments, reducing the dimensionality of data via using network modules and increasing the statistic analysis power. Based on the Reactome database, the most popular and comprehensive open-source biological pathway knowledgebase, we have developed a highly reliable protein functional interaction network covering around 60 % of total human genes and an app called ReactomeFIViz for Cytoscape, the most popular biological network visualization and analysis platform. In this chapter, we describe the detailed procedures on how this functional interaction network is constructed by integrating multiple external data sources, extracting functional interactions from human curated pathway databases, building a machine learning classifier called a Naïve Bayesian Classifier, predicting interactions based on the trained Naïve Bayesian Classifier, and finally constructing the functional interaction database. We also provide an example on how to use ReactomeFIViz for performing network-based data analysis for a list of genes.

Effects of Applied Nitrogen Amounts on the Functional Components of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Leaves.

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Sugiyama, Mari; Takahashi, Makoto; Katsube, Takuya; Koyama, Akio; Itamura, Hiroyuki

2016-09-21

This study investigated the effects of applied nitrogen amounts on specific functional components in mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves. The relationships between mineral elements and the functional components in mulberry leaves were examined using mulberry trees cultivated in different soil conditions in four cultured fields. Then, the relationships between the nitrogen levels and the leaf functional components were studied by culturing mulberry in plastic pots and experimental fields. In the common cultured fields, total nitrogen was negatively correlated with the chlorogenic acid content (R(2) = -0.48) and positively correlated with the 1-deoxynojirimycin content (R(2) = 0.60). Additionally, differences in nitrogen fertilizer application levels affected each functional component in mulberry leaves. For instance, with increased nitrogen levels, the chlorogenic acid and flavonol contents significantly decreased, but the 1-deoxynojirimycin content significantly increased. Selection of the optimal nitrogen application level is necessary to obtain the desired functional components from mulberry leaves.

A global interaction network maps a wiring diagram of cellular function

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Costanzo, Michael; VanderSluis, Benjamin; Koch, Elizabeth N.; Baryshnikova, Anastasia; Pons, Carles; Tan, Guihong; Wang, Wen; Usaj, Matej; Hanchard, Julia; Lee, Susan D.; Pelechano, Vicent; Styles, Erin B.; Billmann, Maximilian; van Leeuwen, Jolanda; van Dyk, Nydia; Lin, Zhen-Yuan; Kuzmin, Elena; Nelson, Justin; Piotrowski, Jeff S.; Srikumar, Tharan; Bahr, Sondra; Chen, Yiqun; Deshpande, Raamesh; Kurat, Christoph F.; Li, Sheena C.; Li, Zhijian; Usaj, Mojca Mattiazzi; Okada, Hiroki; Pascoe, Natasha; Luis, Bryan-Joseph San; Sharifpoor, Sara; Shuteriqi, Emira; Simpkins, Scott W.; Snider, Jamie; Suresh, Harsha Garadi; Tan, Yizhao; Zhu, Hongwei; Malod-Dognin, Noel; Janjic, Vuk; Przulj, Natasa; Troyanskaya, Olga G.; Stagljar, Igor; Xia, Tian; Ohya, Yoshikazu; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Raught, Brian; Boutros, Michael; Steinmetz, Lars M.; Moore, Claire L.; Rosebrock, Adam P.; Caudy, Amy A.; Myers, Chad L.; Andrews, Brenda; Boone, Charles

2017-01-01

We generated a global genetic interaction network for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, constructing over 23 million double mutants, identifying ~550,000 negative and ~350,000 positive genetic interactions. This comprehensive network maps genetic interactions for essential gene pairs, highlighting essential genes as densely connected hubs. Genetic interaction profiles enabled assembly of a hierarchical model of cell function, including modules corresponding to protein complexes and pathways, biological processes, and cellular compartments. Negative interactions connected functionally related genes, mapped core bioprocesses, and identified pleiotropic genes, whereas positive interactions often mapped general regulatory connections among gene pairs, rather than shared functionality. The global network illustrates how coherent sets of genetic interactions connect protein complex and pathway modules to map a functional wiring diagram of the cell. PMID:27708008

Estimation of the binding modes with important human cytochrome P450 enzymes, drug interaction potential, pharmacokinetics, and hepatotoxicity of ginger components using molecular docking, computational, and pharmacokinetic modeling studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Jia-Xuan; Zhou, Zhi-Wei; He, Zhi-Xu; Zhang, Xueji; Zhou, Shu-Feng; Zhu, Shengrong

2015-01-01

Ginger is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines for the treatment of numerous ailments and improvement of body functions. It may be used in combination with prescribed drugs. The coadministration of ginger with therapeutic drugs raises a concern of potential deleterious drug interactions via the modulation of the expression and/or activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, resulting in unfavorable therapeutic outcomes. This study aimed to determine the molecular interactions between 12 main active ginger components (6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, 10-shogaol, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene, β-sesquiphelandrene, 6-gingerdione, (-)-zingiberene, and methyl-6-isogingerol) and human cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4 and to predict the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) of the 12 ginger components using computational approaches and comprehensive literature search. Docking studies showed that ginger components interacted with a panel of amino acids in the active sites of CYP1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4 mainly through hydrogen bond formation, to a lesser extent, via π-π stacking. The pharmacokinetic simulation studies showed that the [I]/[Ki ] value for CYP2C9, 2C19, and 3A4 ranged from 0.0002 to 19.6 and the R value ranged from 1.0002 to 20.6 and that ginger might exhibit a high risk of drug interaction via inhibition of the activity of human CYP2C9 and CYP3A4, but a low risk of drug interaction toward CYP2C19-mediated drug metabolism. Furthermore, it has been evaluated that the 12 ginger components possessed a favorable ADMET profiles with regard to the solubility, absorption, permeability across the blood-brain barrier, interactions with CYP2D6, hepatotoxicity, and plasma protein binding. The validation results showed that there was no remarkable effect of ginger on the metabolism of warfarin in humans, whereas concurrent use of ginger and nifedipine exhibited a

Synaptotagmin 11 interacts with components of the RNA-induced silencing complex RISC in clonal pancreatic β-cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Milochau, Alexandra; Lagrée, Valérie; Benassy, Marie-Noëlle; Chaignepain, Stéphane; Papin, Julien; Garcia-Arcos, Itsaso; Lajoix, Anne; Monterrat, Carole; Coudert, Laetitia; Schmitter, Jean-Marie; Ochoa, Begoña; Lang, Jochen

2014-06-27

Synaptotagmins are two C2 domain-containing transmembrane proteins. The function of calcium-sensitive members in the regulation of post-Golgi traffic has been well established whereas little is known about the calcium-insensitive isoforms constituting half of the protein family. Novel binding partners of synaptotagmin 11 were identified in β-cells. A number of them had been assigned previously to ER/Golgi derived-vesicles or linked to RNA synthesis, translation and processing. Whereas the C2A domain interacted with the Q-SNARE Vti1a, the C2B domain of syt11 interacted with the SND1, Ago2 and FMRP, components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Binding to SND was direct via its N-terminal tandem repeats. Our data indicate that syt11 may provide a link between gene regulation by microRNAs and membrane traffic. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional Components of Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Investigation

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Jordi A. Matias-Guiu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available BackgroundCognitive impairment is frequent and disabling in multiple sclerosis (MS. Changes in information processing speed constitute the most important cognitive deficit in MS. However, given the clinical and topographical variability of the disease, cognitive impairment may vary greatly and appear in other forms in addition to slower information processing speed. Our aim was to determine the frequency of cognitive impairment, the principal cognitive domains, and components involved in MS and to identify factors associated with presence of cognitive impairment in these patients in a large series of patients.MethodsCross-sectional study of 311 patients with MS [236 with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS, 52 with secondary progressive MS (SPMS, and 23 with primary progressive MS (PPMS]. Patients’ cognitive function was assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment protocol. Patients displaying deficits in 2 or more cognitive domains were considered to have cognitive impairment associated with MS. We conducted a principal component analysis to detect different cognitive patterns by identifying clusters of tests highly correlated to one another.ResultsCognitive impairment was detected in 41.5% of the sample, and it was more frequent in patients with SPMS and PPMS (P = 0.002. Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and education were independent predictors of cognitive impairment. Principal component analysis identified seven clusters: attention and basic executive function (including information processing speed, planning and high-level executive function, verbal memory and language, executive and visuospatial performance time, fatigue-depression, visuospatial function, and basic attention and verbal/visual working memory. Mean scoring of components 2 (high-order executive functioning and 3 (verbal memory-language was higher in patients with RRMS than in those with PPMS (component 2 and SPMS (component 3.ConclusionMS is linked to

RISM theory distribution functions for Lennard--Jones interaction site fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.; Hazoume, R.P.

1978-01-01

Reference interaction site model (RISM) theory distribution functions for Lennard-Jones interaction site fluids are discussed. The comparison with computer simulation results suggests that these distribution functions are as accurate as RISM distribution functions for fused hard sphere molecular fluids

Collapse and coexistence for a molecular braid with an attractive interaction component subject to mechanical forces.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Dominic J O'

2015-04-15

Dual mechanical braiding experiments provide a useful tool with which to investigate the nature of interactions between rod-like molecules, for instance actin and DNA. In conditions close to molecular condensation, one would expect an appearance of a local minimum in the interaction potential between the two molecules. We investigate this situation, introducing an attractive component into the interaction potential, using a model developed for describing such experiments. We consider both attractive interactions that do not depend on molecular structure and those which depend on a DNA-like helix structure. In braiding experiments, an attractive term may lead to certain effects. A local minimum may cause molecules to collapse from a loosely braided configuration into a tight one, occurring at a critical value of the moment applied about the axis of the braid. For a fixed number of braid pitches, this may lead to coexistence between the two braiding states, tight and loose. Coexistence implies certain proportions of the braid are in each state, their relative size depending on the number of braid pitches. This manifests itself as a linear dependence in numerically calculated quantities as functions of the number of braid pitches. Also, in the collapsed state, the braid radius stays roughly constant. Furthermore, if the attractive interaction is helix dependent, the left-right handed braid symmetry is broken. For a DNA like charge distribution, using the Kornyshev-Leikin interaction model, our results suggest that significant braid collapse and coexistence only occurs for left handed braids. Regardless of the interaction model, the study highlights the possible qualitative physics of braid collapse and coexistence; and the role helix specific forces might play, if important. The model could be used to connect other microscopic theories of interaction with braiding experiments.

Collapse and coexistence for a molecular braid with an attractive interaction component subject to mechanical forces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dominic J

2015-01-01

Dual mechanical braiding experiments provide a useful tool with which to investigate the nature of interactions between rod-like molecules, for instance actin and DNA. In conditions close to molecular condensation, one would expect an appearance of a local minimum in the interaction potential between the two molecules. We investigate this situation, introducing an attractive component into the interaction potential, using a model developed for describing such experiments. We consider both attractive interactions that do not depend on molecular structure and those which depend on a DNA-like helix structure. In braiding experiments, an attractive term may lead to certain effects. A local minimum may cause molecules to collapse from a loosely braided configuration into a tight one, occurring at a critical value of the moment applied about the axis of the braid. For a fixed number of braid pitches, this may lead to coexistence between the two braiding states, tight and loose. Coexistence implies certain proportions of the braid are in each state, their relative size depending on the number of braid pitches. This manifests itself as a linear dependence in numerically calculated quantities as functions of the number of braid pitches. Also, in the collapsed state, the braid radius stays roughly constant. Furthermore, if the attractive interaction is helix dependent, the left-right handed braid symmetry is broken. For a DNA like charge distribution, using the Kornyshev–Leikin interaction model, our results suggest that significant braid collapse and coexistence only occurs for left handed braids. Regardless of the interaction model, the study highlights the possible qualitative physics of braid collapse and coexistence; and the role helix specific forces might play, if important. The model could be used to connect other microscopic theories of interaction with braiding experiments. (paper)

Dynamic interaction of components, structure, and foundation of nuclear power facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pajuhesh, J.; Hadjian, A.H.

1977-01-01

A solution is formulated for the dynamic analysis of structures and components with different stiffness and damping characteristics, including the consideration of soil-structure interaction effects. Composite structures are often analysed approximately, in particular with regards to damping. For example, the reactor and other equipment in nuclear power plant structures are often analysed by assuming them uncoupled from the supporting structures. To achieve a better accuracy, the coupled system is hereby analysed as a composite component-structure-soil system. To demonstrate the assembly technique, two examples are considered: (a) a steel structure sitting on a concrete stem and linked by a steel bridge to another concrete structure, and (b) an actual model of a nuclear power plant containment structure. (Auth.)

Specificity of interactions among the DNA-packaging machine components of T4-related bacteriophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Song; Rao, Venigalla B

2011-02-04

Tailed bacteriophages use powerful molecular motors to package the viral genome into a preformed capsid. Packaging at a rate of up to ∼2000 bp/s and generating a power density twice that of an automobile engine, the phage T4 motor is the fastest and most powerful reported to date. Central to DNA packaging are dynamic interactions among the packaging components, capsid (gp23), portal (gp20), motor (gp17, large "terminase"), and regulator (gp16, small terminase), leading to precise orchestration of the packaging process, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we analyzed the interactions between small and large terminases of T4-related phages. Our results show that the gp17 packaging ATPase is maximally stimulated by homologous, but not heterologous, gp16. Multiple interaction sites are identified in both gp16 and gp17. The specificity determinants in gp16 are clustered in the diverged N- and C-terminal domains (regions I-III). Swapping of diverged region(s), such as replacing C-terminal RB49 region III with that of T4, switched ATPase stimulation specificity. Two specificity regions, amino acids 37-52 and 290-315, are identified in or near the gp17-ATPase "transmission" subdomain II. gp16 binding at these sites might cause a conformational change positioning the ATPase-coupling residues into the catalytic pocket, triggering ATP hydrolysis. These results lead to a model in which multiple weak interactions between motor and regulator allow dynamic assembly and disassembly of various packaging complexes, depending on the functional state of the packaging machine. This might be a general mechanism for regulation of the phage packaging machine and other complex molecular machines.

Multi-function robots with speech interaction and emotion feedback

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongyu; Lou, Guanting; Ma, Mengchao

2018-03-01

Nowadays, the service robots have been applied in many public circumstances; however, most of them still don’t have the function of speech interaction, especially the function of speech-emotion interaction feedback. To make the robot more humanoid, Arduino microcontroller was used in this study for the speech recognition module and servo motor control module to achieve the functions of the robot’s speech interaction and emotion feedback. In addition, W5100 was adopted for network connection to achieve information transmission via Internet, providing broad application prospects for the robot in the area of Internet of Things (IoT).

Cumulative organic anion transporter-mediated drug-drug interaction potential of multiple components in salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen) preparations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Venitz, Jürgen; Sweet, Douglas H

2014-12-01

To evaluate organic anion transporter-mediated drug-drug interaction (DDI) potential for individual active components of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) vs. combinations using in vitro and in silico approaches. Inhibition profiles for single Danshen components and combinations were generated in stably-expressing human (h)OAT1 and hOAT3 cells. Plasma concentration-time profiles for compounds were estimated from in vivo human data using an i.v. two-compartment model (with first-order elimination). The cumulative DDI index was proposed as an indicator of DDI potential for combination products. This index was used to evaluate the DDI potential for Danshen injectables from 16 different manufacturers and 14 different lots from a single manufacturer. The cumulative DDI index predicted in vivo inhibition potentials, 82% (hOAT1) and 74% (hOAT3), comparable with those observed in vitro, 72 ± 7% (hOAT1) and 81 ± 10% (hOAT3), for Danshen component combinations. Using simulated unbound Cmax values, a wide range in cumulative DDI index between manufacturers, and between lots, was predicted. Many products exhibited a cumulative DDI index > 1 (50% inhibition). Danshen injectables will likely exhibit strong potential to inhibit hOAT1 and hOAT3 function in vivo. The proposed cumulative DDI index might improve prediction of DDI potential of herbal medicines or pharmaceutical preparations containing multiple components.

Stochastic nanoroughness modulates neuron-astrocyte interactions and function via mechanosensing cation channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumenthal, Nils R; Hermanson, Ola; Heimrich, Bernd; Shastri, V Prasad

2014-11-11

Extracellular soluble signals are known to play a critical role in maintaining neuronal function and homeostasis in the CNS. However, the CNS is also composed of extracellular matrix macromolecules and glia support cells, and the contribution of the physical attributes of these components in maintenance and regulation of neuronal function is not well understood. Because these components possess well-defined topography, we theorize a role for topography in neuronal development and we demonstrate that survival and function of hippocampal neurons and differentiation of telencephalic neural stem cells is modulated by nanoroughness. At roughnesses corresponding to that of healthy astrocytes, hippocampal neurons dissociated and survived independent from astrocytes and showed superior functional traits (increased polarity and calcium flux). Furthermore, telencephalic neural stem cells differentiated into neurons even under exogenous signals that favor astrocytic differentiation. The decoupling of neurons from astrocytes seemed to be triggered by changes to astrocyte apical-surface topography in response to nanoroughness. Blocking signaling through mechanosensing cation channels using GsMTx4 negated the ability of neurons to sense the nanoroughness and promoted decoupling of neurons from astrocytes, thus providing direct evidence for the role of nanotopography in neuron-astrocyte interactions. We extrapolate the role of topography to neurodegenerative conditions and show that regions of amyloid plaque buildup in brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients are accompanied by detrimental changes in tissue roughness. These findings suggest a role for astrocyte and ECM-induced topographical changes in neuronal pathologies and provide new insights for developing therapeutic targets and engineering of neural biomaterials.

Interactions between genetic background, insulin resistance and β-cell function.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, S E; Suvag, S; Wright, L A; Utzschneider, K M

2012-10-01

An interaction between genes and the environment is a critical component underlying the pathogenesis of the hyperglycaemia of type 2 diabetes. The development of more sophisticated techniques for studying gene variants and for analysing genetic data has led to the discovery of some 40 genes associated with type 2 diabetes. Most of these genes are related to changes in β-cell function, with a few associated with decreased insulin sensitivity and obesity. Interestingly, using quantitative traits based on continuous measures rather than dichotomous ones, it has become evident that not all genes associated with changes in fasting or post-prandial glucose are also associated with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Identification of these gene variants has provided novel insights into the physiology and pathophysiology of the β-cell, including the identification of molecules involved in β-cell function that were not previously recognized as playing a role in this critical cell. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Semantic integration to identify overlapping functional modules in protein interaction networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramanathan Murali

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The systematic analysis of protein-protein interactions can enable a better understanding of cellular organization, processes and functions. Functional modules can be identified from the protein interaction networks derived from experimental data sets. However, these analyses are challenging because of the presence of unreliable interactions and the complex connectivity of the network. The integration of protein-protein interactions with the data from other sources can be leveraged for improving the effectiveness of functional module detection algorithms. Results We have developed novel metrics, called semantic similarity and semantic interactivity, which use Gene Ontology (GO annotations to measure the reliability of protein-protein interactions. The protein interaction networks can be converted into a weighted graph representation by assigning the reliability values to each interaction as a weight. We presented a flow-based modularization algorithm to efficiently identify overlapping modules in the weighted interaction networks. The experimental results show that the semantic similarity and semantic interactivity of interacting pairs were positively correlated with functional co-occurrence. The effectiveness of the algorithm for identifying modules was evaluated using functional categories from the MIPS database. We demonstrated that our algorithm had higher accuracy compared to other competing approaches. Conclusion The integration of protein interaction networks with GO annotation data and the capability of detecting overlapping modules substantially improve the accuracy of module identification.

Safety functions and component classification for BWR, PWR and PTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

The Safety Guide forms part of the IAEA programme, referred to as the NUSS programme (Nuclear Safety Standards), for establishing Codes of Practice and Safety Guides relating to thermal neutron power plants. The present Safety Guide has the following chapters: safety functions, ranking of safety functions, assignment of safety class requirements. Design requirements for structural integrity of boundaries of fluid-retaining components are also discussed

Component Functional Allocations of the ESF Multi-loop Controller for the KNICS ESF-CCS Design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hur, Seop; Choi, Jong Kyun; Kim, Dong Hoon; Kim, Ho; Kim, Seong Tae

2006-01-01

The safety related components in nuclear power plants are traditionally controlled by single-loop controllers. Traditional single-loop controller systems utilize dedicated processors for each component but that components independence is compromised through a sharing of power supplies, auxiliary logic modules and auxiliary I/O cards. In the new design of the ESF-CCS, the multi-loop controllers with data networks are widely used. Since components are assigned to ESF-CCS functional groups in a manner consistent with their process relationship, the effects of the failures are predictable and manageable. Therefore, the key issues for the design of multi-loop controller is to allocate the components to the each multi-loop controller through plant and function analysis and grouping. This paper deals with an ESF component functional allocation which is performed through allocation criteria and a fault analysis

Interaction of stochastic boundary layer with plasma facing components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, F.; Ghendrih, P.; Grosman, A.

1997-01-01

To alleviate the plasma-wall interaction problems in magnetic confinement devices, a stochastic layer is used at the edge of the Tore Supra tokamak (ergodic divertor). A very important point is to determine the power deposition on the plasma facing components. Two different kinds of transport can be identified in such a configuration: Stochastic transport surrounding the confined plasma, with a random walk process, and scrape-off layer (SOL) like transport, a laminar transport, near the plasma facing components. The laminar regime is investigated in terms of a simple criterion, namely that the power deposition is proportional to the radial penetration of the laminar zone flux tubes over a finite parallel length. The magnetic connection properties of the first wall components are then determined. The connection lengths are quantified with two characteristic scales. The larger corresponds to one poloidal turn and appears to be the characteristic parallel length for laminar transport. A field line tracing code MASTOC (magnetic stochastic configuration) is used to computer the complex topology and the statistics of the connection in the real tokamak geometry. The numerical simulations are then compared with the experimental heat deposition on the modules and neutralizer plates of the Tore Supra ergodic divertor. Good agreement is found. Further evidence of laminar transport is also provided by the tangential view of such structures revealed from H α structures in detached plasma experiments. (author). 27 refs, 14 figs

Specialized functional diversity and interactions of the Na,K-ATPase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor I. Krivoi

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Na,K-ATPase is a protein ubiquitously expressed in the plasma membrane of all animal cells and vitally essential for their functions. A specialized functional diversity of the Na,K-ATPase isozymes is provided by molecular heterogeneity, distinct subcellular localizations and functional interactions with molecular environment. Studies over the last decades clearly demonstrated complex and isoform-specific reciprocal functional interactions between the Na,K-ATPase and neighboring proteins and lipids. These interactions are enabled by a spatially restricted ion homeostasis, direct protein-protein/lipid interactions and protein kinase signaling pathways. In addition to its ‘classical’ function in ion translocation, the Na,K-ATPase is now considered as one of the most important signaling molecules in neuronal, epithelial, skeletal, cardiac and vascular tissues. Accordingly, the Na,K-ATPase forms specialized sub-cellular multimolecular microdomains which act as receptors to circulating endogenous cardiotonic steroids triggering a number of signaling pathways. Changes in these endogenous cardiotonic steroid levels and initiated signaling responses have significant adaptive values for tissues and whole organisms under numerous physiological and pathophysiological conditions. This review discusses recent progress in the studies of functional interactions between the Na,K-ATPase and molecular microenvironment, the Na,K-ATPase-dependent signaling pathways and their significance for diversity of cell function.

Dynamic interactions of components, structure, and foundation of nuclear power facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pajuhesh, J.; Hadjian, A.H.

1977-01-01

A solution is formulated for the dynamic analysis of structures and components with different stiffness and damping characteristics, including the consideration of soil-structure interaction effects. Composite structures are often analysed approximately, in particular with regards to damping. For example, the reactor and other equipment in nuclear power plant structures are often analysed by assuming them uncoupled from the supporting structures. To achieve a better accuracy, the coupled system is hereby analysed as a composite component-structure-soil system. Although derivation of mass and stiffness matrices for the component-structure-soil system is a simple problem, the determination of the damping characteristics of such a system is more complex. This emphasis on the proper evaluation of system damping is warranted on the grounds that, when resonance conditions occur, the response amplitude is governed to a significant degree by the system damping. The damping information is usually available for each sub-structure separately with its based fixed or devoid of rigid-body modes of motion. The rigid-body motions are often free of damping resistance but sometimes, such as in the case of soil-structure interaction, or in the case of aerodynamic resistance, are uniquely defined. The composite damping matrix for the complete structure is hereby derived from the above-mentioned information. Thus, the damping matrix is first obtained for the free-free model of each sub-structure (the model containing the structural degrees of freedom together with rigid-body modes of motion), and then the submatrices for the free-free models are assembled to form the composite damping matrix in acccordance with an assembly technique relating the sub-structure coordinates to the global coordinates of the composite structure

Canonical partition functions: ideal quantum gases, interacting classical gases, and interacting quantum gases

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Chi-Chun; Dai, Wu-Sheng

2018-02-01

In statistical mechanics, for a system with a fixed number of particles, e.g. a finite-size system, strictly speaking, the thermodynamic quantity needs to be calculated in the canonical ensemble. Nevertheless, the calculation of the canonical partition function is difficult. In this paper, based on the mathematical theory of the symmetric function, we suggest a method for the calculation of the canonical partition function of ideal quantum gases, including ideal Bose, Fermi, and Gentile gases. Moreover, we express the canonical partition functions of interacting classical and quantum gases given by the classical and quantum cluster expansion methods in terms of the Bell polynomial in mathematics. The virial coefficients of ideal Bose, Fermi, and Gentile gases are calculated from the exact canonical partition function. The virial coefficients of interacting classical and quantum gases are calculated from the canonical partition function by using the expansion of the Bell polynomial, rather than calculated from the grand canonical potential.

Investigation of interactions in a biological membrane using structure factor/pair correlation function approach: a first communication on nerve myelin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gbordzoe, M.K.

1984-09-01

Interactions in biological and artificial membranes have been studied by applying mostly the methods of biochemical analysis and determination of thermodynamic parameters related to phase transition phenomena. Structure factor, obtained by measuring scattered intensity from small-angle X-ray or neutron scattering experiments, has been used mainly for determining electron density distribution. Drawing upon the experience of the theory of liquids, where Johnson and March (1963) and Johnson, Hutchinson and March (1964) first established the possibility of deriving interparticle potential from experimental measurement of structure factor, it is suggested that structure factor/distance correlation function approach, can be a useful method for studying interactions between various membrane components. Preliminary experimental data presented for nerve myelin are to demonstrate the possibility of studying interactions from the distance correlation function of a membrane pair. (author)

Pedagogical Interaction in High School, the Structural and Functional Model of Pedagogical Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Semenova, Larissa A.; Kazantseva, Anastassiya I.; Sergeyeva, Valeriya V.; Raklova, Yekaterina M.; Baiseitova, Zhanar B.

2016-01-01

The study covers the problems of pedagogical technologies and their experimental implementation in the learning process. The theoretical aspects of the "student-teacher" interaction are investigated. A structural and functional model of pedagogical interaction is offered, which determines the conditions for improving pedagogical…

FT-IR studies on interactions among components in hexanoyl chitosan-based polymer electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Winie, Tan; Arof, A. K.

2006-03-01

Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies have been undertaken to investigate the interactions among components in a system of hexanoyl chitosan-lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (LiCF 3SO 3)-diethyl carbonate (DEC)/ethylene carbonate (EC). LiCF 3SO 3 interacts with the hexanoyl chitosan to form a hexanoyl chitosan-salt complex that results in the shifting of the N(COR) 2, C dbnd O sbnd NHR and OCOR bands to lower wavenumbers. Interactions between EC and DEC with LiCF 3SO 3 has been noted and discussed. Evidence of interaction between EC and DEC has been obtained experimentally. Studies on polymer-plasticizer spectra suggested that there is no interaction between the polymer host and plasticizers. Competition between plasticizer and polymer on associating with Li + ions was observed from the spectral data for gel polymer electrolytes. The obtained spectroscopic data has been correlated with the conductivity performance of hexanoyl chitosan-based polymer electrolytes.

Interactions of the human MCM-BP protein with MCM complex components and Dbf4.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tin Nguyen

Full Text Available MCM-BP was discovered as a protein that co-purified from human cells with MCM proteins 3 through 7; results which were recapitulated in frogs, yeast and plants. Evidence in all of these organisms supports an important role for MCM-BP in DNA replication, including contributions to MCM complex unloading. However the mechanisms by which MCM-BP functions and associates with MCM complexes are not well understood. Here we show that human MCM-BP is capable of interacting with individual MCM proteins 2 through 7 when co-expressed in insect cells and can greatly increase the recovery of some recombinant MCM proteins. Glycerol gradient sedimentation analysis indicated that MCM-BP interacts most strongly with MCM4 and MCM7. Similar gradient analyses of human cell lysates showed that only a small amount of MCM-BP overlapped with the migration of MCM complexes and that MCM complexes were disrupted by exogenous MCM-BP. In addition, large complexes containing MCM-BP and MCM proteins were detected at mid to late S phase, suggesting that the formation of specific MCM-BP complexes is cell cycle regulated. We also identified an interaction between MCM-BP and the Dbf4 regulatory component of the DDK kinase in both yeast 2-hybrid and insect cell co-expression assays, and this interaction was verified by co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous proteins from human cells. In vitro kinase assays showed that MCM-BP was not a substrate for DDK but could inhibit DDK phosphorylation of MCM4,6,7 within MCM4,6,7 or MCM2-7 complexes, with little effect on DDK phosphorylation of MCM2. Since DDK is known to activate DNA replication through phosphorylation of these MCM proteins, our results suggest that MCM-BP may affect DNA replication in part by regulating MCM phosphorylation by DDK.

Interactions of the human MCM-BP protein with MCM complex components and Dbf4.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Tin; Jagannathan, Madhav; Shire, Kathy; Frappier, Lori

2012-01-01

MCM-BP was discovered as a protein that co-purified from human cells with MCM proteins 3 through 7; results which were recapitulated in frogs, yeast and plants. Evidence in all of these organisms supports an important role for MCM-BP in DNA replication, including contributions to MCM complex unloading. However the mechanisms by which MCM-BP functions and associates with MCM complexes are not well understood. Here we show that human MCM-BP is capable of interacting with individual MCM proteins 2 through 7 when co-expressed in insect cells and can greatly increase the recovery of some recombinant MCM proteins. Glycerol gradient sedimentation analysis indicated that MCM-BP interacts most strongly with MCM4 and MCM7. Similar gradient analyses of human cell lysates showed that only a small amount of MCM-BP overlapped with the migration of MCM complexes and that MCM complexes were disrupted by exogenous MCM-BP. In addition, large complexes containing MCM-BP and MCM proteins were detected at mid to late S phase, suggesting that the formation of specific MCM-BP complexes is cell cycle regulated. We also identified an interaction between MCM-BP and the Dbf4 regulatory component of the DDK kinase in both yeast 2-hybrid and insect cell co-expression assays, and this interaction was verified by co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous proteins from human cells. In vitro kinase assays showed that MCM-BP was not a substrate for DDK but could inhibit DDK phosphorylation of MCM4,6,7 within MCM4,6,7 or MCM2-7 complexes, with little effect on DDK phosphorylation of MCM2. Since DDK is known to activate DNA replication through phosphorylation of these MCM proteins, our results suggest that MCM-BP may affect DNA replication in part by regulating MCM phosphorylation by DDK.

Human RAD18 interacts with ubiquitylated chromatin components and facilitates RAD9 recruitment to DNA double strand breaks.

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Akiko Inagaki

Full Text Available RAD18 is an ubiquitin ligase involved in replicative damage bypass and DNA double-strand break (DSB repair processes. We found that RPA is required for the dynamic pattern of RAD18 localization during the cell cycle, and for accumulation of RAD18 at sites of γ-irradiation-induced DNA damage. In addition, RAD18 colocalizes with chromatin-associated conjugated ubiquitin and ubiquitylated H2A throughout the cell cycle and following irradiation. This localization pattern depends on the presence of an intact, ubiquitin-binding Zinc finger domain. Using a biochemical approach, we show that RAD18 directly binds to ubiquitylated H2A and several other unknown ubiquitylated chromatin components. This interaction also depends on the RAD18 Zinc finger, and increases upon the induction of DSBs by γ-irradiation. Intriguingly, RAD18 does not always colocalize with regions that show enhanced H2A ubiquitylation. In human female primary fibroblasts, where one of the two X chromosomes is inactivated to equalize X-chromosomal gene expression between male (XY and female (XX cells, this inactive X is enriched for ubiquitylated H2A, but only rarely accumulates RAD18. This indicates that the binding of RAD18 to ubiquitylated H2A is context-dependent. Regarding the functional relevance of RAD18 localization at DSBs, we found that RAD18 is required for recruitment of RAD9, one of the components of the 9-1-1 checkpoint complex, to these sites. Recruitment of RAD9 requires the functions of the RING and Zinc finger domains of RAD18. Together, our data indicate that association of RAD18 with DSBs through ubiquitylated H2A and other ubiquitylated chromatin components allows recruitment of RAD9, which may function directly in DSB repair, independent of downstream activation of the checkpoint kinases CHK1 and CHK2.

Interaction of radium with freshwater sediments and their mineral components Pt. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benes, P.; Strejc, P.

1986-01-01

A radiotracer method was used for investigating the adsorption and desorption of radium on stream sediments under conditions similar to those prevailing in waste and surface waters. The effects of pH, ionic strength and Casup(2+) or SOsub(4)sup(2+) ions were studied. The results were compared with analogous data characterizing radium interaction with model solids representing components of the sediments. It was found that the adsorption affinity of the sediments for radium cannot be easily derived from their composition or other properties. No simple correlation with specific surface area, organic matter, oxidic coatings or other components of the sediments was observed. However, an exceptional role of barite (barium sulfate) in the sediments was noted. (author)

Proteomic analysis of FUS interacting proteins provides insights into FUS function and its role in ALS.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamelgarn, Marisa; Chen, Jing; Kuang, Lisha; Arenas, Alexandra; Zhai, Jianjun; Zhu, Haining; Gal, Jozsef

2016-10-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Mutations in the Fused in Sarcoma/Translocated in Liposarcoma (FUS/TLS) gene cause a subset of familial ALS cases and are also implicated in sporadic ALS. FUS is typically localized to the nucleus. The ALS-related FUS mutations cause cytoplasmic mis-localization and the formation of stress granule-like structures. Abnormal cytoplasmic FUS localization was also found in a subset of frontotemporal dementia (FTLD) cases without FUS mutations. To better understand the function of FUS, we performed wild-type and mutant FUS pull-downs followed by proteomic identification of the interacting proteins. The FUS interacting partners we identified are involved in multiple pathways, including chromosomal organization, transcription, RNA splicing, RNA transport, localized translation, and stress response. FUS interacted with hnRNPA1 and Matrin-3, RNA binding proteins whose mutations were also reported to cause familial ALS, suggesting that hnRNPA1 and Matrin-3 may play common pathogenic roles with FUS. The FUS interactions displayed varied RNA dependence. Numerous FUS interacting partners that we identified are components of exosomes. We found that FUS itself was present in exosomes, suggesting that the secretion of FUS might contribute to the cell-to-cell spreading of FUS pathology. FUS interacting proteins were sequestered into the cytoplasmic mutant FUS inclusions that could lead to their mis-regulation or loss of function, contributing to ALS pathogenesis. Our results provide insights into the physiological functions of FUS as well as important pathways where mutant FUS can interfere with cellular processes and potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of ALS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interacting with women can impair men's cognitive functioning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Karremans, J.C.T.M.; Verwijmeren, T.; Pronk, T.M.; Reitsma, M.

2009-01-01

The present research tested the prediction that mixed-sex interactions may temporarily impair cognitive functioning. Two studies, in which participants interacted either with a same-sex or opposite-sex other, demonstrated that men's (but not women's) cognitive performance declined following a

Vibrio cholerae interactions with Mytilus galloprovincialis hemocytes mediated by serum components.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eCanesi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Edible bivalves (e.g., mussels, oysters can accumulate large amount of bacteria in their tissues and act as passive carriers of pathogens to humans. Bacterial persistence inside bivalves depends, at least in part, on hemolymph anti-bacterial activity that is exerted by both serum soluble factors and phagocytic cells (i.e., the hemocytes. It was previously shown that Mytilus galloprovincialis hemolymph serum contains opsonins that mediate D-mannose-sensitive interactions between hemocytes and V. cholerae O1 El Tor bacteria that carry the Mannose–Sensitive Hemagglutinin (MSHA. These opsonins enhance phagocytosis and killing of vibrios by facilitating their binding to hemocytes. Since V. cholerae strains not carrying the MSHA ligand (O1 classical, non O1/O139 are present in coastal water and can be entrapped by mussels, we studied whether in mussel serum, in addition to opsonins directed towards MSHA, other components can mediate opsonization of these bacteria. By comparing interactions of O1 classical and non O1/O139 strains with hemocytes in ASW and serum, it was found that M. galloprovincialis serum contains components that increase by at approximately two fold their adhesion to, association with and killing by hemocytes. Experiments conducted with high and low molecular mass fractions obtained by serum ultrafiltration indicated that these compounds have molecular mass higher than 5000 Da. Serum exposure to high temperature (80°C abolished its opsonizing capability suggesting that the involved serum active components are of protein nature. Further studies are needed to define the chemical properties and specificity of both the involved bacterial ligands and hemolymph opsonins. This information will be central not only to better understand V. cholerae ecology, but also to improve current bivalve depuration practices and properly protect human health.

Assessing prescription drug abuse using functional principal component analysis (FPCA) of wastewater data.

Science.gov (United States)

Salvatore, Stefania; Røislien, Jo; Baz-Lomba, Jose A; Bramness, Jørgen G

2017-03-01

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an alternative method for estimating the collective drug use in a community. We applied functional data analysis, a statistical framework developed for analysing curve data, to investigate weekly temporal patterns in wastewater measurements of three prescription drugs with known abuse potential: methadone, oxazepam and methylphenidate, comparing them to positive and negative control drugs. Sewage samples were collected in February 2014 from a wastewater treatment plant in Oslo, Norway. The weekly pattern of each drug was extracted by fitting of generalized additive models, using trigonometric functions to model the cyclic behaviour. From the weekly component, the main temporal features were then extracted using functional principal component analysis. Results are presented through the functional principal components (FPCs) and corresponding FPC scores. Clinically, the most important weekly feature of the wastewater-based epidemiology data was the second FPC, representing the difference between average midweek level and a peak during the weekend, representing possible recreational use of a drug in the weekend. Estimated scores on this FPC indicated recreational use of methylphenidate, with a high weekend peak, but not for methadone and oxazepam. The functional principal component analysis uncovered clinically important temporal features of the weekly patterns of the use of prescription drugs detected from wastewater analysis. This may be used as a post-marketing surveillance method to monitor prescription drugs with abuse potential. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dynamics of Entanglement in Qubit-Qutrit with x-Component of DM Interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Kapil K.; Pandey, S.N.

2016-01-01

In this present paper, we study the entanglement dynamics in qubit A-qutrit B pair under x component of Dzyaloshinshkii–Moriya interaction (D x ) by taking an auxiliary qubit C. Here, we consider an entangled qubit-qutrit pair initially prepared in two parameter qubit-qutrit states and one auxiliary qubit prepared in pure state interacts with the qutrit of the pair through DM interaction. We trace away the auxiliary qubit and calculate the reduced dynamics in qubit A-qutrit B pair to study the influence of the state of auxiliary qubit C and D x on entanglement. We find that the state (probability amplitude) of auxiliary qubit does not influence the entanglement, only D x influences the same. The phenomenon of entanglement sudden death (ESD) induced by D x has also been observed. We also present the affected and unaffected two parameter qubit-qutrit states by D x . (paper)

The molecular understanding of interfacial interactions of functionalized graphene and chitosan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Hong-ping; Luo, Xue-gang; Lin, Xiao-yan; Lu, Xiong; Tang, Youhong

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: The type of the functional groups can be used to modulating interactions between graphene sheet and chitosan. - Highlights: • Investigate interfacial interactions between chitosan and functionalized graphene by DFT. • Observe covalent linkages between COOH-modified graphene and chitosan units. • Multi-functionalized graphene regulates the interfacial interactions with chitosan. • It is useful for guiding the preparation of graphene/chitosan composites. - Abstract: Graphene-reinforced chitosan scaffolds have been extensively studied for several years as promising hard tissue replacements. However, the interfacial interactions between graphene and chitosan are strongly related to the solubility, processability, and mechanical properties of graphene-reinforced chitosan (G–C) composites. The functionalization of graphene is regarded as the most effective way to improve the abovementioned properties of the G–C composite. In this study, the interfacial interactions between chitosan and functionalized graphene sheets with carboxylization (COOH-), amination (NH 2 -), and hydroxylation (OH-) groups were systematically studied at the electronic level using the method of ab initio simulations based on quantum mechanics theory and the observations were compared with reported experimental results. The covalent linkages between COOH-modified graphene and the chitosan units were demonstrated and the combination of multi-functionalization on graphene could regulate the interfacial interactions between graphene and the chitosan. The interfacial interactions between chitosan and properly functionalized graphene are critical for the preparation of G–C-based composites for tissue engineering scaffolds and other applications.

From supramolecular polymers to multi-component biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Goor, Olga J G M; Hendrikse, Simone I S; Dankers, Patricia Y W; Meijer, E W

2017-10-30

The most striking and general property of the biological fibrous architectures in the extracellular matrix (ECM) is the strong and directional interaction between biologically active protein subunits. These fibers display rich dynamic behavior without losing their architectural integrity. The complexity of the ECM taking care of many essential properties has inspired synthetic chemists to mimic these properties in artificial one-dimensional fibrous structures with the aim to arrive at multi-component biomaterials. Due to the dynamic character required for interaction with natural tissue, supramolecular biomaterials are promising candidates for regenerative medicine. Depending on the application area, and thereby the design criteria of these multi-component fibrous biomaterials, they are used as elastomeric materials or hydrogel systems. Elastomeric materials are designed to have load bearing properties whereas hydrogels are proposed to support in vitro cell culture. Although the chemical structures and systems designed and studied today are rather simple compared to the complexity of the ECM, the first examples of these functional supramolecular biomaterials reaching the clinic have been reported. The basic concept of many of these supramolecular biomaterials is based on their ability to adapt to cell behavior as a result of dynamic non-covalent interactions. In this review, we show the translation of one-dimensional supramolecular polymers into multi-component functional biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications.

Site-selective three-component reaction for dual-functionalization of peptides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munch, Henrik Kofoed; Rasmussen, Jakob Ewald; Popa, Gina

2013-01-01

A site-selective dual-functionalization of peptides is presented, involving readily available maleimides as well as N-hydroxylamines. The modification proceeds through a three component 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition, forming a stable product. This was exemplified by the one-pot attachment of two...

Simultaneous genome-wide inference of physical, genetic, regulatory, and functional pathway components.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Y Park

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Biomolecular pathways are built from diverse types of pairwise interactions, ranging from physical protein-protein interactions and modifications to indirect regulatory relationships. One goal of systems biology is to bridge three aspects of this complexity: the growing body of high-throughput data assaying these interactions; the specific interactions in which individual genes participate; and the genome-wide patterns of interactions in a system of interest. Here, we describe methodology for simultaneously predicting specific types of biomolecular interactions using high-throughput genomic data. This results in a comprehensive compendium of whole-genome networks for yeast, derived from ∼3,500 experimental conditions and describing 30 interaction types, which range from general (e.g. physical or regulatory to specific (e.g. phosphorylation or transcriptional regulation. We used these networks to investigate molecular pathways in carbon metabolism and cellular transport, proposing a novel connection between glycogen breakdown and glucose utilization supported by recent publications. Additionally, 14 specific predicted interactions in DNA topological change and protein biosynthesis were experimentally validated. We analyzed the systems-level network features within all interactomes, verifying the presence of small-world properties and enrichment for recurring network motifs. This compendium of physical, synthetic, regulatory, and functional interaction networks has been made publicly available through an interactive web interface for investigators to utilize in future research at http://function.princeton.edu/bioweaver/.

Quantifying functional connectivity in multi-subject fMRI data using component models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Kristoffer Hougaard; Churchill, Nathan William; Mørup, Morten

2017-01-01

of functional connectivity, evaluated on both simulated and experimental resting-state fMRI data. It was demonstrated that highly flexible subject-specific component subspaces, as well as very constrained average models, are poor predictors of whole-brain functional connectivity, whereas the best...

[Evaluate drug interaction of multi-components in Morus alba leaves based on α-glucosidase inhibitory activity].

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Tao; Su, Shu-Lan; Guo, Sheng; Qian, Da-Wei; Ouyang, Zhen; Duan, Jin-Ao

2016-06-01

Column chromatography was used for enrichment and separation of flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides from the extracts of Morus alba leaves; glucose oxidase method was used with sucrose as the substrate to evaluate the multi-components of M. alba leaves in α-glucosidase inhibitory models; isobole method, Chou-Talalay combination index analysis and isobolographic analysis were used to evaluate the interaction effects and dose-effect characteristics of two components, providing scientific basis for revealing the hpyerglycemic mechanism of M. alba leaves. The components analysis showed that flavonoid content was 5.3%; organic phenolic acids content was 10.8%; DNJ content was 39.4%; and polysaccharide content was 18.9%. Activity evaluation results demonstrated that flavonoids, alkaloids and polysaccharides of M. alba leaves had significant inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, and the inhibitory rate was increased with the increasing concentration. Alkaloids showed most significant inhibitory effects among these three components. Both compatibility of alkaloids and flavonoids, and the compatibility of alkaloids and polysaccharides demonstrated synergistic effects, but the compatibility of flavonoids and polysaccharides showed no obvious synergistic effects. The results have confirmed the interaction of multi-components from M. alba leaves to regulate blood sugar, and provided scientific basis for revealing hpyerglycemic effectiveness and mechanism of the multi-components from M. alba leaves. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Density-functional theory in one dimension for contact-interacting fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magyar, R.J.; Burke, K.

2004-01-01

A density-functional theory is developed for fermions in one dimension, interacting via a δ function. Such systems provide a natural testing ground for questions of principle, as the local-density approximation should be highly accurate since for this interaction type the exchange contribution to the local-density approximation is intrinsically self-interaction-free. The exact-exchange contribution to the total energy is a local functional of the density. A local-density approximation for correlation is obtained using perturbation theory and Bethe ansatz results for the one-dimensional contact-interacting uniform Fermi gas. The ground-state energies are calculated for two finite systems, the analogs of helium and of Hooke's atom. The local-density approximation is shown to be excellent as expected

A global genetic interaction network maps a wiring diagram of cellular function.

Science.gov (United States)

Costanzo, Michael; VanderSluis, Benjamin; Koch, Elizabeth N; Baryshnikova, Anastasia; Pons, Carles; Tan, Guihong; Wang, Wen; Usaj, Matej; Hanchard, Julia; Lee, Susan D; Pelechano, Vicent; Styles, Erin B; Billmann, Maximilian; van Leeuwen, Jolanda; van Dyk, Nydia; Lin, Zhen-Yuan; Kuzmin, Elena; Nelson, Justin; Piotrowski, Jeff S; Srikumar, Tharan; Bahr, Sondra; Chen, Yiqun; Deshpande, Raamesh; Kurat, Christoph F; Li, Sheena C; Li, Zhijian; Usaj, Mojca Mattiazzi; Okada, Hiroki; Pascoe, Natasha; San Luis, Bryan-Joseph; Sharifpoor, Sara; Shuteriqi, Emira; Simpkins, Scott W; Snider, Jamie; Suresh, Harsha Garadi; Tan, Yizhao; Zhu, Hongwei; Malod-Dognin, Noel; Janjic, Vuk; Przulj, Natasa; Troyanskaya, Olga G; Stagljar, Igor; Xia, Tian; Ohya, Yoshikazu; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Raught, Brian; Boutros, Michael; Steinmetz, Lars M; Moore, Claire L; Rosebrock, Adam P; Caudy, Amy A; Myers, Chad L; Andrews, Brenda; Boone, Charles

2016-09-23

We generated a global genetic interaction network for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, constructing more than 23 million double mutants, identifying about 550,000 negative and about 350,000 positive genetic interactions. This comprehensive network maps genetic interactions for essential gene pairs, highlighting essential genes as densely connected hubs. Genetic interaction profiles enabled assembly of a hierarchical model of cell function, including modules corresponding to protein complexes and pathways, biological processes, and cellular compartments. Negative interactions connected functionally related genes, mapped core bioprocesses, and identified pleiotropic genes, whereas positive interactions often mapped general regulatory connections among gene pairs, rather than shared functionality. The global network illustrates how coherent sets of genetic interactions connect protein complex and pathway modules to map a functional wiring diagram of the cell. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Response functions for infinite fermion systems with velocity dependent interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Recio, C.; Salcedo, L.L.; Navarro, J.; Nguyen Van Giai

1991-01-01

Response functions of infinite Fermi systems are studied in the framework of the self-consistent Random Phase Approximation. Starting from an effective interaction with velocity and density dependence, or equivalently from a local energy density functional, algebraic expressions for the RPA response function are derived. Simple formulae for the energy-weighted and polarizability sum rules are obtained. The method is illustrated by applications to nuclear matter and liquid 3 He. In nuclear matter, it is shown that existing Skyrme interactions give spin-isospin response functions close to those calculated with finite range interactions. The different renormalization of longitudinal and transverse Coulomb sum rules in nuclear matter is discussed. In 3 He, the low-lying collective spin oscillation can be well described in a wide range of momenta with a Skyrme-type interaction if the relevant Landau parameters are fitted. For the high-lying density oscillation, the introduction of a finite range term in the energy functional improves considerably the agreement with the data. (author) 54 refs., 19 figs., 4 tabs

Plant functional diversity affects climate-vegetation interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Groner, Vivienne P.; Raddatz, Thomas; Reick, Christian H.; Claussen, Martin

2018-04-01

We present how variations in plant functional diversity affect climate-vegetation interaction towards the end of the African Humid Period (AHP) in coupled land-atmosphere simulations using the Max Planck Institute Earth system model (MPI-ESM). In experiments with AHP boundary conditions, the extent of the green Sahara varies considerably with changes in plant functional diversity. Differences in vegetation cover extent and plant functional type (PFT) composition translate into significantly different land surface parameters, water cycling, and surface energy budgets. These changes have not only regional consequences but considerably alter large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and the position of the tropical rain belt. Towards the end of the AHP, simulations with the standard PFT set in MPI-ESM depict a gradual decrease of precipitation and vegetation cover over time, while simulations with modified PFT composition show either a sharp decline of both variables or an even slower retreat. Thus, not the quantitative but the qualitative PFT composition determines climate-vegetation interaction and the climate-vegetation system response to external forcing. The sensitivity of simulated system states to changes in PFT composition raises the question how realistically Earth system models can actually represent climate-vegetation interaction, considering the poor representation of plant diversity in the current generation of land surface models.

INTERACTIONAL-GNOSTIC COMPONENT IN THE STRUCTURE OF GENERAL HUMANITARIAN BASIS OF EDUCATION

OpenAIRE

Tamara M. ELKANOVA

2015-01-01

The interactional-gnostic component of author's conceptual and theoretical model of general humanitarian basis of education provides integration at the level of development of different in the ontologic ways of knowledge of the world, training in associative and figurative thinking, translation from objective external language into internal language of figurative and conceptual models of reality, strengthening of attention to axiological notional content of the received knowledge, formation o...

Lateralization and Binaural Interaction of Middle-Latency and Late-Brainstem Components of the Auditory Evoked Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Dykstra, Andrew R; Burchard, Daniel; Starzynski, Christian; Riedel, Helmut; Rupp, Andre; Gutschalk, Alexander

2016-08-01

We used magnetoencephalography to examine lateralization and binaural interaction of the middle-latency and late-brainstem components of the auditory evoked response (the MLR and SN10, respectively). Click stimuli were presented either monaurally, or binaurally with left- or right-leading interaural time differences (ITDs). While early MLR components, including the N19 and P30, were larger for monaural stimuli presented contralaterally (by approximately 30 and 36 % in the left and right hemispheres, respectively), later components, including the N40 and P50, were larger ipsilaterally. In contrast, MLRs elicited by binaural clicks with left- or right-leading ITDs did not differ. Depending on filter settings, weak binaural interaction could be observed as early as the P13 but was clearly much larger for later components, beginning at the P30, indicating some degree of binaural linearity up to early stages of cortical processing. The SN10, an obscure late-brainstem component, was observed consistently in individuals and showed linear binaural additivity. The results indicate that while the MLR is lateralized in response to monaural stimuli-and not ITDs-this lateralization reverses from primarily contralateral to primarily ipsilateral as early as 40 ms post stimulus and is never as large as that seen with fMRI.

Conditioned place preference for social interaction in rats: contribution of sensory components.

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Kummer, Kai; Klement, Sabine; Eggart, Vincent; Mayr, Michael J; Saria, Alois; Zernig, Gerald

2011-01-01

A main challenge in the therapy of drug dependent individuals is to help them reactivate interest in non-drug-associated activities. We previously developed a rat experimental model based on the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in which only four 15-min episodes of social interaction with a gender- and weight-matched male Sprague Dawley rat (1) reversed CPP from cocaine to social interaction despite continuing cocaine training and (2) prevented the reinstatement of cocaine CPP. In the present study, we investigated which of the sensory modalities of the composite stimulus "social interaction" contributes most to the rats' preference for it. If touch was limited by steel bars spaced at a distance of 2 cm and running across the whole length of a partitioning, CPP was still acquired, albeit to a lesser degree. If both rats were placed on the same side of a partitioning, rats did not develop CPP for social interaction. Thus, decreasing the available area for social interaction from 750 to 375 cm(2) prevented the acquisition of CPP to social interaction despite the fact that animals could touch each other more intensely than through the bars of the partitioning. When touch was fully restricted by a glass screen dividing the conditioning chambers, and the only sensory modalities left were visual and olfactory cues, place preference shifted to place aversion. Overall, our findings indicate that the major rewarding sensory component of the composite stimulus "social interaction" is touch (taction).

Functional connectivity analysis of the neural bases of emotion regulation: A comparison of independent component method with density-based k-means clustering method.

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Zou, Ling; Guo, Qian; Xu, Yi; Yang, Biao; Jiao, Zhuqing; Xiang, Jianbo

2016-04-29

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an important tool in neuroscience for assessing connectivity and interactions between distant areas of the brain. To find and characterize the coherent patterns of brain activity as a means of identifying brain systems for the cognitive reappraisal of the emotion task, both density-based k-means clustering and independent component analysis (ICA) methods can be applied to characterize the interactions between brain regions involved in cognitive reappraisal of emotion. Our results reveal that compared with the ICA method, the density-based k-means clustering method provides a higher sensitivity of polymerization. In addition, it is more sensitive to those relatively weak functional connection regions. Thus, the study concludes that in the process of receiving emotional stimuli, the relatively obvious activation areas are mainly distributed in the frontal lobe, cingulum and near the hypothalamus. Furthermore, density-based k-means clustering method creates a more reliable method for follow-up studies of brain functional connectivity.

Exploring functional data analysis and wavelet principal component analysis on ecstasy (MDMA wastewater data

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Stefania Salvatore

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE is a novel approach in drug use epidemiology which aims to monitor the extent of use of various drugs in a community. In this study, we investigate functional principal component analysis (FPCA as a tool for analysing WBE data and compare it to traditional principal component analysis (PCA and to wavelet principal component analysis (WPCA which is more flexible temporally. Methods We analysed temporal wastewater data from 42 European cities collected daily over one week in March 2013. The main temporal features of ecstasy (MDMA were extracted using FPCA using both Fourier and B-spline basis functions with three different smoothing parameters, along with PCA and WPCA with different mother wavelets and shrinkage rules. The stability of FPCA was explored through bootstrapping and analysis of sensitivity to missing data. Results The first three principal components (PCs, functional principal components (FPCs and wavelet principal components (WPCs explained 87.5-99.6 % of the temporal variation between cities, depending on the choice of basis and smoothing. The extracted temporal features from PCA, FPCA and WPCA were consistent. FPCA using Fourier basis and common-optimal smoothing was the most stable and least sensitive to missing data. Conclusion FPCA is a flexible and analytically tractable method for analysing temporal changes in wastewater data, and is robust to missing data. WPCA did not reveal any rapid temporal changes in the data not captured by FPCA. Overall the results suggest FPCA with Fourier basis functions and common-optimal smoothing parameter as the most accurate approach when analysing WBE data.

Mental exercising through simple socializing: social interaction promotes general cognitive functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ybarra, Oscar; Burnstein, Eugene; Winkielman, Piotr; Keller, Matthew C; Manis, Melvin; Chan, Emily; Rodriguez, Joel

2008-02-01

Social interaction is a central feature of people's life and engages a variety of cognitive resources. Thus, social interaction should facilitate general cognitive functioning. Previous studies suggest such a link, but they used special populations (e.g., elderly with cognitive impairment), measured social interaction indirectly (e.g., via marital status), and only assessed effects of extended interaction in correlational designs. Here the relation between mental functioning and direct indicators of social interaction was examined in a younger and healthier population. Study 1 using survey methodology found a positive relationship between social interaction, assessed via amount of actual social contact, and cognitive functioning in people from three age groups including younger adults. Study 2 using an experimental design found that a small amount of social interaction (10 min) can facilitate cognitive performance. The findings are discussed in the context of the benefits social relationships have for so many aspects of people's lives.

Interactions between cask components and content of packaging for the transport of radioactive material during drop tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quercetti, T.; Ballheimer, V.; Zeisler, P.; Mueller, K.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the analytical, numerical and experimental investigations on the phenomenon of interactions between cask components and content of packages for the transport of radioactive material during drop tests required according to the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. Radial and axial gaps between cask components and content are usually necessary for thermal reasons but larger gaps can exist because of the geometrical dimensions of the specified content. Consequently interactions between content and cask components (lid system, cask body, etc.) are possible and can not be excluded during drop tests. Interactions in this context are relative movements between cask and content which are mainly due to elastic spring effects after releasing the cask for the free drop. These relative movements can cause interior collisions between content and cask during the main impact of the package onto the unyielding target. Drop tests with various types of Type A and Type B packages fully instrumented with strain gauges and accelerometers showed that these interactions respectively interior collisions can be considerable relating to high forces acting on cask lids, lid bolts and the content. Of course the real quantitative consequences of the interactions depend upon different conditions, among others the drop orientation, the design characteristics of the impact limiters, the dimensions of the gaps, the material characteristics of the contents, etc. . In order to investigate more precisely the phenomenon of interactions BAM carried out finite element calculations for the named casks using the ABAQUS/ Standard and ABAQUS/ Explicit computer code comparing them with results obtained from experiments. Additionally, tests with a simplified model instrumented with accelerometers were carried out accompanied by finite element calculations and analytical calculations using MATHEMATICA. The investigations on the mentioned phenomena of interaction

Interactions between milk protein ingredients and other milk components during processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Guanchen

research in our group shown that, both MWP and NWP can give a higher viscosity and denser microstructure compared to WPC when used as fat replacer in low-fat yoghurt. In the thesis, we investigated how these two types of commercial whey protein particles interact with other milk components and how...... these interactions affect final acidified milk products. By detecting the properties of the whey protein aggregates, MWP and NWP showed low native whey protein content, low free thiol content and high surface hydrophobicity and were relatively stable at high temperature in the 5 % pure dispersions. When MWP and NWP...... were added to non-fat milk model systems (5% protein in total) and processed into chemically (glucono-delta-lactone) acidified milk gels, the formation of disulfide-linked structures was closely related to the increased particle size of heated milk model systems and the rheological behavior...

Anomalous component of absorption function of relativistic fragments produced in interactions of magnesium nuclei with plexiglas at 4. 5A GeV/c momentum. Anomal'naya komponenta funktsii pogloshcheniya relyativistskikh fragmentov, obrazovannykh vo vzaimodejstviyakh yader magniya c pleksiglasom pri impul'se 4. 5A GeV/c

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karev, A G; Morozov, B A; Petukhov, Yu P; Povtorejko, A A; Sukhanov, A Yu [Joint Inst. for Nuclear Research, Dubna (USSR)

1989-01-01

Analysis of the Cherenkov spectrometer results on the fragmentation of the magnesium nuclei with momenta 4.5A GeV/c interacting with plexiglas show the presence of a short-range component in the fragment absorption function. For fragments with Z=6-10 (Z is the charge) the mean free paths in plexiglas for normal and anomalous component are estimated to be {lambda}{sub n}=141.7 {plus minus} 1.9 mm and {lambda}{sub a}=1.9 {plus minus} 0.8 mm. The anomalous component admixture at fixed {lambda}{sub a}=2 mm is {alpha}=0.084 {plus minus} 0.027. The parameter estimates are stable for various criteria applied to selecting the events.

Particle and surfactant interactions effected polar and dispersive components of interfacial energy in nanocolloids

Science.gov (United States)

Harikrishnan, A. R.; Das, Sarit K.; Agnihotri, Prabhat K.; Dhar, Purbarun

2017-08-01

We segregate and report experimentally for the first time the polar and dispersive interfacial energy components of complex nanocolloidal dispersions. In the present study, we introduce a novel inverse protocol for the classical Owens Wendt method to determine the constitutive polar and dispersive elements of surface tension in such multicomponent fluidic systems. The effect of nanoparticles alone and aqueous surfactants alone are studied independently to understand the role of the concentration of the dispersed phase in modulating the constitutive elements of surface energy in fluids. Surfactants are capable of altering the polar component, and the combined particle and surfactant nanodispersions are shown to be effective in modulating the polar and dispersive components of surface tension depending on the relative particle and surfactant concentrations as well as the morphological and electrostatic nature of the dispersed phases. We observe that the combined surfactant and particle colloid exhibits a similar behavior to that of the particle only case; however, the amount of modulation of the polar and dispersive constituents is found to be different from the particle alone case which brings to the forefront the mechanisms through which surfactants modulate interfacial energies in complex fluids. Accordingly, we are able to show that the observations can be merged into a form of quasi-universal trend in the trends of polar and dispersive components in spite of the non-universal character in the wetting behavior of the fluids. We analyze the different factors affecting the polar and dispersive interactions in such complex colloids, and the physics behind such complex interactions has been explained by appealing to the classical dispersion theories by London, Debye, and Keesom as well as by Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. The findings shed light on the nature of wetting behavior of such complex fluids and help in predicting the wettability and the degree of

On-line Social Interactions and Executive Functions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oscar eYbarra

2012-04-01

Full Text Available A successful social interaction requires fast, on-line, and active construction of an ever-changing mental-model of another’s person beliefs, expectations, emotions, and desires. It also requires the ability to inhibit inappropriate behaviors, problem-solve, take-turns, and pursue goals in a distraction-rich environment. All these tasks rely on executive functions (EF—working memory, attention/cognitive control, and inhibition. Executive functioning has long been viewed as relatively static. However, starting with recent reports of successful cognitive interventions, this view is changing and now EFs are seen as much more open to both short and long term training, warm-up, and exhaustion effects. Some of the most intriguing evidence comes from research showing how social interaction enhances performance on standard EF tests. Interestingly, the latest research indicates these EF benefits are selectively conferred by certain on-line, dynamic social interactions, which require participants to engage with another person and actively construct the model of their mind. We review this literature and highlight its connection with evolutionary and cultural theories emphasizing links between intelligence and social life.

Conflict interaction management as a cultural phenomenon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Е L Ryabova

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The article provides the definition for the concept of conflict interaction culture, reveals its functions as well as the structure of its elements and components. Conflict interactions are also examined in the paper.

Serpin functions in host-pathogen interactions

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Jialing Bao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Serpins are a broadly distributed superfamily of protease inhibitors that are present in all kingdoms of life. The acronym, serpin, is derived from their function as potent serine proteases inhibitors. Early studies of serpins focused on their functions in haemostasis since modulating serine proteases activities are essential for coagulation. Additional research has revealed that serpins function in infection and inflammation, by modulating serine and cysteine proteases activities. The aim of this review is to summarize the accumulating findings and current understanding of the functions of serpins in host-pathogen interactions, serving as host defense proteins as well as pathogenic factors. We also discuss the potential crosstalk between host and pathogen serpins. We anticipate that future research will elucidate the therapeutic value of this novel target.

Protein function prediction using neighbor relativity in protein-protein interaction network.

Science.gov (United States)

Moosavi, Sobhan; Rahgozar, Masoud; Rahimi, Amir

2013-04-01

There is a large gap between the number of discovered proteins and the number of functionally annotated ones. Due to the high cost of determining protein function by wet-lab research, function prediction has become a major task for computational biology and bioinformatics. Some researches utilize the proteins interaction information to predict function for un-annotated proteins. In this paper, we propose a novel approach called "Neighbor Relativity Coefficient" (NRC) based on interaction network topology which estimates the functional similarity between two proteins. NRC is calculated for each pair of proteins based on their graph-based features including distance, common neighbors and the number of paths between them. In order to ascribe function to an un-annotated protein, NRC estimates a weight for each neighbor to transfer its annotation to the unknown protein. Finally, the unknown protein will be annotated by the top score transferred functions. We also investigate the effect of using different coefficients for various types of functions. The proposed method has been evaluated on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Homo sapiens interaction networks. The performance analysis demonstrates that NRC yields better results in comparison with previous protein function prediction approaches that utilize interaction network. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On Using Ilities of Non-Functional Properties for Subsystems and Components

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James Y. Lee

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The use of ilities for systems engineering of subsystems and components is investigated. Prior work on ilities has emphasized or restricted their application to system level, non-functional properties. The premise of this work is that ilities can be applied with benefit, and in some cases out of necessity, to lower levels of systems as well. The veracity of this premise is established by providing examples that demonstrate how some ilities are passed and used as a non-functional property of electrical and structural subsystems in aircraft. It is further demonstrated that flowing ilities down to the subsystem level is not only a useful practice for systems engineers, it can also be an essential step to ensure that customer needs are actually met by the system under design or service. Systems engineers often lack the detailed knowledge of the subsystems or components required to translate ilities into functional requirements. Thus, the system ilities are passed down and translated from non-functional to functional requirements by subject matter experts. We first discuss the definition, characteristics and scope of ilities. Then, we formulate the application of ilities at a subsystem level. Next, we show aircraft engineering examples for ilities applications. The application process is formalized with diagrams, and ilities’ relation to system architecture engineering is discussed. The work concludes with a summary and suggestions for future work.

Development of plasma facing components with functionally gradient layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morimoto, M.; Kudough, F. [Mitsubishi Atomic Power Industries, Inc., Yokohama (Japan); Onozuka, M.; Tsunoda, H.; Toyoda, M. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Yokohama (Japan)

1994-11-01

The use of functionally graded layers (FGLs) for plasma facing components (PFCs), owing to moderate or piecewise transition in material properties from low-Z surface materials to metal substrates, can provide reduction in thermal stresses, and also provide high thermal load resistance to PFCs. This article deals with the comparison of high heat flux testing and thermal stress analysis results on PFCs. Thermal stress analyses confirmed the thermal loading test results.

Critical point of gas-liquid type phase transition and phase equilibrium functions in developed two-component plasma model.

Science.gov (United States)

Butlitsky, M A; Zelener, B B; Zelener, B V

2014-07-14

A two-component plasma model, which we called a "shelf Coulomb" model has been developed in this work. A Monte Carlo study has been undertaken to calculate equations of state, pair distribution functions, internal energies, and other thermodynamics properties. A canonical NVT ensemble with periodic boundary conditions was used. The motivation behind the model is also discussed in this work. The "shelf Coulomb" model can be compared to classical two-component (electron-proton) model where charges with zero size interact via a classical Coulomb law. With important difference for interaction of opposite charges: electrons and protons interact via the Coulomb law for large distances between particles, while interaction potential is cut off on small distances. The cut off distance is defined by an arbitrary ɛ parameter, which depends on system temperature. All the thermodynamics properties of the model depend on dimensionless parameters ɛ and γ = βe(2)n(1/3) (where β = 1/kBT, n is the particle's density, kB is the Boltzmann constant, and T is the temperature) only. In addition, it has been shown that the virial theorem works in this model. All the calculations were carried over a wide range of dimensionless ɛ and γ parameters in order to find the phase transition region, critical point, spinodal, and binodal lines of a model system. The system is observed to undergo a first order gas-liquid type phase transition with the critical point being in the vicinity of ɛ(crit) ≈ 13(T(*)(crit) ≈ 0.076), γ(crit) ≈ 1.8(v(*)(crit) ≈ 0.17), P(*)(crit) ≈ 0.39, where specific volume v* = 1/γ(3) and reduced temperature T(*) = ɛ(-1).

Functional remediation components: A conceptual method of evaluating the effects of remediation on risks to ecological receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Bunn, Amoret; Downs, Janelle; Jeitner, Christian; Pittfield, Taryn; Salisbury, Jennifer

2016-01-01

Governmental agencies, regulators, health professionals, tribal leaders, and the public are faced with understanding and evaluating the effects of cleanup activities on species, populations, and ecosystems. While engineers and managers understand the processes involved in different remediation types such as capping, pump and treat, and natural attenuation, there is often a disconnect between (1) how ecologists view the influence of different types of remediation, (2) how the public perceives them, and (3) how engineers understand them. The overall goal of the present investigation was to define the components of remediation types (= functional remediation). Objectives were to (1) define and describe functional components of remediation, regardless of the remediation type, (2) provide examples of each functional remediation component, and (3) explore potential effects of functional remediation components in the post-cleanup phase that may involve continued monitoring and assessment. Functional remediation components include types, numbers, and intensity of people, trucks, heavy equipment, pipes, and drill holes, among others. Several components may be involved in each remediation type, and each results in ecological effects, ranging from trampling of plants, to spreading invasive species, to disturbing rare species, and to creating fragmented habitats. In some cases remediation may exert a greater effect on ecological receptors than leaving the limited contamination in place. A goal of this conceptualization is to break down functional components of remediation such that managers, regulators, and the public might assess the effects of timing, extent, and duration of different remediation options on ecological systems.

Investigating the relationship among transformational leadership, interpersonal interaction and mentoring functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ching-Yuan; Weng, Rhay-Hung; Chen, Yi-Ting

2016-08-01

This study aims to ascertain the relationship between transformational leadership, interpersonal interaction and mentoring functions among new staff nurses. Mentoring functions could improve the job performance of new nurses, provide them with support and thus reduce their turnover rate. A cross-sectional study was employed. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect data among a sample of new nurses from three hospitals in Taiwan. After gathering a total of 306 valid surveys, multiple regression analysis was applied to test the hypothesis. Inspirational motivation, idealised influence and individualised consideration had positive correlations with the overall mentoring function, but intellectual stimulation showed a positive association only with career development function. Perceived similarity and interaction frequency also had positive correlations with mentoring functions. When the shift overlap rate exceeded 80%, mentoring function showed a negative result. The transformational leadership of mentors would improve the mentoring functions among new staff nurses. Perceived similarity and interaction frequency between mentees and mentors also had positive correlations with mentoring functions. It is crucial for hospitals to redesign their leadership training and motivation programmes to enhance the transformational leadership of mentors. Furthermore, nursing managers should promote interaction between new staff nurses and their mentors; however, the shift overlap rate should not be too high. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Foundations of mathematics and literacy: The role of executive functioning components.

Science.gov (United States)

Purpura, David J; Schmitt, Sara A; Ganley, Colleen M

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the relations between the three cognitive processes that comprise executive functioning (EF)-response inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility-and individual components of mathematics and literacy skills in preschool children. Participants were 125 preschool children ranging in age from 3.12 to 5.26years (M=4.17years, SD=0.58). Approximately 53.2% were female, and the sample was predominantly Caucasian (69.8%). Results suggest that the components of EF may be differentially related to the specific components of early mathematics and literacy. For mathematics, response inhibition was broadly related to most components. Working memory was related to more advanced mathematics skills that involve comparison or combination of numbers and quantities. Cognitive flexibility was related to more conceptual or abstract mathematics skills. For early literacy, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility were related to print knowledge, and working memory was related only to phonological awareness. None of the EF components was related to vocabulary. These findings provide initial evidence for better understanding the ways in which EF components and academic skills are related and measured. Furthermore, the findings provide a foundation for further study of the components of each domain using a broader and more diverse array of measures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Earthquake analysis with nonlinear soil-structure interaction and nonlinear supports of components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansson, V.

1990-01-01

For the determination of the seismic response of a structure the soil-structure interaction in most cases is modelled by a mass-spring-damper-system. Normally design concepts for components and piping are based on linear calculations and stress limitations. A concept for a reactor building for the HTR 100 consisted of a relatively high structure compared with the dimensions of the foundation. The structure was comparatively deep embedded in the soil, so here the embedment influences significantly the soil-structure interaction. The assembly of reactor vessel, heat exchanger and circulators has a height of about 37 m. Supports are arranged at different levels. Due to temperature deformations of the vessel and of the support constructions small gaps at the supports may only be avoided by complicated constructions of the supports. Nonlinear analyses were performed for soil, building and component with all supports. The finite element analyses used time histories. In order to describe the radiation damping the hysteresis of the soil with 1 percent material damping was considered. Nonlinearities in the interface of soil and foundation and due to gaps and friction at the supports were taken into account. The stiffness of the support constructions influences reactions and accelerations to a high extent. Properly chosen stiffnesses of the support constructions lead to a behaviour similar to linear elastic behaviour. 13 figs

IQGAP1 is a novel CXCR2-interacting protein and essential component of the "chemosynapse".

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole F Neel

Full Text Available Chemotaxis is essential for a number of physiological processes including leukocyte recruitment. Chemokines initiate intracellular signaling pathways necessary for chemotaxis through binding seven transmembrane G protein-couple receptors. Little is known about the proteins that interact with the intracellular domains of chemokine receptors to initiate cellular signaling upon ligand binding. CXCR2 is a major chemokine receptor expressed on several cell types, including endothelial cells and neutrophils. We hypothesize that multiple proteins interact with the intracellular domains of CXCR2 upon ligand stimulation and these interactions comprise a "chemosynapse", and play important roles in transducing CXCR2 mediated signaling processes.In an effort to define the complex of proteins that assemble upon CXCR2 activation to relay signals from activated chemokine receptors, a proteomics approach was employed to identify proteins that co-associate with CXCR2 with or without ligand stimulation. The components of the CXCR2 "chemosynapse" are involved in processes ranging from intracellular trafficking to cytoskeletal modification. IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 1 (IQGAP1 was among the novel proteins identified to interact directly with CXCR2. Herein, we demonstrate that CXCR2 co-localizes with IQGAP1 at the leading edge of polarized human neutrophils and CXCR2 expressing differentiated HL-60 cells. Moreover, amino acids 1-160 of IQGAP1 directly interact with the carboxyl-terminal domain of CXCR2 and stimulation with CXCL8 enhances IQGAP1 association with Cdc42.Our studies indicate that IQGAP1 is a novel essential component of the CXCR2 "chemosynapse".

Active Interaction Mapping as a tool to elucidate hierarchical functions of biological processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Farré, Jean-Claude; Kramer, Michael; Ideker, Trey; Subramani, Suresh

2017-07-03

Increasingly, various 'omics data are contributing significantly to our understanding of novel biological processes, but it has not been possible to iteratively elucidate hierarchical functions in complex phenomena. We describe a general systems biology approach called Active Interaction Mapping (AI-MAP), which elucidates the hierarchy of functions for any biological process. Existing and new 'omics data sets can be iteratively added to create and improve hierarchical models which enhance our understanding of particular biological processes. The best datatypes to further improve an AI-MAP model are predicted computationally. We applied this approach to our understanding of general and selective autophagy, which are conserved in most eukaryotes, setting the stage for the broader application to other cellular processes of interest. In the particular application to autophagy-related processes, we uncovered and validated new autophagy and autophagy-related processes, expanded known autophagy processes with new components, integrated known non-autophagic processes with autophagy and predict other unexplored connections.

Structure and Function of the Catalytic Domain of the Dihydrolipoyl Acetyltransferase Component in Escherichia coli Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex*

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Junjie; Nemeria, Natalia S.; Chandrasekhar, Krishnamoorthy; Kumaran, Sowmini; Arjunan, Palaniappa; Reynolds, Shelley; Calero, Guillermo; Brukh, Roman; Kakalis, Lazaros; Furey, William; Jordan, Frank

2014-01-01

The Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) catalyzing conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA comprises three components: E1p, E2p, and E3. The E2p is the five-domain core component, consisting of three tandem lipoyl domains (LDs), a peripheral subunit binding domain (PSBD), and a catalytic domain (E2pCD). Herein are reported the following. 1) The x-ray structure of E2pCD revealed both intra- and intertrimer interactions, similar to those reported for other E2pCDs. 2) Reconstitution of recombinant LD and E2pCD with E1p and E3p into PDHc could maintain at least 6.4% activity (NADH production), confirming the functional competence of the E2pCD and active center coupling among E1p, LD, E2pCD, and E3 even in the absence of PSBD and of a covalent link between domains within E2p. 3) Direct acetyl transfer between LD and coenzyme A catalyzed by E2pCD was observed with a rate constant of 199 s−1, comparable with the rate of NADH production in the PDHc reaction. Hence, neither reductive acetylation of E2p nor acetyl transfer within E2p is rate-limiting. 4) An unprecedented finding is that although no interaction could be detected between E1p and E2pCD by itself, a domain-induced interaction was identified on E1p active centers upon assembly with E2p and C-terminally truncated E2p proteins by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. The inclusion of each additional domain of E2p strengthened the interaction with E1p, and the interaction was strongest with intact E2p. E2p domain-induced changes at the E1p active site were also manifested by the appearance of a circular dichroism band characteristic of the canonical 4′-aminopyrimidine tautomer of bound thiamin diphosphate (AP). PMID:24742683

Component separation in harmonically trapped boson-fermion mixtures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Nicolai; Mølmer, Klaus

1999-01-01

We present a numerical study of mixed boson-fermion systems at zero temperature in isotropic and anise tropic harmonic traps. We investigate the phenomenon of component separation as a function of the strength ut the interparticle interaction. While solving a Gross-Pitaevskii mean-field equation ...... for the boson distribution in the trap, we utilize two different methods to extract the density profile of the fermion component; a semiclassical Thomas-Fermi approximation and a quantum-mechanical Slater determinant Schrodinger equation....

Functional renormalization group approach to interacting three-dimensional Weyl semimetals

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Anand; Scammell, Arthur; Krieg, Jan; Kopietz, Peter

2018-03-01

We investigate the effect of long-range Coulomb interaction on the quasiparticle properties and the dielectric function of clean three-dimensional Weyl semimetals at zero temperature using a functional renormalization group (FRG) approach. The Coulomb interaction is represented via a bosonic Hubbard-Stratonovich field which couples to the fermionic density. We derive truncated FRG flow equations for the fermionic and bosonic self-energies and for the three-legged vertices with two fermionic and one bosonic external legs. We consider two different cutoff schemes—cutoff in fermionic or bosonic propagators—in order to calculate the renormalized quasiparticle velocity and the dielectric function for an arbitrary number of Weyl nodes and the interaction strength. If we approximate the dielectric function by its static limit, our results for the velocity and the dielectric function are in good agreement with that of A. A. Abrikosov and S. D. Beneslavskiĭ [Sov. Phys. JETP 32, 699 (1971)] exhibiting slowly varying logarithmic momentum dependence for small momenta. We extend their result for an arbitrary number of Weyl nodes and finite frequency by evaluating the renormalized velocity in the presence of dynamic screening and calculate the wave function renormalization.

Configuration interaction wave functions: A seniority number approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alcoba, Diego R.; Torre, Alicia; Lain, Luis; Massaccesi, Gustavo E.; Oña, Ofelia B.

2014-01-01

This work deals with the configuration interaction method when an N-electron Hamiltonian is projected on Slater determinants which are classified according to their seniority number values. We study the spin features of the wave functions and the size of the matrices required to formulate states of any spin symmetry within this treatment. Correlation energies associated with the wave functions arising from the seniority-based configuration interaction procedure are determined for three types of molecular orbital basis: canonical molecular orbitals, natural orbitals, and the orbitals resulting from minimizing the expectation value of the N-electron seniority number operator. The performance of these bases is analyzed by means of numerical results obtained from selected N-electron systems of several spin symmetries. The comparison of the results highlights the efficiency of the molecular orbital basis which minimizes the mean value of the seniority number for a state, yielding energy values closer to those provided by the full configuration interaction procedure

Configuration interaction wave functions: A seniority number approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alcoba, Diego R. [Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Torre, Alicia; Lain, Luis, E-mail: qfplapel@lg.ehu.es [Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Apdo. 644, E-48080 Bilbao (Spain); Massaccesi, Gustavo E. [Departamento de Ciencias Exactas, Ciclo Básico Común, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Oña, Ofelia B. [Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CCT La Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Diag. 113 y 64 (S/N), Sucursal 4, CC 16, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)

2014-06-21

This work deals with the configuration interaction method when an N-electron Hamiltonian is projected on Slater determinants which are classified according to their seniority number values. We study the spin features of the wave functions and the size of the matrices required to formulate states of any spin symmetry within this treatment. Correlation energies associated with the wave functions arising from the seniority-based configuration interaction procedure are determined for three types of molecular orbital basis: canonical molecular orbitals, natural orbitals, and the orbitals resulting from minimizing the expectation value of the N-electron seniority number operator. The performance of these bases is analyzed by means of numerical results obtained from selected N-electron systems of several spin symmetries. The comparison of the results highlights the efficiency of the molecular orbital basis which minimizes the mean value of the seniority number for a state, yielding energy values closer to those provided by the full configuration interaction procedure.

The interaction between bitumen matrix and chemical components of radioactive wastes of WWER type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selucky, P.; Sazavsky, P.; Peka, V.; Krupka, M.

2000-01-01

The interaction between bitumen matrix and chemical components of WWER type radioactive wastes was studied. So called ''cold'' model bitumen products were prepared and compared with real products using macroDTA method. On the basis of obtained curves, the evaluation of bitumen product fire risks was performed with the aim to minimize risks of bituminization process. (authors)

Study of the Deformation/Interaction Model: How Interactions Increase the Reaction Barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiling Liang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The interactions (including weak interactions between dienophiles and dienes play an important role in the Diels-Alder reaction. To elucidate the influence of these interactions on the reactivity, a popular DFT functional and a variational DFT functional corrected with dispersion terms are used to investigate different substituent groups incorporated on the dienophiles and dienes. The bond order is used to track the trajectory of the cycloaddition reaction. The deformation/interaction model is used to obtain the interaction energy from the reactant complex to the inflection point until reaching the saddle point. The interaction energy initially increases with a decrease in the interatomic distance, reaching a maximum value, but then decreases when the dienophiles and dienes come closer. Reduced density gradient and chemical energy component analysis are used to analyse the interaction. Traditional transition state theory and variational transition state theory are used to obtain the reaction rates. The influence of tunneling on the reaction rate is also discussed.

A search for the Δ- wave-function component in light nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, C.L.; Zumbro, J.D.; Boudrie, R.L.

1996-01-01

We have studied the (π + , π ± p) reactions on 3 He, 4 He, 6 Li, and 7 Li at incident energy 500 MeV in quasi-free kinematics. A signature attributable to pre-existing Δ components of the ground state wave function is observed

Increased Global Interaction Across Functional Brain Modules During Cognitive Emotion Regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandl, Felix; Mulej Bratec, Satja; Xie, Xiyao; Wohlschläger, Afra M; Riedl, Valentin; Meng, Chun; Sorg, Christian

2017-07-13

Cognitive emotion regulation (CER) enables humans to flexibly modulate their emotions. While local theories of CER neurobiology suggest interactions between specialized local brain circuits underlying CER, e.g., in subparts of amygdala and medial prefrontal cortices (mPFC), global theories hypothesize global interaction increases among larger functional brain modules comprising local circuits. We tested the global CER hypothesis using graph-based whole-brain network analysis of functional MRI data during aversive emotional processing with and without CER. During CER, global between-module interaction across stable functional network modules increased. Global interaction increase was particularly driven by subregions of amygdala and cuneus-nodes of highest nodal participation-that overlapped with CER-specific local activations, and by mPFC and posterior cingulate as relevant connector hubs. Results provide evidence for the global nature of human CER, complementing functional specialization of embedded local brain circuits during successful CER. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Restoration and Flow Interactions on River Structure and Function: Channel Widening of the Thur River, Switzerland

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Eduardo J. Martín

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Removal of lateral constraints to restore rivers has become increasingly common in river resource management, but little is known how the interaction of de-channelization with flow influences ecosystem structure and function. We evaluated the ecosystem effects of river widening to improve sediment relations in the Thur River, Switzerland, 12 years after implementation. We tested if restored and non-restored reaches differed in water physico-chemistry, hyporheic function, primary production, and macroinvertebrate density and composition in relation to the flow regime. Our results showed that (i spatio-temporal variation in sediment respiration and macroinvertebrate taxonomic richness were driven by interactions between restoration and flow; (ii riverbed conditions including substrate size, organic matter content, and groundwater–surface water exchange changed due to restoration, but (iii physico-chemistry, hydraulic conditions, and primary production were not altered by restoration. Importantly, our study revealed that abiotic conditions, except channel morphology, changed only marginally, whereas other ecosystem attributes responded markedly to changes in flow-restoration interactions. These results highlight integrating a more holistic ecosystem perspective in the design and monitoring of restoration projects such as river widening in resource management, preferably in relation to flow-sediment regimes and interactions with the biotic components of the ecosystem.

Interaction of NANOS2 and NANOS3 with different components of the CNOT complex may contribute to the functional differences in mouse male germ cells

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Atsushi Suzuki

2014-11-01

Full Text Available NANOS2 and NANOS3 belong to the Nanos family of proteins that contain a conserved zinc finger domain, which consists of two consecutive CCHC-type zinc finger motifs, and contribute to germ cell development in mice. Previous studies indicate that there are redundant and distinct functions of these two proteins. NANOS2 rescues NANOS3 functions in the maintenance of primordial germ cells, whereas NANOS3 fails to replace NANOS2 functions in the male germ cell pathway. However, the lack of a conditional allele of Nanos3 has hampered delineation of each contribution of NANOS2 and NANOS3 to the male germ cell pathway. In addition, the molecular mechanism underlying the distinct functions of these proteins remains unexplored. Here, we report an unexpected observation of a transgenic mouse line expressing a NANOS2 variant harboring mutations in the zinc finger domain. Transcription of Nanos2 and Nanos3 was strongly compromised in the presence of this transgene, which resulted in the mimicking of the Nanos2/Nanos3 double-null condition in the male gonad. In these transgenic mice, P-bodies involved in RNA metabolism had disappeared and germ cell differentiation was more severely affected than that in Nanos2-null mice, indicating that NANOS3 partially substitutes for NANOS2 functions. In addition, similar to NANOS2, we found that NANOS3 associated with the CCR4-NOT deadenylation complex but via a direct interaction with CNOT8, unlike CNOT1 in the case of NANOS2. This alternate interaction might account for the molecular basis of the functional redundancy and differences in NANOS2 and NANOS3 functions.

Advances in Human-Computer Interaction: Graphics and Animation Components for Interface Design

Science.gov (United States)

Cipolla Ficarra, Francisco V.; Nicol, Emma; Cipolla-Ficarra, Miguel; Richardson, Lucy

We present an analysis of communicability methodology in graphics and animation components for interface design, called CAN (Communicability, Acceptability and Novelty). This methodology has been under development between 2005 and 2010, obtaining excellent results in cultural heritage, education and microcomputing contexts. In studies where there is a bi-directional interrelation between ergonomics, usability, user-centered design, software quality and the human-computer interaction. We also present the heuristic results about iconography and layout design in blogs and websites of the following countries: Spain, Italy, Portugal and France.

Estimation of the binding modes with important human cytochrome P450 enzymes, drug interaction potential, pharmacokinetics, and hepatotoxicity of ginger components using molecular docking, computational, and pharmacokinetic modeling studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiu JX

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Jia-Xuan Qiu,1,2 Zhi-Wei Zhou,3 Zhi-Xu He,4 Xueji Zhang,5 Shu-Feng Zhou,3 Shengrong Zhu11Department of Stomatology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; 4Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center and Sino-US Joint Laboratory for Medical Sciences, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 5Research Center for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: Ginger is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines for the treatment of numerous ailments and improvement of body functions. It may be used in combination with prescribed drugs. The coadministration of ginger with therapeutic drugs raises a concern of potential deleterious drug interactions via the modulation of the expression and/or activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters, resulting in unfavorable therapeutic outcomes. This study aimed to determine the molecular interactions between 12 main active ginger components (6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, 10-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, 10-shogaol, ar-curcumene, ß-bisabolene, ß-sesquiphelandrene, 6-gingerdione, (--zingiberene, and methyl-6-isogingerol and human cytochrome P450 (CYP 1A2, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A4 and to predict the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET of the 12 ginger components using computational approaches and comprehensive literature search. Docking studies showed that ginger components interacted with a panel of amino acids in the active sites of CYP1A

Interaction of serum amyloid P component with hexanoyl bis(d-proline) (CPHPC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolstoe, Simon E. [University College London, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF (United Kingdom); Jenvey, Michelle C. [University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Purvis, Alan [Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Light, Mark E. [University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Thompson, Darren [University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RQ (United Kingdom); Hughes, Peter; Pepys, Mark B.; Wood, Stephen P., E-mail: s.wood@ucl.ac.uk [University College London, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF (United Kingdom)

2014-08-01

Serum amyloid P component is a pentameric plasma glycoprotein that recognizes and binds to amyloid fibres in a calcium-dependent fashion and is likely to contribute to their deposition and persistence in vivo. Five molecules of the drug CPHPC avidly cross-link pairs of protein pentamers and the decameric complex is rapidly cleared in vivo. Crystal structures of the protein in complex with a bivalent drug and cadmium ions, which improve crystal quality, allow the definition of the preferred bound drug isomers. Under physiological conditions, the pentameric human plasma protein serum amyloid P component (SAP) binds hexanoyl bis(d-proline) (R-1-(6-[R-2-carboxy-pyrrolidin-1-yl]-6-oxo-hexanoyl) pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid; CPHPC) through its d-proline head groups in a calcium-dependent interaction. Cooperative effects in binding lead to a substantial enhancement of affinity. Five molecules of the bivalent ligand cross-link and stabilize pairs of SAP molecules, forming a decameric complex that is rapidly cleared from the circulation by the liver. Here, it is reported that X-ray analysis of the SAP complex with CPHPC and cadmium ions provides higher resolution detail of the interaction than is observed with calcium ions. Conformational isomers of CPHPC observed in solution by HPLC and by X-ray analysis are compared with the protein-bound form. These are discussed in relation to the development of CPHPC to provide SAP depletion for the treatment of amyloidosis and other indications.

Characterization of the TRBP domain required for Dicer interaction and function in RNA interference

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El Far Mohamed

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dicer, Ago2 and TRBP are the minimum components of the human RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC. While Dicer and Ago2 are RNases, TRBP is the double-stranded RNA binding protein (dsRBP that loads small interfering RNA into the RISC. TRBP binds directly to Dicer through its C-terminal domain. Results We show that the TRBP binding site in Dicer is a 165 amino acid (aa region located between the ATPase and the helicase domains. The binding site in TRBP is a 69 aa domain, called C4, located at the C-terminal end of TRBP. The TRBP1 and TRBP2 isoforms, but not TRBPs lacking the C4 site (TRBPsΔC4, co-immunoprecipitated with Dicer. The C4 domain is therefore necessary to bind Dicer, irrespective of the presence of RNA. Immunofluorescence shows that while full-length TRBPs colocalize with Dicer, TRBPsΔC4 do not. tarbp2-/- cells, which do not express TRBP, do not support RNA interference (RNAi mediated by short hairpin or micro RNAs against EGFP. Both TRBPs, but not TRBPsΔC4, were able to rescue RNAi function. In human cells with low RNAi activity, addition of TRBP1 or 2, but not TRBPsΔC4, rescued RNAi function. Conclusion The mapping of the interaction sites between TRBP and Dicer show unique domains that are required for their binding. Since TRBPsΔC4 do not interact or colocalize with Dicer, we suggest that TRBP and Dicer, both dsRBPs, do not interact through bound dsRNA. TRBPs, but not TRBPsΔC4, rescue RNAi activity in RNAi-compromised cells, indicating that the binding of Dicer to TRBP is critical for RNAi function.

On the relationship between executive functions of working memory and components derived from fluid intelligence measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Xuezhu; Schweizer, Karl; Wang, Tengfei; Chu, Pei; Gong, Qin

2017-10-01

The aim of the current study is to provide new insights into the relationship between executive functions and intelligence measures in considering the item-position effect observed in intelligence items. Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and Horn's LPS reasoning test were used to assess fluid intelligence which served as criterion in investigating the relationship between intelligence and executive functions. A battery of six experimental tasks measured the updating, shifting, and inhibition processes of executive functions. Data were collected from 205 university students. Fluid intelligence showed substantial correlations with the updating and inhibition processes and no correlation with the shifting process without considering the item-position effect. Next, the fixed-link model was applied to APM and LPS data separately to decompose them into an ability component and an item-position component. The results of relating the components to executive functions showed that the updating and shifting processes mainly contributed to the item-position component whereas the inhibition process was mainly associated with the ability component of each fluid intelligence test. These findings suggest that improvements in the efficiency of updating and shifting processes are likely to occur during the course of completing intelligence measures and inhibition is important for intelligence in general. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MzrA-EnvZ Interactions in the Periplasm Influence the EnvZ/OmpR Two-Component Regulon▿ †

Science.gov (United States)

Gerken, Henri; Misra, Rajeev

2010-01-01

MzrA was identified as a modulator of the EnvZ/OmpR two-component signal transduction system. Previous evidence indicated that MzrA interacts with EnvZ and modulates its enzymatic activities to influence OmpR phosphate (OmpR∼P) levels. Moreover, MzrA was shown to connect the bacterial envelope stress response systems CpxA/CpxR and σE to EnvZ/OmpR to widen the defensive response regulatory network. In this study, experiments were carried out to establish whether the membrane or periplasmic domain of MzrA is critical for MzrA-EnvZ interactions and to reveal MzrA residues that play an important role in these interactions. Data obtained from chimeric constructs, in which the transmembrane domain of MzrA was replaced with the unrelated transmembrane domain of NarX or signal sequence of PhoA, showed that the transmembrane domain residues of MzrA do not play a critical role in MzrA-EnvZ interactions. The importance of the periplasmic domain of MzrA in MzrA-EnvZ interactions was revealed by characterizing bifunctional, fully soluble, and periplasmically localized MalE::MzrA chimeras. This was further corroborated through the isolation of loss-of-function, single-amino-acid substitutions in the conserved periplasmic domain of MzrA that interfered with MzrA-EnvZ binding in a bacterial two-hybrid system. Together, the data suggest that the binding of MzrA to EnvZ influences the ability of EnvZ to receive and/or respond to environmental signals in the periplasm and modulate its biochemical output to OmpR. PMID:20889743

Species-Specific Effects on Ecosystem Functioning Can Be Altered by Interspecific Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Clare, David S; Spencer, Matthew; Robinson, Leonie A; Frid, Christopher L J

2016-01-01

Biological assemblages are constantly undergoing change, with species being introduced, extirpated and experiencing shifts in their densities. Theory and experimentation suggest that the impacts of such change on ecosystem functioning should be predictable based on the biological traits of the species involved. However, interspecific interactions could alter how species affect functioning, with the strength and sign of interactions potentially depending on environmental context (e.g. homogenous vs. heterogeneous conditions) and the function considered. Here, we assessed how concurrent changes to the densities of two common marine benthic invertebrates, Corophium volutator and Hediste diversicolor, affected the ecological functions of organic matter consumption and benthic-pelagic nutrient flux. Complementary experiments were conducted within homogenous laboratory microcosms and naturally heterogeneous field plots. When the densities of the species were increased within microcosms, interspecific interactions enhanced effects on organic matter consumption and reduced effects on nutrient flux. Trait-based predictions of how each species would affect functioning were only consistently supported when the density of the other species was low. In field plots, increasing the density of either species had a positive effect on organic matter consumption (with no significant interspecific interactions) but no effect on nutrient flux. Our results indicate that species-specific effects on ecosystem functioning can be altered by interspecific interactions, which can be either facilitative (positive) or antagonistic (negative) depending on the function considered. The impacts of biodiversity change may therefore not be predictable based solely on the biological traits of the species involved. Possible explanations for why interactions were detected in microcosms but not in the field are discussed.

Species-Specific Effects on Ecosystem Functioning Can Be Altered by Interspecific Interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David S Clare

Full Text Available Biological assemblages are constantly undergoing change, with species being introduced, extirpated and experiencing shifts in their densities. Theory and experimentation suggest that the impacts of such change on ecosystem functioning should be predictable based on the biological traits of the species involved. However, interspecific interactions could alter how species affect functioning, with the strength and sign of interactions potentially depending on environmental context (e.g. homogenous vs. heterogeneous conditions and the function considered. Here, we assessed how concurrent changes to the densities of two common marine benthic invertebrates, Corophium volutator and Hediste diversicolor, affected the ecological functions of organic matter consumption and benthic-pelagic nutrient flux. Complementary experiments were conducted within homogenous laboratory microcosms and naturally heterogeneous field plots. When the densities of the species were increased within microcosms, interspecific interactions enhanced effects on organic matter consumption and reduced effects on nutrient flux. Trait-based predictions of how each species would affect functioning were only consistently supported when the density of the other species was low. In field plots, increasing the density of either species had a positive effect on organic matter consumption (with no significant interspecific interactions but no effect on nutrient flux. Our results indicate that species-specific effects on ecosystem functioning can be altered by interspecific interactions, which can be either facilitative (positive or antagonistic (negative depending on the function considered. The impacts of biodiversity change may therefore not be predictable based solely on the biological traits of the species involved. Possible explanations for why interactions were detected in microcosms but not in the field are discussed.

Magnetic fusion energy plasma interactive and high heat flux components. Volume III. Strategy for international collaborations in the areas of plasma materials interactions and high heat flux materials and components development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gauster, W.B.; Bauer, W.; Roberto, J.B.; Post, D.E.

1984-01-01

The purpose of this summary is to assess opportunities for such collaborations in the specific areas of Plasma Materials Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Development, and to aid in developing a strategy to take advantage of them. After some general discussion of international collaborations, we summarize key technical issues and the US programs to address them. Then follows a summary of present collaborations and potential opportunities in foreign laboratories

Composing simulations using persistent software components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holland, J.V.; Michelsen, R.E.; Powell, D.R.; Upton, S.C.; Thompson, D.R.

1999-03-01

The traditional process for developing large-scale simulations is cumbersome, time consuming, costly, and in some cases, inadequate. The topics of software components and component-based software engineering are being explored by software professionals in academic and industrial settings. A component is a well-delineated, relatively independent, and replaceable part of a software system that performs a specific function. Many researchers have addressed the potential to derive a component-based approach to simulations in general, and a few have focused on military simulations in particular. In a component-based approach, functional or logical blocks of the simulation entities are represented as coherent collections of components satisfying explicitly defined interface requirements. A simulation is a top-level aggregate comprised of a collection of components that interact with each other in the context of a simulated environment. A component may represent a simulation artifact, an agent, or any entity that can generated events affecting itself, other simulated entities, or the state of the system. The component-based approach promotes code reuse, contributes to reducing time spent validating or verifying models, and promises to reduce the cost of development while still delivering tailored simulations specific to analysis questions. The Integrated Virtual Environment for Simulation (IVES) is a composition-centered framework to achieve this potential. IVES is a Java implementation of simulation composition concepts developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for use in several application domains. In this paper, its use in the military domain is demonstrated via the simulation of dismounted infantry in an urban environment.

Functional Interactions Between Early Biopolymers and Primitive Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Heili, J.; Gaut, N.; Han, Q.; Gomez-Garcia, J.; Szostak, J. W.; Adamala, K. P.; Engelhart, A. E.

2017-07-01

Recently, we have demonstrated that compartmentalized biomolecules exhibit functional behaviors not observed in bulk solution. We suggest that numerous synthetic and regulatory processes might have been enabled by membrane-biomolecule interactions.

Structure and function of the small terminase component of the DNA packaging machine in T4-like bacteriophages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Siyang; Gao, Song; Kondabagil, Kiran; Xiang, Ye; Rossmann, Michael G.; Rao, Venigalla B. (CUA); (Purdue)

2012-04-04

Tailed DNA bacteriophages assemble empty procapsids that are subsequently filled with the viral genome by means of a DNA packaging machine situated at a special fivefold vertex. The packaging machine consists of a 'small terminase' and a 'large terminase' component. One of the functions of the small terminase is to initiate packaging of the viral genome, whereas the large terminase is responsible for the ATP-powered translocation of DNA. The small terminase subunit has three domains, an N-terminal DNA-binding domain, a central oligomerization domain, and a C-terminal domain for interacting with the large terminase. Here we report structures of the central domain in two different oligomerization states for a small terminase from the T4 family of phages. In addition, we report biochemical studies that establish the function for each of the small terminase domains. On the basis of the structural and biochemical information, we propose a model for DNA packaging initiation.

Bioactive Components in The Meat and Their Functional Properties: A Literature Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khothibul Umam Al Awwaly

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Consumer awareness in meat and meat products is generally recognized as a good source of food, with high biological value protein, B group vitamins, minerals and minor elements like several other bioactive compounds that are beneficial to the human body. But in many cases, a processing error is affecting the bioactive compounds of functional foods and consumer impression are relatively negative to some levels of substances in meat such as fat, cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, salt and other substances, which however also involves a diseases of western society such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory, carcinogenesis, obesity, impaired immune system and accelerate the aging process. Hence there is a need for adequate information related to favorable nutritional value of meat that has not been widely disclosed. Bioactive components in the meat can be anserin, karnosin and bioactive peptides. The generation of bioactive components in the meat in the form of bioactive peptides can be done in three ways: (1 aging or storage of meat, (2 meat fermentation, and (3 the enzyme treatment. Functional properties of bioactive components in meat varies greatly as an antioxidant, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, anticancer and immunomodulatory.

Improving functional modules discovery by enriching interaction networks with gene profiles

KAUST Repository

Salem, Saeed

2013-05-01

Recent advances in proteomic and transcriptomic technologies resulted in the accumulation of vast amount of high-throughput data that span multiple biological processes and characteristics in different organisms. Much of the data come in the form of interaction networks and mRNA expression arrays. An important task in systems biology is functional modules discovery where the goal is to uncover well-connected sub-networks (modules). These discovered modules help to unravel the underlying mechanisms of the observed biological processes. While most of the existing module discovery methods use only the interaction data, in this work we propose, CLARM, which discovers biological modules by incorporating gene profiles data with protein-protein interaction networks. We demonstrate the effectiveness of CLARM on Yeast and Human interaction datasets, and gene expression and molecular function profiles. Experiments on these real datasets show that the CLARM approach is competitive to well established functional module discovery methods.

Understanding recovery: changes in the relationships of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) components over time.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, A M; Perruccio, A V; Ibrahim, S; Hogg-Johnson, S; Wong, R; Badley, E M

2012-12-01

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health framework describes human functioning through body structure and function, activity and participation in the context of a person's social and physical environment. This work tested the temporal relationships of these components. Our hypotheses were: 1) there would be associations among physical impairment, activity limitations and participation restrictions within time; 2) prior status of a component would be associated with future status; 3) prior status of one component would influence status of a second component (e.g. prior activity limitations would be associated with current participation restrictions); and, 4) the magnitude of the within time relationships of the components would vary over time. Participants from Canada with primary hip or knee joint replacement (n = 931), an intervention with predictable improvement in pain and disability, completed standardized outcome measures pre-surgery and five times in the first year post-surgery. These included physical impairment (pain), activity limitations and participation restrictions. ICF component relationships were evaluated cross-sectionally and longitudinally using path analysis adjusting for age, sex, BMI, hip vs. knee, low back pain and mood. All component scores improved significantly over time. The path coefficients supported the hypotheses in that both within and across time, physical impairment was associated with activity limitation and activity limitation was associated with participation restriction; prior status and change in a component were associated with current status in another component; and, the magnitude of the path coefficients varied over time with stronger associations among components to three months post surgery than later in recovery with the exception of the association between impairment and participation restrictions which was of similar magnitude at all times. This work enhances understanding of the

Multiple genetic interaction experiments provide complementary information useful for gene function prediction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magali Michaut

Full Text Available Genetic interactions help map biological processes and their functional relationships. A genetic interaction is defined as a deviation from the expected phenotype when combining multiple genetic mutations. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, most genetic interactions are measured under a single phenotype - growth rate in standard laboratory conditions. Recently genetic interactions have been collected under different phenotypic readouts and experimental conditions. How different are these networks and what can we learn from their differences? We conducted a systematic analysis of quantitative genetic interaction networks in yeast performed under different experimental conditions. We find that networks obtained using different phenotypic readouts, in different conditions and from different laboratories overlap less than expected and provide significant unique information. To exploit this information, we develop a novel method to combine individual genetic interaction data sets and show that the resulting network improves gene function prediction performance, demonstrating that individual networks provide complementary information. Our results support the notion that using diverse phenotypic readouts and experimental conditions will substantially increase the amount of gene function information produced by genetic interaction screens.

The weathervane model, a functional and structural organization of the two-component alkanesulfonate oxidoreductase SsuD from Xanthomonas citri

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pegos, V.R.; Oliveira, P.S.L.; Balan, A.

2012-01-01

Full text: In Xanthomonas citri, the phytopathogen responsible for the canker citrus disease, we identified in the ssuABCDE operon, genes encoding the alkanesulfonate ABC transporter as well as the two enzymes responsible for oxido reduction of the respective substrates. SsuD and SsuE proteins represent a two-component system that can be assigned to the group of FMNH 2 -dependent monooxygenases. How- ever, despite of the biochemical information about SsuD and SsuE orthologs from Escherichia coli, there is no structural information of how the two proteins work together. In this work, we used ultracentrifugation, SAXS data and molecular modeling to construct a structural/functional model, which consists of eight molecules organized in a weathervane shape. Through this model, SsuD ligand-binding site for NADPH 2 and FMN substrates is clearly exposed, in a way that might allow the protein-protein interactions with SsuE. Moreover, based on molecular dynamics simulations of SsuD in apo state, docked with NADPH 2 , FMN or both substrates, we characterized the residues of the pocket, the mechanism of substrate interaction and transfer of electrons from NADPH 2 to FMN. This is the first report that links functional and biochemical data with structural analyses. (author)

Effects and interactions of medium components on laccase from a marine-derived fungus using response surface methodology

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DeSouza-Ticlo, D.; Garg, S.; Raghukumar, C.

The effects of various synthetic medium components and their interactions with each other ultimately impact laccase production in fungi. This was studied using a laccase-hyper-producing marine-derived basidiomycete, Cerrena unicolor MTCC 5159...

Diversity-interaction modeling: estimating contributions of species identities and interactions to ecosystem function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirwan, L; Connolly, J; Finn, J A

2009-01-01

to the roles of evenness, functional groups, and functional redundancy. These more parsimonious descriptions can be especially useful in identifying general diversity-function relationships in communities with large numbers of species. We provide an example of the application of the modeling framework......We develop a modeling framework that estimates the effects of species identity and diversity on ecosystem function and permits prediction of the diversity-function relationship across different types of community composition. Rather than just measure an overall effect of diversity, we separately....... These models describe community-level performance and thus do not require separate measurement of the performance of individual species. This flexible modeling approach can be tailored to test many hypotheses in biodiversity research and can suggest the interaction mechanisms that may be acting....

Functional interactivity in social media: an examination of Chinese health care organizations' microblog profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Shaohai

2017-09-08

Social media hold enormous potentials as a communication tool for health care due to its interactive nature. However, prior research mainly focused on contingency interactivity of social media, by examining messages sent from health care organizations to audiences, while little is known about functional interactivity, which refers to social media's presence of functions for facilitating communication between users and its interface. That is, how health care organizations use interactive features on social media to communicate with the public. Thus, with a general basis of the functional interactivity framework proposed by Waters et al. (Engaging stakeholders through social networking: how nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Pub Relat Rev 2009;35:102-106), the current study investigated three aspects of functional interactivity in microblogging, and its subsequent effects. Specifically, this study analyzed 500 Chinese hospitals' profiles on Sina Weibo, the most popular microblogging platform in China. The results showed that the most common functional interactivity feature was organization disclosure, followed by information dissemination, and audience involvement. These interactive features all positively predicted the number of followers. Also, Chinese private hospitals scored significantly higher than public hospitals to use interactive features offered by social media. The findings of this study provide important implications for health care organizations to understand new communicative functions available on social media, incorporate more functions into their profiles and thus provide audiences with greater opportunity to interact with them via social media. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Suitability of the Binaural Interaction Component for Interaural Electrode Pairing of Bilateral Cochlear Implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Hongmei; Kollmeier, Birger; Dietz, Mathias

2016-01-01

Although bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) have succeeded in improving the spatial hearing performance of bilateral CI users, the overall performance is still not comparable with normal hearing listeners. Limited success can be partially caused by an interaural mismatch of the place-of-stimulation in each cochlea. Pairing matched interaural CI electrodes and stimulating them with the same frequency band is expected to facilitate binaural functions such as binaural fusion, localization, or spatial release from masking. It has been shown in animal experiments that the magnitude of the binaural interaction component (BIC) derived from the wave-eV decreases for increasing interaural place of stimulation mismatch. This motivated the investigation of the suitability of an electroencephalography-based objective electrode-frequency fitting procedure based on the BIC for BiCI users. A 61 channel monaural and binaural electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) recording was performed in 7 MED-EL BiCI subjects so far. These BiCI subjects were directly stimulated at 60% dynamic range with 19.9 pulses per second via a research platform provided by the University of Innsbruck (RIB II). The BIC was derived for several interaural electrode pairs by subtracting the response from binaural stimulation from their summed monaural responses. The BIC based pairing results are compared with two psychoacoustic pairing methods: interaural pulse time difference sensitivity and interaural pitch matching. The results for all three methods analyzed as a function of probe electrode allow for determining a matched pair in more than half of the subjects, with a typical accuracy of ± 1 electrode. This includes evidence for statistically significant tuning of the BIC as a function of probe electrode in human subjects. However, results across the three conditions were sometimes not consistent. These discrepancies will be discussed in the light of pitch plasticity versus less plastic

Evaluation of two novel leptospiral proteins for their interaction with human host components.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Lucas P; Fernandes, Luis G V; Vieira, Monica L; de Souza, Gisele O; Heinemann, Marcos B; Vasconcellos, Silvio A; Romero, Eliete C; Nascimento, Ana L T O

2016-07-01

Pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira are the etiological agents of leptospirosis, the most widespread zoonosis. Mechanisms involved in leptospiral pathogenesis are not well understood. By data mining the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans we have identified two proteins predicted to be surface exposed, LIC10821 and LIC10064. Immunofluorescence and proteinase K assays confirmed that the proteins are exposed. Reactivity of the recombinant proteins with human sera has shown that rLIC10821, but not rLIC10064, is recognized by antibodies in confirmed leptospirosis serum samples, suggesting its expression during infection. The rLIC10821 was able to bind laminin, in a dose-dependent fashion, and was called Lsa37 (leptospiral surface adhesin of 37 kDa). Studies with human plasma components demonstrated that rLIC10821 interacts with plasminogen (PLG) and fibrinogen (Fg). The binding of Lsa37 with PLG generates plasmin when PLG activator was added. Fibrin clotting reduction was observed in a thrombin-catalyzed reaction, when Fg was incubated with Lsa37, suggesting that this protein may interfere in the coagulation cascade during the disease. Although LIC10064 protein is more abundant than the corresponding Lsa37, binding activity with all the components tested was not detected. Thus, Lsa37 is a novel versatile adhesin that may mediate Leptospira-host interactions. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intranasal oxytocin modulates neural functional connectivity during human social interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rilling, James K; Chen, Xiangchuan; Chen, Xu; Haroon, Ebrahim

2018-02-10

Oxytocin (OT) modulates social behavior in primates and many other vertebrate species. Studies in non-primate animals have demonstrated that, in addition to influencing activity within individual brain areas, OT influences functional connectivity across networks of areas involved in social behavior. Previously, we used fMRI to image brain function in human subjects during a dyadic social interaction task following administration of either intranasal oxytocin (INOT) or placebo, and analyzed the data with a standard general linear model. Here, we conduct an extensive re-analysis of these data to explore how OT modulates functional connectivity across a neural network that animal studies implicate in social behavior. OT induced widespread increases in functional connectivity in response to positive social interactions among men and widespread decreases in functional connectivity in response to negative social interactions among women. Nucleus basalis of Meynert, an important regulator of selective attention and motivation with a particularly high density of OT receptors, had the largest number of OT-modulated connections. Regions known to receive mesolimbic dopamine projections such as the nucleus accumbens and lateral septum were also hubs for OT effects on functional connectivity. Our results suggest that the neural mechanism by which OT influences primate social cognition may include changes in patterns of activity across neural networks that regulate social behavior in other animals. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Scoring functions for protein-protein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Moal, Iain H; Moretti, Rocco; Baker, David; Fernández-Recio, Juan

2013-12-01

The computational evaluation of protein-protein interactions will play an important role in organising the wealth of data being generated by high-throughput initiatives. Here we discuss future applications, report recent developments and identify areas requiring further investigation. Many functions have been developed to quantify the structural and energetic properties of interacting proteins, finding use in interrelated challenges revolving around the relationship between sequence, structure and binding free energy. These include loop modelling, side-chain refinement, docking, multimer assembly, affinity prediction, affinity change upon mutation, hotspots location and interface design. Information derived from models optimised for one of these challenges can be used to benefit the others, and can be unified within the theoretical frameworks of multi-task learning and Pareto-optimal multi-objective learning. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparisons of PRD [power-reactivity-decrements] components for various EBR-II configurations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneghetti, D.; Kucera, D.A.

1986-01-01

Comparison of detailed calculations of contributions by region and component of the power-reactivity-decrements (PRD) for four differing loading configurations of the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) are given. The linear components and Doppler components are calculated. The non-linear (primarily subassembly bowing) components are deduced by differences relative to measured total PRD values. Variations in linear components range from about 10% to as much as about 100% depending upon the component. The deduced non-linear components differ both in magnitude and sign as functions of reactor power. Effects of differing assumptions of the nature of the fuel-to-clad interactions upon the PRD components are also calculated

The early development of executive function and its relation to social interaction: A brief review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke eMoriguchi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Executive function (EF refers to the ability to execute appropriate actions and to inhibit inappropriate actions for the attainment of a specific goal. Research has shown that this ability develops rapidly during the preschool years. Recently, it has been proposed that research on executive function should consider the importance of social interaction. In this article, recent evidence regarding the early development of executive function and its relation to social interaction has been reviewed. Research consistently showed that social interaction can influence executive function skills in young children. However, the development of executive function may facilitate the cognitive skills that are important for social interaction. Taken together, there might be functional dependency between the development of executive function and social interaction.

Dark energy interacting with dark matter and a third fluid: Possible EoS for this component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cruz, Norman; Lepe, Samuel; Pena, Francisco

2011-01-01

A cosmological model of dark energy interacting with dark matter and another general component of the universe is considered. The equations for the coincidence parameters r and s, which represent the ratios between dark energy and dark matter and the other cosmic fluid respectively, are analyzed in terms of the stability of stationary solutions. The obtained general results allow to shed some light on the equations of state of the three interacting fluids, due to the constraints imposed by the stability of the solutions. We found that for an interaction proportional to the sum of the dark energy density and the third fluid density, the hypothetical fluid must have positive pressure, which leads naturally to a cosmological scenario with radiation, unparticle or even some form of warm dark matter as the third interacting fluid.

Dark energy interacting with dark matter and a third fluid: Possible EoS for this component

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz, Norman, E-mail: ncruz@lauca.usach.c [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencia, Universidad de Santiago, Casilla 307, Santiago (Chile); Lepe, Samuel, E-mail: slepe@ucv.c [Instituto de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Casilla 4059, Valparaiso (Chile); Pena, Francisco, E-mail: fcampos@ufro.c [Departamento de Ciencias Fisicas, Facultad de Ingenieria, Ciencias y Administracion, Universidad de La Frontera, Avda. Francisco Salazar 01145, Casilla 54-D, Temuco (Chile)

2011-05-09

A cosmological model of dark energy interacting with dark matter and another general component of the universe is considered. The equations for the coincidence parameters r and s, which represent the ratios between dark energy and dark matter and the other cosmic fluid respectively, are analyzed in terms of the stability of stationary solutions. The obtained general results allow to shed some light on the equations of state of the three interacting fluids, due to the constraints imposed by the stability of the solutions. We found that for an interaction proportional to the sum of the dark energy density and the third fluid density, the hypothetical fluid must have positive pressure, which leads naturally to a cosmological scenario with radiation, unparticle or even some form of warm dark matter as the third interacting fluid.

Unblockable Compositions of Software Components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dong, Ruzhen; Faber, Johannes; Liu, Zhiming

2012-01-01

We present a new automata-based interface model describing the interaction behavior of software components. Contrary to earlier component- or interface-based approaches, the interface model we propose specifies all the non-blockable interaction behaviors of a component with any environment...... composition of interface models preserves unblockable sequences of provided services....

Structure and function of the catalytic domain of the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase component in Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Junjie; Nemeria, Natalia S; Chandrasekhar, Krishnamoorthy; Kumaran, Sowmini; Arjunan, Palaniappa; Reynolds, Shelley; Calero, Guillermo; Brukh, Roman; Kakalis, Lazaros; Furey, William; Jordan, Frank

2014-05-30

The Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) catalyzing conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA comprises three components: E1p, E2p, and E3. The E2p is the five-domain core component, consisting of three tandem lipoyl domains (LDs), a peripheral subunit binding domain (PSBD), and a catalytic domain (E2pCD). Herein are reported the following. 1) The x-ray structure of E2pCD revealed both intra- and intertrimer interactions, similar to those reported for other E2pCDs. 2) Reconstitution of recombinant LD and E2pCD with E1p and E3p into PDHc could maintain at least 6.4% activity (NADH production), confirming the functional competence of the E2pCD and active center coupling among E1p, LD, E2pCD, and E3 even in the absence of PSBD and of a covalent link between domains within E2p. 3) Direct acetyl transfer between LD and coenzyme A catalyzed by E2pCD was observed with a rate constant of 199 s(-1), comparable with the rate of NADH production in the PDHc reaction. Hence, neither reductive acetylation of E2p nor acetyl transfer within E2p is rate-limiting. 4) An unprecedented finding is that although no interaction could be detected between E1p and E2pCD by itself, a domain-induced interaction was identified on E1p active centers upon assembly with E2p and C-terminally truncated E2p proteins by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. The inclusion of each additional domain of E2p strengthened the interaction with E1p, and the interaction was strongest with intact E2p. E2p domain-induced changes at the E1p active site were also manifested by the appearance of a circular dichroism band characteristic of the canonical 4'-aminopyrimidine tautomer of bound thiamin diphosphate (AP). © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Interaction effects between internal governance mechanisms on the components of initial returns during the IPO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mediha Mezhoud

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Our work provides an analysis of the interaction effects between internal governance mechanisms on the components of initial returns during the listing period. The application of multivariate regressions on a sample of 110 IPO French companies during 2005-2010, has allowed us to conclude that the different interactions between these mechanisms significantly influence the level of under / overpricing. Indeed, the positive relationship between internal governance mechanisms and overpricing reflects a substitutability relationship. In contrast, the complementarity effect comes from the negative relationship characterizing the combination of governance mechanisms and the underpricing. Thus, the interactions effects between institutional ownership, board structure and under / overpricing are not conforming to the existence of a complementarity or substitutability relationship between these variables given the absence of a significant combination between these variables

Three-component model of solar wind--interstellar medium interaction: some numerical results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baranov, V.; Ermakov, M.; Lebedev, M.

1981-01-01

A three-component (electrons, protons, H atoms) model for the interaction between the local interstellar medium and the solar wind is considered. A numerical analysis has been performed to determine how resonance charge exchange in interstellar H atoms that have penetrated the solar wind would affect the two-shock model developed previously by Baranov et al. In particular, if n/sub Hinfinity//n/sub e/infinity>10 (n/sub Hinfinity/, n/sub e/infinity denote the number density of H atoms and electrons in the local ISM) the inner shock may approach the sun as closely as the outer planetary orbits

Lunar dust transport and potential interactions with power system components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katzan, C.M.; Edwards, J.L.

1991-11-01

The lunar surface is covered by a thick blanket of fine dust. This dust may be readily suspended from the surface and transported by a variety of mechanisms. As a consequence, lunar dust can accumulate on sensitive power components, such as photovoltaic arrays and radiator surfaces, reducing their performance. In addition to natural mechanisms, human activities on the Moon will disturb significant amounts of lunar dust. Of all the mechanisms identified, the most serious is rocket launch and landing. The return of components from the Surveyor III provided a rare opportunity to observe the effects of the nearby landing of the Apollo 12 lunar module. The evidence proved that significant dust accumulation occurred on the Surveyor at a distance of 155 m. From available information on particle suspension and transport mechanisms, a series of models was developed to predict dust accumulation as a function of distance from the lunar module. The accumulation distribution was extrapolated to a future lunar lander scenario. These models indicate that accumulation is expected to be substantial even as far as 2 km from the landing site. Estimates of the performance penalties associated with lunar dust coverage on radiators and photovoltaic arrays are presented. Because of the lunar dust adhesive and cohesive properties, the most practical dust defensive strategy appears to be the protection of sensitive components from the arrival of lunar dust by location, orientation, or barriers

Lunar dust transport and potential interactions with power system components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katzan, C.M.; Edwards, J.L.

1991-11-01

The lunar surface is covered by a thick blanket of fine dust. This dust may be readily suspended from the surface and transported by a variety of mechanisms. As a consequence, lunar dust can accumulate on sensitive power components, such as photovoltaic arrays and radiator surfaces, reducing their performance. In addition to natural mechanisms, human activities on the Moon will disturb significant amounts of lunar dust. Of all the mechanisms identified, the most serious is rocket launch and landing. The return of components from the Surveyor III provided a rare opportunity to observe the effects of the nearby landing of the Apollo 12 lunar module. The evidence proved that significant dust accumulation occurred on the Surveyor at a distance of 155 m. From available information on particle suspension and transport mechanisms, a series of models was developed to predict dust accumulation as a function of distance from the lunar module. The accumulation distribution was extrapolated to a future lunar lander scenario. These models indicate that accumulation is expected to be substantial even as far as 2 km from the landing site. Estimates of the performance penalties associated with lunar dust coverage on radiators and photovoltaic arrays are presented. Because of the lunar dust adhesive and cohesive properties, the most practical dust defensive strategy appears to be the protection of sensitive components from the arrival of lunar dust by location, orientation, or barriers.

Arabidopsis GCP3-interacting protein 1/MOZART 1 is an integral component of the γ-tubulin-containing microtubule nucleating complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, Masayoshi; Yagi, Noriyoshi; Kato, Takehide; Fujita, Satoshi; Kawashima, Noriyuki; Ehrhardt, David W; Hashimoto, Takashi

2012-07-01

Microtubules in eukaryotic cells are nucleated from ring-shaped complexes that contain γ-tubulin and a family of homologous γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs), but the subunit composition of the complexes can vary among fungi, animals and plants. Arabidopsis GCP3-interacting protein 1 (GIP1), a small protein with no homology to the GCP family, interacts with GCP3 in vitro, and is a plant homolog of vertebrate mitotic-spindle organizing protein associated with a ring of γ-tubulin 1 (MOZART1), a recently identified component of the γ-tubulin complex in human cell lines. In this study, we characterized two closely related Arabidopsis GIP1s: GIP1a and GIP1b. Single mutants of gip1a and gip1b were indistinguishable from wild-type plants, but their double mutant was embryonic lethal, and showed impaired development of male gametophytes. Functional fusions of GIP1a with green fluorescent protein (GFP) were used to purify GIP1a-containing complexes from Arabidopsis plants, which contained all the subunits (except NEDD1) previously identified in the Arabidopsis γ-tubulin complexes. GIP1a and GIP1b interacted specifically with Arabidopsis GCP3 in yeast. GFP-GIP1a labeled mitotic microtubule arrays in a pattern largely consistent with, but partly distinct from, the localization of the γ-tubulin complex containing GCP2 or GCP3 in planta. In interphase cortical arrays, the labeled complexes were preferentially recruited to existing microtubules, from which new microtubules were efficiently nucleated. However, in contrast to complexes labeled with tagged GCP2 or GCP3, their recruitment to cortical areas with no microtubules was rarely observed. These results indicate that GIP1/MOZART1 is an integral component of a subset of the Arabidopsis γ-tubulin complexes. © 2012 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Precise response function for the magnetic component of gravitational waves in scalar-tensor gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corda, Christian

2011-01-01

The important issue of the magnetic component of gravitational waves (GWs) has been considered in various papers in the literature. From such analyses, it has been found that such a magnetic component becomes particularly important in the high-frequency portion of the frequency range of ground based interferometers for GWs which arises from standard general theory of relativity (GTR). Recently, such a magnetic component has been extended to GWs arising from scalar-tensor gravity (STG) too. After a review of some important issues on GWs in STG, in this paper we reanalyze the magnetic component in the framework of STG from a different point of view, by correcting an error in a previous paper and by releasing a more precise response function. In this way, we also show that if one neglects the magnetic contribution considering only the low-frequency approximation of the electric contribution, an important part of the signal could be, in principle, lost. The determination of a more precise response function for the magnetic contribution is important also in the framework of the possibility of distinguishing other gravitational theories from GTR. At the conclusion of this paper, an expansion of the main results is also shown in order to recall the presence of the magnetic component in GTR too.

Application of damage functions to CTR component fluence limit predictions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simons, R.L.; Doran, D.G.

1975-01-01

Material behavior observed under irradiation conditions in test reactors is not always directly applicable to the design of reactor components such as CTR first wall because of differences in the damage effectiveness of test reactor and service spectra. The interpolation and, under some conditions, extrapolation of material property change data from test conditions to different neutron spectra in service conditions can be accomplished using semi-empirical damage functions. The derivation and application of damage functions to CTR conditions is reviewed. Since limited amounts of data are available for applications to CTR design spectra, considerable attention is placed on the effectiveness of various available and proposed neutron sources in determining a damage function and subsequent fluence limit prediction. Neutron sources included in this study were EBR-II, HIFR, LAMPF (Be and Cu targets), high energy deuterons incident on Be (D-Be), and 14 MeV neutrons (D-T)

Functional modules by relating protein interaction networks and gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Tornow, Sabine; Mewes, H W

2003-11-01

Genes and proteins are organized on the basis of their particular mutual relations or according to their interactions in cellular and genetic networks. These include metabolic or signaling pathways and protein interaction, regulatory or co-expression networks. Integrating the information from the different types of networks may lead to the notion of a functional network and functional modules. To find these modules, we propose a new technique which is based on collective, multi-body correlations in a genetic network. We calculated the correlation strength of a group of genes (e.g. in the co-expression network) which were identified as members of a module in a different network (e.g. in the protein interaction network) and estimated the probability that this correlation strength was found by chance. Groups of genes with a significant correlation strength in different networks have a high probability that they perform the same function. Here, we propose evaluating the multi-body correlations by applying the superparamagnetic approach. We compare our method to the presently applied mean Pearson correlations and show that our method is more sensitive in revealing functional relationships.

The Component-Based Application for GAMESS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, Fang [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2007-01-01

GAMESS, a quantum chetnistry program for electronic structure calculations, has been freely shared by high-performance application scientists for over twenty years. It provides a rich set of functionalities and can be run on a variety of parallel platforms through a distributed data interface. While a chemistry computation is sophisticated and hard to develop, the resource sharing among different chemistry packages will accelerate the development of new computations and encourage the cooperation of scientists from universities and laboratories. Common Component Architecture (CCA) offers an enviromnent that allows scientific packages to dynamically interact with each other through components, which enable dynamic coupling of GAMESS with other chetnistry packages, such as MPQC and NWChem. Conceptually, a cotnputation can be constructed with "plug-and-play" components from scientific packages and require more than componentizing functions/subroutines of interest, especially for large-scale scientific packages with a long development history. In this research, we present our efforts to construct cotnponents for GAMESS that conform to the CCA specification. The goal is to enable the fine-grained interoperability between three quantum chemistry programs, GAMESS, MPQC and NWChem, via components. We focus on one of the three packages, GAMESS; delineate the structure of GAMESS computations, followed by our approaches to its component development. Then we use GAMESS as the driver to interoperate integral components from the other tw"o packages, arid show the solutions for interoperability problems along with preliminary results. To justify the versatility of the design, the Tuning and Analysis Utility (TAU) components have been coupled with GAMESS and its components, so that the performance of GAMESS and its components may be analyzed for a wide range of systetn parameters.

Effects of interactive instructional techniques in a web-based peripheral nervous system component for human anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Edwin B; Walls, Richard T; Reilly, Frank D

2008-02-01

This study investigated the effects of interactive instructional techniques in a web-based peripheral nervous system (PNS) component of a first year medical school human anatomy course. Existing data from 9 years of instruction involving 856 students were used to determine (1) the effect of web-based interactive instructional techniques on written exam item performance and (2) differences between student opinions of the benefit level of five different types of interactive learning objects used. The interactive learning objects included Patient Case studies, review Games, Simulated Interactive Patients (SIP), Flashcards, and unit Quizzes. Exam item analysis scores were found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) for students receiving the instructional treatment incorporating the web-based interactive learning objects than for students not receiving this treatment. Questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale were analysed to determine student opinion ratings of the interactive learning objects. Students reported favorably on the benefit level of all learning objects. Students rated the benefit level of the Simulated Interactive Patients (SIP) highest, and this rating was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than all other learning objects. This study suggests that web-based interactive instructional techniques improve student exam performance. Students indicated a strong acceptance of Simulated Interactive Patient learning objects.

Effect of solar radiation on the functional components of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiyama, Mari; Katsube, Takuya; Koyama, Akio; Itamura, Hiroyuki

2016-08-01

The functional components of mulberry leaves have attracted the attention of the health food industry, and increasing their concentrations is an industry goal. This study investigated the effects of solar radiation, which may influence the production of flavonol and 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) functional components in mulberry leaves, by comparing a greenhouse (poor solar radiation) and outdoor (rich solar radiation) setting. The level of flavonol in leaves cultivated in the greenhouse was markedly decreased when compared with those cultivated outdoors. In contrast, the DNJ content in greenhouse-cultivated plants was increased only slightly when compared with those cultivated outdoors. Interestingly, the flavonol content was markedly increased in the upper leaves of mulberry trees that were transferred from a greenhouse to the outdoors compared with those cultivated only in the outdoors. Solar radiation conditions influence the synthesis of flavonol and DNJ, the functional components of mulberry leaves. Under high solar radiation, the flavonol level becomes very high but the DNJ level becomes slightly lower, suggesting that the impact of solar radiation is great on flavonol but small on DNJ synthesis. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

The integration of emotional and symbolic components in multimodal communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc eMehu

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Human multimodal communication can be said to serve two main purposes: information transfer and social influence. In this paper, I argue that different components of multimodal signals play different roles in the processes of information transfer and social influence. Although the symbolic components of communication (e.g. verbal and denotative signals are well suited to transfer conceptual information, emotional components (e.g. nonverbal signals that are difficult to manipulate voluntarily likely take a function that is closer to social influence. I suggest that emotion should be considered a property of communicative signals, rather than an entity that is transferred as content by nonverbal signals. In this view, the effect of emotional processes on communication serve to change the quality of social signals to make them more efficient at producing responses in perceivers, whereas symbolic components increase the signals’ efficiency at interacting with the cognitive processes dedicated to the assessment of relevance. The interaction between symbolic and emotional components will be discussed in relation to the need for perceivers to evaluate the reliability of multimodal signals.

The integration of emotional and symbolic components in multimodal communication

Science.gov (United States)

Mehu, Marc

2015-01-01

Human multimodal communication can be said to serve two main purposes: information transfer and social influence. In this paper, I argue that different components of multimodal signals play different roles in the processes of information transfer and social influence. Although the symbolic components of communication (e.g., verbal and denotative signals) are well suited to transfer conceptual information, emotional components (e.g., non-verbal signals that are difficult to manipulate voluntarily) likely take a function that is closer to social influence. I suggest that emotion should be considered a property of communicative signals, rather than an entity that is transferred as content by non-verbal signals. In this view, the effect of emotional processes on communication serve to change the quality of social signals to make them more efficient at producing responses in perceivers, whereas symbolic components increase the signals’ efficiency at interacting with the cognitive processes dedicated to the assessment of relevance. The interaction between symbolic and emotional components will be discussed in relation to the need for perceivers to evaluate the reliability of multimodal signals. PMID:26217280

On Attribute Thresholding and Data Mapping Functions in a Supervised Connected Component Segmentation Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoff Fourie

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Search-centric, sample supervised image segmentation has been demonstrated as a viable general approach applicable within the context of remote sensing image analysis. Such an approach casts the controlling parameters of image processing—generating segments—as a multidimensional search problem resolvable via efficient search methods. In this work, this general approach is analyzed in the context of connected component segmentation. A specific formulation of connected component labeling, based on quasi-flat zones, allows for the addition of arbitrary segment attributes to contribute to the nature of the output. This is in addition to core tunable parameters controlling the basic nature of connected components. Additional tunable constituents may also be introduced into such a framework, allowing flexibility in the definition of connected component connectivity, either directly via defining connectivity differently or via additional processes such as data mapping functions. The relative merits of these two additional constituents, namely the addition of tunable attributes and data mapping functions, are contrasted in a general remote sensing image analysis setting. Interestingly, tunable attributes in such a context, conjectured to be safely useful in general settings, were found detrimental under cross-validated conditions. This is in addition to this constituent’s requiring substantially greater computing time. Casting connectivity definitions as a searchable component, here via the utilization of data mapping functions, proved more beneficial and robust in this context. The results suggest that further investigations into such a general framework could benefit more from focusing on the aspects of data mapping and modifiable connectivity as opposed to the utility of thresholding various geometric and spectral attributes.

Organism-Sediment Interactions Govern Post-Hypoxia Recovery of Ecosystem Functioning

Science.gov (United States)

Van Colen, Carl; Rossi, Francesca; Montserrat, Francesc; Andersson, Maria G. I.; Gribsholt, Britta; Herman, Peter M. J.; Degraer, Steven; Vincx, Magda; Ysebaert, Tom; Middelburg, Jack J.

2012-01-01

Hypoxia represents one of the major causes of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning loss for coastal waters. Since eutrophication-induced hypoxic events are becoming increasingly frequent and intense, understanding the response of ecosystems to hypoxia is of primary importance to understand and predict the stability of ecosystem functioning. Such ecological stability may greatly depend on the recovery patterns of communities and the return time of the system properties associated to these patterns. Here, we have examined how the reassembly of a benthic community contributed to the recovery of ecosystem functioning following experimentally-induced hypoxia in a tidal flat. We demonstrate that organism-sediment interactions that depend on organism size and relate to mobility traits and sediment reworking capacities are generally more important than recovering species richness to set the return time of the measured sediment processes and properties. Specifically, increasing macrofauna bioturbation potential during community reassembly significantly contributed to the recovery of sediment processes and properties such as denitrification, bedload sediment transport, primary production and deep pore water ammonium concentration. Such bioturbation potential was due to the replacement of the small-sized organisms that recolonised at early stages by large-sized bioturbating organisms, which had a disproportionately stronger influence on sediment. This study suggests that the complete recovery of organism-sediment interactions is a necessary condition for ecosystem functioning recovery, and that such process requires long periods after disturbance due to the slow growth of juveniles into adult stages involved in these interactions. Consequently, repeated episodes of disturbance at intervals smaller than the time needed for the system to fully recover organism-sediment interactions may greatly impair the resilience of ecosystem functioning. PMID:23185440

bioWidgets: data interaction components for genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, S; Crabtree, J; Brunk, B; Gibson, M; Overton, G C

1999-10-01

The presentation of genomics data in a perspicuous visual format is critical for its rapid interpretation and validation. Relatively few public database developers have the resources to implement sophisticated front-end user interfaces themselves. Accordingly, these developers would benefit from a reusable toolkit of user interface and data visualization components. We have designed the bioWidget toolkit as a set of JavaBean components. It includes a wide array of user interface components and defines an architecture for assembling applications. The toolkit is founded on established software engineering design patterns and principles, including componentry, Model-View-Controller, factored models and schema neutrality. As a proof of concept, we have used the bioWidget toolkit to create three extendible applications: AnnotView, BlastView and AlignView.

Statistics of Shared Components in Complex Component Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzolini, Andrea; Gherardi, Marco; Caselle, Michele; Cosentino Lagomarsino, Marco; Osella, Matteo

2018-04-01

Many complex systems are modular. Such systems can be represented as "component systems," i.e., sets of elementary components, such as LEGO bricks in LEGO sets. The bricks found in a LEGO set reflect a target architecture, which can be built following a set-specific list of instructions. In other component systems, instead, the underlying functional design and constraints are not obvious a priori, and their detection is often a challenge of both scientific and practical importance, requiring a clear understanding of component statistics. Importantly, some quantitative invariants appear to be common to many component systems, most notably a common broad distribution of component abundances, which often resembles the well-known Zipf's law. Such "laws" affect in a general and nontrivial way the component statistics, potentially hindering the identification of system-specific functional constraints or generative processes. Here, we specifically focus on the statistics of shared components, i.e., the distribution of the number of components shared by different system realizations, such as the common bricks found in different LEGO sets. To account for the effects of component heterogeneity, we consider a simple null model, which builds system realizations by random draws from a universe of possible components. Under general assumptions on abundance heterogeneity, we provide analytical estimates of component occurrence, which quantify exhaustively the statistics of shared components. Surprisingly, this simple null model can positively explain important features of empirical component-occurrence distributions obtained from large-scale data on bacterial genomes, LEGO sets, and book chapters. Specific architectural features and functional constraints can be detected from occurrence patterns as deviations from these null predictions, as we show for the illustrative case of the "core" genome in bacteria.

Scattering function for a model of interacting surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colangelo, P.; Gonnella, G.; Maritan, A.

1993-01-01

The two-point correlation function of an ensemble of interacting closed self-avoiding surfaces on a cubic lattice is analyzed in the disordered phase, which corresponds to the paramagnetic region in a related spin formulation. Mean-field theory and Monte Carlo simulations predict the existence of a disorder line which corresponds to a transition from an exponential decay to an oscillatory damped behavior of the two-point correlation function. The relevance of the results for the description of amphiphilic systems in a microemulsion phase is discussed. The scattering function is also calculated for a bicontinuous phase coexisting with the paramagnetic phase

Using Spatial Semantics and Interactions to Identify Urban Functional Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yandong Wang

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The spatial structures of cities have changed dramatically with rapid socio-economic development in ways that are not well understood. To support urban structural analysis and rational planning, we propose a framework to identify urban functional regions and quantitatively explore the intensity of the interactions between them, thus increasing the understanding of urban structures. A method for the identification of functional regions via spatial semantics is proposed, which involves two steps: (1 the study area is classified into three types of functional regions using taxi origin/destination (O/D flows; and (2 the spatial semantics for the three types of functional regions are demonstrated based on point-of-interest (POI categories. To validate the existence of urban functional regions, we explored the intensity of interactions quantitatively between them. A case study using POI data and taxi trajectory data from Beijing validates the proposed framework. The results show that the proposed framework can be used to identify urban functional regions and promotes an enhanced understanding of urban structures.

Visual functions and interocular interactions in anisometropic children with and without amblyopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Xin Jie; Alexander, Jack; He, Mingguang; Yang, Zhikuan; Suttle, Catherine

2011-08-29

In uncorrected anisometropia, protracted dichoptic stimulation may result in interocular inhibition, which may be a contributing factor in amblyopia development. This study investigates the relationship between interocular interactions and anisometropic amblyopia. Three visual functions (low-contrast acuity, contrast sensitivity, and alignment sensitivity) were measured in the nondominant eye of 44 children aged 5 to 11 years: 10 with normal vision, 17 with anisometropia without amblyopia, and 17 with anisometropic amblyopia. The dominant eye was either fully or partially occluded. The difference in nondominant eye visual function between the full-and partial-occlusion conditions was termed the interaction index. The index of each visual function was compared between subject groups. A higher index indicates stronger inhibition of nondominant eye function with partial occlusion of the dominant eye. Amblyopic children had 6 months of therapy (refractive correction and occlusion), and the reduction in interocular difference in high-contrast acuity was regarded as the treatment outcome. The relationships of the interaction index with the degree of anisometropia, the severity of amblyopia, and the treatment outcomes were examined. The acuity interaction index was significantly higher in anisometropic children with amblyopia than in those without (P = 0.003). It was positively correlated with the degree of anisometropia (r(s) = 0.35, P = 0.042) and the amblyopic treatment outcomes (r(s) = 0.54, P = 0.038). No such difference or association was found between the contrast sensitivity or alignment sensitivity interaction index and anisometropic amblyopia. Interocular interactions are associated with amblyopia, the degree of anisometropia, and amblyopia treatment outcomes, but these associations are visual function dependent.

A new methodology based on functional principal component analysis to study postural stability post-stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Sánchez, M Luz; Belda-Lois, Juan-Manuel; Mena-Del Horno, Silvia; Viosca-Herrero, Enrique; Igual-Camacho, Celedonia; Gisbert-Morant, Beatriz

2018-05-05

A major goal in stroke rehabilitation is the establishment of more effective physical therapy techniques to recover postural stability. Functional Principal Component Analysis provides greater insight into recovery trends. However, when missing values exist, obtaining functional data presents some difficulties. The purpose of this study was to reveal an alternative technique for obtaining the Functional Principal Components without requiring the conversion to functional data beforehand and to investigate this methodology to determine the effect of specific physical therapy techniques in balance recovery trends in elderly subjects with hemiplegia post-stroke. A randomized controlled pilot trial was developed. Thirty inpatients post-stroke were included. Control and target groups were treated with the same conventional physical therapy protocol based on functional criteria, but specific techniques were added to the target group depending on the subjects' functional level. Postural stability during standing was quantified by posturography. The assessments were performed once a month from the moment the participants were able to stand up to six months post-stroke. The target group showed a significant improvement in postural control recovery trend six months after stroke that was not present in the control group. Some of the assessed parameters revealed significant differences between treatment groups (P Functional Principal Component Analysis to be performed when data is scarce. Moreover, it allowed the dynamics of recovery of two different treatment groups to be determined, showing that the techniques added in the target group increased postural stability compared to the base protocol. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring overlapping functional units with various structure in protein interaction networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiao-Fei Zhang

Full Text Available Revealing functional units in protein-protein interaction (PPI networks are important for understanding cellular functional organization. Current algorithms for identifying functional units mainly focus on cohesive protein complexes which have more internal interactions than external interactions. Most of these approaches do not handle overlaps among complexes since they usually allow a protein to belong to only one complex. Moreover, recent studies have shown that other non-cohesive structural functional units beyond complexes also exist in PPI networks. Thus previous algorithms that just focus on non-overlapping cohesive complexes are not able to present the biological reality fully. Here, we develop a new regularized sparse random graph model (RSRGM to explore overlapping and various structural functional units in PPI networks. RSRGM is principally dominated by two model parameters. One is used to define the functional units as groups of proteins that have similar patterns of connections to others, which allows RSRGM to detect non-cohesive structural functional units. The other one is used to represent the degree of proteins belonging to the units, which supports a protein belonging to more than one revealed unit. We also propose a regularizer to control the smoothness between the estimators of these two parameters. Experimental results on four S. cerevisiae PPI networks show that the performance of RSRGM on detecting cohesive complexes and overlapping complexes is superior to that of previous competing algorithms. Moreover, RSRGM has the ability to discover biological significant functional units besides complexes.

Search for a bosonic component in the neutrino wave function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tornow, W.

2010-01-01

Recently, Dolgov and Smirnov speculated that neutrinos may not obey the principle named after their inventor, the Pauli Principle. The neutrino wave function may contain a bosonic component. In principle, two-neutrino double-beta (2ν2β) decay data could be used to check on the conjecture that neutrinos violate the Pauli Principle. Recent 2ν2β data on 100 Mo to both the ground state and excited states in 100 Ru will be used to illustrate the procedure.

Search for a bosonic component in the neutrino wave function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tornow, W. [Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) and Duke University Department of Physics, P.O. Box 90308, Durham, NC 27708-0308 (United States)

2010-11-01

Recently, Dolgov and Smirnov speculated that neutrinos may not obey the principle named after their inventor, the Pauli Principle. The neutrino wave function may contain a bosonic component. In principle, two-neutrino double-beta (2{nu}2{beta}) decay data could be used to check on the conjecture that neutrinos violate the Pauli Principle. Recent 2{nu}2{beta} data on {sup 100}Mo to both the ground state and excited states in {sup 100}Ru will be used to illustrate the procedure.

Effects of non-structural components and soil-structure interaction on the seismic response of framed structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ditommaso, Rocco; Auletta, Gianluca; Iacovino, Chiara; Nigro, Antonella; Carlo Ponzo, Felice

2017-04-01

In this paper, several nonlinear numerical models of reinforced concrete framed structures have been defined in order to evaluate the effects of non-structural elements and soil-structure interaction on the elastic dynamic behaviour of buildings. In the last few years, many and various studies have highlighted the significant effects derived from the interaction between structural and non-structural components on the main dynamic characteristics of a building. Usually, structural and non-structural elements act together, adding both masses and stiffness. The presence of infill panels is generally neglected in the design process of structural elements, although these elements can significantly increase the lateral stiffness of a structure leading to a modification in the dynamic properties. Particularly, at the Damage Limit State (where an elastic behaviour is expected), soil-structure interaction effects and non-structural elements may further affect the elastic natural period of buildings, changing the spectral accelerations compared with those provided by seismic codes in case of static analyses. In this work, a parametric study has been performed in order to evaluate the elastic fundamental period of vibration of buildings as a function of structural morphology (height, plan area, ratio between plan dimensions), infills presence and distribution and soil characteristics. Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the Italian Department of Civil Protection within the project DPC-RELUIS 2016 - RS4 ''Seismic observatory of structures and health monitoring'' and by the "Centre of Integrated Geomorphology for the Mediterranean Area - CGIAM" within the Framework Agreement with the University of Basilicata "Study, Research and Experimentation in the Field of Analysis and Monitoring of Seismic Vulnerability of Strategic and Relevant Buildings for the purposes of Civil Protection and Development of Innovative Strategies of Seismic Reinforcement".

Interaction between clay-based shaft seal components and crystalline host rock

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Priyanto, D.; Dixon, D.; Man, A.

2010-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. The Government of Canada has accepted the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's (NWMO) recommendation of Adaptive Phased Management (APM) as the long-term management approach for Canada's used nuclear fuel. APM ultimately involves the isolation and containment of used nuclear fuel deep in a Deep Geological Repository (DGR). On completion of waste emplacement operation and during repository closure, shaft seals, comprising clay-based shaft seal components, will be installed at strategic locations, such as where significant fracture zones (FZs) are located. The primary function of a shaft seal is to limit and prevent short-circuiting of the groundwater flow regime via the shaft. Currently, at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's Underground Research Laboratory (URL) a full-scale shaft seal is being constructed at the intersection of a low dipping thrust fault called FZ 2 as part of the overall URL decommissioning activities. Both crystalline rock and sedimentary rock are considered potentially suitable host rocks formations for a DGR. This paper presents the results of numerical simulation of a shaft seal installed in moderately to sparsely fractured crystalline rock (MFR). The shape and thickness of the shaft seal modelled for a DGR in this exercise are similar to the shaft seal at the URL, but in the modelling exercise it is given a larger diameter (i.e. 7.30 m) equal to the assumed diameter of a production shaft of a repository. The seal consists of a blended bentonite-sand (BS) component that is constrained between two massive concrete seals. Dense backfill (DBF) materials are installed above and below the concrete seals (CS). The concrete seals are keyed into the access shaft to better anchor the concrete units in place and in order to restrain the swelling of the bentonite-sand component of the seal as it hydrates. The reference geosphere in the proposed work is MFR similar to the rock conditions

Statistics of Shared Components in Complex Component Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Mazzolini

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Many complex systems are modular. Such systems can be represented as “component systems,” i.e., sets of elementary components, such as LEGO bricks in LEGO sets. The bricks found in a LEGO set reflect a target architecture, which can be built following a set-specific list of instructions. In other component systems, instead, the underlying functional design and constraints are not obvious a priori, and their detection is often a challenge of both scientific and practical importance, requiring a clear understanding of component statistics. Importantly, some quantitative invariants appear to be common to many component systems, most notably a common broad distribution of component abundances, which often resembles the well-known Zipf’s law. Such “laws” affect in a general and nontrivial way the component statistics, potentially hindering the identification of system-specific functional constraints or generative processes. Here, we specifically focus on the statistics of shared components, i.e., the distribution of the number of components shared by different system realizations, such as the common bricks found in different LEGO sets. To account for the effects of component heterogeneity, we consider a simple null model, which builds system realizations by random draws from a universe of possible components. Under general assumptions on abundance heterogeneity, we provide analytical estimates of component occurrence, which quantify exhaustively the statistics of shared components. Surprisingly, this simple null model can positively explain important features of empirical component-occurrence distributions obtained from large-scale data on bacterial genomes, LEGO sets, and book chapters. Specific architectural features and functional constraints can be detected from occurrence patterns as deviations from these null predictions, as we show for the illustrative case of the “core” genome in bacteria.

Two-component dressed-bag model for NN interaction: deuteron structure and phase shifts up to 1 GeV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kukulin, V.I.; Obukhovsky, I.T.; Pomerantsev, V.N.; Faessler, A.

2002-01-01

A two-component model is developed for the intermediate-range NN interaction based on a new mechanism with an intermediate symmetric six-quark bag 'dressed' by σ and other fields. To calculate the transition amplitude, the microscopic six-quark shell-model in combination with the 3 P 0 -quark pion production mechanism is used. As a result, an effective energy-dependent NN interaction is constructed. The new quark-meson model for the NN interaction has been demonstrated to result in a new type of NN tensor force at intermediate ranges, which is crucially important for the treatment of tensor mixing at intermediate energies. The suggested model is able to describe NN phase shifts in a broad energy range from low energy up to 1 GeV, and the deuteron structure. The generalization of the model results in new spin-orbit 2N and 3N forces and new meson-exchange currents induced by intermediate dressed bag components, and also in the enhancement of a collective σ-field in nuclei. (author)

Characterizing functional connectivity during rest in multiple sclerosis patients versus healthy volunteers using independent component analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palacio Garcia, L.; Andrzejak, R.; Prchkovska, V.; Rodrigues, P.

2016-07-01

It is commonly thought that our brain is not active when it does not receive any external input. However, during rest, there are still certain distant regions of the brain that are functionally correlated between them: the so-called resting-state networks. This functional connectivity of the brain is disrupted in many neurological diseases. In particular, it has been shown that one of the most studied resting-state networks (the default-mode network) is affected in multiple sclerosis, which is the most common disabling neurological condition affecting the central nervous system of young adults. In this work, I focus on the study of the differences in the resting-state networks between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy volunteers. In order to study the effects of multiple sclerosis on the functional connectivity of the brain, a numerical method known as independent component analysis (ICA) is applied. This technique divides the resting-state fMRI data into independent components. Nonetheless, noise, which could be due to head motion or physiological artifacts, may corrupt the data by indicating a false activation. Therefore, I create a web user interface that allows the user to manually classify all the independent components for a given subject. Eventually, the components classified as noise should be removed from the functional data in order to prevent them from taking part in any further analysis. (Author)

Components of the CCR4-NOT complex function as nuclear hormone receptor coactivators via association with the NRC-interacting Factor NIF-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Garapaty, Shivani; Mahajan, Muktar A; Samuels, Herbert H

2008-03-14

CCR4-NOT is an evolutionarily conserved, multicomponent complex known to be involved in transcription as well as mRNA degradation. Various subunits (e.g. CNOT1 and CNOT7/CAF1) have been reported to be involved in influencing nuclear hormone receptor activities. Here, we show that CCR4/CNOT6 and RCD1/CNOT9, members of the CCR4-NOT complex, potentiate nuclear receptor activity. RCD1 interacts in vivo and in vitro with NIF-1 (NRC-interacting factor), a previously characterized nuclear receptor cotransducer that activates nuclear receptors via its interaction with NRC. As with NIF-1, RCD1 and CCR4 do not directly associate with nuclear receptors; however, they enhance ligand-dependent transcriptional activation by nuclear hormone receptors. CCR4 mediates its effect through the ligand binding domain of nuclear receptors and small interference RNA-mediated silencing of endogenous CCR4 results in a marked decrease in nuclear receptor activation. Furthermore, knockdown of CCR4 results in an attenuated stimulation of RARalpha target genes (e.g. Sox9 and HoxA1) as shown by quantitative PCR assays. The silencing of endogenous NIF-1 also resulted in a comparable decrease in the RAR-mediated induction of both Sox9 and HoxA1. Furthermore, CCR4 associates in vivo with NIF-1. In addition, the CCR4-enhanced transcriptional activation by nuclear receptors is dependent on NIF-1. The small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of NIF-1 blocks the ligand-dependent potentiating effect of CCR4. Our results suggest that CCR4 plays a role in the regulation of certain endogenous RARalpha target genes and that RCD1 and CCR4 might mediate their function through their interaction with NIF-1.

Single or functionalized fullerenes interacting with heme group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Wallison Chaves; Diniz, Eduardo Moraes, E-mail: eduardo.diniz@ufma.br [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses, 1966, CEP 65080-805, São Luís - MA (Brazil)

2014-09-15

The heme group is responsible for iron transportation through the bloodstream, where iron participates in redox reactions, electron transfer, gases detection etc. The efficiency of such processes can be reduced if the whole heme molecule or even the iron is somehow altered from its original oxidation state, which can be caused by interactions with nanoparticles as fullerenes. To verify how such particles alter the geometry and electronic structure of heme molecule, here we report first principles calculations based on density functional theory of heme group interacting with single C{sub 60} fullerene or with C{sub 60} functionalized with small functional groups (−CH{sub 3}, −COOH, −NH{sub 2}, −OH). The calculations shown that the system heme + nanoparticle has a different spin state in comparison with heme group if the fullerene is functionalized. Also a functional group can provide a stronger binding between nanoparticle and heme molecule or inhibit the chemical bonding in comparison with single fullerene results. In addition heme molecule loses electrons to the nanoparticles and some systems exhibited a geometry distortion in heme group, depending on the binding energy. Furthermore, one find that such nanoparticles induce a formation of spin up states in heme group. Moreover, there exist modifications in density of states near the Fermi energy. Although of such changes in heme electronic structure and geometry, the iron atom remains in the heme group with the same oxidation state, so that processes that involve the iron might not be affected, only those that depend on the whole heme molecule.

Identification of Aspergillus fumigatus Surface Components That Mediate Interaction of Conidia and Hyphae With Human Platelets.

Science.gov (United States)

Rambach, Günter; Blum, Gerhard; Latgé, Jean-Paul; Fontaine, Thierry; Heinekamp, Thorsten; Hagleitner, Magdalena; Jeckström, Hanna; Weigel, Günter; Würtinger, Philipp; Pfaller, Kristian; Krappmann, Sven; Löffler, Jürgen; Lass-Flörl, Cornelia; Speth, Cornelia

2015-10-01

Platelets were recently identified as a part of innate immunity. They are activated by contact with Aspergillus fumigatus; putative consequences include antifungal defense but also thrombosis, excessive inflammation, and thrombocytopenia. We aimed to identify those fungal surface structures that mediate interaction with platelets. Human platelets were incubated with Aspergillus conidia and hyphae, isolated wall components, or fungal surface mutants. Interaction was visualized microscopically; activation was quantified by flow cytometry of specific markers. The capacity of A. fumigatus conidia to activate platelets is at least partly due to melanin, because this effect can be mimicked with "melanin ghosts"; a mutant lacking melanin showed reduced platelet stimulating potency. In contrast, conidial hydrophobin masks relevant structures, because an A. fumigatus mutant lacking the hydrophobin protein induced stronger platelet activation than wild-type conidia. A. fumigatus hyphae also contain surface structures that interact with platelets. Wall proteins, galactomannan, chitin, and β-glucan are not the relevant hyphal components; instead, the recently identified fungal polysaccharide galactosaminogalactan potently triggered platelet activation. Conidial melanin and hydrophobin as well as hyphal galactosaminogalactan represent important pathogenicity factors that modulate platelet activity and thus might influence immune responses, inflammation, and thrombosis in infected patients. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

MANAGING THE INTERACTION OF RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNCTIONING OF EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Дмитро Сергійович КОБИЛКІН

2016-02-01

Full Text Available There have been proposed to use a mobile module "Resources manager" and its component model – scheme for managing the distribution of resources during the project management of implementation and functioning of System 112 in Ukraine. Are described the formalized tasks of performance the processes of managing the model – scheme at all stages of the projects life cycle. Also is developed the model – scheme interaction the blocks of the mobile module of resource management at the System 112 project. It describes the step by step interaction of blocks project management with the project data for successful project implementation and obtaining a product of the project, pointing out the environmental impact of the project on each of the project blocks. The conclusions about the expediency and efficiency of implementation of model – scheme in conditions of managing the emergency call systems at a single number were made.

Proceedings of US/Japan workshop, Q219 on high heat flux components and plasma surface interactions for next fusion devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulrickson, M.A.; Stevens, P.L.; Hino, T.; Hirohata, Y. [eds.

1996-12-01

This report contains the viewgraphs from the proceedings of US/Japan Workshop on High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions for Next Fusion Devices. Some of the general topics covered by this report are: PFC/PSI in tokamak and helical devices; development of high heat flux components; PSIS and plasma facing materials;tritium; and material damage.

Proceedings of US/Japan workshop, Q219 on high heat flux components and plasma surface interactions for next fusion devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulrickson, M.A.; Stevens, P.L.; Hino, T.; Hirohata, Y.

1996-12-01

This report contains the viewgraphs from the proceedings of US/Japan Workshop on High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions for Next Fusion Devices. Some of the general topics covered by this report are: PFC/PSI in tokamak and helical devices; development of high heat flux components; PSIS and plasma facing materials;tritium; and material damage

Identifying functional cancer-specific miRNA-mRNA interactions in testicular germ cell tumor.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedaghat, Nafiseh; Fathy, Mahmood; Modarressi, Mohammad Hossein; Shojaie, Ali

2016-09-07

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged between 15 and 35 and more than 90% of testicular neoplasms are originated at germ cells. Recent research has shown the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) in different types of cancer, including testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT). MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs which affect the development and progression of cancer cells by binding to mRNAs and regulating their expressions. The identification of functional miRNA-mRNA interactions in cancers, i.e. those that alter the expression of genes in cancer cells, can help delineate post-regulatory mechanisms and may lead to new treatments to control the progression of cancer. A number of sequence-based methods have been developed to predict miRNA-mRNA interactions based on the complementarity of sequences. While necessary, sequence complementarity is, however, not sufficient for presence of functional interactions. Alternative methods have thus been developed to refine the sequence-based interactions using concurrent expression profiles of miRNAs and mRNAs. This study aims to find functional cancer-specific miRNA-mRNA interactions in TGCT. To this end, the sequence-based predicted interactions are first refined using an ensemble learning method, based on two well-known methods of learning miRNA-mRNA interactions, namely, TaLasso and GenMiR++. Additional functional analyses were then used to identify a subset of interactions to be most likely functional and specific to TGCT. The final list of 13 miRNA-mRNA interactions can be potential targets for identifying TGCT-specific interactions and future laboratory experiments to develop new therapies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RKKY interaction in spin polarized armchair graphene nanoribbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rezania, Hamed, E-mail: rezania.hamed@gmail.com; Azizi, Farshad

2016-11-01

We present the Ruderman–Kittle–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) interaction in the presence of magnetic long range ordered armchair graphene nanoribbon. RKKY interaction as a function of distance between localized moments has been analyzed. It has been shown that a magnetic ordering along the z-axis mediates an anisotropic interaction which corresponds to a XXZ model interaction between two magnetic moments. In order to calculate the exchange interaction along arbitrary direction between two magnetic moments, we should obtain the static spin susceptibilities of armchair graphene nanoribbon. The spin susceptibility components are calculated using Green's function approach for tight binding model Hamiltonian. The effects of spin polarization on the dependence of exchange interaction on distance between moments are investigated via calculating correlation function of spin density operators. Our results show that the chemical potential impacts the spatial behavior of RKKY interaction. - Highlights: • Theoretical calculation of RKKY interaction of armchair graphene nanoribbon. • The investigation of the effect of spin polarization on RKKY interaction. • The investigation of electronic concentration on RKKY interaction of armchair graphene nanoribbon.

Small sets of interacting proteins suggest functional linkage mechanisms via Bayesian analogical reasoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Airoldi, Edoardo M; Heller, Katherine A; Silva, Ricardo

2011-07-01

Proteins and protein complexes coordinate their activity to execute cellular functions. In a number of experimental settings, including synthetic genetic arrays, genetic perturbations and RNAi screens, scientists identify a small set of protein interactions of interest. A working hypothesis is often that these interactions are the observable phenotypes of some functional process, which is not directly observable. Confirmatory analysis requires finding other pairs of proteins whose interaction may be additional phenotypical evidence about the same functional process. Extant methods for finding additional protein interactions rely heavily on the information in the newly identified set of interactions. For instance, these methods leverage the attributes of the individual proteins directly, in a supervised setting, in order to find relevant protein pairs. A small set of protein interactions provides a small sample to train parameters of prediction methods, thus leading to low confidence. We develop RBSets, a computational approach to ranking protein interactions rooted in analogical reasoning; that is, the ability to learn and generalize relations between objects. Our approach is tailored to situations where the training set of protein interactions is small, and leverages the attributes of the individual proteins indirectly, in a Bayesian ranking setting that is perhaps closest to propensity scoring in mathematical psychology. We find that RBSets leads to good performance in identifying additional interactions starting from a small evidence set of interacting proteins, for which an underlying biological logic in terms of functional processes and signaling pathways can be established with some confidence. Our approach is scalable and can be applied to large databases with minimal computational overhead. Our results suggest that analogical reasoning within a Bayesian ranking problem is a promising new approach for real-time biological discovery. Java code is available at

Improving functional modules discovery by enriching interaction networks with gene profiles

KAUST Repository

Salem, Saeed; Alroobi, Rami; Banitaan, Shadi; Seridi, Loqmane; Aljarah, Ibrahim; Brewer, James

2013-01-01

networks. We demonstrate the effectiveness of CLARM on Yeast and Human interaction datasets, and gene expression and molecular function profiles. Experiments on these real datasets show that the CLARM approach is competitive to well established functional

Enhancing the Functional Content of Eukaryotic Protein Interaction Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Gaurav; Arora, Sonali; Manocha, Sahil; Whalen, Sean

2014-01-01

Protein interaction networks are a promising type of data for studying complex biological systems. However, despite the rich information embedded in these networks, these networks face important data quality challenges of noise and incompleteness that adversely affect the results obtained from their analysis. Here, we apply a robust measure of local network structure called common neighborhood similarity (CNS) to address these challenges. Although several CNS measures have been proposed in the literature, an understanding of their relative efficacies for the analysis of interaction networks has been lacking. We follow the framework of graph transformation to convert the given interaction network into a transformed network corresponding to a variety of CNS measures evaluated. The effectiveness of each measure is then estimated by comparing the quality of protein function predictions obtained from its corresponding transformed network with those from the original network. Using a large set of human and fly protein interactions, and a set of over GO terms for both, we find that several of the transformed networks produce more accurate predictions than those obtained from the original network. In particular, the measure and other continuous CNS measures perform well this task, especially for large networks. Further investigation reveals that the two major factors contributing to this improvement are the abilities of CNS measures to prune out noisy edges and enhance functional coherence in the transformed networks. PMID:25275489

Self-assembly kinetics of microscale components: A parametric evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Carballo, Jose M.

The goal of the present work is to develop, and evaluate a parametric model of a basic microscale Self-Assembly (SA) interaction that provides scaling predictions of process rates as a function of key process variables. At the microscale, assembly by "grasp and release" is generally challenging. Recent research efforts have proposed adapting nanoscale self-assembly (SA) processes to the microscale. SA offers the potential for reduced equipment cost and increased throughput by harnessing attractive forces (most commonly, capillary) to spontaneously assemble components. However, there are challenges for implementing microscale SA as a commercial process. The existing lack of design tools prevents simple process optimization. Previous efforts have characterized a specific aspect of the SA process. However, the existing microscale SA models do not characterize the inter-component interactions. All existing models have simplified the outcome of SA interactions as an experimentally-derived value specific to a particular configuration, instead of evaluating it outcome as a function of component level parameters (such as speed, geometry, bonding energy and direction). The present study parameterizes the outcome of interactions, and evaluates the effect of key parameters. The present work closes the gap between existing microscale SA models to add a key piece towards a complete design tool for general microscale SA process modeling. First, this work proposes a simple model for defining the probability of assembly of basic SA interactions. A basic SA interaction is defined as the event where a single part arrives on an assembly site. The model describes the probability of assembly as a function of kinetic energy, binding energy, orientation and incidence angle for the component and the assembly site. Secondly, an experimental SA system was designed, and implemented to create individual SA interactions while controlling process parameters independently. SA experiments

Collective fluctuations in networks of noisy components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masuda, Naoki; Kawamura, Yoji; Kori, Hiroshi

2010-01-01

Collective dynamics result from interactions among noisy dynamical components. Examples include heartbeats, circadian rhythms and various pattern formations. Because of noise in each component, collective dynamics inevitably involve fluctuations, which may crucially affect the functioning of the system. However, the relation between the fluctuations in isolated individual components and those in collective dynamics is not clear. Here, we study a linear dynamical system of networked components subjected to independent Gaussian noise and analytically show that the connectivity of networks determines the intensity of fluctuations in the collective dynamics. Remarkably, in general directed networks including scale-free networks, the fluctuations decrease more slowly with system size than the standard law stated by the central limit theorem. They even remain finite for a large system size when global directionality of the network exists. Moreover, such non-trivial behavior appears even in undirected networks when nonlinear dynamical systems are considered. We demonstrate it with a coupled oscillator system.

Evaluation of functional scintigraphy of gastric emptying by the principal component method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haeussler, M.; Eilles, C.; Reiners, C.; Moll, E.; Boerner, W.

1980-10-01

Gastric emptying of a standard semifluid test-meal, labeled with /sup 99/sup(m)Tc-DTPA, was studied by functional scintigraphy in 88 subjects (normals, patients with duodenal and gastric ulcer before and after selective proximal vagotomy with and without pyloroplasty). Gastric emptying curves were analysed by the method of principal components. Patients after selective proximal vagotomy with pyloroplasty showed an rapid initial emptying, whereas this was a rare finding in patients after selective proximal vagotomy without pyloroplasty. The method of principal components is well suited for mathematical analysis of gastric emptying; nevertheless the results are difficult to interpret. The method has advantages when looking at larger collectives and allows a separation into groups with different gastric emptying.

Anisotropic properties of phase separation in two-component dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei; Li, Jinbin

2018-03-01

Using Crank-Nicolson method, we calculate ground state wave functions of two-component dipolar Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) and show that, due to dipole-dipole interaction (DDI), the condensate mixture displays anisotropic phase separation. The effects of DDI, inter-component s-wave scattering, strength of trap potential and particle numbers on the density profiles are investigated. Three types of two-component profiles are present, first cigar, along z-axis and concentric torus, second pancake (or blood cell), in xy-plane, and two non-uniform ellipsoid, separated by the pancake and third two dumbbell shapes.

Development of the interactive model between Component Cooling Water System and Containment Cooling System using GOTHIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byun, Choong Sup; Song, Dong Soo; Jun, Hwang Yong

2006-01-01

In a design point of view, component cooling water (CCW) system is not full-interactively designed with its heat loads. Heat loads are calculated from the CCW design flow and temperature condition which is determined with conservatism. Then the CCW heat exchanger is sized by using total maximized heat loads from above calculation. This approach does not give the optimized performance results and the exact trends of CCW system and the loads during transient. Therefore a combined model for performance analysis of containment and the component cooling water(CCW) system is developed by using GOTHIC software code. The model is verified by using the design parameters of component cooling water heat exchanger and the heat loads during the recirculation mode of loss of coolant accident scenario. This model may be used for calculating the realistic containment response and CCW performance, and increasing the ultimate heat sink temperature limits

RNase L Interacts with Filamin A To Regulate Actin Dynamics and Barrier Function for Viral Entry

Science.gov (United States)

Siddiqui, Mohammad Adnan; Dayal, Shubham; Naji, Merna; Ezelle, Heather J.; Zeng, Chun; Zhou, Aimin; Hassel, Bret A.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT The actin cytoskeleton and its network of associated proteins constitute a physical barrier that viruses must circumvent to gain entry into cells for productive infection. The mechanisms by which the physical signals of infection are sensed by the host to activate an innate immune response are not well understood. The antiviral endoribonuclease RNase L is ubiquitously expressed in a latent form and activated upon binding 2-5A, a unique oligoadenylate produced during viral infections. We provide evidence that RNase L in its inactive form interacts with the actin-binding protein Filamin A to modulate the actin cytoskeleton and inhibit virus entry. Cells lacking either RNase L or Filamin A displayed increased virus entry which was exacerbated in cells lacking both proteins. RNase L deletion mutants that reduced Filamin A interaction displayed a compromised ability to restrict virus entry, supporting the idea of an important role for the RNase L-Filamin A complex in barrier function. Remarkably, both the wild type and a catalytically inactive RNase L mutant were competent to reduce virus entry when transfected into RNase L-deficient cells, indicating that this novel function of RNase L is independent of its enzymatic activity. Virus infection and RNase L activation disrupt its association with Filamin A and release RNase L to mediate its canonical nuclease-dependent antiviral activities. The dual functions of RNase L as a constitutive component of the actin cytoskeleton and as an induced mediator of antiviral signaling and effector functions provide insights into its mechanisms of antiviral activity and opportunities for the development of novel antiviral agents. PMID:25352621

Stapled Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (CaV) α-Interaction Domain (AID) Peptides Act As Selective Protein-Protein Interaction Inhibitors of CaV Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Findeisen, Felix; Campiglio, Marta; Jo, Hyunil; Abderemane-Ali, Fayal; Rumpf, Christine H; Pope, Lianne; Rossen, Nathan D; Flucher, Bernhard E; DeGrado, William F; Minor, Daniel L

2017-06-21

For many voltage-gated ion channels (VGICs), creation of a properly functioning ion channel requires the formation of specific protein-protein interactions between the transmembrane pore-forming subunits and cystoplasmic accessory subunits. Despite the importance of such protein-protein interactions in VGIC function and assembly, their potential as sites for VGIC modulator development has been largely overlooked. Here, we develop meta-xylyl (m-xylyl) stapled peptides that target a prototypic VGIC high affinity protein-protein interaction, the interaction between the voltage-gated calcium channel (Ca V ) pore-forming subunit α-interaction domain (AID) and cytoplasmic β-subunit (Ca V β). We show using circular dichroism spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and isothermal titration calorimetry that the m-xylyl staples enhance AID helix formation are structurally compatible with native-like AID:Ca V β interactions and reduce the entropic penalty associated with AID binding to Ca V β. Importantly, electrophysiological studies reveal that stapled AID peptides act as effective inhibitors of the Ca V α 1 :Ca V β interaction that modulate Ca V function in an Ca V β isoform-selective manner. Together, our studies provide a proof-of-concept demonstration of the use of protein-protein interaction inhibitors to control VGIC function and point to strategies for improved AID-based Ca V modulator design.

Modified holographic Ricci dark energy coupled to interacting dark matter and a non-interacting baryonic component

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chimento, Luis P.; Richarte, Martin G. [Universidad de Buenos Aires, IFIBA, CONICET, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Forte, Monica [Universidad de Buenos Aires, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2013-01-15

We examine a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe filled with interacting dark matter, modified holographic Ricci dark energy (MHRDE), and a decoupled baryonic component. The estimations of the cosmic parameters with Hubble data lead to an age of the universe of 13.17 Gyr and show that the MHRDE is free from the cosmic-age problem at low redshift (0{<=}z{<=}2) in contrast to holographic Ricci dark energy (HRDE) case. We constrain the parameters with the Union2 data set and contrast with the Hubble data. We also study the behavior of dark energy at early times by taking into account the severe bounds found at recombination era and/or at big bang nucleosynthesis. The inclusion of a non-interacting baryonic matter forces that the amount of dark energy at z{sub t} {proportional_to} O(1) changes abruptly implying that {Omega} {sub x} (z {approx_equal}1100)=0.03, so the bounds reported by the forecast of Planck and CMBPol experiments are more favored for the MHRDE model than in the case of HRDE cutoff. For the former model, we also find that at high redshift the fraction of dark energy varies from 0.006 to 0.002, then the amount of {Omega} {sub x} at the big bang nucleosynthesis era does not disturb the observed helium abundance in the universe provided that the bound {Omega} {sub x} (z {approx_equal}10 {sup 10}) <0.21 is hold. (orig.)

Plasma-wall interaction studies within the EUROfusion consortium: progress on plasma-facing components development and qualification

Science.gov (United States)

Brezinsek, S.; Coenen, J. W.; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; Schmid, K.; Kirschner, A.; Hakola, A.; Tabares, F. L.; van der Meiden, H. J.; Mayoral, M.-L.; Reinhart, M.; Tsitrone, E.; Ahlgren, T.; Aints, M.; Airila, M.; Almaviva, S.; Alves, E.; Angot, T.; Anita, V.; Arredondo Parra, R.; Aumayr, F.; Balden, M.; Bauer, J.; Ben Yaala, M.; Berger, B. M.; Bisson, R.; Björkas, C.; Bogdanovic Radovic, I.; Borodin, D.; Bucalossi, J.; Butikova, J.; Butoi, B.; Čadež, I.; Caniello, R.; Caneve, L.; Cartry, G.; Catarino, N.; Čekada, M.; Ciraolo, G.; Ciupinski, L.; Colao, F.; Corre, Y.; Costin, C.; Craciunescu, T.; Cremona, A.; De Angeli, M.; de Castro, A.; Dejarnac, R.; Dellasega, D.; Dinca, P.; Dittmar, T.; Dobrea, C.; Hansen, P.; Drenik, A.; Eich, T.; Elgeti, S.; Falie, D.; Fedorczak, N.; Ferro, Y.; Fornal, T.; Fortuna-Zalesna, E.; Gao, L.; Gasior, P.; Gherendi, M.; Ghezzi, F.; Gosar, Ž.; Greuner, H.; Grigore, E.; Grisolia, C.; Groth, M.; Gruca, M.; Grzonka, J.; Gunn, J. P.; Hassouni, K.; Heinola, K.; Höschen, T.; Huber, S.; Jacob, W.; Jepu, I.; Jiang, X.; Jogi, I.; Kaiser, A.; Karhunen, J.; Kelemen, M.; Köppen, M.; Koslowski, H. R.; Kreter, A.; Kubkowska, M.; Laan, M.; Laguardia, L.; Lahtinen, A.; Lasa, A.; Lazic, V.; Lemahieu, N.; Likonen, J.; Linke, J.; Litnovsky, A.; Linsmeier, Ch.; Loewenhoff, T.; Lungu, C.; Lungu, M.; Maddaluno, G.; Maier, H.; Makkonen, T.; Manhard, A.; Marandet, Y.; Markelj, S.; Marot, L.; Martin, C.; Martin-Rojo, A. B.; Martynova, Y.; Mateus, R.; Matveev, D.; Mayer, M.; Meisl, G.; Mellet, N.; Michau, A.; Miettunen, J.; Möller, S.; Morgan, T. W.; Mougenot, J.; Mozetič, M.; Nemanič, V.; Neu, R.; Nordlund, K.; Oberkofler, M.; Oyarzabal, E.; Panjan, M.; Pardanaud, C.; Paris, P.; Passoni, M.; Pegourie, B.; Pelicon, P.; Petersson, P.; Piip, K.; Pintsuk, G.; Pompilian, G. O.; Popa, G.; Porosnicu, C.; Primc, G.; Probst, M.; Räisänen, J.; Rasinski, M.; Ratynskaia, S.; Reiser, D.; Ricci, D.; Richou, M.; Riesch, J.; Riva, G.; Rosinski, M.; Roubin, P.; Rubel, M.; Ruset, C.; Safi, E.; Sergienko, G.; Siketic, Z.; Sima, A.; Spilker, B.; Stadlmayr, R.; Steudel, I.; Ström, P.; Tadic, T.; Tafalla, D.; Tale, I.; Terentyev, D.; Terra, A.; Tiron, V.; Tiseanu, I.; Tolias, P.; Tskhakaya, D.; Uccello, A.; Unterberg, B.; Uytdenhoven, I.; Vassallo, E.; Vavpetič, P.; Veis, P.; Velicu, I. L.; Vernimmen, J. W. M.; Voitkans, A.; von Toussaint, U.; Weckmann, A.; Wirtz, M.; Založnik, A.; Zaplotnik, R.; PFC contributors, WP

2017-11-01

The provision of a particle and power exhaust solution which is compatible with first-wall components and edge-plasma conditions is a key area of present-day fusion research and mandatory for a successful operation of ITER and DEMO. The work package plasma-facing components (WP PFC) within the European fusion programme complements with laboratory experiments, i.e. in linear plasma devices, electron and ion beam loading facilities, the studies performed in toroidally confined magnetic devices, such as JET, ASDEX Upgrade, WEST etc. The connection of both groups is done via common physics and engineering studies, including the qualification and specification of plasma-facing components, and by modelling codes that simulate edge-plasma conditions and the plasma-material interaction as well as the study of fundamental processes. WP PFC addresses these critical points in order to ensure reliable and efficient use of conventional, solid PFCs in ITER (Be and W) and DEMO (W and steel) with respect to heat-load capabilities (transient and steady-state heat and particle loads), lifetime estimates (erosion, material mixing and surface morphology), and safety aspects (fuel retention, fuel removal, material migration and dust formation) particularly for quasi-steady-state conditions. Alternative scenarios and concepts (liquid Sn or Li as PFCs) for DEMO are developed and tested in the event that the conventional solution turns out to not be functional. Here, we present an overview of the activities with an emphasis on a few key results: (i) the observed synergistic effects in particle and heat loading of ITER-grade W with the available set of exposition devices on material properties such as roughness, ductility and microstructure; (ii) the progress in understanding of fuel retention, diffusion and outgassing in different W-based materials, including the impact of damage and impurities like N; and (iii), the preferential sputtering of Fe in EUROFER steel providing an in situ W

Bispectral pairwise interacting source analysis for identifying systems of cross-frequency interacting brain sources from electroencephalographic or magnetoencephalographic signals

Science.gov (United States)

Chella, Federico; Pizzella, Vittorio; Zappasodi, Filippo; Nolte, Guido; Marzetti, Laura

2016-05-01

Brain cognitive functions arise through the coordinated activity of several brain regions, which actually form complex dynamical systems operating at multiple frequencies. These systems often consist of interacting subsystems, whose characterization is of importance for a complete understanding of the brain interaction processes. To address this issue, we present a technique, namely the bispectral pairwise interacting source analysis (biPISA), for analyzing systems of cross-frequency interacting brain sources when multichannel electroencephalographic (EEG) or magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data are available. Specifically, the biPISA makes it possible to identify one or many subsystems of cross-frequency interacting sources by decomposing the antisymmetric components of the cross-bispectra between EEG or MEG signals, based on the assumption that interactions are pairwise. Thanks to the properties of the antisymmetric components of the cross-bispectra, biPISA is also robust to spurious interactions arising from mixing artifacts, i.e., volume conduction or field spread, which always affect EEG or MEG functional connectivity estimates. This method is an extension of the pairwise interacting source analysis (PISA), which was originally introduced for investigating interactions at the same frequency, to the study of cross-frequency interactions. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated in simulations for up to three interacting source pairs and for real MEG recordings of spontaneous brain activity. Simulations show that the performances of biPISA in estimating the phase difference between the interacting sources are affected by the increasing level of noise rather than by the number of the interacting subsystems. The analysis of real MEG data reveals an interaction between two pairs of sources of central mu and beta rhythms, localizing in the proximity of the left and right central sulci.

Lab-on-chip components for molecular detection

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Tijjani; Dhahi, Th S.; Mohammed, Mohammed; Hashim, U.; Noriman, N. Z.; Dahham, Omar S.

2017-09-01

We successfully fabricated Lab on chip components and integrated for possible use in biomedical application. The sensor was fabricated by using conventional photolithography method integrated with PDMS micro channels for smooth delivery of sample to the sensing domain. The sensor was silanized and aminated with 3-Aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) to functionalize the surface with biomolecules and create molecular binding chemistry. The resulting Si-O-Si- components were functionalized with oligonucleotides probe of HPV, which interacted with the single stranded HPV DNA target to create a field across on the device. The fabrication, immobilization and hybridization processes were characterized with current voltage (I-V) characterization (KEITHLEY, 6487). The sensor show selectivity for the HPV DNA target in a linear range from concentration 0.1 nM to 1 µM. This strategy presented a simple, rapid and sensitive platform for HPV detection and would become a powerful tool for pathogenic microorganisms screening in clinical diagnosis.

Regulation of catalytic behaviour of hydrolases through interactions with functionalized carbon-based nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavlidis, Ioannis V.; Vorhaben, Torge; Gournis, Dimitrios; Papadopoulos, George K.; Bornscheuer, Uwe T.; Stamatis, Haralambos

2012-01-01

The interaction of enzymes with carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) is crucial for the function of biomolecules and therefore for the design and development of effective nanobiocatalytic systems. In this study, the effect of functionalized CBNs, such as graphene oxide (GO) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs), on the catalytic behaviour of various hydrolases of biotechnological interest was monitored and the interactions between CBNs and proteins were investigated. The enzyme–nanomaterial interactions significantly affect the catalytic behaviour of enzymes, resulting in an increase up to 60 % of the catalytic efficiency of lipases and a decrease up to 30 % of the esterase. Moreover, the use of CNTs and GO derivatives, especially those that are amine-functionalized, led to increased thermal stability of most the hydrolases tested. Fluorescence and circular dichroism studies indicated that the altered catalytic behaviour of enzymes in the presence of CBNs arises from specific enzyme–nanomaterial interactions, which can lead to significant conformational changes. In the case of lipases, the conformational changes led to a more active and rigid structure, while in the case of esterases this led to destabilization and unfolding. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies indicated that the extent of the interactions between CBNs and hydrolases can be mainly controlled by the functionalization of nanomaterials than by their geometry.

Regulation of catalytic behaviour of hydrolases through interactions with functionalized carbon-based nanomaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlidis, Ioannis V. [University of Ioannina, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies (Greece); Vorhaben, Torge [Institute of Biochemistry, Greifswald University, Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis (Germany); Gournis, Dimitrios [University of Ioannina, Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Greece); Papadopoulos, George K. [Epirus Institute of Technology, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Agricultural Technology (Greece); Bornscheuer, Uwe T. [Institute of Biochemistry, Greifswald University, Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Catalysis (Germany); Stamatis, Haralambos, E-mail: hstamati@cc.uoi.gr [University of Ioannina, Laboratory of Biotechnology, Department of Biological Applications and Technologies (Greece)

2012-05-15

The interaction of enzymes with carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) is crucial for the function of biomolecules and therefore for the design and development of effective nanobiocatalytic systems. In this study, the effect of functionalized CBNs, such as graphene oxide (GO) and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs), on the catalytic behaviour of various hydrolases of biotechnological interest was monitored and the interactions between CBNs and proteins were investigated. The enzyme-nanomaterial interactions significantly affect the catalytic behaviour of enzymes, resulting in an increase up to 60 % of the catalytic efficiency of lipases and a decrease up to 30 % of the esterase. Moreover, the use of CNTs and GO derivatives, especially those that are amine-functionalized, led to increased thermal stability of most the hydrolases tested. Fluorescence and circular dichroism studies indicated that the altered catalytic behaviour of enzymes in the presence of CBNs arises from specific enzyme-nanomaterial interactions, which can lead to significant conformational changes. In the case of lipases, the conformational changes led to a more active and rigid structure, while in the case of esterases this led to destabilization and unfolding. Kinetic and spectroscopic studies indicated that the extent of the interactions between CBNs and hydrolases can be mainly controlled by the functionalization of nanomaterials than by their geometry.

Interaction of water components in the semi-arid Huasco and Limarí river basins, North Central Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Strauch

2009-10-01

Full Text Available For sustainable water resource management in semi-arid regions, sound information is required about interactions between the different components of the water system: rain/snow precipitation, surface/subsurface run-off, groundwater recharge. Exemplarily, the Huasco and Limarí river basins as water stressed river catchments have been studied by isotope and hydrochemical methods for (i the origin of water, (ii water quality, (iii relations of surface and groundwater.

Applying the complex multi-isotopic and hydrochemical methodology to the water components of the Huasco and Limarí basins, a differentiation of water components concerning subsurface flow and river water along the catchment area and by anthropogenic impacts are detected. Sulphate and nitrate concentrations indicate remarkable input from mining and agricultural activities along the river catchment.

The ²H-¹⁸O relations of river water and groundwater of both catchments point to the behaviour of river waters originated in an arid to semi-arid environment.

Consequently, the groundwater from several production wells in the lower parts of the catchments is related to the rivers where the wells located, however, it can be distinguished from the river water. Using the hydrological water balance and the isotope mixing model, the interaction between surface and subsurface flows and river flow is estimated.

rpanel: Simple Interactive Controls for R Functions Using the tcltk Package

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gavin Alexander

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In a variety of settings it is extremely helpful to be able to apply R functions through buttons, sliders and other types of graphical control. This is particularly true in plotting activities where immediate communication between such controls and a graphical display allows the user to interact with a plot in a very effective manner. The tcltk package provides extensive tools for this and the aim of the rpanel package is to provide simple and well documented functions which make these facilities as accessible as possible. In addition, the operations which form the basis of communication within tcltk are managed in a way which allows users to write functions with a more standard form of parameter passing. This paper describes the basic design of the software and illustrates it on a variety of examples of interactive control of graphics. The tkrplot system is used to allow plots to be integrated with controls into a single panel. An example of the use of a graphical image, and the ability to interact with this, is also discussed.

Report on the joint meeting of the Division of Development and Technology Plasma/Wall Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Task Groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, K.L.

1985-10-01

This report of the Joint Meeting of the Division of Development and Technology Plasma/Wall Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Task Groups contains contributing papers in the following areas: Plasma/Materials Interaction Program and Technical Assessment, High Heat Flux Materials and Components Program and Technical Assessment, Pumped Limiters, Ignition Devices, Program Planning Activities, Compact High Power Density Reactor Requirements, Steady State Tokamaks, and Tritium Plasma Experiments. All these areas involve the consideration of High Heat Flux on Materials and the Interaction of the Plasma with the First Wall. Many of the Test Facilities are described as well

Self-Interaction Error in Density Functional Theory: An Appraisal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Junwei Lucas; Gagliardi, Laura; Truhlar, Donald G

2018-05-03

Self-interaction error (SIE) is considered to be one of the major sources of error in most approximate exchange-correlation functionals for Kohn-Sham density-functional theory (KS-DFT), and it is large with all local exchange-correlation functionals and with some hybrid functionals. In this work, we consider systems conventionally considered to be dominated by SIE. For these systems, we demonstrate that by using multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), the error of a translated local density-functional approximation is significantly reduced (by a factor of 3) when using an MCSCF density and on-top density, as compared to using KS-DFT with the parent functional; the error in MC-PDFT with local on-top functionals is even lower than the error in some popular KS-DFT hybrid functionals. Density-functional theory, either in MC-PDFT form with local on-top functionals or in KS-DFT form with some functionals having 50% or more nonlocal exchange, has smaller errors for SIE-prone systems than does CASSCF, which has no SIE.

Report on the joint meeting of the Division of Development and Technology Plasma Wall Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components task groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nygren, R.E.

1992-04-01

The Plasma/Wall Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Task Groups typically hold a joint meeting each year to provide a forum for discussion of technical issues of current interest as well as an opportunity for program reviews by the Department of Energy (DOE). At the meeting in September 1990, reported here, research programs in support of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) were highlighted. The first part of the meeting was devoted to research and development (R ampersand D) for ITER on plasma facing components plus introductory presentations on some current projects and design studies. The balance of the meeting was devoted to program reviews, which included presentations by most of the participants in the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Programs with activities related to plasma wall interactions. The Task Groups on Plasma/Wall Interaction and on High Heat Flux Materials and Components were chartered as continuing working groups by the Division of Development and Technology in DOE's Magnetic Fusion Program. This report is an addition to the series of ''blue cover'' reports on the Joint Meetings of the Plasma/Wall Interaction and High Heat Flux Materials and Components Task Groups. Among several preceding meetings were those in October 1989 and January 1988

Chlamydia trachomatis protein CT009 is a structural and functional homolog to the key morphogenesis component RodZ and interacts with division septal plane localized MreB.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemege, Kyle E; Hickey, John M; Barta, Michael L; Wickstrum, Jason; Balwalli, Namita; Lovell, Scott; Battaile, Kevin P; Hefty, P Scott

2015-02-01

Cell division in Chlamydiae is poorly understood as apparent homologs to most conserved bacterial cell division proteins are lacking and presence of elongation (rod shape) associated proteins indicate non-canonical mechanisms may be employed. The rod-shape determining protein MreB has been proposed as playing a unique role in chlamydial cell division. In other organisms, MreB is part of an elongation complex that requires RodZ for proper function. A recent study reported that the protein encoded by ORF CT009 interacts with MreB despite low sequence similarity to RodZ. The studies herein expand on those observations through protein structure, mutagenesis and cellular localization analyses. Structural analysis indicated that CT009 shares high level of structural similarity to RodZ, revealing the conserved orientation of two residues critical for MreB interaction. Substitutions eliminated MreB protein interaction and partial complementation provided by CT009 in RodZ deficient Escherichia coli. Cellular localization analysis of CT009 showed uniform membrane staining in Chlamydia. This was in contrast to the localization of MreB, which was restricted to predicted septal planes. MreB localization to septal planes provides direct experimental observation for the role of MreB in cell division and supports the hypothesis that it serves as a functional replacement for FtsZ in Chlamydia. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chlamydia trachomatis protein CT009 is a structural and functional homolog to the key morphogenesis component RodZ and interacts with division septal plane localized MreB

Science.gov (United States)

Kemege, Kyle E.; Hickey, John M.; Barta, Michael L.; Wickstrum, Jason; Balwalli, Namita; Lovell, Scott; Battaile, Kevin P.; Hefty, P. Scott

2015-01-01

Summary Cell division in Chlamydiae is poorly understood as apparent homologs to most conserved bacterial cell division proteins are lacking and presence of elongation (rod shape) associated proteins indicate non-canonical mechanisms may be employed. The rod-shape determining protein MreB has been proposed as playing a unique role in chlamydial cell division. In other organisms, MreB is part of an elongation complex that requires RodZ for proper function. A recent study reported that the protein encoded by ORF CT009 interacts with MreB despite low sequence similarity to RodZ. The studies herein expand on those observations through protein structure, mutagenesis, and cellular localization analyses. Structural analysis indicated that CT009 shares high level of structural similarity to RodZ, revealing the conserved orientation of two residues critical for MreB interaction. Substitutions eliminated MreB protein interaction and partial complementation provided by CT009 in RodZ deficient E. coli. Cellular localization analysis of CT009 showed uniform membrane staining in Chlamydia. This was in contrast to the localization of MreB, which was restricted to predicted septal planes. MreB localization to septal planes provides direct experimental observation for the role of MreB in cell division and supports the hypothesis that it serves as a functional replacement for FtsZ in Chlamydia. PMID:25382739

Therapeutic Role of Functional Components in Alliums for Preventive Chronic Disease in Human Being

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Yawen Zeng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. Functional components in alliums have long been maintained to play a key role in modifying the major risk factors for chronic disease. To obtain a better understanding of alliums for chronic disease prevention, we conducted a systematic review for risk factors and prevention strategies for chronic disease of functional components in alliums, based on a comprehensive English literature search that was conducted using various electronic search databases, especially the PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and CNKI for the period 2007–2016. Allium genus especially garlic, onion, and Chinese chive is rich in organosulfur compounds, quercetin, flavonoids, saponins, and others, which have anticancer, preventive cardiovascular and heart diseases, anti-inflammation, antiobesity, antidiabetes, antioxidants, antimicrobial activity, neuroprotective and immunological effects, and so on. These results support Allium genus; garlic and onion especially may be the promising dietotherapeutic vegetables and organopolysulfides as well as quercetin mechanism in the treatment of chronic diseases. This review may be used as scientific basis for the development of functional food, nutraceuticals, and alternative drugs to improve the chronic diseases.

Role of radiation damping in the impedance function approach to soil-structure interaction analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-05-01

This report was prepared at the request of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL) to provide background information for analyzing soil-structure interaction by the frequency-independent impedance function approach. LLL is conducting such analyses as part of its seismic review of selected operating plants under the Systematic Evaluation Program for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The analytical background and basic assumptionsof the impedance function theory are briefly reviewed, and the role of radiation damping in soil-structure interaction analysis is discussed. The validity of modeling soil-structure interaction by using frequency-independent functions is evaluated based on data from several field tests. Finally, the recommended procedures for performing soil-structure interaction analyses are discussed with emphasis on the modal superposition method

Model validation and calibration based on component functions of model output

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Danqing; Lu, Zhenzhou; Wang, Yanping; Cheng, Lei

2015-01-01

The target in this work is to validate the component functions of model output between physical observation and computational model with the area metric. Based on the theory of high dimensional model representations (HDMR) of independent input variables, conditional expectations are component functions of model output, and the conditional expectations reflect partial information of model output. Therefore, the model validation of conditional expectations tells the discrepancy between the partial information of the computational model output and that of the observations. Then a calibration of the conditional expectations is carried out to reduce the value of model validation metric. After that, a recalculation of the model validation metric of model output is taken with the calibrated model parameters, and the result shows that a reduction of the discrepancy in the conditional expectations can help decrease the difference in model output. At last, several examples are employed to demonstrate the rationality and necessity of the methodology in case of both single validation site and multiple validation sites. - Highlights: • A validation metric of conditional expectations of model output is proposed. • HDRM explains the relationship of conditional expectations and model output. • An improved approach of parameter calibration updates the computational models. • Validation and calibration process are applied at single site and multiple sites. • Validation and calibration process show a superiority than existing methods

Host factors that interact with the pestivirus N-terminal protease, Npro, are components of the ribonucleoprotein complex.

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Jefferson, Matthew; Donaszi-Ivanov, Andras; Pollen, Sean; Dalmay, Tamas; Saalbach, Gerhard; Powell, Penny P

2014-09-01

The viral N-terminal protease N(pro) of pestiviruses counteracts cellular antiviral defenses through inhibition of IRF3. Here we used mass spectrometry to identify a new role for N(pro) through its interaction with over 55 associated proteins, mainly ribosomal proteins and ribonucleoproteins, including RNA helicase A (DHX9), Y-box binding protein (YBX1), DDX3, DDX5, eIF3, IGF2BP1, multiple myeloma tumor protein 2, interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 (IEBP3), guanine nucleotide binding protein 3, and polyadenylate-binding protein 1 (PABP-1). These are components of the translation machinery, ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs), and stress granules. Significantly, we found that stress granule formation was inhibited in MDBK cells infected with a noncytopathic bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) strain, Kyle. However, ribonucleoproteins binding to N(pro) did not inhibit these proteins from aggregating into stress granules. N(pro) interacted with YBX1 though its TRASH domain, since the mutant C112R protein with an inactive TRASH domain no longer redistributed to stress granules. Interestingly, RNA helicase A and La autoantigen relocated from a nuclear location to form cytoplasmic granules with N(pro). To address a proviral role for N(pro) in RNP granules, we investigated whether N(pro) affected RNA interference (RNAi), since interacting proteins are involved in RISC function during RNA silencing. Using glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) silencing with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) followed by Northern blotting of GAPDH, expression of N(pro) had no effect on RNAi silencing activity, contrasting with other viral suppressors of interferon. We propose that N(pro) is involved with virus RNA translation in the cytoplasm for virus particle production, and when translation is inhibited following stress, it redistributes to the replication complex. Although the pestivirus N-terminal protease, N(pro), has been shown to have an important role in degrading IRF3 to

Floristic-functional variation of tree component along an altitudinal gradient in araucaria forest areas, in Southern Brazil.

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Soboleski, Vanessa F; Higuchi, Pedro; Silva, Ana Carolina DA; Silva, Mariele A F DA; Nunes, Amanda S; Loebens, Rodineli; Souza, Karine DE; Ferrari, Jheniffer; Lima, Carla L; Kilca, Ricardo V

2017-01-01

We aimed to investigate the taxonomic and functional variations of tree component of Araucaria Forest (AF) areas located along an altitudinal gradient (700, 900 and 1,600 m asl), in the southern region of Brazil. The functional traits determined were leaf area, specific leaf area, wood density, maximum potential height and dispersal syndromes and deciduousness. The data were analyzed through a functional and taxonomic dissimilarity dendrograms, community-weighted mean trait values, parametric and nonparametric tests, and Principal Component Analysis. The largest floristic-structural similarity was observed between the lower altitude areas (700 and 900 m asl), whose Bray-Curtis distance was 0.63. The area at 700 m asl was characterized by a predominance of deciduous and semi-deciduous species, with a high number of self- and wind-dispersed species, whereas the area at 1,600 m asl exhibited a predominance of animal-dispersed and evergreen species. It was also observed that there were significant variations for leaf traits, basic wood density and maximum potential height. Over all altitudinal gradient, the ordinations indicated that there was no evidence of functional differentiation among dispersal and deciduousness groups. In conclusion, the evaluated Araucaria Forest areas presented high floristic-functional variation of the tree component along the altitudinal gradient.

Sequential fitting-and-separating reflectance components for analytical bidirectional reflectance distribution function estimation.

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Lee, Yu; Yu, Chanki; Lee, Sang Wook

2018-01-10

We present a sequential fitting-and-separating algorithm for surface reflectance components that separates individual dominant reflectance components and simultaneously estimates the corresponding bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) parameters from the separated reflectance values. We tackle the estimation of a Lafortune BRDF model, which combines a nonLambertian diffuse reflection and multiple specular reflectance components with a different specular lobe. Our proposed method infers the appropriate number of BRDF lobes and their parameters by separating and estimating each of the reflectance components using an interval analysis-based branch-and-bound method in conjunction with iterative K-ordered scale estimation. The focus of this paper is the estimation of the Lafortune BRDF model. Nevertheless, our proposed method can be applied to other analytical BRDF models such as the Cook-Torrance and Ward models. Experiments were carried out to validate the proposed method using isotropic materials from the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MERL-MIT) BRDF database, and the results show that our method is superior to a conventional minimization algorithm.

Data-driven analysis of functional brain interactions during free listening to music and speech.

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Fang, Jun; Hu, Xintao; Han, Junwei; Jiang, Xi; Zhu, Dajiang; Guo, Lei; Liu, Tianming

2015-06-01

Natural stimulus functional magnetic resonance imaging (N-fMRI) such as fMRI acquired when participants were watching video streams or listening to audio streams has been increasingly used to investigate functional mechanisms of the human brain in recent years. One of the fundamental challenges in functional brain mapping based on N-fMRI is to model the brain's functional responses to continuous, naturalistic and dynamic natural stimuli. To address this challenge, in this paper we present a data-driven approach to exploring functional interactions in the human brain during free listening to music and speech streams. Specifically, we model the brain responses using N-fMRI by measuring the functional interactions on large-scale brain networks with intrinsically established structural correspondence, and perform music and speech classification tasks to guide the systematic identification of consistent and discriminative functional interactions when multiple subjects were listening music and speech in multiple categories. The underlying premise is that the functional interactions derived from N-fMRI data of multiple subjects should exhibit both consistency and discriminability. Our experimental results show that a variety of brain systems including attention, memory, auditory/language, emotion, and action networks are among the most relevant brain systems involved in classic music, pop music and speech differentiation. Our study provides an alternative approach to investigating the human brain's mechanism in comprehension of complex natural music and speech.

Combining many interaction networks to predict gene function and analyze gene lists.

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Mostafavi, Sara; Morris, Quaid

2012-05-01

In this article, we review how interaction networks can be used alone or in combination in an automated fashion to provide insight into gene and protein function. We describe the concept of a "gene-recommender system" that can be applied to any large collection of interaction networks to make predictions about gene or protein function based on a query list of proteins that share a function of interest. We discuss these systems in general and focus on one specific system, GeneMANIA, that has unique features and uses different algorithms from the majority of other systems. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High Heat Flux Interactions and Tritium Removal from Plasma Facing Components by a Scanning Laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, C.H.; Gentile, C.A.; Hassanein, A.

2002-01-01

A new technique for studying high heat flux interactions with plasma facing components is presented. The beam from a continuous wave 300 W neodymium laser was focused to 80 W/mm2 and scanned at high speed over the surface of carbon tiles. These tiles were previously used in the TFTR [Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor] inner limiter and have a surface layer of amorphous hydrogenated carbon that was codeposited during plasma operations. Laser scanning released up to 84% of the codeposited tritium. The temperature rise of the codeposit on the tiles was significantly higher than that of the manufactured material. In one experiment, the codeposit surface temperature rose to 1,770 C while for the same conditions, the manufactured surface increased to only 1,080 C. The peak temperature did not follow the usual square-root dependence on heat pulse duration. Durations of order 100 ms resulted in brittle destruction and material loss from the surface, while a duration of approximately 10 ms showed minimal change. A digital microscope imaged the codeposit before, during, and after the interaction with the laser and revealed hot spots on a 100-micron scale. These results will be compared to analytic modeling and are relevant to the response of plasma facing components to disruptions and vertical displacement events (VDEs) in next-step magnetic fusion devices

Gene-environment interaction and male reproductive function

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Axelsson, Jonatan; Bonde, Jens Peter; Giwercman, Yvonne L.; Rylander, Lars; Giwercman, Aleksander

2010-01-01

As genetic factors can hardly explain the changes taking place during short time spans, environmental and lifestyle-related factors have been suggested as the causes of time-related deterioration of male reproductive function. However, considering the strong heterogeneity of male fecundity between and within populations, genetic variants might be important determinants of the individual susceptibility to the adverse effects of environment or lifestyle. Although the possible mechanisms of such interplay in relation to the reproductive system are largely unknown, some recent studies have indicated that specific genotypes may confer a larger risk of male reproductive disorders following certain exposures. This paper presents a critical review of animal and human evidence on how genes may modify environmental effects on male reproductive function. Some examples have been found that support this mechanism, but the number of studies is still limited. This type of interaction studies may improve our understanding of normal physiology and help us to identify the risk factors to male reproductive malfunction. We also shortly discuss other aspects of gene-environment interaction specifically associated with the issue of reproduction, namely environmental and lifestyle factors as the cause of sperm DNA damage. It remains to be investigated to what extent such genetic changes, by natural conception or through the use of assisted reproductive techniques, are transmitted to the next generation, thereby causing increased morbidity in the offspring. PMID:20348940

Exploring the interactions and binding sites between Cd and functional groups in soil using two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy and synchrotron radiation based spectromicroscopies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Fusheng [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization and National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, College of Resources & Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China); Department of Soil Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States); Polizzotto, Matthew L. [Department of Soil Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States); Guan, Dongxing [Key Laboratory of Surficial Geochemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210026 (China); Wu, Jun [College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014 (China); Shen, Qirong; Ran, Wei [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization and National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, College of Resources & Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China); Wang, Boren [Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081 (China); Yu, Guanghui, E-mail: yuguanghui@njau.edu.cn [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization and National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, College of Resources & Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China)

2017-03-15

Highlights: • The interactions and binding between Cd and functional groups are essential for their fates. • Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy can identify Cd binding to functional groups in soils. • Synchrotron radiation based spectromicroscopy shows the micro-scale distribution of Cd in soils. • Soil functional groups controlling Cd binding can be modified by fertilization treatments. - Abstract: Understanding how heavy metals bind and interact in soils is essential for predicting their distributions, reactions and fates in the environment. Here we propose a novel strategy, i.e., combining two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D COS) and synchrotron radiation based spectromicroscopies, for identifying heavy metal binding to functional groups in soils. The results showed that although long-term (23 yrs) organic fertilization treatment caused the accumulation of Cd (over 3 times) in soils when compared to no fertilization and chemical fertilization treatments, it significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the Cd concentration in wheat grain. The 2D COS analyses demonstrated that soil functional groups controlling Cd binding were modified by fertilization treatments, providing implications for the reduced bioavailability of heavy metals in organic fertilized soils. Furthermore, correlative micro X-ray fluorescence spectromicroscopy, electron probe micro-analyzer mapping, and synchrotron-radiation-based FTIR spectromicroscopy analysis showed that Cd, minerals, and organic functional groups were heterogeneously distributed at the micro-scale in soil colloids. Only minerals, rather than organic groups, had a similar distribution pattern with Cd. Together, this strategy has a potential to explore the interactions and binding sites among heavy metals, minerals and organic components in soil.

Optimizing scoring function of protein-nucleic acid interactions with both affinity and specificity.

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Zhiqiang Yan

Full Text Available Protein-nucleic acid (protein-DNA and protein-RNA recognition is fundamental to the regulation of gene expression. Determination of the structures of the protein-nucleic acid recognition and insight into their interactions at molecular level are vital to understanding the regulation function. Recently, quantitative computational approach has been becoming an alternative of experimental technique for predicting the structures and interactions of biomolecular recognition. However, the progress of protein-nucleic acid structure prediction, especially protein-RNA, is far behind that of the protein-ligand and protein-protein structure predictions due to the lack of reliable and accurate scoring function for quantifying the protein-nucleic acid interactions. In this work, we developed an accurate scoring function (named as SPA-PN, SPecificity and Affinity of the Protein-Nucleic acid interactions for protein-nucleic acid interactions by incorporating both the specificity and affinity into the optimization strategy. Specificity and affinity are two requirements of highly efficient and specific biomolecular recognition. Previous quantitative descriptions of the biomolecular interactions considered the affinity, but often ignored the specificity owing to the challenge of specificity quantification. We applied our concept of intrinsic specificity to connect the conventional specificity, which circumvents the challenge of specificity quantification. In addition to the affinity optimization, we incorporated the quantified intrinsic specificity into the optimization strategy of SPA-PN. The testing results and comparisons with other scoring functions validated that SPA-PN performs well on both the prediction of binding affinity and identification of native conformation. In terms of its performance, SPA-PN can be widely used to predict the protein-nucleic acid structures and quantify their interactions.

Multiple functions of a multi-component mating pheromone in sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, N.S.; Yun, S.-S.; Buchinger, T.J.; Li, W.

2012-01-01

The role of the C24 sulphate in the mating pheromone component, 7α,12α,24-trihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one 24-sulphate (3kPZS), to specifically induce upstream movement in ovulated female sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus was investigated. 7α,12α-dihydroxy-5α-cholan-3-one 24-oic acid (3kACA), a structurally similar bile acid released by spermiated males, but lacking the C24 sulphate ester, was tested in bioassays at concentrations between 10−11 and 10−14 molar (M). 3kACA did not induce upstream movement in females or additional reproductive behaviours. In contrast, spermiated male washings induced upstream movement, prolonged retention on a nest and induced an array of nesting behaviours. Differential extraction and elution by solid-phase extraction resins showed that components other than 3kPZS + 3kACA are necessary to retain females on nests and induce nest cleaning behaviours. All pheromone components, including components in addition to 3kPZS + 3kACA that retain females and induce nest cleaning behaviours were released from the anterior region of the males, as had been reported for 3kPZS. It is concluded that the sea lamprey male mating pheromone has multiple functions and is composed of multiple components.

STRING 8--a global view on proteins and their functional interactions in 630 organisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lars Juhl; Kuhn, Michael; Stark, Manuel

2008-01-01

Functional partnerships between proteins are at the core of complex cellular phenotypes, and the networks formed by interacting proteins provide researchers with crucial scaffolds for modeling, data reduction and annotation. STRING is a database and web resource dedicated to protein-protein inter......Functional partnerships between proteins are at the core of complex cellular phenotypes, and the networks formed by interacting proteins provide researchers with crucial scaffolds for modeling, data reduction and annotation. STRING is a database and web resource dedicated to protein......-protein interactions, including both physical and functional interactions. It weights and integrates information from numerous sources, including experimental repositories, computational prediction methods and public text collections, thus acting as a meta-database that maps all interaction evidence onto a common set...... of genomes and proteins. The most important new developments in STRING 8 over previous releases include a URL-based programming interface, which can be used to query STRING from other resources, improved interaction prediction via genomic neighborhood in prokaryotes, and the inclusion of protein structures...

Specific interaction with cardiolipin triggers functional activation of Dynamin-Related Protein 1.

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Itsasne Bustillo-Zabalbeitia

Full Text Available Dynamin-Related Protein 1 (Drp1, a large GTPase of the dynamin superfamily, is required for mitochondrial fission in healthy and apoptotic cells. Drp1 activation is a complex process that involves translocation from the cytosol to the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM and assembly into rings/spirals at the MOM, leading to membrane constriction/division. Similar to dynamins, Drp1 contains GTPase (G, bundle signaling element (BSE and stalk domains. However, instead of the lipid-interacting Pleckstrin Homology (PH domain present in the dynamins, Drp1 contains the so-called B insert or variable domain that has been suggested to play an important role in Drp1 regulation. Different proteins have been implicated in Drp1 recruitment to the MOM, although how MOM-localized Drp1 acquires its fully functional status remains poorly understood. We found that Drp1 can interact with pure lipid bilayers enriched in the mitochondrion-specific phospholipid cardiolipin (CL. Building on our previous study, we now explore the specificity and functional consequences of this interaction. We show that a four lysine module located within the B insert of Drp1 interacts preferentially with CL over other anionic lipids. This interaction dramatically enhances Drp1 oligomerization and assembly-stimulated GTP hydrolysis. Our results add significantly to a growing body of evidence indicating that CL is an important regulator of many essential mitochondrial functions.

Dynamic functional modules in co-expressed protein interaction networks of dilated cardiomyopathy

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Oyang Yen-Jen

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular networks represent the backbone of molecular activity within cells and provide opportunities for understanding the mechanism of diseases. While protein-protein interaction data constitute static network maps, integration of condition-specific co-expression information provides clues to the dynamic features of these networks. Dilated cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of heart failure. Although previous studies have identified putative biomarkers or therapeutic targets for heart failure, the underlying molecular mechanism of dilated cardiomyopathy remains unclear. Results We developed a network-based comparative analysis approach that integrates protein-protein interactions with gene expression profiles and biological function annotations to reveal dynamic functional modules under different biological states. We found that hub proteins in condition-specific co-expressed protein interaction networks tended to be differentially expressed between biological states. Applying this method to a cohort of heart failure patients, we identified two functional modules that significantly emerged from the interaction networks. The dynamics of these modules between normal and disease states further suggest a potential molecular model of dilated cardiomyopathy. Conclusions We propose a novel framework to analyze the interaction networks in different biological states. It successfully reveals network modules closely related to heart failure; more importantly, these network dynamics provide new insights into the cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. The revealed molecular modules might be used as potential drug targets and provide new directions for heart failure therapy.

Functional components in Scutellaria barbata D. Don with anti-inflammatory activity on RAW 264.7 cells

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Hsin-Lan Liu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to determine the variety and amount of various functional components in Scutellaria barbata D. Don as well as study their anti-inflammatory activity on RAW 264.7 cells. Both ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts were shown to contain the functional components including phenolics, flavonoids, chlorophylls, and carotenoids, with the former mainly composed of phenolics and flavonoids, and the latter of carotenoids and chlorophylls. Both extracts could significantly inhibit (p < 0.05 the production of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, interlukin-6, and interlukin-1β, as well as the expressions of phosphor extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphor-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK, but failed to retard tumor necrosis factor-α expression. Both ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts had a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity on RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory efficiency can be varied for both ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts, which can be attributed to the presence of different varieties and amounts of functional components, as mentioned above. This finding suggested that S. Barbata extract may be used as an anti-inflammatory agent for possible future biomedical application.

Protein structure similarity from principle component correlation analysis

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Chou James

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Owing to rapid expansion of protein structure databases in recent years, methods of structure comparison are becoming increasingly effective and important in revealing novel information on functional properties of proteins and their roles in the grand scheme of evolutionary biology. Currently, the structural similarity between two proteins is measured by the root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD in their best-superimposed atomic coordinates. RMSD is the golden rule of measuring structural similarity when the structures are nearly identical; it, however, fails to detect the higher order topological similarities in proteins evolved into different shapes. We propose new algorithms for extracting geometrical invariants of proteins that can be effectively used to identify homologous protein structures or topologies in order to quantify both close and remote structural similarities. Results We measure structural similarity between proteins by correlating the principle components of their secondary structure interaction matrix. In our approach, the Principle Component Correlation (PCC analysis, a symmetric interaction matrix for a protein structure is constructed with relationship parameters between secondary elements that can take the form of distance, orientation, or other relevant structural invariants. When using a distance-based construction in the presence or absence of encoded N to C terminal sense, there are strong correlations between the principle components of interaction matrices of structurally or topologically similar proteins. Conclusion The PCC method is extensively tested for protein structures that belong to the same topological class but are significantly different by RMSD measure. The PCC analysis can also differentiate proteins having similar shapes but different topological arrangements. Additionally, we demonstrate that when using two independently defined interaction matrices, comparison of their maximum

Quantifying Individual Brain Connectivity with Functional Principal Component Analysis for Networks.

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Petersen, Alexander; Zhao, Jianyang; Carmichael, Owen; Müller, Hans-Georg

2016-09-01

In typical functional connectivity studies, connections between voxels or regions in the brain are represented as edges in a network. Networks for different subjects are constructed at a given graph density and are summarized by some network measure such as path length. Examining these summary measures for many density values yields samples of connectivity curves, one for each individual. This has led to the adoption of basic tools of functional data analysis, most commonly to compare control and disease groups through the average curves in each group. Such group differences, however, neglect the variability in the sample of connectivity curves. In this article, the use of functional principal component analysis (FPCA) is demonstrated to enrich functional connectivity studies by providing increased power and flexibility for statistical inference. Specifically, individual connectivity curves are related to individual characteristics such as age and measures of cognitive function, thus providing a tool to relate brain connectivity with these variables at the individual level. This individual level analysis opens a new perspective that goes beyond previous group level comparisons. Using a large data set of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, relationships between connectivity and two measures of cognitive function-episodic memory and executive function-were investigated. The group-based approach was implemented by dichotomizing the continuous cognitive variable and testing for group differences, resulting in no statistically significant findings. To demonstrate the new approach, FPCA was implemented, followed by linear regression models with cognitive scores as responses, identifying significant associations of connectivity in the right middle temporal region with both cognitive scores.

A novel approach to analyzing fMRI and SNP data via parallel independent component analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jingyu; Pearlson, Godfrey; Calhoun, Vince; Windemuth, Andreas

2007-03-01

There is current interest in understanding genetic influences on brain function in both the healthy and the disordered brain. Parallel independent component analysis, a new method for analyzing multimodal data, is proposed in this paper and applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. The method aims to identify the independent components of each modality and the relationship between the two modalities. We analyzed 92 participants, including 29 schizophrenia (SZ) patients, 13 unaffected SZ relatives, and 50 healthy controls. We found a correlation of 0.79 between one fMRI component and one SNP component. The fMRI component consists of activations in cingulate gyrus, multiple frontal gyri, and superior temporal gyrus. The related SNP component is contributed to significantly by 9 SNPs located in sets of genes, including those coding for apolipoprotein A-I, and C-III, malate dehydrogenase 1 and the gamma-aminobutyric acid alpha-2 receptor. A significant difference in the presences of this SNP component is found between the SZ group (SZ patients and their relatives) and the control group. In summary, we constructed a framework to identify the interactions between brain functional and genetic information; our findings provide new insight into understanding genetic influences on brain function in a common mental disorder.

Prosthetic Smart Socket Technology to Improve Patient Interaction, Usability, Comfort, Fit and Function

Science.gov (United States)

2017-10-01

impact on society beyond science and technology ? Nothing to report at this time. 5. CHANGES/PROBLEMS: Changes in approach and reasons for...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-16-1-0785 TITLE: Prosthetic Smart Socket Technology to Improve Patient Interaction, Usability, Comfort, Fit and Function...2016 - 29 Sep 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Prosthetic Smart Socket Technology to Improve Patient Interaction, Usability, Comfort, Fit and Function 5a

INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF PDZ-DOMAIN INTERACTIONS FOR DOPAMINE TRANSPORTER FUNCTION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fog, Jacob; Vægter, Christian Bjerggaard; Gether, Ulrik

canonical PDZ domain interactions with proteins such as PICK1. To clarify the actual role of PDZ domain interactions for DAT function we have expressed the wild type DAT and a number of C-terminal mutants either alone or together with PICK1 in HEK293, N2A neuroblastoma and PC12 cells. Data obtained from...

The function of communities in protein interaction networks at multiple scales

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Jones Nick S

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background If biology is modular then clusters, or communities, of proteins derived using only protein interaction network structure should define protein modules with similar biological roles. We investigate the link between biological modules and network communities in yeast and its relationship to the scale at which we probe the network. Results Our results demonstrate that the functional homogeneity of communities depends on the scale selected, and that almost all proteins lie in a functionally homogeneous community at some scale. We judge functional homogeneity using a novel test and three independent characterizations of protein function, and find a high degree of overlap between these measures. We show that a high mean clustering coefficient of a community can be used to identify those that are functionally homogeneous. By tracing the community membership of a protein through multiple scales we demonstrate how our approach could be useful to biologists focusing on a particular protein. Conclusions We show that there is no one scale of interest in the community structure of the yeast protein interaction network, but we can identify the range of resolution parameters that yield the most functionally coherent communities, and predict which communities are most likely to be functionally homogeneous.

Characterization of Type Ia Supernova Light Curves Using Principal Component Analysis of Sparse Functional Data

Science.gov (United States)

He, Shiyuan; Wang, Lifan; Huang, Jianhua Z.

2018-04-01

With growing data from ongoing and future supernova surveys, it is possible to empirically quantify the shapes of SNIa light curves in more detail, and to quantitatively relate the shape parameters with the intrinsic properties of SNIa. Building such relationships is critical in controlling systematic errors associated with supernova cosmology. Based on a collection of well-observed SNIa samples accumulated in the past years, we construct an empirical SNIa light curve model using a statistical method called the functional principal component analysis (FPCA) for sparse and irregularly sampled functional data. Using this method, the entire light curve of an SNIa is represented by a linear combination of principal component functions, and the SNIa is represented by a few numbers called “principal component scores.” These scores are used to establish relations between light curve shapes and physical quantities such as intrinsic color, interstellar dust reddening, spectral line strength, and spectral classes. These relations allow for descriptions of some critical physical quantities based purely on light curve shape parameters. Our study shows that some important spectral feature information is being encoded in the broad band light curves; for instance, we find that the light curve shapes are correlated with the velocity and velocity gradient of the Si II λ6355 line. This is important for supernova surveys (e.g., LSST and WFIRST). Moreover, the FPCA light curve model is used to construct the entire light curve shape, which in turn is used in a functional linear form to adjust intrinsic luminosity when fitting distance models.

Reliability and risk functions for structural components taking into account inspection results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rackwitz, R.; Schall, G.

1989-01-01

The method of outcrossings has been shown to be efficient when calculating the failure probability of metallic structural components under ergodic Gaussian loading. Using Paris/Erdogan's crack growth law it is possible to develop a semi-analytical calculation model for both the reliability and the risk function. For numerical studies an approximate method of asymptotic nature is proposed. The same methodology also enables to incorporate inspection observations. (orig.) [de

Forging the Basis for Developing Protein-Ligand Interaction Scoring Functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhihai; Su, Minyi; Han, Li; Liu, Jie; Yang, Qifan; Li, Yan; Wang, Renxiao

2017-02-21

In structure-based drug design, scoring functions are widely used for fast evaluation of protein-ligand interactions. They are often applied in combination with molecular docking and de novo design methods. Since the early 1990s, a whole spectrum of protein-ligand interaction scoring functions have been developed. Regardless of their technical difference, scoring functions all need data sets combining protein-ligand complex structures and binding affinity data for parametrization and validation. However, data sets of this kind used to be rather limited in terms of size and quality. On the other hand, standard metrics for evaluating scoring function used to be ambiguous. Scoring functions are often tested in molecular docking or even virtual screening trials, which do not directly reflect the genuine quality of scoring functions. Collectively, these underlying obstacles have impeded the invention of more advanced scoring functions. In this Account, we describe our long-lasting efforts to overcome these obstacles, which involve two related projects. On the first project, we have created the PDBbind database. It is the first database that systematically annotates the protein-ligand complexes in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) with experimental binding data. This database has been updated annually since its first public release in 2004. The latest release (version 2016) provides binding data for 16 179 biomolecular complexes in PDB. Data sets provided by PDBbind have been applied to many computational and statistical studies on protein-ligand interaction and various subjects. In particular, it has become a major data resource for scoring function development. On the second project, we have established the Comparative Assessment of Scoring Functions (CASF) benchmark for scoring function evaluation. Our key idea is to decouple the "scoring" process from the "sampling" process, so scoring functions can be tested in a relatively pure context to reflect their quality. In our

I. A model for the magnetic equation of state of liquid 3He. II. An induced interaction model for a two-component Fermi liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Castro, C.R.

1988-01-01

This dissertation is divided in six chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the rest of the dissertation. In it, the author presents the different models for the magnetic equation state of liquid 3 He, a derivation of the induced interaction equations for a one component Fermi liquid, and discuss the basic hamiltonian describing the heavy fermion compounds. In Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, he presents a complete discussion of the thermodynamics and Landau theory of a spin polarized Fermi liquid. A phenomenological model is then developed to predict the polarization dependence of the longitudinal Landau parameters in liquid 3 He. This model predicts a new magnetic equation of state and the possibility of liquid 3 He being 'nearly metamagnetic' at high pressures. Chapter 4 contains a microscopic calculation of the magnetic field dependence of the Landau parameters in a strongly correlated Fermi system using the induced interaction model. The system he studied consists of a single component Fermi liquid with parabolic energy bands, and a large on-site repulsive interaction. In Chapter 5, he presents a complete discussion of the Landau theory of a two component Fermi liquid. Then, he generalizes the induced interaction equations to calculate Landau parameters and scattering amplitudes for an arbitrary, spin polarized, two component Fermi liquid. The resulting equations are used to study a model for the heavy fermion Fermi liquid state: a two band electronic system with an antiferromagnetic interaction between the two bands. Chapter 6 contains the concluding remarks of the dissertation

Zero-range approximation for two-component boson systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sogo, T.; Fedorov, D.V.; Jensen, A.S.

2005-01-01

The hyperspherical adiabatic expansion method is combined with the zero-range approximation to derive angular Faddeev-like equations for two-component boson systems. The angular eigenvalues are solutions to a transcendental equation obtained as a vanishing determinant of a 3 x 3 matrix. The eigenfunctions are linear combinations of Jacobi functions of argument proportional to the distance between pairs of particles. We investigate numerically the influence of two-body correlations on the eigenvalue spectrum, the eigenfunctions and the effective hyperradial potential. Correlations decrease or increase the distance between pairs for effectively attractive or repulsive interactions, respectively. New structures appear for non-identical components. Fingerprints can be found in the nodal structure of the density distributions of the condensates. (author)

Proceedings of 1999 U.S./Japan Workshop (99FT-05) On High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions for Next Fusion Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NYGREN, RICHARD E.; STAVROS, DIANA T.

2000-01-01

The 1999 US-Japan Workshop on High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions in Next Step Fusion Devices was held at the St. Francis Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on November 1-4, 1999. There were 42 presentations as well as discussion on technical issues and planning for future collaborations. The participants included 22 researchers from Japan and the United States as well as seven researchers from Europe and Russia. There have been important changes in the programs in both the US and Japan in the areas of plasma surface interactions and plasma facing components. The US has moved away from a strong focus on the ITER Project and has introduced new programs on use of liquid surfaces for plasma facing components, and operation of NSTX has begun. In Japan, the Large Helical Device began operation. This is the first large world-class confinement device operating in a magnetic configuration different than a tokamak. In selecting the presentations for this workshop, the organizers sought a balance between research in laboratory facilities or confinement devices related to plasma surface interactions and experimental research in the development of plasma facing components. In discussions about the workshop itself, the participants affirmed their preference for a setting where ''work-in-progress'' could be informally presented and discussed

Statistical mechanics of a one-component fluid of charged hard rods in 1D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vericat, F.; Blum, L.

1986-09-01

The statistical mechanics of a classical one component system of charged hard rods in a neutralizing background is investigated in 1D stressing on the effects of the hard core interactions over the thermodynamic and the structure of the system. The crystalline status of the system at all temperatures and densities and the absence of phase transitions is shown by extending previous results of Baxter and Kunz on the one-component plasma of point particles. Explicit expressions for the thermodynamic functions and the one-particle correlation function are given in the limits of small and strong couplings. (author)

Implementation of a VLSI Level Zero Processing system utilizing the functional component approach

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Jianfei; Horner, Ward P.; Grebowsky, Gerald J.; Chesney, James R.

1991-01-01

A high rate Level Zero Processing system is currently being prototyped at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Based on state-of-the-art VLSI technology and the functional component approach, the new system promises capabilities of handling multiple Virtual Channels and Applications with a combined data rate of up to 20 Megabits per second (Mbps) at low cost.

Nonlinear modulation of interacting between COMT and depression on brain function.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, L; He, C; Yin, Y; Ye, Q; Bai, F; Yuan, Y; Zhang, H; Lv, L; Zhang, H; Zhang, Z; Xie, C

2017-09-01

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is related to dopamine degradation and has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, how this gene affects brain function properties in MDD is still unclear. Fifty patients with MDD and 35 cognitively normal participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. A voxelwise and data-drive global functional connectivity density (gFCD) analysis was used to investigate the main effects and the interactions of disease states and COMT rs4680 gene polymorphism on brain function. We found significant group differences of the gFCD in bilateral fusiform area (FFA), post-central and pre-central cortex, left superior temporal gyrus (STG), rectal and superior temporal gyrus and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC); abnormal gFCDs in left STG were positively correlated with severity of depression in MDD group. Significant disease×COMT interaction effects were found in the bilateral calcarine gyrus, right vlPFC, hippocampus and thalamus, and left SFG and FFA. Further post-hoc tests showed a nonlinear modulation effect of COMT on gFCD in the development of MDD. Interestingly, an inverted U-shaped modulation was found in the prefrontal cortex (control system) but U-shaped modulations were found in the hippocampus, thalamus and occipital cortex (processing system). Our study demonstrated nonlinear modulation of the interaction between COMT and depression on brain function. These findings expand our understanding of the COMT effect underlying the pathophysiology of MDD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[Effects of functional interactions between nonhomologous insulators Wari and Su(Hw)].

Science.gov (United States)

Erokhin, M M; Georgiev, P G; Chetverina, D A

2010-01-01

Insulators are regulatory DNA elements restricting gene activation by enhancers. Interactions between insulators can lead to both insulation and activation of promoters by enhancers. In this work, we analyzed the effects of interaction of two Drosophila insulators, Wari and Su(Hw). The functional interaction between these insulators was found to enhance the activity of the Su(Hw) insulator only, but not of the Wari insulator. This suggests that the formation of a chromatin loop between interacting insulators is not a key factor for enhancement of insulation, which is in disagreement with the main idea of structural models. In addition, the effect of interaction between Wari and Su(Hw) depends on a distance between them and on the position in the system relative to other regulatory elements.

Why do interracial interactions impair executive function? A resource depletion account.

Science.gov (United States)

Richeson, Jennifer A; Trawalter, Sophie

2005-06-01

Three studies investigated the veracity of a resource depletion account of the impairment of inhibitory task performance after interracial contact. White individuals engaged in either an interracial or same-race interaction, then completed an ostensibly unrelated Stroop color-naming test. In each study, the self-regulatory demands of the interaction were either increased (Study 1) or decreased (Studies 2 and 3). Results revealed that increasing the self-regulatory demands of an interracial interaction led to greater Stroop interference compared with control, whereas reducing self-regulatory demands led to less Stroop interference. Manipulating self-regulatory demands did not affect Stroop performance after same-race interactions. Taken together, the present studies point to resource depletion as the likely mechanism underlying the impairment of cognitive functioning after interracial dyadic interactions.

The Interaction of Functional and Dysfunctional Emotions during Balance Beam Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Cottyn, Jorge; De Clercq, Dirk; Crombez, Geert; Lenoir, Matthieu

2012-01-01

The interaction between functional and dysfunctional emotions, as one of the major tenets of the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) model (Hanin, 2000), was studied in a sport specific setting. Fourteen female gymnasts performed three attempts of a compulsory balance beam routine at three different heights. Heart rate and self-report…

Structural interaction and functional regulation of polycystin-2 by filamin.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian Wang

Full Text Available Filamins are important actin cross-linking proteins implicated in scaffolding, membrane stabilization and signal transduction, through interaction with ion channels, receptors and signaling proteins. Here we report the physical and functional interaction between filamins and polycystin-2, a TRP-type cation channel mutated in 10-15% patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Yeast two-hybrid and GST pull-down experiments demonstrated that the C-termini of filamin isoforms A, B and C directly bind to both the intracellular N- and C-termini of polycystin-2. Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed that endogenous polycystin-2 and filamins are in the same complexes in renal epithelial cells and human melanoma A7 cells. We then examined the effect of filamin on polycystin-2 channel function by electrophysiology studies with a lipid bilayer reconstitution system and found that filamin-A substantially inhibits polycystin-2 channel activity. Our study indicates that filamins are important regulators of polycystin-2 channel function, and further links actin cytoskeletal dynamics to the regulation of this channel protein.

Correlation function of weakly interacting bosons in a disordered lattice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissler, B; Lucioni, E; Modugno, M; Roati, G; Tanzi, L; Zaccanti, M; Inguscio, M; Modugno, G, E-mail: deissler@lens.unifi.it, E-mail: modugno@lens.unifi.it [LENS and Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy)

2011-02-15

One of the most important issues in disordered systems is the interplay of the disorder and repulsive interactions. Several recent experimental advances on this topic have been made with ultracold atoms, in particular the observation of Anderson localization and the realization of the disordered Bose-Hubbard model. There are, however, still questions as to how to differentiate the complex insulating phases resulting from this interplay, and how to measure the size of the superfluid fragments that these phases entail. It has been suggested that the correlation function of such a system can give new insights, but so far very little experimental investigation has been performed. Here, we show the first experimental analysis of the correlation function for a weakly interacting, bosonic system in a quasiperiodic lattice. We observe an increase in the correlation length as well as a change in the shape of the correlation function in the delocalization crossover from Anderson glass to coherent, extended state. In between, the experiment indicates the formation of progressively larger coherent fragments, consistent with a fragmented BEC, or Bose glass.

Correlation function of weakly interacting bosons in a disordered lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deissler, B; Lucioni, E; Modugno, M; Roati, G; Tanzi, L; Zaccanti, M; Inguscio, M; Modugno, G

2011-01-01

One of the most important issues in disordered systems is the interplay of the disorder and repulsive interactions. Several recent experimental advances on this topic have been made with ultracold atoms, in particular the observation of Anderson localization and the realization of the disordered Bose-Hubbard model. There are, however, still questions as to how to differentiate the complex insulating phases resulting from this interplay, and how to measure the size of the superfluid fragments that these phases entail. It has been suggested that the correlation function of such a system can give new insights, but so far very little experimental investigation has been performed. Here, we show the first experimental analysis of the correlation function for a weakly interacting, bosonic system in a quasiperiodic lattice. We observe an increase in the correlation length as well as a change in the shape of the correlation function in the delocalization crossover from Anderson glass to coherent, extended state. In between, the experiment indicates the formation of progressively larger coherent fragments, consistent with a fragmented BEC, or Bose glass.

Virtual-Reality-Based Social Interaction Training for Children with High-Functioning Autism

Science.gov (United States)

Ke, Fengfeng; Im, Tami

2013-01-01

Employing the multiple-baseline across-subjects design, the authors examined the implementation and potential effect of a virtual-reality-based social interaction program on the interaction and communication performance of children with high functioning autism. The data were collected via behavior observation and analysis, questionnaires, and…

Soil-Snow-Vegetation Interactions at Zackenberg, Northeast Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gacitua, Guisella

-term eects on the ecosystem function and dynamics. At the Zackenberg Research Station in Northeast Greenland ecosystem processes are routinely monitored through a comprehensive monitoring program. This PhD project investigates and discusses the interactions between climate, the physical components...

Functional enrichment analyses and construction of functional similarity networks with high confidence function prediction by PFP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kihara Daisuke

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A new paradigm of biological investigation takes advantage of technologies that produce large high throughput datasets, including genome sequences, interactions of proteins, and gene expression. The ability of biologists to analyze and interpret such data relies on functional annotation of the included proteins, but even in highly characterized organisms many proteins can lack the functional evidence necessary to infer their biological relevance. Results Here we have applied high confidence function predictions from our automated prediction system, PFP, to three genome sequences, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Plasmodium falciparum (malaria. The number of annotated genes is increased by PFP to over 90% for all of the genomes. Using the large coverage of the function annotation, we introduced the functional similarity networks which represent the functional space of the proteomes. Four different functional similarity networks are constructed for each proteome, one each by considering similarity in a single Gene Ontology (GO category, i.e. Biological Process, Cellular Component, and Molecular Function, and another one by considering overall similarity with the funSim score. The functional similarity networks are shown to have higher modularity than the protein-protein interaction network. Moreover, the funSim score network is distinct from the single GO-score networks by showing a higher clustering degree exponent value and thus has a higher tendency to be hierarchical. In addition, examining function assignments to the protein-protein interaction network and local regions of genomes has identified numerous cases where subnetworks or local regions have functionally coherent proteins. These results will help interpreting interactions of proteins and gene orders in a genome. Several examples of both analyses are highlighted. Conclusion The analyses demonstrate that applying high confidence predictions from PFP

Ionic protein-lipid interaction at the plasma membrane: what can the charge do?

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lunyi; Shi, Xiaoshan; Guo, Xingdong; Li, Hua; Xu, Chenqi

2014-03-01

Phospholipids are the major components of cell membranes, but they have functional roles beyond forming lipid bilayers. In particular, acidic phospholipids form microdomains in the plasma membrane and can ionically interact with proteins via polybasic sequences, which can have functional consequences for the protein. The list of proteins regulated by ionic protein-lipid interaction has been quickly expanding, and now includes membrane proteins, cytoplasmic soluble proteins, and viral proteins. Here we review how acidic phospholipids in the plasma membrane regulate protein structure and function via ionic interactions, and how Ca(2+) regulates ionic protein-lipid interactions via direct and indirect mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Layout design of user interface components with multiple objectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peer S.K.

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A multi-goal layout problem may be formulated as a Quadratic Assignment model, considering multiple goals (or factors, both qualitative and quantitative in the objective function. The facilities layout problem, in general, varies from the location and layout of facilities in manufacturing plant to the location and layout of textual and graphical user interface components in the human–computer interface. In this paper, we propose two alternate mathematical approaches to the single-objective layout model. The first one presents a multi-goal user interface component layout problem, considering the distance-weighted sum of congruent objectives of closeness relationships and the interactions. The second one considers the distance-weighted sum of congruent objectives of normalized weighted closeness relationships and normalized weighted interactions. The results of first approach are compared with that of an existing single objective model for example task under consideration. Then, the results of first approach and second approach of the proposed model are compared for the example task under consideration.

Protecting LHC IP1/IP5 Components Against Radiation Resulting from Colliding Beam Interactions

CERN Document Server

Mokhov, N V; Kerby, J S; Strait, J B

2003-01-01

Beam-induced energy deposition in the LHC high luminosity interaction region (IR) components due to both pp collisions and beam loss in the IR vicinity is a significant challenge for the design of the high luminosity insertions. It was shown in our previous studies that a set of absorbers would reduce both the peak power density and total heat load to tolerable levels. In this paper the results of further optimization and comprehensive MARS calculations are summarized for the LHC lattice, version 6.4, for the updated IP1 and IP5 layouts and a baseline pp-collision source term. Power density, power dissipation, particle fluxes and spectra, accumulated dose and residual dose rates are studied in the components of the inner triplets including their TAS absorbers, the TAN neutral beam absorbers, separation dipoles, and quadrupoles of the outer triplets and possible collimators there. Results are given for the nominal luminosity of 1034 cm-2 s-1. The current design is proved to provide the best safety margin under...

An Analysis of the Correspondence between Imagined Interaction Attributes and Functions

Science.gov (United States)

Bodie, Graham D.; Honeycutt, James M.; Vickery, Andrea J.

2013-01-01

Imagined interaction (II) theory has been productive for communication and social cognition scholarship. There is, however, a yet untested assumption within II theory that the 8 attributes are related to all 6 functions and that II functions can be compared and contrasted in terms of II attributes. In addition, there is little research exploring…

Insight to the interaction of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2) core with the peripheral components in the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase complex via multifaceted structural approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekhar, Krishnamoorthy; Wang, Junjie; Arjunan, Palaniappa; Sax, Martin; Park, Yun-Hee; Nemeria, Natalia S; Kumaran, Sowmini; Song, Jaeyoung; Jordan, Frank; Furey, William

2013-05-24

Multifaceted structural approaches were undertaken to investigate interaction of the E2 component with E3 and E1 components from the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDHc), as a representative of the PDHc from Gram-negative bacteria. The crystal structure of E3 at 2.5 Å resolution reveals similarity to other E3 structures and was an important starting point for understanding interaction surfaces between E3 and E2. Biochemical studies revealed that R129E-E2 and R150E-E2 substitutions in the peripheral subunit-binding domain (PSBD) of E2 greatly diminished PDHc activity, affected interactions with E3 and E1 components, and affected reductive acetylation of E2. Because crystal structures are unavailable for any complete E2-containing complexes, peptide-specific hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry was used to identify loci of interactions between 3-lipoyl E2 and E3. Two peptides from the PSBD, including Arg-129, and three peptides from E3 displayed statistically significant reductions in deuterium uptake resulting from interaction between E3 and E2. Of the peptides identified on E3, two were from the catalytic site, and the third was from the interface domain, which for all known E3 structures is believed to interact with the PSBD. NMR clearly demonstrates that there is no change in the lipoyl domain structure on complexation with E3. This is the first instance where the entire wild-type E2 component was employed to understand interactions with E3. A model for PSBD-E3 binding was independently constructed and found to be consistent with the importance of Arg-129, as well as revealing other electrostatic interactions likely stabilizing this complex.

Insight to the Interaction of the Dihydrolipoamide Acetyltransferase (E2) Core with the Peripheral Components in the Escherichia coli Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex via Multifaceted Structural Approaches*

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekhar, Krishnamoorthy; Wang, Junjie; Arjunan, Palaniappa; Sax, Martin; Park, Yun-Hee; Nemeria, Natalia S.; Kumaran, Sowmini; Song, Jaeyoung; Jordan, Frank; Furey, William

2013-01-01

Multifaceted structural approaches were undertaken to investigate interaction of the E2 component with E3 and E1 components from the Escherichia coli pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDHc), as a representative of the PDHc from Gram-negative bacteria. The crystal structure of E3 at 2.5 Å resolution reveals similarity to other E3 structures and was an important starting point for understanding interaction surfaces between E3 and E2. Biochemical studies revealed that R129E-E2 and R150E-E2 substitutions in the peripheral subunit-binding domain (PSBD) of E2 greatly diminished PDHc activity, affected interactions with E3 and E1 components, and affected reductive acetylation of E2. Because crystal structures are unavailable for any complete E2-containing complexes, peptide-specific hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry was used to identify loci of interactions between 3-lipoyl E2 and E3. Two peptides from the PSBD, including Arg-129, and three peptides from E3 displayed statistically significant reductions in deuterium uptake resulting from interaction between E3 and E2. Of the peptides identified on E3, two were from the catalytic site, and the third was from the interface domain, which for all known E3 structures is believed to interact with the PSBD. NMR clearly demonstrates that there is no change in the lipoyl domain structure on complexation with E3. This is the first instance where the entire wild-type E2 component was employed to understand interactions with E3. A model for PSBD-E3 binding was independently constructed and found to be consistent with the importance of Arg-129, as well as revealing other electrostatic interactions likely stabilizing this complex. PMID:23580650

Functional genetics of intraspecific ecological interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Jason B; Mutic, Joshua J; Kover, Paula X

2011-05-12

Studying the genetic basis of traits involved in ecological interactions is a fundamental part of elucidating the connections between evolutionary and ecological processes. Such knowledge allows one to link genetic models of trait evolution with ecological models describing interactions within and between species. Previous work has shown that connections between genetic and ecological processes in Arabidopsis thaliana may be mediated by the fact that quantitative trait loci (QTL) with 'direct' effects on traits of individuals also have pleiotropic 'indirect' effects on traits expressed in neighbouring plants. Here, we further explore these connections by examining functional relationships between traits affected directly and indirectly by the same QTL. We develop a novel approach using structural equation models (SEMs) to determine whether observed pleiotropic effects result from traits directly affected by the QTL in focal individuals causing the changes in the neighbours' phenotypes. This hypothesis was assessed using SEMs to test whether focal plant phenotypes appear to mediate the connection between the focal plants' genotypes and the phenotypes of their neighbours, or alternatively, whether the connection between the focal plants' genotypes and the neighbours' phenotypes is mediated by unmeasured traits. We implement this analysis using a QTL of major effect that maps to the well-characterized flowering locus, FRIGIDA. The SEMs support the hypothesis that the pleiotropic indirect effects of this locus arise from size and developmental timing-related traits in focal plants affecting the expression of developmental traits in their neighbours. Our findings provide empirical insights into the genetics and nature of intraspecific ecological interactions. Our technique holds promise in directing future work into the genetic basis and functional relationship of traits mediating and responding to ecological interactions.

An Interactive Exercise To Learn Eukaryotic Cell Structure and Organelle Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Klionsky, Daniel J.; Tomashek, John J.

1999-01-01

Describes a cooperative, interactive problem-solving exercise for studying eukaryotic cell structure and function. Highlights the dynamic aspects of movement through the cell. Contains 15 references. (WRM)

The pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Bim interacts with components of the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel O Frank

Full Text Available The pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-family protein Bim belongs to the BH3-only proteins known as initiators of apoptosis. Recent data show that Bim is constitutively inserted in the outer mitochondrial membrane via a C-terminal transmembrane anchor from where it can activate the effector of cytochrome c-release, Bax. To identify regulators of Bim-activity, we conducted a search for proteins interacting with Bim at mitochondria. We found an interaction of Bim with Tom70, Tom20 and more weakly with Tom40, all components of the Translocase of the Outer Membrane (TOM. In vitro import assays performed on tryptically digested yeast mitochondria showed reduced Bim insertion into the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM indicating that protein receptors may be involved in the import process. However, RNAi against components of TOM (Tom40, Tom70, Tom22 or Tom20 by siRNA, individually or in combination, did not consistently change the amount of Bim on HeLa mitochondria, either at steady state or upon de novo-induction. In support of this, the individual or combined knock-downs of TOM receptors also failed to alter the susceptibility of HeLa cells to Bim-induced apoptosis. In isolated yeast mitochondria, lack of Tom70 or the TOM-components Tom20 or Tom22 alone did not affect the import of Bim into the outer mitochondrial membrane. In yeast, expression of Bim can sensitize the cells to Bax-dependent killing. This sensitization was unaffected by the absence of Tom70 or by an experimental reduction in Tom40. Although thus the physiological role of the Bim-TOM-interaction remains unclear, TOM complex components do not seem to be essential for Bim insertion into the OMM. Nevertheless, this association should be noted and considered when the regulation of Bim in other cells and situations is investigated.

The pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Bim interacts with components of the translocase of the outer mitochondrial membrane (TOM).

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Daniel O; Dengjel, Jörn; Wilfling, Florian; Kozjak-Pavlovic, Vera; Häcker, Georg; Weber, Arnim

2015-01-01

The pro-apoptotic Bcl-2-family protein Bim belongs to the BH3-only proteins known as initiators of apoptosis. Recent data show that Bim is constitutively inserted in the outer mitochondrial membrane via a C-terminal transmembrane anchor from where it can activate the effector of cytochrome c-release, Bax. To identify regulators of Bim-activity, we conducted a search for proteins interacting with Bim at mitochondria. We found an interaction of Bim with Tom70, Tom20 and more weakly with Tom40, all components of the Translocase of the Outer Membrane (TOM). In vitro import assays performed on tryptically digested yeast mitochondria showed reduced Bim insertion into the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) indicating that protein receptors may be involved in the import process. However, RNAi against components of TOM (Tom40, Tom70, Tom22 or Tom20) by siRNA, individually or in combination, did not consistently change the amount of Bim on HeLa mitochondria, either at steady state or upon de novo-induction. In support of this, the individual or combined knock-downs of TOM receptors also failed to alter the susceptibility of HeLa cells to Bim-induced apoptosis. In isolated yeast mitochondria, lack of Tom70 or the TOM-components Tom20 or Tom22 alone did not affect the import of Bim into the outer mitochondrial membrane. In yeast, expression of Bim can sensitize the cells to Bax-dependent killing. This sensitization was unaffected by the absence of Tom70 or by an experimental reduction in Tom40. Although thus the physiological role of the Bim-TOM-interaction remains unclear, TOM complex components do not seem to be essential for Bim insertion into the OMM. Nevertheless, this association should be noted and considered when the regulation of Bim in other cells and situations is investigated.

Protein-protein interaction network-based detection of functionally similar proteins within species.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Baoxing; Wang, Fen; Guo, Yang; Sang, Qing; Liu, Min; Li, Dengyun; Fang, Wei; Zhang, Deli

2012-07-01

Although functionally similar proteins across species have been widely studied, functionally similar proteins within species showing low sequence similarity have not been examined in detail. Identification of these proteins is of significant importance for understanding biological functions, evolution of protein families, progression of co-evolution, and convergent evolution and others which cannot be obtained by detection of functionally similar proteins across species. Here, we explored a method of detecting functionally similar proteins within species based on graph theory. After denoting protein-protein interaction networks using graphs, we split the graphs into subgraphs using the 1-hop method. Proteins with functional similarities in a species were detected using a method of modified shortest path to compare these subgraphs and to find the eligible optimal results. Using seven protein-protein interaction networks and this method, some functionally similar proteins with low sequence similarity that cannot detected by sequence alignment were identified. By analyzing the results, we found that, sometimes, it is difficult to separate homologous from convergent evolution. Evaluation of the performance of our method by gene ontology term overlap showed that the precision of our method was excellent. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fractional energy states of strongly-interacting bosons in one dimension

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zinner, Nikolaj Thomas; G. Volosniev, A.; V. Fedorov, D.

2014-01-01

We study two-component bosonic systems with strong inter-species and vanishing intra-species interactions. A new class of exact eigenstates is found with energies that are {\\it not} sums of the single-particle energies with wave functions that have the characteristic feature that they vanish over...... than three particles. The states can be probed using the same techniques that have recently been used for fermionic few-body systems in quasi-1D.......We study two-component bosonic systems with strong inter-species and vanishing intra-species interactions. A new class of exact eigenstates is found with energies that are {\\it not} sums of the single-particle energies with wave functions that have the characteristic feature that they vanish over...... extended regions of coordinate space. This is demonstrated in an analytically solvable model for three equal mass particles, two of which are identical bosons, which is exact in the strongly-interacting limit. We numerically verify our results by presenting the first application of the stochastic...

Proceedings of 1999 U.S./Japan Workshop (99FT-05) On High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions for Next Fusion Devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NYGREN,RICHARD E.; STAVROS,DIANA T.

2000-06-01

The 1999 US-Japan Workshop on High Heat Flux Components and Plasma Surface Interactions in Next Step Fusion Devices was held at the St. Francis Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on November 1-4, 1999. There were 42 presentations as well as discussion on technical issues and planning for future collaborations. The participants included 22 researchers from Japan and the United States as well as seven researchers from Europe and Russia. There have been important changes in the programs in both the US and Japan in the areas of plasma surface interactions and plasma facing components. The US has moved away from a strong focus on the ITER Project and has introduced new programs on use of liquid surfaces for plasma facing components, and operation of NSTX has begun. In Japan, the Large Helical Device began operation. This is the first large world-class confinement device operating in a magnetic configuration different than a tokamak. In selecting the presentations for this workshop, the organizers sought a balance between research in laboratory facilities or confinement devices related to plasma surface interactions and experimental research in the development of plasma facing components. In discussions about the workshop itself, the participants affirmed their preference for a setting where ''work-in-progress'' could be informally presented and discussed.

A Nonlinear Model for Gene-Based Gene-Environment Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Sa

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A vast amount of literature has confirmed the role of gene-environment (G×E interaction in the etiology of complex human diseases. Traditional methods are predominantly focused on the analysis of interaction between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP and an environmental variable. Given that genes are the functional units, it is crucial to understand how gene effects (rather than single SNP effects are influenced by an environmental variable to affect disease risk. Motivated by the increasing awareness of the power of gene-based association analysis over single variant based approach, in this work, we proposed a sparse principle component regression (sPCR model to understand the gene-based G×E interaction effect on complex disease. We first extracted the sparse principal components for SNPs in a gene, then the effect of each principal component was modeled by a varying-coefficient (VC model. The model can jointly model variants in a gene in which their effects are nonlinearly influenced by an environmental variable. In addition, the varying-coefficient sPCR (VC-sPCR model has nice interpretation property since the sparsity on the principal component loadings can tell the relative importance of the corresponding SNPs in each component. We applied our method to a human birth weight dataset in Thai population. We analyzed 12,005 genes across 22 chromosomes and found one significant interaction effect using the Bonferroni correction method and one suggestive interaction. The model performance was further evaluated through simulation studies. Our model provides a system approach to evaluate gene-based G×E interaction.

Diquark fragmentation functions in hadron-nucleon interactions at 19 GeV/c and other energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakken, V.; Breivik, F.O.; Jacobsen, T.

New data on pion production in pn-interactions at 19 GeV/c are used, together with earlier data on pion production in pn (π + n) at other energies, to determine the diquark fragmentation functions Dsup(π) +- sub(dd)(=Dsup(π) +- sub(uu)) and Dsup(π)sub(ud) in the neutron and proton fragmentation regions. Typical high energy data on pion production in pp-interactions are also considered. The unfavoured fragmentation function Dsup(π) + sub(dd)(x) is found to be much smaller than the favoured fragmentati ion function Dsup(π) - sub(dd)(x) and to have a steeper x-dependence. The diquark fragmentation functions agree very well with those from v(v - )- proton interactions as expected from quark parton models

Ab initio calculation atomics ground state wave function for interactions Ion- Atom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shojaee, F.; Bolori zadeh, M. A.

2007-01-01

Ab initio calculation atomics ground state wave function for interactions Ion- Atom Atomic wave function expressed in a Slater - type basis obtained within Roothaan- Hartree - Fock for the ground state of the atoms He through B. The total energy is given for each atom.

A Reusable Component for Communication and Data Synchronization in Mobile Distributed Interactive Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Malik Khan

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In Distributed Interactive Applications (DIA such as multiplayer games, where many participants are involved in a same game session and communicate through a network, they may have an inconsistent view of the virtual world because of the communication delays across the network. This issue becomes even more challenging when communicating through a cellular network while executing the DIA client on a mobile terminal. Consistency maintenance algorithms may be used to obtain a uniform view of the virtual world. These algorithms are very complex and hard to program and therefore, the implementation and the future evolution of the application logic code become difficult. To solve this problem, we propose an approach where the consistency concerns are handled separately by a distributed component called a Synchronization Medium, which is responsible for the communication management as well as the consistency maintenance. We present the detailed architecture of the Synchronization Medium and the generic interfaces it offers to DIAs. We evaluate our approach both qualitatively and quantitatively. We first demonstrate that the Synchronization Medium is a reusable component through the development of two game applications, a car racing game and a space war game. A performance evaluation then shows that the overhead introduced by the Synchronization Medium remains acceptable.

High Throughput Integrated Technologies for Multimaterial Functional Micro Components (EU FP7 HINMICO 2013-2016)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azcarate, Sabino; Esmoris, Joseba; Dimov, Stefan

2016-01-01

The objective of the HINMICO project is the development and optimization of manufacturing processes for the production of high-added value high quality multi-material micro-components, with the possibility of additional, functionalities, through more integrated, efficient and cost-effective proce...

A framework for the computer-aided planning and optimisation of manufacturing processes for components with functional graded properties

Science.gov (United States)

Biermann, D.; Gausemeier, J.; Heim, H.-P.; Hess, S.; Petersen, M.; Ries, A.; Wagner, T.

2014-05-01

In this contribution a framework for the computer-aided planning and optimisation of functional graded components is presented. The framework is divided into three modules - the "Component Description", the "Expert System" for the synthetisation of several process chains and the "Modelling and Process Chain Optimisation". The Component Description module enhances a standard computer-aided design (CAD) model by a voxel-based representation of the graded properties. The Expert System synthesises process steps stored in the knowledge base to generate several alternative process chains. Each process chain is capable of producing components according to the enhanced CAD model and usually consists of a sequence of heating-, cooling-, and forming processes. The dependencies between the component and the applied manufacturing processes as well as between the processes themselves need to be considered. The Expert System utilises an ontology for that purpose. The ontology represents all dependencies in a structured way and connects the information of the knowledge base via relations. The third module performs the evaluation of the generated process chains. To accomplish this, the parameters of each process are optimised with respect to the component specification, whereby the result of the best parameterisation is used as representative value. Finally, the process chain which is capable of manufacturing a functionally graded component in an optimal way regarding to the property distributions of the component description is presented by means of a dedicated specification technique.

Transcriptome analysis of all two-component regulatory system mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

Science.gov (United States)

Oshima, Taku; Aiba, Hirofumi; Masuda, Yasushi; Kanaya, Shigehiko; Sugiura, Masahito; Wanner, Barry L; Mori, Hirotada; Mizuno, Takeshi

2002-10-01

We have systematically examined the mRNA profiles of 36 two-component deletion mutants, which include all two-component regulatory systems of Escherichia coli, under a single growth condition. DNA microarray results revealed that the mutants belong to one of three groups based on their gene expression profiles in Luria-Bertani broth under aerobic conditions: (i) those with no or little change; (ii) those with significant changes; and (iii) those with drastic changes. Under these conditions, the anaeroresponsive ArcB/ArcA system, the osmoresponsive EnvZ/OmpR system and the response regulator UvrY showed the most drastic changes. Cellular functions such as flagellar synthesis and expression of the RpoS regulon were affected by multiple two-component systems. A high correlation coefficient of expression profile was found between several two-component mutants. Together, these results support the view that a network of functional interactions, such as cross-regulation, exists between different two-component systems. The compiled data are avail-able at our website (http://ecoli.aist-nara.ac.jp/xp_analysis/ 2_components).

The human interactome knowledge base (hint-kb): An integrative human protein interaction database enriched with predicted protein–protein interaction scores using a novel hybrid technique

KAUST Repository

Theofilatos, Konstantinos A.; Dimitrakopoulos, Christos M.; Likothanassis, Spiridon D.; Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios A.; Moschopoulos, Charalampos N.; Alexakos, Christos; Papadimitriou, Stergios; Mavroudi, Seferina P.

2013-01-01

Proteins are the functional components of many cellular processes and the identification of their physical protein–protein interactions (PPIs) is an area of mature academic research. Various databases have been developed containing information about

On The Effectiveness Of And Preference For Punishment And Extinction Components Of Function-Based Interventions

OpenAIRE

Hanley, Gregory P; Piazza, Cathleen C; Fisher, Wayne W; Maglieri, Kristen A

2005-01-01

The current study describes an assessment sequence that may be used to identify individualized, effective, and preferred interventions for severe problem behavior in lieu of relying on a restricted set of treatment options that are assumed to be in the best interest of consumers. The relative effectiveness of functional communication training (FCT) with and without a punishment component was evaluated with 2 children for whom functional analyses demonstrated behavioral maintenance via social ...

Interaction of insulin with colloidal ZnS quantum dots functionalized by various surface capping agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinzadeh, Ghader; Maghari, Ali; Farniya, Seyed Morteza Famil; Keihan, Amir Homayoun; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali A

2017-08-01

Interaction of quantum dots (QDs) and proteins strongly influenced by the surface characteristics of the QDs at the protein-QD interface. For a precise control of these surface-related interactions, it is necessary to improve our understanding in this field. In this regard, in the present work, the interaction between the insulin and differently functionalized ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were studied. The ZnS QDs were functionalized with various functional groups of hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), amine (NH 2 ), and amino acid (COOH and NH 2 ). The effect of surface hydrophobicity was also studied by changing the alkyl-chain lengths of mercaptocarboxylic acid capping agents. The interaction between insulin and the ZnS QDs were investigated by fluorescence quenching, synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and thermal aggregation techniques. The results reveal that among the studied QDs, mercaptosuccinic acid functionalized QDs has the strongest interaction (∆G ° =-51.50kJ/mol at 310K) with insulin, mercaptoethanol functionalized QDs destabilize insulin by increasing the beta-sheet contents, and only cysteine functionalized QDs improves the insulin stability by increasing the alpha-helix contents of the protein, and. Our results also indicate that by increasing the alkyl-chain length of capping agents, due to an increase in hydrophobicity of the QDs surface, the beta-sheet contents of insulin increase which results in the enhancement of insulin instability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microscopically-constrained Fock energy density functionals from chiral effective field theory. I. Two-nucleon interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebremariam, B.; Bogner, S.K.; Duguet, T.

2011-01-01

The density matrix expansion (DME) of Negele and Vautherin is a convenient tool to map finite-range physics associated with vacuum two- and three-nucleon interactions into the form of a Skyrme-like energy density functional (EDF) with density-dependent couplings. In this work, we apply the improved formulation of the DME proposed recently in (arXiv:0910.4979) by Gebremariam et al. to the non-local Fock energy obtained from chiral effective field theory (EFT) two-nucleon (NN) interactions at next-to-next-to-leading-order (N 2 LO). The structure of the chiral interactions is such that each coupling in the DME Fock functional can be decomposed into a coupling constant arising from zero-range contact interactions and a coupling function of the density arising from the universal long-range pion exchanges. This motivates a new microscopically-guided Skyrme phenomenology where the density-dependent couplings associated with the underlying pion-exchange interactions are added to standard empirical Skyrme functionals, and the density-independent Skyrme parameters subsequently refit to data. A link to a downloadable Mathematica notebook containing the novel density-dependent couplings is provided.

Trophic interactions among the heterotrophic components of plankton in man-made peat pools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michał Niedźwiecki

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Man-made peat pools are permanent freshwater habitats developed due to non-commercial man-made peat extraction. Yet, they have not been widely surveyed in terms of ecosystem functioning, mainly regarding the complexity of heterotrophic components of the plankton. In this study we analysed distribution and trophic interrelations among heterotrophic plankton in man-made peat pools located in different types of peatbogs. We found that peat pools showed extreme differences in environmental conditions that occurred to be important drivers of distribution of microplankton and metazooplankton. Abundance of bacteria and protozoa showed significant differences, whereas metazooplankton was less differentiated in density among peat pools. In all peat pools stress-tolerant species of protozoa and metazoa were dominant. In each peat pool five trophic functional groups were distinguished. The abundance of lower functional trophic groups (bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF and ciliates feeding on bacteria and HNF was weakly influenced by environmental drivers and was highly stable in all peat pool types. Higher functional trophic groups (naupli, omnivorous and carnivorous ciliates, cladocerans, adult copepods and copepodites were strongly influenced by environmental variables and exhibited lower stability. Our study contributes to comprehensive knowledge of the functioning of peat bogs, as our results have shown that peat pools are characterized by high stability of the lowest trophic levels, which can be crucial for energy transfer and carbon flux through food webs.

A new bell-shaped function for idiotypic interactions based on cross-linking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, R.J. de; Boerlijst, M.C.; Sulzer, B.; Perelson, A.S.

1996-01-01

Most recent models of the immune network are based upon a phenomenological log bell-shaped interaction function. This function depends on a single parameter, the "field," which is the sum of all ligand concentrations weighted by their respective affinities. The typical behavior of these models is

Metal binding by food components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tang, Ning

for zinc binding by the investigated amino acids, peptides and proteins. The thiol group or imidazole group containing amino acids, peptides and proteins which exhibited strong zinc binding ability were further selected for interacting with zinc salts in relation to zinc absorption. The interactions...... between the above selected food components and zinc citrate or zinc phytate will lead to the enhanced solubility of zinc citrate or zinc phytate. The main driving force for this observed solubility enhancement is the complex formation between zinc and investigated food components as revealed by isothermal...... titration calorimetry and quantum mechanical calculations. This is due to the zinc binding affinity of the relatively softer ligands (investigated food components) will become much stronger than citrate or phytate when they present together in aqueous solution. This mechanism indicates these food components...

Interaction webs in arctic ecosystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Niels M.; Hardwick, Bess; Gilg, Olivier

2017-01-01

How species interact modulate their dynamics, their response to environmental change, and ultimately the functioning and stability of entire communities. Work conducted at Zackenberg, Northeast Greenland, has changed our view on how networks of arctic biotic interactions are structured, how...... they vary in time, and how they are changing with current environmental change: firstly, the high arctic interaction webs are much more complex than previously envisaged, and with a structure mainly dictated by its arthropod component. Secondly, the dynamics of species within these webs reflect changes...... that the combination of long-term, ecosystem-based monitoring, and targeted research projects offers the most fruitful basis for understanding and predicting the future of arctic ecosystems....

The early development of executive function and its relation to social interaction: a brief review.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriguchi, Yusuke

2014-01-01

Executive function (EF) refers to the ability to execute appropriate actions and to inhibit inappropriate actions for the attainment of a specific goal. Research has shown that this ability develops rapidly during the preschool years. Recently, it has been proposed that research on EF should consider the importance of social interaction. In this article, recent evidence regarding the early development of EF and its relation to social interaction has been reviewed. Research consistently showed that social interaction can influence EF skills in young children. However, the development of EF may facilitate the cognitive skills that are important for social interaction. Taken together, there might be functional dependency between the development of EF and social interaction.

Protein-solvent preferential interactions, protein hydration, and the modulation of biochemical reactions by solvent components.

Science.gov (United States)

Timasheff, Serge N

2002-07-23

Solvent additives (cosolvents, osmolytes) modulate biochemical reactions if, during the course of the reaction, there is a change in preferential interactions of solvent components with the reacting system. Preferential interactions can be expressed in terms of preferential binding of the cosolvent or its preferential exclusion (preferential hydration). The driving force is the perturbation by the protein of the chemical potential of the cosolvent. It is shown that the measured change of the amount of water in contact with protein during the course of the reaction modulated by an osmolyte is a change in preferential hydration that is strictly a measure of the cosolvent chemical potential perturbation by the protein in the ternary water-protein-cosolvent system. It is not equal to the change in water of hydration, because water of hydration is a reflection strictly of protein-water forces in a binary system. There is no direct relation between water of preferential hydration and water of hydration.

An analysis of few-body cross sections in pp and πp interactions in terms of the two-component picture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karimaeki, V.

1975-01-01

The energy behaviour of total cross sections of exclusive channel with one, two or three produced pions has been studied in pp and πp interactions. Two components, interpreted as diffractive and non-diffractive, have been fitted to the cross section data assuming an asymptotic power law dependence in psub(lab) for both. Isotopic spin factors were used as constraints to fit different charge channels simultaneously as well as for determining diffractive cross sections for non-observable few-body channels. The diffractive component for fixed multiplicity is found to decrease as psub(lab)sup(-0.16+-0.04). Results are compared with the predictions of factorization and semilocal factorization hypotheses. Total diffractive cross sections derived by the analysis are 5.1+-0.6 mb in pp and 2.2+-0.3 mb in πp interactions at psub(lab)=10 GeV/c. (author)

A proteomics strategy to elucidate functional protein-protein interactions applied to EGF signaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blagoev, B.; Kratchmarova, I.; Ong, S.E.

2003-01-01

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics can reveal protein-protein interactions on a large scale, but it has been difficult to separate background binding from functionally important interactions and still preserve weak binders. To investigate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, we em...

The role of COBRA-LIKE 2 function, as part of the complex network of interacting pathways regulating Arabidopsis seed mucilage polysaccharide matrix organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Tov, Daniela; Idan-Molakandov, Anat; Hugger, Anat; Ben-Shlush, Ilan; Günl, Markus; Yang, Bo; Usadel, Björn; Harpaz-Saad, Smadar

2018-05-01

The production of hydrophilic mucilage along the course of seed coat epidermal cell differentiation is a common adaptation in angiosperms. Previous studies have identified COBRA-LIKE 2 (COBL2), a member of the COBRA-LIKE gene family, as a novel component required for crystalline cellulose deposition in seed coat epidermal cells. In recent years, Arabidopsis seed coat epidermal cells (SCEs), also called mucilage secretory cells, have emerged as a powerful model system for the study of plant cell wall components biosynthesis, secretion, assembly and de muro modification. Despite accumulating data, the molecular mechanism of COBL function remains largely unknown. In the current research, we utilized genetic interactions to study the role of COBL2 as part of the protein network required for seed mucilage production. Using correlative phenotyping of structural and biochemical characteristics, unique features of the cobl2 extruded mucilage are revealed, including: 'unraveled' ray morphology, loss of primary cell wall 'pyramidal' organization, reduced Ruthenium red staining intensity of the adherent mucilage layer, and increased levels of the monosaccharides arabinose and galactose. Examination of the cobl2cesa5 double mutant provides insight into the interface between COBL function and cellulose deposition. Additionally, genetic interactions between cobl2 and fei1fei2 as well as between each of these mutants to mucilage-modified 2 (mum2) suggest that COBL2 functions independently of the FEI-SOS pathway. Altogether, the presented data place COBL2 within the complex protein network required for cell wall deposition in the context of seed mucilage and introduce new methodology expending the seed mucilage phenotyping toolbox. © 2018 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cross-sectional relationship between physical fitness components and functional performance in older persons living in long-term care facilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Mechelen Willem

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The age-related deterioration of physiological capacities such as muscle strength and balance is associated with increased dependence. Understanding the contribution of physical fitness components to functional performance facilitates the development of adequate exercise interventions aiming at preservation of function and independence of older people. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness components and functional performance in older people living in long-term care facilities. Methods Design cross-sectional study Subjects 226 persons living in long-term care facilities (mean age: 81.6 ± 5.6. Outcome measures Physical fitness and functional performance were measured by performance-based tests. Results Knee and elbow extension strength were significantly higher in men (difference = 44.5 and 50.0 N, respectively, whereas women were more flexible (difference sit & reach test = 7.2 cm. Functional performance was not significantly different between the genders. In men, motor coordination (eye-hand coordination and measures of strength were the main contributors to functional performance, whereas in women flexibility (sit and reach test and motor coordination (tandem stance and eye-hand coordination played a major role. Conclusion The results of this study show that besides muscle strength, fitness components such as coordination and flexibility are associated with functional performance of older people living in long-term care facilities. This suggests that men and women living in long-term care facilities, differ considerably concerning the fitness factors contributing to functional performance. Women and men may, therefore, need exercise programs emphasizing different fitness aspects in order to improve functional performance.

Genetic interaction analysis of point mutations enables interrogation of gene function at a residue-level resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Braberg, Hannes; Moehle, Erica A.; Shales, Michael; Guthrie, Christine; Krogan, Nevan J.

2014-01-01

We have achieved a residue-level resolution of genetic interaction mapping – a technique that measures how the function of one gene is affected by the alteration of a second gene – by analyzing point mutations. Here, we describe how to interpret point mutant genetic interactions, and outline key applications for the approach, including interrogation of protein interaction interfaces and active sites, and examination of post-translational modifications. Genetic interaction analysis has proven effective for characterizing cellular processes; however, to date, systematic high-throughput genetic interaction screens have relied on gene deletions or knockdowns, which limits the resolution of gene function analysis and poses problems for multifunctional genes. Our point mutant approach addresses these issues, and further provides a tool for in vivo structure-function analysis that complements traditional biophysical methods. We also discuss the potential for genetic interaction mapping of point mutations in human cells and its application to personalized medicine. PMID:24842270

Topological and functional properties of the small GTPases protein interaction network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Delprato

Full Text Available Small GTP binding proteins of the Ras superfamily (Ras, Rho, Rab, Arf, and Ran regulate key cellular processes such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, cell motility, and vesicle transport. A great deal of experimental evidence supports the existence of signaling cascades and feedback loops within and among the small GTPase subfamilies suggesting that these proteins function in a coordinated and cooperative manner. The interplay occurs largely through association with bi-partite regulatory and effector proteins but can also occur through the active form of the small GTPases themselves. In order to understand the connectivity of the small GTPases signaling routes, a systems-level approach that analyzes data describing direct and indirect interactions was used to construct the small GTPases protein interaction network. The data were curated from the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING database and include only experimentally validated interactions. The network method enables the conceptualization of the overall structure as well as the underlying organization of the protein-protein interactions. The interaction network described here is comprised of 778 nodes and 1943 edges and has a scale-free topology. Rac1, Cdc42, RhoA, and HRas are identified as the hubs. Ten sub-network motifs are also identified in this study with themes in apoptosis, cell growth/proliferation, vesicle traffic, cell adhesion/junction dynamics, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH oxidase response, transcription regulation, receptor-mediated endocytosis, gene silencing, and growth factor signaling. Bottleneck proteins that bridge signaling paths and proteins that overlap in multiple small GTPase networks are described along with the functional annotation of all proteins in the network.

Capacitance, charge dynamics, and electrolyte-surface interactions in functionalized carbide-derived carbon electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boris Dyatkin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study analyzed the dynamics of ionic liquid electrolyte inside of defunctionalized, hydrogenated, and aminated pores of carbide-derived carbon supercapacitor electrodes. The approach tailors surface functionalities and tunes nanoporous structures to decouple the influence of pore wall composition on capacitance, ionic resistance, and long-term cyclability. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering probes the self-diffusion properties and electrode-ion interactions of electrolyte molecules confined in functionalized pores. Room-temperature ionic liquid interactions in confined pores are strongest when the hydrogen-containing groups are present on the surface. This property translates into higher capacitance and greater ion transport through pores during electrochemical cycling. Unlike hydrogenated pores, aminated pores do not favorably interact with ionic liquid ions and, subsequently, are outperformed by defunctionalized surfaces.

Capacitance, charge dynamics, and electrolyte-surface interactions in functionalized carbide-derived carbon electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dyatkin, Boris; Mamontov, Eugene; Cook, Kevin M.; Gogotsi, Yury

2015-12-01

This study analyzed the dynamics of ionic liquid electrolyte inside of defunctionalized, hydrogenated, and aminated pores of carbide-derived carbon supercapacitor electrodes. The approach tailors surface functionalities and tunes nanoporous structures to decouple the influence of pore wall composition on capacitance, ionic resistance, and long-term cyclability. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering probes the self-diffusion properties and electrode-ion interactions of electrolyte molecules confined in functionalized pores. Room-temperature ionic liquid interactions in confined pores are strongest when the hydrogen-containing groups are present on the surface. This property translates into higher capacitance and greater ion transport through pores during electrochemical cycling. Unlike hydrogenated pores, aminated pores do not favorably interact with ionic liquid ions and, subsequently, are outperformed by defunctionalized surfaces.

Interactions of Bio-Inspired Membranes with Peptides and Peptide-Mimetic Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Sebastiano

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Via Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD and implicit solvent coarse-grained (CG Molecular Dynamics (MD we examine the interaction of an amphiphilic cell-penetrating peptide PMLKE and its synthetic counterpart with a bio-inspired membrane. We use the DPD technique to investigate the interaction of peptide-mimetic nanoparticles, or nanopins, with a three-component membrane. The CG MD approach is used to investigate the interaction of a cell-penetrating peptide PMLKE with single-component membrane. We observe the spontaneous binding and subsequent insertion of peptide and nanopin in the membrane by using CG MD and DPD approaches, respectively. In addition, we find that the insertion of peptide and nanopins is mainly driven by the favorable enthalpic interactions between the hydrophobic components of the peptide, or nanopin, and the membrane. Our study provides insights into the mechanism underlying the interactions of amphiphilic peptide and peptide-mimetic nanoparticles with a membrane. The result of this study can be used to guide the functional integration of peptide and peptide-mimetic nanoparticles with a cell membrane.

Project of mechanical components for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amaral, J.A.R. do; Farias Brito David, D. de

1984-01-01

The equipment foreseen to be part of a nuclear power plant must show high quality and safety due to the presence of radioactivity. Besides the perfect functioning during the rigid operating conditions, some postulated loadings are foreseen, like earthquake and loss of coolant accidents, which must be also considered in the design of the components. The design and calculation's concept and development, the interactions with the piping and civil designs, as well as their influences in the licensing process with the authorities are described. (Author) [pt

[Clinical-psychological components in the consideration of functional dysphonia--a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Kiese-Himmel, C

2015-03-01

The etiopathogenesis of functional dysphonia is complex; it is not sufficient to look solely at vocal behavior aspects. The predisposing basis for functional dysphonia can lie in the constitution of an individual, his/her professional speaking and speech behavior and/or may be personality-based. (Prolonged) psychosocial stress, vocal overstressing, unfavorable speaking habits, infection of the upper respiratory tract, inflammatory processes in the larynx, emotional life events and COSO events are considered as possible triggers. The interaction of predisposed and causal factors is unknown. Stress, overall fatigue, anxiety, depression and/or certain personality traits (which complicate or hamper coping) are considered as perpetuating factors. In any case, overlaps between voice symptoms and reactive psychic as well as social problems have to be kept in mind (e. g. the burden of suffering, depressive processing, speaking anxiety, socially withdrawal). Because the association of multiple psychosocial factors with functional dysphonia is not distinct--such are always existent in organ medically unexplained symptoms--functional dysphonia has to be diagnostically differentiated. For the purpose of the article, a psycho-diagnostic path following the ICD-10 chapter V along general lines is presented. Until now, it is unknown which psychosocial factors discriminate a psychogenic dysphonia from muscle tension dysphonia. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Preseason Functional Movement Screen Component Tests Predict Severe Contact Injuries in Professional Rugby Union Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Tee, Jason C; Klingbiel, Jannie F G; Collins, Robert; Lambert, Mike I; Coopoo, Yoga

2016-11-01

Tee, JC, Klingbiel, JFG, Collins, R, Lambert, MI, and Coopoo, Y. Preseason Functional Movement Screen component tests predict severe contact injuries in professional rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3194-3203, 2016-Rugby union is a collision sport with a relatively high risk of injury. The ability of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) or its component tests to predict the occurrence of severe (≥28 days) injuries in professional players was assessed. Ninety FMS test observations from 62 players across 4 different time periods were compared with severe injuries sustained during 6 months after FMS testing. Mean composite FMS scores were significantly lower in players who sustained severe injury (injured 13.2 ± 1.5 vs. noninjured 14.5 ± 1.4, Effect Size = 0.83, large) because of differences in in-line lunge (ILL) and active straight leg raise scores (ASLR). Receiver-operated characteristic curves and 2 × 2 contingency tables were used to determine that ASLR (cut-off 2/3) was the injury predictor with the greatest sensitivity (0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79-1.0). Adding the ILL in combination with ASLR (ILL + ASLR) improved the specificity of the injury prediction model (ASLR specificity = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.18-0.43 vs. ASLR + ILL specificity = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.39-0.66, p ≤ 0.05). Further analysis was performed to determine whether FMS tests could predict contact and noncontact injuries. The FMS composite score and various combinations of component tests (deep squat [DS] + ILL, ILL + ASLR, and DS + ILL + ASLR) were all significant predictors of contact injury. The FMS composite score also predicted noncontact injury, but no component test or combination thereof produced a similar result. These findings indicate that low scores on various FMS component tests are risk factors for injury in professional rugby players.

Linear and nonlinear interactions in the dark sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chimento, Luis P.

2010-01-01

We investigate models of interacting dark matter and dark energy for the Universe in a spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker space-time. We find the 'source equation' for the total energy density and determine the energy density of each dark component. We introduce an effective one-fluid description to evidence that interacting and unified models are related to each other, analyze the effective model, and obtain the attractor solutions. We study linear and nonlinear interactions, the former comprises a linear combination of the dark matter and dark energy densities, their first derivatives, the total energy density, its first and second derivatives, and a function of the scale factor. The latter is a possible generalization of the linear interaction consisting of an aggregate of the above linear combination and a significant nonlinear term built with a rational function of the dark matter and dark energy densities homogeneous of degree 1. We solve the evolution equations of the dark components for both interactions and examine exhaustively several examples. There exist cases where the effective one-fluid description produces different alternatives to the ΛCDM model and cases where the problem of coincidence is alleviated. In addition, we find that some nonlinear interactions yield an effective one-fluid model with a Chaplygin gas equation of state, whereas others generate cosmological models with de Sitter and power-law expansions. We show that a generic nonlinear interaction induces an effective equation of state which depends on the scale factor in the same way as the variable modified Chaplygin gas model, giving rise to the 'relaxed Chaplygin gas model'.

Retention of Proanthocyanidin in Wine-like Solution Is Conferred by a Dynamic Interaction between Soluble and Insoluble Grape Cell Wall Components.

Science.gov (United States)

Bindon, Keren A; Li, Sijing; Kassara, Stella; Smith, Paul A

2016-11-09

For better understanding of the factors that impact proanthocyanidin (PA) adsorption by insoluble cell walls or interaction with soluble cell wall-derived components, application of a commercial polygalacturonase enzyme preparation was investigated to modify grape cell wall structure. Soluble and insoluble cell wall material was isolated from the skin and mesocarp components of Vitis vinifera Shiraz grapes. It was observed that significant depolymerization of the insoluble grape cell wall occurred following enzyme application to both grape cell wall fractions, with increased solubilization of rhamnogalacturonan-enriched, low molecular weight polysaccharides. However, in the case of grape mesocarp, the solubilization of protein from cell walls (in buffer) was significant and increased only slightly by the enzyme treatment. Enzyme treatment significantly reduced the adsorption of PA by insoluble cell walls, but this effect was observed only when material solubilized from grape cell walls had been removed. The loss of PA through interaction with the soluble cell wall fraction was observed to be greater for mesocarp than skin cell walls. Subsequent experiments on the soluble mesocarp cell wall fraction confirmed a role for protein in the precipitation of PA. This identified a potential mechanism by which extracted grape PA may be lost from wine during vinification, as a precipitate with solubilized grape mesocarp proteins. Although protein was a minor component in terms of total concentration, losses of PA via precipitation with proteins were in the order of 50% of available PA. PA-induced precipitation could proceed until all protein was removed from solution and may account for the very low levels of residual protein observed in red wines. The results point to a dynamic interaction of grape insoluble and soluble components in modulating PA retention in wine.

Predicting protein-protein interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana through integration of orthology, gene ontology and co-expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vandepoele Klaas

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Large-scale identification of the interrelationships between different components of the cell, such as the interactions between proteins, has recently gained great interest. However, unraveling large-scale protein-protein interaction maps is laborious and expensive. Moreover, assessing the reliability of the interactions can be cumbersome. Results In this study, we have developed a computational method that exploits the existing knowledge on protein-protein interactions in diverse species through orthologous relations on the one hand, and functional association data on the other hand to predict and filter protein-protein interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana. A highly reliable set of protein-protein interactions is predicted through this integrative approach making use of existing protein-protein interaction data from yeast, human, C. elegans and D. melanogaster. Localization, biological process, and co-expression data are used as powerful indicators for protein-protein interactions. The functional repertoire of the identified interactome reveals interactions between proteins functioning in well-conserved as well as plant-specific biological processes. We observe that although common mechanisms (e.g. actin polymerization and components (e.g. ARPs, actin-related proteins exist between different lineages, they are active in specific processes such as growth, cancer metastasis and trichome development in yeast, human and Arabidopsis, respectively. Conclusion We conclude that the integration of orthology with functional association data is adequate to predict protein-protein interactions. Through this approach, a high number of novel protein-protein interactions with diverse biological roles is discovered. Overall, we have predicted a reliable set of protein-protein interactions suitable for further computational as well as experimental analyses.

Footprinting analysis of interactions between the largest eukaryotic RNase P/MRP protein Pop1 and RNase P/MRP RNA components.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagerlund, Robert D; Perederina, Anna; Berezin, Igor; Krasilnikov, Andrey S

2015-09-01

Ribonuclease (RNase) P and RNase MRP are closely related catalytic ribonucleoproteins involved in the metabolism of a wide range of RNA molecules, including tRNA, rRNA, and some mRNAs. The catalytic RNA component of eukaryotic RNase P retains the core elements of the bacterial RNase P ribozyme; however, the peripheral RNA elements responsible for the stabilization of the global architecture are largely absent in the eukaryotic enzyme. At the same time, the protein makeup of eukaryotic RNase P is considerably more complex than that of the bacterial RNase P. RNase MRP, an essential and ubiquitous eukaryotic enzyme, has a structural organization resembling that of eukaryotic RNase P, and the two enzymes share most of their protein components. Here, we present the results of the analysis of interactions between the largest protein component of yeast RNases P/MRP, Pop1, and the RNA moieties of the enzymes, discuss structural implications of the results, and suggest that Pop1 plays the role of a scaffold for the stabilization of the global architecture of eukaryotic RNase P RNA, substituting for the network of RNA-RNA tertiary interactions that maintain the global RNA structure in bacterial RNase P. © 2015 Fagerlund et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

The Interactions of microRNA and Epigenetic Modifications in Prostate Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prashant Kumar Singh

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Epigenetic modifiers play important roles in fine-tuning the cellular transcriptome. Any imbalance in these processes may lead to abnormal transcriptional activity and thus result in disease state. Distortions of the epigenome have been reported in cancer initiation and progression. DNA methylation and histone modifications are principle components of this epigenome, but more recently it has become clear that microRNAs (miRNAs are another major component of the epigenome. Interactions of these components are apparent in prostate cancer (CaP, which is the most common non-cutaneous cancer and second leading cause of death from cancer in the USA. Changes in DNA methylation, altered histone modifications and miRNA expression are functionally associated with CaP initiation and progression. Various aspects of the epigenome have also been investigated as biomarkers for different stages of CaP detection, though with limited success. This review aims to summarize key aspects of these mechanistic interactions within the epigenome and to highlight their translational potential as functional biomarkers. To this end, exploration of TCGA prostate cancer data revealed that expression of key CaP miRNAs inversely associate with DNA methylation. Given the importance and prevalence of these epigenetic events in CaP biology it is timely to understand further how different epigenetic components interact and influence each other.

Phosphorescence lifetimes of organic light-emitting diodes from two-component time-dependent density functional theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kühn, Michael [Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Weigend, Florian, E-mail: florian.weigend@kit.edu [Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany); Institut für Nanotechnologie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Postfach 3640, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2014-12-14

“Spin-forbidden” transitions are calculated for an eight-membered set of iridium-containing candidate molecules for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using two-component time-dependent density functional theory. Phosphorescence lifetimes (obtained from averaging over relevant excitations) are compared to experimental data. Assessment of parameters like non-distorted and distorted geometric structures, density functionals, relativistic Hamiltonians, and basis sets was done by a thorough study for Ir(ppy){sub 3} focussing not only on averaged phosphorescence lifetimes, but also on the agreement of the triplet substate structure with experimental data. The most favorable methods were applied to an eight-membered test set of OLED candidate molecules; Boltzmann-averaged phosphorescence lifetimes were investigated concerning the convergence with the number of excited states and the changes when including solvent effects. Finally, a simple model for sorting out molecules with long averaged phosphorescence lifetimes is developed by visual inspection of computationally easily achievable one-component frontier orbitals.

Functional interactions of HIV-infection and methamphetamine dependence during motor programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Archibald, Sarah L; Jacobson, Mark W; Fennema-Notestine, Christine; Ogasawara, Miki; Woods, Steven P; Letendre, Scott; Grant, Igor; Jernigan, Terry L

2012-04-30

Methamphetamine (METH) dependence is frequently comorbid with HIV infection and both have been linked to alterations of brain structure and function. In a previous study, we showed that the brain volume loss characteristic of HIV infection contrasts with METH-related volume increases in striatum and parietal cortex, suggesting distinct neurobiological responses to HIV and METH (Jernigan et al., 2005). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has the potential to reveal functional interactions between the effects of HIV and METH. In the present study, 50 participants were studied in four groups: an HIV+ group, a recently METH-dependent group, a dually affected group, and a group of unaffected community comparison subjects. An fMRI paradigm consisting of motor sequencing tasks of varying levels of complexity was administered to examine blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) changes. Within all groups, activity increased significantly with increasing task complexity in large clusters within sensorimotor and parietal cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and cingulate. The task complexity effect was regressed on HIV status, METH status, and the HIV×METH interaction term in a simultaneous multiple regression. HIV was associated with less complexity-related activation in striatum, whereas METH was associated with less complexity-related activation in parietal regions. Significant interaction effects were observed in both cortical and subcortical regions; and, contrary to expectations, the complexity-related activation was less aberrant in dually affected than in single risk participants, in spite of comparable levels of neurocognitive impairment among the clinical groups. Thus, HIV and METH dependence, perhaps through their effects on dopaminergic systems, may have opposing functional effects on neural circuits involved in motor programming. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability for systems of degrading components with distinct component shock sets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Sanling; Coit, David W.; Feng, Qianmei

2014-01-01

This paper studies reliability for multi-component systems subject to dependent competing risks of degradation wear and random shocks, with distinct shock sets. In practice, many systems are exposed to distinct and different types of shocks that can be categorized according to their sizes, function, affected components, etc. Previous research primarily focuses on simple systems with independent failure processes, systems with independent component time-to-failure, or components that share the same shock set or type of shocks. In our new model, we classify random shocks into different sets based on their sizes or function. Shocks with specific sizes or function can selectively affect one or more components in the system but not necessarily all components. Additionally the shocks from the different shock sets can arrive at different rates and have different relative magnitudes. Preventive maintenance (PM) optimization is conducted for the system with different component shock sets. Decision variables for two different maintenance scheduling problems, the PM replacement time interval, and the PM inspection time interval, are determined by minimizing a defined system cost rate. Sensitivity analysis is performed to provide insight into the behavior of the proposed maintenance policies. These models can be applied directly or customized for many complex systems that experience dependent competing failure processes with different component shock sets. A MEMS (Micro-electro mechanical systems) oscillator is a typical system subject to dependent and competing failure processes, and it is used as a numerical example to illustrate our new reliability and maintenance models

Wide range of interacting partners of pea Gβ subunit of G-proteins suggests its multiple functions in cell signalling.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhardwaj, Deepak; Lakhanpaul, Suman; Tuteja, Narendra

2012-09-01

Climate change is a major concern especially in view of the increasing global population and food security. Plant scientists need to look for genetic tools whose appropriate usage can contribute to sustainable food availability. G-proteins have been identified as some of the potential genetic tools that could be useful for protecting plants from various stresses. Heterotrimeric G-proteins consisting of three subunits Gα, Gβ and Gγ are important components of a number of signalling pathways. Their structure and functions are already well studied in animals but their potential in plants is now gaining attention for their role in stress tolerance. Earlier we have reported that over expressing pea Gβ conferred heat tolerance in tobacco plants. Here we report the interacting partners (proteins) of Gβ subunit of Pisum sativum and their putative role in stress and development. Out of 90 transformants isolated from the yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) screening, seven were chosen for further investigation due to their recurrence in multiple experiments. These interacting partners were confirmed using β-galactosidase colony filter lift and ONPG (O-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside) assays. These partners include thioredoxin H, histidine-containing phosphotransfer protein 5-like, pathogenesis-related protein, glucan endo-beta-1, 3-glucosidase (acidic isoform), glycine rich RNA binding protein, cold and drought-regulated protein (corA gene) and soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase 1. This study suggests the role of pea Gβ subunit in stress signal transduction and development pathways owing to its capability to interact with a wide range of proteins of multiple functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Two-component mixture cure rate model with spline estimated nonparametric components.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lu; Du, Pang; Liang, Hua

2012-09-01

In some survival analysis of medical studies, there are often long-term survivors who can be considered as permanently cured. The goals in these studies are to estimate the noncured probability of the whole population and the hazard rate of the susceptible subpopulation. When covariates are present as often happens in practice, to understand covariate effects on the noncured probability and hazard rate is of equal importance. The existing methods are limited to parametric and semiparametric models. We propose a two-component mixture cure rate model with nonparametric forms for both the cure probability and the hazard rate function. Identifiability of the model is guaranteed by an additive assumption that allows no time-covariate interactions in the logarithm of hazard rate. Estimation is carried out by an expectation-maximization algorithm on maximizing a penalized likelihood. For inferential purpose, we apply the Louis formula to obtain point-wise confidence intervals for noncured probability and hazard rate. Asymptotic convergence rates of our function estimates are established. We then evaluate the proposed method by extensive simulations. We analyze the survival data from a melanoma study and find interesting patterns for this study. © 2011, The International Biometric Society.

The Changes of Energy Interactions between Nucleus Function and Mitochondria Functions Causing Transmutation of Chronic Inflammation into Cancer Metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Ponizovskiy, Michail R

2016-01-01

Interactions between nucleus and mitochondria functions induce the mechanism of maintenance stability of cellular internal energy according to the first law of thermodynamics in able-bodied cells and changes the mechanisms of maintenance stability of cellular internal energy creating a transition stationary state of ablebodied cells into quasi-stationary pathologic states of acute inflammation transiting then into chronic inflammation and then transmuting into cancer metabolism. The mechanisms' influences of intruding etiologic pathologic agents (microbe, virus, etc.) lead to these changes of energy interactions between nucleus and mitochondria functions causing general acute inflammation, then passing into local chronic inflammation, and reversing into cancer metabolism transmutation. Interactions between biochemical processes and biophysical processes of cellular capacitors' operations create a supplementary mechanism of maintenance stability of cellular internal energy in the norm and in pathology. Discussion of some scientific works eliminates doubts of the authors of these works.

Functionalized nanoparticle interactions with polymeric membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ladner, D A; Steele, M; Weir, A; Hristovski, K; Westerhoff, P

2012-04-15

A series of experiments was performed to measure the retention of a class of functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) on porous (microfiltration and ultrafiltration) membranes. The findings impact engineered water and wastewater treatment using membrane technology, characterization and analytical schemes for NP detection, and the use of NPs in waste treatment scenarios. The NPs studied were composed of silver, titanium dioxide, and gold; had organic coatings to yield either positive or negative surface charge; and were between 2 and 10nm in diameter. NP solutions were applied to polymeric membranes composed of different materials and pore sizes (ranging from ≈ 2 nm [3 kDa molecular weight cutoff] to 0.2 μm). Greater than 99% rejection was observed of positively charged NPs by negatively charged membranes even though pore diameters were up to 20 times the NP diameter; thus, sorption caused rejection. Negatively charged NPs were less well rejected, but behavior was dependent not only on surface functionality but on NP core material (Ag, TiO(2), or Au). NP rejection depended more upon NP properties than membrane properties; all of the negatively charged polymeric membranes behaved similarly. The NP-membrane interaction behavior fell into four categories, which are defined and described here. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioactive protein-based nanofibers interact with intestinal biological components resulting in transepithelial permeation of a therapeutic protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boutrup Stephansen, Karen; García-Díaz, María; Jessen, Flemming

2015-01-01

Proteins originating from natural sources may constitute a novel type of material for use in drug delivery. However, thorough understanding of the behavior and effects of such a material when processed into a matrix together with a drug is crucial prior to further development into a drug product....... In the present study the potential of using bioactive electrospun fish sarcoplasmic proteins (FSP) as a carrier matrix for small therapeutic proteins was demonstrated in relation to the interactions with biological components of the intestinal tract. The inherent structural and chemical properties of FSP...... as a biomaterial facilitated interactions with cells and enzymes found in the gastrointestinal tract and displayed excellent biocompatibility. More specifically, insulin was efficiently encapsulated into FSP fibers maintaining its conformation, and subsequent controlled release was obtained in simulated intestinal...

Hadron component of families (exp. 'Pamir' III)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1984-01-01

Possibilities of nuclear interaction investigation at 10 15 - 10 16 ev by means of analysis of family hadron component, registered in carbon and deep lead x-ray emulsion chambers, are discussed. The paper is divided in three parts. General properties of hadron families are discribed and compared in C and Pb chambers (part I). Correlations between gamma and hadron components of families are studied in the part II. It is shown that fluctuations of energies of this component are wider than in usually used models of nuclear interactions. The ratio of single hadron flux to the flux of γ-families is connected with cross-section and energy dissipation of nuclear interactions at about 10 16 ev (part III). (author)

Functional, interactive and critical health literacy: Varying relationships with control over care and number of GP visits.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Heide, Iris; Heijmans, Monique; Schuit, A Jantine; Uiters, Ellen; Rademakers, Jany

2015-08-01

The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which functional, interactive and critical health literacy are associated with patients' perceived control over care and frequency of GP visits. Data from the Dutch 'National Panel of People with Chronic Illness or Disability' was used (N=2508). Health literacy was assessed by the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy measure. Perceived control over care was indicated by perceived ability to organize care, interact with providers and to perform self-care. By multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses, associations between health literacy and perceived control over care and subsequently frequency of GP visits were studied. Mainly interactive health literacy was associated with patients' perceived ability to organize care, interact with healthcare providers and perform self-care, whereas only functional health literacy was associated with number of GP visits. The results imply that some patients' may be less able to exert control over their care because of lower health literacy. Functional, interactive and critical health literacy vary in their relevance for patients' ability to exert control. Initiatives for strengthening patients' role in healthcare may be improved by paying attention to patients' health literacy, specifically functional and interactive health literacy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

EEGLAB: an open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Delorme, Arnaud; Makeig, Scott

2004-03-15

We have developed a toolbox and graphic user interface, EEGLAB, running under the crossplatform MATLAB environment (The Mathworks, Inc.) for processing collections of single-trial and/or averaged EEG data of any number of channels. Available functions include EEG data, channel and event information importing, data visualization (scrolling, scalp map and dipole model plotting, plus multi-trial ERP-image plots), preprocessing (including artifact rejection, filtering, epoch selection, and averaging), independent component analysis (ICA) and time/frequency decompositions including channel and component cross-coherence supported by bootstrap statistical methods based on data resampling. EEGLAB functions are organized into three layers. Top-layer functions allow users to interact with the data through the graphic interface without needing to use MATLAB syntax. Menu options allow users to tune the behavior of EEGLAB to available memory. Middle-layer functions allow users to customize data processing using command history and interactive 'pop' functions. Experienced MATLAB users can use EEGLAB data structures and stand-alone signal processing functions to write custom and/or batch analysis scripts. Extensive function help and tutorial information are included. A 'plug-in' facility allows easy incorporation of new EEG modules into the main menu. EEGLAB is freely available (http://www.sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab/) under the GNU public license for noncommercial use and open source development, together with sample data, user tutorial and extensive documentation.

Biomaterials that promote cell-cell interactions enhance the paracrine function of MSCs.

Science.gov (United States)

Qazi, Taimoor H; Mooney, David J; Duda, Georg N; Geissler, Sven

2017-09-01

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) secrete paracrine factors that play crucial roles during tissue regeneration. Whether this paracrine function is influenced by the properties of biomaterials in general, and those used for cell delivery in particular, largely remains unexplored. Here, we investigated if three-dimensional culture in distinct microenvironments - nanoporous hydrogels (mean pore size ∼5 nm) and macroporous scaffolds (mean pore size ∼120 μm) - affects the secretion pattern of MSCs, and consequently leads to differential paracrine effects on target progenitor cells such as myoblasts. We report that compared to MSCs encapsulated in hydrogels, scaffold seeded MSCs show an enhanced secretion profile and exert beneficial paracrine effects on various myoblast functions including migration and proliferation. Additionally, we show that the heightened paracrine effects of scaffold seeded cells can in part be attributed to N-cadherin mediated cell-cell interactions during culture. In hydrogels, this physical interaction between cells is prevented by the encapsulating matrix. Functionally blocking N-cadherin negatively affected the secretion profile and paracrine effects of MSCs on myoblasts, with stronger effects observed for scaffold seeded compared to hydrogel encapsulated cells. Together, these findings demonstrate that the therapeutic potency of MSCs can be enhanced by biomaterials that promote cell-cell interactions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Valid Matérn Class of Cross-Covariance Functions for Multivariate Random Fields With Any Number of Components

KAUST Repository

Apanasovich, Tatiyana V.; Genton, Marc G.; Sun, Ying

2012-01-01

We introduce a valid parametric family of cross-covariance functions for multivariate spatial random fields where each component has a covariance function from a well-celebrated Matérn class. Unlike previous attempts, our model indeed allows

A two-component model of host–parasitoid interactions: determination of the size of inundative releases of parasitoids in biological pest contro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grasman, J.; Herwaarden, van O.A.; Hemerik, L.; Lenteren, van J.C.

2001-01-01

A two-component differential equation model is formulated for a host–parasitoid interaction. Transient dynamics and population crashes of this system are analysed using differential inequalities. Two different cases can be distinguished: either the intrinsic growth rate of the host population is

Kopitiam: Modular Incremental Interactive Full Functional Static Verification of Java Code

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mehnert, Hannes

2011-01-01

WearedevelopingKopitiam,atooltointeractivelyprovefull functional correctness of Java programs using separation logic by inter- acting with the interactive theorem prover Coq. Kopitiam is an Eclipse plugin, enabling seamless integration into the workflow of a developer. Kopitiam enables a user to ...

Comparative Analysis of Wolbachia Genomes Reveals Streamlining and Divergence of Minimalist Two-Component Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Steen; Serbus, Laura Renee

2015-01-01

Two-component regulatory systems are commonly used by bacteria to coordinate intracellular responses with environmental cues. These systems are composed of functional protein pairs consisting of a sensor histidine kinase and cognate response regulator. In contrast to the well-studied Caulobacter crescentus system, which carries dozens of these pairs, the streamlined bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia pipientis encodes only two pairs: CckA/CtrA and PleC/PleD. Here, we used bioinformatic tools to compare characterized two-component system relays from C. crescentus, the related Anaplasmataceae species Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and 12 sequenced Wolbachia strains. We found the core protein pairs and a subset of interacting partners to be highly conserved within Wolbachia and these other Anaplasmataceae. Genes involved in two-component signaling were positioned differently within the various Wolbachia genomes, whereas the local context of each gene was conserved. Unlike Anaplasma and Ehrlichia, Wolbachia two-component genes were more consistently found clustered with metabolic genes. The domain architecture and key functional residues standard for two-component system proteins were well-conserved in Wolbachia, although residues that specify cognate pairing diverged substantially from other Anaplasmataceae. These findings indicate that Wolbachia two-component signaling pairs share considerable functional overlap with other α-proteobacterial systems, whereas their divergence suggests the potential for regulatory differences and cross-talk. PMID:25809075

A benchmark study for the crown-type splashing dynamics of one- and two-component droplet wall-film interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Geppert, A.; Terzis, A.; Lamanna, G.; Marengo, M.; Weigand, B.

2017-12-01

The present paper investigates experimentally the impact dynamics of crown-type splashing for miscible two- and one-component droplet wall-film interactions over a range of Weber numbers and dimensionless film thicknesses. The splashing outcome is parametrised in terms of a set of quantifiable parameters, such as crown height, top and base diameter, wall inclination, number of fingers, and secondary droplet properties. The results show that the outcome of a splashing event is not affected by the choice of similar or dissimilar fluids, provided the dimensionless film thickness is larger than 0.1. Below this threshold, distinctive features of two-component interactions appear, such as hole formation and crown bottom breakdown. The observation of different crown shapes (e.g. V-shaped, cylindrical, and truncated-cone) confirms that vorticity production induces changes in the crown wall inclination, thus affecting the evolution of the crown height and top diameter. The evolution of the crown base diameter, instead, is mainly dependent on the relative importance of liquid inertia and viscous losses in the wall-film. The maximum number of liquid fingers decreases with increasing wall, film thickness, due to the enhanced attenuation of the effect of surface properties on the fingering process. The formation of secondary droplets is also affected by changes in the crown wall inclination. In particular, for truncated-cone shapes the occurrence of crown rim contraction induces a large scatter in the secondary droplet properties. Consequently, empirical models for the maximum number and mean diameter of the secondary droplets are derived for V-shaped crowns, as observed for the hexadecane-Hyspin interactions.

Elucidation of the Interaction Mechanism with Liposomes of gH625-Peptide Functionalized Dendrimers

Science.gov (United States)

Falanga, Annarita; Tarallo, Rossella; Carberry, Thomas; Galdiero, Massimiliano; Weck, Marcus; Galdiero, Stefania

2014-01-01

We have demonstrated that amide-based dendrimers functionalized with the membrane-interacting peptide gH625 derived from the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) envelope glycoprotein H enter cells mainly through a non-active translocation mechanism. Herein, we investigate the interaction between the peptide-functionalized dendrimer and liposomes composed of PC/Chol using fluorescence spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and surface plasmon resonance to get insights into the mechanism of internalization. The affinity for the membrane bilayer is very high and the interaction between the peptide-dendrimer and liposomes took place without evidence of pore formation. These results suggest that the presented peptidodendrimeric scaffold may be a promising material for efficient drug delivery. PMID:25423477

Local hybrid functionals with orbital-free mixing functions and balanced elimination of self-interaction error

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Piotr de; Corminboeuf, Clémence

2015-01-01

The recently introduced density overlap regions indicator (DORI) [P. de Silva and C. Corminboeuf, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 10(9), 3745–3756 (2014)] is a density-dependent scalar field revealing regions of high density overlap between shells, atoms, and molecules. In this work, we exploit its properties to construct local hybrid exchange-correlation functionals aiming at balanced reduction of the self-interaction error. We show that DORI can successfully replace the ratio of the von Weizsäcker and exact positive-definite kinetic energy densities, which is commonly used in mixing functions of local hybrids. Additionally, we introduce several semi-empirical parameters to control the local and global admixture of exact exchange. The most promising of our local hybrids clearly outperforms the underlying semi-local functionals as well as their global hybrids

Genetic Interactions Between the Meiosis-Specific Cohesin Components, STAG3, REC8, and RAD21L.

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Ayobami; Hopkins, Jessica; Mckay, Matthew; Murray, Steve; Jordan, Philip W

2016-06-01

Cohesin is an essential structural component of chromosomes that ensures accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. Previous studies have shown that there are cohesin complexes specific to meiosis, required to mediate homologous chromosome pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation. Meiosis-specific cohesin complexes consist of two structural maintenance of chromosomes proteins (SMC1α/SMC1β and SMC3), an α-kleisin protein (RAD21, RAD21L, or REC8), and a stromal antigen protein (STAG1, 2, or 3). STAG3 is exclusively expressed during meiosis, and is the predominant STAG protein component of cohesin complexes in primary spermatocytes from mouse, interacting directly with each α-kleisin subunit. REC8 and RAD21L are also meiosis-specific cohesin components. Stag3 mutant spermatocytes arrest in early prophase ("zygotene-like" stage), displaying failed homolog synapsis and persistent DNA damage, as a result of unstable loading of cohesin onto the chromosome axes. Interestingly, Rec8, Rad21L double mutants resulted in an earlier "leptotene-like" arrest, accompanied by complete absence of STAG3 loading. To assess genetic interactions between STAG3 and α-kleisin subunits RAD21L and REC8, our lab generated Stag3, Rad21L, and Stag3, Rec8 double knockout mice, and compared them to the Rec8, Rad21L double mutant. These double mutants are phenotypically distinct from one another, and more severe than each single knockout mutant with regards to chromosome axis formation, cohesin loading, and sister chromatid cohesion. The Stag3, Rad21L, and Stag3, Rec8 double mutants both progress further into prophase I than the Rec8, Rad21L double mutant. Our genetic analysis demonstrates that cohesins containing STAG3 and REC8 are the main complex required for centromeric cohesion, and RAD21L cohesins are required for normal clustering of pericentromeric heterochromatin. Furthermore, the STAG3/REC8 and STAG3/RAD21L cohesins are the primary cohesins required for

Uncovering homo-and hetero-interactions on the cell membrane using single particle tracking approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torreno-Pina, Juan A; Manzo, Carlo; Garcia-Parajo, Maria F

2016-01-01

The plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells is responsible for a myriad of functions that regulate cell physiology and plays a crucial role in a multitude of processes that include adhesion, migration, signaling recognition and cell–cell communication. This is accomplished by specific interactions between different membrane components such as lipids and proteins on the lipid bilayer but also through interactions with the underlying cortical actin cytoskeleton on the intracellular side and the glycocalyx matrix in close proximity to the extracellular side. Advanced biophysical techniques, including single particle tracking (SPT) have revealed that the lateral diffusion of molecular components on the plasma membrane represents a landmark manifestation of such interactions. Indeed, by studying changes in the diffusivity of individual membrane molecules, including sub-diffusion, confined diffusion and/or transient arrest of molecules in membrane compartments, it has been possible to gain insight on the nature of molecular interactions and to infer on its functional role for cell response. In this review, we will revise some exciting results where SPT has been crucial to reveal homo- and hetero-interactions on the cell membrane. (paper)

Conformational transitions and interactions underlying the function of membrane embedded receptor protein kinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocharov, Eduard V; Sharonov, Georgy V; Bocharova, Olga V; Pavlov, Konstantin V

2017-09-01

Among membrane receptors, the single-span receptor protein kinases occupy a broad but specific functional niche determined by distinctive features of the underlying transmembrane signaling mechanisms that are briefly overviewed on the basis of some of the most representative examples, followed by a more detailed discussion of several hierarchical levels of organization and interactions involved. All these levels, including single-molecule interactions (e.g., dimerization, liganding, chemical modifications), local processes (e.g. lipid membrane perturbations, cytoskeletal interactions), and larger scale phenomena (e.g., effects of membrane surface shape or electrochemical potential gradients) appear to be closely integrated to achieve the observed diversity of the receptor functioning. Different species of receptor protein kinases meet their specific functional demands through different structural features defining their responses to stimulation, but certain common patterns exist. Signaling by receptor protein kinases is typically associated with the receptor dimerization and clustering, ligand-induced rearrangements of receptor domains through allosteric conformational transitions with involvement of lipids, release of the sequestered lipids, restriction of receptor diffusion, cytoskeleton and membrane shape remodeling. Understanding of complexity and continuity of the signaling processes can help identifying currently neglected opportunities for influencing the receptor signaling with potential therapeutic implications. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Interactions between membrane receptors in cellular membranes edited by Kalina Hristova. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functional interaction of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and Na+/K+ ATPase from Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen).

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Haibo; Sun, Huahua; Xiao, Youxin; Zhang, Yixi; Wang, Xin; Xu, Xiaoyong; Liu, Zewen; Fang, Jichao; Li, Zhong

2015-03-06

Associated proteins are important for the correct functioning of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). In the present study, a neonicotinoid-agarose affinity column was used to isolate related proteins from a solubilized membrane preparation from the nervous system of Locusta migratoria manilensis (Meyen). 1530 peptides were identified and most of them were involved in the membranous structure, molecular interaction and cellular communication. Among these peptides, Na(+)/K(+) ATPase had the highest MASCOT score and were involved in the molecular interaction, which suggested that Na(+)/K(+) ATPase and nAChRs might have strong and stable interactions in insect central nervous system. In the present study, functional interactions between nAChRs and Na(+)/K(+) ATPase were examined by heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes. The results showed that the activated nAChRs increased pump currents of Na(+)/K(+) ATPase, which did not require current flow through open nAChRs. In turn, Na(+)/K(+) ATPase significantly increased agonist sensitivities of nAChRs in a pump activity-independent manner and reduced the maximum current (Imax) of nAChRs. These findings provide novel insights concerning the functional interactions between insect nAChRs and Na(+)/K(+) ATPase.

Large-scale parallel configuration interaction. II. Two- and four-component double-group general active space implementation with application to BiH

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knecht, Stefan; Jensen, Hans Jørgen Aagaard; Fleig, Timo

2010-01-01

We present a parallel implementation of a large-scale relativistic double-group configuration interaction CIprogram. It is applicable with a large variety of two- and four-component Hamiltonians. The parallel algorithm is based on a distributed data model in combination with a static load balanci...

Aging/Systems Interaction Study, Component Residual Lifetime Evaluation and Feasibility of Relicensing. Progress report, FY 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Close, J.A.; Jacobs, P.T.; Korth, G.E.; Mudlin, J.M.; Server, W.L.; Spaletta, H.W.

1985-10-01

This report documents the work performed on four research tasks in Fiscal Year 1985 (FY-1985) which were part of the Aging/Systems Interaction Study, Component Residual Lifetime Evaluation and Feasibility of Relicensing Project. The technical and management/institutional objectives for the project are described, followed by a description of the results of each task. The work on Task 1 involved identifying and prioritizing new research activities for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Nuclear Plant Aging Research (NPAR) Program. A proposed methodology and plan for aging-system interaction studies was developed in Task 2. The description of Task 3 work comprises a summary of nuclear plant life extension activities in the US, the technical basis associated with the residual life of metallic materials and a proposed plan for research on residual life assessment. Task 4 describes the initial evaluation of selected Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800) sections to investigate the feasibility of relicensing. 14 refs., 13 figs., 20 tabs

Vertex function of an electron in a constant electromagnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morozov, D.A.; Narozhnyj, N.B.; Ritus, V.I.

1981-01-01

The third order with respect to radiation field vertex function for an electron located in a constant crossed field of arbitrary intensity is determined. It is shown that radiative interaction smears out the Airy function which describes the intensity of the interaction between electrons and photons in an external field as a function of the nonconserving momentum component. The qualitative relation Vsup((3)) approximately αchisup(2/3)Vsup((1)) between the third and first order vertex functions is found for large values of the dynamic parameter chi=((eFp)sup(2))sup(1/2)msup(-2). It is also shown that radiative interaction does not alter the order of magnitude of the squared mass of the system transferred at the vertex. The vertex function satisfies the Ward identity modified by the external field [ru

Heterocellular interaction enhances recruitment of α and β-catenins and ZO-2 into functional gap-junction complexes and induces gap junction-dependant differentiation of mammary epithelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talhouk, Rabih S.; Mroue, Rana; Mokalled, Mayssa; Abi-Mosleh, Lina; Nehme, Ralda; Ismail, Ayman; Khalil, Antoine; Zaatari, Mira; El-Sabban, Marwan E.

2008-01-01

Gap junctions (GJ) are required for mammary epithelial differentiation. Using epithelial (SCp2) and myoepithelial-like (SCg6) mouse-derived mammary cells, the role of heterocellular interaction in assembly of GJ complexes and functional differentiation (β-casein expression) was evaluated. Heterocellular interaction is critical for β-casein expression, independent of exogenous basement membrane or cell anchoring substrata. Functional differentiation of SCp2, co-cultured with SCg6, is more sensitive to GJ inhibition relative to homocellular SCp2 cultures differentiated by exogenous basement membrane. Connexin (Cx)32 and Cx43 levels were not regulated across culture conditions; however, GJ functionality was enhanced under differentiation-permissive conditions. Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated association of junctional complex components (α-catenin, β-catenin and ZO-2) with Cx32 and Cx43, in differentiation conditions, and additionally with Cx30 in heterocellular cultures. Although β-catenin did not shuttle between cadherin and GJ complexes, increased association between connexins and β-catenin in heterocellular cultures was observed. This was concomitant with reduced nuclear β-catenin, suggesting that differentiation in heterocellular cultures involves sequestration of β-catenin in GJ complexes

Network Physiology: How Organ Systems Dynamically Interact

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsch, Ronny P.; Liu, Kang K. L.; Bashan, Amir; Ivanov, Plamen Ch.

2015-01-01

We systematically study how diverse physiologic systems in the human organism dynamically interact and collectively behave to produce distinct physiologic states and functions. This is a fundamental question in the new interdisciplinary field of Network Physiology, and has not been previously explored. Introducing the novel concept of Time Delay Stability (TDS), we develop a computational approach to identify and quantify networks of physiologic interactions from long-term continuous, multi-channel physiological recordings. We also develop a physiologically-motivated visualization framework to map networks of dynamical organ interactions to graphical objects encoded with information about the coupling strength of network links quantified using the TDS measure. Applying a system-wide integrative approach, we identify distinct patterns in the network structure of organ interactions, as well as the frequency bands through which these interactions are mediated. We establish first maps representing physiologic organ network interactions and discover basic rules underlying the complex hierarchical reorganization in physiologic networks with transitions across physiologic states. Our findings demonstrate a direct association between network topology and physiologic function, and provide new insights into understanding how health and distinct physiologic states emerge from networked interactions among nonlinear multi-component complex systems. The presented here investigations are initial steps in building a first atlas of dynamic interactions among organ systems. PMID:26555073

Network Physiology: How Organ Systems Dynamically Interact.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsch, Ronny P; Liu, Kang K L; Bashan, Amir; Ivanov, Plamen Ch

2015-01-01

We systematically study how diverse physiologic systems in the human organism dynamically interact and collectively behave to produce distinct physiologic states and functions. This is a fundamental question in the new interdisciplinary field of Network Physiology, and has not been previously explored. Introducing the novel concept of Time Delay Stability (TDS), we develop a computational approach to identify and quantify networks of physiologic interactions from long-term continuous, multi-channel physiological recordings. We also develop a physiologically-motivated visualization framework to map networks of dynamical organ interactions to graphical objects encoded with information about the coupling strength of network links quantified using the TDS measure. Applying a system-wide integrative approach, we identify distinct patterns in the network structure of organ interactions, as well as the frequency bands through which these interactions are mediated. We establish first maps representing physiologic organ network interactions and discover basic rules underlying the complex hierarchical reorganization in physiologic networks with transitions across physiologic states. Our findings demonstrate a direct association between network topology and physiologic function, and provide new insights into understanding how health and distinct physiologic states emerge from networked interactions among nonlinear multi-component complex systems. The presented here investigations are initial steps in building a first atlas of dynamic interactions among organ systems.

Loudness of complex sounds as a function of the standard stimulus and the number of components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Florentine, Mary; Buus, Søren; Bonding, Per

1978-01-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: to determine if the measured loudness level of a signal depends on the standard stimulus used and to measure loudness as a function of the number of components in a wide-band signal. The stimuli were a pure tone, tone complexes with frequency separations...... of 231 and 1592 Hz, and noise bands with widths of 220 and 1592 Hz. The center frequency was 1 kHz and the loudness level was approximately 65 phons. Loudness matches between all combinations of stimuli showed that the measured loudness of the sounds did not depend on the standard stimulus used...... and the measured loudness level of a wide-band sound increased as a function of the number of components. Individual observers were consistent in their loudness estimations; the greatest source of variability was among subjects. Additional measurements indicated that the rate at which loudness increased beyond...