PEMBELAJARAN MEMPRODUKSI TEKS EKSPLANASI KOMPLEKS MENGGUNAKAN PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS PROYEK UNTUK SISWA SMK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jimat Susilo

2017-08-01

  Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui aktivitas dan hasil siswa SMK dalam memproduksi teks eksplanasi kompleks dengan menggunakan model pembelajaran berbasis proyek.Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode eksperimen semu dengan menggunakan nonequivalent control group design.Populasi yang dipilih yaitu siswa kelas XI SMK 1 PGRI Palimanan yang berjumlah 306 siswa.Sampel yang digunakan adalah kelas XI TKJ 3 sebagai kelas eksperimen dan kelas XI MM 1 sebagai kelas kontrol.Teknik pengumpulan data dengan menggunakan instrumen tes dan lembar observasi.Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dapat dibuktikan bahwa pembelajaran berbasis proyek efektif. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari hasil tes awal dengan nilai rata-rata 58, mengalami peningkatan pada tes akhir dengan nilai rata-rata 78,5.Berdasarkan hasil pengolahan data nilai  lebih besar dari   pada taraf signifikansi 5% yaitu >1,998.Hasil observasi aktivitas siswa menunjukkan kriteria baik dengan rata-rata 70,3%. Dengan demikian, dapat disimpulkan bahwa pembelajaran memproduksi teks eksplanasi kompleks dengan menggunakan model pembelajaran berbasis proyek untuk siswa SMK efektif dan dapat meningkatkan aktivitas belajar siswa. Kata Kunci: Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Proyek, Memproduksi Teks Eksplanasi Kompleks

PENERAPAN ALGORITMA WINNOWING UNTUK MENDETEKSI KEMIRIPAN TEKS PADA TUGAS AKHIR MAHASISWA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reynald Karisma Wibowo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Tugas Akhir merupakan dokumen yang merepresentasikan penelitian dan riset yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa jenjang Strata Satu. Untuk menghasilkan Tugas Akhir yang berkualitas di butuhkan penelitian yang kompeten, salah satu faktornya adalah originalitas. Kemampuan mahasiswa untuk menciptakan penelitian yang original menjadi faktor penting. Teks plagiasi adalah bentuk plagiasi yang paling sering dijumpai. Deteksi plagiarisme dibedakan menjadi dua berdasarkan tugasnya yaitu secara intrinsik dan ekstrinsik. Algoritma winnowing merupakan metode deteksi plagiarisme secara ekstrinsik. Metode ini merupakan ekstensi dari metode Rabin-Karp Fingerprint dengan menambahkan fitur window pada proses agar hasil deteki lebih optimal. Penelitian ini menerapkan algoritma winnowing untuk mendeteksi kemiripn teks pada dokumen tugas akhir mahasiswa Universitas Dian Nuswantoro. Kata Kunci: Tugas akhir, deteksi plagiasi, plagiarisme, winnowing, rolling hash, jaccard coefficient.

VARIASI KELUASAN MAKNA INTERPERSONAL TEKS “LASKAR PELANGI” BERBAHASA INDONESIA, INGGRIS, DAN MELAYU

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Apriliana Hapsari

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan variasi keluasan makna interpersonal pada teks “Laskar Pelangi” berbahasa Indonesia, Inggris, dan Melayu serta faktor-faktor yang mendorong terjadinya tingkat variasi keluasan makna tersebut. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan objek penelitian adalah variasi keluasan makna interpersonal yang terealisasi dalam sistem gramatika MOOD pada tiap klusa dari ketiga teks multitranslasi. Data dianalisis dengan teknik hubung banding dengan membandingkan masing-masing klausa dari ketiga teks tersebut. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tingginya tingkat variasi keluasan makna interpersonal pada T1:T2, sebesar 23,89, dan rendahnya tingkat variasi tersebut pada T1:T3, sebesar 2,82. Tingginya tingkat variasi disebabkan penambahan klausa pada T2, pengaruh skrip cerita film, faktor tujuan, serta faktor pembaca T2. Rendahnya tingkat variasi disebabkan persamaan akar bahasa dan budaya antara T1 dan T3 serta faktor tujuan penerjemahan. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE INTERPERSONAL MEANING BREADTH VARIATIONS ON MULTILINGUAL TRANSLATION TEKS “LASKAR PELANGI” IN BAHASA INDONESIA, ENGLISH, AND MALAY Abstract This study is aimed to describe the interpersonal meaning breadth variations on multilingual translation teks “Laskar Pelangi” in bahasa Indonesia, English, and Malay also to explore the motivating factors that occur inside those variations. This study was a descriptive qualitative research study. The object was interpersonal meaning breadth variations that were showed by the MOOD grammatical system in the clauses of the multilingual translation texts. The data were analyzed by comparing the realization of functional elements of the MOOD grammatical system in each clause of the text. The results of this study show that variations in interpersonal meaning breadth of T1:T2 are high, 23.89 whereas the

StorageTek T10000 Tape Cartridge

CERN Multimedia

1985-01-01

Oracle StorageTek T10000T2 cartridge has total capacity of 5 TB. It is actually manufactured by Fuji Film, uses Barium Ferrite (BaFe) particles technology data store, but is also equipped with RFID chip. There is over 1 km of tape inside of the cartridge with 3584 data tracks and it supports over 25000 load/unload cycles. The archival life is estimated to be around 30 years and uncorrected bit error rate is 10-19. CERN however usually migrates data to newer technologies roughly every 5 years in order to keep the footprint under control.

Solar-Driven Air-Conditioning Cycles: A Review

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A. M. Abu-Zour

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Most conventional cooling/refrigeration systems are driven by fossil fuel combustion, and therefore give rise to emission of environmentally damaging pollutants. In addition, many cooling systems employ refrigerants, which are also harmful to the environment in terms of their Global Warming Potential (GWP and Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP. Development of a passive or hybrid solar-driven air-conditioning system is therefore of interest as exploitation of such systems would reduce the demand for grid electricity particularly at times of peak load. This paper presents a review of various cooling cycles and summarises work carried out on solar-driven air-conditioning systems.

ProTEK PSB as Biotechnology Photosensitive Protection Mask on 3C-SiC-on-Si in MEMS Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Marsi, N.; Majlis, B. Y.; Mohd-Yasin, F.; Hamzah, A. A.; Mohd Rus, A. Z.

2016-11-01

This project presents the fabrication of MEMS employing a cubic silicon carbide (3C- SiC) on silicon wafer using newly developed ProTEK PSB as biotechnology photosensitive protection mask. This new biotechnology can reduce the number of processes and simplify the process flow with minimal impact on overall undercut performance. The 680 pm thick wafer is back-etched, leaving the 3C-SiC thin film with a thickness of 1.0 μm as the flexible diaphragm to detect pressure. The effect of the new coating of ProTEK PSB on different KOH solvents were investigated depending on various factors such as development time, final cure temperature and the thickness of the ProTEK PSB deposited layer. It is found that 6.174 μm thickness of ProTEK PSB offers some possibility of reducing the processing time compared to silicon nitride etch masks in KOH (55%wt, 80°C). The new ProTEK PSB biotechnology photosensitive protection mask indicates good stability and sustains its performance in different treatments under KOH and IPA for 8 hours. This work also revealed that the fabrication of MEMS sensors using the new biotechnology photosensitive protection mask provides a simple assembly approach and reduces manufacturing costs. The MEMS sensor can operate up to 500 °C as indicated under the sensitivity of 0.826 pF/MPa with nonlinearity and hysteresis of 0.61% and 3.13%, respectively.

ANALISIS KELAYAKAN ISI BUKU TEKS MATA PELAJARAN EKONOMI SMA KELAS X BERDASARKAN KURIKULUM TINGKAT SATAUAN PENDIDIKAN ( KTSP DI KABUPATEN SEMARANG

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Koeri Ulinuha

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui apakah buku teks ekonomi SMA kelas X yang digunakan di Kabupaten Semarang sudah memenuhi standar kelayakan isi buku teks ekonomi menurut BSNP. Dan manfaat penelitian ini dapat memilih dan mempertimbankan dalam memilih buku teks pelajaran untuk refrensi belajar baik pihak siswa, guru dan pihak sekolahPenelitian ini dilakuakan terhadap isi buku teks pelajaran yang dianalisis secara kualitatif. Sehingga penelitian ini disebut penelitian deskriptif kualitatif. Teknik penelitian yang di gunakan adalah adalah teknik triangulasi. Analisis buku teks ekonomi untuk SMA kelas X melibatkan 5 orang penilai, yaitu 5 guru ekonomi. Dari 5 SMAN yang mengunakan buku teks pelajaran ekonomi dengan pengarang Alam S. dan penerbit Esis. Teknik pengumpulan data dengan lembar penilaian buku teks ekonomi dari BSNP dan menggunakan teknik wawancara terhadap dua guru ekonomi untuk memperkuat hasil dari penilaian dari buku teks ekonomi kelas X.Data yang diperoleh dalam penelitian ini berupa hasil penilaian yang berupa skor penilian dan hasil wawancara. Berdasarkan hasil analisis dapat disimpulkan bahwa buku ekonomi SMA Kelas X karangan Alam S. yang digunakan di Kabupaten Semarang sudah memenuhi standar kelayakan isi menurut BSNP. Buku teks ekonomi untuk SMA Kelas X karangan Alam S. dapat digunakan sebagai sumber belajar dalam pembelajaran ekonomi di SMA kelas X. Selain itu, perlu diadakan penelitian lebih lanjut untuk menganalisis buku teks ekonomi lain yang digunakan di Kabupaten Semarang.. The purpose of this research was to know whether textbooks high school economics class X used in Semarang Regancy already meet the standards of eligibility of the contents of the textbook economics according to BSNP. Analysis of economic text books for high school classes X involves 5 persons appraisers, i.e. 5 economics teacher. From 5 SMAN using textbook economics lessons with author and Publisher Alam S. Esis.. Data collection techniques

INSTRUMEN ASESMEN AUTENTIK MENULIS TEKS FAKTUAL UNTUK SISWA KELAS IV

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Titis Angga Rini

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The assessment instruments have an important role to support process of authentic assessing student learning. The result of needs analysis show that there is a lack of writing assessment instruments used in primary school. The purpose of this research is to develop authentic original text writing assessment instruments for elementary school students. This research adapted the assessment development model from O'Malley & Pierce (1996. This development research produces factual writing assignments for students with assessment rubrics, and a grading guide for teachers. This product is eligible in terms of validity, reliability, legibility, and practicality as a means of writing assessment. Instrumen asesmen autentik berperan penting untuk menunjang proses asesmen pembelajaran siswa di sekolah. Hasil analisis kebutuhan menunjukkan bahwa terdapat keterbatasan instrumen asesmen menulis yang digunakan di SD. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengembangkan instrumen asesmen autentik menulis teks faktual untuk siswa kelas IV. Penelitian pengembangan ini mengadaptasi model pengembangan asesmen autentik O’Malley & Pierce (1996. Penelitian pengembangan ini menghasilkan produk yang terdiri atas buku tugas menulis teks faktual untuk siswa dengan rubrik penilaiannya dan buku panduan asesmen untuk guru yang layak dari segi validitas, reliabilitas, keterbacaan, penyajian, dan kepraktisan sebagai instrumen asesmen autentik menulis.

STRATEGI KOGNITIF KATA KUNCI YANG DIGUNAKAN SISWA KELAS VII SMP DALAM PENULISAN TEKS DESKRIPSI

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Mahpi Mahpi

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Keyword cognitive strategies are the ability to remember and use a word that can represent concepts, ideas, reading content, and post content. Writing is one of different skills with other language skills. Writing has a distinctive character that sets it apart from other skills. The active, productive, and stringing of words in written form, provides a distinctive feature of the language, medium, and variety of languages it uses. Keyword cognitive strategies used by students in writing text description appear in the process of writing and the results of his work. Description text as one of the pouring container ideas in the form of process of writing and writing works of students who use keyword cognitive strategy in writing description text. Strategi kognitif kata kunci merupakan kemampuan mengingat dan menggunakan sebuah kata yang dapat mewakili konsep, gagasan, isi bacaan, dan isi tulisan. Menulis merupakan salah satu keterampilan yang berbeda dengan keterampilan berbahasa yang lain. Menulis memiliki karakter khas yang membedakannya dari keterampilan lain. Sifat aktif, produktif, dan merangkai kata dalam bentuk tulisan, memberikan ciri khusus dalam hal kecaraan, medium, dan ragam bahasa yang digunakannya. Strategi kognitif kata kunci yang digunakan siswa dalam penulisan teks deskripsi tampak pada proses menulis dan hasil karyanya. Teks deskripsi sebagai salah satu wadah penuangan gagasan dalam bentuk proses menulis dan tulisan karya siswa yang menggunakan strategi kognitif kata kunci dalam menulis teks deskripsi.

Lack of promoter IV-driven BDNF transcription results in depression-like behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakata, K; Jin, L; Jha, S

2010-10-01

Transcription of Bdnf is controlled by multiple promoters, in which promoter IV contributes significantly to activity-dependent Bdnf transcription. We have generated promoter IV mutant mice [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-KIV] in which promoter IV-driven expression of BDNF is selectively disrupted by inserting a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-STOP cassette within the Bdnf exon IV locus. BDNF-KIV animals exhibited depression-like behavior as shown by the tail suspension test (TST), sucrose preference test (SPT) and learned helplessness test (LHT). In addition, BDNF-KIV mice showed reduced activity in the open field test (OFT) and reduced food intake in the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT). The mutant mice did not display anxiety-like behavior in the light and dark box test and elevated plus maze tests. Interestingly, the mutant mice showed defective response inhibition in the passive avoidance test (PAT) even though their learning ability was intact when measured with the active avoidance test (AAT). These results suggest that promoter IV-dependent BDNF expression plays a critical role in the control of mood-related behaviors. This is the first study that directly addressed the effects of endogenous promoter-driven expression of BDNF in depression-like behavior. © 2010 The Authors. Genes, Brain and Behavior © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

DDB1-Mediated CRY1 Degradation Promotes FOXO1-Driven Gluconeogenesis in Liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Xin; Zhang, Deqiang; Charney, Nicholas; Jin, Ethan; VanDommelen, Kyle; Stamper, Kenneth; Gupta, Neil; Saldate, Johnny; Yin, Lei

2017-10-01

Targeted protein degradation through ubiquitination is an important step in the regulation of glucose metabolism. Here, we present evidence that the DDB1-CUL4A ubiquitin E3 ligase functions as a novel metabolic regulator that promotes FOXO1-driven hepatic gluconeogenesis. In vivo, hepatocyte-specific Ddb1 deletion leads to impaired hepatic gluconeogenesis in the mouse liver but protects mice from high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia. Lack of Ddb1 downregulates FOXO1 protein expression and impairs FOXO1-driven gluconeogenic response. Mechanistically, we discovered that DDB1 enhances FOXO1 protein stability via degrading the circadian protein cryptochrome 1 (CRY1), a known target of DDB1 E3 ligase. In the Cry1 depletion condition, insulin fails to reduce the nuclear FOXO1 abundance and suppress gluconeogenic gene expression. Chronic depletion of Cry1 in the mouse liver not only increases FOXO1 protein but also enhances hepatic gluconeogenesis. Thus, we have identified the DDB1-mediated CRY1 degradation as an important target of insulin action on glucose homeostasis. © 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.

Swedish snus and the GothiaTek® standard

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Ringberger Tommy

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Some smokeless tobacco products, such as Swedish snus, are today considered to be associated with substantially fewer health hazards than cigarettes. This risk differential has contributed to the scientific debate about the possibilities of harm reduction within the tobacco area. Although current manufacturing methods for snus build on those that were introduced more than a century ago, the low levels of unwanted substances in modern Swedish snus are largely due to improvements in production techniques and selection of raw materials in combination with several programs for quality assurance and quality control. These measures have been successively introduced during the past 30-40 years. In the late 1990s they formed the basis for a voluntary quality standard for Swedish snus named GothiaTek®. In recent years the standard has been accepted by the members of the trade organization European Smokeless Tobacco Council (ESTOC so it has now evolved into an industrial standard for all smokeless tobacco products in Europe. The initial impetus for the mentioned changes of the production was quality problems related to microbial activity and formation of ammonia and nitrite in the finished products. Other contributing factors were that snus came under the jurisdiction of the Swedish Food Act in 1971, and concerns that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s about health effects of tobacco, and the significance of agrochemical residues and other potential toxicants in food stuffs. This paper summarizes the historical development of the manufacture of Swedish snus, describes the chemical composition of modern snus, and gives the background and rationale for the GothiaTek® standard, including the selection of constituents for which the standard sets limits. The paper also discusses the potential future of this voluntary standard in relation to current discussions about tobacco harm reduction and regulatory science in tobacco control.

UJI KETERBACAAN WACANA PADA BUKU TEKS BAHASA INDONESIA KELAS V SD NEGERI DI KECAMATAN WONOGIRI

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Nina Widyaningsih

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan tingkat keterbacaan wacana dalam buku teks BSE bahasa Indonesia, mendeskripsikan tingkat keterbacaan wacana dalam buku teks NONBSE, dan mendeskripsikan perbedaan tingkat keterbacaan wacana antara buku teks BSE dengan buku teks NONBSE setelah diukur dengan alat ukur uji keterbacaan teknik cloze. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian analisis konten. Menggunakan populasi dan sampel buku dan sekolah. Teknik pengumpulan data dengan mengerjakan lembar jawab tes cloze secara objektif. Teknik analisis data dengan mengoreksi lembar tes cloze. Hasil penelitian ini: (1 persentase rerata skor keterbacaan BSE 1 57,60% dan persentase rerata skor keterbacaan BSE 2 59,64%; (2 persentase rerata skor keterbacaan NONBSE 56,55%; (3 hasil uji keterbacaan wacana pada buku BSE dan NONBSE menunjukkan sama-sama menunjukkan presentase yang berada pada kategori instruksional. Kata Kunci: keterbacaan wacana, teknik cloze   THE READABILITY DISCOURSES IN INDONESIAN LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS GRADE V OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN WONOGIRI DISTRICT Abstract This study aims to describe the readability levels of the discourses in electronic school books (ESBs of the Indonesian language, to describe the readability levels of the discourses in non-electronic school books (NONESBs, and to describe the difference in the readability levels of the discourses between ESBs and NONESBs after they are assessed by the cloze technique as a readability measurement instrument. The type of study was a content analysis. The research population and sample of the book and school.. The data were collected by asking respondents to do the cloze test objectively. They were analyzed by checking the cloze test sheet in accordance with the answer keys for further analysis. The results of the study are as follows. (1 on the ESB 1 produced an average readability score percentage of 57, 60% and on the ESB 2 produced an average readability score percentage of 59

Stanovení vybraných vonných látek v kosmetických prostředcích

OpenAIRE

Novotná, Petra

2011-01-01

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá stanovením vybraných vonných látek v kosmetických prostředcích. Úvodem je popsán výskyt, metody získávání a využití těchto látek. Jsou nepostradatelnou součástí především kosmetických výrobků, avšak u citlivých jedinců mohou vyvolat alergickou reakci. O příčinách vzniku a průběhu těchto nežádoucích projevů je v teoretické části také pojednáno. Je známo několik stovek až tisíc vonných látek používaných v parfumérském průmyslu, z nichž je 26 ustanoveno evropskými ...

Ar prūsų kalboje egzistavo lie. tekė́ti, tẽka veiksmažodžių tipas?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erdvilas Jakulis

2011-11-01

Full Text Available WERE THERE IN THE OLD PRUSSIAN LANGUAGE ANY VERBS ANALOGOUS TO LITH. tekė́ti, tẽka VERBAL TYPE?SummaryThe article seeks to determine whether the Old Prussian language could have had verbs analogous to the Lithuanian type ending in -ėti in the infinitive, -a in the present tense and -ėjo in the past tense. Vytautas Mažiulis’ Prussian Etymological Dictionary directly attributes only one reconstructed verb to this type, *skelētvei, *skela ‘to owe, to be at fault’, and indirectly connects several suffixal verb forms, *peldētvei ‘to earn; to obtain’, *kabētvei ‘to hang’, *bīlet ‘to tell’ and *kalsēt ‘to ring’. The OPr. verbs under discussion, however, belong to another verbal type (with variable suffix - inf. -ī-, praes./praet. -ā-/-ē-.The tekė́ti, tẽka verbal type arose from the past tense stem, *-ē, of root verbs with the addition of thematic personal endings, i.e., a secondary stem *-i̯ā (*tekēi̯ā. The past tense stem *-ēi̯ā suffix *-ē was then introduced into the infinitive (*tekti > *tek-ē-ti. The Prussian language added plural personal endings to vowel suffixes athematically (directly after the suffix vowel, and because the first, second and third person singular usually had a zero ending – the final vowel was that of the suffix (see Kaukienė 2000b, 58 f.. Therefore there was no basis for tekė́ti, tẽka verbs to arise.Hence we may conclude that tekė́ti, tẽka verbal type is an East Baltic innovation.

78 FR 42804 - Whirlpool Corporation, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Aerotek/Tek Systems (Subcontractor...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-17

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-82,346] Whirlpool Corporation, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Aerotek/Tek Systems (Subcontractor of IBM Corporation) and Jones Lang... firm. The workers were engaged in production of refrigerators and trash compactors as well as...

Collaborative ReTek exchange - An innovative solution to the skills and resource shortage in the nuclear industry - 16396

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parr, Corhyn

2009-01-01

A Different Approach to the Skills and Resource Shortage The Nuclear Industry has for many years been concerned about a skills and resource shortage. This has been due to a poor perception of the industry by those on the outside, highly competitive industries vying for the same resource pool, a steep retirement curve for highly qualified staff and a lack of graduates entering industry. Here in the UK the creation of the National Skill Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) has put in place a framework to record skills and look to accredit the training providers in the nuclear industry to ensure that the correct skills for the future are available. This has gone some way to solving the skills problem and developing a well recognised accredited system but what about resource - where are the additional qualified resources going to be found? Part of the Solution - A Resource Exchange. How do we solve the skills shortage? We come together as an industry and share the available resource through a collaborative resource exchange. It has been done before in the IT industry when rates for specialists hit Pounds 1500 per day and recruitment agencies were charging extortionate fees for providing temporary resource. ReTek Consulting have developed the ReTek Resource Exchange to provide a neutral collaborative platform across the supply chain; from large scale infrastructure companies and joint venture platforms through to small companies and independent consultants. Using the ReTek Exchange permanent staff are made available to work for others during periods of under-utilisation. Links with similar highly regulated industries enable further management of peaks and troughs and a growth in experienced nuclear professionals through focused training and development. The Benefits of the ReTek Exchange are: - Increased utilisation of your current workforce. - Shared cost of permanent staff. - Speedy access to staff available in your region. - Reduced need for contract or agency staff. - Access

Keeping the local local : recalibrating the status of science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eijck, van M.W.; Roth, W.-M.

2007-01-01

The debate on the status of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in science curricula is currently centered on a juxtaposition of two incompatible frameworks: multiculturalism and universalism. The aim of this paper is to establish a framework that overcomes this opposition between

A laser pointer driven microheater for precise local heating and conditional gene regulation in vivo. Microheater driven gene regulation in zebrafish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Achermann Marc

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tissue heating has been employed to study a variety of biological processes, including the study of genes that control embryonic development. Conditional regulation of gene expression is a particularly powerful approach for understanding gene function. One popular method for mis-expressing a gene of interest employs heat-inducible heat shock protein (hsp promoters. Global heat shock of hsp-promoter-containing transgenic animals induces gene expression throughout all tissues, but does not allow for spatial control. Local heating allows for spatial control of hsp-promoter-driven transgenes, but methods for local heating are cumbersome and variably effective. Results We describe a simple, highly controllable, and versatile apparatus for heating biological tissue and other materials on the micron-scale. This microheater employs micron-scale fiber optics and uses an inexpensive laser-pointer as a power source. Optical fibers can be pulled on a standard electrode puller to produce tips of varying sizes that can then be used to reliably heat 20-100 μm targets. We demonstrate precise spatiotemporal control of hsp70l:GFP transgene expression in a variety of tissue types in zebrafish embryos and larvae. We also show how this system can be employed as part of a new method for lineage tracing that would greatly facilitate the study of organogenesis and tissue regulation at any time in the life cycle. Conclusion This versatile and simple local heater has broad utility for the study of gene function and for lineage tracing. This system could be used to control hsp-driven gene expression in any organism simply by bringing the fiber optic tip in contact with the tissue of interest. Beyond these uses for the study of gene function, this device has wide-ranging utility in materials science and could easily be adapted for therapeutic purposes in humans.

Through the Lens of TEK - Building GeoScience Pathways for American Indian/Alaska Native Students

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, W. J.; van Cooten, S.; Wrege, B.; Wildcat, D.

2017-12-01

Native American or American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students come from diverse communities with indigenous knowledges, perspectives and worldviews. These communities and the students they send into our nation's education systems have cultural connectivity to oral histories, documents, and artwork that details climate cycles and weather events prior to colonization through eras of forced relocation and assimilation. Today, these students are the trailblazers as tribal governments exercise their ownership rights to natural resources and the welfare of their citizens as sovereign nations. In universities, especially tribal colleges, our nation's indigenous students are bridge builders. Through the lens of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), these students have a unique yet overlooked perspective to merge mainstream research with indigenous knowledge systems to develop practical sustainable solutions for local, regional and international resource management issues. The panel will discuss barriers, such as underdeveloped geophysical science curricula at tribal colleges, that limit the pool of indigenous geoscience graduates and examine possible strategies such as entry point opportunities and partnerships, mentoring, and community relevant research experiences, to eliminate barriers that limit the influx of TEK in resiliency planning.

A RADIANT AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM USING SOLAR-DRIVEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. A. ABDALLA

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Every air-conditioning system needs some fresh air to provide adequate ventilation air required to remove moisture, gases like ammonia and hydrogen sulphide, disease organisms, and heat from occupied spaces. However, natural ventilation is difficult to control because urban areas outside air is often polluted and cannot be supplied to inner spaces before being filtered. Besides the high electrical demand of refrigerant compression units used by most air-conditioning systems, and fans used to transport the cool air through the thermal distribution system draw a significant amount of electrical energy in comparison with electrical energy used by the building thermal conditioning systems. Part of this electricity heats the cooled air; thereby add to the internal thermal cooling peak load. In addition, refrigerant compression has both direct and indirect negative effects on the environment on both local and global scales. In seeking for innovative air-conditioning systems that maintain and improve indoor air quality under potentially more demanding performance criteria without increasing environmental impact, this paper presents radiant air-conditioning system which uses a solar-driven liquid desiccant evaporative cooler. The paper describes the proposed solar-driven liquid desiccant evaporative cooling system and the method used for investigating its performance in providing cold water for a radiant air-conditioning system in Khartoum (Central Sudan. The results of the investigation show that the system can operate in humid as well as dry climates and that employing such a system reduces air-conditioning peak electrical demands as compared to vapour compression systems.

Science, Practitioners and Faith Communities: using TEK and Faith Knowledge to address climate issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, K.

2017-12-01

Worldview, Lifeway and Science - Communities that are tied to the land or water for their livelihood, and for whom subsistence guides their cultural lifeway, have knowledges that inform their interactions with the environment. These frameworks, sometimes called Traditional Ecological Knowledges (TEK), are based on generations of observations made and shared within lived life-environmental systems, and are tied to practitioners' broader worldviews. Subsistence communities, including Native American tribes, are well aware of the crises caused by climate change impacts. These communities are working on ways to integrate knowledge from their ancient ways with current observations and methods from Western science to implement appropriate adaptation and resilience measures. In the delta region of south Louisiana, the communities hold worldviews that blend TEK, climate science and faith-derived concepts. It is not incongruent for the communities to intertwine conversations from complex and diverse sources, including the academy, to inform their adaptation measures and their imagined solutions. Drawing on over twenty years of work with local communities, science organizations and faith institutions of the lower bayou region of Louisiana, the presenter will address the complexity of traditional communities' work with diverse sources of knowledge to guide local decision-making and to assist outside partners to more effectively address challenges associated with climate change.

Promotion of Pt-Ru/C catalysts driven by heat treated induced surface segregation for methanol oxidation reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Yuchen; Liu Chenwei; Chang Weijung; Wang Kuanwen

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Thermal treatments on the Pt-Ru/C induce different extents of surface segregation. → O 2 treatment results in obvious Ru segregation and formation of RuO 2 . → Catalysts treated in H 2 have the excellent CO de-poisoning ability. → N 2 treatment suppresses the surface Pt depletion and hence promotes the MOR. - Abstract: Carbon supported Pt-Ru/C (1:1) alloy catalysts supplied by E-TEK are widely used for fuel cell research. Heat treatments in various atmospheres are conducted for the promotion of the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and the investigation of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the catalysts. The alloy structures, surface compositions, surface species, and electro-catalytic activities of the alloy catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. The as-received Pt-Ru/C catalysts have a Ru rich in the inner core and Pt rich on the outer shell structure. Thermal treatments on the catalysts induce Ru surface segregation in different extents and thereby lead to their alteration of the alloying degrees. O 2 treatment results in obvious Ru segregation and formation of RuO 2 . Catalysts treated in H 2 have the highest I f /I b value in the CV scans among all samples, indicating the catalysts have the excellent CO de-poisoning ability as evidenced by anodic CO stripping experiments. N 2 treatment may serve as an adjustment process for the surface composition and structure of the catalysts, which can suppress the surface Pt depletion (∼60% Pt on the surface), make the components stable and hence promote the MOR significantly.

Promotion of Pt-Ru/C catalysts driven by heat treated induced surface segregation for methanol oxidation reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei Yuchen; Liu Chenwei; Chang Weijung [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan (China); Wang Kuanwen, E-mail: kuanwen.wang@gmail.com [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, National Central University, Taoyuan 32001, Taiwan (China)

2011-01-12

Research highlights: > Thermal treatments on the Pt-Ru/C induce different extents of surface segregation. > O{sub 2} treatment results in obvious Ru segregation and formation of RuO{sub 2}. > Catalysts treated in H{sub 2} have the excellent CO de-poisoning ability. > N{sub 2} treatment suppresses the surface Pt depletion and hence promotes the MOR. - Abstract: Carbon supported Pt-Ru/C (1:1) alloy catalysts supplied by E-TEK are widely used for fuel cell research. Heat treatments in various atmospheres are conducted for the promotion of the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and the investigation of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the catalysts. The alloy structures, surface compositions, surface species, and electro-catalytic activities of the alloy catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV), respectively. The as-received Pt-Ru/C catalysts have a Ru rich in the inner core and Pt rich on the outer shell structure. Thermal treatments on the catalysts induce Ru surface segregation in different extents and thereby lead to their alteration of the alloying degrees. O{sub 2} treatment results in obvious Ru segregation and formation of RuO{sub 2}. Catalysts treated in H{sub 2} have the highest I{sub f}/I{sub b} value in the CV scans among all samples, indicating the catalysts have the excellent CO de-poisoning ability as evidenced by anodic CO stripping experiments. N{sub 2} treatment may serve as an adjustment process for the surface composition and structure of the catalysts, which can suppress the surface Pt depletion ({approx}60% Pt on the surface), make the components stable and hence promote the MOR significantly.

Set-valued and fuzzy stochastic integral equations driven by semimartingales under Osgood condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malinowski Marek T.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We analyze the set-valued stochastic integral equations driven by continuous semimartingales and prove the existence and uniqueness of solutions to such equations in the framework of the hyperspace of nonempty, bounded, convex and closed subsets of the Hilbert space L2 (consisting of square integrable random vectors. The coefficients of the equations are assumed to satisfy the Osgood type condition that is a generalization of the Lipschitz condition. Continuous dependence of solutions with respect to data of the equation is also presented. We consider equations driven by semimartingale Z and equations driven by processes A;M from decomposition of Z, where A is a process of finite variation and M is a local martingale. These equations are not equivalent. Finally, we show that the analysis of the set-valued stochastic integral equations can be extended to a case of fuzzy stochastic integral equations driven by semimartingales under Osgood type condition. To obtain our results we use the set-valued and fuzzy Maruyama type approximations and Bihari’s inequality.

Kötekli, Akçaova Arakat Fiyatları ve Yatırım Kararı = Kötekli, Akçaova House Prices and the Investment Decision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cem Mehmet BAYDUR

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Buying a house is an important decision whether it is for investment or for accommodation. Every decision of investment means taking risks. When buying a flat is taken into consideration, it could be clearly seen that there is considerable difference between financially capitalized price and market price of it. In this article, I will be shown that this difference arises from growth expectation in future cash flows. In this article the buying decisions of three different groups of investors are investigated depending on their attitude towards risk taking, based on the growth expectation. Samples of this research are taken from Kötekli and Akçaova, districts of Muğla. The article discusses the actual growth expectations of investors and their buying decisions.

KARAKTER IDEAL KONSELOR DALAM BUDAYA BUGIS KAJIAN HERMENEUTIK TERHADAP TEKS PAPPASENG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sitti Rahmi

2017-02-01

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji empat nilai di dalam teks pappaseng, yakni acca (kecakapan, lempu (kejujuran, warani (keberanian, dan getteng (keteguhan yang dapat diserap menjadi konsep karakter ideal konselors. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan data, analisis dan interpretasinya mengikuti kaidah-kaidah hermeneutika Gadamerian. Temuan penelitian menunjukkan (1 nilai acca (kecakapan mengacu pada aspek kecerdasan dan kompetensi yang ditandai dengan ciri sikap penuh pertimbangan, terampil berkomunikasi dan menyelesaikan masalah, berpikir logis, teguh terhadap kejujuran, (2 nilai lempu (kejujuran mengacu pada aspek keterampilan hubungan interpersonal dengan ciri meliputi dapat dipercaya, menghormati hak orang lain, rendah hati, prososial dan taat kepada Tuhan, (3 nilai warani (keberanian mengacu pada aspek kekuatan mental konselor dengan ciri sikap kesiapan diri dan kestabilan emosi, dan (4 nilai getteng (keteguhan mengacu pada komitmen konselor terhadap pengambangan profesi dengan ciri konsisten.

Photonics technology and University-driven business co-creation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tanev, Stoyan; Østergaard, John Erland; Andersen, Thomas Bue Søndergaard

2012-01-01

TEK-Momentum is the Business Innovation and Technology Department in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. Since its establishment in 2010 the Department has adopted an exploratory technology transfer, open business development and co-creation strategy...... that goes beyond traditional technology transfer activities. This is an emerging strategy that has been shaped for the last 5 years even before the formal establishment of TEK-Momentum. It emerged out of multiple dialog-based interactions with small- and medium-sized companies by focusing on matching real...

Suppression of cancer growth in mice by adeno-associated virus vector-mediated IFN-beta expression driven by hTERT promoter.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ling Feng; Wang, Yi Gang; Xiao, Tian; Zhang, Kang Jiang; Li, Gong Chu; Gu, Jin Fa; Chu, Liang; Tang, Wen Hao; Tan, Wen-Song; Liu, Xin Yuan

2009-12-28

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has rapidly become a promising gene delivery vehicle for its excellent advantages of non-immunogenic, low pathogenicity and long-term gene expression in vivo. However, a major obstacle in development of effective AAV vector is the lack of tissue specificity, which caused low efficiency of AAV transfer to target cells. The application of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter is a prior targeting strategy for AAV in cancer gene therapy as hTERT activity is transcriptionally upregulated in most cancer cells. In the present work, we investigated whether AAV-mediated human interferon beta (IFN-beta) gene driven by hTERT promoter could specifically express in tumor cells and suppress tumor cell growth. Our data demonstrated that hTERT promoter-driven IFN-beta expression was the tumor-specific, decreased the cell viability of tumor cells but not normal cells, and induced tumor cell apoptosis via activation of caspase pathway and release of cytochrome c. AAV-mediated IFN-beta expression driven by hTERT promoter significantly suppressed the growth of colorectal cancer and lung cancer xenograft in mice and resulted in tumor cells death in vivo. These data suggested that AAVs in combination with hTERT-mediated IFN-beta expression could exert potential antitumor activity and provide a novel targeting approach to clinical gene therapy of varieties of cancers.

EM Task 9 - Centrifugal membrane filtration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepan, Daniel J.; Stevens, Bradley G.; Hetland, Melanie D.

1999-01-01

The overall project consists of several integrated research phases related to the applicability, continued development, demonstration, and commercialization of the SpinTek centrifugal membrane filtration process. Work performed during this reporting period consisted of Phase 2 evaluation of the SpinTek centrifugal membrane filtration technology and Phase 3, Technology Partnering. During Phase 1 testing conducted at the EERC using the SpinTek ST-IIL unit operating on a surrogate tank waste, a solids cake developed on the membrane surface. The solids cake was observed where linear membrane velocities were less than 17.5 ft/s and reduced the unobstructed membrane surface area up to 25%, reducing overall filtration performance. The primary goal of the Phase 2 research effort was to enhance filtration performance through the development and testing of alternative turbulence promoter designs. The turbulence promoters were designed to generate a shear force across the entire membrane surface sufficient to maintain a self-cleaning membrane capability and improve filtration efficiency and long-term performance. Specific Phase 2 research activities included the following: System modifications to accommodate an 11-in.-diameter, two-disk rotating membrane assembly; Development and fabrication of alternative turbulence promoter designs; Testing and evaluation of the existing and alternative turbulence promoters under selected operating conditions using a statistically designed test matrix; and Data reduction and analysis; The objective of Phase 3 research was to demonstrate the effectiveness of SpinTek's centrifugal membrane filtration as a pretreatment to remove suspended solids from a liquid waste upstream of 3M's WWL cartridge technology for the selective removal of technetium (Tc)

PENGEMBANGAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN MEMBACA KRITIS TEKS ARGUMENTASI UNTUK SISWA KELAS X SMA/SMK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anri Nofitria

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This development research can produce a Critical Reading model for argumentation text learning in class X SMA/SMK. The Critical Reading Model has nine stages, reading skimming; Make inquiries; Facts and opinions; Happy alignment; Main idea development framework; Tap refill content; Prevention of spelling errors, inaccurate choice of words, ineffectiveness of sentences, and inaccuracy of paragraph development; Conclude; And verification This development research uses the Dick and Carey procedures. The validation of the products carried out on three aspects, namely (a the feasibility of the concept of the model, (b the feasibility of the model steps, and (c the feasibility of the model on the level of understanding. Meanwhile, field testing was conducted to determine the feasibility and response of learners to the application of the model. Based on validation and field test results, it can be concluded that Critical Reading Model is suitable to be applied in learning to read critical argument text. Penelitian pengembangan ini dilaksanakan untuk menghasilkan model Membaca Kritis dalam pembelajaran teks argumentasi. Model Membaca Kritis memiliki sembilan tahap, yaitu (1 membaca skimming; (2 membuat pertanyaan; (3 mengidentifikasi fakta dan opini; (4 mengidentifikasi keselarasan; (5 mengidentifikasi pengembangan ide pokok; (6 mengidentifikasi ketepatan hubungan isi; (7 mengidentifikasi kesalahan ejaan, ketidaktepatan pilihan kata, dan ketidakefektifan kalimat, dan ketidaktepatan pengembangan paragraf; (8 menyimpulkan; (9 memverifikasi. Penelitian pengembangan ini menggunakan model Dick and Carey. Validasi produk yang dilakukan meliputi tiga aspek, yakni (a kelayakan konsep model, (b kelayakan langkah-langkah model, dan (c kelayakan model terhadap tingkat pemahaman. Sementara itu, uji coba produk dilakukan terhadap sembilan tahap model pembelajaran. Berdasarkan hasil validasi dan uji produk dapat disimpulkan bahwa model Membaca Kritis layak diterapkan

Elimination of proliferating cells from CNS grafts using a Ki67 promoter-driven thymidine kinase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vannary Tieng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Pluripotent stem cell (PSC-based cell therapy is an attractive concept for neurodegenerative diseases, but can lead to tumor formation. This is particularly relevant as proliferating neural precursors rather than postmitotic mature neurons need to be transplanted. Thus, safety mechanisms to eliminate proliferating cells are needed. Here, we propose a suicide gene approach, based on cell cycle-dependent promoter Ki67-driven expression of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK. We generated a PSC line expressing this construct and induced neural differentiation. In vitro, proliferating PSC and early neural precursor cells (NPC were killed by exposure to ganciclovir. In vivo, transplantation of PSC led to tumor formation, which was prevented by early ganciclovir treatment. Transplanted NPC did not lead to tumor formation and their survival and neural maturation were not affected by ganciclovir. In conclusion, the cell cycle promoter-driven suicide gene approach described in this study allows killing of proliferating undifferentiated precursor cells without expression of the suicide gene in mature neurons. This approach could also be of use for other stem cell-based therapies where the final target consists of postmitotic cells.

Prolonged Cre expression driven by the α-myosin heavy chain promoter can be cardiotoxic.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugach, Emily K; Richmond, Phillip A; Azofeifa, Joseph G; Dowell, Robin D; Leinwand, Leslie A

2015-09-01

Studying the importance of genetic factors in a desired cell type or tissue necessitates the use of precise genetic tools. With the introduction of bacteriophage Cre recombinase/loxP mediated DNA editing and promoter-specific Cre expression, it is feasible to generate conditional knockout mice in which particular genes are disrupted in a cell type-specific manner in vivo. In cardiac myocytes, this is often achieved through α-myosin heavy chain promoter (αMyHC)-driven Cre expression in conjunction with a loxP-site flanked gene of interest. Recent studies in other cell types demonstrate toxicity of Cre expression through induction of DNA damage. However, it is unclear to what extent the traditionally used αMyHC-Cre line [1] may exhibit cardiotoxicity. Further, the genotype of αMyHC-Cre(+/-) is not often included as a control group in cardiac myocyte-specific knockout studies. Here we present evidence that these αMyHC-Cre(+/-) mice show molecular signs of cardiac toxicity by 3months of age and exhibit decreased cardiac function by 6months of age compared to wild-type littermates. Hearts from αMyHC-Cre(+/-) mice also display evidence of fibrosis, inflammation, and DNA damage. Interestingly, some of the early functional changes observed in αMyHC-Cre(+/-) mice are sexually dimorphic. Given the high level of Cre recombinase expression resulting from expression from the αMyHC promoter, we asked if degenerate loxP-like sites naturally exist in the mouse genome and if so, whether they are affected by Cre in the absence of canonical loxP-sites. Using a novel bioinformatics search tool, we identified 619 loxP-like sites with 4 or less mismatches to the canonical loxP-site. 227 sites overlapped with annotated genes and 55 of these genes were expressed in cardiac muscle. Expression of ~26% of the 27 genes tested was disrupted in αMyHC-Cre(+/-) mice indicating potential targeting by Cre. Taken together, these results highlight both the importance of using αMyHC-Cre mice

Bacillus spp. from rainforest soil promote plant growth under limited nitrogen conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, X-F; Zhou, D; Guo, J; Manter, D K; Reardon, K F; Vivanco, J M

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of PGPR (plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria) isolated from rainforest soil on different plants under limited nitrogen conditions. Bacterial isolates from a Peruvian rainforest soil were screened for plant growth-promoting effects on Arabidopsis (Col-0). Four selected isolates including one Bacillus subtilis, two B. atrophaeus and one B. pumilus significantly promoted growth of Zea mays L. and Solanum lycopersicum under greenhouse conditions. Moreover, the PGPRs significantly promoted growth of S. lycopersicum in both low and nitrogen-amended soil conditions. These PGPR strains were further studied to obtain insights into possible mechanisms of plant growth promotion. Volatile chemicals from those isolates promoted Arabidopsis growth, and the expression of genes related to IAA production was induced in the Arabidopsis plants treated with PGPRs. Further, selected PGPR strains triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) against Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 in Arabidopsis. PGPR strains isolated from the rainforest soil promoted the plant growth of Arabidopsis, corn and tomato. New PGPR that have wider adaptability to different crops, soils and environmental conditions are needed to decrease our reliance on agricultural amendments derived from fossil-based fuels. The PGPRs isolated from a nonagricultural site constitute new plant growth-promoting strains that could be developed for agricultural uses. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Debata o památkové péči v 60. letech 20. století. Ivo Loos, Jindřich Malátek a Transgas

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Švácha, Rostislav

2017-01-01

Roč. 77, č. 4 (2017), s. 361-372 ISSN 1210-5538 Institutional support: RVO:68378033 Keywords : Jindřich Malátek * Ivo Loos * postwar architecture * theory of architecture and heritage care * Transgas Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

Combining environment-driven adaptation and task-driven optimisation in evolutionary robotics.

Science.gov (United States)

Haasdijk, Evert; Bredeche, Nicolas; Eiben, A E

2014-01-01

Embodied evolutionary robotics is a sub-field of evolutionary robotics that employs evolutionary algorithms on the robotic hardware itself, during the operational period, i.e., in an on-line fashion. This enables robotic systems that continuously adapt, and are therefore capable of (re-)adjusting themselves to previously unknown or dynamically changing conditions autonomously, without human oversight. This paper addresses one of the major challenges that such systems face, viz. that the robots must satisfy two sets of requirements. Firstly, they must continue to operate reliably in their environment (viability), and secondly they must competently perform user-specified tasks (usefulness). The solution we propose exploits the fact that evolutionary methods have two basic selection mechanisms-survivor selection and parent selection. This allows evolution to tackle the two sets of requirements separately: survivor selection is driven by the environment and parent selection is based on task-performance. This idea is elaborated in the Multi-Objective aNd open-Ended Evolution (monee) framework, which we experimentally validate. Experiments with robotic swarms of 100 simulated e-pucks show that monee does indeed promote task-driven behaviour without compromising environmental adaptation. We also investigate an extension of the parent selection process with a 'market mechanism' that can ensure equitable distribution of effort over multiple tasks, a particularly pressing issue if the environment promotes specialisation in single tasks.

Combining environment-driven adaptation and task-driven optimisation in evolutionary robotics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evert Haasdijk

Full Text Available Embodied evolutionary robotics is a sub-field of evolutionary robotics that employs evolutionary algorithms on the robotic hardware itself, during the operational period, i.e., in an on-line fashion. This enables robotic systems that continuously adapt, and are therefore capable of (re-adjusting themselves to previously unknown or dynamically changing conditions autonomously, without human oversight. This paper addresses one of the major challenges that such systems face, viz. that the robots must satisfy two sets of requirements. Firstly, they must continue to operate reliably in their environment (viability, and secondly they must competently perform user-specified tasks (usefulness. The solution we propose exploits the fact that evolutionary methods have two basic selection mechanisms-survivor selection and parent selection. This allows evolution to tackle the two sets of requirements separately: survivor selection is driven by the environment and parent selection is based on task-performance. This idea is elaborated in the Multi-Objective aNd open-Ended Evolution (monee framework, which we experimentally validate. Experiments with robotic swarms of 100 simulated e-pucks show that monee does indeed promote task-driven behaviour without compromising environmental adaptation. We also investigate an extension of the parent selection process with a 'market mechanism' that can ensure equitable distribution of effort over multiple tasks, a particularly pressing issue if the environment promotes specialisation in single tasks.

Degree of Tissue Differentiation Dictates Susceptibility to BRAF-Driven Colorectal Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Tong

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Oncogenic mutations in BRAF are believed to initiate serrated colorectal cancers; however, the mechanisms of BRAF-driven colon cancer are unclear. We find that oncogenic BRAF paradoxically suppresses stem cell renewal and instead promotes differentiation. Correspondingly, tumor formation is inefficient in BRAF-driven mouse models of colon cancer. By reducing levels of differentiation via genetic manipulation of either of two distinct differentiation-promoting factors (Smad4 or Cdx2, stem cell activity is restored in BRAFV600E intestines, and the oncogenic capacity of BRAFV600E is amplified. In human patients, we observe that reduced levels of differentiation in normal tissue is associated with increased susceptibility to serrated colon tumors. Together, these findings help resolve the conditions necessary for BRAF-driven colon cancer initiation. Additionally, our results predict that genetic and/or environmental factors that reduce tissue differentiation will increase susceptibility to serrated colon cancer. These findings offer an opportunity to identify susceptible individuals by assessing their tissue-differentiation status.

Morphed and moving: TNFα-driven motility promotes cell dissemination through MAP4K4-induced cytoskeleton remodeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Ma

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Cell dissemination from an initial site of growth is a highly coordinated and controlled process that depends on cell motility. The mechanistic principles that orchestrate cell motility, namely cell shape control, traction and force generation, are highly conserved between cells of different origins. Correspondingly, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these critical aspects of migrating cells are likely functionally conserved too. Thus, cell motility deregulation of unrelated pathogenesis could be caused and maintained by similar mechanistic principles. One such motility deregulation disorder is the leukoproliferative cattle disease Tropical Theileriosis, which is caused by the intracellular, protozoan parasite Theileria annulata. T. annulata transforms its host cell and promotes the dissemination of parasite-infected cells throughout the body of the host. An analogous condition with a fundamentally different pathogenesis is metastatic cancer, where oncogenically transformed cells disseminate from the primary tumor to form distant metastases. Common to both diseases is the dissemination of motile cells from the original site. However, unlike metastatic cancer, host cell transformation by Theileria parasites can be reverted by drug treatment and cell signaling be analyzed under transformed and non-transformed conditions. We have used this reversible transformation model and investigated parasite control of host cell motile properties in the context of inflammatory signaling in Ma M. et al. [PLoS Pathog (2014 10: e1004003]. We found that parasite infection promotes the production of the inflammatory cytokine TNFα in the host macrophage. We demonstrated that increased TNFα triggers motile and invasive properties by enhancing actin cytoskeleton remodeling and cell motility through the ser/thr kinase MAP4K4. We concluded that inflammatory conditions resulting in increased TNFα could facilitate cell dissemination by activating the actin

Conditions for sustainment of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by Alfven waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitruk, P.; Matthaeus, W.H.; Milano, L.J.; Oughton, S.

2001-01-01

In a number of space and astrophysical plasmas, turbulence is driven by the supply of wave energy. In the context of incompressible magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) there are basic physical reasons, associated with conservation of cross helicity, why this kind of driving may be ineffective in sustaining turbulence. Here an investigation is made into some basic requirements for sustaining steady turbulence and dissipation in the context of incompressible MHD in a weakly inhomogeneous open field line region, driven by the supply of unidirectionally propagating waves at a boundary. While such wave driving cannot alone sustain turbulence, the addition of reflection permits sustainment. Another sustainment issue is the action of the nonpropagating or quasi-two dimensional part of the spectrum; this is particularly important in setting up a steady cascade. Thus, details of the wave boundary conditions also affect the ease of sustaining a cascade. Supply of a broadband spectrum of waves can overcome the latter difficulty but not the former, that is, the need for reflections. Implications for coronal heating and other astrophysical applications, as well as simulations, are suggested

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of pressure-driven flows in microchannels using Navier–Maxwell slip boundary conditions

KAUST Repository

Reis, Tim

2012-01-01

We present lattice Boltzmann simulations of rarefied flows driven by pressure drops along two-dimensional microchannels. Rarefied effects lead to non-zero cross-channel velocities, nonlinear variations in the pressure along the channel. Both effects are absent in flows driven by uniform body forces. We obtain second-order accuracy for the two components of velocity the pressure relative to asymptotic solutions of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations with slip boundary conditions. Since the common lattice Boltzmann formulations cannot capture Knudsen boundary layers, we replace the usual discrete analogs of the specular diffuse reflection conditions from continuous kinetic theory with a moment-based implementation of the first-order Navier-Maxwell slip boundary conditions that relate the tangential velocity to the strain rate at the boundary. We use these conditions to solve for the unknown distribution functions that propagate into the domain across the boundary. We achieve second-order accuracy by reformulating these conditions for the second set of distribution functions that arise in the derivation of the lattice Boltzmann method by an integration along characteristics. Our moment formalism is also valuable for analysing the existing boundary conditions. It reveals the origin of numerical slip in the bounce-back other common boundary conditions that impose conditions on the higher moments, not on the local tangential velocity itself. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Pengaruh Strategi SQ4R Tipe Bantuan Multimedia vs Buku Teks, Pengetahuan Awal, Gaya Belajar Kolb terhadap Hasil Belajar Bahasa Inggris Teknik

OpenAIRE

Meiti Leatemia

2014-01-01

Penelitian ini bertujuan menyelidiki pengaruh strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan multimedia versus buku teks, pengetahuan awal dan gaya belajar terhadap hasil belajar bahasa Inggris Teknik. Subjek penelitian adalah 96 mahasiswa  Teknik Sipil dan Mesin Politeknik Negeri Ambon tahun akademik 2011-2012. Desain eksperimen menggunakan kuasi versi  factorial  (2 x 2 x 2) pre test-post test non-equivalent control group design. Analisis data menggunakan statistik Three Ways ANOVA. Pengujian hipotesis dilakuk...

Pengaruh Penerapan Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah Terhadap Kemampuan Menulis Teks Eksposisi Oleh Siswa Kelas X SMA Negeri 1 Babalan Tahun Pembelajaran 2013/2014

OpenAIRE

ulfa, warni atul

2013-01-01

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penerapan Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah terhadap kemampuan menulis teks eksposisi oleh siswa kelas X SMA Negeri 1 Babalan tahun pembelajaran 2013/2014. Populasi penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas X SMA Negeri 1 Babalan, yang berjumlah 200 orang dan yang menjadi sampel penelitian sebanyak 40 orang. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan cara menentukan satu kelas yang dijadikan wakil populasi dengan menggunakan teknik Random Sampling...

A pneumatic bellows-driven setup for controlled-distance electrochemical impedance measurements of Zircaloy-2 in simulated BWR conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arilahti, E.; Bojinov, M.; Hansson-Lyyra, L.

2004-01-01

This paper describes a novel pneumatic bellows-driven arrangement designed for controlled distance electrochemistry (CDE) measurements. The feasibility of the new arrangement has been verified by performing contact electric impedance measurements to study corrosion of Zircaloy-2 in a re-circulation loop simulating the BWR conditions. Until now, the measurements have been carried out using a step-motor driven controlled-distance electrochemistry (CDE) arrangement. The electrical and electrochemical properties of the pre transition oxide on Zircaloy-2 determined from these measurements were in good agreement with those estimated from measurements with a step-motor driven CDE. Furthermore, the results indicate that the bellows-driven CDE device is less sensitive to the contact pressure variation than the step-motor driven arrangement. This property combined with the bellows driven displacement mechanism provides a clear advantage for future in-core corrosion studies of fuel cladding materials. (Author)

A necessary condition for dispersal driven growth of populations with discrete patch dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiver, Chris; Packman, David; Townley, Stuart

2017-07-07

We revisit the question of when can dispersal-induced coupling between discrete sink populations cause overall population growth? Such a phenomenon is called dispersal driven growth and provides a simple explanation of how dispersal can allow populations to persist across discrete, spatially heterogeneous, environments even when individual patches are adverse or unfavourable. For two classes of mathematical models, one linear and one non-linear, we provide necessary conditions for dispersal driven growth in terms of the non-existence of a common linear Lyapunov function, which we describe. Our approach draws heavily upon the underlying positive dynamical systems structure. Our results apply to both discrete- and continuous-time models. The theory is illustrated with examples and both biological and mathematical conclusions are drawn. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

What we learn from surveillance testing of standby turbine driven and motor driven pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christie, B.

1996-01-01

This paper describes a comparison of the performance information collected by the author and the respective system engineers from five standby turbine driven pumps at four commercial nuclear electric generating units in the United States and from two standby motor driven pumps at two of these generating units. Information was collected from surveillance testing and from Non-Test actuations. Most of the performance information (97%) came from surveillance testing. open-quotes Conditional Probabilitiesclose quotes of the pumps ability to respond to a random demand were calculated for each of the seven standby pumps and compared to the historical record of the Non-Test actuations. It appears that the Conditional Probabilities are comparable to the rate of success for Non-Test actuations. The Conditional Probabilities of the standby motor driven pumps (approximately 99%) are better than the Conditional Probabilities of the standby turbine driven pumps (82%-96% range). Recommendations were made to improve the Conditional Probabilities of the standby turbine driven pumps

What we learn from surveillance testing of standby turbine driven and motor driven pumps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christie, B.

1996-12-01

This paper describes a comparison of the performance information collected by the author and the respective system engineers from five standby turbine driven pumps at four commercial nuclear electric generating units in the United States and from two standby motor driven pumps at two of these generating units. Information was collected from surveillance testing and from Non-Test actuations. Most of the performance information (97%) came from surveillance testing. {open_quotes}Conditional Probabilities{close_quotes} of the pumps ability to respond to a random demand were calculated for each of the seven standby pumps and compared to the historical record of the Non-Test actuations. It appears that the Conditional Probabilities are comparable to the rate of success for Non-Test actuations. The Conditional Probabilities of the standby motor driven pumps (approximately 99%) are better than the Conditional Probabilities of the standby turbine driven pumps (82%-96% range). Recommendations were made to improve the Conditional Probabilities of the standby turbine driven pumps.

Pengaruh Strategi SQ4R Tipe Bantuan Multimedia vs Buku Teks, Pengetahuan Awal, Gaya Belajar Kolb terhadap Hasil Belajar Bahasa Inggris Teknik

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meiti Leatemia

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan menyelidiki pengaruh strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan multimedia versus buku teks, pengetahuan awal dan gaya belajar terhadap hasil belajar bahasa Inggris Teknik. Subjek penelitian adalah 96 mahasiswa  Teknik Sipil dan Mesin Politeknik Negeri Ambon tahun akademik 2011-2012. Desain eksperimen menggunakan kuasi versi  factorial  (2 x 2 x 2 pre test-post test non-equivalent control group design. Analisis data menggunakan statistik Three Ways ANOVA. Pengujian hipotesis dilakukan pada taraf signifikansi 5% atau á=0,5  menggunakan SPSS 17.0 for windows. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa (1 Ada perbedaan yang signifikan hasil belajar  antara kelompok strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan multimedia dan buku teks, (2 ada perbedaan yang signifikan hasil belajar antara kelompok pengetahuan awal tinggi dan rendah, (3 tidak ada perbedaan yang signifikan antara pembelajar diverger dan assimilator,  (4 tidak ada pengaruh interaksi antara strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan dengan pengetahuan awal terhadap hasil belajar, (5 tidak ada pengaruh interaksi antara strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan dengan gaya belajar terhadap hasil belajar, (6 ada pengaruh interaksi an-tara pengetahuan awal dengan gaya belajar terhadap hasil belajar, dan, (7 ada pengaruh interaksi antara strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan, pengetahuan awal dan gaya belajar terhadap hasil belajar. Kata kunci: strategi SQ4R tipe bantuan, multimedia, pengetahuan awal, gaya belajar,  hasil  belajar

Boundary conditions for open quantum systems driven far from equilibrium

Science.gov (United States)

Frensley, William R.

1990-07-01

This is a study of simple kinetic models of open systems, in the sense of systems that can exchange conserved particles with their environment. The system is assumed to be one dimensional and situated between two particle reservoirs. Such a system is readily driven far from equilibrium if the chemical potentials of the reservoirs differ appreciably. The openness of the system modifies the spatial boundary conditions on the single-particle Liouville-von Neumann equation, leading to a non-Hermitian Liouville operator. If the open-system boundary conditions are time reversible, exponentially growing (unphysical) solutions are introduced into the time dependence of the density matrix. This problem is avoided by applying time-irreversible boundary conditions to the Wigner distribution function. These boundary conditions model the external environment as ideal particle reservoirs with properties analogous to those of a blackbody. This time-irreversible model may be numerically evaluated in a discrete approximation and has been applied to the study of a resonant-tunneling semiconductor diode. The physical and mathematical properties of the irreversible kinetic model, in both its discrete and its continuum formulations, are examined in detail. The model demonstrates the distinction in kinetic theory between commutator superoperators, which may become non-Hermitian to describe irreversible behavior, and anticommutator superoperators, which remain Hermitian and are used to evaluate physical observables.

Ref Tek Ultra-low Power Seismic Recorder With Low-cost High Speed Internet Telemetry U An Advanced Real-time Seismological Data Acquisition System

Science.gov (United States)

Passmore, P.; Zimakov, L.; Rozhkov, M.

The 3rd Generation Seismic Recorder, Model 130-01, has been designed to be easier to use - more compact, lighter in weight, lower power, and requires less maintenance than other recorders. Not only is the hardware optimized for field deployments, soft- ware tools as well have been specially developed to support both field and base station operation. The 130's case is a clamshell design, inherently waterproof, with easy access to all user features on the top of the unit. The 130 has 6 input/output connectors, an LCD display, and a removable lid on top of the case. There are two Channel input connectors on a 6-channel unit (only one on a 3-channel unit), a Terminal connector for setup and control, a Net connector combining Ethernet and Serial PPP for network access, a 12 VDC Power connector, and a GPS receiver connector. The LCD display allows the user to monitor the status of various sub systems within the 130 without having a terminal device attached. For storing large amounts of data the IBM MicrodriveTM is offered. User setup, control and status monitoring is done either with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) (Palm OS compatible) using our Palm Field Controller (PFC) software or from a PC/workstation using our REF TEK Network Controller (RNC) GUI interface. StarBand VSAT is the premier two-way, always-on, high-speed satellite Internet ser- vice. StarBand means high-speed Internet without the constraints and congestion of land-based cable or telephone networks. StarBand uses a single satellite dish antenna for receiving and for sending dataUno telephone connection is needed. The hardware ° cost is much less than standard VSAT equipment with double or single hop transmis- sion. REF TEK protocol (RTP) provides end-to-end error-correcting data transmission and command/control. StarBandSs low cost VSAT provides two-way, always-on, high speed satellite Internet data availability. REF TEK and StarBand create the most ad- vanced real-time seismological data acquisition

Lettuce and rhizosphere microbiome responses to growth promoting Pseudomonas species under field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cipriano, Matheus A P; Lupatini, Manoeli; Lopes-Santos, Lucilene; da Silva, Márcio J; Roesch, Luiz F W; Destéfano, Suzete A L; Freitas, Sueli S; Kuramae, Eiko E

2016-12-01

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria are well described and recommended for several crops worldwide. However, one of the most common problems in research into them is the difficulty in obtaining reproducible results. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated plant growth promotion and soil microbial community composition resulting from bacterial inoculation under field conditions. Here we evaluated the effect of 54 Pseudomonas strains on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) growth. The 12 most promising strains were phylogenetically and physiologically characterized for plant growth-promoting traits, including phosphate solubilization, hormone production and antagonism to pathogen compounds, and their effect on plant growth under farm field conditions. Additionally, the impact of beneficial strains on the rhizospheric bacterial community was evaluated for inoculated plants. The strains IAC-RBcr4 and IAC-RBru1, with different plant growth promoting traits, improved lettuce plant biomass yields up to 30%. These two strains also impacted rhizosphere bacterial groups including Isosphaera and Pirellula (phylum Planctomycetes) and Acidothermus, Pseudolabrys and Singusphaera (phylum Actinobacteria). This is the first study to demonstrate consistent results for the effects of Pseudomonas strains on lettuce growth promotion for seedlings and plants grown under tropical field conditions. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dual reporter transgene driven by 2.3Col1a1 promoter is active in differentiated osteoblasts

Science.gov (United States)

Marijanovic, Inga; Jiang, Xi; Kronenberg, Mark S.; Stover, Mary Louise; Erceg, Ivana; Lichtler, Alexander C.; Rowe, David W.

2003-01-01

AIM: As quantitative and spatial analyses of promoter reporter constructs are not easily performed in intact bone, we designed a reporter gene specific to bone, which could be analyzed both visually and quantitatively by using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and a cyan version of green fluorescent protein (GFPcyan), driven by a 2.3-kb fragment of the rat collagen promoter (Col2.3). METHODS: The construct Col2.3CATiresGFPcyan was used for generating transgenic mice. Quantitative measurement of promoter activity was performed by CAT analysis of different tissues derived from transgenic animals; localization was performed by visualized GFP in frozen bone sections. To assess transgene expression during in vitro differentiation, marrow stromal cell and neonatal calvarial osteoblast cultures were analyzed for CAT and GFP activity. RESULTS: In mice, CAT activity was detected in the calvaria, long bone, teeth, and tendon, whereas histology showed that GFP expression was limited to osteoblasts and osteocytes. In cell culture, increased activity of CAT correlated with increased differentiation, and GFP activity was restricted to mineralized nodules. CONCLUSION: The concept of a dual reporter allows a simultaneous visual and quantitative analysis of transgene activity in bone.

Goat activin receptor type IIB knockdown by muscle specific promoter driven artificial microRNAs.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Amrutlal K; Shah, Ravi K; Patel, Utsav A; Tripathi, Ajai K; Joshi, Chaitanya G

2014-10-10

Activin receptor type IIB (ACVR2B) is a transmembrane receptor which mediates signaling of TGF beta superfamily ligands known to function in regulation of muscle mass, embryonic development and reproduction. ACVR2B antagonism has shown to enhance the muscle growth in several disease and transgenic models. Here, we show ACVR2B knockdown by RNA interference using muscle creatine kinase (MCK) promoter driven artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs). Among the various promoter elements tested, the ∼1.26 kb MCK promoter region showed maximum transcriptional activity in goat myoblasts cells. We observed up to 20% silencing in non-myogenic 293T cells and up to 32% silencing in myogenic goat myoblasts by MCK directed amiRNAs by transient transfection. Goat myoblasts stably integrated with MCK directed amiRNAs showed merely 8% silencing in proliferating myoblasts which was increased to 34% upon induction of differentiation at transcript level whereas up to 57% silencing at protein level. Knockdown of ACVR2B by 5'-UTR derived amiRNAs resulted in decreased SMAD2/3 signaling, increased expression of myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) and enhanced proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts. Unexpectedly, knockdown of ACVR2B by 3'-UTR derived amiRNAs resulted in increased SMAD2/3 signaling, reduced expression of MRFs and suppression of myogenesis. Our study offers muscle specific knockdown of ACVR2B as a potential strategy to enhance muscle mass in the farm animal species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Megakaryocytes promote murine osteoblastic HSC niche expansion and stem cell engraftment after radioablative conditioning

OpenAIRE

Olson, Timothy S.; Caselli, Anna; Otsuru, Satoru; Hofmann, Ted J.; Williams, Richard; Paolucci, Paolo; Dominici, Massimo; Horwitz, Edwin M.

2013-01-01

After radioablative conditioning, host megakaryocytes promote endosteal HSC niche expansion and donor stem cell engraftment.Thrombopoietin administration before radiation and bone marrow transplant enhances megakaryocyte promotion of HSC engraftment.

CITRA PERUSAHAAN DALAM BERITA KRISIS PERUSAHAAN: Konstruksi Citra Perusahaan Daerah Taman Satwa (PDTS Kebun Binatang Surabaya dalam Teks Berita Kematian Michael di Harian Jawa Pos dan Sindo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresia Intan Putri Hartiana

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk melihat bagaimana Harian Jawa Pos dan Sindo membentuk citra Perusahaan Daerah Taman Satwa (PDTS Kebun Binatang Surabaya (KBS dikonstruksikan dalam berita krisis kematian Michael. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah framing Entman dengan merujuk pada pemberian definisi, penelasan, evaluasi, dan rekomendasi acana untuk melihat penekanan pada kerangka berpikir terhadap peristiwa yang dicanangkan. Citra PDTS KBS dalam Harian Jawa Pos memperlihatkan adanya kondisi Kebun Binatang Surabaya sudah tidak layak bagi satwanya dan kesengajaan keterlibatan orang dalam menjadi penyebab kematian Singa KBS mati tergantung. Citra PDTS KBS oleh Koran Sindo ditampilkan sebagai pihak yang harus bertanggungjawab atas kelalaian dan kecerobohannya dalam memelihara satwa sehingga mengakibatkan terjadi kematian satwa yang tidak wajar. Hal tersebut terlihat dari analisis makrostruktur teks yang memaparkan bahwa kepolisian dilibatkan untuk menyelidiki singa yang mati tergantung akibat kelalaian PDTS KBS dalam pengelolaan satwa. Pemberitaan yang dimunculkan oleh media massa patut menjadi perhatian oleh praktisi Public Relations. Berita yang dikonstruksi negatif secara terus menerus dapat memberikan pengaruh negatif pula di dalam benak pembaca. Beberapa pernyataan negatif yang muncul dalam teks pemberitaan dapat dijadikan sebagai dasar perencanaan bagi humas PDTS KBS dalam penanganan krisis dan perbaikan citra setelah krisis.

Gamma-secretase inhibitor treatment promotes VEGF-A-driven blood vessel growth and vascular leakage but disrupts neovascular perfusion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mattias Kalén

Full Text Available The Notch signaling pathway is essential for normal development due to its role in control of cell differentiation, proliferation and survival. It is also critically involved in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. A key enzyme in the activation of Notch signaling is the gamma-secretase protein complex and therefore, gamma-secretase inhibitors (GSIs--originally developed for Alzheimer's disease--are now being evaluated in clinical trials for human malignancies. It is also clear that Notch plays an important role in angiogenesis driven by Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (VEGF-A--a process instrumental for tumor growth and metastasis. The effect of GSIs on tumor vasculature has not been conclusively determined. Here we report that Compound X (CX, a GSI previously reported to potently inhibit Notch signaling in vitro and in vivo, promotes angiogenic sprouting in vitro and during developmental angiogenesis in mice. Furthermore, CX treatment suppresses tumor growth in a mouse model of renal carcinoma, leads to the formation of abnormal vessels and an increased tumor vascular density. Using a rabbit model of VEGF-A-driven angiogenesis in skeletal muscle, we demonstrate that CX treatment promotes abnormal blood vessel growth characterized by vessel occlusion, disrupted blood flow, and increased vascular leakage. Based on these findings, we propose a model for how GSIs and other Notch inhibitors disrupt tumor blood vessel perfusion, which might be useful for understanding this new class of anti-cancer agents.

Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Think Pair Share Terhadap Kemampuan Menemukan Gagasan Utama Teks Deskripsi Oleh Siswa Kelas VII SMP Negeri 3 Kisaran Tahun Pembelajaran 2016/2017

OpenAIRE

Siregar, Khairani; A, Abdurrahman

2017-01-01

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan model pembelajaranThink Pair Share terhadap kemampuan menenukan gagasan Utama teks deskripsi oleh siswa kelas VII SMP Negeri 3 Kisaran tahun pembelajaran 2016/2017. Populasi penelitian ini berjumlah 266 siswa. Dari 266 siswa, ditetapkan 32 siswa yang diambil secara acak. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode eksperimen one-group pre-test post-test design.Instrumen yang digunakan untuk menjaring data adalah tes u...

A mitosis-specific and R loop-driven ATR pathway promotes faithful chromosome segregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabeche, Lilian; Nguyen, Hai Dang; Buisson, Rémi; Zou, Lee

2018-01-05

The ataxia telangiectasia mutated and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase is crucial for DNA damage and replication stress responses. Here, we describe an unexpected role of ATR in mitosis. Acute inhibition or degradation of ATR in mitosis induces whole-chromosome missegregation. The effect of ATR ablation is not due to altered cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) activity, DNA damage responses, or unscheduled DNA synthesis but to loss of an ATR function at centromeres. In mitosis, ATR localizes to centromeres through Aurora A-regulated association with centromere protein F (CENP-F), allowing ATR to engage replication protein A (RPA)-coated centromeric R loops. As ATR is activated at centromeres, it stimulates Aurora B through Chk1, preventing formation of lagging chromosomes. Thus, a mitosis-specific and R loop-driven ATR pathway acts at centromeres to promote faithful chromosome segregation, revealing functions of R loops and ATR in suppressing chromosome instability. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Critical condition for current-driven instability excited in turbulent heating of TRIAM-1 tokamak plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, Y; Watanabe, T; Nagao, A; Nakamura, K; Kikuchi, M; Aoki, T; Hiraki, N; Itoh, S [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics; Mitarai, O

1982-02-01

Critical condition for current-driven instability excited in turbulently heated TRIAM-1 tokamak plasma is investigated experimentally. Resistive hump in loop voltage, plasma density fluctuation and rapid increase of electron temperature in a skin layer are simultaneously observed at the time when the electron drift velocity amounts to the critical drift velocity for low-frequency ion acoustic instability.

Loss of PRDM11 promotes MYC-driven lymphomagenesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fog-Tonnesen, Cathrine Kolster; Asmar, Fazila; Côme, Christophe Roger Michel

2015-01-01

of the previously uncharacterized PR-domain family member Prdm11 and overexpression of MYC. Overexpression of PRDM11 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis. Prdm11 knockout mice are viable, and loss of Prdm11 accelerates MYC-driven lymphomagenesis in the Eµ-Myc mouse model. Moreover, we show that patients...

Energy Conversion and Transmission Characteristics Analysis of Ice Storage Air Conditioning System Driven by Distributed Photovoltaic Energy System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongfeng Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to reduce the investment and operation cost of distributed PV energy system, ice storage technology was introduced to substitute batteries for solar energy storage. Firstly, the ice storage air conditioning system (ISACS driven by distributed photovoltaic energy system (DPES was proposed and the feasibility studies have been investigated in this paper. And then, the theoretical model has been established and experimental work has been done to analyze the energy coupling and transferring characteristics in light-electricity-cold conversion process. In addition, the structure optimization analysis was investigated. Results revealed that energy losses were high in ice making process of ice slide maker with only 17.38% energy utilization efficiency and the energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of ISACS driven by DPES were 5.44% and 67.30%, respectively. So the immersed evaporator and cointegrated exchanger were adopted for higher energy utilization efficiency and better financial rewards in structure optimization. The COP and exergy efficiency of ice maker can be increased to 1.48 and 81.24%, respectively, after optimization and the energy utilization efficiency of ISACS driven by DPES could be improved 2.88 times. Moreover, ISACS has the out-of-the-box function of ordinary air conditioning system. In conclusion, ISACS driven by DPES will have good application prospects in tropical regions without power grid.

Analysis of reporter proteins GUS and DsRed driven under the control of CaMV35S promoter in syncytia induced by beet cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis roots

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Amjad Ali

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Cyst nematodes induce specialized feeding structures called syncytia in the plant roots. The expression of CaMV promoter in syncytia has remained topic of debate. The objective of this research was to study the activity of CaMV promoter by using reporter proteins like GUS and DsRed under the control of CaMV35S promoter in syncytia induced by H. schachtii in Arabidopsis roots. Methods: pMAA-Red and pPZP3425 plasmids were used to study expression of GUS and DsRed in syncytia. The plants were grown in 2% Knop medium under sterile conditions in growth chambers at 25°C in long day conditions. GUS activity in syncytia was studied through staining of syncytia using X-gluc solution. Ds-Red fluorescence in syncytia was detected by using an inverse microscope equipped with UV filter. Results: The expression analysis of DsRed protein driven by CaMV promoter demonstrated that this promoter is active in syncytia at all the time points. All the syncytia showed DsRed expression at 5 dpi. At 7 dpi, 10 dpi and 15 dpi over 90%, 80% and 50% of the syncytia showed DsRed fluorescence respectively. There was very high fluorescence in the syncytia as compared to the uninfected root segments due to high expression. CaMV::GUS lines showed GUS expression in 80% of 5dpi syncytia. However, unlike expression of DsRed, the number of GUS stained syncytia decreased quickly to around 50% at 7 dpi and to about 5% in the 15 dpi syncytia. Conclusions: The results conclude that CaMV promoter is more active in younger syncytia as compared to older syncytia but can be used for expression in syncytia. Moreover, DsRed protein could be used as better reporter for evaluation of gene expression in syncytia as compared to GUS.

Photonics technology and university-driven business co-creation

Science.gov (United States)

Erland Østergaard, J.; Tanev, S.; Bue Andersen, T.; Bozhevolnyi, S. I.

2012-03-01

TEK-Momentum is the Business Innovation and Technology Department in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. Since its establishment in 2010 the Department has adopted an exploratory technology transfer, open business development and co-creation strategy that goes beyond traditional technology transfer activities. This is an emerging strategy that has been shaped for the last 5 years even before the formal establishment of TEKMomentum. It emerged out of multiple dialog-based interactions with small- and medium-sized companies by focusing on matching real life problems with potential problem solvers. The main priority of such strategy is maximizing the value of the potential contributions from the multiple stakeholders and not on the technology development issues per se. In this paper we will present an overview of TEK-Momentum's approach by using as case studies two recent successful projects. The first one focuses on the commercialization of an LED illumination system. The second one focuses on the commercialization of an optical ring resonator-based temperature sensor.

Empat Koreografer Minangkabau: Dibaca dalam Teks Matrilineal dan Patrilineal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surheni Surheni

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Artikel ini membahas empat koreografer Minangkabau yaitu Gusmiati Suid, Huriah Adam, Syofyani Bustamam, dan Syahril dari perspektif matrilineal dan patrilineal. Teks matrilineal tidak hanya dipandang dari sisi genealogis, tetapi juga dari sudut pandang budaya. Berdasarkan penelitian disimpulkan bahwa partisipasi perempuan di luar wilayah domestiknya terbias dalam seni tari. Perempuan tidak dinantikan hanya untuk menyemarakkan dengan tebaran pesona keindahan ragawi. Ia mampu menjadi sumber ide dan tema, pelaku, pencipta, pengatur, dan penyelenggara, atau sarana mobilitas seni pertunjukan. Keempat koreografer lahir dan dibesarkan di Minangkabau akan tetapi berkiprah di tiga wilayah yang berbeda. Gusmiati Suid di Jakarta, Huriah Adam di Sumatera Barat, Syofyani di Padang, dan Syahril di Padangpanjang. Sebagai koreografer yang lahir dan dibesarkan dalam kultur Minangkabau tentu keempat koreografer ini ikut merasakan betapa dilematis posisi perempuan dalam masyarakat Minangkabau.   This article discusses about four choreographers of Minangkabau, among others are Gusmiati Suid, Huriah Adam, Syoyani Bustamam, and Syahril seen from the perspective of matrilineal and Patrilineal. The matrilineal text cannot only be seen from the genealogical side but it can be viewed from the cultural standpoint. Based on the research result it can be concluded that women participation outside their domestic area is also biased in dance performing arts. Women are not only expected to embellish with their scattering of physical enchanting beauty. They can be the source of ideas and themes, the actress,the creator,the manager, and the event organizer, or the mean of performing arts mobility. These four choreographers were born and grown up in Minangkabau, however, they have actively expanded their career in three different places. Gusmiati Suid’ s career is in Jakarta, Huriah Adam is in West Sumatra , Syoyani is in Padang, and Syahril is in Padangpanjang. As the

Analogy between optically driven injection-locked laser diodes and driven damped linear oscillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, Atsushi; Shore, K. Alan

2006-01-01

An analytical study of optically driven laser diodes (LDs) has been undertaken to meet the requirement for a theoretical treatment for chaotic drive and synchronization occurring in the injection-locked LDs with strong injection. A small-signal analysis is performed for the sets of rate equations for the injection-locked LDs driven by a sinusoidal optical signal. In particular, as a model of chaotic driving signals from LD dynamics, an optical signal caused by direct modulation to the master LD is assumed, oscillating both in field amplitude and phase as is the case with chaotic driving signals. Consequently, we find conditions that allow reduction in the degrees of freedom of the driven LD. Under these conditions, the driven response is approximated to a simple form which is found to be equivalent to driven damped linear oscillators. The validity of the application of this theory to previous work on the synchronization of chaos and related phenomena occurring in the injection-locked LDs is demonstrated

Sulfur driven nucleation mode formation in diesel exhaust under transient driving conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Karjalainen, Panu; Rönkkö, Topi; Pirjola, Liisa; Heikkilä, Juha; Happonen, Matti; Arnold, Frank; Rothe, Dieter; Bielaczyc, Piotr; Keskinen, Jorma

2014-02-18

Sulfur driven diesel exhaust nucleation particle formation processes were studied in an aerosol laboratory, on engine dynamometers, and on the road. All test engines were equipped with a combination of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a partial diesel particulate filter (pDPF). At steady operating conditions, the formation of semivolatile nucleation particles directly depended on SO2 conversion in the catalyst. The nucleation particle emission was most significant after a rapid increase in engine load and exhaust gas temperature. Results indicate that the nucleation particle formation at transient driving conditions does not require compounds such as hydrocarbons or sulfated hydrocarbons, however, it cannot be explained only by the nucleation of sulfuric acid. A real-world exhaust study with a heavy duty diesel truck showed that the nucleation particle formation occurs even with ultralow sulfur diesel fuel, even at downhill driving conditions, and that nucleation particles can contribute 60% of total particle number emissions. In general, due to sulfur storage and release within the exhaust aftertreatment systems and transients in driving, emissions of nucleation particles can even be the dominant part of modern diesel vehicle exhaust particulate number emissions.

Gene Therapy for Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Using a Suicide Gene Driven by a Lung-Specific Promoter Delivered by JC Virus-Like Particles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Nun Chao

Full Text Available Lung adenocarcinoma, the most commonly diagnosed type of lung cancer, has a poor prognosis even with combined surgery, chemotherapy, or molecular targeted therapies. Most patients are diagnosed with an in-operable advanced or metastatic disease, both pointing to the necessity of developing effective therapies for lung adenocarcinoma. Surfactant protein B (SP-B has been found to be overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, it has also been demonstrated that human lung adenocarcinoma cells are susceptible to the JC polyomavirus (JCPyV infection. Therefore, we designed that the JCPyV virus-like particle (VLP packaged with an SP-B promoter-driven thymidine kinase suicide gene (pSPB-tk for possible gene therapy of human lung adenocarcinoma. Plasmids expressing the GFP (pSPB-gfp or thymidine kinase gene (pSPB-tk under the control of the human SP-B promoter were constructed. The promoter's tissue specificity was tested by transfection of pSPB-gfp into A549, CH27, and H460 human lung carcinoma cells and non-lung cells. The JCPyV VLP's gene transfer efficiency and the selective cytotoxicity of pSPB-tk combined with ganciclovir (GCV were tested in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model. In the current study, we found that SP-B promoter-driven GFP was specifically expressed in human lung adenocarcinoma (A549 and large cell carcinoma (H460 cells. JCPyV VLPs were able to deliver a GFP reporter gene into A549 cells for expression. Selective cytotoxicity was observed in A549 but not non-lung cells that were transfected with pSPB-tk or infected with pSPB-tk-carrying JCPyV VLPs. In mice injected with pSPB-tk-carrying JCPyV VLPs through the tail vein and treated with ganciclovir (GCV, a potent 80% inhibition of growth of human lung adenocarcinoma nodules resulted. The JCPyV VLPs combined with the use of SP-B promoter demonstrates effectiveness as a potential gene therapy against human lung adenocarcinoma.

Gene Therapy for Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Using a Suicide Gene Driven by a Lung-Specific Promoter Delivered by JC Virus-Like Particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Chun-Nun; Lin, Mien-Chun; Fang, Chiung-Yao; Chen, Pei-Lain; Chang, Deching; Shen, Cheng-Huang; Wang, Meilin

2016-01-01

Lung adenocarcinoma, the most commonly diagnosed type of lung cancer, has a poor prognosis even with combined surgery, chemotherapy, or molecular targeted therapies. Most patients are diagnosed with an in-operable advanced or metastatic disease, both pointing to the necessity of developing effective therapies for lung adenocarcinoma. Surfactant protein B (SP-B) has been found to be overexpressed in lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, it has also been demonstrated that human lung adenocarcinoma cells are susceptible to the JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) infection. Therefore, we designed that the JCPyV virus-like particle (VLP) packaged with an SP-B promoter-driven thymidine kinase suicide gene (pSPB-tk) for possible gene therapy of human lung adenocarcinoma. Plasmids expressing the GFP (pSPB-gfp) or thymidine kinase gene (pSPB-tk) under the control of the human SP-B promoter were constructed. The promoter's tissue specificity was tested by transfection of pSPB-gfp into A549, CH27, and H460 human lung carcinoma cells and non-lung cells. The JCPyV VLP's gene transfer efficiency and the selective cytotoxicity of pSPB-tk combined with ganciclovir (GCV) were tested in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model. In the current study, we found that SP-B promoter-driven GFP was specifically expressed in human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) and large cell carcinoma (H460) cells. JCPyV VLPs were able to deliver a GFP reporter gene into A549 cells for expression. Selective cytotoxicity was observed in A549 but not non-lung cells that were transfected with pSPB-tk or infected with pSPB-tk-carrying JCPyV VLPs. In mice injected with pSPB-tk-carrying JCPyV VLPs through the tail vein and treated with ganciclovir (GCV), a potent 80% inhibition of growth of human lung adenocarcinoma nodules resulted. The JCPyV VLPs combined with the use of SP-B promoter demonstrates effectiveness as a potential gene therapy against human lung adenocarcinoma.

Características básicas del REOSC-DS + CCD Tek1024 en el telescopio JS y extinción atmosférica en CASLEO

Science.gov (United States)

Baume, G.; Coronel, C.; De Bórtoli, B.; Ennis, A. I.; Fernández Lajús, E.; Filócomo, A.; Gamen, R.; Higa, R.; Pessi, P. J.; Putkuri, C.; Rodriguez, C.; Unamuno, A.

2017-10-01

In the framework of the activities of the subject ``Astronomia Observacional'' of FCAG (UNLP), several photometric and spectroscopic observations have been made using the Jorge Sahade telescope at the Complejo Astronomico El Leoncito. These data have allowed the estimation of the extinction coefficients in bands. They were compared with previous values, verifying a secular increase in the last years. In addition, some parameters and characteristics of the REOSC spectrograph working at simple dispersion (DS) mode and for its CCD detector Tek1024 were estimated.

Work(er)-Driven Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Raymond

2017-01-01

Purpose: The focus on innovation as a foundational element of enhanced organisational performance has led to the promoting and valuing of greater levels of employee participation in innovation processes. An emergent concept of employee-driven innovation could be argued to have hindered understandings of the creative and transformative nature of…

[Recommandation for patient engagement promotion in care and cure for chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Graffigna, Guendalina; Barello, Serena; Riva, Giuseppe; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Corbo, Massimo; Coppola, Liliana; Daverio, Giovanni; Fauci, Alice; Iannone, Primiano; Ricciardi, Walter; Bosio, Albino Claudio

2017-11-01

The concept of patient engagement is receiving a growing attention in the healthcare field. The last decades have seen a deep revision of care models in the aim of a greater acknowledge of the patient role, seen as an expert actor, in the healthcare process. On the other side, healthcare systems are facing a growing request for participation expressed by citizens and patients. People claim for being more involved in all the crucial turning point of their healthcare journey and of being better aware of their right and duties. They require a deeper knowledge about all the different therapeutic options with the related risks and advantages. However, although all the different stakeholders agree in considering patient engagement a pragmatic further then ethical priority, a shared consensus related to the strategies and instrument to promote has still to come. Patients and healthcare professional perspective about the factors that may hinder or sustain patient engagement still need to be further studied and at shared recommendations - about the programs better effective and efficient in promoting patient engagement - are still missed. Based on these premises, Università Cattolica of Milano and DG Welfare of Regione Lombardia, under the methodological supervision of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, promoted a consesus conference entitled "Recommendation for promoting patient engagement in healthcare for chronic conditions". This consensus conferences constituted the occasion of sharing and discussion among experts belonging to different clinical and institutional contexts as well as with representative of patients associations in order to identify good practices and effective tools to promote patient engagement in the care and cure process for chronic conditions.

Learning to Promote Health at an Emergency Care Department: Identifying Expansive and Restrictive Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Gustavsson, Maria; Ekberg, Kerstin

2015-01-01

This article reports on the findings of a planned workplace health promotion intervention, and the aim is to identify conditions that facilitated or restricted the learning to promote health at an emergency care department in a Swedish hospital. The study had a longitudinal design, with interviews before and after the intervention and follow-up…

Delivery of a survivin promoter-driven antisense survivin-expressing plasmid DNA as a cancer therapeutic: a proof-of-concept study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin KY

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Kun-Yuan Lin,1 Siao Muk Cheng,2 Shing-Ling Tsai,2 Ju-Ya Tsai,1 Chun-Hui Lin,1 Chun Hei Antonio Cheung1,2 1Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC; 2Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC Abstract: Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins family. It is overexpressed in many different cancer types but not in the differentiated normal tissue. In addition, overexpression of survivin promotes cancer cell survival and induces chemotherapeutic drug resistance, making it an attractive target for new anticancer interventions. Despite survivin being a promising molecular target for anticancer treatment, it is widely accepted that survivin is only a “semi-druggable” target. Therefore, it is important to develop a new strategy to target survivin for anticancer treatment. In this study, we constructed a novel survivin promoter-driven full-length antisense survivin (pSur/AS-Sur expression plasmid DNA. Promoter activity assay revealed that the activity of the survivin promoter of pSur/AS-Sur correlated with the endogenous expression of survivin at the transcriptional level in the transfected A549, MDA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur successfully downregulated the expression of survivin in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells in vitro. In addition, delivery of pSur/AS-Sur induced autophagy, caspase-dependent apoptosis, and caspase-independent apoptosis as indicated by the increased LC3B-II conversion, autophagosome formation, caspase-9/-3 and poly(ADP-ribose polymerase-1 cleavage, and apoptosis-inducing factor nuclear translocation in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells. Importantly, liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur was also capable of decreasing the proliferation of the survivin/MDR1 coexpressing multidrug-resistant KB-TAX50 cancer cells and

Developing Sustainable Workplaces with Leadership: Feedback about Organizational Working Conditions to Support Leaders in Health-Promoting Behavior

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Jiménez

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Organizations should support leaders in promoting their employees’ health in every possible way to achieve a sustainable workplace. A good way to support leaders could include getting feedback about their health-promoting behavior from their employees. The present study introduces an instrument (Health-Promoting Leadership Conditions; HPLC that enables the provision of feedback about the leaders’ efforts to create health-promoting working conditions in seven key aspects: health awareness, workload, control, reward, community, fairness and value-fit. The instrument was used in employee surveys and in an online study, obtaining a sample of 430 participants. The results showed that all seven key aspects of health-promoting leadership can be assigned to a main factor of health-promoting leadership. In addition, the HPLC shows high construct validity with dimensions of stress, resources and burnout (Recovery-Stress- Questionnaire for Work [RESTQ-Work] and Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey [MBI-GS]. The results indicate that the HPLC can be used as a basis on which to assess health-promoting leadership behavior with a focus on changing working conditions. By getting feedback about their leadership behavior from their employees, leaders can identify their potential and fields for improvement for supporting their employees’ health and developing a sustainable workplace.

Fluridone and norflurazon, carotenoid-biosynthesis inhibitors, promote seed conditioning and germination of the holoparasite Orobanche minor.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, Sang Heon; Yoneyama, Koichi; Takeuchi, Yasutomo; Joel, Daniel M.

2004-02-01

Fluridone and norflurazon, two carotenoid-biosynthesis inhibitors, shortened the conditioning period required by seeds of Orobanche minor in order to respond to the germination stimulant strigol. Neither fluridone nor norflurazon alone induced seed germination of O. minor, they promoted strigol-induced germination. In addition, these compounds restored the conditioning and germination of seeds at a supraoptimal temperature (30 degrees C) as well as in the light. Gibberellic acid (GA(3)) showed similar promotive and protective effects on the conditioning and germination of O. minor seeds. Although fluridone and norflurazon are known to prevent abscisic acid (ABA)-biosynthesis, and stresses such as supraoptimal temperatures have been reported to induce ABA accumulation in plants, the amount of ABA in the seeds or that released from the seeds into the conditioning media was not affected by the fluridone treatment and by exposure to the supraoptimal temperature. These results indicate that the promotive and protective effects of fluridone and norflurazon on the conditioning and germination of O. minor seeds would be attributed to other perturbations rather than the inhibition of ABA-biosynthesis.

Recommendations for Additional Design Development of Components for the SpinTek Rotary Microfilter Prior to Radioactive Service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herman, D.T.

2004-01-01

The SpinTek rotary microfilter is being considered as an alternative to crossflow filtration. Prior testing evaluated the vendor's standard design for a 1-disk and 3-disk design. We noted several areas of improvement during the testing of the two filter systems that can be included in the 25-disk plant size unit.This report outlines several potential enhancements and improvements to the vendor's standard design which would extend the lifetime of the unit and increase the ability to perform maintenance for units deployed in radioactive service. The enhancements proposed in this report can be implemented to the current design with minimal impact to the cost and schedule of the purchase of the standard unit. An example of this is the replacement of the current mechanical seal with a bellows seal. The improvements proposed will require an extensive redesign of components found in the current system such as the filter chamber

Ethanol electrooxidation on Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts promoted with oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Changwei [Department of Chemistry and Institute of Nanochemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China); State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Shen, Pei kang [State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Liu, Yingliang [Department of Chemistry and Institute of Nanochemistry, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632 (China)

2007-02-10

This research aims to investigate Pd-based catalysts as a replacement for Pt-based catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media. The results show that Pd/C has a higher catalytic activity and better steady-state behaviour for ethanol oxidation than that of Pt/C. The effect of the addition of CeO{sub 2} and NiO to the Pt/C and Pd/C electrocatalysts on ethanol oxidation is also studied in alkaline media. The electrocatalysts with a weight ratio of noble metal (Pt, Pd) to CeO{sub 2} of 2:1 and a noble metal to NiO ration 6:1 show the highest catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. The oxide promoted Pt/C and Pd/C electrocatalysts show a higher activity than the commercial E-TEK PtRu/C electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media. (author)

VALIDITAS TES CLOZE, TES-C, DAN PENILAIAN DIRI SEBAGAI ALAT UKUR KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA TEKS BAHASA INGGRIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suharso Suharso

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui validitas tes cloze (CL dan tes-C (C sebagai alat ukur kemampuan membaca teks bahasa Inggris dengan tes Reading Comprehension (RC dari TOEFL sebagai tolok ukur dan mengetahui validitas penilaian diri (PD dengan mengacu pada ketiga tes tersebut. Populasi penelitian meliputi mahasiswa yang mengambil mata kuliah Reading I, III, dan V pada semester gasal tahun akademik 2006/2007 di Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. Sampel penelitian terdiri atas 121 mahasiswa yang dipilih dengan menggunakan teknik sampel acak gugus. Data kemampuan membaca dikumpulkan dengan tes RC, CL dan C. Data PD dikumpulkan dengan tiga kuesioner PD yang menggunakan model Likert. Data penelitian dianalisis dengan menggunakan teknik korelasi Pearson product moment. Hasil analisis data menunjukkan bahwa ada korelasi yang positif antara skor tes RC dan skor tes CL, antara skor tes RC dan tes C, dan antara skor PD dan ketiga skor tes membaca tersebut. Kata kunci:      tes reading comprehension, tes cloze, tes-c, penilaian diri, validitas

Heterologous gene expression driven by carbonic anhydrase gene promoter in Dunaliella salina

Science.gov (United States)

Yurong, Chai; Yumin, Lu; Tianyun, Wang; Weihong, Hou; Lexun, Xue

2006-12-01

Dunaliella salina, a halotolerant unicellular green alga without a rigid cell wall, can live in salinities ranging from 0.05 to 5 mol/L NaCl. These features of D. salina make it an ideal host for the production of antibodies, oral vaccine, and commercially valuable polypeptides. To produce high level of heterologous proteins from D. salina, highly efficient promoters are required to drive expression of target genes under controlled condition. In the present study, we cloned a 5' franking region of 1.4 kb from the carbonic anhydrase ( CAH) gene of D. salina by genomic walking and PCR. The fragment was ligated to the pMD18-T vector and characterized. Sequence analysis indicated that this region contained conserved motifs, including a TATA- like box and CAAT-box. Tandem (GT)n repeats that had a potential role of transcriptional control, were also found in this region. The transcription start site (TSS) of the CAH gene was determined by 5' RACE and nested PCR method. Transformation assays showed that the 1.4 kb fragment was able to drive expression of the selectable bar (bialaphos resistance) gene when the fusion was transformed into D. salina by biolistics. Northern blotting hybridizations showed that the bar transcript was most abundant in cells grown in 2 mol/L NaCl, and less abundant in 0.5 mol/L NaCl, indicating that expression of the bar gene was induced at high salinity. These results suggest the potential use of the CAH gene promoter to induce the expression of heterologous genes in D. salina under varied salt condition.

P1 promoter-driven HNF4α isoforms are specifically repressed by β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Babeu, Jean-Philippe; Jones, Christine; Geha, Sameh; Carrier, Julie C; Boudreau, François

2018-06-13

HNF4α is a key nuclear receptor for regulating gene expression in the gut. While both P1 and P2 isoform classes of HNF4α are expressed in colonic epithelium, specific inhibition of P1 isoforms is commonly found in colorectal cancer. Previous studies have suggested that P1 and P2 isoforms may regulate different cellular functions. Despite these advances, it remains unclear whether these isoform classes are functionally divergent in the context of human biology. Here, the consequences of specific inhibition of P1 or P2 isoform expression was measured in a human colorectal cancer cell transcriptome. Results indicate that P1 isoforms were specifically associated with the control of cell metabolism while P2 isoforms globally supported aberrant oncogenic signalization, promoting cancer cell survival and progression. P1 promoter-driven isoform expression was found to be repressed by β-catenin, one of the earliest oncogenic pathways to be activated during colon tumorigenesis. These findings identify a novel cascade by which the expression of P1 isoforms are rapidly shut down in the early stages of colon tumorigenesis, allowing a change in HNF4α-dependent transcriptome thereby promoting colorectal cancer progression. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Solar driven air conditioning and refrigeration systems corresponding to various heating source temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, R.Z.; Xu, Z.Y.; Pan, Q.W.; Du, S.; Xia, Z.Z.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Modular silica gel–water adsorption chiller was designed and tested. • Single/double effect LiBr–water absorption chiller was operated and tested. • 1.n effect LiBr–water absorption chiller was proposed, designed and tested. • CaCl_2/AC–ammonia adsorption refrigerator was introduced and tested. • NH_3–H_2O absorption ice maker with better internal heat recovery was introduced. - Abstract: Solar driven air conditioning systems can cope with solar collectors working in a wide range of temperatures. Sorption systems, including absorption and adsorption refrigeration systems, are among the best choices for solar cooling. Five systems including modular silica gel–water adsorption chiller, single/double effect LiBr–water absorption chiller, 1.n effect LiBr–water absorption chiller, CaCl_2/AC (activated carbon)–ammonia adsorption refrigerator, and the water–ammonia absorption ice maker with better internal heat recovery were presented. The above five sorption chillers/refrigerators work under various driven temperatures and fulfill different refrigeration demands. The thermodynamic design and system development of the systems were shown. All these systems have improvements in comparison with existing systems and may offer good options for high efficient solar cooling in the near future.

Conditional punishment is a double-edged sword in promoting cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Feng; Chen, Xiaojie; Wang, Long

2018-01-11

Punishment is widely recognized as an effective approach for averting from exploitation by free-riders in human society. However, punishment is costly, and thus rational individuals are unwilling to take the punishing action, resulting in the second-order free-rider problem. Recent experimental study evidences that individuals prefer conditional punishment, and their punishing decision depends on other members' punishing decisions. In this work, we thus propose a theoretical model for conditional punishment and investigate how such conditional punishment influences cooperation in the public goods game. Considering conditional punishers only take the punishing action when the number of unconditional punishers exceeds a threshold number, we demonstrate that such conditional punishment induces the effect of a double-edged sword on the evolution of cooperation both in well-mixed and structured populations. Specifically, when it is relatively easy for conditional punishers to engage in the punishment activity corresponding to a low threshold value, cooperation can be promoted in comparison with the case without conditional punishment. Whereas when it is relatively difficult for conditional punishers to engage in the punishment activity corresponding to a high threshold value, cooperation is inhibited in comparison with the case without conditional punishment. Moreover, we verify that such double-edged sword effect exists in a wide range of model parameters and can be still observed in other different punishment regimes.

Wind-driven rain as a boundary condition for HAM simulations: analysis of simplified modelling approaches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janssen, Hans; Blocken, Bert; Roels, Staf

2007-01-01

While the numerical simulation of moisture transfer inside building components is currently undergoing standardisation, the modelling of the atmospheric boundary conditions has received far less attention. This article analyses the modelling of the wind-driven-rain load on building facades...... though: the full variability with the perpendicular wind speed and horizontal rain intensity should be preserved, where feasible, for improved estimations of the moisture transfer in building components. In the concluding section, it is moreover shown that the dependence of the surface moisture transfer...

"Letting the leaders pass": barriers to using traditional ecological knowledge in comanagement as the basis of formal hunting regulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth Padilla

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We studied a case of failure in applying traditional ecological knowledge (TEK in comanagement as the basis for formal hunting regulations. We based the study on the Porcupine Caribou (Rangifer tarandus Herd "let the leaders pass" policy, established for the Dempster Highway of the Western Canadian Arctic, and identified conditions creating barriers in the successful application of TEK through comanagement. Stated as propositions, identified barriers include: (1 the context-specific nature of TEK limits its application in resource management regulations; (2 changes in traditional authority systems, hunting technology, and the social organization of harvesting caribou affect the effectiveness of TEK approaches in a contemporary social setting; (3 indigenous efforts toward self-government and political autonomy limit regional comanagement consensus in a heterogeneous cultural landscape; (4 the mismatch of agency enforcement of hunting regulations and TEK-based education is problematic. We analyzed the case through four historical phases of caribou management, complementing the study with a literature review of TEK and wildlife comanagement to explain why TEK integration of caribou leaders in regulatory resource management fell short of success. Identifying and understanding the social dynamics related to these barriers make apparent solutions for transforming the comanagement process.

Development of HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter gene assays in human cells for assessing the oxidative damage induced by silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xin, Lili; Wang, Jianshu; Zhang, Leshuai W.; Che, Bizhong; Dong, Guangzhu; Fan, Guoqiang; Cheng, Kaiming

2016-01-01

The exponential increase in the total number of engineered nanoparticles in consumer products requires novel tools for rapid and cost-effective toxicology screening. In order to assess the oxidative damage induced by nanoparticles, toxicity test systems based on a human HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter in HepG2, LO2, A549, and HBE cells were established. After treated with heat shock and a group of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with different primary particle sizes, the cell viability, oxidative damage, and luciferase activity were determined. The time-dependent Ag + ions release from AgNPs in cell medium was also evaluated. Our results showed that heat shock produced a strong time-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity in the four luciferase reporter cells. Surprisingly, at 4 h of recovery, the relative luciferase activity was > 98 × the control level in HepG2-luciferase cells. Exposure to different sizes of AgNPs resulted in activation of the HSPA1A promoter in a dose-dependent manner, even at low cytotoxic or non-cytotoxic doses. The smaller (5 nm) AgNPs were more potent in luciferase induction than the larger (50 and 75 nm) AgNPs. These results were generally in accordance with the oxidative damage indicated by malondialdehyde concentration, reactive oxygen species induction and glutathione depletion, and Ag + ions release in cell medium. Compared with the other three luciferase reporter cells, the luciferase signal in HepG2-luciferase cells is obviously more sensitive and stable. We conclude that the luciferase reporter cells, especially the HepG2-luciferase cells, could provide a valuable tool for rapid screening of the oxidative damage induced by AgNPs. - Highlights: • We established the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter cells. • Silver nanoparticles induced dose-dependent increases in luciferase activity. • HSPA1A promoter activity is a sensitive and responsive indicator of oxidative stress. • HepG2-luciferase

Development of HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter gene assays in human cells for assessing the oxidative damage induced by silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xin, Lili, E-mail: llxin@suda.edu.cn [School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu (China); Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Geriatric Diseases, School of Public Health, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Wang, Jianshu [Suzhou Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 72 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu (China); Zhang, Leshuai W. [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection & School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Soochow University, 215123 (China); Che, Bizhong; Dong, Guangzhu [School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu (China); Fan, Guoqiang; Cheng, Kaiming [Suzhou Industrial Park Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 58 Suqian Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu (China)

2016-08-01

The exponential increase in the total number of engineered nanoparticles in consumer products requires novel tools for rapid and cost-effective toxicology screening. In order to assess the oxidative damage induced by nanoparticles, toxicity test systems based on a human HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter in HepG2, LO2, A549, and HBE cells were established. After treated with heat shock and a group of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with different primary particle sizes, the cell viability, oxidative damage, and luciferase activity were determined. The time-dependent Ag{sup +} ions release from AgNPs in cell medium was also evaluated. Our results showed that heat shock produced a strong time-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity in the four luciferase reporter cells. Surprisingly, at 4 h of recovery, the relative luciferase activity was > 98 × the control level in HepG2-luciferase cells. Exposure to different sizes of AgNPs resulted in activation of the HSPA1A promoter in a dose-dependent manner, even at low cytotoxic or non-cytotoxic doses. The smaller (5 nm) AgNPs were more potent in luciferase induction than the larger (50 and 75 nm) AgNPs. These results were generally in accordance with the oxidative damage indicated by malondialdehyde concentration, reactive oxygen species induction and glutathione depletion, and Ag{sup +} ions release in cell medium. Compared with the other three luciferase reporter cells, the luciferase signal in HepG2-luciferase cells is obviously more sensitive and stable. We conclude that the luciferase reporter cells, especially the HepG2-luciferase cells, could provide a valuable tool for rapid screening of the oxidative damage induced by AgNPs. - Highlights: • We established the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter cells. • Silver nanoparticles induced dose-dependent increases in luciferase activity. • HSPA1A promoter activity is a sensitive and responsive indicator of oxidative stress. • HepG2

Spatially and Temporally Regulated NRF2 Gene Therapy Using Mcp-1 Promoter in Retinal Ganglion Cell Injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kosuke Fujita

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Retinal ganglion cell degeneration triggered by axonal injury is believed to underlie many ocular diseases, including glaucoma and optic neuritis. In these diseases, retinal ganglion cells are affected unevenly, both spatially and temporally, such that healthy and unhealthy cells coexist in different patterns at different time points. Herein, we describe a temporally and spatially regulated adeno-associated virus gene therapy aiming to reduce undesired off-target effects on healthy retinal neurons. The Mcp-1 promoter previously shown to be activated in stressed retinal ganglion cells following murine optic nerve injury was combined with the neuroprotective intracellular transcription factor Nrf2. In this model, Mcp-1 promoter-driven NRF2 expression targeting only stressed retinal ganglion cells showed efficacy equivalent to non-selective cytomegalovirus promoter-driven therapy for preventing cell death. However, cytomegalovirus promoter-mediated NRF2 transcription induced cellular stress responses and death of Brn3A-positive uninjured retinal ganglion cells. Such undesired effects were reduced substantially by adopting the Mcp-1 promoter. Combining a stress-responsive promoter and intracellular therapeutic gene is a versatile approach for specifically targeting cells at risk of degeneration. This strategy may be applicable to numerous chronic ocular and non-ocular conditions.

Conditioned random walks and interaction-driven condensation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szavits-Nossan, Juraj; Evans, Martin R; Majumdar, Satya N

2017-01-01

We consider a discrete-time continuous-space random walk under the constraints that the number of returns to the origin (local time) and the total area under the walk are fixed. We first compute the joint probability of an excursion having area a and returning to the origin for the first time after time τ . We then show how condensation occurs when the total area constraint is increased: an excursion containing a finite fraction of the area emerges. Finally we show how the phenomena generalises previously studied cases of condensation induced by several constraints and how it is related to interaction-driven condensation which allows us to explain the phenomenon in the framework of large deviation theory. (paper)

Spatial and historical distribution of organic phosphorus driven by environment conditions in lake sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Changwei; He, Jiang; Wang, Bing

2018-02-01

The chemistry of sedimentary organic phosphorus (OP) and its fraction distribution in sediments are greatly influenced by environmental conditions such as terrestrial inputs and runoffs. The linkage of OP with environmental conditions was analyzed on the basis of OP spatial and historical distributions in lake sediments. The redundancy analysis and OP spatial distribution results suggested that both NaOH-OP (OP extracted by NaOH) and Re-OP (residual OP) in surface sediments from the selected 13 lakes reflected the gradient effects of environmental conditions and the autochthonous and/or allochthonous inputs driven by latitude zonality in China. The lake level and salinity of Lake Hulun and the runoff and precipitation of its drainage basin were reconstructed on the basis of the geochemistry index. This work showed that a gradient in weather conditions presented by the latitude zonality in China impacts the OP accumulation through multiple drivers and in many ways. The drivers are mainly precipitation and temperature, governing organic matter (OM) production, degradation rate and transportation in the watershed. Over a long temporal dimension (4000years), the vertical distributions of Re-OP and NaOH-OP based on a dated sediment profile from HLH were largely regulated by the autochthonous and/or allochthonous inputs, which depended on the environmental and climate conditions and anthropogenic activities in the drainage basin. This work provides useful environmental geochemistry information to understand the inherent linkage of OP fractionation with environmental conditions and lake evolution. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Numerical investigations of buoyancy-driven natural ventilation in a simple atrium building and its effect on the thermal comfort conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, Shafqat; Oosthuizen, Patrick H.

2012-01-01

In the present study use of solar-assisted buoyancy-driven natural ventilation in a simple atrium building is explored numerically with particular emphasis on the thermal comfort conditions in the building. Initially various geometric configurations of the atrium space were considered in order to investigate airflows and temperature distributions in the building using a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) modelling approach with the SST-k–ω turbulence model and the Discrete Transfer Radiation Model (DTRM) was used for the investigations. The steady-state governing equations were solved using a commercial CFD solver FLUENT © . From the numerical results obtained, it was noted that an atrium space integrated with a solar chimney would be a relatively better option to be used in an atrium building. In the geometry selected, the performance of the building in response to various changes in design parameters was investigated. The produced airflows and temperature distributions were then used to evaluate indoor thermal comfort conditions in terms of the thermal comfort indices, i.e. the well-known predicted mean vote (PMV) index, its modifications especially for natural ventilation, predicted percent dissatisfied (PPD) index and Percent dissatisfied (PD) factor due to draft. It was found that the thermal conditions in the occupied areas of the building developed as a result of the use of solar-assisted buoyancy-driven ventilation for the particular values of the design parameters selected are mostly in the comfortable zone. Finally, it is demonstrated that the proposed methodology leads to reliable thermal comfort predictions, while the effect of various design variables on the performance of the building is easily recognized. - Highlights: ► Numerical investigations were carried for the use of buoyancy-driven displacement ventilation in a simple atrium building. ► Effect of various atrium

Dmp1 Promoter-Driven Diphtheria Toxin Receptor Transgene Expression Directs Unforeseen Effects in Multiple Tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed Al-Jazzar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Mice harbouring a dentin matrix protein 1 (Dmp1 promoter-driven human diphtheria toxin (DT receptor (HDTR transgene (Tg have recently been used to attain targeted ablation of osteocytes by diphtheria toxin (DT treatment in order to define osteocyte function. Use of these Tg mice has asserted mechano- and novel paracrine regulatory osteocyte functions. To explore osteocyte roles fully, we sought to confirm the selectivity of DT effects in these transgenic mice. However, our findings revealed incomplete DT-induced osteocyte ablation, prevalent HDTR misexpression, as well as more prominent histopathological DT-induced changes in multiple organs in Tg than in wild-type (WT littermate mice. Mechanistic evidence for DT action, via prominent regulation of phosphorylation status of elongation factor-2 (EF-2, was also found in many non-skeletal tissues in Tg mice; indicative of direct “off-target” DT action. Finally, very rapid deterioration in health and welfare status in response to DT treatment was observed in these Tg when compared to WT control mice. Together, these data lead us to conclude that alternative models for osteocyte ablation should be sought and caution be exercised when drawing conclusions from experiments using these Tg mice alone.

Fischer-Tropsch diesel production over calcium-promoted Co/alumina catalyst: Effect of reaction conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A.R. de la Osa; A. De Lucas; A. Romero; J.L. Valverde; P. Sanchez [University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real (Spain). Chemical Engineering Department

2011-05-15

The effects of reaction conditions on the Fischer-Tropsch activity and product distribution of an alkali-earth metal promoted cobalt based catalyst were studied. The influence of the promoter on the reducibility and cobalt particle size was studied by different techniques, including N{sub 2} adsorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction, temperature-programmed desorption and acid-base titrations. Experiments were carried out on a bench-scale fixed bed reactor and catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation. It was observed that addition of a small amount of calcium oxide as a promoter (0.6 wt.%) improved the cobalt oxide reducibility and reduced the formation of cobalt-aluminate species. A positive correlation between basicity and particle size was observed. In terms of FTS results, CO conversion and C{sub 5}{sup +} selectivity were found to be enhanced by the addition of this promoter. It was important to note that the addition of calcium shifted the distribution to mainly C{sub 16}-C{sub 18} hydrocarbons fraction, which could be greatly considered for a diesel formulation. Furthermore, the variation of the reaction conditions seemed to influence product distribution in a lesser extent than unpromoted catalyst. Also, a displacement of hydrocarbon distribution to higher molecular weight with decreasing space velocity and temperature was observed. Moreover, the addition of calcium to the cobalt based catalyst was found to greatly maintain selectivity to C{sub 5}{sup +} for a wide range of H{sub 2}/CO molar ratios. 60 refs., 10 figs., 5 tabs.

Analysis of a simple pendulum driven at its suspension point

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, S; Findley, T

2005-01-01

To familiarize undergraduate students with the dynamics of a damped driven harmonic oscillator, a simple pendulum was set up and driven at its suspension point under different damping conditions. From the time domain analysis, the decay constant was estimated and used to predict the frequency response. The simple pendulum was then driven at a series of frequencies near the resonance. By measuring the maximum amplitude at each driving frequency, the frequency response was determined. With one free parameter, which was determined under the first damping condition, the predicted frequency responses showed good agreement with the measured frequency responses under all damping conditions

Data-Driven Problems in Elasticity

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Conti, S.; Müller, S.; Ortiz, M.

2018-01-01

We consider a new class of problems in elasticity, referred to as Data-Driven problems, defined on the space of strain-stress field pairs, or phase space. The problem consists of minimizing the distance between a given material data set and the subspace of compatible strain fields and stress fields in equilibrium. We find that the classical solutions are recovered in the case of linear elasticity. We identify conditions for convergence of Data-Driven solutions corresponding to sequences of approximating material data sets. Specialization to constant material data set sequences in turn establishes an appropriate notion of relaxation. We find that relaxation within this Data-Driven framework is fundamentally different from the classical relaxation of energy functions. For instance, we show that in the Data-Driven framework the relaxation of a bistable material leads to material data sets that are not graphs.

An AAV promoter-driven neuropeptide Y gene delivery system using Sendai virosomes for neurons and rat brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, P; de Fiebre, C M; Millard, W J; King, M A; Wang, S; Bryant, S O; Gao, Y P; Martin, E J; Meyer, E M

1996-03-01

An adeno-associated virus (AAV)-derived construct (pJDT95npy) containing rat neuropeptide Y (NPY) cDNA inserted downstream of endogenous AAV promoters was used to investigate AAV-driven NPY expression in postmitotic neurons in vitro and in the brain. NPY mRNA was expressed in NT2/N and rat brain primary neuronal cultures after transfection. There was a corresponding increase in the number of neurons staining for NPY-like immunoreactivity and an increase in NPY release during depolarization in the primary cultures. Injections of Sendai-virosome encapsulated pJDT95npy into neocortex increased NPY-like immunoreactivity in neurons but not glia indicating that the latter cell type did not have the translational, post-translational or storage capacity to accumulate the peptide. Injections into the rat hypothalamic para-ventricular nucleus increased body weight and food intake for 21 days, though NPY-like immunoreactivity remained elevated for at least 50 days. These studies demonstrate that AAV-derived constructs may be useful for delivering genes into post-mitotic neurons, and that Sendai virosomes are effective for delivering these constructs in vivo.

Far infrared radiation promotes rabbit renal proximal tubule cell proliferation and functional characteristics, and protects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, I-Ni; Pu, Yeong-Shiau; Huang, Chao-Yuan; Young, Tai-Horng

2017-01-01

Far infrared radiation, a subdivision of the electromagnetic spectrum, is beneficial for long-term tissue healing, anti-inflammatory effects, growth promotion, sleep modulation, acceleration of microcirculation, and pain relief. We investigated if far infrared radiation is beneficial for renal proximal tubule cell cultivation and renal tissue engineering. We observed the effects of far infrared radiation on renal proximal tubules cells, including its effects on cell proliferation, gene and protein expression, and viability. We also examined the protective effects of far infrared radiation against cisplatin, a nephrotoxic agent, using the human proximal tubule cell line HK-2. We found that daily exposure to far infrared radiation for 30 min significantly increased rabbit renal proximal tubule cell proliferation in vitro, as assessed by MTT assay. Far infrared radiation was not only beneficial to renal proximal tubule cell proliferation, it also increased the expression of ATPase Na+/K+ subunit alpha 1 and glucose transporter 1, as determined by western blotting. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we found that far infrared radiation enhanced CDK5R1, GNAS, NPPB, and TEK expression. In the proximal tubule cell line HK-2, far infrared radiation protected against cisplatin-mediated nephrotoxicity by reducing apoptosis. Renal proximal tubule cell cultivation with far infrared radiation exposure resulted in better cell proliferation, significantly higher ATPase Na+/K+ subunit alpha 1 and glucose transporter 1 expression, and significantly enhanced expression of CDK5R1, GNAS, NPPB, and TEK. These results suggest that far infrared radiation improves cell proliferation and differentiation. In HK-2 cells, far infrared radiation mediated protective effects against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by reducing apoptosis, as indicated by flow cytometry and caspase-3 assay.

Stability analysis of hybrid-driven underwater glider

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Wen-dong; Wang, Shu-xin; Wang, Yan-hui; Song, Yang; Zhu, Ya-qiang

2017-10-01

Hybrid-driven underwater glider is a new type of unmanned underwater vehicle, which combines the advantages of autonomous underwater vehicles and traditional underwater gliders. The autonomous underwater vehicles have good maneuverability and can travel with a high speed, while the traditional underwater gliders are highlighted by low power consumption, long voyage, long endurance and good stealth characteristics. The hybrid-driven underwater gliders can realize variable motion profiles by their own buoyancy-driven and propeller propulsion systems. Stability of the mechanical system determines the performance of the system. In this paper, the Petrel-II hybrid-driven underwater glider developed by Tianjin University is selected as the research object and the stability of hybrid-driven underwater glider unitedly controlled by buoyancy and propeller has been targeted and evidenced. The dimensionless equations of the hybrid-driven underwater glider are obtained when the propeller is working. Then, the steady speed and steady glide path angle under steady-state motion have also been achieved. The steady-state operating conditions can be calculated when the hybrid-driven underwater glider reaches the desired steady-state motion. And the steadystate operating conditions are relatively conservative at the lower bound of the velocity range compared with the range of the velocity derived from the method of the composite Lyapunov function. By calculating the hydrodynamic coefficients of the Petrel-II hybrid-driven underwater glider, the simulation analysis has been conducted. In addition, the results of the field trials conducted in the South China Sea and the Danjiangkou Reservoir of China have been presented to illustrate the validity of the analysis and simulation, and to show the feasibility of the method of the composite Lyapunov function which verifies the stability of the Petrel-II hybrid-driven underwater glider.

Growth-promoting effects of a seaweed concentrate at various pH and water hardness conditions

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Georgina D. Arthur

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Kelpak® – a liquid seaweed concentrate made from the kelp Ecklonia maxima (Osbeck Papenfuss – is used as a natural biostimulant to promote rooting and improve yield in crops. Plant–soil environmental conditions and the chemistry of water used for irrigation may affect the efficiency of Kelpak. The effect of pH (pH 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5 and water hardness (200 mg/L and 400 mg/L Ca2+ on the growth-promoting ability of Kelpak was assessed using the mungbean rooting bioassay and in a pot trial with Swiss chard. Kelpak promoted rooting in all the treatments in the mungbean bioassay with maximum rooting generally achieved with 20% Kelpak. With 20% Kelpak, the addition of 200 mg/L and 400 mg/L Ca2+ decreased rooting at pH 4.5, increased rooting at pH 6.5 and did not affect rooting at pH 8.5. A similar trend was observed in the pot trial with Swiss chard: leaf and root (fresh weight and pigment content (chl a, chl b and carotenoids improved with the addition of 200 mg/L Ca2+ + 5% Kelpak at pH 6.5 or pH 8.5, while Kelpak was able to partially mask the negative effect of 200 mg/L Ca2+ at pH 4.5. These results suggest that while Kelpak is most effective in neutral pHs, it can be used to promote plant growth in a wide range of pH and water hardness conditions.

Exploiting the bad eating habits of Ras-driven cancers.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Eileen

2013-10-01

Oncogenic Ras promotes glucose fermentation and glutamine use to supply central carbon metabolism, but how and why have only emerged recently. Ras-mediated metabolic reprogramming generates building blocks for growth and promotes antioxidant defense. To fuel metabolic pathways, Ras scavenges extracellular proteins and lipids. To bolster metabolism and mitigate stress, Ras activates cellular self-cannibalization and recycling of proteins and organelles by autophagy. Targeting these distinct features of Ras-driven cancers provides novel approaches to cancer therapy.

Experimental Study of a natural ventilation strategy in a Full-Scale Enclosure Under Meteorological Conditions: A Buoyancy-Driven Approach

OpenAIRE

Austin, Miguel Chen; Bruneau, Denis; Sempey, Alain; Mora, Laurent; Sommier, Alain

2018-01-01

The performance of a natural ventilation strategy, in a full-scale enclosure under meteorological conditions is studied through an experimental study, a buoyancy-driven approach, by means of the estimation of the air exchange rate per hour and ventilation power. A theoretical and an empirical model are proposed based on the airflow theory in buildings and blower-door tests. A preliminary validation, by comparing our results with standards in air leakage rate determination, is made. The experi...

Promotion Models and Achievements of New-energy Automobiles in Shenzhen

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yu; Xiong, Siqin; Bai, Bo; Ma, Xiaoming

2017-08-01

As one of the pilot cities in China for demonstration and promotion of new-energy automobiles, Shenzhen, driven by the “two engines” of the government and the market, has made swift progress in promotion of its new-energy automobiles. This paper analyses Shenzhen’s governmental promotion policy concerning new-energy automobiles, summarizes Shenzhen’s commercial models for promoting new-energy automobiles, and is expected to provide reference for other provinces and cities to promote new-energy automobiles.

Behavioural Motives of Acquisition of Solar-driven Equipment

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Shkurupska Iryna O.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article identifies needs of the target group, namely structure of motives, which justify making a decision to buy, in order to create efficient marketing strategy of an enterprise, which sell solar-driven equipment in Ukraine. There are five segments in the domestic market of helio-systems: individual consumers, recreation industry, agrarian industry, construction and social spheres. The article allocates 15 motives of acquisition of the solar-driven equipment for these segments, the most important of which are price, availability of solar energy, alternative price and energy saving. Besides, the structure of such motives is determined for each segment individually. In order to choose specific marketing instruments in the policy of promotion of solar-driven equipment, the article identifies differences in the form of goals of use and motives of acquisition between the specified consumer segments. The article reveals certain barriers that interfere with acquisition of solar-driven equipment – low level of trust into helio-systems, conservatism of consumers, absence of free applications for consumers – overcoming which is only possible with the help of certain marketing actions.

Antitumor activity and inhibitory effects on cancer stem cell-like properties of Adeno-associated virus (AAV) -mediated Bmi-1 interference driven by Bmi-1 promoter for gastric cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaofeng; Liu, Xinyang; Huang, Mingzhu; Gan, Lu; Cheng, Yufan; Li, Jin

2016-01-01

Bmi-1 is aberrantly activated in various cancers and plays a vital role in maintaining the self-renewal of stem cells. Our previous research revealed that Bmi-1 was overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC) and it's overexpression was an independent negative prognostic factor, suggesting it can be a therapeutic target. The main purpose of this investigation was to explore the antitumor activity of Bmi-1 interference driven by its own promoter (Ad-Bmi-1i) for GC. In this study, we used adenoviral vector to deliver Bmi-1 shRNA driven by its own promoter to treat GC. Our results revealed that Ad-Bmi-1i could selectively silence Bmi-1 in GC cells which overexpress Bmi-1 and suppress the malignant phenotypes and stem-like properties of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, direct injection of Ad-Bmi-1i into xenografts suppressed tumor growth and destroyed cancer cells in vivo. Ad-Bmi-1i inhibited the proliferation of GC cells mainly via inducing senescence in vitro, but it suppressed tumor through inducing senescence and apoptosis, and inhibiting angiogenesis in vivo. Bmi-1 knockdown by Ad-Bmi-1i downregulated VEGF via inhibiting AKT activity. These results suggest that Ad-Bmi-1i not only inhibits tumor growth and stem cell-like phenotype by inducing cellular senescence directly, but also has an indirect anti-tumor activity by anti-angiogenesis effects via regulating PTEN/AKT/VEGF pathway. Transfer of gene interference guided by its own promoter by an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector might be a potent antitumor approach for cancer therapy. PMID:27009837

Promoting young participation from the community

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Carlos Vecina-Merchante

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the beginning of a socioeducational experience with young people, which has the aim to enhance its role in the community, boosting the youth group to be this same who organize and manage their leisure and free time. The initiative is based on a previous study, the Community Monograph, prepared from a Participatory Research and Community programming and diagnostics, whose conclusions community challenges that must be addressed from its protagonists are raised; one of these lines involves young people as an alienated group of the context in which they live, an urban space that gradually has increasingly become a place for leisure and tourism consumption, being part of the resident population and their needs daily outside this process of gentrification. The initiative is part of the Intercultural Community Intervention Project (ICI driven by the Obra Social "la Caixa", managed in Palma (Balearic Islands by the GREC partnership and cooperation of the City Council. This is one of the 39 territories in Spain in which the project is implemented. Its general objectives are to promote conviviality, social cohesion, promoting local development and improve the living conditions of the population.  

Hydrogen-bond-driven electrophilic activation for selectivity control: scope and limitations of fluorous alcohol-promoted selective formation of 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles and mechanistic insight for rationale of selectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Chebolu, Rajesh; Kommi, Damodara N; Kumar, Dinesh; Bollineni, Narendra; Chakraborti, Asit K

2012-11-16

Hydrogen-bond-driven electrophilic activation for selectivity control during competitive formation of 1,2-disubstituted and 2-substituted benzimidazoles from o-phenylenediamine and aldehydes is reported. The fluorous alcohols trifluoroethanol and hexafluoro-2-propanol efficiently promote the cyclocondensation of o-phenylenediamine with aldehydes to afford selectively the 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles at rt in short times. A mechanistic insight is invoked by NMR, mass spectrometry, and chemical studies to rationalize the selectivity. The ability of the fluorous alcohols in promoting the reaction and controlling the selectivity can be envisaged from their better hydrogen bond donor (HBD) abilities compared to that of the other organic solvents as well as of water. Due to the better HBD values, the fluorous alcohols efficiently promote the initial bisimine formation by electrophilic activation of the aldehyde carbonyl. Subsequently the hydrogen-bond-mediated activation of the in situ-formed bisimine triggers the rearrangement via 1,3-hydride shift to form the 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles.

Identifying Growth Conditions for Nicotiana benthimiana Resulting in Predictable Gene Expression of Promoter-Gus Fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoval, V.; Barton, K.; Longhurst, A.

2012-12-01

Revoluta (Rev) is a transcription factor that establishes leaf polarity inArabidopsis thaliana. Through previous work in Dr. Barton's Lab, it is known that Revoluta binds to the ZPR3 promoter, thus activating the ZPR3 gene product inArabidopsis thaliana. Using this knowledge, two separate DNA constructs were made, one carrying revgene and in the other, the ZPR3 promoter fussed with the GUS gene. When inoculated in Nicotiana benthimiana (tobacco), the pMDC32 plasmid produces the Rev protein. Rev binds to the ZPR3 promoter thereby activating the transcription of the GUS gene, which can only be expressed in the presence of Rev. When GUS protein comes in contact with X-Gluc it produce the blue stain seen (See Figure 1). In the past, variability has been seen of GUS expression on tobacco therefore we hypothesized that changing the growing conditions and leaf age might improve how well it's expressed.

Vlasov dynamics of periodically driven systems

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Soumyadip; Shah, Kushal

2018-04-01

Analytical solutions of the Vlasov equation for periodically driven systems are of importance in several areas of plasma physics and dynamical systems and are usually approximated using ponderomotive theory. In this paper, we derive the plasma distribution function predicted by ponderomotive theory using Hamiltonian averaging theory and compare it with solutions obtained by the method of characteristics. Our results show that though ponderomotive theory is relatively much easier to use, its predictions are very restrictive and are likely to be very different from the actual distribution function of the system. We also analyse all possible initial conditions which lead to periodic solutions of the Vlasov equation for periodically driven systems and conjecture that the irreducible polynomial corresponding to the initial condition must only have squares of the spatial and momentum coordinate. The resulting distribution function for other initial conditions is aperiodic and can lead to complex relaxation processes within the plasma.

Effect of food-related stress conditions and loss of agr and sigB on seb promoter activity in S. aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Sihto, Henna-Maria; Stephan, Roger; Engl, Christoph; Chen, John; Johler, Sophia

2017-08-01

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) causes staphylococcal food poisoning and is produced in up to ten times higher quantities than other major enterotoxins. While Staphylococcus aureus growth is often repressed by competing flora, the organism exhibits a decisive growth advantage under some stress conditions. So far, data on the influence of food-related stressors and regulatory mutations on seb expression is limited and largely based on laboratory strains, which were later reported to harbor mutations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of stress and regulatory mutations on seb promoter activity. To this end, transcriptional fusions were created in two strains, USA300 and HG003, carrying different seb upstream sequences fused to a blaZ reporter. NaCl, nitrite, and glucose stress led to significantly decreased seb promoter activity, while lactic acid stress resulted in significantly increased seb promoter activity. Loss of agr decreased seb promoter activity and loss of sigB increased promoter activity, with the magnitude of change depending on the strain. These results demonstrate that mild stress conditions encountered during food production and preservation can induce significant changes in seb promoter activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid expression of transgenes driven by seed-specific constructs in leaf tissue: DHA production

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Zhou Xue-Rong

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Metabolic engineering of seed biosynthetic pathways to diversify and improve crop product quality is a highly active research area. The validation of genes driven by seed-specific promoters is time-consuming since the transformed plants must be grown to maturity before the gene function can be analysed. Results In this study we demonstrate that genes driven by seed-specific promoters contained within complex constructs can be transiently-expressed in the Nicotiana benthamiana leaf-assay system by co-infiltrating the Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY COTYLEDON2 (LEC2 gene. A real-world case study is described in which we first assembled an efficient transgenic DHA synthesis pathway using a traditional N. benthamiana Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV 35S-driven leaf assay before using the LEC2-extended assay to rapidly validate a complex seed-specific construct containing the same genes before stable transformation in Arabidopsis. Conclusions The LEC2-extended N. benthamiana assay allows the transient activation of seed-specific promoters in leaf tissue. In this study we have used the assay as a rapid preliminary screen of a complex seed-specific transgenic construct prior to stable transformation, a feature that will become increasingly useful as genetic engineering moves from the manipulation of single genes to the engineering of complex pathways. We propose that the assay will prove useful for other applications wherein rapid expression of transgenes driven by seed-specific constructs in leaf tissue are sought.

CO2 driven weathering vs plume driven weathering as inferred from the groundwater of a persistently degassing basaltic volcano: Mt. Etna

Science.gov (United States)

Liotta, Marcello; D'Alessandro, Walter

2016-04-01

At Mt. Etna the presence of a persistent volcanic plume provides large amounts of volcanogenic elements to the bulk deposition along its flanks. The volcanic plume consists of solid particles, acidic droplets and gaseous species. After H2O and CO2, S, Cl and F represent the most abundant volatile elements emitted as gaseous species from the craters. During rain events acidic gases interact rapidly with droplets lowering the pH of rain. This process favors the dissolution and dissociation of the most acidic gases. Under these conditions, the chemical weathering of volcanic rocks and ashes is promoted by the acid rain during its infiltration. Subsequently during groundwater circulation, chemical weathering of volcanic rocks is also driven by the huge amount of deep magmatic carbon dioxide (CO2) coming up through the volcanic edifice and dissolving in the water. These two different weathering steps occur under very different conditions. The former occurs in a highly acidic environment (pH rates depend strongly on the pH, while the latter usually occurs under slightly acidic conditions since the pH has been already neutralized by the interaction with volcanics rocks. The high content of chlorine is mainly derived from interactions between the plume and rainwater, while the total alkalinity can be completely ascribed to the dissociation of carbonic acid (H2CO3) after the hydration of CO2. The relative contributions of plume-derived elements/weathering and CO2-driven weathering has been computed for each element. In addition, the comparison between the chemical compositions of the bulk deposition and of groundwater provides a new understanding about the mobility of volatile elements. Other processes such as ion exchange, iddingsite formation, and carbonate precipitation can also play roles, but only to minor extents. The proposed approach has revealed that the persistent plume strongly affects the chemical composition of groundwater at Mt. Etna and probably also at other

Traditional ecological knowledge in Thailand: Mechanisms and contributions to food security

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Ekarin Phungpracha

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Despite worldwide advances in science and technology, human well-being of the rich and poor has been threatened by food insecurity. Due to socio-economic and environmental pressures on agriculture, developing countries have faced a shortage of food access and degraded quality of food resources. We argue that traditional ecological knowledge (TEK, when appropriately used and adapted could play a significant role in addressing food security for rural, smallholder farmers. Data were collected in two rural farming communities located in the drought-prone and poverty-stricken Northeast Region of Thailand. Both were situated in diverse ecological settings: one characterized as a subsistent, lowland rice farming community and the other, the upland, all of which were dominated by cash crops. We employed a combined data collection method including in-depth interviews, participant observations, and household surveys to examine household-based food acquisition patterns. We found that the lowland subsistence farming community was endowed with a higher level of TEK and showed a stronger indication of food security than the upland cash-crop focused community. Furthermore, under environmental change, local villagers drew upon TEK to support their way of life. TEK also helped villagers to adapt to new environmental and socio-economic changes, to sustain ecosystem services and agricultural activities, and to build a secure and safe food system. This finding suggests that over-promotion of export-oriented agriculture could leave smallholder farmers and disadvantaged populations in a vulnerable situation. Their food security could be enhanced by the conservation of community-based natural resources with respect given to the role of TEK.

Functional characterization of a strong bi-directional constitutive plant promoter isolated from cotton leaf curl Burewala virus.

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Zainul A Khan

Full Text Available Cotton leaf curl Burewala virus (CLCuBuV, belonging to the genus Begomovirus, possesses single-stranded monopartite DNA genome. The bidirectional promoters representing Rep and coat protein (CP genes of CLCuBuV were characterized and their efficacy was assayed. Rep and CP promoters of CLCuBuV and 35S promoter of Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV were fused with β-glucuronidase (GUS and green fluorescent protein (GFP reporter genes. GUS activity in individual plant cells driven by Rep, CP and 35S promoters was estimated using real-time PCR and fluorometric GUS assay. Histochemical staining of GUS in transformed tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi leaves showed highest expression driven by Rep promoter followed by 35S promoter and CP promoter. The expression level of GUS driven by Rep promoter in transformed tobacco plants was shown to be two to four-fold higher than that of 35S promoter, while the expression by CP promoter was slightly lower. Further, the expression of GFP was monitored in agroinfiltrated leaves of N. benthamiana, N. tabacum and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum plants using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Rep promoter showed strong consistent transient expression in tobacco and cotton leaves as compared to 35S promoter. The strong constitutive CLCuBuV Rep promoter developed in this study could be very useful for high level expression of transgenes in a wide variety of plant cells.

Some modifications of temporal relation in the sentence with the temporal clause

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Antonić Ivana N.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The subject matter of this paper is the modification of temporal relation in the complex sentence with the temporal clause. At the functional different Serbian language corpus the author notices the next types of modified temporality: excepted locational simultaneity complete or partial, and excepted locationalorientational posteriority formalized by the structure V SAMO/JEDINO/OSIM/SEM/IZUZEV(ONDA KAD VSub, and excepted locational simultaneity/excepted terminativity formalized by the structure V SAMO DOK (Neg VSub; sutuational locational simultaneity complete or partial formalized by the structure V U SITUACIJI / U SLUČAJU KAD VSub, with the posibility to be exceptivly modified in the structure V IZUZEV U SITUACIJI / U SLUČAJU KAD VSub; situational-concessive locational simultaneity complete or partial formalized by the structure V (ČAK I (ONDA KAD VSub; situational-conditional locational-orientational posteriority formalized by the structure V TEK (ONDA KAD VSub, and situational-conditional orientational posteriority formalized by the structure V TEK POŠTO VSub or V TEK NAKON ŠTO VSub and situational-conditional orientational quantified posteriority formalized by the structure V Quant TEK POŠTO VSub, and finaly situational-conditional terminativity formalized by the structure (Neg V SVE DOK Neg VSub. It can ocure sporadically supstitutiv temporality formalized by the structure V DetTemp (UMESTO KAD VSub, and consecutive-adversative temporality formalized by the structure KAD VSub A (ONDA V. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 178004: Sintaksička, semantička i pragmatička istraživanja standardnog srpskog jezika

Burning of spent fuel of an accelerator-driven modular HTGR in sub-critical condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jing Xingqing; Yang Yongwei; Chang Hong; Wu Zongxin; Gu Yuxiang

2002-01-01

The modular high temperature gas cooled reactor (MHTGR) has good safety characteristics because of the use of coated particles in the fuel element. After the particles cool outside of the reactor for some time, the spent fuel can be re-utilized. The author describes a physics feasibility study for the burning of spent fuel from a 350 MW ring-shaped modular high temperature gas cooled reactor in an accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor. A conceptual design is given for the 30 MW accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor. The neutron transport in the sub-critical reactor was simulated using the MCNP code, and the burnup was calculated using the ORIGEN2 code. The results show that the accelerator-driven sub-critical gas-cooled reactor has reliable sub-criticality and low power density and that the spent fuel from a 350 MW ring-shaped modular high temperature gas cooled reactor can be burned to provide 20% more energy

Ets2 in tumor fibroblasts promotes angiogenesis in breast cancer.

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Julie A Wallace

Full Text Available Tumor fibroblasts are active partners in tumor progression, but the genes and pathways that mediate this collaboration are ill-defined. Previous work demonstrates that Ets2 function in stromal cells significantly contributes to breast tumor progression. Conditional mouse models were used to study the function of Ets2 in both mammary stromal fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Conditional inactivation of Ets2 in stromal fibroblasts in PyMT and ErbB2 driven tumors significantly reduced tumor growth, however deletion of Ets2 in epithelial cells in the PyMT model had no significant effect. Analysis of gene expression in fibroblasts revealed a tumor- and Ets2-dependent gene signature that was enriched in genes important for ECM remodeling, cell migration, and angiogenesis in both PyMT and ErbB2 driven-tumors. Consistent with these results, PyMT and ErbB2 tumors lacking Ets2 in fibroblasts had fewer functional blood vessels, and Ets2 in fibroblasts elicited changes in gene expression in tumor endothelial cells consistent with this phenotype. An in vivo angiogenesis assay revealed the ability of Ets2 in fibroblasts to promote blood vessel formation in the absence of tumor cells. Importantly, the Ets2-dependent gene expression signatures from both mouse models were able to distinguish human breast tumor stroma from normal stroma, and correlated with patient outcomes in two whole tumor breast cancer data sets. The data reveals a key function for Ets2 in tumor fibroblasts in signaling to endothelial cells to promote tumor angiogenesis. The results highlight the collaborative networks that orchestrate communication between stromal cells and tumor cells, and suggest that targeting tumor fibroblasts may be an effective strategy for developing novel anti-angiogenic therapies.

Conditions Promoting Mycorrhizal Parasitism Are of Minor Importance for Competitive Interactions in Two Differentially Mycotrophic Species

Science.gov (United States)

Friede, Martina; Unger, Stephan; Hellmann, Christine; Beyschlag, Wolfram

2016-01-01

Interactions of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may range along a broad continuum from strong mutualism to parasitism, with mycorrhizal benefits received by the plant being determined by climatic and edaphic conditions affecting the balance between carbon costs vs. nutritional benefits. Thus, environmental conditions promoting either parasitism or mutualism can influence the mycorrhizal growth dependency (MGD) of a plant and in consequence may play an important role in plant-plant interactions. In a multifactorial field experiment we aimed at disentangling the effects of environmental and edaphic conditions, namely the availability of light, phosphorus and nitrogen, and the implications for competitive interactions between Hieracium pilosella and Corynephorus canescens for the outcome of the AMF symbiosis. Both species were planted in single, intraspecific and interspecific combinations using a target-neighbor approach with six treatments distributed along a gradient simulating conditions for the interaction between plants and AMF ranking from mutualistic to parasitic. Across all treatments we found mycorrhizal association of H. pilosella being consistently mutualistic, while pronounced parasitism was observed in C. canescens, indicating that environmental and edaphic conditions did not markedly affect the cost:benefit ratio of the mycorrhizal symbiosis in both species. Competitive interactions between both species were strongly affected by AMF, with the impact of AMF on competition being modulated by colonization. Biomass in both species was lowest when grown in interspecific competition, with colonization being increased in the less mycotrophic C. canescens, while decreased in the obligate mycotrophic H. pilosella. Although parasitism-promoting conditions negatively affected MGD in C. canescens, these effects were small as compared to growth decreases related to increased colonization levels in this species. Thus, the lack of plant control over

Conditions Promoting Mycorrhizal Parasitism are of Minor Importance for Competitive Interactions in Two Differentially Mycotrophic Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martina Friede

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Interactions of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF may range along a broad continuum from strong mutualism to parasitism, with mycorrhizal benefits received by the plant being determined by climatic and edaphic conditions affecting the balance between carbon costs vs. nutritional benefits. Thus, environmental conditions promoting either parasitism or mutualism can influence the mycorrhizal growth dependency (MGD of a plant and in consequence may play an important role in plant-plant interactions.In a multifactorial field experiment we aimed at disentangling the effects of environmental and edaphic conditions, namely the availability of light, phosphorus and nitrogen, and the implications for competitive interactions between Hieracium pilosella and Corynephorus canescens for the outcome of the AMF symbiosis. Both species were planted in single, intraspecific and interspecific combinations using a target-neighbor approach with six treatments distributed along a gradient simulating conditions for the interaction between plants and AMF ranking from mutualistic to parasitic.Across all treatments we found mycorrhizal association of H. pilosella being consistently mutualistic, while pronounced parasitism was observed in C. canescens, indicating that environmental and edaphic conditions did not markedly affect the cost:benefit ratio of the mycorrhizal symbiosis in both species. Competitive interactions between both species were strongly affected by AMF, with the impact of AMF on competition being modulated by colonization. Biomass in both species was lowest when grown in interspecific competition, with colonization being increased in the less mycotrophic C. canescens, while decreased in the obligate mycotrophic H. pilosella. Although parasitism-promoting conditions negatively affected MGD in C. canescens, these effects were small as compared to growth decreases related to increased colonization levels in this species. Thus, the lack of plant

Maximum Principle for General Controlled Systems Driven by Fractional Brownian Motions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Yuecai; Hu Yaozhong; Song Jian

2013-01-01

We obtain a maximum principle for stochastic control problem of general controlled stochastic differential systems driven by fractional Brownian motions (of Hurst parameter H>1/2). This maximum principle specifies a system of equations that the optimal control must satisfy (necessary condition for the optimal control). This system of equations consists of a backward stochastic differential equation driven by both fractional Brownian motions and the corresponding underlying standard Brownian motions. In addition to this backward equation, the maximum principle also involves the Malliavin derivatives. Our approach is to use conditioning and Malliavin calculus. To arrive at our maximum principle we need to develop some new results of stochastic analysis of the controlled systems driven by fractional Brownian motions via fractional calculus. Our approach of conditioning and Malliavin calculus is also applied to classical system driven by standard Brownian motions while the controller has only partial information. As a straightforward consequence, the classical maximum principle is also deduced in this more natural and simpler way.

Adhesion signaling promotes protease‑driven polyploidization of glioblastoma cells.

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Mercapide, Javier; Lorico, Aurelio

2014-11-01

An increase in ploidy (polyploidization) causes genomic instability in cancer. However, the determinants for the increased DNA content of cancer cells have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated whether adhesion induces polyploidization in human U87MG glioblastoma cells. For this purpose, we employed expression vectors that reported transcriptional activation by signaling networks implicated in cancer. Signaling activation induced by intercellular integrin binding elicited both extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK) and Notch target transcription. Upon the prolonged activation of both ERK and Notch target transcription induced by integrin binding to adhesion protein, cell cultures accumulated polyploid cells, as determined by cell DNA content distribution analysis and the quantification of polynucleated cells. This linked the transcriptional activation induced by integrin adhesion to the increased frequency of polyploidization. Accordingly, the inhibition of signaling decreased the extent of polyploidization mediated by protease‑driven intracellular invasion. Therefore, the findings of this study indicate that integrin adhesion induces polyploidization through the stimulation of glioblastoma cell invasiveness.

Literature as a source for history The case of the Repen Ripangi (1886

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willem van der Molen

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Teks sejarah berbeda dengan teks sastra. Teks sejarah menceritakan apa yangbenar-benar terjadi di masa lalu sementara teks sastra tidaklah demikian.Oleh karena itu, sejarawan sering menghindari penggunaan teks sastra dalampenelitian mereka. Saya berargumen bahwa teks sastra dapat menambahkandimensi lain pada wawasan sejarah, yang tidak ditemukan dalam dokumensejarah. Analisis puisi Jawa berjudul Repen Ripangi dari abad kesembilan belasmenunjukkan bahwa teks ini, selain memberikan laporan yang sangat menariktentang pendamaian ideologis seorang reformis muslim, juga membuka jalanbagi penulisnya dalam menyuarakan kritiknya terhadap kekuasaan kolonialBelanda.

Promoting Conditional Use of Communication Skills for Learners With Complex Communication Needs: A Tutorial.

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Simacek, Jessica; Reichle, Joe; Byiers, Breanne J; Parker-McGowan, Quannah; Dimian, Adele F; Elmquist, Marianne

2018-05-03

Conditional use of communication skills refers to the ability of a learner to appropriately generalize and discriminate when, where, and how to communicate based on constant variation and shifts in environmental cues. We describe discrimination and generalization challenges encountered by learners with complex communication needs and ways in which these challenges are fostered through traditional communication intervention programming. We address arrangements in instruction that maximize the probability of learners acquiring the conditional use of new vocabulary and the modest instructional technology implemented when planning for generalization. We propose establishing well-discriminated and generalized use of new vocabulary items through the application of a general case instruction framework to communication intervention programming. We provide intervention methodology, including intervention steps for general case instruction, a plethora of functional examples, and graphic displays to assess and intervene to promote conditional use of communication skills for learners with complex communication needs.

Collegewide Promotion of E-Learning/Active Learning and Faculty Development

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Nobuyuki; Shimizu, Akira

2016-01-01

Japanese National Institutes of Technology have revealed a plan to strongly promote e-Learning and active learning under the common schematization of education in over 50 campuses nationwide. Our e-Learning and ICT-driven education practiced for more than fifteen years were highly evaluated, and is playing a leading role in promoting e-Learning…

Promotional materials clearinghouse, year 5 final report 2001-2002

Science.gov (United States)

2002-10-01

The Promotional Materials Clearinghouse is a participant-driven undertaking. All materials currently archived at the Clearinghouse were solicited from transit systems and transportation demand management (TDM) agencies nationwide with marketing manag...

Designing Educative Curriculum Materials: A Theoretically and Empirically Driven Process

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Davis, Elizabeth A.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan; Arias, Anna Maria; Bismack, Amber Schultz; Marulis, Loren M.; Iwashyna, Stefanie K.

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors argue for a design process in the development of educative curriculum materials that is theoretically and empirically driven. Using a design-based research approach, they describe their design process for incorporating educative features intended to promote teacher learning into existing, high-quality curriculum…

Differential Radiosensitizing Effect of Valproic Acid in Differentiation Versus Self-Renewal Promoting Culture Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Debeb, Bisrat G.; Xu Wei; Mok, Henry; Li Li; Robertson, Fredika; Ueno, Naoto T.; Reuben, Jim; Lucci, Anthony; Cristofanilli, Massimo; Woodward, Wendy A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: It has been shown that valproic acid (VA) enhances the proliferation and self-renewal of normal hematopoietic stem cells and that breast cancer stem/progenitor cells can be resistant to radiation. From these data, we hypothesized that VA would fail to radiosensitize breast cancer stem/progenitor cells grown to three-dimensional (3D) mammospheres. Methods and Materials: We used the MCF7 breast cancer cell line grown under stem cell-promoting culture conditions (3D mammosphere) and standard nonstem cell monolayer culture conditions (two-dimensional) to examine the effect of pretreatment with VA on radiation sensitivity in clonogenic survival assays and on the expression of embryonic stem cell transcription factors. Results: 3D-cultured MCF-7 cells expressed higher levels of Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2. The 3D passage enriched self-renewal and increased radioresistance in the 3D mammosphere formation assays. VA radiosensitized adherent cells but radioprotected 3D cells in single-fraction clonogenic assays. Moreover, fractionated radiation sensitized VA-treated adherent MCF7 cells but did not have a significant effect on VA-treated single cells grown to mammospheres. Conclusion: We have concluded that VA might preferentially radiosensitize differentiated cells compared with those expressing stem cell surrogates and that stem cell-promoting culture is a useful tool for in vitro evaluation of novel cancer therapeutic agents and radiosensitizers.

[The efficacy of autocatalytic casapse-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter on human ovarian carcinoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yue; Shen, Keng; Yu, Jing-rong

2007-11-06

To construct recombinant adenoviral vector expressing autocatalysis caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (hTERTp), and investigate its antitumor effect on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant adenovirus expressing autocatalytic caspase-3 (rev-csapase-3) driven by hTERTp, AdHT-rev-casp3, was constructed. Ad-rev-casp3 expressing rev-caspase-3 driven by cytomegalovirus promoter (CMVp) was used as a positive control. hTERT positive human ovarian cancer cells of the line AO and hTERT-negative human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and transfected with AdHT-rev-casp3, Ad-rev-casp3, or Ad-EGFG expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein as control group. Western blotting, Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8), flow cytometry, and TUNEL were used to detect the expression of p17, active subunit of caspase-3, and p85, a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage fragment, and they were also used to measure the cell survival rate and apoptotic rate. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of active caspase-3 and its substrate PARP in the AO cells and HUVECs. Twenty nude BALB/c mice were inoculated subcutaneously with AO cells to establish subcutaneous tumor models, when the tumor grew to the volume of 150 mm3 the rats were divided into 4 equal groups to undergo intra-tumor injection of AdHT-rev-casp3, Ad-rev-casp3, Ad-EGFG, and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) respectively, the survival rate tumor inhibition rate was observed, 72 days later the mice were killed with their livers and tumors taken out, and Western blotting was used to detect the expression of active caspase-3. Another 40 mice underwent intraperitoneal injection of AO cells to establish intraperitoneal transplanted tumor models, 21 days later the rats were divided into 4 equal groups to be injected intraperitoneally with AdHT-rev-casp3, Ad-rev-casp3, Ad-EGFG, or PBS, the survival rate was observed, and the blood levels of alanine transaminase

Bedding material affects mechanical thresholds, heat thresholds and texture preference

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Moehring, Francie; O’Hara, Crystal L.; Stucky, Cheryl L.

2015-01-01

It has long been known that the bedding type animals are housed on can affect breeding behavior and cage environment. Yet little is known about its effects on evoked behavior responses or non-reflexive behaviors. C57BL/6 mice were housed for two weeks on one of five bedding types: Aspen Sani Chips® (standard bedding for our institute), ALPHA-Dri®, Cellu-Dri™, Pure-o’Cel™ or TEK-Fresh. Mice housed on Aspen exhibited the lowest (most sensitive) mechanical thresholds while those on TEK-Fresh exhibited 3-fold higher thresholds. While bedding type had no effect on responses to punctate or dynamic light touch stimuli, TEK-Fresh housed animals exhibited greater responsiveness in a noxious needle assay, than those housed on the other bedding types. Heat sensitivity was also affected by bedding as animals housed on Aspen exhibited the shortest (most sensitive) latencies to withdrawal whereas those housed on TEK-Fresh had the longest (least sensitive) latencies to response. Slight differences between bedding types were also seen in a moderate cold temperature preference assay. A modified tactile conditioned place preference chamber assay revealed that animals preferred TEK-Fresh to Aspen bedding. Bedding type had no effect in a non-reflexive wheel running assay. In both acute (two day) and chronic (5 week) inflammation induced by injection of Complete Freund’s Adjuvant in the hindpaw, mechanical thresholds were reduced in all groups regardless of bedding type, but TEK-Fresh and Pure-o’Cel™ groups exhibited a greater dynamic range between controls and inflamed cohorts than Aspen housed mice. PMID:26456764

A role for nitric oxide-driven retrograde signaling in the consolidation of a fear memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathie A Overeem

2010-02-01

Full Text Available In both invertebrate and vertebrate models of synaptic plasticity, signaling via the putative “retrograde messenger” nitric oxide (NO has been hypothesized to serve as a critical link between functional and structural alterations at pre- and postsynaptic sites. However, while in vitro models of synaptic plasticity have consistently implicated NO signaling in linking postsynaptic induction mechanisms with accompanying presynaptic changes, a convincing role of such “retrograde signaling” in mammalian memory formation has remained elusive. Using auditory Pavlovian fear conditioning, we show that synaptic plasticity and NO signaling in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA regulate the expression of the ERK-driven immediate early gene early growth response gene I (EGR-1 in regions of the auditory thalamus that are presynaptic to the LA. Further, antisense knockdown of EGR-1 in the auditory thalamus impairs both fear memory consolidation and the training-induced elevation of two presynaptically localized proteins in the LA. These findings indicate that synaptic plasticity and NO signaling in the LA during auditory fear conditioning promote alterations in ERK-driven gene expression in auditory thalamic neurons that are required for both fear memory consolidation as well as presynaptic correlates of fear memory formation in the LA, and provide general support for a role of NO as a “retrograde signal” in mammalian memory formation.

A 310-bp minimal promoter mediates smooth muscle cell-specific expression of telokin.

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Smith, A F; Bigsby, R M; Word, R A; Herring, B P

1998-05-01

A cell-specific promoter located in an intron of the smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase gene directs transcription of telokin exclusively in smooth muscle cells. Transgenic mice were generated in which a 310-bp rabbit telokin promoter fragment, extending from -163 to +147, was used to drive expression of simian virus 40 large T antigen. Smooth muscle-specific expression of the T-antigen transgene paralleled that of the endogenous telokin gene in all smooth muscle tissues except uterus. The 310-bp promoter fragment resulted in very low levels of transgene expression in uterus; in contrast, a transgene driven by a 2.4-kb fragment (-2250 to +147) resulted in high levels of transgene expression in uterine smooth muscle. Telokin expression levels correlate with the estrogen status of human myometrial tissues, suggesting that deletion of an estrogen response element (ERE) may account for the low levels of transgene expression driven by the 310-bp rabbit telokin promoter in uterine smooth muscle. Experiments in A10 smooth muscle cells directly showed that reporter gene expression driven by the 2.4-kb, but not 310-bp, promoter fragment could be stimulated two- to threefold by estrogen. This stimulation was mediated through an ERE located between -1447 and -1474. Addition of the ERE to the 310-bp fragment restored estrogen responsiveness in A10 cells. These data demonstrate that in addition to a minimal 310-bp proximal promoter at least one distal cis-acting regulatory element is required for telokin expression in uterine smooth muscle. The distal element may include an ERE between -1447 and -1474.

QuadraPure-Supported Palladium Nanocatalysts for Microwave-Promoted Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reaction under Aerobic Condition

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Kin Hong Liew

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cross-linked resin-captured palladium (XL-QPPd was readily prepared by simple physical adsorption onto the high loading QuadraPure macroporous resin and a subsequent reduction process. To enhance the mechanical stability, entrapped palladium nanocatalysts were cross-linked with succinyl chloride. Both transmission electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the palladium nanoparticles were well dispersed with diameters ranging in 4–10 nm. The catalyst performed good catalytic activity in microwave-promoted Suzuki cross-coupling reactions in water under aerobic condition with mild condition by using various aryl halides and phenylboronic acid. In addition, the catalyst showed an excellent recyclability without significant loss of catalytic activity.

Impact of Mental Health Screening on Promoting Immediate Online Help-Seeking: Randomized Trial Comparing Normative Versus Humor-Driven Feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Isabella; Milne, David N; Deady, Mark; Calvo, Rafael A; Harvey, Samuel B; Glozier, Nick

2018-04-05

younger adults were less likely to click on the link compared to older adults across all measures (P=.005, OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25-0.78). This pilot study found that there was no difference between normative and humor-driven feedback on promoting immediate clicks to an external resource, suggesting no impact on online help-seeking. Limitations included: lack of personal score control group, limited measures of predictors and potential confounders, and the fact that other forms of professional help-seeking were not assessed. Further investigation into other predictors and factors that impact on help-seeking is needed. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000707460; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370187 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6y8m8sVxr). ©Isabella Choi, David N Milne, Mark Deady, Rafael A Calvo, Samuel B Harvey, Nick Glozier. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 05.04.2018.

Plasmon-driven sequential chemical reactions in an aqueous environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xin; Wang, Peijie; Zhang, Zhenglong; Fang, Yurui; Sun, Mengtao

2014-06-24

Plasmon-driven sequential chemical reactions were successfully realized in an aqueous environment. In an electrochemical environment, sequential chemical reactions were driven by an applied potential and laser irradiation. Furthermore, the rate of the chemical reaction was controlled via pH, which provides indirect evidence that the hot electrons generated from plasmon decay play an important role in plasmon-driven chemical reactions. In acidic conditions, the hot electrons were captured by the abundant H(+) in the aqueous environment, which prevented the chemical reaction. The developed plasmon-driven chemical reactions in an aqueous environment will significantly expand the applications of plasmon chemistry and may provide a promising avenue for green chemistry using plasmon catalysis in aqueous environments under irradiation by sunlight.

The Structural Consequences of Big Data-Driven Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeide, Elana

2017-06-01

Educators and commenters who evaluate big data-driven learning environments focus on specific questions: whether automated education platforms improve learning outcomes, invade student privacy, and promote equality. This article puts aside separate unresolved-and perhaps unresolvable-issues regarding the concrete effects of specific technologies. It instead examines how big data-driven tools alter the structure of schools' pedagogical decision-making, and, in doing so, change fundamental aspects of America's education enterprise. Technological mediation and data-driven decision-making have a particularly significant impact in learning environments because the education process primarily consists of dynamic information exchange. In this overview, I highlight three significant structural shifts that accompany school reliance on data-driven instructional platforms that perform core school functions: teaching, assessment, and credentialing. First, virtual learning environments create information technology infrastructures featuring constant data collection, continuous algorithmic assessment, and possibly infinite record retention. This undermines the traditional intellectual privacy and safety of classrooms. Second, these systems displace pedagogical decision-making from educators serving public interests to private, often for-profit, technology providers. They constrain teachers' academic autonomy, obscure student evaluation, and reduce parents' and students' ability to participate or challenge education decision-making. Third, big data-driven tools define what "counts" as education by mapping the concepts, creating the content, determining the metrics, and setting desired learning outcomes of instruction. These shifts cede important decision-making to private entities without public scrutiny or pedagogical examination. In contrast to the public and heated debates that accompany textbook choices, schools often adopt education technologies ad hoc. Given education

A smartphone-driven methodology for estimating physical activities and energy expenditure in free living conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidoux, Romain; Duclos, Martine; Fleury, Gérard; Lacomme, Philippe; Lamaudière, Nicolas; Manenq, Pierre-Henri; Paris, Ludivine; Ren, Libo; Rousset, Sylvie

2014-12-01

This paper introduces a function dedicated to the estimation of total energy expenditure (TEE) of daily activities based on data from accelerometers integrated into smartphones. The use of mass-market sensors such as accelerometers offers a promising solution for the general public due to the growing smartphone market over the last decade. The TEE estimation function quality was evaluated using data from intensive numerical experiments based, first, on 12 volunteers equipped with a smartphone and two research sensors (Armband and Actiheart) in controlled conditions (CC) and, then, on 30 other volunteers in free-living conditions (FLC). The TEE given by these two sensors in both conditions and estimated from the metabolic equivalent tasks (MET) in CC served as references during the creation and evaluation of the function. The TEE mean gap in absolute value between the function and the three references was 7.0%, 16.4% and 2.7% in CC, and 17.0% and 23.7% according to Armband and Actiheart, respectively, in FLC. This is the first step in the definition of a new feedback mechanism that promotes self-management and daily-efficiency evaluation of physical activity as part of an information system dedicated to the prevention of chronic diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of initial conditions on two-dimensional Rayleigh-Taylor instability and transition to turbulence in planar blast-wave-driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, A.R.; Edwards, M.J.; Greenough, J.A.

2004-01-01

Perturbations on an interface driven by a strong blast wave grow in time due to a combination of Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and decompression effects. In this paper, the results from a computational study of such a system under drive conditions to be attainable on the National Ignition Facility [E. M. Campbell, Laser Part. Beams 9, 209 (1991)] are presented. Using the multiphysics, adaptive mesh refinement, higher order Godunov Eulerian hydrocode, Raptor [L. H. Howell and J. A. Greenough, J. Comput. Phys. 184, 53 (2003)], the late nonlinear instability evolution for multiple amplitude and phase realizations of a variety of multimode spectral types is considered. Compressibility effects preclude the emergence of a regime of self-similar instability growth independent of the initial conditions by allowing for memory of the initial conditions to be retained in the mix-width at all times. The loss of transverse spectral information is demonstrated, however, along with the existence of a quasi-self-similar regime over short time intervals. Certain aspects of the initial conditions, including the rms amplitude, are shown to have a strong effect on the time to transition to the quasi-self-similar regime

Multiplex conditional mutagenesis in zebrafish using the CRISPR/Cas system.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, L; Maddison, L A; Chen, W

2016-01-01

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) system is a powerful tool for genome editing in numerous organisms. However, the system is typically used for gene editing throughout the entire organism. Tissue and temporal specific mutagenesis is often desirable to determine gene function in a specific stage or tissue and to bypass undesired consequences of global mutations. We have developed the CRISPR/Cas system for conditional mutagenesis in transgenic zebrafish using tissue-specific and/or inducible expression of Cas9 and U6-driven expression of sgRNA. To allow mutagenesis of multiple targets, we have isolated four distinct U6 promoters and designed Golden Gate vectors to easily assemble transgenes with multiple sgRNAs. We provide experimental details on the reagents and applications for multiplex conditional mutagenesis in zebrafish. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teks op teks op teks: intertekstualiteit in Ingrid Winterbach se Niggie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Botha

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Text on text on text: intertextuality in Ingrid Winterbach’s Niggie This article focuses on the creative adaptation of Anglo-Boer War material in Ingrid Winterbach’s (formerly Lettie Viljoen “Niggie” (“Cousin” (2002 with specific reference to the historiographical-metafictional element and intertextual game with texts written during or shortly after the Anglo-Boer War in Dutch, such as Totius’ “Vier-en-sestig dae te velde: ’n oorlogsdagboek” (“Sixty four days afield: a war diary” (1977 and in English, “Woman’s endurance” (1904 by A.D.L. and Deneys Reitz’s “Commando: a Boer journal of the Boer War” (1932. The intertextuality of more recent texts such as “Op soek na generaal Mannetjies Mentz” (“In Search of General Mannetjies Mentz” (1998 by Christoffel Coetzee, Klaas Steytler’s “Ons oorlog” (“Our war” (2000 and Etienne Leroux’s “Magersfontein, O! Magersfontein” (1976 will also be discussed. A literary analysis is done of the novel “Niggie”, with specific focus on the nature and function of Anglo-Boer War material in Winterbach’s text. The question is posed why is there such a sustained focus and creative adaptation of Anglo-Boer War texts in Winterbach’s oeuvre, especially in “Belemmering” (“Impediment” (1990; “Karolina Ferreira” (1993; “Buller se plan” (“Buller’s plan” (1999 and “Niggie” (“Cousin” (2002? How does she adapt this material? What is the function of this process and in what way does this novel impact on the reader a century after the war?

Novel, Ceramic Membrane System For Hydrogen Separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elangovan, S.

2012-12-31

Separation of hydrogen from coal gas represents one of the most promising ways to produce alternative sources of fuel. Ceramatec, teamed with CoorsTek and Sandia National Laboratories has developed materials technology for a pressure driven, high temperature proton-electron mixed conducting membrane system to remove hydrogen from the syngas. This system separates high purity hydrogen and isolates high pressure CO{sub 2} as the retentate, which is amenable to low cost capture and transport to storage sites. The team demonstrated a highly efficient, pressure-driven hydrogen separation membrane to generate high purity hydrogen from syngas using a novel ceramic-ceramic composite membrane. Recognizing the benefits and limitations of present membrane systems, the all-ceramic system has been developed to address the key technical challenges related to materials performance under actual operating conditions, while retaining the advantages of thermal and process compatibility offered by the ceramic membranes. The feasibility of the concept has already been demonstrated at Ceramatec. This project developed advanced materials composition for potential integration with water gas shift rectors to maximize the hydrogenproduction.

Interleukin-Driven Insulin-Like Growth Factor Promotes Prostatic Inflammatory Hyperplasia

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Alana M.; Myers, Jason D.; McFarland, Eliza K.; Lee, Sanghee

2014-01-01

Prostatic inflammation is of considerable importance to urologic research because of its association with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. However, the mechanisms by which inflammation leads to proliferation and growth remain obscure. Here, we show that insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), previously known as critical developmental growth factors during prostate organogenesis, are induced by inflammation as part of the proliferative recovery to inflammation. Using genetic models and in vivo IGF receptor blockade, we demonstrate that the hyperplastic response to inflammation depends on interleukin-1–driven IGF signaling. We show that human prostatic hyperplasia is associated with IGF pathway activation specifically localized to foci of inflammation. This demonstrates that mechanisms of inflammation-induced epithelial proliferation and hyperplasia involve the induction of developmental growth factors, further establishing a link between inflammatory and developmental signals and providing a mechanistic basis for the management of proliferative diseases by IGF pathway modulation. PMID:25292180

Engineered Promoters for Potent Transient Overexpression.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Y Even

Full Text Available The core promoter, which is generally defined as the region to which RNA Polymerase II is recruited to initiate transcription, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gene expression. The core promoter consists of different combinations of several short DNA sequences, termed core promoter elements or motifs, which confer specific functional properties to each promoter. Earlier studies that examined the ability to modulate gene expression levels via the core promoter, led to the design of strong synthetic core promoters, which combine different core elements into a single core promoter. Here, we designed a new core promoter, termed super core promoter 3 (SCP3, which combines four core promoter elements (the TATA box, Inr, MTE and DPE into a single promoter that drives prolonged and potent gene expression. We analyzed the effect of core promoter architecture on the temporal dynamics of reporter gene expression by engineering EGFP expression vectors that are driven by distinct core promoters. We used live cell imaging and flow cytometric analyses in different human cell lines to demonstrate that SCPs, particularly the novel SCP3, drive unusually strong long-term EGFP expression. Importantly, this is the first demonstration of long-term expression in transiently transfected mammalian cells, indicating that engineered core promoters can provide a novel non-viral strategy for biotechnological as well as gene-therapy-related applications that require potent expression for extended time periods.

Diffany: an ontology-driven framework to infer, visualise and analyse differential molecular networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Landeghem, Sofie; Van Parys, Thomas; Dubois, Marieke; Inzé, Dirk; Van de Peer, Yves

2016-01-05

Differential networks have recently been introduced as a powerful way to study the dynamic rewiring capabilities of an interactome in response to changing environmental conditions or stimuli. Currently, such differential networks are generated and visualised using ad hoc methods, and are often limited to the analysis of only one condition-specific response or one interaction type at a time. In this work, we present a generic, ontology-driven framework to infer, visualise and analyse an arbitrary set of condition-specific responses against one reference network. To this end, we have implemented novel ontology-based algorithms that can process highly heterogeneous networks, accounting for both physical interactions and regulatory associations, symmetric and directed edges, edge weights and negation. We propose this integrative framework as a standardised methodology that allows a unified view on differential networks and promotes comparability between differential network studies. As an illustrative application, we demonstrate its usefulness on a plant abiotic stress study and we experimentally confirmed a predicted regulator. Diffany is freely available as open-source java library and Cytoscape plugin from http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/supplementary_data/solan/diffany/.

Ultrafast population transfer in a Λ-configuration level system driven by few-cycle laser pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Wen-Jing; Xie Xiao-Tao; Jin Lu-Ling; Bai Jin-Tao

2013-01-01

The feasibility of population transfer from a populated level via an intermediate state to the target level driven by few-cycle pulses is theoretically discussed. The processes of on- or far-resonance stimulated Raman scattering with sequential or simultaneous ultrashort pulses are investigated respectively. We find that the ultrashort pulses with about two optical cycles can be used to realize the population operation. This suggests that the population transfer can be completed in the femtosecond time scale. At the same time, our simulation shows that the signal of the carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effect can be enlarged due to quantum interference in some conditions. Our theoretic study may promote the research on the coherent control via ultrashort pulses in the related fields

Improving flight condition situational awareness through Human Centered Design.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Carol

2012-01-01

In aviation, there is currently a lack of accurate and timely situational information, specifically weather data, which is essential when dealing with the unpredictable complexities that can arise while flying. For example, weather conditions that require immediate evasive action by the flight crew, such as isolated heavy rain, micro bursts, and atmospheric turbulence, require that the flight crew receive near real-time and precise information about the type, position, and intensity of those conditions. Human factors issues arise in considering how to display the various sources of weather information to the users of that information and how to integrate this display into the existing environment. In designing weather information display systems, it is necessary to meet the demands of different users, which requires an examination of the way in which the users process and use weather information. Using Human Centered Design methodologies and concepts will result in a safer, more efficient and more intuitive solution. Specific goals of this approach include 1) Enabling better fuel planning; 2) Allowing better divert strategies; 3) Ensuring pilots, navigators, dispatchers and mission planners are referencing weather from the same sources; 4) Improving aircrew awareness of aviation hazards such as turbulence, icing, hail and convective activity; 5) Addressing inconsistent availability of hazard forecasts outside the United States Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ); and 6) Promoting goal driven approaches versus event driven (prediction).

Universality in driven-dissipative quantum many-body systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sieberer, L.M.

2015-01-01

Recent experimental investigations of condensation phenomena in driven-dissipative quantum many-body systems raise the question of what kind of novel universal behavior can emerge under non-equilibrium conditions. We explore various aspects of universality in this context. Our results are of relevance for a variety of open quantum systems on the interface of quantum optics and condensed matter physics, ranging from exciton-polariton condensates to cold atomic gases. In Part I we characterize the dynamical critical behavior at the Bose-Einstein condensation phase transition in driven open quantum systems in three spatial dimensions. Although thermodynamic equilibrium conditions are emergent at low frequencies, the approach to this thermalized low-frequency regime is described by a critical exponent which is specific to the non-equilibrium transition, and places the latter beyond the standard classification of equilibrium dynamical critical behavior. Our theoretical approach is based on the functional renormalization group within the framework of Keldysh non-equilibrium field theory, which is equivalent to a microscopic description of the open system dynamics in terms of a many-body quantum master equation. Universal behavior in the coherence properties of driven-dissipative condensates in reduced dimensions is investigated in Part II. We show that driven two-dimensional Bose systems cannot exhibit algebraic order as in thermodynamic equilibrium, unless they are sufficiently anisotropic. However, we find evidence that even isotropic systems may have a finite superfluidity fraction. In one-dimensional systems, non-equilibrium conditions are traceable in the behavior of the autocorrelation function. We obtain these results by mapping the long-wavelength condensate dynamics onto the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation. In Part III we show that systems in thermodynamic equilibrium have a specific symmetry, which makes them distinct from generic driven open systems. The novel

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-mediated human GATA1 induction promotes erythroid differentiation under hypoxic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Feng-Lin; Shen, Guo-Min; Liu, Xiao-Ling; Wang, Fang; Zhao, Ying-Ze; Zhang, Jun-Wu

2012-08-01

Hypoxia-inducible factor promotes erythropoiesis through coordinated cell type-specific hypoxia responses. GATA1 is essential to normal erythropoiesis and plays a crucial role in erythroid differentiation. In this study, we show that hypoxia-induced GATA1 expression is mediated by HIF1 in erythroid cells. Under hypoxic conditions, significantly increased GATA1 mRNA and protein levels were detected in K562 cells and erythroid induction cultures of CD34(+) haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Enforced HIF1α expression increased GATA1 expression, while HIF1α knockdown by RNA interference decreased GATA1 expression. In silico analysis revealed one potential hypoxia response element (HRE). The results from reporter gene and mutation analysis suggested that this element is necessary for hypoxic response. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR showed that the putative HRE was recognized and bound by HIF1 in vivo. These results demonstrate that the up-regulation of GATA1 during hypoxia is directly mediated by HIF1.The mRNA expression of some erythroid differentiation markers was increased under hypoxic conditions, but decreased with RNA interference of HIF1α or GATA1. Flow cytometry analysis also indicated that hypoxia, desferrioxamine or CoCl(2) induced expression of erythroid surface markers CD71 and CD235a, while expression repression of HIF1α or GATA1 by RNA interference led to a decreased expression of CD235a. These results suggested that HIF1-mediated GATA1 up-regulation promotes erythropoiesis in order to satisfy the needs of an organism under hypoxic conditions. © 2011 The Authors Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine © 2011 Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Development of a gene therapy strategy to target hepatocellular carcinoma based inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A using the α-fetoprotein promoter enhancer and pgk promoter: an in vitro and in vivo study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wei; Tao, Min; Li, Dao-Ming; Chen, Kai; Chen, Zheng; Zong, Yang; Yin, Hong; Xu, Ze-Kuan; Zhu, Yi; Gong, Fei-Ran

2012-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Current therapies are insufficient, making HCC an intractable disease. Our previous studies confirmed that inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) may provide a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer. Unfortunately, constitutive expression of PP2A in normal tissues limits the application of PP2A inhibition. Thus, a HCC-specific gene delivery system should be developed. The α-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter is commonly used in HCC-specific gene therapy strategies; however, the utility of this approach is limited due to the weak activity of the AFP promoter. It has been shown that linking the AFP enhancer with the promoter of the non-tissue-specific, human housekeeping phosphoglycerate kinase (pgk) gene can generate a strong and HCC-selective promoter. We constructed a HCC-specific gene therapy system to target PP2A using the AFP enhancer/pgk promoter, and evaluated the efficiency and specificity of this system both in vitro and in vivo. AFP enhancer/pgk promoter-driven expression of the dominant negative form of the PP2A catalytic subunit α (DN-PP2Acα) exerted cytotoxic effects against an AFP-positive human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 and Hep3B), but did not affect AFP-negative human hepatoma cells (SK-HEP-1) or normal human liver cells (L-02). Moreover, AFP enhancer/pgk promoter driven expression of DN-PP2Acα inhibited the growth of AFP-positive HepG2 tumors in nude mice bearing solid tumor xenografts, but did not affect AFP-negative SK-HEP-1 tumors. The novel approach of AFP enhancer/pgk promoter-driven expression of DN-PP2Acα may provide a useful cancer gene therapy strategy to selectively target HCC

An Interactive Platform to Visualize Data-Driven Clinical Pathways for the Management of Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yiye; Padman, Rema

2017-01-01

Patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) pose an increasingly complex health management challenge worldwide, particularly due to the significant gap in our understanding of how to provide coordinated care. Drawing on our prior research on learning data-driven clinical pathways from actual practice data, this paper describes a prototype, interactive platform for visualizing the pathways of MCC to support shared decision making. Created using Python web framework, JavaScript library and our clinical pathway learning algorithm, the visualization platform allows clinicians and patients to learn the dominant patterns of co-progression of multiple clinical events from their own data, and interactively explore and interpret the pathways. We demonstrate functionalities of the platform using a cluster of 36 patients, identified from a dataset of 1,084 patients, who are diagnosed with at least chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Future evaluation studies will explore the use of this platform to better understand and manage MCC.

Mixed convection in inclined lid driven cavity by Lattice Boltzmann Method and heat flux boundary condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Orazio, A; Karimipour, A; Nezhad, A H; Shirani, E

2014-01-01

Laminar mixed convective heat transfer in two-dimensional rectangular inclined driven cavity is studied numerically by means of a double population thermal Lattice Boltzmann method. Through the top moving lid the heat flux enters the cavity whereas it leaves the system through the bottom wall; side walls are adiabatic. The counter-slip internal energy density boundary condition, able to simulate an imposed non zero heat flux at the wall, is applied, in order to demonstrate that it can be effectively used to simulate heat transfer phenomena also in case of moving walls. Results are analyzed over a range of the Richardson numbers and tilting angles of the enclosure, encompassing the dominating forced convection, mixed convection, and dominating natural convection flow regimes. As expected, heat transfer rate increases as increases the inclination angle, but this effect is significant for higher Richardson numbers, when buoyancy forces dominate the problem; for horizontal cavity, average Nusselt number decreases with the increase of Richardson number because of the stratified field configuration

Conditionally Pathogenic Gut Microbes Promote Larval Growth by Increasing Redox-Dependent Fat Storage in High-Sugar Diet-Fed Drosophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Whon, Tae Woong; Shin, Na-Ri; Jung, Mi-Ja; Hyun, Dong-Wook; Kim, Hyun Sik; Kim, Pil Soo; Bae, Jin-Woo

2017-12-01

Changes in the composition of the gut microbiota contribute to the development of obesity and subsequent complications that are associated with metabolic syndrome. However, the role of increased numbers of certain bacterial species during the progress of obesity and factor(s) controlling the community structure of gut microbiota remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate the inter-relationship between Drosophila melanogaster and their resident gut microbiota under chronic high-sugar diet (HSD) conditions. Chronic feeding of an HSD to Drosophila resulted in a predominance of resident uracil-secreting bacteria in the gut. Axenic insects mono-associated with uracil-secreting bacteria or supplemented with uracil under HSD conditions promoted larval development. Redox signaling induced by bacterial uracil promoted larval growth by regulating sugar and lipid metabolism via activation of p38a mitogen-activated protein kinase. The present study identified a new redox-dependent mechanism by which uracil-secreting bacteria (previously regarded as opportunistic pathobionts) protect the host from metabolic perturbation under chronic HSD conditions. These results illustrate how Drosophila and gut microbes form a symbiotic relationship under stress conditions, and changes in the gut microbiota play an important role in alleviating deleterious diet-derived effects such as hyperglycemia. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 1361-1380.

Infusing Technology Driven Design Thinking in Industrial Design Education: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Mubin, Omar; Novoa, Mauricio; Al Mahmud, Abdullah

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper narrates a case study on design thinking-based education work in an industrial design honours program. Student projects were developed in a multi-disciplinary setting across a Computing and Engineering faculty that allowed promoting technologically and user-driven innovation strategies. Design/methodology/approach: A renewed…

Co-expression of interleukin 12 enhances antitumor effects of a novel chimeric promoter-mediated suicide gene therapy in an immunocompetent mouse model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yu; Liu, Zhengchun; Kong, Haiyan; Sun, Wenjie; Liao, Zhengkai; Zhou, Fuxiang; Xie, Conghua

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A novel chimeric promoter consisting of CArG element and hTERT promoter was developed. → The promoter was characterized with radiation-inducibility and tumor-specificity. → Suicide gene system driven by the promoter showed remarkable cytotoxicity in vitro. → Co-expression of IL12 enhanced the promoter mediated suicide gene therapy in vivo. -- Abstract: The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter has been widely used in target gene therapy of cancer. However, low transcriptional activity limited its clinical application. Here, we designed a novel dual radiation-inducible and tumor-specific promoter system consisting of CArG elements and the hTERT promoter, resulting in increased expression of reporter genes after gamma-irradiation. Therapeutic and side effects of adenovirus-mediated horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/indole-3-acetic (IAA) system downstream of the chimeric promoter were evaluated in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, combining with or without adenovirus-mediated interleukin 12 (IL12) gene driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter. The combination treatment showed more effective suppression of tumor growth than those with single agent alone, being associated with pronounced intratumoral T-lymphocyte infiltration and minor side effects. Our results suggest that the combination treatment with HRP/IAA system driven by the novel chimeric promoter and the co-expression of IL12 might be an effective and safe target gene therapy strategy of cancer.

Co-expression of interleukin 12 enhances antitumor effects of a novel chimeric promoter-mediated suicide gene therapy in an immunocompetent mouse model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Yu, E-mail: xuyu1001@gmail.com [Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Liu, Zhengchun, E-mail: l135027@126.com [Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Kong, Haiyan, E-mail: suppleant@163.com [Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Sun, Wenjie, E-mail: wendy11240325@163.com [Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Liao, Zhengkai, E-mail: fastbeta@gmail.com [Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Zhou, Fuxiang, E-mail: happyzhoufx@sina.com [Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Xie, Conghua, E-mail: chxie_65@hotmail.com [Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors and Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, 169 Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071 (China); and others

2011-09-09

Highlights: {yields} A novel chimeric promoter consisting of CArG element and hTERT promoter was developed. {yields} The promoter was characterized with radiation-inducibility and tumor-specificity. {yields} Suicide gene system driven by the promoter showed remarkable cytotoxicity in vitro. {yields} Co-expression of IL12 enhanced the promoter mediated suicide gene therapy in vivo. -- Abstract: The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter has been widely used in target gene therapy of cancer. However, low transcriptional activity limited its clinical application. Here, we designed a novel dual radiation-inducible and tumor-specific promoter system consisting of CArG elements and the hTERT promoter, resulting in increased expression of reporter genes after gamma-irradiation. Therapeutic and side effects of adenovirus-mediated horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/indole-3-acetic (IAA) system downstream of the chimeric promoter were evaluated in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma, combining with or without adenovirus-mediated interleukin 12 (IL12) gene driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter. The combination treatment showed more effective suppression of tumor growth than those with single agent alone, being associated with pronounced intratumoral T-lymphocyte infiltration and minor side effects. Our results suggest that the combination treatment with HRP/IAA system driven by the novel chimeric promoter and the co-expression of IL12 might be an effective and safe target gene therapy strategy of cancer.

Exploring Techniques of Developing Writing Skill in IELTS Preparatory Courses: A Data-Driven Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ostovar-Namaghi, Seyyed Ali; Safaee, Seyyed Esmail

2017-01-01

Being driven by the hypothetico-deductive mode of inquiry, previous studies have tested the effectiveness of theory-driven interventions under controlled experimental conditions to come up with universally applicable generalizations. To make a case in the opposite direction, this data-driven study aims at uncovering techniques and strategies…

Japanese power electronics inverter technology and its impact on the American air conditioning industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ushimaru, Kenji.

1990-08-01

Since 1983, technological advances and market growth of inverter- driven variable-speed heat pumps in Japan have been dramatic. The high level of market penetration was promoted by a combination of political, economic, and trade policies in Japan. A unique environment was created in which the leading domestic industries-- microprocessor manufacturing, compressors for air conditioning and refrigerators, and power electronic devices--were able to direct the development and market success of inverter-driven heat pumps. As a result, leading US variable-speed heat pump manufacturers should expect a challenge from the Japanese producers of power devices and microprocessors. Because of the vertically-integrated production structure in Japan, in contrast to the out-sourcing culture of the United States, price competition at the component level (such as inverters, sensors, and controls) may impact the structure of the industry more severely than final product sales. 54 refs., 47 figs., 1 tab.

Japanese power electronics inverter technology and its impact on the American air conditioning industry

Science.gov (United States)

Ushimaru, Kenji

1990-08-01

Since 1983, technological advances and market growth of inverter-driven variable-speed heat pumps in Japan have been dramatic. The high level of market penetration was promoted by a combination of political, economic, and trade policies in Japan. A unique environment was created in which the leading domestic industries, microprocessor manufacturing, compressors for air conditioning and refrigerators, and power electronic devices, were able to direct the development and market success of inverter-driven heat pumps. As a result, leading U.S. variable-speed heat pump manufacturers should expect a challenge from the Japanese producers of power devices and microprocessors. Because of the vertically-integrated production structure in Japan, in contrast to the out-sourcing culture of the United States, price competition at the component level (such as inverters, sensors, and controls) may impact the structure of the industry more severely than final product sales.

Perceptions of the value of traditional ecological knowledge to formal school curricula: opportunities and challenges from Malekula Island, Vanuatu

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McCarter Joe

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK into formal school curricula may be a key tool for the revitalisation of biocultural diversity, and has the potential to improve the delivery of educational objectives. This paper explores perceptions of the value of TEK to formal education curricula on Malekula Island, Vanuatu. We conducted 49 interviews with key stakeholders (local TEK experts, educators, and officials regarding the use of the formal school system to transmit, maintain, and revitalise TEK. Interviews also gathered information on the areas where TEK might add value to school curricula and on the perceived barriers to maintaining and revitalising TEK via formal education programs. Results Participants reported that TEK had eroded on Malekula, and identified the formal school system as a principal driver. Most interviewees believed that if an appropriate format could be developed, TEK could be included in the formal education system. Such an approach has potential to maintain customary knowledge and practice in the focus communities. Participants identified several specific domains of TEK for inclusion in school curricula, including ethnomedical knowledge, agricultural knowledge and practice, and the reinforcement of respect for traditional authority and values. However, interviewees also noted a number of practical and epistemological barriers to teaching TEK in school. These included the cultural diversity of Malekula, tensions between public and private forms of knowledge, and multiple values of TEK within the community. Conclusions TEK has potential to add value to formal education systems in Vanuatu by contextualising the content and process of curricular delivery, and by facilitating character development and self-awareness in students. These benefits are congruent with UNESCO-mandated goals for curricular reform and provide a strong argument for the inclusion of TEK in formal school systems. Such

Exploiting nucleotide composition to engineer promoters.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manfred G Grabherr

Full Text Available The choice of promoter is a critical step in optimizing the efficiency and stability of recombinant protein production in mammalian cell lines. Artificial promoters that provide stable expression across cell lines and can be designed to the desired strength constitute an alternative to the use of viral promoters. Here, we show how the nucleotide characteristics of highly active human promoters can be modelled via the genome-wide frequency distribution of short motifs: by overlapping motifs that occur infrequently in the genome, we constructed contiguous sequence that is rich in GC and CpGs, both features of known promoters, but lacking homology to real promoters. We show that snippets from this sequence, at 100 base pairs or longer, drive gene expression in vitro in a number of mammalian cells, and are thus candidates for use in protein production. We further show that expression is driven by the general transcription factors TFIIB and TFIID, both being ubiquitously present across cell types, which results in less tissue- and species-specific regulation compared to the viral promoter SV40. We lastly found that the strength of a promoter can be tuned up and down by modulating the counts of GC and CpGs in localized regions. These results constitute a "proof-of-concept" for custom-designing promoters that are suitable for biotechnological and medical applications.

Mathematical modeling of compression processes in air-driven boosters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Zeyu; Zhao Yuanyang; Li Liansheng; Shu Pengcheng

2007-01-01

The compressed air in normal pressure is used as the source of power of the air-driven booster. The continuous working of air-driven boosters relies on the difference of surface area between driven piston and driving piston, i.e., the different forces acting on the pistons. When the working surface area of the driving piston for providing power is greater than that of the driven piston for compressing gas, the gas in compression chamber will be compressed. On the basis of the first law of thermodynamics, the motion regulation of piston is analyzed and the mathematical model of compression processes is set up. Giving a calculating example, the vary trends of gas pressure and pistons' move in working process of booster have been gotten. The change of parameters at different working conditions is also calculated and compared. And the corresponding results can be referred in the design of air-driven boosters

A Baculovirus immediate-early gene, ie1, promoter drives efficient expression of a transgene in both Drosophila melanogaster and Bombyx mori.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mika Masumoto

Full Text Available Many promoters have been used to drive expression of heterologous transgenes in insects. One major obstacle in the study of non-model insects is the dearth of useful promoters for analysis of gene function. Here, we investigated whether the promoter of the immediate-early gene, ie1, from the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV could be used to drive efficient transgene expression in a wide variety of insects. We used a piggyBac-based vector with a 3xP3-DsRed transformation marker to generate a reporter construct; this construct was used to determine the expression patterns driven by the BmNPV ie1 promoter; we performed a detailed investigation of the promoter in transgene expression pattern in Drosophila melanogaster and in B. mori. Drosophila and Bombyx belong to different insect orders (Diptera and Lepidoptera, respectively; however, and to our surprise, ie1 promoter-driven expression was evident in several tissues (e.g., prothoracic gland, midgut, and tracheole in both insects. Furthermore, in both species, the ie1 promoter drove expression of the reporter gene from a relatively early embryonic stage, and strong ubiquitous ie1 promoter-driven expression continued throughout the larval, pupal, and adult stages by surface observation. Therefore, we suggest that the ie1 promoter can be used as an efficient expression driver in a diverse range of insect species.

Health promoting leadership - different views of the concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Andrea; Axelsson, Runo; Axelsson, Susanna Bihari

2011-01-01

To describe and analyse different views of health promoting leadership among actors involved in workplace health promotion in eight Swedish municipalities. Twenty individuals were interviewed and their views were analysed according to the methodology of phenomenograpic research, exploring how health promoting leadership was described, what motives were expressed, and what critical conditions were perceived for developing such leadership. The informants described health promoting leadership in three ways: organising health promoting activities, having a supportive leadership style, and developing a health promoting workplace. The motives mentioned for developing health promoting leadership were instrumental motives and improved health. The critical conditions for health promoting leadership were organisational conditions, characteristics of individual managers, and support to managers. It seems that the concept of health promoting leadership was often used to link ideas about good leadership to the health of employees. Organisational goals and management trends may also have influenced the motives as well as the conditions for development of health promoting leadership.

Limits on the generalizability of context-driven control.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutcheon, Thomas G; Spieler, Daniel H

2017-07-01

Context-driven control refers to the fast and flexible weighting of stimulus dimensions that may be applied at the onset of a stimulus. Evidence for context-driven control comes from interference tasks in which participants encounter a high proportion of incongruent trials at one location and a high proportion of congruent trials at another location. Since the size of the congruency effect varies as a function of location, this suggests that stimulus dimensions are weighted differently based on the context in which they appear. However, manipulations of condition proportion are often confounded by variations in the frequency with which particular stimuli are encountered. To date, there is limited evidence for the context-driven control in the absence of stimulus frequency confounds. In the current paper, we attempt to replicate and extend one such finding [Crump, M. J. C., & Milliken, B. (2009). The flexibility of context-specific control: Evidence for context-driven generalization of item-specific control settings. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 62, 1523-1532]. Across three experiments we fail to find evidence for context-driven control in the absence of stimulus frequency confounds. Based on these results, we argue that consistency in the informativeness of the irrelevant dimension may be required for context-driven control to emerge.

Equilibrium of current driven rotating liquid metal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velikhov, E.P.; Ivanov, A.A.; Zakharov, S.V.; Zakharov, V.S.; Livadny, A.O.; Serebrennikov, K.S.

2006-01-01

In view of great importance of magneto-rotational instability (MRI) as a fundamental mechanism for angular momentum transfer in magnetized stellar accretion disks, several research centers are involved in experimental study of MRI under laboratory conditions. The idea of the experiment is to investigate the rotation dynamics of well conducting liquid (liquid metal) between two cylinders in axial magnetic field. In this Letter, an experimental scheme with immovable cylinders and fluid rotation driven by radial current is considered. The analytical solution of a stationary flow was found taking into account the external current. Results of axially symmetric numerical simulations of current driven fluid dynamics in experimental setup geometry are presented. The analytical solution and numerical simulations show that the current driven fluid rotation in axial magnetic field provides the axially homogeneous velocity profile suitable for MRI study in classical statement

Modeling of laser-driven hydrodynamics experiments

Science.gov (United States)

di Stefano, Carlos; Doss, Forrest; Rasmus, Alex; Flippo, Kirk; Desjardins, Tiffany; Merritt, Elizabeth; Kline, John; Hager, Jon; Bradley, Paul

2017-10-01

Correct interpretation of hydrodynamics experiments driven by a laser-produced shock depends strongly on an understanding of the time-dependent effect of the irradiation conditions on the flow. In this talk, we discuss the modeling of such experiments using the RAGE radiation-hydrodynamics code. The focus is an instability experiment consisting of a period of relatively-steady shock conditions in which the Richtmyer-Meshkov process dominates, followed by a period of decaying flow conditions, in which the dominant growth process changes to Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The use of a laser model is essential for capturing the transition. also University of Michigan.

Electron heating of voltage-driven and matched dual frequency discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lieberman, M A; Lichtenberg, A J

2010-01-01

In a dual frequency capacitive sheath, a high frequency uniform sheath motion is coupled with a low frequency Child law sheath motion. For current-driven high and low frequency sheaths, the high frequency sheath motion generates most of the ohmic and stochastic heating of the discharge electrons. The low frequency motion, in addition to its primary purpose of establishing the ion bombarding energy, also increases the heating by widening the sheath width and transporting the oscillating electrons to regions of lower plasma density, and hence higher sheath velocity. In this work, we show that for voltage-driven high and low frequency sheaths, increasing the low frequency voltage reduces the heating, due to the reduced high frequency current that flows through the sheath under voltage-driven conditions. We determine the dependence of the heating on various parameters and compare the results with the current-driven case. Particle-in-cell simulations are used to confirm this result. Discharges generally employ a matching network to maximize the power transmitted to the plasma. We obtain analytic expressions for the effect of the low frequency source under matched conditions and, again, find that the low frequency source reduces the heating.

Construction and use of a Cupriavidus necator H16 soluble hydrogenase promoter (PSH fusion to gfp (green fluorescent protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bat-Erdene Jugder

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Hydrogenases are metalloenzymes that reversibly catalyse the oxidation or production of molecular hydrogen (H2. Amongst a number of promising candidates for application in the oxidation of H2 is a soluble [Ni–Fe] uptake hydrogenase (SH produced by Cupriavidus necator H16. In the present study, molecular characterisation of the SH operon, responsible for functional SH synthesis, was investigated by developing a green fluorescent protein (GFP reporter system to characterise PSH promoter activity using several gene cloning approaches. A PSH promoter-gfp fusion was successfully constructed and inducible GFP expression driven by the PSH promoter under de-repressing conditions in heterotrophic growth media was demonstrated in the recombinant C. necator H16 cells. Here we report the first successful fluorescent reporter system to study PSH promoter activity in C. necator H16. The fusion construct allowed for the design of a simple screening assay to evaluate PSH activity. Furthermore, the constructed reporter system can serve as a model to develop a rapid fluorescent based reporter for subsequent small-scale process optimisation experiments for SH expression.

Workshop salutogenesis and the future of health promotion and public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindström, Bengt

2018-02-01

This presentation is a synthesis of a workshop on Salutogenesis and the Future of Health Promotion and Public Health at the Nordic Health Promotion Research Conference in June 2016. A brief historical review of Public Health and Health Promotion development in a Nordic perspective is included. However, the main thrust of the article is to present how the salutogenic theory and approach could strengthen society's organised efforts to prevent disease, promote health and prolong life. A critical view based on existing evidence is maintained through the presentation that arrives at the conclusion it would be worthwhile to invest in effective theory driven approaches to the development of Public Health and Health Promotion in the future.

Time-resolved PIV measurements of the atmospheric boundary layer over wind-driven surface waves

Science.gov (United States)

Markfort, Corey; Stegmeir, Matt

2017-11-01

Complex interactions at the air-water interface result in two-way coupling between wind-driven surface waves and the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Turbulence generated at the surface plays an important role in aquatic ecology and biogeochemistry, exchange of gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, and it is important for the transfer of energy and controlling evaporation. Energy transferred from the ABL promotes the generation and maintenance of waves. A fraction of the energy is transferred to the surface mixed layer through the generation of turbulence. Energy is also transferred back to the ABL by waves. There is a need to quantify the details of the coupled boundary layers of the air-water system to better understand how turbulence plays a role in the interactions. We employ time-resolved PIV to measure the detailed structure of the air and water boundary layers under varying wind and wave conditions in the newly developed IIHR Boundary-Layer Wind-Wave Tunnel. The facility combines a 30-m long recirculating water channel with an open-return boundary layer wind tunnel. A thick turbulent boundary layer is developed in the 1 m high air channel, over the water surface, allowing for the study of boundary layer turbulence interacting with a wind-driven wave field.

Metode Hermeunetik dalam Penafsiran Al-Qur'an

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Akhyar Hamzah

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Memahami teks al-qur'an dengan hanya dari segi gramatika, asal-usul kala, aspek sastra, dan aspek linguistik lainnya tidak cukup untuk menjawab kebutuhan pemahaman atas teks itu sendiri. karena sangat memungkinkan untuk memberikan peluang beberapa kosa kata yang baru dapat dipahami belakangan setelah munculnya teks kauniyah maupun humaniora. Hal ini berarti memberikan lndikasi bahwa sesungguhnya kemajuan ilmu pengetahuan memiliki peran penting dalam upaya memahami teks­ teks al -Our'an. Oleh karena itu penggunaan metode hermeneutik dalam penafsiran al-Qur'an bertujuan untuk menghayati dunia teks yang bernuansa masa lalu dengan dunia empiris saat ini. Hal ini bertujuan untuk mendekatkan keduanya agar dapat menjawab semua persoalan yang terjadi ditengah-tengah masyarakat saat ini

Topology optimization of inertia driven dosing units

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Casper Schousboe

2017-01-01

This paper presents a methodology for optimizing inertia driven dosing units, sometimes referred to as eductors, for use in small scale flow applications. The unit is assumed to operate at low to moderate Reynolds numbers and under steady state conditions. By applying topology optimization...

OPTIMIZATION OF MUD HAMMER DRILLING PERFORMANCE - A PROGRAM TO BENCHMARK THE VIABILITY OF ADVANCED MUD HAMMER DRILLING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alan Black; Arnis Judzis

2003-01-01

Progress during current reporting year 2002 by quarter--Progress during Q1 2002: (1) In accordance to Task 7.0 (D. No.2 Technical Publications) TerraTek, NETL, and the Industry Contributors successfully presented a paper detailing Phase 1 testing results at the February 2002 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference, a prestigious venue for presenting DOE and private sector drilling technology advances. The full reference is as follows: IADC/SPE 74540 ''World's First Benchmarking of Drilling Mud Hammer Performance at Depth Conditions'' authored by Gordon A. Tibbitts, TerraTek; Roy C. Long, US Department of Energy, Brian E. Miller, BP America, Inc.; Arnis Judzis, TerraTek; and Alan D. Black, TerraTek. Gordon Tibbitts, TerraTek, will presented the well-attended paper in February of 2002. The full text of the Mud Hammer paper was included in the last quarterly report. (2) The Phase 2 project planning meeting (Task 6) was held at ExxonMobil's Houston Greenspoint offices on February 22, 2002. In attendance were representatives from TerraTek, DOE, BP, ExxonMobil, PDVSA, Novatek, and SDS Digger Tools. (3) PDVSA has joined the advisory board to this DOE mud hammer project. PDVSA's commitment of cash and in-kind contributions were reported during the last quarter. (4) Strong Industry support remains for the DOE project. Both Andergauge and Smith Tools have expressed an interest in participating in the ''optimization'' phase of the program. The potential for increased testing with additional Industry cash support was discussed at the planning meeting in February 2002. Progress during Q2 2002: (1) Presentation material was provided to the DOE/NETL project manager (Dr. John Rogers) for the DOE exhibit at the 2002 Offshore Technology Conference. (2) Two meeting at Smith International and one at Andergauge in Houston were held to investigate their interest in joining the Mud Hammer Performance study. (3) SDS Digger Tools (Task 3

Design, construction and conditions of the application of unreinforced concrete final lining in conventionally driven tunnels

Science.gov (United States)

Faltýnek, Jan; Hořejší, Jiří; Mařík, Libor; Růžička, Pavel

2017-09-01

The way to an economic design in the final lining in conventionally driven tunnels lies in structural analysing based on the actually encountered geotechnical conditions. Regarding reinforced concrete structures, many standards and regulations applicable to designing and building structures and taking them over by the client before their commissioning and before the end of the warranty period respectively exist in the Czech Republic. If the local conditions allow it, it is possible to design the final lining as an unreinforced concrete structure. In such a case it is necessary to take the differences into consideration in the structural design and in the possibilities of the lining behaviour and to set criteria for taking over the lining allowing for its use. Setting too stringent criteria for cracking can lead to an increase in the contract price, either because of the necessity for reinforcing the lining or because of the fact that the contractor reduces the risk by incorporating the assumed cost of repairs into the total cost. The paper describes basic differences in the approach to reinforced concrete and unreinforced concrete linings, the possibilities of limiting formation of cracks by means of the concrete mix design, by selection of the technological procedure of the work and the method of curing after stripping. The text contains a comparison of criteria for assessing the surface of an unreinforced concrete lining with criteria in foreign regulations.

Development of a promoter shutoff system in Aspergillus oryzae using a sorbitol-sensitive promoter.

Science.gov (United States)

Oda, Ken; Terado, Shiho; Toyoura, Rieko; Fukuda, Hisashi; Kawauchi, Moriyuki; Iwashita, Kazuhiro

2016-09-01

Promoter shutoff is a general method for analyzing essential genes, but in the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, no tightly repressed promoters have been reported. To overcome the current limitations of conditional promoters, we examined sorbitol- and galactose-responsive genes using microarrays to identify regulatable genes with only minor physiological and genetic effects. We identified two sorbitol-induced genes (designated as sorA and sorB), cloned their promoters, and built a regulated egfp and brlA expression system. Growth medium-dependent enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) fluorescence and conidiation were confirmed for egfp and brlA under the control of their respective promoters. We also used this shutoff system to regulate the essential rhoA, which demonstrated the expected growth inhibition under repressed growth conditions. Our new sorbitol promoter shutoff system developed can serve as a valuable new tool for essential gene analyses of filamentous fungi.

Characterization of human erythroid burst-promoting activity derived from bone marrow conditioned media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, P.N.; Ogawa, M.

1982-01-01

Bone marrow conditioned media (BMCM) increases burst number and the incorporation of 59 Fe into heme by bursts when peripheral blood or bone marrow cells are cultured at limiting serum concentrations. Burst-promoting activity (BPA) has now been purified approximately 300-fold from this source by ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex and absorption chromatography on hydroxyapatite agarose gel. Marrow BPA increased burst number and hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. A larger increase in Hb synthesis than in burst number was consistently observed, which was probably a consequence of the increase in the number of cells per burst that occurs in the presence of BPA. The role of BPA in culture could be distinguished from erythropoietin (Ep), since no bursts grew in the absence of Ep, whether or not BPA was present, and since it had no effect on the growth of erythroid colonies scored at day 5 of culture. Our purified fraction did not support the growth of CFU-C in culture. Activity was stable at temperatures of 70 degrees C or lower for 10 min; exposure to 80 degrees C resulted in approximately 50% loss of activity. BPA was completely inactivated by treatment at 100 degrees C for 10 min. Thus, human bone marrow cells produce a heat-sensitive factor that specifically promotes the growth of early erythroid progenitors in culture

Goethite promoted biodegradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol under nitrate reduction condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Ting; Yue, Zhengbo; Wang, Jin; Chen, Tianhu; Qing, Chengsong

2018-02-05

Iron oxide may interact with other pollutants in the aquatic environments and further influence their toxicity, transport and fate. The current study was conducted to investigate the biodegradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) in the presence of iron oxide of goethite under anoxic condition using nitrate as the electron acceptor. Experiment results showed that the degradation rate of 2,4-DNP was improved by goethite. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectra analysis results showed that goethite promoted degradation and transformation of 2,4-diaminophenol and 2-amino-4-nitrophenol (2-nitro-4-aminophenol). Microbial community analysis results showed that the abundance of Actinobacteria, which have the potential ability to degrade PAHs, was increased when goethite was available. This might partially explain the higher degradation of 2,4-DNP. Furthermore, another bacterium of Desulfotomaculum reducens which could reduce soluble Fe(III) and nitrate was also increased. Results further confirmed that nanomaterials in the aquatic environment will influence the microbial community and further change the transformation process of toxic pollutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bulk-viscosity-driven asymmetric inflationary universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waga, I.; Lima, J.A.S.; Portugal, R.

1987-01-01

A primordial net bosinic charge is introduced in the context of the bulk-viscosity-driven inflationary models. The analysis is carried through a macroscopic point of view in the framework of the causal thermodynamic theory. The conditions for having exponetial and generalized inflation are obtained. A phenomenological expression for the bulk viscosity coefficient is also derived. (author) [pt

Stakeholder-Driven Quality Improvement: A Compelling Force for Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenfeld, Richard M; Wyer, Peter C

2018-01-01

Clinical practice guideline development should be driven by rigorous methodology, but what is less clear is where quality improvement enters the process: should it be a priority-guiding force, or should it enter only after recommendations are formulated? We argue for a stakeholder-driven approach to guideline development, with an overriding goal of quality improvement based on stakeholder perceptions of needs, uncertainties, and knowledge gaps. In contrast, the widely used topic-driven approach, which often makes recommendations based only on randomized controlled trials, is driven by epidemiologic purity and evidence rigor, with quality improvement a downstream consideration. The advantages of a stakeholder-driven versus a topic-driven approach are highlighted by comparisons of guidelines for otitis media with effusion, thyroid nodules, sepsis, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. These comparisons show that stakeholder-driven guidelines are more likely to address the quality improvement needs and pressing concerns of clinicians and patients, including understudied populations and patients with multiple chronic conditions. Conversely, a topic-driven approach often addresses "typical" patients, based on research that may not reflect the needs of high-risk groups excluded from studies because of ethical issues or a desire for purity of research design.

"We Might Go Back to This"; Drawing on the Past to Meet the Future in Northwestern North American Indigenous Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy Turner

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK systems are as important today for the survival and well-being of many indigenous peoples as they ever were. These ways of knowing have much to contribute at a time of marked climate change. As indigenous peoples have sustained exposure to natural resources and phenomena in particular places over time, they are privy to the cumulative knowledge on the location and timing of a host of significant environmental events and processes. Not only do their intimate experiences of seasonal weather conditions, tides and currents, species, and environmental indicators contribute to a better understanding of the nature, rate, and intensity of climate change, but TEK systems can potentially contribute to more effective planning and decision making regarding resilience and adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, the values of respect and recognition of kinship with other species that are often embodied in these systems can serve to remind all of us about the imperative to conserve and protect these other species if we are to survive as humans. We identify some of the more obvious areas where TEK systems can provide important insights for climate change planners in British Columbia, Canada as well as some of the potential challenges to attempting to integrate TEK into mainstream planning for climate change.

Using the computer-driven VR environment to promote experiences of natural world immersion

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Lisa A.

2013-03-01

In December, 2011, over 800 people experienced the exhibit, :"der"//pattern for a virtual environment, created for the fully immersive CAVETM at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This exhibition took my nature-based photographic work and reinterpreted it for virtual reality (VR).Varied responses such as: "It's like a moment of joy," or "I had to see it twice," or "I'm still thinking about it weeks later" were common. Although an implied goal of my 2D artwork is to create a connection that makes viewers more aware of what it means to be a part of the natural world, these six VR environments opened up an unexpected area of inquiry that my 2D work has not. Even as the experience was mediated by machines, there was a softening at the interface between technology and human sensibility. Somehow, for some people, through the unlikely auspices of a computer-driven environment, the project spoke to a human essence that they connected with in a way that went beyond all expectations and felt completely out of my hands. Other interesting behaviors were noted: in some scenarios some spoke of intense anxiety, acrophobia, claustrophobia-even fear of death when the scene took them underground. These environments were believable enough to cause extreme responses and disorientation for some people; were fun, pleasant and wonder-filled for most; and were liberating, poetic and meditative for many others. The exhibition seemed to promote imaginative skills, creativity, emotional insight, and environmental sensitivity. It also revealed the CAVETM to be a powerful tool that can encourage uniquely productive experiences. Quite by accident, I watched as these nature-based environments revealed and articulated an essential relationship between the human spirit and the physical world. The CAVETM is certainly not a natural space, but there is clear potential to explore virtual environments as a path to better and deeper connections between people and nature. We've long associated contact

Turbulent mixed buoyancy driven flow and heat transfer in lid driven enclosure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, Ajay Kumar; Sharma, Anil Kumar

2015-01-01

Turbulent mixed buoyancy driven flow and heat transfer of air in lid driven rectangular enclosure has been investigated for Grashof number in the range of 10 8 to 10 11 and for Richardson number 0.1, 1 and 10. Steady two dimensional Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes equations and conservation equations of mass and energy, coupled with the Boussinesq approximation, are solved. The spatial derivatives in the equations are discretized using the finite-element method. The SIMPLE algorithm is used to resolve pressure-velocity coupling. Turbulence is modeled with the k-ω closure model with physical boundary conditions along with the Boussinesq approximation, for the flow and heat transfer. The predicted results are validated against benchmark solutions reported in literature. The results include stream lines and temperature fields are presented to understand flow and heat transfer characteristics. There is a marked reduction in mean Nusselt number (about 58%) as the Richardson number increases from 0.1 to 10 for the case of Ra=10 10 signifying the effect of reduction of top lid velocity resulting in reduction of turbulent mixing. (author)

The bZIP transcription factor HY5 interacts with the promoter of the monoterpene synthase gene QH6 in modulating its rhythmic expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Fei; Sun, Tian-Hu; Zhao, Lei; Pan, Xi-Wu; Lu, Shan

2015-01-01

The Artemisia annua L. β-pinene synthase QH6 was previously determined to be circadian-regulated at the transcriptional level, showing a rhythmic fluctuation of steady-state transcript abundances. Here we isolated both the genomic sequence and upstream promoter region of QH6. Different regulatory elements, such as G-box (TGACACGTGGCA, -421 bp from the translation initiation site) which might have effects on rhythmic gene expression, were found. Using the yeast one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), we confirmed that the bZIP transcription factor HY5 binds to this motif of QH6. Studies with promoter truncations before and after this motif suggested that this G-box was important for the diurnal fluctuation of the transgenic β-glucuronidase gene (GUS) transcript abundance in Arabidopsis thaliana. GUS gene driven by the promoter region immediately after G-box showed an arrhythmic expression in both light/dark (LD) and constant dark (DD) conditions, whereas the control with G-box retained its fluctuation in both LD and DD. We further transformed A. thaliana with the luciferase gene (LUC) driven by an 1400 bp fragment upstream QH6 with its G-box intact or mutated, respectively. The luciferase activity assay showed that a peak in the early morning disappeared in the mutant. Gene expression analysis also demonstrated that the rhythmic expression of LUC was abolished in the hy5-1 mutant.

Testing a user-driven approach in health promotion activities targeting users of psychiatric services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Folmann Hempler, Nana; Saurbrey Pals, Regitze; Oest, Lone

2017-01-01

Compared to the general population, users of psychiatric services (users) are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is associated with lifestyle behaviours. The aim of this study was to pilot test a new collaborative approach in health promotion targeting users. The approach is based...... with course participants and users. Professionals had to test at least one tool in a health promoting activity such as health checks, exercise etc. Data were collected through observations of health promoting activities (n=15) and questionnaires (n=54). Data were analysed using systematic text condensation...... and descriptive statistics. The majority of professionals found that the new approach to a moderate/high degree had improved their collaborative skills (89.3%) and Research Center of Health Promotionwas well-suited for their practice (93.5%). Observations showed that professionals successfully integrated...

Generation of Raman lasers from nitrogen molecular ions driven by ultraintense laser fields

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Jinping; Chu, Wei; Liu, Zhaoxiang; Xu, Bo; Chen, Jinming; Cheng, Ya

2018-03-01

Atmospheric lasing has aroused much interest in the past few years. The ‘air–laser’ opens promising potential for remote chemical sensing of trace gases with high sensitivity and specificity. At present, several approaches have been successfully implemented for generating highly coherent laser beams in atmospheric condition, including both amplified-spontaneous emission, and narrow-bandwidth stimulated emission in the forward direction in the presence of self-generated or externally injected seed pulses. Here, we report on generation of multiple-wavelength Raman lasers from nitrogen molecular ions ({{{N}}}2+), driven by intense mid-infrared laser fields. Intuitively, the approach appears problematic for the small nonlinear susceptibility of {{{N}}}2+ ions, whereas the efficiency of Raman laser can be significantly promoted in near-resonant condition. More surprisingly, a Raman laser consisting of a supercontinuum spanning from ∼310 to ∼392 nm has been observed resulting from a series near-resonant nonlinear processes including four-wave mixing, stimulated Raman scattering and cross phase modulation. To date, extreme nonlinear optics in molecular ions remains largely unexplored, which provides an alternative means for air–laser-based remote sensing applications.

Current status and analysis of renewable promotional policies in Indian restructured power sector - A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Randhir; Sood, Yog Raj

2011-01-01

Restructuring has changed the traditional mission and mandates of power utilities in complex ways, and had large impacts on environmental, social, and political conditions for any particular country. At the same time, new regulatory approaches are being found for reducing environmental impacts in restructured power sectors. India has a vast supply of renewable energy resources, and it has one of the largest programs in the world for deploying renewable energy based products and systems. So this paper attempts to review the various policies and measures undertaken by Indian government for promotion of renewable energy. The aim of this paper is also to review the current policy mechanisms, especially investment- or generation-based price-driven and capacity-driven mechanisms, ranging from investment incentives for the development of renewable energy projects, feed-in tariffs, production tax incentives, tradable green certificates, and their effects upon the prospects of encouraging as well as expanding the development of renewable energy in Indian restructured power sector. This will make renewable more attractive in the Indian future electricity market. (author)

The Stability Analysis and New Torque Control Strategy of Direct-Driven PMSG Wind Turbines

OpenAIRE

Jun Liu; Feihang Zhou; Gungyi Wang

2016-01-01

This paper expounds on the direct-driven PMSG wind power system control strategy, and analyses the stability conditions of the system. The direct-driven PMSG wind power system may generate the intense mechanical vibration, when wind speed changes dramatically. This paper proposes a new type of torque control strategy, which increases the system damping effectively, mitigates mechanical vibration of the system, and enhances the stability conditions of the system. The simulation results verify ...

Implementing Mathematics Teaching That Promotes Students' Understanding through Theory-Driven Lesson Study

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rongjin; Gong, Zikun; Han, Xue

2016-01-01

Lesson study (LS) has been practiced in China as an effective way to advance teachers' professional development for decades. This study explores how LS improves teaching that promotes students' understanding. A LS group including didacticians (practice-based teaching research specialist and University-based mathematics educators) and mathematics…

Model-Driven Analysis of Eyeblink Classical Conditioning Reveals the Underlying Structure of Cerebellar Plasticity and Neuronal Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonietti, Alberto; Casellato, Claudia; D'Angelo, Egidio; Pedrocchi, Alessandra

The cerebellum plays a critical role in sensorimotor control. However, how the specific circuits and plastic mechanisms of the cerebellum are engaged in closed-loop processing is still unclear. We developed an artificial sensorimotor control system embedding a detailed spiking cerebellar microcircuit with three bidirectional plasticity sites. This proved able to reproduce a cerebellar-driven associative paradigm, the eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC), in which a precise time relationship between an unconditioned stimulus (US) and a conditioned stimulus (CS) is established. We challenged the spiking model to fit an experimental data set from human subjects. Two subsequent sessions of EBCC acquisition and extinction were recorded and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied on the cerebellum to alter circuit function and plasticity. Evolutionary algorithms were used to find the near-optimal model parameters to reproduce the behaviors of subjects in the different sessions of the protocol. The main finding is that the optimized cerebellar model was able to learn to anticipate (predict) conditioned responses with accurate timing and success rate, demonstrating fast acquisition, memory stabilization, rapid extinction, and faster reacquisition as in EBCC in humans. The firing of Purkinje cells (PCs) and deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) changed during learning under the control of synaptic plasticity, which evolved at different rates, with a faster acquisition in the cerebellar cortex than in DCN synapses. Eventually, a reduced PC activity released DCN discharge just after the CS, precisely anticipating the US and causing the eyeblink. Moreover, a specific alteration in cortical plasticity explained the EBCC changes induced by cerebellar TMS in humans. In this paper, for the first time, it is shown how closed-loop simulations, using detailed cerebellar microcircuit models, can be successfully used to fit real experimental data sets. Thus, the changes of the

Evaluation of novel inducible promoter/repressor systems for recombinant protein expression in Lactobacillus plantarum.

Science.gov (United States)

Heiss, Silvia; Hörmann, Angelika; Tauer, Christopher; Sonnleitner, Margot; Egger, Esther; Grabherr, Reingard; Heinl, Stefan

2016-03-10

Engineering lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is of growing importance for food and feed industry as well as for in vivo vaccination or the production of recombinant proteins in food grade organisms. Often, expression of a transgene is only desired at a certain time point or period, e.g. to minimize the metabolic burden for the host cell or to control the expression time span. For this purpose, inducible expression systems are preferred, though cost and availability of the inducing agent must be feasible. We selected the plasmid free strain Lactobacillus plantarum 3NSH for testing and characterization of novel inducible promoters/repressor systems. Their feasibility in recombinant protein production was evaluated. Expression of the reporter protein mCherry was monitored with the BioLector(®) micro-fermentation system. Reporter gene mCherry expression was compared under the control of different promoter/repressor systems: PlacA (an endogenous promoter/repressor system derived from L. plantarum 3NSH), PxylA (a promoter/repressor system derived from Bacillus megaterium DSMZ 319) and PlacSynth (synthetic promoter and codon-optimized repressor gene based on the Escherichia coli lac operon). We observed that PlacA was inducible solely by lactose, but not by non-metabolizable allolactose analoga. PxylA was inducible by xylose, yet showed basal expression under non-induced conditions. Growth on galactose (as compared to exponential growth phase on glucose) reduced basal mCherry expression at non-induced conditions. PlacSynth was inducible with TMG (methyl β-D-thiogalactopyranoside) and IPTG (isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside), but also showed basal expression without inducer. The promoter PlacSynth was used for establishment of a dual plasmid expression system, based on T7 RNA polymerase driven expression in L. plantarum. Comparative Western blot supported BioLector(®) micro-fermentation measurements. Conclusively, overall expression levels were moderate (compared to a

TravTek evaluation Orlando test network study

Science.gov (United States)

1996-03-01

THE INVEHICLE SAFETY ADVISORY AND WARNING SYSTEM (IVSAWS) IS A FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION EFFORT TO DEVELOP A NATIONWIDE VEHICULAR INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES DRIVERS WITH ADVANCE, SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATION OF DANGEROUS ROAD CONDITIONS USING...

Field Tests to Investigate the Penetration Rate of Piles Driven by Vibratory Installation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaohui Qin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Factors directly affecting the penetration rate of piles installed by vibratory driving technique are summarized and classified into seven aspects which are driving force, resistance, vibratory amplitude, energy consumption, speeding up at the beginning, pile plumbness keeping, and slowing down at the end, from the mechanism and engineering practice of the vibratory pile driving. In order to find out how these factors affect the penetration rate of the pile in three major actors of vibratory pile driving: (i the pile to be driven, (ii the selected driving system, and (iii the imposed soil conditions, field tests on steel sheet piles driven by vibratory driving technique in different soil conditions are conducted. The penetration rates of three different sheet pile types having up to four different lengths installed using two different vibratory driving systems are documented. Piles with different lengths and types driven with or without clutch have different penetration rates. The working parameters of vibratory hammer, such as driving force and vibratory amplitude, have great influences on the penetration rate of the pile, especially at the later stages of the sinking process. Penetration rate of piles driven in different soil conditions is uniform because of the different penetration resistance including shaft friction and toe resistance.

Over-time associations among parental self-efficacy, promotive parenting practices, and adolescents' externalizing behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Glatz, Terese; Buchanan, Christy M

2015-06-01

Parental self-efficacy (PSE) is defined as parents' beliefs about their abilities to influence their children in a way that fosters their children's positive development. Research has shown links among PSE, parenting, and children's behavior (Jones & Prinz, 2005), but there are still questions concerning the associations over time. Theory predicts 3 types of processes relevant to these associations: a PSE-driven process, a parent-behavior-driven process, and a child-driven process. In this study, we tested these processes during early to middle adolescence using reports from 401 parents (286 mothers, 115 fathers) from 305 families, and their adolescents (Mage = 11.5 years), at 3 time points. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the associations among PSE, promotive parenting practices, and adolescents' externalizing. Results supported a PSE-driven process for mothers within early adolescence. In addition, evidence for parent-behavior-driven and child-driven processes emerged at different times within this developmental period. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Systematic procedures to promote U.S. HIV medication adherence via Photovoice.

Science.gov (United States)

Teti, Michelle; Shaffer, Victoria; Majee, Wilson; Farnan, Rose; Gerkovich, Mary

2017-06-21

Medication adherence is essential to promote the health of people living with HIV (PL-HIV) and prevent HIV transmission in the U.S. Novel medication health promotion interventions are needed that address patient-centeredness, understandability, and communication with providers. The aims of this article are to define the systematic stages we used to develop an effective health promotion intervention via the products (e.g. images and stories) of Photovoice. We designed an intervention to improve HIV adherence knowledge, attitudes, and communication with providers through Photovoice. 16 PL-HIV used Photovoice strategies to describe their experiences with medication via images and captions and create an intervention (10 adherence promotion posters) that integrated photo-stories of their adherence motivators, journeys from sickness to health, and how they manage and counter HIV stigma. We outline the systematic process we used to adapt Photovoice to create the effective intervention for replication. The process included six stages: (i) identify scope of the project; (ii) create collaborative project team; (iii) design project materials; (iv) review and revise materials with team members; (v) disseminate materials; and (vi) evaluate materials. Photovoice is used traditionally as a social action research method. In this project, it was adapted to create patient-driven images and stories for health promotion posters. Poster viewers experienced improved self-efficacy for HIV medication adherence. Describing the adaptation of the Photovoice process in a deliberate and transparent way can support fidelity to the essence of the participant-driven method, while also allowing researchers and practitioners to replicate Photovoice as a successful health promotion intervention. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Curvature driven instabilities in toroidal plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, P.

1986-11-01

The electromagnetic ballooning mode, the curvature driven trapped electron mode and the toroidally induced ion temperature gradient mode have been studies. Eigenvalue equations have been derived and solved both numerically and analytically. For electromagnetic ballooning modes the effects of convective damping, finite Larmor radius, higher order curvature terms, and temperature gradients have been investigated. A fully toroidal fluid ion model has been developed. It is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for an instability below the MHD limit is the presence of an ion temperature gradient. Analytical dispersion relations giving results in good agreement with numerical solutions are also presented. The curvature driven trapped electron modes are found to be unstable for virtually all parameters with growth rates of the order of the diamagnetic drift frequency. Studies have been made, using both a gyrokinetic ion description and the fully toroidal ion model. Both analytical and numerical results are presented and are found to be in good agreement. The toroidally induced ion temperature gradients modes are found to have a behavior similar to that of the curvature driven trapped electron modes and can in the electrostatic limit be described by a simple quadratic dispersion equation. (author)

A defect-driven diagnostic method for machine tool spindles.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogl, Gregory W; Donmez, M Alkan

2015-01-01

Simple vibration-based metrics are, in many cases, insufficient to diagnose machine tool spindle condition. These metrics couple defect-based motion with spindle dynamics; diagnostics should be defect-driven. A new method and spindle condition estimation device (SCED) were developed to acquire data and to separate system dynamics from defect geometry. Based on this method, a spindle condition metric relying only on defect geometry is proposed. Application of the SCED on various milling and turning spindles shows that the new approach is robust for diagnosing the machine tool spindle condition.

Analyses of a whole-genome inter-clade recombination map of hepatitis delta virus suggest a host polymerase-driven and viral RNA structure-promoted template-switching mechanism for viral RNA recombination

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Mei; Wang, Tzu-Chi; Lin, Chia-Chi; Yung-Liang Wang, Robert; Lin, Wen-Bin; Lee, Shang-En; Cheng, Ying-Yu; Yeh, Chau-Ting; Iang, Shan-Bei

2017-01-01

The genome of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a 1.7-kb single-stranded circular RNA that folds into an unbranched rod-like structure and has ribozyme activity. HDV redirects host RNA polymerase(s) (RNAP) to perform viral RNA-directed RNA transcription. RNA recombination is known to contribute to the genetic heterogeneity of HDV, but its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we established a whole-genome HDV-1/HDV-4 recombination map using two cloned sequences coexisting in cultured cells. Our functional analyses of the resulting chimeric delta antigens (the only viral-encoded protein) and recombinant genomes provide insights into how recombination promotes the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of HDV. Our examination of crossover distribution and subsequent mutagenesis analyses demonstrated that ribozyme activity on HDV genome, which is required for viral replication, also contributes to the generation of an inter-clade junction. These data provide circumstantial evidence supporting our contention that HDV RNA recombination occurs via a replication-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, we identify an intrinsic asymmetric bulge on the HDV genome, which appears to promote recombination events in the vicinity. We therefore propose a mammalian RNAP-driven and viral-RNA-structure-promoted template-switching mechanism for HDV genetic recombination. The present findings improve our understanding of the capacities of the host RNAP beyond typical DNA-directed transcription. PMID:28977829

Ball driven type MEMS SAD for artillery fuse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seok, Jin Oh; Jeong, Ji-hun; Eom, Junseong; Lee, Seung S; Lee, Chun Jae; Ryu, Sung Moon; Oh, Jong Soo

2017-01-01

The SAD (safety and arming device) is an indispensable fuse component that ensures safe and reliable performance during the use of ammunition. Because the application of electronic devices for smart munitions is increasing, miniaturization of the SAD has become one of the key issues for next-generation artillery fuses. Based on MEMS technology, various types of miniaturized SADs have been proposed and fabricated. However, none of them have been reported to have been used in actual munitions due to their lack of high impact endurance and complicated explosive train arrangements. In this research, a new MEMS SAD using a ball driven mechanism, is successfully demonstrated based on a UV LIGA (lithography, electroplating and molding) process. Unlike other MEMS SADs, both high impact endurance and simple structure were achieved by using a ball driven mechanism. The simple structural design also simplified the fabrication process and increased the processing yield. The ball driven type MEMS SAD performed successfully under the desired safe and arming conditions of a spin test and showed fine agreement with the FEM simulation result, conducted prior to its fabrication. A field test was also performed with a grenade launcher to evaluate the SAD performance in the firing environment. All 30 of the grenade samples equipped with the proposed MEMS SAD operated successfully under the high-G setback condition. (paper)

Ball driven type MEMS SAD for artillery fuse

Science.gov (United States)

Seok, Jin Oh; Jeong, Ji-hun; Eom, Junseong; Lee, Seung S.; Lee, Chun Jae; Ryu, Sung Moon; Oh, Jong Soo

2017-01-01

The SAD (safety and arming device) is an indispensable fuse component that ensures safe and reliable performance during the use of ammunition. Because the application of electronic devices for smart munitions is increasing, miniaturization of the SAD has become one of the key issues for next-generation artillery fuses. Based on MEMS technology, various types of miniaturized SADs have been proposed and fabricated. However, none of them have been reported to have been used in actual munitions due to their lack of high impact endurance and complicated explosive train arrangements. In this research, a new MEMS SAD using a ball driven mechanism, is successfully demonstrated based on a UV LIGA (lithography, electroplating and molding) process. Unlike other MEMS SADs, both high impact endurance and simple structure were achieved by using a ball driven mechanism. The simple structural design also simplified the fabrication process and increased the processing yield. The ball driven type MEMS SAD performed successfully under the desired safe and arming conditions of a spin test and showed fine agreement with the FEM simulation result, conducted prior to its fabrication. A field test was also performed with a grenade launcher to evaluate the SAD performance in the firing environment. All 30 of the grenade samples equipped with the proposed MEMS SAD operated successfully under the high-G setback condition.

Preparation of pHEMA-CP composites with high interfacial adhesionvia template-driven mineralization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Jie; Saiz, Eduardo; Bertozzi, Carolyn R.

2002-12-05

We report a template-driven nucleation and mineral growth process for the high-affinity integration of calcium phosphate (CP) with a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogel scaffold. A mineralization technique was developed that exposes carboxylate groups on the surface of crosslinked pHEMA, promoting high-affinity nucleation and growth of calcium phosphate on the surface along with extensive calcification of the hydrogel interior. External factors such as the heating rate, the agitation of the mineral stock solution and the duration of the process that affect the outcome of the mineralization were investigated. This template-driven mineralization technique provides an efficient approach toward bonelike composites with high mineral-hydrogel interfacial adhesion strength.

Resonances in a periodically driven bosonic system

Science.gov (United States)

Quelle, Anton; Smith, Cristiane Morais

2017-11-01

Periodically driven systems are a common topic in modern physics. In optical lattices specifically, driving is at the origin of many interesting phenomena. However, energy is not conserved in driven systems, and under periodic driving, heating of a system is a real concern. In an effort to better understand this phenomenon, the heating of single-band systems has been studied, with a focus on disorder- and interaction-induced effects, such as many-body localization. Nevertheless, driven systems occur in a much wider context than this, leaving room for further research. Here, we fill this gap by studying a noninteracting model, characterized by discrete, periodically spaced energy levels that are unbounded from above. We couple these energy levels resonantly through a periodic drive, and discuss the heating dynamics of this system as a function of the driving protocol. In this way, we show that a combination of stimulated emission and absorption causes the presence of resonant stable states. This will serve to elucidate the conditions under which resonant driving causes heating in quantum systems.

Resonances in a periodically driven bosonic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Quelle, Anton; Smith, Cristiane Morais

2017-11-01

Periodically driven systems are a common topic in modern physics. In optical lattices specifically, driving is at the origin of many interesting phenomena. However, energy is not conserved in driven systems, and under periodic driving, heating of a system is a real concern. In an effort to better understand this phenomenon, the heating of single-band systems has been studied, with a focus on disorder- and interaction-induced effects, such as many-body localization. Nevertheless, driven systems occur in a much wider context than this, leaving room for further research. Here, we fill this gap by studying a noninteracting model, characterized by discrete, periodically spaced energy levels that are unbounded from above. We couple these energy levels resonantly through a periodic drive, and discuss the heating dynamics of this system as a function of the driving protocol. In this way, we show that a combination of stimulated emission and absorption causes the presence of resonant stable states. This will serve to elucidate the conditions under which resonant driving causes heating in quantum systems.

Modeling and numerical simulation of a novel solar-powered absorption air conditioning system driven by a bubble pump with energy storage

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIU Jia; LIANG Jian; CHEN GuangMing; DU RuXu

2009-01-01

This paper presents a novel solar-powered absorption air conditioning system driven by a bubble pump with energy storage. It solves the problem of unreliable solar energy supply by storing the working fluids and hence, functions 24 h per day. First, the working principles are described and the dynamic models for the primary energy storage components are developed. Then, the system is evaluated based on a numerical simulation. Based on the meteorological data of a typical day in a subtropical area, with the area of a solar collector being set at 19.15 m2, whilst the initial charging mass, mass fraction and temperature of the solution are respectively set at 379.5 kg, 54.16% and 34.5 ℃, it is found that the respective coefficients of performance (COP) of the air conditioning system and the en-tire system (including the solar panel) are 0.7771 and 0.4372. In particular, the energy storage density of the system is 206.69 MJ/m3 which is much greater than those of chilled water or hot water storage systems under comparable conditions. This makes the new system much more compact and efficient. Finally, an automatic control strategy is given to achieve the highest COP when solar energy fluctuates.

Selective suppression of autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by two-step transcriptional amplified human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter on ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yue; Xin, Xing; Xia, Zhijun; Zhai, Xingyue; Shen, Keng

2014-07-01

The objective of our study was to construct recombinant adenovirus (rAd) AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3, which expresses autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (hTERTp) with a two-step transcription amplification (TSTA) system and investigate its antitumor effects on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Fluorescent detection was used to detect EGFP expression in various cells. Cell viabilities were determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry. RT-PCR and immunoblotting assays were used to detect cellular apoptotic activities. Tumor growth and survival of tumor-bearing mice were studied. The hTERTp-TSTA system showed the strongest activity in hTERT-positive cancer cells when compared with hTERTp and cytomeglovirus promoter (CMVp). In contrast, it showed no activity in hTERT‑negative HUVECs. AdHTVP2G5‑rev-casp3 markedly suppressed the survival of AO cells in a dose-dependent modality with a viability rate of 17.8 ± 3.5% at an MOI of 70, which was significantly lower than that by AdHT-rev-casp3 and Ad-rev-casp3 (rAds which express rev-caspase-3 driven by hTERTp and CMVp, respectively). In contrast, AdHTVP2G5‑rev-casp3 induced little HUVEC death with a viability rate of 92.7 ± 5.2% at the same MOI. Additionally, AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3 (MOI=70) caused significant apoptosis in AO cells with an apoptotic rate of 42%. The tumor growth suppression rate of AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3 was 81.52%, significantly higher than that of AdHT-rev-casp3 (54.94%) or Ad-rev-casp3 (21.35%). AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3 significantly improved the survival of tumor-bearing mice with little liver damage, with a mean survival of 258 ± 28 days. These results showed that AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3 caused effective apoptosis with significant tumor selectivity, strongly suppressed tumor growth and improved mouse survival with little liver toxicity. It can be a potent therapeutic agent for tumor targeted treatment of ovarian cancer.

mTORC2 Promotes Tumorigenesis via Lipid Synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Guri, Yakir; Colombi, Marco; Dazert, Eva; Hindupur, Sravanth K; Roszik, Jason; Moes, Suzette; Jenoe, Paul; Heim, Markus H; Riezman, Isabelle; Riezman, Howard; Hall, Michael N

2017-12-11

Dysregulated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) promotes cancer, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We describe an mTOR-driven mouse model that displays hepatosteatosis progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Longitudinal proteomic, lipidomics, and metabolomic analyses revealed that hepatic mTORC2 promotes de novo fatty acid and lipid synthesis, leading to steatosis and tumor development. In particular, mTORC2 stimulated sphingolipid (glucosylceramide) and glycerophospholipid (cardiolipin) synthesis. Inhibition of fatty acid or sphingolipid synthesis prevented tumor development, indicating a causal effect in tumorigenesis. Increased levels of cardiolipin were associated with tubular mitochondria and enhanced oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, increased lipogenesis correlated with elevated mTORC2 activity and HCC in human patients. Thus, mTORC2 promotes cancer via formation of lipids essential for growth and energy production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Asymmetric driven dynamics of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sánchez-Tejerina, L. [Dpto. Electricidad y Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); Alejos, Ó., E-mail: oscaral@ee.uva.es [Dpto. Electricidad y Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); Martínez, E. [Dpto. Física Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, 37011 Salamanca (Spain); Muñoz, J.M. [Dpto. Electricidad y Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain)

2016-07-01

The dynamics of domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is studied from both numerical and analytical micromagnetics. The influence of a moderate interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction associated to a bi-layer strip arrangement has been considered, giving rise to the formation of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls. Such walls possess under equilibrium conditions an inner magnetization structure defined by a certain orientation angle that make them to be considered as intermediate configurations between Bloch and Néel walls. Two different dynamics are considered, a field-driven and a current-driven dynamics, in particular, the one promoted by the spin torque due to the spin-Hall effect. Results show an inherent asymmetry associated with the rotation of the domain wall magnetization orientation before reaching the stationary regime, characterized by a constant terminal speed. For a certain initial DW magnetization orientation at rest, the rotation determines whether the reorientation of the DW magnetization prior to reach stationary motion is smooth or abrupt. This asymmetry affects the DW motion, which can even reverse for a short period of time. Additionally, it is found that the terminal speed in the case of the current-driven dynamics may depend on either the initial DW magnetization orientation at rest or the sign of the longitudinally injected current. - Highlights: • The asymmetric response of domain walls in bilayer strips with PMA is studied. • Out-of-plane fields and SHE longitudinal currents are applied. • The response is associated to the rotation of the domain wall inner magnetization. • Clockwise and counter-clockwise magnetization rotations are not equivalent. • The asymmetry results in different travelled distances and/or terminal speeds.

Asymmetric driven dynamics of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sánchez-Tejerina, L.; Alejos, Ó.; Martínez, E.; Muñoz, J.M.

2016-01-01

The dynamics of domain walls in ultrathin ferromagnetic strips with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is studied from both numerical and analytical micromagnetics. The influence of a moderate interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction associated to a bi-layer strip arrangement has been considered, giving rise to the formation of Dzyaloshinskii domain walls. Such walls possess under equilibrium conditions an inner magnetization structure defined by a certain orientation angle that make them to be considered as intermediate configurations between Bloch and Néel walls. Two different dynamics are considered, a field-driven and a current-driven dynamics, in particular, the one promoted by the spin torque due to the spin-Hall effect. Results show an inherent asymmetry associated with the rotation of the domain wall magnetization orientation before reaching the stationary regime, characterized by a constant terminal speed. For a certain initial DW magnetization orientation at rest, the rotation determines whether the reorientation of the DW magnetization prior to reach stationary motion is smooth or abrupt. This asymmetry affects the DW motion, which can even reverse for a short period of time. Additionally, it is found that the terminal speed in the case of the current-driven dynamics may depend on either the initial DW magnetization orientation at rest or the sign of the longitudinally injected current. - Highlights: • The asymmetric response of domain walls in bilayer strips with PMA is studied. • Out-of-plane fields and SHE longitudinal currents are applied. • The response is associated to the rotation of the domain wall inner magnetization. • Clockwise and counter-clockwise magnetization rotations are not equivalent. • The asymmetry results in different travelled distances and/or terminal speeds.

Locative media and data-driven computing experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Yueh Perng

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Over the past two decades urban social life has undergone a rapid and pervasive geocoding, becoming mediated, augmented and anticipated by location-sensitive technologies and services that generate and utilise big, personal, locative data. The production of these data has prompted the development of exploratory data-driven computing experiments that seek to find ways to extract value and insight from them. These projects often start from the data, rather than from a question or theory, and try to imagine and identify their potential utility. In this paper, we explore the desires and mechanics of data-driven computing experiments. We demonstrate how both locative media data and computing experiments are ‘staged’ to create new values and computing techniques, which in turn are used to try and derive possible futures that are ridden with unintended consequences. We argue that using computing experiments to imagine potential urban futures produces effects that often have little to do with creating new urban practices. Instead, these experiments promote Big Data science and the prospect that data produced for one purpose can be recast for another and act as alternative mechanisms of envisioning urban futures.

Promoting mental health as an essential aspect of health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgeon, Shona

2006-12-01

This paper advocates that mental health promotion receive appropriate attention within health promotion. It is of great concern that, in practice, mental health promotion is frequently overlooked in health promotion programmes although the WHO definitions of health and the Ottawa Charter describe mental health as an integral part of health. It is suggested that more attention be given to addressing the determinants of mental health in terms of protective and risk factors for both physical and mental conditions, particularly in developing countries. Examples of evidence-based mental health programmes operating in widely diverse settings are presented to demonstrate that well designed interventions can contribute to the well-being of populations. It is advocated that particular attention be given to the intersectorial cooperation needed for this work.

Keldysh field theory for driven open quantum systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Sieberer, L M; Buchhold, M; Diehl, S

2016-09-01

Recent experimental developments in diverse areas-ranging from cold atomic gases to light-driven semiconductors to microcavity arrays-move systems into the focus which are located on the interface of quantum optics, many-body physics and statistical mechanics. They share in common that coherent and driven-dissipative quantum dynamics occur on an equal footing, creating genuine non-equilibrium scenarios without immediate counterpart in equilibrium condensed matter physics. This concerns both their non-thermal stationary states and their many-body time evolution. It is a challenge to theory to identify novel instances of universal emergent macroscopic phenomena, which are tied unambiguously and in an observable way to the microscopic drive conditions. In this review, we discuss some recent results in this direction. Moreover, we provide a systematic introduction to the open system Keldysh functional integral approach, which is the proper technical tool to accomplish a merger of quantum optics and many-body physics, and leverages the power of modern quantum field theory to driven open quantum systems.

[Construction of autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by amplified human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and its enhanced efficacy of inducing apoptosis in human ovarian carcinoma].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yue; Shen, Keng; He, Chun-Xia

2007-09-01

To construct recombinant adenoviral vector expressing autocatalysis caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter amplified by two-step transcription amplification (hTERTp-TSTA), and investigate its antitumor effect in ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant adenoviruses expressing autocatalytic caspase-3 (rev-caspase-3) driven by hTERTp-TSTA were prepared, which were named as AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3. AdHT-rev-casp3, Ad-rev-casp3 and AdHTVP2G5-EGEP, which express rev-caspase-3 driven by hTERTp, cytomegalovirus promoter (CMVp) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), respectively, were used as controls. Western blot, cell counting kit (CCK-8), flow cytometry (FCM) and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) were used to detect the expression of p17, active subunit of caspase-3, and p85, and to measure cell survival rates, apoptotic rates and cell cycle distribution in ovarian cell line AO and normal human umbilical vein endothelial cell line HUVEC, following treatments of AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3. subcutaneous tumor models and abdominally spread tumor models of human ovarian carcinoma using AO cells in BALB/c nude mice were established. Following treatments of AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3, western blot was used to detect the expression of active caspase-3 in abdominally spread tumors and liver tissues, respectively, and the mouse survival rates and the volume of tumor nodules were measured, and the serum level of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were analyzed to monitor liver damages and HE staining was used to detect the histopathological changes of various organs. The levels of p17 expression in AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3-treated AO cells were significantly higher than that in Ad-rev-casp3 or AdHT-rev-casp3 treated AO cells, while no expression was observed in AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3-treated HUVEC. There was strong cell killing of AdHTVP2G5-rev-casp3 of hTERT positive AO cells, but not of the hTERT-negative HUVEC cells

Implementation of a quality assurance instrument (Preffi 1.0) to improve the effectiveness of health promotion in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molleman, G.R.M.; Peters, L.W.H.; Hosman, C.M.H.; Kok, G.J.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the design and outcomes of implementing Preffi 1.0, a quality assurance instrument for health promotion (HP) interventions, among Dutch HP professionals. The Preffi instrument promotes a systematic way of working that is driven by evidence, which is expected to lead to

Speech-Driven Facial Reenactment Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks

OpenAIRE

Jalalifar, Seyed Ali; Hasani, Hosein; Aghajan, Hamid

2018-01-01

We present a novel approach to generating photo-realistic images of a face with accurate lip sync, given an audio input. By using a recurrent neural network, we achieved mouth landmarks based on audio features. We exploited the power of conditional generative adversarial networks to produce highly-realistic face conditioned on a set of landmarks. These two networks together are capable of producing a sequence of natural faces in sync with an input audio track.

FGF1 and IGF1-conditioned 3D culture system promoted the amplification and cancer stemness of lung cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Pengpeng; Zhang, Rui; Yu, Wenwen; Ye, Yingnan; Cheng, Yanan; Han, Lei; Dong, Li; Chen, Yongzi; Wei, Xiyin; Yu, Jinpu

2017-12-01

Lung cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are considered as the cellular origins of metastasis and relapse of lung cancer. However, routine two-dimensional culture system (2D-culture) hardly mimics the growth and functions of LCSCs in vivo and therefore significantly decreases the stemness activity of LCSCs. In this study, we constructed a special BME-based three-dimensional culture system (3D-culture) to amplify LCSCs in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 cells and found 3D-culture promoted the enrichment and amplification of LCSCs in A549 cells displaying higher proliferation potential and invasion activity, but lower apoptosis. The expression and secretion levels of FGF1 and IGF1 were dramatically elevated in 3D-culture compared to 2D-culture. After growing in FGF1 and IGF1-conditioned 3D-culture, the proportion of LCSCs with specific stemness phenotypes in A549 cells significantly increased compared to that in conventional 3D suspension culture system. Further results indicated that FGF1 and IGF1 promoted the amplification and cancer stemness of LCSCs dependent on MAPK signaling pathway. Our data firstly established a growth factors-conditioned 3D-culture for LCSCs and demonstrated the effects of FGF1 and IGF1 in promoting the enrichment and amplification of LCSCs which might provide a feasible cell model in vitro for both mechanism study and translational research on lung cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The bZIP transcription factor HY5 interacts with the promoter of the monoterpene synthase gene QH6 in modulating its rhythmic expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei eZhou

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The Artemisia annua L. β-pinene synthase QH6 was previously determined to be circadian-regulated at the transcriptional level, showing a rhythmic fluctuation of steady-state transcript abundances. Here we isolated both the genomic sequence and upstream promoter region of QH6. Different regulatory elements, such as G-box (TGACACGTGGCA, -421 bp from the translation initiation site which might have effects on rhythmic gene expression, were found. Using the yeast one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA, we confirmed that the bZIP transcription factor HY5 binds to this motif of QH6. Studies with promoter truncations before and after this motif suggested that this G-box was important for the diurnal fluctuation of the transgenic β-glucuronidase gene (GUS transcript abundance in Arabidopsis thaliana. GUS gene driven by the promoter region immediately after G-box showed an arrhythmic expression in both light/dark (LD and constant dark (DD conditions, whereas the control with G-box retained its fluctuation in both LD and DD. We further transformed A. thaliana with the luciferase gene (LUC driven by an 1400 bp fragment upstream QH6 with its G-box intact or mutated, respectively. The luciferase activity assay showed that a peak in the early morning disappeared in the mutant. Gene expression analysis also demonstrated that the rhythmic expression of LUC was abolished in the hy5-1 mutant.

Promoting Youth Agency through Dimensions of Gay-Straight Alliance Involvement and Conditions that Maximize Associations

Science.gov (United States)

Poteat, V. Paul; Calzo, Jerel P.; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu

2016-01-01

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) may promote wellbeing for sexual minority youth (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning youth) and heterosexual youth. We considered this potential benefit of GSAs in the current study by examining whether three GSA functions – support/socializing, information/resource provision, and advocacy – contributed to sense of agency among GSA members while controlling for two major covariates, family support and the broader school LGBT climate. The sample included 295 youth in 33 Massachusetts GSAs (69% LGBQ, 68% cisgender female, 68% white; Mage = 16.06 years). Based on multilevel models, as hypothesized, youth who received more support/socializing, information/resources, and did more advocacy in their GSA reported greater agency. Support/socializing and advocacy distinctly contributed to agency even while accounting for the contribution of family support and positive LGBT school climate. Further, advocacy was associated with agency for sexual minority youth but not heterosexual youth. Greater organizational structure enhanced the association between support/socializing and agency; it also enhanced the association between advocacy and agency for sexual minority youth. These findings begin to provide empirical support for specific functions of GSAs that could promote wellbeing and suggest conditions under which their effects may be enhanced. PMID:26781740

Promoting Youth Agency Through Dimensions of Gay-Straight Alliance Involvement and Conditions that Maximize Associations.

Science.gov (United States)

Poteat, V Paul; Calzo, Jerel P; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu

2016-07-01

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) may promote wellbeing for sexual minority youth (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning youth) and heterosexual youth. We considered this potential benefit of GSAs in the current study by examining whether three GSA functions-support/socializing, information/resource provision, and advocacy-contributed to sense of agency among GSA members while controlling for two major covariates, family support and the broader school LGBT climate. The sample included 295 youth in 33 Massachusetts GSAs (69 % LGBQ, 68 % cisgender female, 68 % white; M age = 16.06 years). Based on multilevel models, as hypothesized, youth who received more support/socializing, information/resources, and did more advocacy in their GSA reported greater agency. Support/socializing and advocacy distinctly contributed to agency even while accounting for the contribution of family support and positive LGBT school climate. Further, advocacy was associated with agency for sexual minority youth but not heterosexual youth. Greater organizational structure enhanced the association between support/socializing and agency; it also enhanced the association between advocacy and agency for sexual minority youth. These findings begin to provide empirical support for specific functions of GSAs that could promote wellbeing and suggest conditions under which their effects may be enhanced.

Influence of twisted tape turbulence promoter on fouling reduction in microfiltration of milk proteins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Popović Svetlana S.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Membrane filtration has become one of the major technologies in the food industry. It is widely applied in the dairy industry, and it is mostly used for the concentration and fractionation of milk proteins and for the whey processing. Of all pressure driven membrane processes, ultrafiltration is the most widely used. The major disadvantage of pressure driven membrane processes is severe fouling of membrane during filtration particularly when the fluids containing proteins are processed. Fouling with proteins is complex phenomenon because it occurs at the membrane surface as well as in the pores of membrane, and depends on the operating conditions and on the interactions of proteins and membrane material. In order to reduce fouling of the membrane different techniques have been developed, and one of them relies on the changing of the hydrodynamic conditions in the membrane or module. In this study, influence of twisted tape turbulence promoters on the fouling reduction in cross-flow microfiltration of skim milk was investigated. Twisted tapes with tree characteristic ratios of helix element length to the tape diameter (aspect ratio were studied. It was shown that twisted tapes with different aspect ratios reduce fouling of membrane by a factor of three or more. The presence of twisted tape induces changes in the flow patterns from straight to helicoidally thus producing turbulence flow at the lower cross-flow rates. Turbulence intensification prevents accumulation of proteins at membrane surface enabling reduction in reversible fouling what results in the reduction of overall membrane fouling. The best performance was achieved using a twisted tape with the lowest aspect ratio of 1.0. This promoter reduces fouling seven times at low transmembrane pressure and low cross-flow velocity. The twisted tape with aspect ratio 1.0 induces the most intensive turbulence, the longest helicoidal flow path, and appearance of vortices near the membrane surfaces

Longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of light, twin-engine, propeller-driven airplanes

Science.gov (United States)

Wolowicz, C. H.; Yancey, R. B.

1972-01-01

Representative state-of-the-art analytical procedures and design data for predicting the longitudinal static and dynamic stability and control characteristics of light, propeller-driven airplanes are presented. Procedures for predicting drag characteristics are also included. The procedures are applied to a twin-engine, propeller-driven airplane in the clean configuration from zero lift to stall conditions. The calculated characteristics are compared with wind-tunnel and flight data. Included in the comparisons are level-flight trim characteristics, period and damping of the short-period oscillatory mode, and windup-turn characteristics. All calculations are documented.

Engineered promoters enable constant gene expression at any copy number in bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Segall-Shapiro, Thomas H; Sontag, Eduardo D; Voigt, Christopher A

2018-04-01

The internal environment of growing cells is variable and dynamic, making it difficult to introduce reliable parts, such as promoters, for genetic engineering. Here, we applied control-theoretic ideas to design promoters that maintained constant levels of expression at any copy number. Theory predicts that independence to copy number can be achieved by using an incoherent feedforward loop (iFFL) if the negative regulation is perfectly non-cooperative. We engineered iFFLs into Escherichia coli promoters using transcription-activator-like effectors (TALEs). These promoters had near-identical expression in different genome locations and plasmids, even when their copy number was perturbed by genomic mutations or changes in growth medium composition. We applied the stabilized promoters to show that a three-gene metabolic pathway to produce deoxychromoviridans could retain function without re-tuning when the stabilized-promoter-driven genes were moved from a plasmid into the genome.

Modelling exciton–phonon interactions in optically driven quantum dots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nazir, Ahsan; McCutcheon, Dara

2016-01-01

We provide a self-contained review of master equation approaches to modelling phonon effects in optically driven self-assembled quantum dots. Coupling of the (quasi) two-level excitonic system to phonons leads to dissipation and dephasing, the rates of which depend on the excitation conditions...

Numerical investigation on thermal striping conditions for a tee junction of LMFBRE coolant pipes. 7. Effect of the 'Turbulence promoter' on the fluid mixing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Masa-aki; Muramatsu, Toshiharu

2004-06-01

It is important to evaluate thermal-striping phenomena, which is the thermal fatigue issue in the structure generated by the temperature fluctuation due to the fluid mixing. Especially, the high amplitude and the high number of repetitions of the temperature fluctuation are needed to take into consideration. Moreover, it is necessary to consider the comparatively low frequency components of fluid temperature fluctuation, since the influence to structure material is large. Therefore, it is required to know the generating mechanism and conditions of the high amplitude and the low frequency component of fluid temperature fluctuation. In Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, basic research on the promote system for fluid mixing is conducted, which system ('Turbulence promoter') is expected to reduce the large amplitude and low frequency components of fluid temperature fluctuation in T junction pipe. In this investigation, it is aimed to validate the effect and to generalize the mixing characteristics of 'Turbulence promoter' on the fluid mixing in T-junction pipe, and to contribute the knowledge to the rational design of LMFBR. In this report, numerical simulation for the existing experiment was conducted using a quasi-direct simulation code (DINUS-3). From the numerical simulation, the following results are obtained. (1) Numerical calculations could simulate well the flow patterns observed in the visualization experiment, in impinging jet case (Pattern-C) and deflecting jet cases (Pattern-B1 and Pattern-B). (2) By installing Turbulence promoter', cross-section area of main pipe after the mixing point is narrowed, and the fluid of main pipe is accelerated and flows along the slope of the promoter on the opposite side of branch pipe. this accelerated flow acts to prevent the collision of the branch pipe flow to the promoter. Therefore, the branch pipe flow conditions in deflecting jet category are extended. (3) At the throat of the main pipe, the flow was separated

Convergence of service, policy, and science toward consumer-driven mental health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Christopher D; Manderscheid, Ronald W; Daniels, Allen S; Compagni, Amelia

2006-12-01

A common theme is emerging in sentinel reports on the United States health care system. Consumer relevance and demands on service systems and practices are influencing how mental health care is delivered and how systems will be shaped in the future. The present report seeks to assemble a confluence of consumer-driven themes from noteworthy reports on the state of the mental health system in the U.S. It also explores innovative efforts, promising practices, collaborative efforts, as well as identification of barriers to consumer-directed care, with possible solutions. The report reviews the relevant public mental health policy and data used in published work. The findings indicate an increasing public and private interest in promoting consumer-driven care, even though historical systems of care predominate, and often create, barriers to wide-spread redesign of a consumer-centered mental health care system. Innovative consumer-driven practices are increasing as quality, choice, and self-determination become integral parts of a redesigned U.S. mental health care system. The use of consumer-driven approaches in mental health is limited at best. These programs challenge industry norms and traditional practices. Limitations include the need for additional and thorough evaluations of effectiveness (cost and clinical) and replicability of consumer-directed programs. Consumer-driven services indicate that mental health consumers are expecting to be more participative in their mental health care. This expectation will influence how traditional mental health services and providers become more consumer-centric and meet the demand. Public and private interest in consumer-driven health care range from creating cost-conscious consumers to individualized control of recovery. The health care sector should seek to invest more resources in the provision of consumer-driven health care programs. The results of this study have implications and are informative for other countries where

Combined XRD and XANES studies of a Re-promoted Co/γ-Al2O3 catalyst at Fischer–Tropsch synthesis conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønning, Magnus; Tsakoumis, Nikolaos E.; Voronov, Alexey

2010-01-01

A cobalt based Fischer–Tropsch catalyst was studied during the initial stages of the reaction at industrially relevant conditions. The catalyst consists of 20wt% cobalt supported on γ-Al2O3 and promoted by 1wt% of rhenium. X-ray diffraction (XRD) in combination with X-ray absorption near edge...

The $SU(\\infty)$ twisted gradient flow running coupling

CERN Document Server

Pérez, Margarita García; Keegan, Liam; Okawa, Masanori

2015-01-01

We measure the running of the $SU(\\infty)$ 't Hooft coupling by performing a step scaling analysis of the Twisted Eguchi-Kawai (TEK) model, the SU($N$) gauge theory on a single site lattice with twisted boundary conditions. The computation relies on the conjecture that finite volume effects for SU(N) gauge theories defined on a 4-dimensional twisted torus are controlled by an effective size parameter $\\tilde l = l \\sqrt{N}$, with $l$ the torus period. We set the scale for the running coupling in terms of $\\tilde l$ and use the gradient flow to define a renormalized 't Hooft coupling $\\lambda(\\tilde l)$. In the TEK model, this idea allows the determination of the running of the coupling through a step scaling procedure that uses the rank of the group as a size parameter. The continuum renormalized coupling constant is extracted in the zero lattice spacing limit, which in the TEK model corresponds to the large $N$ limit taken at fixed value of $\\lambda(\\tilde l)$. The coupling constant is thus expected to coinc...

Exploration and practice for engineering innovative talents training based on project-driven

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yishen; Lv, Qingsong; Ye, Yan; Wu, Maocheng; Gu, Jihua

2017-08-01

As one of the "excellent engineer education program" of the Ministry of Education and one of the characteristic majors of Jiangsu Province, the major of optoelectronic information science and engineering in Soochow University has a long history and distinctive features. In recent years, aiming to the talents training objective of "broad foundation, practiceoriented, to be creative", education and teaching reforms have been carried out, which emphasize basis of theoretical teaching, carrier of practical training, promotion of projects and discussion, and development of second class. By optimizing the teaching contents and course system of the theoretical courses, the engineering innovative talents training mode based on the project-driven has been implemented with playing a practical training carrier role and overall managing the second class teaching for cultivating students' innovative spirit and practical ability. Meanwhile, the evaluation mechanism of the students' comprehensive performance mainly based on "scores of theory test" is being gradually changed, and the activities such as scientific research, discipline competitions and social practices are playing an increasing important role in the students' comprehensive assessment. The produced achievements show that the proposed training model based on project-driven could stimulate the students' enthusiasm and initiative to participate in research activities and promote the training of students' ability of engineering practice and consciousness of innovation.

The Semitization Of Itihasa: Intertextuality Of The Mahabharata and The Ramayana In The Judaeo­‐Islamic Texts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mochammad Ali

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: This article is an intertextual study of Judaeo­‐Islamic texts with the Itihasa. This research explores the discourse of Semitic and Aryan texts already canonized in cultural artifacts of Abrahamic and Brahmanic traditions which require a parallelization of substantive messages. It is not only depending on comparative linguistic similarities but also referring to the common theological formula surrounding the text in a chain of traditions which created the text. The text cannot be regarded as an independent text but have to be understood through the process of ‘reading’ in a context that can be ascertained to have a close relationship with other texts. It exists as a weave of discourses which are surrounding the text through the process of adoption, adaptation, and reformulation of the text that has been established in the context of a sequence of tradition inheritance. The study of cultural semiotics readable through the text is not intended to vulgarly expose the text that deviates from the hiperreality context of the text an sich. Instead, it aims to explain the ‘marker’ in the text across boundaries of times, geographies, languages, and common traditions through the system of transmission. This article uses a semiotic theory proposed by Julia Kristeva. Abstrak: Tulisan ini merupakan studi intertekstualitas teks Judaeo­‐Islam dengan teks Itihasa. Penelitian ini mengeksplorasi wacana teks rumpun Semit dan Arya yang terekam dalam artefak kebudayaan bertradisi Abrahamik dan Brahmanik yang meniscayakan pararelisasi pesan substantif. Pararelisasi pesan tidak hanya berpijak pada latar similaritas linguistik tetapi juga merujuk pada kesejajaran formula teologis yang melingkupi teks dalam rentetan tradisi yang melahirkan teksnya. Teks tidak dapat dipandang sebagai sebuah teks yang independen, tetapi harus dipahami melalui proses ‘pembacaan’ dalam konteksnya yang dapat dipastikan berkaitan erat dengan teks liyan. Teks hadir

On the Boussinesq-Burgers equations driven by dynamic boundary conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Neng; Liu, Zhengrong; Zhao, Kun

2018-02-01

We study the qualitative behavior of the Boussinesq-Burgers equations on a finite interval subject to the Dirichlet type dynamic boundary conditions. Assuming H1 ×H2 initial data which are compatible with boundary conditions and utilizing energy methods, we show that under appropriate conditions on the dynamic boundary data, there exist unique global-in-time solutions to the initial-boundary value problem, and the solutions converge to the boundary data as time goes to infinity, regardless of the magnitude of the initial data.

Passive membrane penetration by ZnO nanoparticles is driven by the interplay of electrostatic and phase boundary conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiwari, Anuj; Prince, Ashutosh; Arakha, Manoranjan; Jha, Suman; Saleem, Mohammed

2018-02-15

The internalization of nanoparticles through the biological membrane is of immense importance for biomedical applications. A fundamental understanding of the lipid specificity and the role of the membrane biochemical and physical forces at play in modulating penetration are lacking. The current understanding of nanoparticle-membrane interaction is drawn mostly from computational studies and lacks sufficient experimental evidence. Herein, using confocal fluorescence imaging and potentiometric dye-based fluorimetry, we first investigated the interaction of ZnONP in both multi-component and individual lipid membranes using cell-like giant unilamellar vesicles to dissect the lipid specificity; also, we investigated the changes in membrane order, anisotropy and hydrophobicity. ZnONP was found to interact with phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine head-group-containing lipids specifically. We further investigated the interaction of ZnONP with three physiologically relevant membrane conditions varying in composition and dipole potential. We found that ZnONP interaction leads to a photoinduced enhancement of the partial-to-complete phase separation depending upon the membrane composition and cholesterol content. Interestingly, while the lipid order of a partially-phase-separated membrane remained unchanged upon ZnONP crowding, a fully-phase-separated membrane showed an increase in the lipid order. Strikingly, ZnONP crowding induced a contrasting effect on the fluorescence anisotropy of the membrane upon binding to the two membrane conditions, in line with the measured diffusion coefficient. ZnONP seems to preferentially penetrate through the liquid disordered areas of the membrane and the boundaries of the phase-separated regions driven by the interplay between the electrostatics and phase boundary conditions, which are collectively dictated by the composition and ZnONP-induced lipid reorganization. The results may lead to a greater understanding of the interplay of

High efficiency of targeted mutagenesis in arabidopsis via meiotic promoter-driven expression of Cas9 endonuclease

KAUST Repository

Eid, Ayman

2016-05-28

Key message: The use of a meiosis I-specific promoter increased the efficiency of targeted mutagenesis and will facilitate the manipulation of homologous recombination. Abstract: The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been harnessed for targeted engineering of eukaryotic genomes, including plants; however, CRISPR/Cas9 efficiency varies considerably in different plant tissues and species. In Arabidopsis, the generation of homozygous or bi-allelic mutants in the first (T1) generation is inefficient. Here, we used specific promoters to drive the expression of Cas9 during meiosis to maximize the efficiency of recovering heritable mutants in T1 plants. Our data reveal that the use of a promoter active in meiosis I resulted in high-efficiency (28 %) recovery of targeted mutants in the T1 generation. Moreover, this method enabled efficient simultaneous targeting of three genes for mutagenesis. Taken together, our results show that the use of meiosis-specific promoters will improve methods for functional genomic analysis and studying the molecular underpinnings of homologous recombination. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Ion-driven deuterium permeation through tungsten at high temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Gasparyan, Yu. M.; Golubeva, A. V.; Mayer, M.; Pisarev, A. A.; Roth, J.

2009-06-01

The ion-driven permeation (IDP) through 50 μm thick pure tungsten foils was measured in the temperature range of 823-923 K during irradiation by 200 eV/D + ion beam with a flux of 10 17-10 18 D/m 2s. Gas driven permeation (GDP) from the deuterium background gas was observed as well. Calculations using both the analytical formula for the diffusion limited regime (DLR) and the TMAP 7 code gave good agreement with the experimental data. Defects with a detrapping energy of (2.05 ± 0.15) eV were found to limit the permeation lag time in our experimental conditions.

Ion-driven deuterium permeation through tungsten at high temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gasparyan, Yu.M., E-mail: yury.gasparyan@ipp.mpg.d [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmanstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, Kashirskoe sh. 31, Moscow 115409 (Russian Federation); Golubeva, A.V. [RRC ' Kurchatov Institute' , Ac. Kurchatov sq., 1/1, Moscow RU-123182 (Russian Federation); Mayer, M. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmanstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Pisarev, A.A. [Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute, Kashirskoe sh. 31, Moscow 115409 (Russian Federation); Roth, J. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, Boltzmanstrasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2009-06-15

The ion-driven permeation (IDP) through 50 mum thick pure tungsten foils was measured in the temperature range of 823-923 K during irradiation by 200 eV/D{sup +} ion beam with a flux of 10{sup 17}-10{sup 18} D/m{sup 2}s. Gas driven permeation (GDP) from the deuterium background gas was observed as well. Calculations using both the analytical formula for the diffusion limited regime (DLR) and the TMAP 7 code gave good agreement with the experimental data. Defects with a detrapping energy of (2.05 +- 0.15) eV were found to limit the permeation lag time in our experimental conditions.

Ion-driven deuterium permeation through tungsten at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasparyan, Yu.M.; Golubeva, A.V.; Mayer, M.; Pisarev, A.A.; Roth, J.

2009-01-01

The ion-driven permeation (IDP) through 50 μm thick pure tungsten foils was measured in the temperature range of 823-923 K during irradiation by 200 eV/D + ion beam with a flux of 10 17 -10 18 D/m 2 s. Gas driven permeation (GDP) from the deuterium background gas was observed as well. Calculations using both the analytical formula for the diffusion limited regime (DLR) and the TMAP 7 code gave good agreement with the experimental data. Defects with a detrapping energy of (2.05 ± 0.15) eV were found to limit the permeation lag time in our experimental conditions.

Defects in mitophagy promote redox-driven metabolic syndrome in the absence of TP53INP1.

Science.gov (United States)

Seillier, Marion; Pouyet, Laurent; N'Guessan, Prudence; Nollet, Marie; Capo, Florence; Guillaumond, Fabienne; Peyta, Laure; Dumas, Jean-François; Varrault, Annie; Bertrand, Gyslaine; Bonnafous, Stéphanie; Tran, Albert; Meur, Gargi; Marchetti, Piero; Ravier, Magalie A; Dalle, Stéphane; Gual, Philippe; Muller, Dany; Rutter, Guy A; Servais, Stéphane; Iovanna, Juan L; Carrier, Alice

2015-06-01

The metabolic syndrome covers metabolic abnormalities including obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is characterized by insulin resistance resulting from both environmental and genetic factors. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) published in 2010 identified TP53INP1 as a new T2D susceptibility locus, but a pathological mechanism was not identified. In this work, we show that mice lacking TP53INP1 are prone to redox-driven obesity and insulin resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reactive oxygen species increase in TP53INP1-deficient cells results from accumulation of defective mitochondria associated with impaired PINK/PARKIN mitophagy. This chronic oxidative stress also favors accumulation of lipid droplets. Taken together, our data provide evidence that the GWAS-identified TP53INP1 gene prevents metabolic syndrome, through a mechanism involving prevention of oxidative stress by mitochondrial homeostasis regulation. In conclusion, this study highlights TP53INP1 as a molecular regulator of redox-driven metabolic syndrome and provides a new preclinical mouse model for metabolic syndrome clinical research. © 2015 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license.

BAHASA DAN IDEOLOGI: MENGUNGKAP IDEOLOGI DAN KEKUASAAN SIMBOLIK DI BALIK PENGGUNAAN BAHASA (KAJIAN TEKS MEDIA MELALUI ANALISIS WACANA KRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su haryo

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Abstrak   Tulisan ini didasari sebuah anggapan bahwa bahasa tidak berada di ruang hampa sosial.Maka, bahasa pada dasarnya bukan hanya untaian kata yang hanya bersifat linguistik, tetapi bersifat sosial. Karenanya, bahasa dipahami sebagai tindakan sosial.Implikasinya, bahasa bukan hanya bermatra linguistik, tetapi juga bermatra sosial. Van Dijk menjadi salah satu model yang dapat digunakan sebagai alat untuk menganalisis wacana secara kritis. Penelitian analisis wacana kritis model van Dijk mempertimbangkan teks, konteks, kognisi sosial, dan analisis/konteks sosial. Untuk mengungkap hal itu, langkah yang dapat dilakukan adalah: mengungkap struktur makro (tematik, suprstruktur (skematik, dan struktur mikro yang terdiri atas semantik, sintaksis, stilitistik, dan retorika. Untuk mengungkap hal itu, di sini digunakan metode simak dan catat dengan menjadikan Suara Merdeka dan Kompassebagai sumber datanya. Hasilnya pertama,SM cenderung berideologi kasar, provokatif, dan konotatif/figuratif. Hal itu, tampak pada pilihan kata/kalimat  kata yang cenderung kasar, seperti mengancam,menyerang, memanggil paksa, menyeret, menembak.Sementara, harian K cenderung berideologi idealisme pers yang objektif, netral, dan berimbang. Kedua, dari dimensi kekuasaan (simbolik, harian SM cenderung menjadi “oposisi”  dan “oposan”sebagai pihak yang di-dominan-kan, sedang pihak pemerintah sebagai pihak yang “dimarginalkan”. Sementara, harian K menempatkan pihak yang dominan/marginal lebih didasarkan pada kondisi objektif di lapangan yang  berbasis data dan keterangan yang dari narasumber yang cenderung netral, seperti pengamat, warga, dan akademisi; tidak didasarkan pada keterangan yang cenderung subjektif, seperti dari para politisi.Ketiga, dari sisi analisis sosial dan kognisi sosial; SM lebih tampak sebagai cerminan tagline-nya yaitu lokal (yaitu “perekat komunitas Jawa Tengah”, sedangkan harian K lebih “mengabdi” pada rakyat seperti tampak pada

Beyond Promotion-Based Store Switching : Antecedents and Consequences of Systematic Multiple-Store Shopping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gijsbrechts, E.; Campo, K.; Nisol, P.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate that single-purpose multiple store shopping is not only driven by opportunistic, promotion-based motivations, but may also be part of a longer term shopping planning process based on stable store characteristics.Starting from a utility-maximizing shopping behavior

Engineering of synthetic, stress-responsive yeast promoters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rajkumar, Arun Stephen; Liu, Guodong; Bergenholm, David

2016-01-01

Advances in synthetic biology and our understanding of the rules of promoter architecture have led to the development of diverse synthetic constitutive and inducible promoters in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. However, the design of promoters inducibleby specific endogenous or environmental conditions...

Proteomic identification of an embryo-specific 1Cys-Prx promoter and analysis of its activity in transgenic rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Je Hein; Jung, In Jung; Kim, Dool Yi; Fanata, Wahyu Indra; Son, Bo Hwa; Yoo, Jae Yong; Harmoko, Rikno; Ko, Ki Seong; Moon, Jeong Chan; Jang, Ho Hee; Kim, Woe Yeon; Kim, Jae-Yean; Lim, Chae Oh; Lee, Sang Yeol; Lee, Kyun Oh

2011-04-29

Proteomic analysis of a rice callus led to the identification of 10 abscisic acid (ABA)-induced proteins as putative products of the embryo-specific promoter candidates. 5'-flanking sequence of 1 Cys-Prx, a highly-induced protein gene, was cloned and analyzed. The transcription initiation site of 1 Cys-Prx maps 96 nucleotides upstream of the translation initiation codon and a TATA-box and putative seed-specific cis-acting elements, RYE and ABRE, are located 26, 115 and 124 bp upstream of the transcription site, respectively. β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression driven by the 1 Cys-Prx promoters was strong in the embryo and aleurone layer and the activity reached up to 24.9 ± 3.3 and 40.5 ± 2.1 pmol (4 MU/min/μg protein) in transgenic rice seeds and calluses, respectively. The activity of the 1 Cys-Prx promoters is much higher than that of the previously-identified embryo-specific promoters, and comparable to that of strong endosperm-specific promoters in rice. GUS expression driven by the 1 Cys-Prx promoters has been increased by ABA treatment and rapidly induced by wounding in callus and at the leaf of the transgenic plants, respectively. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the GUS construct in Arabidopsis suggested that the 1 Cys-Prx promoter also has strong activity in seeds of dicot plants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Data driven information system for supervision of judicial open

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming LI

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Aiming at the four outstanding problems of informationized supervision for judicial publicity, the judicial public data is classified based on data driven to form the finally valuable data. Then, the functional structure, technical structure and business structure of the data processing system are put forward, including data collection module, data reduction module, data analysis module, data application module and data security module, etc. The development of the data processing system based on these structures can effectively reduce work intensity of judicial open iformation management, summarize the work state, find the problems, and promote the level of judicial publicity.

Luciferase assay to study the activity of a cloned promoter DNA fragment.

Science.gov (United States)

Solberg, Nina; Krauss, Stefan

2013-01-01

Luciferase based assays have become an invaluable tool for the analysis of cloned promoter DNA fragments, both for verifying the ability of a potential promoter fragment to drive the expression of a luciferase reporter gene in various cellular contexts, and for dissecting binding elements in the promoter. Here, we describe the use of the Dual-Luciferase(®) Reporter Assay System created by Promega (Promega Corporation, Wisconsin, USA) to study the cloned 6.7 kilobases (kb) mouse (m) Tcf3 promoter DNA fragment in mouse embryonic derived neural stem cells (NSC). In this system, the expression of the firefly luciferase driven by the cloned mTcf3 promoter DNA fragment (including transcription initiation sites) is correlated with a co-transfected control reporter expressing Renilla luciferase from the herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase promoter. Using an internal control reporter allows to normalize the activity of the experimental reporter to the internal control, which minimizes experimental variability.

Stability and instability of axisymmetric droplets in thermocapillary-driven thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolaou, Zachary G.

2018-03-01

The stability of compactly supported, axisymmetric droplet states is considered for driven thin viscous films evolving on two-dimensional surfaces. Stability is assessed using Lyapunov energy methods afforded by the Cahn-Hilliard variational form of the governing equation. For general driving forces, a criterion on the gradient of profiles at the boundary of their support (their contact slope) is shown to be a necessary condition for stability. Additional necessary and sufficient conditions for stability are established for a specific driving force corresponding to a thermocapillary-driven film. It is found that only droplets of sufficiently short height that satisfy the contact slope criterion are stable. This destabilization of droplets with increasing height is characterized as a saddle-node bifurcation between a branch of tall, unstable droplets and a branch of short, stable droplets.

PROCESS DIAGRAMS FOR INSTALLATION OF DRIVEN PILES IN PENETRATED WELLS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovalev Vladimir Aleksandrovich

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This article presents the main options of improved and newly devised designs and process diagrams for installation of foundations made of driven, or jack, piles in the penetrated wells with expanded shoe, mainly in weak wet (waterlogged and water-saturated soils. The article presents six options of process diagrams for installation of driven piles in penetrated wells, listing the main procedures: for well-compacted weak soils, for the case when the water ingress is excluded, for the case when it is necessary to increase the load-bearing capacity of pile's bearing face in the waterlogged soils, for the case when the load-bearing capacity of the pile shall be increased both for the end and for the sides, for the case when peat or other biogenous water-saturated soils are present at the bottom of the well, and for the case when there is no contracted zone nor practical possibility to ensure the stability of the walls. The proposed six options of process diagrams for installation of the driven piles in penetrated wells provide expansion of their area of application regarding the soil conditions, increase of load-bearing capacity, and possibility of using jack systems for driving the piles under conditions of dense urban development.

Auxin synthesis gene tms1 driven by tuber-specific promoter alters hormonal status of transgenic potato plants and their responses to exogenous phytohormones.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolachevskaya, Oksana O; Sergeeva, Lidiya I; Floková, Kristyna; Getman, Irina A; Lomin, Sergey N; Alekseeva, Valeriya V; Rukavtsova, Elena B; Buryanov, Yaroslav I; Romanov, Georgy A

2017-03-01

Ectopic auxin overproduction in transgenic potato leads to enhanced productivity accompanied with concerted and occasional changes in hormonal status, and causing altered response of transformants to exogenous auxin or cytokinin. Previously, we generated potato transformants expressing Agrobacterium-derived auxin synthesis gene tms1 driven by tuber-specific patatin gene promoter (B33-promoter). Here, we studied the endogenous hormonal status and the response to exogenous phytohormones in tms1 transformants cultured in vitro. Adding indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or kinetin to culture medium affected differently tuberization of tms1-transformed and control plants, depending also on sucrose content in the medium. Exogenous phytohormones ceased to stimulate the tuber initiation in transformants at high (5-8%) sucrose concentration, while in control plants the stimulation was observed in all experimental settings. Furthermore, exogenous auxin partly inhibited the tuber initiation, and exogenous cytokinin reduced the average tuber weight in most transformants at high sucrose content. The elevated auxin level in tubers of the transformants was accompanied with a decrease in content of cytokinin bases and their ribosides in tubers and most shoots. No concerted changes in contents of abscisic, jasmonic, salicylic acids and gibberellins in tubers were detected. The data on hormonal status indicated that the enhanced productivity of tms1 transformants was due to auxin and not mediated by other phytohormones. In addition, exogenous cytokinin was shown to upregulate the expression of genes encoding orthologs of auxin receptors. Overall, the results showed that tms1 expression and local increase in IAA level in transformants affect both the balance of endogenous cytokinins and the dynamics of tuberization in response to exogenous hormones (auxin, cytokinin), the latter reaction depending also on the carbohydrate supply. We introduce a basic model for the hormonal network

Promoted Fixation of Molecular Nitrogen with Surface Oxygen Vacancies on Plasmon-Enhanced TiO2 Photoelectrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chengcheng; Wang, Tuo; Zhao, Zhi-Jian; Yang, Weimin; Li, Jian-Feng; Li, Ang; Yang, Zhilin; Ozin, Geoffrey A; Gong, Jinlong

2018-02-19

A hundred years on, the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process continues to turn the N 2 in air into fertilizer, nourishing billions of people while causing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The urgency of mitigating climate change motivates society to progress toward a more sustainable method for fixing N 2 that is based on clean energy. Surface oxygen vacancies (surface O vac ) hold great potential for N 2 adsorption and activation, but introducing O vac on the very surface without affecting bulk properties remains a great challenge. Fine tuning of the surface O vac by atomic layer deposition is described, forming a thin amorphous TiO 2 layer on plasmon-enhanced rutile TiO 2 /Au nanorods. Surface O vac in the outer amorphous TiO 2 thin layer promote the adsorption and activation of N 2 , which facilitates N 2 reduction to ammonia by excited electrons from ultraviolet-light-driven TiO 2 and visible-light-driven Au surface plasmons. The findings offer a new approach to N 2 photofixation under ambient conditions (that is, room temperature and atmospheric pressure). © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controlling chaos in the current-driven ion acoustic instability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuyama, T.; Taniguchi, K.; Kawai, Y.

2002-01-01

Control of intermittent chaos caused by the current-driven ion acoustic instability is attempted and the controlling mechanism is investigated. When a small negative dc voltage is applied to the chaotic system as a perturbation, the system changes from a chaotic state to a periodic state while maintaining the instability, indicating that the chaotic state caused by the ion acoustic instability is well controlled by applying a small negative dc voltage. A hysteresis structure is observed on the V-I curve of the mesh grid to which the negative dc voltage to control is applied. Furthermore, when a negative dc voltage is applied to the state which shows a laminar structure existing under same experimental conditions, the system becomes chaotic via a bifurcation. Driven-chaos is excited when a negative dc voltage is applied to the laminar state. Applying a small negative dc voltage leads to controlling intermittent chaos while exciting driven-chaos

Impact of (α, n) reactions on the nucleosynthesis in neutrino-driven winds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bliss, Julia [Institut fuer Kernphysik, TU Darmstadt (Germany); Arcones, Almudena [Institut fuer Kernphysik, TU Darmstadt (Germany); GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH (Germany); Montes, Fernando; Pereira, Jorge [National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, Michigan State University (United States); Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (United States)

2015-07-01

Neutrino-driven winds that follow core-collapse supernova explosions are an exciting astrophysical site for the synthesis of heavy elements. Although recent hydrodynamical simulations show that the conditions in the wind are not extreme enough for a r-process up to uranium, neutrino-driven winds may be the astrophysical site where lighter heavy elements between Sr and Ag are produced. However, it is still not clear if the conditions in the wind are slightly neutron-rich, proton-rich or turn proton-rich for some time. In neutron-rich winds, (α,n) reactions are key to move matter beyond the Fe-group towards heavier elements. Due to the deficit of experimental information, the relevant reaction rates have mostly been calculated with codes based on Hauser-Feshbach models. Although these codes have been cross-checked with experimental data in regions close to stability, their accuracy is questionable as one moves towards more exotic regions. We present the impact of (α,n) reactions on the nucleosynthesis of elements between Sr and Ag in neutrino-driven winds.

Lettuce and rhizosphere microbiome responses to growth promoting Pseudomonas species under field conditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cipriano, M.A.P.; Lupatini, M.; Santos, L.; Silva, M. da; Roesch, L.F.W.; Destefano, S.; Freitas, S.; Kuramae, E.E.

2016-01-01

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are well described and recommended for several crops worldwide. However, one of the most common problems in PGPR research is the difficulty in obtaining reproducible results. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated plant growth promotion and soil microbial

Effects-Driven IT Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertzum, Morten; Simonsen, Jesper

2010-01-01

We present effects-driven IT development as an instrument for pursuing and reinforcing Participatory Design (PD) when it is applied in commercial information technology (IT) projects. Effects-driven IT development supports the management of a sustained PD process throughout design and organizatio......We present effects-driven IT development as an instrument for pursuing and reinforcing Participatory Design (PD) when it is applied in commercial information technology (IT) projects. Effects-driven IT development supports the management of a sustained PD process throughout design...

Optogenetic Inhibition of Ventral Pallidum Neurons Impairs Context-Driven Salt Seeking.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Stephen E; Smedley, Elizabeth B; Stansfield, Katherine J; Stott, Jeffrey J; Smith, Kyle S

2017-06-07

Salt appetite, in which animals can immediately seek out salt when under a novel state of sodium deprivation, is a classic example of how homeostatic systems interface with learned associations to produce an on-the-fly updating of motivated behavior. Neural activity in the ventral pallidum (VP) has been shown to encode changes in the value of salt under such conditions, both the value of salt itself (Tindell et al., 2006) and the motivational value of its predictive cues (Tindell et al., 2009; Robinson and Berridge, 2013). However, it is not known whether the VP is necessary for salt appetite in terms of seeking out salt or consuming salt following sodium depletion. Here, we used a conditioned place-preference procedure to investigate the effects of optogenetically inhibiting the VP on context-driven salt seeking and the consumption of salt following deprivation. Male rats learned to associate one context with sucrose and another context with less-desirable salt. Following sodium depletion, and in the absence of either sucrose or salt, we found that inhibiting the VP selectively reduced the elevation in time spent in the salt-paired context. VP inhibition had minimal effects on the consumption of salt once it was made available. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that the VP or any brain region is necessary for the ability to use contextual cues to guide salt seeking. These results highlight a dissociation between deficit-driven reward seeking and reward consumption to replenish those deficits, with the former process being particularly sensitive to on-line VP activity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Salt appetite, in which rats will immediately seek out a once-undesirable concentrated salt solution after being depleted of bodily sodium despite never having tasted salt as a positive reward, is a phenomenon showing how animals can update their motivational goals without any new learning or conditioning. This salt-seeking behavior is also observed when the animal

Leveraging Citizen Science and Information Technology for Population Physical Activity Promotion

Science.gov (United States)

King, Abby C.; Winter, Sandra J.; Sheats, Jylana L.; Rosas, Lisa G.; Buman, Matthew P.; Salvo, Deborah; Rodriguez, Nicole M.; Seguin, Rebecca A.; Moran, Mika; Garber, Randi; Broderick, Bonnie; Zieff, Susan G.; Sarmiento, Olga Lucia; Gonzalez, Silvia A.; Banchoff, Ann; Dommarco, Juan Rivera

2016-01-01

PURPOSE While technology is a major driver of many of society’s comforts, conveniences, and advances, it has been responsible, in a significant way, for engineering regular physical activity and a number of other positive health behaviors out of people’s daily lives. A key question concerns how to harness information and communication technologies (ICT) to bring about positive changes in the health promotion field. One such approach involves community-engaged “citizen science,” in which local residents leverage the potential of ICT to foster data-driven consensus-building and mobilization efforts that advance physical activity at the individual, social, built environment, and policy levels. METHOD The history of citizen science in the research arena is briefly described and an evidence-based method that embeds citizen science in a multi-level, multi-sectoral community-based participatory research framework for physical activity promotion is presented. RESULTS Several examples of this citizen science-driven community engagement framework for promoting active lifestyles, called “Our Voice”, are discussed, including pilot projects from diverse communities in the U.S. as well as internationally. CONCLUSIONS The opportunities and challenges involved in leveraging citizen science activities as part of a broader population approach to promoting regular physical activity are explored. The strategic engagement of citizen scientists from socio-demographically diverse communities across the globe as both assessment as well as change agents provides a promising, potentially low-cost and scalable strategy for creating more active, healthful, and equitable neighborhoods and communities worldwide. PMID:27525309

Potential of wheat bran to promote indigenous microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Yali; Wang, Qinghong; Chen, Chunmao; Kim, Jung Bong; Zhang, Hongdan; Yoza, Brandon A; Li, Qing X

2017-06-01

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is an emerging oil extraction technology that utilizes microorganisms to facilitate recovery of crude oil in depleted petroleum reservoirs. In the present study, effects of wheat bran utilization were investigated on stimulation of indigenous MEOR. Biostimulation conditions were optimized with the response surface methodology. The co-application of wheat bran with KNO 3 and NH 4 H 2 PO 4 significantly promoted indigenous MEOR (IMEOR) and exhibited sequential aerobic (O-), facultative (A n -) and anaerobic (A 0 -) metabolic stages. The surface tension of fermented broth decreased by approximately 35%, and the crude oil was highly emulsified. Microbial community structure varied largely among and in different IMEOR metabolic stages. Pseudomonas sp., Citrobacter sp., and uncultured Burkholderia sp. dominated the O-, A n - and early A 0 -stages. Bacillus sp., Achromobacter sp., Rhizobiales sp., Alcaligenes sp. and Clostridium sp. dominated the later A 0 -stage. This study illustrated occurrences of microbial community succession driven by wheat bran stimulation and its industrial potential.

Cyclin F suppresses B-Myb activity to promote cell cycle checkpoint control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klein, Ditte Kjærsgaard; Hoffmann, Saskia; Ahlskog, Johanna K

2015-01-01

an important role in checkpoint control following ionizing radiation. Cyclin F-depleted cells initiate checkpoint signalling after ionizing radiation, but fail to maintain G2 phase arrest and progress into mitosis prematurely. Importantly, cyclin F suppresses the B-Myb-driven transcriptional programme...... that promotes accumulation of crucial mitosis-promoting proteins. Cyclin F interacts with B-Myb via the cyclin box domain. This interaction is important to suppress cyclin A-mediated phosphorylation of B-Myb, a key step in B-Myb activation. In summary, we uncover a regulatory mechanism linking the F-box protein...

Citricoccus zhacaiensis B-4 (MTCC 12119) a novel osmotolerant plant growth promoting actinobacterium enhances onion (Allium cepa L.) seed germination under osmotic stress conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Selvakumar, Govindan; Bhatt, Ravindra M; Upreti, Kaushal K; Bindu, Gurupadam Hema; Shweta, Kademani

2015-05-01

The water potential of rhizospheric soil is a key parameter that determines the availability of water, oxygen, and nutrients to plants and microbes. Recent global warming trends and erratic precipitation patterns have resulted in the emergence of drought as a major constraint of agricultural productivity. Though several strategies are being evaluated to address this issue, a novel approach is the utilization of microbes for alleviation of drought stress effects in crops. Citricoccus zhacaiensis B-4 is an osmotolerant actinobacterium isolated from banana rhizosphere on mannitol supplemented medium (-2.92 MPa osmotic potential). This isolate expressed plant growth promotion traits viz, IAA, GA3 production, phosphate, zinc solubilization, ACC deaminase activity and ammonia production under PEG induced osmotic stress and non-stress conditions. Under in vitro osmotic conditions, biopriming with the actinobacterium improved the percent germination, seedling vigour and germination rate of onion seeds (cv. Arka Kalyan) at osmotic potentials up to -0.8 MPa. Considering its novelty, osmotolerance and plant growth promoting traits, biopriming with C. zhacaiensis is suggested as a viable option for the promotion of onion seed germination under drought stressed environments.

OPTIMIZATION OF MUD HAMMER DRILLING PERFORMANCE - A PROGRAM TO BENCHMARK THE VIABILITY OF ADVANCED MUD HAMMER DRILLING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnis Judzis

2003-01-01

This document details the progress to date on the ''OPTIMIZATION OF MUD HAMMER DRILLING PERFORMANCE -- A PROGRAM TO BENCHMARK THE VIABILITY OF ADVANCED MUD HAMMER DRILLING'' contract for the quarter starting October 2002 through December 2002. Even though we are awaiting the optimization portion of the testing program, accomplishments included the following: (1) Smith International participated in the DOE Mud Hammer program through full scale benchmarking testing during the week of 4 November 2003. (2) TerraTek acknowledges Smith International, BP America, PDVSA, and ConocoPhillips for cost-sharing the Smith benchmarking tests allowing extension of the contract to add to the benchmarking testing program. (3) Following the benchmark testing of the Smith International hammer, representatives from DOE/NETL, TerraTek, Smith International and PDVSA met at TerraTek in Salt Lake City to review observations, performance and views on the optimization step for 2003. (4) The December 2002 issue of Journal of Petroleum Technology (Society of Petroleum Engineers) highlighted the DOE fluid hammer testing program and reviewed last years paper on the benchmark performance of the SDS Digger and Novatek hammers. (5) TerraTek's Sid Green presented a technical review for DOE/NETL personnel in Morgantown on ''Impact Rock Breakage'' and its importance on improving fluid hammer performance. Much discussion has taken place on the issues surrounding mud hammer performance at depth conditions.

Horizontal gene transfer promoted evolution of the ability to propagate under anaerobic conditions in yeasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gojkovic, Zoran; Knecht, Wolfgang; Warneboldt, J.

2004-01-01

The ability to propagate under anaerobic conditions is an essential and unique trait of brewer's or baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cervisiae). To understand the evolution of facultative anaerobiosis we studied the dependence of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, more precisely the fourth enzymic...... activity catalysed by dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODase), on the enzymes of the respiratory chain in several yeast species. While the majority of yeasts possess a mitochondrial DHODase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a cytoplasmatic enzyme, whose activity is independent of the presence of oxygen. From....... We show that these two S. kluyveri enzymes, and their coding genes, differ in their dependence on the presence of oxygen. Only the cytoplasmic DHODase promotes growth in the absence of oxygen. Apparently a Saccharomyces yeast progenitor which had a eukaryotic-like mitochondrial DHODase acquired...

RLIM interacts with Smurf2 and promotes TGF-β induced U2OS cell migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Yongsheng; Yang, Yang; Gao, Rui; Yang, Xianmei; Yan, Xiaohua; Wang, Chenji; Jiang, Sirui; Yu, Long

2011-01-01

Highlights: → RLIM directly binds to Smurf2. → RLIM enhances TGF-β responsiveness in U2OS cells. → RLIM promotes TGF-β driven migration of osteosarcoma U2OS cells. -- Abstract: TGF-β (transforming growth factor-β), a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates diverse cellular processes, has been suggested to play critical roles in cell proliferation, migration, and carcinogenesis. Here we found a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase RLIM which can directly bind to Smurf2, enhancing TGF-β responsiveness in osteosarcoma U2OS cells. We constructed a U2OS cell line stably over-expressing RLIM and demonstrated that RLIM promoted TGF-β-driven migration of U2OS cells as tested by wound healing assay. Our results indicated that RLIM is an important positive regulator in TGF-β signaling pathway and cell migration.

Study on the high speed scramjet characteristics at Mach 10 to 15 flight condition

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, M.; Itoh, K.; Tanno, H.; Komuro, T.; Sunami, T.; Sato, K.; Ueda, S.

A scramjet engine model, designed to establish steady and strong combustion at free-stream conditions corresponding to Mach 12 flight, was tested in a large free-piston driven shock tunnel. Combustion tests of a previous engine model showed that combustion heat release obtained in the combustor was not sufficient to maintain strong combustion. For a new scramjet engine model, the inlet compression ratio was increased to raise the static temperature and density of the flow at the combustor entrance. As a result of the aerodynamic design change, the pressure rise due to combustion increased and the duration of strong combustion conditions in the combustor was extended. A hyper-mixer injector designed to enhance mixing and combustion by introducing streamwise vortices was applied to the new engine model. The results showed that the hyper mixer injector was very effective in promoting combustion heat release and establishing steady and strong combustion in the combustor.

Profile-driven regression for modeling and runtime optimization of mobile networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McClary, Dan; Syrotiuk, Violet; Kulahci, Murat

2010-01-01

Computer networks often display nonlinear behavior when examined over a wide range of operating conditions. There are few strategies available for modeling such behavior and optimizing such systems as they run. Profile-driven regression is developed and applied to modeling and runtime optimization...... of throughput in a mobile ad hoc network, a self-organizing collection of mobile wireless nodes without any fixed infrastructure. The intermediate models generated in profile-driven regression are used to fit an overall model of throughput, and are also used to optimize controllable factors at runtime. Unlike...

Product quality driven design of bakery operations using dynamic optimization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hadiyanto, M.; Esveld, D.C.; Boom, R.M.; Straten, van G.; Boxtel, van A.J.B.

2008-01-01

Abstract Quality driven design uses specified product qualities as a starting point for process design. By backward reasoning the required process conditions and processing system were found. In this work dynamic optimization was used as a tool to generate processing solutions for baking processes

What's for Sale at Canadian Universities? A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Promotional Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Pizarro Milian, Roger

2017-01-01

The current fiscal environment has driven Canadian universities to become more entrepreneurial, seeking out and competing over new sources of funding. Despite such intensifying competition, little effort has been made to document the promotional tactics that Canadian universities are using to render themselves appealing to external audiences. This…

Enhancing Resources at the Workplace with Health-Promoting Leadership.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Paul; Bregenzer, Anita; Kallus, K Wolfgang; Fruhwirth, Bianca; Wagner-Hartl, Verena

2017-10-20

Leaders engaging in health-promoting leadership can influence their employees' health directly by showing health awareness or indirectly by changing working conditions. With health-promoting leadership, leaders are able to support a healthy working environment by providing resource-oriented working conditions for their employees to support their health. Changing working conditions in a health-supportive way can prevent possible negative consequences from critical working conditions (e.g., burnout risk). The present study examined the relationship between health-promoting leadership and the employees' resources, stress and burnout. To analyze our proposed model, structural equation modelling was conducted in two samples. The resulting model from the first sample of 228 Austrian workers was cross-validated and could be verified with the second sample (N = 263 Austrian workers). The results supported a model in which health-promoting leadership has a strong direct effect on the employees' resources and an indirect effect on stress and burnout, which was mediated by resources. The results indicate that health-promoting leadership describes the leaders' capability and dedication creating the right working conditions for their employees by increasing the employees' resources at the workplace. This in turn minimizes the risk of experiencing burnout.

Enhancing Resources at the Workplace with Health-Promoting Leadership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Jiménez

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Leaders engaging in health-promoting leadership can influence their employees’ health directly by showing health awareness or indirectly by changing working conditions. With health-promoting leadership, leaders are able to support a healthy working environment by providing resource-oriented working conditions for their employees to support their health. Changing working conditions in a health-supportive way can prevent possible negative consequences from critical working conditions (e.g., burnout risk. The present study examined the relationship between health-promoting leadership and the employees’ resources, stress and burnout. To analyze our proposed model, structural equation modelling was conducted in two samples. The resulting model from the first sample of 228 Austrian workers was cross-validated and could be verified with the second sample (N = 263 Austrian workers. The results supported a model in which health-promoting leadership has a strong direct effect on the employees’ resources and an indirect effect on stress and burnout, which was mediated by resources. The results indicate that health-promoting leadership describes the leaders’ capability and dedication creating the right working conditions for their employees by increasing the employees’ resources at the workplace. This in turn minimizes the risk of experiencing burnout.

Hamiltonian-Driven Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Continuous Nonlinear Dynamical Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yongliang; Wunsch, Donald; Yin, Yixin

2017-08-01

This paper presents a Hamiltonian-driven framework of adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) for continuous time nonlinear systems, which consists of evaluation of an admissible control, comparison between two different admissible policies with respect to the corresponding the performance function, and the performance improvement of an admissible control. It is showed that the Hamiltonian can serve as the temporal difference for continuous-time systems. In the Hamiltonian-driven ADP, the critic network is trained to output the value gradient. Then, the inner product between the critic and the system dynamics produces the value derivative. Under some conditions, the minimization of the Hamiltonian functional is equivalent to the value function approximation. An iterative algorithm starting from an arbitrary admissible control is presented for the optimal control approximation with its convergence proof. The implementation is accomplished by a neural network approximation. Two simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of Hamiltonian-driven ADP.

No Evidence That Gratitude Enhances Neural Performance Monitoring or Conflict-Driven Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Saunders, Blair; He, Frank F H; Inzlicht, Michael

2015-01-01

It has recently been suggested that gratitude can benefit self-regulation by reducing impulsivity during economic decision making. We tested if comparable benefits of gratitude are observed for neural performance monitoring and conflict-driven self-control. In a pre-post design, 61 participants were randomly assigned to either a gratitude or happiness condition, and then performed a pre-induction flanker task. Subsequently, participants recalled an autobiographical event where they had felt grateful or happy, followed by a post-induction flanker task. Despite closely following existing protocols, participants in the gratitude condition did not report elevated gratefulness compared to the happy group. In regard to self-control, we found no association between gratitude--operationalized by experimental condition or as a continuous predictor--and any control metric, including flanker interference, post-error adjustments, or neural monitoring (the error-related negativity, ERN). Thus, while gratitude might increase economic patience, such benefits may not generalize to conflict-driven control processes.

Active machine learning-driven experimentation to determine compound effects on protein patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Naik, Armaghan W; Kangas, Joshua D; Sullivan, Devin P; Murphy, Robert F

2016-02-03

High throughput screening determines the effects of many conditions on a given biological target. Currently, to estimate the effects of those conditions on other targets requires either strong modeling assumptions (e.g. similarities among targets) or separate screens. Ideally, data-driven experimentation could be used to learn accurate models for many conditions and targets without doing all possible experiments. We have previously described an active machine learning algorithm that can iteratively choose small sets of experiments to learn models of multiple effects. We now show that, with no prior knowledge and with liquid handling robotics and automated microscopy under its control, this learner accurately learned the effects of 48 chemical compounds on the subcellular localization of 48 proteins while performing only 29% of all possible experiments. The results represent the first practical demonstration of the utility of active learning-driven biological experimentation in which the set of possible phenotypes is unknown in advance.

Stable solutions of inflation driven by vector fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emami, Razieh [Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Mukohyama, Shinji [Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, 606-8502, Kyoto (Japan); Namba, Ryo [Department of Physics, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2T8 (Canada); Zhang, Ying-li, E-mail: iasraziehm@ust.hk, E-mail: shinji.mukohyama@yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: namba@physics.mcgill.ca, E-mail: yingli@bao.ac.cn [National Astronomy Observatories, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100012 (China)

2017-03-01

Many models of inflation driven by vector fields alone have been known to be plagued by pathological behaviors, namely ghost and/or gradient instabilities. In this work, we seek a new class of vector-driven inflationary models that evade all of the mentioned instabilities. We build our analysis on the Generalized Proca Theory with an extension to three vector fields to realize isotropic expansion. We obtain the conditions required for quasi de-Sitter solutions to be an attractor analogous to the standard slow-roll one and those for their stability at the level of linearized perturbations. Identifying the remedy to the existing unstable models, we provide a simple example and explicitly show its stability. This significantly broadens our knowledge on vector inflationary scenarios, reviving potential phenomenological interests for this class of models.

Stable solutions of inflation driven by vector fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emami, Razieh; Mukohyama, Shinji; Namba, Ryo; Zhang, Ying-li

2017-01-01

Many models of inflation driven by vector fields alone have been known to be plagued by pathological behaviors, namely ghost and/or gradient instabilities. In this work, we seek a new class of vector-driven inflationary models that evade all of the mentioned instabilities. We build our analysis on the Generalized Proca Theory with an extension to three vector fields to realize isotropic expansion. We obtain the conditions required for quasi de-Sitter solutions to be an attractor analogous to the standard slow-roll one and those for their stability at the level of linearized perturbations. Identifying the remedy to the existing unstable models, we provide a simple example and explicitly show its stability. This significantly broadens our knowledge on vector inflationary scenarios, reviving potential phenomenological interests for this class of models.

Extreme fire severity patterns in topographic, convective and wind-driven historical wildfires of Mediterranean pine forests.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Judit Lecina-Diaz

Full Text Available Crown fires associated with extreme fire severity are extremely difficult to control. We have assessed fire severity using differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR from Landsat imagery in 15 historical wildfires of Pinus halepensis Mill. We have considered a wide range of innovative topographic, fuel and fire behavior variables with the purposes of (1 determining the variables that influence fire severity patterns among fires (considering the 15 wildfires together and (2 ascertaining whether different variables affect extreme fire severity within the three fire types (topographic, convective and wind-driven fires. The among-fires analysis showed that fires in less arid climates and with steeper slopes had more extreme severity. In less arid conditions there was more crown fuel accumulation and closer forest structures, promoting high vertical and horizontal fuel continuity and extreme fire severity. The analyses carried out for each fire separately (within fires showed more extreme fire severity in areas in northern aspects, with steeper slopes, with high crown biomass and in climates with more water availability. In northern aspects solar radiation was lower and fuels had less water limitation to growth which, combined with steeper slopes, produced more extreme severity. In topographic fires there was more extreme severity in northern aspects with steeper slopes and in areas with more water availability and high crown biomass; in convection-dominated fires there was also more extreme fire severity in northern aspects with high biomass; while in wind-driven fires there was only a slight interaction between biomass and water availability. This latter pattern could be related to the fact that wind-driven fires spread with high wind speed, which could have minimized the effect of other variables. In the future, and as a consequence of climate change, new zones with high crown biomass accumulated in non-common drought areas will be available to burn

Extreme fire severity patterns in topographic, convective and wind-driven historical wildfires of Mediterranean pine forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Lecina-Diaz, Judit; Alvarez, Albert; Retana, Javier

2014-01-01

Crown fires associated with extreme fire severity are extremely difficult to control. We have assessed fire severity using differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR) from Landsat imagery in 15 historical wildfires of Pinus halepensis Mill. We have considered a wide range of innovative topographic, fuel and fire behavior variables with the purposes of (1) determining the variables that influence fire severity patterns among fires (considering the 15 wildfires together) and (2) ascertaining whether different variables affect extreme fire severity within the three fire types (topographic, convective and wind-driven fires). The among-fires analysis showed that fires in less arid climates and with steeper slopes had more extreme severity. In less arid conditions there was more crown fuel accumulation and closer forest structures, promoting high vertical and horizontal fuel continuity and extreme fire severity. The analyses carried out for each fire separately (within fires) showed more extreme fire severity in areas in northern aspects, with steeper slopes, with high crown biomass and in climates with more water availability. In northern aspects solar radiation was lower and fuels had less water limitation to growth which, combined with steeper slopes, produced more extreme severity. In topographic fires there was more extreme severity in northern aspects with steeper slopes and in areas with more water availability and high crown biomass; in convection-dominated fires there was also more extreme fire severity in northern aspects with high biomass; while in wind-driven fires there was only a slight interaction between biomass and water availability. This latter pattern could be related to the fact that wind-driven fires spread with high wind speed, which could have minimized the effect of other variables. In the future, and as a consequence of climate change, new zones with high crown biomass accumulated in non-common drought areas will be available to burn as extreme

Dober tek!

OpenAIRE

Malmi, Niina-Elina

2007-01-01

Tämä opinnäytetyö käsittelee Slovenian Istrian ruokakulttuurin pääpiirteitä ja niihin vaikuttaneita tekijöitä. Työssä tuodaan esille Slovenian Istrian alueelle tyypillisimmät raaka-aineet, perinneruuat ja ruuan valmistustavat. Työn tarkoituksena on selvittää tämän pienen alueen ruokaerikoisuuksia ja niiden tarjoamia makuelämyksiä. Opinnäytetyö pohjautuu kirjallisiin ja sähköisiin lähteisiin, omiin kokemuksiin ja havainnointiin opiskelijavaihdon aikana sekä kirjailija Alberto Pucerin haastatt...

Exploring health promotion practitioners' experiences of moral distress in Canada and Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunderland, Naomi; Harris, Paul; Johnstone, Kylie; Del Fabbro, Letitia; Kendall, Elizabeth

2015-03-01

This article introduces moral distress - the experience of painful feelings due to institutional constraints on personal moral action - as a significant issue for the international health promotion workforce. Our exploratory study of practitioners' experiences of health promotion in Australia and Canada during 2009-2010 indicated that practitioners who work in upstream policy- and systems-level health promotion are affected by experiences of moral distress. Health promotion practitioners at all levels of the health promotion continuum also described themselves as being engaged in a minority practice within a larger dominant system that does not always value health promotion. We argue that health promotion practitioners are vulnerable to moral distress due to the values-driven and political nature of the practice, the emphasis on systems change and the inherent complexity and diversity of the practice. This vulnerability to moral distress poses significant challenges to both workers and organisations and the communities they seek to benefit. We propose that further research should be undertaken to fully identify the causes and symptoms of moral distress in health promotion. Extensive existing research on moral distress in nursing provides ample resources to conduct such research. © The Author(s) 2014.

Vibration isolation in a free-piston driven expansion tube facility

Science.gov (United States)

Gildfind, D. E.; Jacobs, P. A.; Morgan, R. G.

2013-09-01

The stress waves produced by rapid piston deceleration are a fundamental feature of free-piston driven expansion tubes, and wave propagation has to be considered in the design process. For lower enthalpy test conditions, these waves can traverse the tube ahead of critical flow processes, severely interfering with static pressure measurements of the passing flow. This paper details a new device which decouples the driven tube from the free-piston driver, and thus prevents transmission of stress waves. Following successful incorporation of the concept in the smaller X2 facility, it has now been applied to the larger X3 facility, and results for both facilities are presented.

Field- and current-driven domain wall dynamics: An experimental picture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beach, G.S.D.; Knutson, C.; Tsoi, M.; Erskine, J.L.

2007-01-01

Field- and current-driven domain wall velocities are measured and discussed in terms of existing spin-torque models. A reversal in the roles of adiabatic and non-adiabatic spin-torque is shown to arise in those models below and above Walker breakdown. The measured dependence of velocity on current is the same in both regimes, indicating both spin-torque components have similar magnitude. However, the models on which these conclusions are based have serious quantitative shortcomings in describing the observed field-driven wall dynamics, for which they were originally developed. Hence, the applicability of simple one-dimensional models to most experimental conditions may be limited

P53- and mevalonate pathway–driven malignancies require Arf6 for metastasis and drug resistance

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, Ari; Oikawa, Tsukasa; Hashimoto, Shigeru; Sugino, Hirokazu; Yoshikawa, Ayumu; Otsuka, Yutaro; Handa, Haruka; Onodera, Yasuhito; Nam, Jin-Min; Oneyama, Chitose; Okada, Masato; Fukuda, Mitsunori

2016-01-01

Drug resistance, metastasis, and a mesenchymal transcriptional program are central features of aggressive breast tumors. The GTPase Arf6, often overexpressed in tumors, is critical to promote epithelial–mesenchymal transition and invasiveness. The metabolic mevalonate pathway (MVP) is associated with tumor invasiveness and known to prenylate proteins, but which prenylated proteins are critical for MVP-driven cancers is unknown. We show here that MVP requires the Arf6-dependent mesenchymal program. The MVP enzyme geranylgeranyl transferase II (GGT-II) and its substrate Rab11b are critical for Arf6 trafficking to the plasma membrane, where it is activated by receptor tyrosine kinases. Consistently, mutant p53, which is known to support tumorigenesis via MVP, promotes Arf6 activation via GGT-II and Rab11b. Inhibition of MVP and GGT-II blocked invasion and metastasis and reduced cancer cell resistance against chemotherapy agents, but only in cells overexpressing Arf6 and components of the mesenchymal program. Overexpression of Arf6 and mesenchymal proteins as well as enhanced MVP activity correlated with poor patient survival. These results provide insights into the molecular basis of MVP-driven malignancy. PMID:27044891

Light-Driven Alignment

CERN Document Server

Antonyuk, Boris P

2009-01-01

This book deals with influencing the properties of solids by light-driven electron transport. The theoretical basis of these effects, light-driven ordering and self-organisation, as well as optical motors are presented. With light as a tool, new ways to produce materials are opened.

Model Driven Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Gaševic, Dragan; Djuric, Dragan; Devedžic, Vladan

A relevant initiative from the software engineering community called Model Driven Engineering (MDE) is being developed in parallel with the Semantic Web (Mellor et al. 2003a). The MDE approach to software development suggests that one should first develop a model of the system under study, which is then transformed into the real thing (i.e., an executable software entity). The most important research initiative in this area is the Model Driven Architecture (MDA), which is Model Driven Architecture being developed under the umbrella of the Object Management Group (OMG). This chapter describes the basic concepts of this software engineering effort.

Ontology-driven data integration and visualization for exploring regional geologic time and paleontological information

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chengbin; Ma, Xiaogang; Chen, Jianguo

2018-06-01

Initiatives of open data promote the online publication and sharing of large amounts of geologic data. How to retrieve information and discover knowledge from the big data is an ongoing challenge. In this paper, we developed an ontology-driven data integration and visualization pilot system for exploring information of regional geologic time, paleontology, and fundamental geology. The pilot system (http://www2.cs.uidaho.edu/%7Emax/gts/)

Cleaning capacity promoted by motor-driven or manual instrumentation using ProTaper Universal system: Histological analysis

OpenAIRE

da Frota, Matheus Franco; Filho, Idomeo Bonetti; Berbert, F?bio Luiz Camargo Villela; Sponchiado, Emilio Carlos; Marques, Andr? Augusto Franco; Garcia, Lucas da Fonseca Roberti

2013-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the cleaning capacity of the Protaper system using motor-driven or manual instrumentation. Materials and Methods: Ten mandibular molars were randomly separated into 2 groups (n = 5) according to the type of instrumentation performed, as follows: Group 1 - instrumentation with rotary nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) files using ProTaper Universal System (Dentsply/Maillefer); and, Group 2 - instrumentation with Ni-Ti hand files using ProTaper Universal (Den...

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of a Dual-Function Green Fluorescent Protein–HSV1-Thymidine Kinase Reporter Gene Driven by the Human Elongation Factor 1α Promoter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary D. Luker

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Toward the goal of monitoring activity of native mammalian promoters with molecular imaging techniques, we stably transfected DU145 prostate carcinoma cells with a fusion construct of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP and wild-type herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-TK as a reporter gene driven by the promoter for human elongation factor 1α (EF-1α-EGFP-TK. Using this model system, expression of EGFP was quantified by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, while the HSV1-TK component of the reporter was quantified with 8-[3H]ganciclovir (8-[3H]GCV. As analyzed by flow cytometry, passage of EGFP-TK-DU145 transfected cells (ETK in vitro resulted in populations of cells with high and low expression of EGFP over time. High and low ETK cells retained 23-fold and 5-fold more GCV, respectively, than control. While differences in uptake and retention of GCV corresponded to relative expression of the reporter gene in each subpopulation of cells as determined by both flow cytometry (EGFP and quantitative RT-PCR, the correlation was not linear. Furthermore, in high ETK cells, net retention of various radiolabeled nucleoside analogues varied; the rank order was 8-[3H]GCV < 9-(4-fluoro-3-hydroxymethylbutylguanine ([18F]FHBG ≈ 8-[3H]penciclovir (8-[3H]PCV < 2′-fluoro-2′-deoxy-5-iodouracil-beta-d-arabinofuranoside (2-[14C]FIAU. Xenograft tumors of ETK cells in vivo accumulated 2.5-fold more 8-[3H]GCV per gram of tissue and showed greater fluorescence from EGFP than control DU145 cells, demonstrating that the reporter gene functioned in vivo. These data extend previous reports by showing that a human promoter can be detected in vitro and in vivo with a dual-function reporter exploiting optical and radiotracer techniques.

Reduced HRAS G12V-Driven Tumorigenesis of Cell Lines Expressing KRAS C118S.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Huang

Full Text Available In many different human cancers, one of the HRAS, NRAS, or KRAS genes in the RAS family of small GTPases acquires an oncogenic mutation that renders the encoded protein constitutively GTP-bound and thereby active, which is well established to promote tumorigenesis. In addition to oncogenic mutations, accumulating evidence suggests that the wild-type isoforms may also be activated and contribute to oncogenic RAS-driven tumorigenesis. In this regard, redox-dependent reactions with cysteine 118 (C118 have been found to promote activation of wild-type HRAS and NRAS. We sought to determine if this residue is also important for the activation of wild-type KRAS and promotion of tumorigenesis. Thus, we mutated C118 to serine (C118S in wild-type KRAS to block redox-dependent reactions at this site. We now report that this mutation reduced the level of GTP-bound KRAS and impaired RAS signaling stimulated by the growth factor EGF. With regards to tumorigenesis, we also report that oncogenic HRAS-transformed human cells in which endogenous KRAS was knocked down and replaced with KRASC118S exhibited reduced xenograft tumor growth, as did oncogenic HRAS-transformed KrasC118S/C118S murine cells in which the C118S mutation was knocked into the endogenous Kras gene. Taken together, these data suggest a role for redox-dependent activation of wild-type KRAS through C118 in oncogenic HRAS-driven tumorigenesis.

Parameters promoting liquid metal embrittlement of the T91 steel in lead-bismuth eutectic alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proriol Serre, I.; Ye, C.; Vogt, J.B.

2015-01-01

The use of liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as a spallation target and a coolant in accelerator-driven systems raises the question of the reliability of structural materials, such as T91 martensitic steel in terms of liquid metal assisted damage and corrosion. In this study, the mechanical behaviour of the T91 martensitic steel was examined in liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) and in inert atmosphere. Several conditions showed the most sensitive embrittlement factor. The Small Punch Test technique was employed using smooth specimens. In this standard heat treatment, T91 appeared in general as a ductile material, and became brittle in the considered conditions if the test was performed in LBE. It turns out that the loading rate appeared as a critical parameter for the occurrence of liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of the T91 steel in LBE. Loading the T91 very slowly instead of rapidly in oxygen saturated LBE resulted in brittle fracture. Furthermore, low-oxygen content in LBE and an increase in temperature promote LME. (authors)

I Juragan Anom: (Sebuah Kajian Tekstual

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ida Bagus Putra Yadnya

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Tulisan ini ditujukan untuk memberikan tinjauan teoretis mengenai konsep konteks situasi dan aplikasi model teoretis Hallday (1985 tentang konteks situasi terhadap teks I Juragan Anom, sebuah teks tradisional Bali berwujud prosa naratif yang tidak saja bisa dipahami sebagai suatu cerita rakyat yang bercerita tentang perjalanan hidup karakter di dalam cerita tersebut yang dikemas dalam struktur kisahan cerita Panji dan memiliki sejumlah kesamaan struktur alur universal dari the Hero of Tradition serta memiliki bobot edukatif bagi pendidikan dan pembinaan anak-anak. Jangkauan pembicaraan dan kajian terhadap teks tersebut terbatas pada (1 kesatuan teks yang mencakup kesatuan struktur dan texture, (2 konteks situasi dan (3 konteks budayanya.

Data-Driven and Expectation-Driven Discovery of Empirical Laws.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-10-10

occurred in small integer proportions to each other. In 1809, Joseph Gay- Lussac found evidence for his law of combining volumes, which stated that a...of Empirical Laws Patrick W. Langley Gary L. Bradshaw Herbert A. Simon T1he Robotics Institute Carnegie-Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...Subtitle) S. TYPE OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED Data-Driven and Expectation-Driven Discovery Interim Report 2/82-10/82 of Empirical Laws S. PERFORMING ORG

Solar air-conditioning. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-07-01

Within the 3rd International Conference on solar air-conditioning in Palermo (Italy) at 30th September to 2nd October, 2009 the following lectures were held: (1) Removal of non-technological barriers to solar cooling technology across Southern European islands (Stefano Rugginenti); (2) The added economic and environmental value of solar thermal systems in microgrids with combined heat and power (Chris Marney); (3) Australian solar cooling interest group (Paul Kohlenbach); (4) Designing of a technology roadmap for solar assisted air conditioning in Austria (Hilbert Focke); (5) Solar cooling in the new context of renewable policies at European level (Raffaele Piria); (6) Prototype of a solar driven steam jet ejector chiller (Clemens Pollerberg); (7) New integrated solar air conditioning system (Joan Carlos Bruno); (8) Primary energy optimised operation of solar driven desiccant evaporative cooling systems through innovative control strategies; (9) Green chiller association (Uli Jakob); (10) Climate Well {sup registered} (Olof Hallstrom); (11) Low capacity absorption chillers for solar cooling applications (Gregor Weidner); (12) Solar cooling in residential, small scale commercial and industrial applications with adsorption technology (Walter Mittelbach); (13) French solar heating and cooling development programme based on energy performance (Daniel Mugnier); (14) Mirrox fresnel process heat collectors for industrial applications and solar cooling (Christian Zahler); (15) Modelling and analyzing solar cooling systems in polysun (Seyen Hossein Rezaei); (16) Solar cooling application in Valle Susa Italy (Sufia Jung); (17) Virtual case study on small solar cooling systems within the SolarCombi+Project (Bjoern Nienborg); (18) Design of solar cooling plants under uncertainty (Fernando Dominguez-Munoz); (19) Fast pre-design of systems using solar thermally driven chillers (Hans-Martin Henning); (20) Design of a high fraction solar heating and cooling plant in southern

The Role of Employee-Driven Relations and Persistence in University-Industry Collaboration on Regional Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Christian Richter; Drejer, Ina

important driving factor for current collaboration than the existence of employee-driven relations. This suggest that firms’ hiring a university graduate is important for establishing a university connection, but once they have initiated a collaboration, then collaboration patterns tend to persists. However...... in the innovation literature about drivers of and persistence in university-industry collaborations. More specifically, it explores the role of employee-driven relations and persistence for firms’ collaboration on innovation with specific universities. The existing studies of university-industry interaction based......Promoting university-industry collaboration on innovation has an important role in regional innovation policy. Despite apparent advantages of such collaborations, several studies have shown that most innovative firms do not collaborate with universities. The paper addresses the dearth of knowledge...

The Atypical Kinase RIOK1 Promotes Tumor Growth and Invasive Behavior

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Florian Weinberg

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Despite being overexpressed in different tumor entities, RIO kinases are hardly characterized in mammalian cells. We investigated the role of these atypical kinases in different cancer cells. Using isogenic colon-, breast- and lung cancer cell lines, we demonstrate that knockdown of RIOK1, but not of RIOK2 or RIOK3, strongly impairs proliferation and invasiveness in conventional and 3D culture systems. Interestingly, these effects were mainly observed in RAS mutant cancer cells. In contrast, growth of RAS wildtype Caco-2 and Bcr-Abl-driven K562 cells is not affected by RIOK1 knockdown, suggesting a specific requirement for RIOK1 in the context of oncogenic RAS signaling. Furthermore, we show that RIOK1 activates NF-κB signaling and promotes cell cycle progression. Using proteomics, we identified the pro-invasive proteins Metadherin and Stathmin1 to be regulated by RIOK1. Additionally, we demonstrate that RIOK1 promotes lung colonization in vivo and that RIOK1 is overexpressed in different subtypes of human lung- and breast cancer. Altogether, our data suggest RIOK1 as a potential therapeutic target, especially in RAS-driven cancers.

20 Years Health Promotion Research in and on settings

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Heiko Waller

2007-12-01

Full Text Available In 2006 we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Ottawa Charta for Health Promotion. During these 20 years health promotion became a very influential public health strategy. Let us - with reference to the WHO Health Promotion Glossary - recall some of the core elements of health promotion: “Health promotion represents a comprehensive social and political process, it not only embraces actions directed at strengthening skills and capabilities of individuals, but also actions directed towards changing social, environmental and economic conditions so as to alleviate their impact on public and individual health.Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over the determinants of health and thereby improve their health. Participation is essential to sustain health promotion action.” The Ottawa Charter identifies three basic strategies for health promotion. These are (1 advocacy for health to create the essential conditions for health indicated above; (2 enabling all people to achieve their full health potential; and (3 mediating between different interests in society in the pursuit of health. The Ottawa Charter identifies three basic strategies for health promotion. These are (1 advocacy for health to create the essential conditions for health indicated above; (2 enabling all people to achieve their full health potential; and (3 mediating between different interests in society in the pursuit of health.

Evaluation of the PSMA promoter for use in a conditionally replicative adenovirus (CRAd) and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ove, R.; Swift, A.; Kransnykh, V.N.; Nettelbeck, D.M.; Yamamato, M.; Curiel, D.T.

2003-01-01

CRAds are currently being evaluated for possible use with concurrent prostate radiotherapy/brachytherapy. Viruses with tissue specific promoters governing the viral E1A region exist for Cox-2 [Yamamato] and Flt-1 Tyr[Nettelbeck], and a PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigen) promoter and promoter/enhancer CRAd is being developed. PSMA is promising in that it is very specific to prostate cancer. We evaluated replication deficient Cox-2 and PSMA luciferase reporter viruses (Ad-Cox2-luc and Ad-PSMA-luc/ RGD) with and without 3Gy radiation. The Ad-PSMA-luc/RGD genome contains an RGD fiber knob modification, to allow infection via integrin interaction (bypassing CAR). Cell lines used were the prostate cell lines PC3 (PSMA-) and LNCaP (PSMA+), the breast line BT474 (Cox2-), and immortalized human hepatocytes (THLE-3). Cells were radiated 1 hour before viral infection, and assayed 48-hours after infection. Luciferase activity was assayed per total cellular protein of the surviving cells. Ad-PSMA-luc was negative in BT474, THLE3, and PC3, but showed increased expression in LNCaP. Radiation moderately increased expression. Ad-Cox2-luc was positive in all four lines. Radiation led to slightly lower promoter activity in BT474 and PC3, 2-fold lower expression in LNCaP, and a slight increase in THLE3. A control reporter virus (Ad-CMV-luc) was strongly positive for all lines except BT474, which was negative. Radiation had no affect on CMV promoter activity. Comparison PSMA promoter and PSMA promoter/enhancer plasmids showed a 60-fold increase with the addition of the enhancer (50 times the SV40 promoter/enhancer). The enhancer led to only 2-fold increase in Du145 (PSMA-). The PSMA reporter virus (Ad-PSMA-luc) showed selective activity in PSMA positive cells. Moderate enhancement is seen with low dose radiation, but not with Ad-Cox2-luc. The PSMA promoter and promoter/enhancer are promising in the CRAd context. Timing and dose of irradiation needs to be explored further

Source driven breeding thermal power reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenspan, E.; Ben-Gurion Univ. of the Negev, Beersheba

1978-03-01

The feasibility of fusion devices operating in the semi-catalyzed deuterium (SCD) mode and of high energy proton accelerators to provide the neutron sources for driving subcritical breeding light water power reactors is assessed. The assessment is done by studying the energy balance of the resulting source driven light water reactors (SDLWR) and comparing it with the energy balance of the reference light water hybrid reactors (LWHR) driven by a D-T neutron source (DT-LWHR). The conditions the non-DT neutron sources should satisfy in order to make the SDLWR viable power reactors are identified. It is found that in order for a SCD-LWHR to have the same overall efficiency as a DT-LWHR, the fusion energy gain of the SCD device should be at least one half that the DT device. The efficienct of ADLWRs using uranium targets is comparable with that of DT-LWHRs having a fusion energy gain of unity. Advantages and disadvantages of the DT-LWHR, SCD-LWHR and ADLWR are discussed. (aurthor)

Proactive health consumerism: an important new tool for worksite health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Sara S; Cummins, Carol O; Evers, Kerry E; Prochaska, Janice M; Prochaska, James O

2009-01-01

Consumerism in health care has taken on the form of a major innovation among employers and health plans. Yet many of our efforts to enhance the skills and attitudes that enable consumerism have met with limited success. Proactive Health Consumerism is proposed as an approach that utilizes many of the hard-won lessons from health promotion research. Along with prerequisites that create the motivation and framework for increased health consumerism, this article provides a theory-driven example of a new tool for health promotion professionals to employ when enhancing the health consumer skills of working populations. Strategies for maximization of effectiveness and integration with supporting resources are also described.

Emotion-driven level generation

OpenAIRE

Togelius, Julian; Yannakakis, Georgios N.

2016-01-01

This chapter examines the relationship between emotions and level generation. Grounded in the experience-driven procedural content generation framework we focus on levels and introduce a taxonomy of approaches for emotion-driven level generation. We then review four characteristic level generators of our earlier work that exemplify each one of the approaches introduced. We conclude the chapter with our vision on the future of emotion-driven level generation.

MODEL PENGEMBANGAN SOAL READING TOEFL BERBASIS TEKS-TEKS KEISLAMAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IRWAN IRWAN

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Problem of this research is the unfamiliarity of the topics in TOEFL test. Many of the topics are talking about American and Europe.  They are about American science, American history, American economic system, American culture and European culture.  The topics above are not familiar to the students of State Islamic College because they seldom study about the topic. To answer the TOEFL tes it will be better for us to have background knowledge about the topics of the reading.  If we are familiar with the topic, it will help us to be easy in answering and understanding about the text.  This research used Research & Development (R&D approach.  The sample of the try out test for developing these questions are the sixth semester English students of STAIN Batusangkar.  The data were analyzed by using Kappa model to differenciate the items difficulties, items differenciation, trapping model, validity and reliability.  The product of this research then revised for three times.  Then, the product is also commented and analyzed by the experts.  After analyzing the revision of the product, the result finally getting ready to be used for a test.

Guarded Type Promotion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, Johnni

2011-01-01

conditional using the instanceof operator and thus the cast type is redundantly mentioned twice. We propose a new typing rule for Java called Guarded Type Promotion aimed at eliminating the need for the explicit casts when guarded. This new typing rule is backward compatible and has been fully implemented...... in a Java 6 compiler. Through our extensive testing of real-life code we show that guarded casts account for approximately one fourth of all casts and that Guarded Type Promotion can eliminate the need for 95 percent of these guarded casts....

Promoting Student Inquiry Using "Zea Mays" (Corn) Cultivars for Hypothesis-Driven Experimentation in a Majors Introductory Biology Course

Science.gov (United States)

Blair, Amy C.; Peters, Brenda J.; Bendixen, Conrad W.

2014-01-01

The AAAS Vision and Change report (2011) recommends incorporating student research experiences into the biology curriculum at the undergraduate level. This article describes, in detail, how "Zea mays" (corn) cultivars were used as a model for a hypothesis-driven short-term research project in an introductory biology course at a small…

Microgravity Investigation of Capillary Driven Imbibition

Science.gov (United States)

Dushin, V. R.; Nikitin, V. F.; Smirnov, N. N.; Skryleva, E. I.; Tyurenkova, V. V.

2018-05-01

The goal of the present paper is to investigate the capillary driven filtration in porous media under microgravity conditions. New mathematical model that allows taking into account the blurring of the front due to the instability of the displacement that is developing at the front is proposed. The constants in the mathematical model were selected on the basis of the experimental data on imbibition into unsaturated porous media under microgravity conditions. The flow under the action of a combination of capillary forces and a constant pressure drop or a constant flux is considered. The effect of capillary forces and the type of wettability of the medium on the displacement process is studied. A criterion in which case the capillary effects are insignificant and can be neglected is established.

Dynamics of a thermally driven film climbing the outside of a vertical cylinder.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolka, Linda B

2017-10-01

The dynamics of a film climbing the outside of a vertical cylinder under the competing effects of a thermally driven surface tension gradient and gravity is examined through numerical simulations of a thin-film model for the film height. The model, including boundary conditions, depends on three parameters, the scaled cylinder radius R[over ̂], the upstream film height h_{∞}, and the downstream precursor film thickness b, and reduces to the model for Marangoni driven film climbing a vertical plate in the limit R[over ̂]→∞. The axisymmetric advancing front displays dynamics similar to that found along a vertical plate where, depending on h_{∞}, the film forms a single Lax shock, an undercompressive double shock, or a rarefaction-undercompressive shock. A linear stability analysis of the Lax shock reveals the number of fingers that form along the contact line increases linearly with cylinder circumference while no fingers form for sufficiently small cylinders (below R[over ̂]≈1.15 when b=0.1). The substrate curvature controls the height of the Lax shock, bounds on h_{∞} that define the three distinct solutions, and the maximum growth rate of contact line perturbations to the Lax shock when R[over ̂]=O(1), whereas the three solutions and the stability of the Lax shock converge to the behavior one observes on a vertical plate when R[over ̂]≥O(10). An energy analysis reveals that the azimuthal curvatures of the base state and perturbation, which arise from the annular geometry of the film, promote instability of the advancing contact line.

Evaluation of Respondent-Driven Sampling

Science.gov (United States)

McCreesh, Nicky; Frost, Simon; Seeley, Janet; Katongole, Joseph; Tarsh, Matilda Ndagire; Ndunguse, Richard; Jichi, Fatima; Lunel, Natasha L; Maher, Dermot; Johnston, Lisa G; Sonnenberg, Pam; Copas, Andrew J; Hayes, Richard J; White, Richard G

2012-01-01

Background Respondent-driven sampling is a novel variant of link-tracing sampling for estimating the characteristics of hard-to-reach groups, such as HIV prevalence in sex-workers. Despite its use by leading health organizations, the performance of this method in realistic situations is still largely unknown. We evaluated respondent-driven sampling by comparing estimates from a respondent-driven sampling survey with total-population data. Methods Total-population data on age, tribe, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual activity and HIV status were available on a population of 2402 male household-heads from an open cohort in rural Uganda. A respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey was carried out in this population, employing current methods of sampling (RDS sample) and statistical inference (RDS estimates). Analyses were carried out for the full RDS sample and then repeated for the first 250 recruits (small sample). Results We recruited 927 household-heads. Full and small RDS samples were largely representative of the total population, but both samples under-represented men who were younger, of higher socioeconomic status, and with unknown sexual activity and HIV status. Respondent-driven-sampling statistical-inference methods failed to reduce these biases. Only 31%-37% (depending on method and sample size) of RDS estimates were closer to the true population proportions than the RDS sample proportions. Only 50%-74% of respondent-driven-sampling bootstrap 95% confidence intervals included the population proportion. Conclusions Respondent-driven sampling produced a generally representative sample of this well-connected non-hidden population. However, current respondent-driven-sampling inference methods failed to reduce bias when it occurred. Whether the data required to remove bias and measure precision can be collected in a respondent-driven sampling survey is unresolved. Respondent-driven sampling should be regarded as a (potentially superior) form of convenience

Evaluation of respondent-driven sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

McCreesh, Nicky; Frost, Simon D W; Seeley, Janet; Katongole, Joseph; Tarsh, Matilda N; Ndunguse, Richard; Jichi, Fatima; Lunel, Natasha L; Maher, Dermot; Johnston, Lisa G; Sonnenberg, Pam; Copas, Andrew J; Hayes, Richard J; White, Richard G

2012-01-01

Respondent-driven sampling is a novel variant of link-tracing sampling for estimating the characteristics of hard-to-reach groups, such as HIV prevalence in sex workers. Despite its use by leading health organizations, the performance of this method in realistic situations is still largely unknown. We evaluated respondent-driven sampling by comparing estimates from a respondent-driven sampling survey with total population data. Total population data on age, tribe, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual activity, and HIV status were available on a population of 2402 male household heads from an open cohort in rural Uganda. A respondent-driven sampling (RDS) survey was carried out in this population, using current methods of sampling (RDS sample) and statistical inference (RDS estimates). Analyses were carried out for the full RDS sample and then repeated for the first 250 recruits (small sample). We recruited 927 household heads. Full and small RDS samples were largely representative of the total population, but both samples underrepresented men who were younger, of higher socioeconomic status, and with unknown sexual activity and HIV status. Respondent-driven sampling statistical inference methods failed to reduce these biases. Only 31%-37% (depending on method and sample size) of RDS estimates were closer to the true population proportions than the RDS sample proportions. Only 50%-74% of respondent-driven sampling bootstrap 95% confidence intervals included the population proportion. Respondent-driven sampling produced a generally representative sample of this well-connected nonhidden population. However, current respondent-driven sampling inference methods failed to reduce bias when it occurred. Whether the data required to remove bias and measure precision can be collected in a respondent-driven sampling survey is unresolved. Respondent-driven sampling should be regarded as a (potentially superior) form of convenience sampling method, and caution is required

GENDER CONSTRUCTION IN VISUAL IMAGES IN TEXTBOOKS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ika Lestari Damayanti

2014-01-01

KONSTRUKSI GENDER DALAM CITRA VISUAL PADA BUKU TEKS UNTUK SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR   Abstrak:Di Indonesia, upaya penyadaran pentingnya isu penyetaraan gender dalam buku ajar sekolah masih belum banyak dilakukan. Untuk itu, penelitian ini dilakukan sebagai salah satu cara penyadaran isu gender dengan menginvestigasi representasi gender dalam buku ajar. Penelitian ini menggunakan analisis teks terhadap empat buku ajar yang digunakan di sekolah dasar. Fokus analisisnya adalah pada gambar ilustrasi yang menyertai teks tertulis seperti bagian bacaan. Gambar tersebut dianalisis dengan menggunakan teori ‘Visual Grammar’ yang dikembangkan oleh Kress dan van Leeuween. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahwa gambar-gambar tersebut merepresentasikan ketidaksetaraan gender. Perempuan digambarkan sebagai sosok yang tergantung pada orang lain dibandingkan laki-laki yang mandiri dan mereka berlaku sebagai pengagum pekerjaan yang dilakukan laki-laki. Berdasarkan hasil temuannya, penelitian ini merekomendasikan upaya yang lebih serius dalam menampilkan peran gender yang seimbang dan tidak hanya ditampilkan dalam teks tulis namun juga dalam gambar karena pada dasarnya makna dikonstruksi secara multimodal.   Katakunci:konstruksi gender, visual grammar, teks gambar.

Autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter suppresses human ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yue; Xia, Zhijun; Shen, Keng; Zhai, Xingyue

2013-05-01

To construct recombinant adenoviruses AdHT-rev-casp3 and Ad-rev-casp3, which express autocatalysis caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and cytomegalovirus promoter, respectively; and to investigate their antitumor effects on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Cell viabilities were determined using the cell counting kit 8 and flow cytometry. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting assays were used to detect cellular apoptotic activities after treatments. Tumor growth and survival of mice bearing AO cells were studied. AdHT-rev-casp3 significantly suppressed the survival of AO cells in a dose-dependent modality with a viability rate of 60.45% ± 7.8% at an multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 70 and 42.18 ± 5.3% at an MOI of 100, which was somewhat lower than that of the AO cells treated with Ad-rev-casp3 (32.28% ± 5.3% and 21.84% ± 3.4%, respectively). In contrast, AdHT-rev-casp3 induced little human umbilical vein epithelial cell (HUVEC) death with a viability rate of 98.52% ± 6.9% at an MOI of 70, whereas Ad-rev-casp3 induced significant cell death in HUVEC with a viability rate of 27.14% ± 5.4%. Additionally, AdHT-rev-casp3 (MOI = 70) caused significant apoptosis in AO cells with an apoptotic rate of 25.97%, whereas it caused undetectable apoptosis in HUVECs with the rate of only 1.75%. Ad-rev-casp3 (MOI = 70) caused strong apoptosis in both AO and HUVECs, with the rate of 35.82% and 38.12%, respectively. AdHT-rev-casp3 caused markedly higher levels of active caspase-3, causing no detectable active caspase-3 expression in HUVECs. The tumor growth suppression rate of AdHT-rev-casp3 was 54.94%, significantly higher than that of phosphate-buffered saline at the end point of the study. AdHT-rev-casp3 significantly improved the survival of mice receiving intraperitoneal inoculation of AO cells with little liver damage, with the mean survival of 177 ± 12 days. AdHT-rev-casp3 causes effective apoptosis

Prospective evaluation of three rapid diagnostic tests for diagnosis of human leptospirosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marga G A Goris

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of leptospirosis by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT or by culture is confined to specialized laboratories. Although ELISA techniques are more common, they still require laboratory facilities. Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs can be used for easy point-of-care diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the RDTs LeptoTek Dri Dot, LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and Leptocheck-WB, prospectively. METHODOLOGY: During 2001 to 2012, one or two of the RDTs at the same time have been applied prior to routine diagnostics (MAT, ELISA and culture on serum specimens from participants sent in for leptospirosis diagnosis. The case definition was based on MAT, ELISA and culture results. Participants not fulfilling the case definition were considered not to have leptospirosis. The diagnostic accuracy was determined based on the 1(st submitted sample and paired samples, either in an overall analysis or stratified according to days post onset of illness. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity and specificity for the LeptoTek Dri Dot was 75% respectively 96%, for the LeptoTek Lateral Flow 78% respectively 95%, and for the Leptocheck-WB 78% respectively 98%. Based on the 1(st submitted sample the sensitivity was low (51% for LeptoTek Dri Dot, 69% for LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and 55% for Leptocheck-WB, but substantially increased when the results of paired samples were combined, although accompanied by a lower specificity (82% respectively 91% for LeptoTek Dri Dot, 86% respectively 84% for LeptoTek Lateral Flow, and 80% respectively 93% for Leptocheck-WB. CONCLUSIONS: All three tests present antibody tests contributing to the diagnosis of leptospirosis, thus supporting clinical suspicion and contributing to awareness. Since the overall sensitivity of the tested RDTs did not exceed 80%, one should be cautious to rely only on an RDT result, and confirmation by reference tests is strongly recommended.

Integrating Traditional and Evolutionary Knowledge in Biodiversity Conservation: a Population Level Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dylan J. Fraser

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Despite their dual importance in the assessment of endangered/threatened species, there have been few attempts to integrate traditional ecological knowledge (TEK and evolutionary biology knowledge (EBK at the population level. We contrasted long-term aboriginal TEK with previously obtained EBK in the context of seasonal migratory habits and population biology of a salmonid fish, brook charr, (Salvelinus fontinalis inhabiting a large, remote postglacial lake. Compilation of TEK spanning four decades involved analytical workshops, semidirective interviews, and collaborative fieldwork with local aboriginal informants and fishing guides. We found that TEK complemented EBK of brook charr by providing concordant and additional information about (1 population viability; (2 breeding areas and migration patterns of divergent populations; and (3 the behavioral ecology of populations within feeding areas; all of which may ultimately affect the maintenance of population diversity. Aboriginal concerns related to human pressures on this species, not revealed by EBK, also help to focus future conservation initiatives for divergent populations and to encourage restoration of traditional fishing practices. However, relative to EBK, the relevance of TEK to salmonid biodiversity conservation was evident mainly at a smaller spatial scale, for example, that of individual rivers occupied by populations or certain lake sectors. Nevertheless, EBK was only collected over a 4-yr period, so TEK provided an essential long-term temporal window to evaluate population differences and persistence. We concluded that, despite different conceptual underpinnings, spatially and temporally varying TEK and EBK both contribute to the knowledge base required to achieve sustainability and effective biodiversity conservation planning for a given species. Such integration may be particularly relevant in many isolated regions, where intraspecific diversity can go unrecognized due to sparse

Theory of Feynman-alpha technique with masking window for accelerator-driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, Yasunori; Misawa, Tsuyoshi

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A theory of the modified Feynman-alpha technique for the ADS was developed. • The experimental conditions under which this technique works were discussed. • It is expected this technique is applied to the subcriticality monitor for the ADS. - Abstract: Recently, a modified Feynman-alpha technique for the subcritical system driven by periodically triggered neutron bursts was developed. One of the main features of this technique is utilization of a simple formula that is advantageous in evaluating the subcriticality. However, owing to the absence of the theory of this technique, this feature has not been fully investigated yet. In the present study, a theory of this technique is provided. Furthermore, the experimental conditions under which the simple formula works are discussed to apply this technique to the subcriticality monitor for the accelerator-driven system.

From current-driven to neoclassically driven tearing modes.

Science.gov (United States)

Reimerdes, H; Sauter, O; Goodman, T; Pochelon, A

2002-03-11

In the TCV tokamak, the m/n = 2/1 island is observed in low-density discharges with central electron-cyclotron current drive. The evolution of its width has two distinct growth phases, one of which can be linked to a "conventional" tearing mode driven unstable by the current profile and the other to a neoclassical tearing mode driven by a perturbation of the bootstrap current. The TCV results provide the first clear observation of such a destabilization mechanism and reconcile the theory of conventional and neoclassical tearing modes, which differ only in the dominant driving term.

Environmental Growth Conditions of Trichoderma spp. Affects Indole Acetic Acid Derivatives, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Plant Growth Promotion

Science.gov (United States)

Nieto-Jacobo, Maria F.; Steyaert, Johanna M.; Salazar-Badillo, Fatima B.; Nguyen, Dianne Vi; Rostás, Michael; Braithwaite, Mark; De Souza, Jorge T.; Jimenez-Bremont, Juan F.; Ohkura, Mana; Stewart, Alison

2017-01-01

Trichoderma species are soil-borne filamentous fungi widely utilized for their many plant health benefits, such as conferring improved growth, disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance to their hosts. Many Trichoderma species are able to produce the auxin phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and its production has been suggested to promote root growth. Here we show that the production of IAA is strain dependent and diverse external stimuli are associated with its production. In in vitro assays, Arabidopsis primary root length was negatively affected by the interaction with some Trichoderma strains. In soil experiments, a continuum effect on plant growth was shown and this was also strain dependent. In plate assays, some strains of Trichoderma spp. inhibited the expression of the auxin reporter gene DR5 in Arabidopsis primary roots but not secondary roots. When Trichoderma spp. and A. thaliana were physically separated, enhancement of both shoot and root biomass, increased root production and chlorophyll content were observed, which strongly suggested that volatile production by the fungus influenced the parameters analyzed. Trichoderma strains T. virens Gv29.8, T. atroviride IMI206040, T. sp. “atroviride B” LU132, and T. asperellum LU1370 were demonstrated to promote plant growth through volatile production. However, contrasting differences were observed with LU1370 which had a negative effect on plant growth in soil but a positive effect in plate assays. Altogether our results suggest that the mechanisms and molecules involved in plant growth promotion by Trichoderma spp. are multivariable and are affected by the environmental conditions. PMID:28232840

The steady state solutions of radiatively driven stellar winds for a non-Sobolev, pure absorption model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poe, C.H.; Owocki, S.P.; Castor, J.I.

1990-01-01

The steady state solution topology for absorption line-driven flows is investigated for the condition that the Sobolev approximation is not used to compute the line force. The solution topology near the sonic point is of the nodal type with two positive slope solutions. The shallower of these slopes applies to reasonable lower boundary conditions and realistic ion thermal speed v(th) and to the Sobolev limit of zero of the usual Castor, Abbott, and Klein model. At finite v(th), this solution consists of a family of very similar solutions converging on the sonic point. It is concluded that a non-Sobolev, absorption line-driven flow with a realistic values of v(th) has no uniquely defined steady state. To the extent that a pure absorption model of the outflow of stellar winds is applicable, radiatively driven winds should be intrinsically variable. 34 refs

Demand-driven biogas production from sugar beet silage in a novel fixed bed disc reactor under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Terboven, Christiane; Ramm, Patrice; Herrmann, Christiane

2017-10-01

A newly developed fixed bed disc reactor (FBDR) which combines biofilm formation on biofilm carriers and reactor agitation in one single system was assessed for its applicability to demand-driven biogas production by variable feeding of sugar beet silage. Five different feeding patterns were studied at an organic loading of 4g VS L -1 d -1 under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. High methane yields of 449-462L N kg VS were reached. Feeding variable punctual loadings caused immediate response with 1.2- to 3.5-fold increase in biogas production rates within 15min. Although variable feeding did not induce process instability, a temporary decrease in pH-value and methane concentration below 40% occurred. Thermophilic temperature was advantageous as it resulted in a more rapid, higher methane production and less pronounced decrease in methane content after feeding. The FBDR was demonstrated to be well-suited for flexible biogas production, but further research and comparison with traditional reactor systems are required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How older citizens engage in their health promotion: a qualitative research-driven taxonomy of experiences and meanings

Science.gov (United States)

Menichetti, Julia; Graffigna, Guendalina

2016-01-01

Objectives In this qualitative study, we provide an in-depth exploration of older people's experiences and subjective meanings concerning their engagement in health promotion as well as the emotional and pragmatic difficulties they face during their engagement. Methods The study was designed according to the ethnoscience method, which implies a participatory process that values patients' linguistic expressions to deeply understand the phenomena under the investigation and to give it a meaning. Using this method, thanks to repeated rounds of interviews and the Q-sorting task, participants created a dictionary, with the assistance of the researcher, to describe the phenomenon of interest. They agreed on a shared taxonomy of meanings and experiences related to the phenomenon. 25 North Italian older citizens participated in this study. Results Participants described a shared taxonomy of health engagement experiences by depicting 3 main positions (ie, locked position; awakening position; climbing position), which represented different experiential domains grouped by participants into 4 main semantic areas (eg, physical care, soul care, daily lifestyle, contact with ageing). Each position is characterised by specific emotions, personal representations of meaning and healthy behaviours that may sustain or hinder older citizens' engagement in health promotion. Conclusions The results of the present study suggest the importance of deeply understanding older peoples' experiences and their subjective meanings of health promotion. In particular, the results showed how their engagement in health promotion is framed in a complex system of psychological meanings, which may sustain or hinder their ability to adopt healthy behaviours. A deeper understanding of older citizens' lived experiences, their doubts and their difficulties in engaging in health promotion may offer some important cues for orienting interventions in this area. PMID:27417196

Analysis Thermal Comfort Condition in Complex Residential Building, Case Study: Chiangmai, Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Juangjandee, Warangkana

2017-10-01

Due to the increasing need for complex residential buildings, it appears that people migrate into the high-density urban areas because the infrastructural facilities can be easily found in the modern metropolitan areas. Such rapid growth of urbanization creates congested residential buildings obstructing solar radiation and wind flow, whereas most urban residents spend 80-90% of their time indoor. Furthermore, the buildings were mostly built with average materials and construction detail. This causes high humidity condition for tenants that could promote mould growth. This study aims to analyse thermal comfort condition in complex residential building, Thailand for finding the passive solution to improve indoor air quality and respond to local conditions. The research methodology will be in two folds: 1) surveying on case study 2) analysis for finding the passive solution of reducing humidity indoor air The result of the survey indicated that the building need to find passive solution for solving humidity problem, that can be divided into two ways which raising ventilation and indoor temperature including increasing wind-flow ventilation and adjusting thermal temperature, for example; improving building design and stack driven ventilation. For raising indoor temperature or increasing mean radiant temperature, daylight can be passive solution for complex residential design for reducing humidity and enhance illumination indoor space simultaneous.

Transition to turbulence and effect of initial conditions on three-dimensional compressible mixing in planar blast-wave-driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles, A.R.; Blue, B.; Edwards, M.J.; Greenough, J.A.; Hansen, J.F.; Robey, H.F.; Drake, R.P.; Kuranz, C.; Leibrandt, D.R.

2005-01-01

Perturbations on an interface driven by a strong blast wave grow in time due to a combination of Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and decompression effects. In this paper, results from three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations of such a system under drive conditions to be attainable on the National Ignition Facility [E. M. Campbell, Laser Part. Beams 9, 209 (1991)] are presented. Using the multiphysics, adaptive mesh refinement, higher order Godunov Eulerian hydrocode, Raptor [L. H. Howell and J. A. Greenough, J. Comput. Phys. 184, 53 (2003)], the late nonlinear instability evolution, including transition to turbulence, is considered for various multimode perturbation spectra. The 3D post-transition state differs from the 2D result, but the process of transition proceeds similarly in both 2D and 3D. The turbulent mixing transition results in a reduction in the growth rate of the mixing layer relative to its pretransition value and, in the case of the bubble front, relative to the 2D result. The post-transition spike front velocity is approximately the same in 2D and 3D. Implications for hydrodynamic mixing in core-collapse supernovae are discussed

Cancer cell specific cytotoxic gene expression mediated by ARF tumor suppressor promoter constructs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurayoshi, Kenta; Ozono, Eiko; Iwanaga, Ritsuko; Bradford, Andrew P.; Komori, Hideyuki; Ohtani, Kiyoshi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • ARF promoter showed higher responsiveness to deregulated E2F activity than the E2F1 promoter. • ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specificity than E2F1 promoter to drive gene expression. • HSV-TK driven by ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity than that driven by E2F1 promoter. - Abstract: In current cancer treatment protocols, such as radiation and chemotherapy, side effects on normal cells are major obstacles to radical therapy. To avoid these side effects, a cancer cell-specific approach is needed. One way to specifically target cancer cells is to utilize a cancer specific promoter to express a cytotoxic gene (suicide gene therapy) or a viral gene required for viral replication (oncolytic virotherapy). For this purpose, the selected promoter should have minimal activity in normal cells to avoid side effects, and high activity in a wide variety of cancers to obtain optimal therapeutic efficacy. In contrast to the AFP, CEA and PSA promoters, which have high activity only in a limited spectrum of tumors, the E2F1 promoter exhibits high activity in wide variety of cancers. This is based on the mechanism of carcinogenesis. Defects in the RB pathway and activation of the transcription factor E2F, the main target of the RB pathway, are observed in almost all cancers. Consequently, the E2F1 promoter, which is mainly regulated by E2F, has high activity in wide variety of cancers. However, E2F is also activated by growth stimulation in normal growing cells, suggesting that the E2F1 promoter may also be highly active in normal growing cells. In contrast, we found that the tumor suppressor ARF promoter is activated by deregulated E2F activity, induced by forced inactivation of pRB, but does not respond to physiological E2F activity induced by growth stimulation. We also found that the deregulated E2F activity, which activates the ARF promoter, is detected only in cancer cell lines. These observations suggest that ARF promoter

Cancer cell specific cytotoxic gene expression mediated by ARF tumor suppressor promoter constructs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurayoshi, Kenta [Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337 (Japan); Ozono, Eiko [Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary, University of London, John Vane Science Centre, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ (United Kingdom); Iwanaga, Ritsuko; Bradford, Andrew P. [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 East 19th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Komori, Hideyuki [Center for Stem Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Ohtani, Kiyoshi, E-mail: btm88939@kwansei.ac.jp [Department of Bioscience, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, 2-1 Gakuen, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1337 (Japan)

2014-07-18

Highlights: • ARF promoter showed higher responsiveness to deregulated E2F activity than the E2F1 promoter. • ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specificity than E2F1 promoter to drive gene expression. • HSV-TK driven by ARF promoter showed higher cancer cell-specific cytotoxicity than that driven by E2F1 promoter. - Abstract: In current cancer treatment protocols, such as radiation and chemotherapy, side effects on normal cells are major obstacles to radical therapy. To avoid these side effects, a cancer cell-specific approach is needed. One way to specifically target cancer cells is to utilize a cancer specific promoter to express a cytotoxic gene (suicide gene therapy) or a viral gene required for viral replication (oncolytic virotherapy). For this purpose, the selected promoter should have minimal activity in normal cells to avoid side effects, and high activity in a wide variety of cancers to obtain optimal therapeutic efficacy. In contrast to the AFP, CEA and PSA promoters, which have high activity only in a limited spectrum of tumors, the E2F1 promoter exhibits high activity in wide variety of cancers. This is based on the mechanism of carcinogenesis. Defects in the RB pathway and activation of the transcription factor E2F, the main target of the RB pathway, are observed in almost all cancers. Consequently, the E2F1 promoter, which is mainly regulated by E2F, has high activity in wide variety of cancers. However, E2F is also activated by growth stimulation in normal growing cells, suggesting that the E2F1 promoter may also be highly active in normal growing cells. In contrast, we found that the tumor suppressor ARF promoter is activated by deregulated E2F activity, induced by forced inactivation of pRB, but does not respond to physiological E2F activity induced by growth stimulation. We also found that the deregulated E2F activity, which activates the ARF promoter, is detected only in cancer cell lines. These observations suggest that ARF promoter

Nonadiabatic population transfer in a driven four-level system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prants, S.V.

1994-01-01

The coherent dynamics of a four-level quantum system with an arbitrary level configuration is described analytically in the modulated polychromatic laser field. The method of dynamical symmetries is invoked to develop the formalism for explicit calculation of the evolution matrix of the system in the resonance fields. The method is free of the usual adiabatic-passage, weak-field approximations, and approximation of the slowly varying amplitudes. The conditions for occurrence of the coherent effects of the total inversion and the total depletion of the initial level of a system driven simultaneously driven simultaneously at several transitions by the laser pulses of arbitrary shape are derived analytically. The obtained results can be applied to problems of the control of quantum processes in multilevel atoms and molecules. 14 refs

Nutrient intake, acid base status and weight gain in water buffalo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

p2492989

URL: http://www.sasas.co.za ... Introduction. A consistent supply of macro and micro nutrients to growing water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves is important to ... humid environmental conditions appears to be inappropriate. ... The experiment was conducted on five commercial feedlot farms in the district, Toba Tek Singh, in.

On Rank Driven Dynamical Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Veerman, J. J. P.; Prieto, F. J.

2014-08-01

We investigate a class of models related to the Bak-Sneppen (BS) model, initially proposed to study evolution. The BS model is extremely simple and yet captures some forms of "complex behavior" such as self-organized criticality that is often observed in physical and biological systems. In this model, random fitnesses in are associated to agents located at the vertices of a graph . Their fitnesses are ranked from worst (0) to best (1). At every time-step the agent with the worst fitness and some others with a priori given rank probabilities are replaced by new agents with random fitnesses. We consider two cases: The exogenous case where the new fitnesses are taken from an a priori fixed distribution, and the endogenous case where the new fitnesses are taken from the current distribution as it evolves. We approximate the dynamics by making a simplifying independence assumption. We use Order Statistics and Dynamical Systems to define a rank-driven dynamical system that approximates the evolution of the distribution of the fitnesses in these rank-driven models, as well as in the BS model. For this simplified model we can find the limiting marginal distribution as a function of the initial conditions. Agreement with experimental results of the BS model is excellent.

The spatial kinetic analysis of accelerator-driven subcritical reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, H.; An, Y.; Chen, X.

1998-02-01

The operation of the accelerator driven reactor with subcritical condition provides a more flexible choice of the reactor materials and of design parameters. A deep subcriticality is chosen sometime from the analysis of point kinetics. When a large reactor is operated in deep subcritical condition by using a localized spallation source, the power distribution has strong spatial dependence, and point kinetics does not provide proper analysis for reactor safety. In order to analyze the spatial and energy dependent kinetic behavior in the subcritical reactor, the authors developed a computation code which is composed of two parts, the first one is for creating the group cross section and the second part solves the multi-group kinetic diffusion equations. The reactor parameters such as the cross section of fission, scattering, and energy transfer among the several energy groups and regions are calculated by using a code modified from the Monte Carlo codes MCNPA and LAHET instead of the usual analytical method of ANISN, TWOTRAN codes. Thus the complicated geometry of the accelerator driven reactor core can be precisely taken into account. The authors analyzed the subcritical minor actinide transmutor studied by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) using the code

Experiments with a pressure-driven Stirling refrigerator with flexible chambers

Science.gov (United States)

McFarlane, Patrick; Suire, Jonathan; Sen, Mihir; Semperlotti, Fabio

2014-06-01

We report on the design and experimental testing of a Stirling refrigerator that uses air as the working fluid, and where the conventional piston-cylinder assemblies are replaced by pressure-driven flexible chambers. The two chambers are periodically compressed by pneumatic actuators resulting in airflow through the regenerator and in a net temperature difference between the chambers. An experimental setup is used to investigate the performance of the refrigerator under different operating conditions with particular attention to actuation frequencies, driving pressure differences, and phase angles between the two inputs. The time constant of the temperature difference between the two chambers is determined, and the temperature difference is measured as a function of the system parameters. The results of several tests conducted under different operating conditions show that the refrigerating effect is very robust and allows good performance even for modulated inputs. The frequency response is radically different from that of a traditional motion-driven device. This work suggests that mechanical to thermal energy conversion devices based on this principle can be successfully powered by human motion.

Discovery Driven Growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bukh, Per Nikolaj

2009-01-01

Anmeldelse af Discovery Driven Growh : A breakthrough process to reduce risk and seize opportunity, af Rita G. McGrath & Ian C. MacMillan, Boston: Harvard Business Press. Udgivelsesdato: 14 august......Anmeldelse af Discovery Driven Growh : A breakthrough process to reduce risk and seize opportunity, af Rita G. McGrath & Ian C. MacMillan, Boston: Harvard Business Press. Udgivelsesdato: 14 august...

Quasienergy spectrum and tunneling current in ac-driven triple quantum dot shuttles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villavicencio, J [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Ensenada (Mexico); Maldonado, I [Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada (Mexico); Cota, E [Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ensenada (Mexico); Platero, G, E-mail: villavics@uabc.edu.mx [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

2011-02-15

The dynamics of electrons in ac-driven double quantum dots have been extensively analyzed by means of Floquet theory. In these systems, coherent destruction of tunneling has been shown to occur for certain ac field parameters. In this work we analyze, by means of Floquet theory, the electron dynamics of a triple quantum dot in series attached to electric contacts, where the central dot position oscillates. In particular, we analyze the quasienergy spectrum of this ac-driven nanoelectromechanical system as a function of the intensity and frequency of the ac field and of external dc voltages. For strong driving fields, we derive, by means of perturbation theory, analytical expressions for the quasienergies of the driven oscillator system. From this analysis, we discuss the conditions for coherent destruction of tunneling (CDT) to occur as a function of detuning and field parameters. For zero detuning, and from the invariance of the Floquet Hamiltonian under a generalized parity transformation, we find analytical expressions describing the symmetry properties of the Fourier components of the Floquet states under such a transformation. By using these expressions, we show that in the vicinity of the CDT condition, the quasienergy spectrum exhibits exact crossings which can be characterized by the parity properties of the corresponding eigenvectors.

ELM triggering by energetic particle driven mode in wall-stabilized high-β plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsunaga, G.; Aiba, N.; Shinohara, K.; Asakura, N.; Isayama, A.; Oyama, N.

2013-01-01

In the JT-60U high-β plasmas above the no-wall β limit, a triggering of an edge localized mode (ELM) by an energetic particle (EP)-driven mode has been observed. This EP-driven mode is thought to be driven by trapped EPs and it has been named EP-driven wall mode (EWM) on JT-60U (Matsunaga et al 2009 Phys. Rev. Lett. 103 045001). When the EWM appears in an ELMy H-mode phase, ELM crashes are reproducibly synchronized with the EWM bursts. The EWM-triggered ELM has a higher repetition frequency and less energy loss than those of the natural ELM. In order to trigger an ELM by the EP-driven mode, some conditions are thought to be needed, thus an EWM with large amplitude and growth rate, and marginal edge stability. In the scrape-off layer region, several measurements indicate an ion loss induced by the EWM. The ion transport is considered as the EP transport through the edge region. From these observations, the EP contributions to edge stability are discussed as one of the ELM triggering mechanisms. (paper)

Treeline advances along the Urals mountain range - driven by improved winter conditions?

Science.gov (United States)

Hagedorn, Frank; Shiyatov, Stepan G; Mazepa, Valeriy S; Devi, Nadezhda M; Grigor'ev, Andrey A; Bartysh, Alexandr A; Fomin, Valeriy V; Kapralov, Denis S; Terent'ev, Maxim; Bugman, Harald; Rigling, Andreas; Moiseev, Pavel A

2014-11-01

High-altitude treelines are temperature-limited vegetation boundaries, but little quantitative evidence exists about the impact of climate change on treelines in untouched areas of Russia. Here, we estimated how forest-tundra ecotones have changed during the last century along the Ural mountains. In the South, North, Sub-Polar, and Polar Urals, we compared 450 historical and recent photographs and determined the ages of 11,100 trees along 16 altitudinal gradients. In these four regions, boundaries of open and closed forests (crown covers above 20% and 40%) expanded upwards by 4 to 8 m in altitude per decade. Results strongly suggest that snow was an important driver for these forest advances: (i) Winter precipitation has increased substantially throughout the Urals (~7 mm decade(-1) ), which corresponds to almost a doubling in the Polar Urals, while summer temperatures have only changed slightly (~0.05°C decade(-1) ). (ii) There was a positive correlation between canopy cover, snow height and soil temperatures, suggesting that an increasing canopy cover promotes snow accumulation and, hence, a more favorable microclimate. (iii) Tree age analysis showed that forest expansion mainly began around the year 1900 on concave wind-sheltered slopes with thick snow covers, while it started in the 1950s and 1970s on slopes with shallower snow covers. (iv) During the 20th century, dominant growth forms of trees have changed from multistemmed trees, resulting from harsh winter conditions, to single-stemmed trees. While 87%, 31%, and 93% of stems appearing before 1950 were from multistemmed trees in the South, North and Polar Urals, more than 95% of the younger trees had a single stem. Currently, there is a high density of seedlings and saplings in the forest-tundra ecotone, indicating that forest expansion is ongoing and that alpine tundra vegetation will disappear from most mountains of the South and North Urals where treeline is already close to the highest peaks. © 2014

Human ergology that promotes participatory approach to improving safety, health and working conditions at grassroots workplaces: achievements and actions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawakami, Tsuyoshi

2011-12-01

Participatory approaches are increasingly applied to improve safety, health and working conditions of grassroots workplaces in Asia. The core concepts and methods in human ergology research such as promoting real work life studies, relying on positive efforts of local people (daily life-technology), promoting active participation of local people to identify practical solutions, and learning from local human networks to reach grassroots workplaces, have provided useful viewpoints to devise such participatory training programmes. This study was aimed to study and analyze how human ergology approaches were applied in the actual development and application of three typical participatory training programmes: WISH (Work Improvement for Safe Home) with home workers in Cambodia, WISCON (Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites) with construction workers in Thailand, and WARM (Work Adjustment for Recycling and Managing Waste) with waste collectors in Fiji. The results revealed that all the three programmes, in the course of their developments, commonly applied direct observation methods of the work of target workers before devising the training programmes, learned from existing local good examples and efforts, and emphasized local human networks for cooperation. These methods and approaches were repeatedly applied in grassroots workplaces by taking advantage of their the sustainability and impacts. It was concluded that human ergology approaches largely contributed to the developments and expansion of participatory training programmes and could continue to support the self-help initiatives of local people for promoting human-centred work.

GLOBAL GALACTIC DYNAMO DRIVEN BY COSMIC RAYS AND EXPLODING MAGNETIZED STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanasz, Michal; Woltanski, Dominik; Kowalik, Kacper

2009-01-01

We report the first results of the first global galactic-scale cosmic ray (CR)-MHD simulations of CR-driven dynamo. We investigate the dynamics of magnetized interstellar medium (ISM), which is dynamically coupled with CR gas. We assume that exploding stars deposit small-scale, randomly oriented, dipolar magnetic fields into the differentially rotating ISM, together with a portion of CRs, accelerated in supernova shocks. We conduct numerical simulations with the aid of a new parallel MHD code PIERNIK. We find that the initial magnetization of galactic disks by exploding magnetized stars forms favorable conditions for the CR-driven dynamo. We demonstrate that dipolar magnetic fields supplied on small supernova remnant scales can be amplified exponentially by the CR-driven dynamo, to the present equipartition values, and transformed simultaneously to large galactic scales. The resulting magnetic field structure in an evolved galaxy appears spiral in the face-on view and reveals the so-called X-shaped structure in the edge-on view.

Investigating Wind-Driven Rain Intrusion in Walls with the CARWASh

Science.gov (United States)

C.R. Boardman; Samuel V. Glass

2013-01-01

Wind-driven rain provides the primary external moisture load for exterior walls.Water absorption by the cladding, runoff, and penetration through the cladding or at details determine how a wall system performs. In this paper we describe a new laboratory facility that can create controlled outdoor and indoor conditions and use it to investigate the water...

How older citizens engage in their health promotion: a qualitative research-driven taxonomy of experiences and meanings.

Science.gov (United States)

Menichetti, Julia; Graffigna, Guendalina

2016-07-14

In this qualitative study, we provide an in-depth exploration of older people's experiences and subjective meanings concerning their engagement in health promotion as well as the emotional and pragmatic difficulties they face during their engagement. The study was designed according to the ethnoscience method, which implies a participatory process that values patients' linguistic expressions to deeply understand the phenomena under the investigation and to give it a meaning. Using this method, thanks to repeated rounds of interviews and the Q-sorting task, participants created a dictionary, with the assistance of the researcher, to describe the phenomenon of interest. They agreed on a shared taxonomy of meanings and experiences related to the phenomenon. 25 North Italian older citizens participated in this study. Participants described a shared taxonomy of health engagement experiences by depicting 3 main positions (ie, locked position; awakening position; climbing position), which represented different experiential domains grouped by participants into 4 main semantic areas (eg, physical care, soul care, daily lifestyle, contact with ageing). Each position is characterised by specific emotions, personal representations of meaning and healthy behaviours that may sustain or hinder older citizens' engagement in health promotion. The results of the present study suggest the importance of deeply understanding older peoples' experiences and their subjective meanings of health promotion. In particular, the results showed how their engagement in health promotion is framed in a complex system of psychological meanings, which may sustain or hinder their ability to adopt healthy behaviours. A deeper understanding of older citizens' lived experiences, their doubts and their difficulties in engaging in health promotion may offer some important cues for orienting interventions in this area. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already

Uncovering genomic causes of co-morbidity in epilepsy: gene-driven phenotypic characterization of rare microdeletions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalia Kasperavičiūtė

Full Text Available Patients with epilepsy often suffer from other important conditions. The existence of such co-morbidities is frequently not recognized and their relationship with epilepsy usually remains unexplained.We describe three patients with common, sporadic, non-syndromic epilepsies in whom large genomic microdeletions were found during a study of genetic susceptibility to epilepsy. We performed detailed gene-driven clinical investigations in each patient. Disruption of the function of genes in the deleted regions can explain co-morbidities in these patients.Co-morbidities in patients with epilepsy can be part of a genomic abnormality even in the absence of (known congenital malformations or intellectual disabilities. Gene-driven phenotype examination can also reveal clinically significant unsuspected condition.

The conditions that promote fear learning: prediction error and Pavlovian fear conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Susan Shi Yuan; McNally, Gavan P

2014-02-01

A key insight of associative learning theory is that learning depends on the actions of prediction error: a discrepancy between the actual and expected outcomes of a conditioning trial. When positive, such error causes increments in associative strength and, when negative, such error causes decrements in associative strength. Prediction error can act directly on fear learning by determining the effectiveness of the aversive unconditioned stimulus or indirectly by determining the effectiveness, or associability, of the conditioned stimulus. Evidence from a variety of experimental preparations in human and non-human animals suggest that discrete neural circuits code for these actions of prediction error during fear learning. Here we review the circuits and brain regions contributing to the neural coding of prediction error during fear learning and highlight areas of research (safety learning, extinction, and reconsolidation) that may profit from this approach to understanding learning. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tumor Restrictive Suicide Gene Therapy for Glioma Controlled by the FOS Promoter.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianqing Pan

Full Text Available Effective suicide gene delivery and expression are crucial to achieving successful effects in gene therapy. An ideal tumor-specific promoter expresses therapeutic genes in tumor cells with minimal normal tissue expression. We compared the activity of the FOS (FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog promoter with five alternative tumor-specific promoters in glioma cells and non-malignant astrocytes. The FOS promoter caused significantly higher transcriptional activity in glioma cell lines than all alternative promoters with the exception of CMV. The FOS promoter showed 13.9%, 32.4%, and 70.8% of the transcriptional activity of CMV in three glioma cell lines (U87, U251, and U373. Importantly, however, the FOS promoter showed only 1.6% of the transcriptional activity of CMV in normal astrocytes. We also tested the biologic activity of recombinant adenovirus containing the suicide gene herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk driven by the FOS promoter, including selective killing efficacy in vitro and tumor inhibition rate in vivo. Adenoviral-mediated delivery of the HSV-tk gene controlled by the FOS promoter conferred a cytotoxic effect on human glioma cells in vitro and in vivo. This study suggests that use of the FOS-tk adenovirus system is a promising strategy for glioma-specific gene therapy but still much left for improvement.

Electrically-driven GHz range ultrafast graphene light emitter (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youngduck; Gao, Yuanda; Shiue, Ren-Jye; Wang, Lei; Aslan, Ozgur Burak; Kim, Hyungsik; Nemilentsau, Andrei M.; Low, Tony; Taniguchi, Takashi; Watanabe, Kenji; Bae, Myung-Ho; Heinz, Tony F.; Englund, Dirk R.; Hone, James

2017-02-01

Ultrafast electrically driven light emitter is a critical component in the development of the high bandwidth free-space and on-chip optical communications. Traditional semiconductor based light sources for integration to photonic platform have therefore been heavily studied over the past decades. However, there are still challenges such as absence of monolithic on-chip light sources with high bandwidth density, large-scale integration, low-cost, small foot print, and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology compatibility. Here, we demonstrate the first electrically driven ultrafast graphene light emitter that operate up to 10 GHz bandwidth and broadband range (400 1600 nm), which are possible due to the strong coupling of charge carriers in graphene and surface optical phonons in hBN allow the ultrafast energy and heat transfer. In addition, incorporation of atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) encapsulation layers enable the stable and practical high performance even under the ambient condition. Therefore, electrically driven ultrafast graphene light emitters paves the way towards the realization of ultrahigh bandwidth density photonic integrated circuits and efficient optical communications networks.

Experimental study of adsorption chiller driven by variable heat source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, D.C.; Wang, Y.J.; Zhang, J.P.; Tian, X.L. [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wu, J.Y. [Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030 (China)

2008-05-15

A silica gel-water adsorption chiller has been developed in recent years and has been applied in an air conditioning system driven by solar energy. The heat source used to drive the adsorption chiller is variable at any moment because the solar radiation intensity or the waste heat from engines varies frequently. An adsorption cooling system may be badly impacted by a variable heat source with temperature variations in a large range. In this work, a silica gel-water adsorption chiller driven by a variable heat source is experimentally studied. The influences of the variable heat source on the performance of the chiller are analyzed, especially for a continuous temperature increase process and a continuous temperature decrease process of the heat source. As an example, the dynamic characteristics of the heat source are also analyzed when solar energy is taken as the heat source of the adsorption chiller. According to the experimental results for the adsorption chiller and the characteristics of the heat source from solar energy, control strategies of the adsorption chiller driven by solar energy are proposed. (author)

Experimental study of adsorption chiller driven by variable heat source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, D.C.; Wang, Y.J.; Zhang, J.P.; Tian, X.L.; Wu, J.Y.

2008-01-01

A silica gel-water adsorption chiller has been developed in recent years and has been applied in an air conditioning system driven by solar energy. The heat source used to drive the adsorption chiller is variable at any moment because the solar radiation intensity or the waste heat from engines varies frequently. An adsorption cooling system may be badly impacted by a variable heat source with temperature variations in a large range. In this work, a silica gel-water adsorption chiller driven by a variable heat source is experimentally studied. The influences of the variable heat source on the performance of the chiller are analyzed, especially for a continuous temperature increase process and a continuous temperature decrease process of the heat source. As an example, the dynamic characteristics of the heat source are also analyzed when solar energy is taken as the heat source of the adsorption chiller. According to the experimental results for the adsorption chiller and the characteristics of the heat source from solar energy, control strategies of the adsorption chiller driven by solar energy are proposed

Using Two Different Approaches to Assess Dietary Patterns: Hypothesis-Driven and Data-Driven Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ágatha Nogueira Previdelli

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The use of dietary patterns to assess dietary intake has become increasingly common in nutritional epidemiology studies due to the complexity and multidimensionality of the diet. Currently, two main approaches have been widely used to assess dietary patterns: data-driven and hypothesis-driven analysis. Since the methods explore different angles of dietary intake, using both approaches simultaneously might yield complementary and useful information; thus, we aimed to use both approaches to gain knowledge of adolescents’ dietary patterns. Food intake from a cross-sectional survey with 295 adolescents was assessed by 24 h dietary recall (24HR. In hypothesis-driven analysis, based on the American National Cancer Institute method, the usual intake of Brazilian Healthy Eating Index Revised components were estimated. In the data-driven approach, the usual intake of foods/food groups was estimated by the Multiple Source Method. In the results, hypothesis-driven analysis showed low scores for Whole grains, Total vegetables, Total fruit and Whole fruits, while, in data-driven analysis, fruits and whole grains were not presented in any pattern. High intakes of sodium, fats and sugars were observed in hypothesis-driven analysis with low total scores for Sodium, Saturated fat and SoFAA (calories from solid fat, alcohol and added sugar components in agreement, while the data-driven approach showed the intake of several foods/food groups rich in these nutrients, such as butter/margarine, cookies, chocolate powder, whole milk, cheese, processed meat/cold cuts and candies. In this study, using both approaches at the same time provided consistent and complementary information with regard to assessing the overall dietary habits that will be important in order to drive public health programs, and improve their efficiency to monitor and evaluate the dietary patterns of populations.

Input-driven versus turnover-driven controls of simulated changes in soil carbon due to land-use change

Science.gov (United States)

Nyawira, S. S.; Nabel, J. E. M. S.; Brovkin, V.; Pongratz, J.

2017-08-01

Historical changes in soil carbon associated with land-use change (LUC) result mainly from the changes in the quantity of litter inputs to the soil and the turnover of carbon in soils. We use a factor separation technique to assess how the input-driven and turnover-driven controls, as well as their synergies, have contributed to historical changes in soil carbon associated with LUC. We apply this approach to equilibrium simulations of present-day and pre-industrial land use performed using the dynamic global vegetation model JSBACH. Our results show that both the input-driven and turnover-driven changes generally contribute to a gain in soil carbon in afforested regions and a loss in deforested regions. However, in regions where grasslands have been converted to croplands, we find an input-driven loss that is partly offset by a turnover-driven gain, which stems from a decrease in the fire-related carbon losses. Omitting land management through crop and wood harvest substantially reduces the global losses through the input-driven changes. Our study thus suggests that the dominating control of soil carbon losses is via the input-driven changes, which are more directly accessible to human management than the turnover-driven ones.

The `Henry Problem' of `density-driven' groundwater flow versus Tothian `groundwater flow systems' with variable density: A review of the influential Biscayne aquifer data.

Science.gov (United States)

Weyer, K. U.

2017-12-01

Coastal groundwater flow investigations at the Biscayne Bay, south of Miami, Florida, gave rise to the concept of density-driven flow of seawater into coastal aquifers creating a saltwater wedge. Within that wedge, convection-driven return flow of seawater and a dispersion zone were assumed by Cooper et al. (1964) to be the cause of the Biscayne aquifer `sea water wedge'. This conclusion was based on the chloride distribution within the aquifer and on an analytical model concept assuming convection flow within a confined aquifer without taking non-chemical field data into consideration. This concept was later labelled the `Henry Problem', which any numerical variable density flow program must be able to simulate to be considered acceptable. Both, `density-driven flow' and Tothian `groundwater flow systems' (with or without variable density conditions) are driven by gravitation. The difference between the two are the boundary conditions. 'Density-driven flow' occurs under hydrostatic boundary conditions while Tothian `groundwater flow systems' occur under hydrodynamic boundary conditions. Revisiting the Cooper et al. (1964) publication with its record of piezometric field data (heads) showed that the so-called sea water wedge has been caused by discharging deep saline groundwater driven by gravitational flow and not by denser sea water. Density driven flow of seawater into the aquifer was not found reflected in the head measurements for low and high tide conditions which had been taken contemporaneously with the chloride measurements. These head measurements had not been included in the flow interpretation. The very same head measurements indicated a clear dividing line between shallow local fresh groundwater flow and saline deep groundwater flow without the existence of a dispersion zone or a convection cell. The Biscayne situation emphasizes the need for any chemical interpretation of flow pattern to be supported by head data as energy indicators of flow fields

Periodic and quasiperiodic revivals in periodically driven interacting quantum systems

Science.gov (United States)

Luitz, David J.; Lazarides, Achilleas; Bar Lev, Yevgeny

2018-01-01

Recently it has been shown that interparticle interactions generically destroy dynamical localization in periodically driven systems, resulting in diffusive transport and heating. In this Rapid Communication we rigorously construct a family of interacting driven systems which are dynamically localized and effectively decoupled from the external driving potential. We show that these systems exhibit tunable periodic or quasiperiodic revivals of the many-body wave function and thus of all physical observables. By numerically examining spinless fermions on a one-dimensional lattice we show that the analytically obtained revivals of such systems remain stable for finite systems with open boundary conditions while having a finite lifetime in the presence of static spatial disorder. We find this lifetime to be inversely proportional to the disorder strength.

Health promotion in globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro Franco-Giraldo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: to unravel some theoretical and factual elements required to implement more effective health promotion strategies and practices in the field of health services whilst following the great challenges that globalization has imposed on the health systems, which are inevitably expressed in the local context (glocalization. Methodology: a narrative review taking into account the concepts of globalization and health promotion in relation to health determinants. The authors approach some courses of action and strategies for health promotion based on the social principles and universal values that guide health promotion, health service reorientation and primary healthcare, empowerment, social participation, and inter-sectoral and social mobilization. Discussion: the discussion focuses on the redirection of health promotion services in relation to the wave of health reforms that has spread throughout the world under the neoliberal rule. The author also discusses health promotion, its ineffectiveness, and the quest for renewal. Likewise, the author sets priorities for health promotion in relation to social determinants. Conclusion: the current global order, in terms of international relations, is not consistent with the ethical principles of health promotion. In this paper, the author advocates for the implementation of actions to change the social and physical life conditions of people based on changes in the use of power in society and the appropriate practice of politics in the context of globalization in order to achieve the effectiveness of the actions of health promotion.

The endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica enhances Arabidopsis thaliana growth and modulates Na + /K + homeostasis under salt stress conditions

KAUST Repository

Abdelaziz, Mohamed Ewis

2017-07-13

The mutualistic, endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has been shown to confer biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to host plants. In this study, we investigated the impact of P. indica on the growth of Arabidopsis plants under normal and salt stress conditions. Our results demonstrate that P. indica colonization increases plant biomass, lateral roots density, and chlorophyll content under both conditions. Colonization with P. indica under salt stress was accompanied by a lower Na+/K+ ratio and less pronounced accumulation of anthocyanin, compared to control plants. Moreover, P. indica colonized roots under salt stress showed enhanced transcript levels of the genes encoding the high Affinity Potassium Transporter 1 (HKT1) and the inward-rectifying K+ channels KAT1 and KAT2, which play key roles in regulating Na+ and K+ homeostasis. The effect of P. indica colonization on AtHKT1;1 expression was also confirmed in the Arabidopsis line gl1-HKT:AtHKT1;1 that expresses an additional AtHKT1;1 copy driven by the native promoter. Colonization of the gl1-HKT:AtHKT1;1 by P. indica also increased lateral roots density and led to a better Na+/K+ ratio, which may be attributed to the observed increase in KAT1 and KAT2 transcript levels. Our findings demonstrate that P. indica colonization promotes Arabidopsis growth under salt stress conditions and that this effect is likely caused by modulation of the expression levels of the major Na+ and K+ ion channels, which allows establishing a balanced ion homeostasis of Na+/K+ under salt stress conditions.

Release of radon contaminants from Yucca Mountain: The role of buoyancy driven flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.M.; Pescatore, C.

1994-02-01

The potential for the repository heat source to promote buoyancy driven flow and thereby cause release of radon gas out of Yucca Mountain has been examined through a critical review of the theoretical and experimental studies of this process. The review indicates that steady-state buoyancy enhanced release of natural radon and other contaminant gases should not be a major concern at Yucca Mountain. Barometric pumping and wind pumping are identified as two processes that will have a potentially greater effect on surface releases of gases

α-Fetoprotein promoter-driven Cre/LoxP-switched RNA interference for hepatocellular carcinoma tissue-specific target therapy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan-Fei Peng

Full Text Available RNA interference (RNAi has recently emerged as a potential treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC therapy, but the lack of cellular targets and sustained efficacy limits its application. The purpose of this study is to develop an HCC tissue-specific RNAi system and investigate its possibility for HCC treatment.Two different HCC-specific RNAi systems in which therapeutic miRNA or shRNA against target gene (Beclin 1 was directly or indirectly driven by alpha-fetoprotein promoter (AFP-miRNA and AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA were constructed. Human HCC cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B and HCCLM3 and non-HCC cell lines (L-02, Hela and SW1116 were infected with the systems. The effectiveness and tissue-specificity of the systems were examined by Q-PCR and western blot analysis. The efficacy of the systems was further tested in mouse model of HCC by intravenous or intratumoral administration. The feasibility of the system for HCC treatment was evaluated by applying the system as adjuvant therapy to enhance sorafenib treatment. An AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA system targeting Atg5 gene (AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA-Atg5 was constructed and its efficacy in sensitizing HCC cells (MHCC97L/PLC to sorafenib treatment was examined by apoptosis assay in vitro and tumorigenesis assay in vivo.The AFP-miRNA system could silence target gene (Beclin 1 but required a high titer which was lethal to target cells. The AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA system could efficiently knockdown target gene while maintain high HCC specificity. Intratumoral injection of the AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA system could efficiently silence target gene (Beclin 1 in vivo while intravenous administration could not. The AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA system target Atg5 gene could significantly sensitize MHCC97L/PLC cells to sorafenib-induced apoptosis in vitro and tumor growth suppression in vivo.An efficient HCC tissue-specific RNAi system (AFP-Cre/LoxP-shRNA was successfully established. The system provides a usable tool for HCC-specific RNAi

Community Structure of Lithotrophically-Driven Hydrothermal Microbial Mats from the Mariana Arc and Back-Arc

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Kevin W. Hager

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Mariana region exhibits a rich array of hydrothermal venting conditions in a complex geological setting, which provides a natural laboratory to study the influence of local environmental conditions on microbial community structure as well as large-scale patterns in microbial biogeography. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the bacterial small subunit (SSU rRNA gene from 22 microbial mats collected from four hydrothermally active locations along the Mariana Arc and back-arc to explore the structure of lithotrophically-based microbial mat communities. The vent effluent was classified as iron- or sulfur-rich corresponding with two distinct community types, dominated by either Zetaproteobacteria or Epsilonproteobacteria, respectively. The Zetaproteobacterial-based communities had the highest richness and diversity, which supports the hypothesis that Zetaproteobacteria function as ecosystem engineers creating a physical habitat within a chemical environment promoting enhanced microbial diversity. Gammaproteobacteria were also high in abundance within the iron-dominated mats and some likely contribute to primary production. In addition, we also compare sampling scale, showing that bulk sampling of microbial mats yields higher diversity than micro-scale sampling. We present a comprehensive analysis and offer new insights into the community structure and diversity of lithotrophically-driven microbial mats from a hydrothermal region associated with high microbial biodiversity. Our study indicates an important functional role of for the Zetaproteobacteria altering the mat habitat and enhancing community interactions and complexity.

The Signalling Role of Promotion in Japan

OpenAIRE

Okamura, Kazuaki

2011-01-01

Under asymmetric information conditions regarding worker productivity between current and prospective employers, a worker's promotion signals his/her productivity. In this Paper, we tested the signalling role of promotion, using Japanese micro-level data. We found that among lower-level positions, promotion seems to signal a worker's ability, and both the business cycle and foreign-capital ratio of his/her company significantly strengthen this effects. These results suggest that external labo...

Efficient construction of an inverted minimal H1 promoter driven siRNA expression cassette: facilitation of promoter and siRNA sequence exchange.

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Hoorig Nassanian

2007-08-01

Full Text Available RNA interference (RNAi, mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA, is an effective method used to silence gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Upon introduction into target cells, siRNAs incorporate into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC. The antisense strand of the siRNA duplex then "guides" the RISC to the homologous mRNA, leading to target degradation and gene silencing. In recent years, various vector-based siRNA expression systems have been developed which utilize opposing polymerase III promoters to independently drive expression of the sense and antisense strands of the siRNA duplex from the same template.We show here the use of a ligase chain reaction (LCR to develop a new vector system called pInv-H1 in which a DNA sequence encoding a specific siRNA is placed between two inverted minimal human H1 promoters (approximately 100 bp each. Expression of functional siRNAs from this construct has led to efficient silencing of both reporter and endogenous genes. Furthermore, the inverted H1 promoter-siRNA expression cassette was used to generate a retrovirus vector capable of transducing and silencing expression of the targeted protein by>80% in target cells.The unique design of this construct allows for the efficient exchange of siRNA sequences by the directional cloning of short oligonucleotides via asymmetric restriction sites. This provides a convenient way to test the functionality of different siRNA sequences. Delivery of the siRNA cassette by retroviral transduction suggests that a single copy of the siRNA expression cassette efficiently knocks down gene expression at the protein level. We note that this vector system can potentially be used to generate a random siRNA library. The flexibility of the ligase chain reaction suggests that additional control elements can easily be introduced into this siRNA expression cassette.

3D Printed Structures Filled with Carbon Fibers and Functionalized with Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media as In Vitro Cell Niches for Promoting Chondrogenesis

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Josefa Predestinación García-Ruíz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, we present a novel approach towards the straightforward, rapid, and low-cost development of biomimetic composite scaffolds for tissue engineering strategies. The system is based on the additive manufacture of a computer-designed lattice structure or framework, into which carbon fibers are subsequently knitted or incorporated. The 3D-printed lattice structure acts as support and the knitted carbon fibers perform as driving elements for promoting cell colonization of the three-dimensional construct. A human mesenchymal stem cell (h-MSC conditioned medium (CM is also used for improving the scaffold’s response and promoting cell adhesion, proliferation, and viability. Cell culture results—in which scaffolds become buried in collagen type II—provide relevant information regarding the viability of the composite scaffolds used and the prospective applications of the proposed approach. In fact, the advanced composite scaffold developed, together with the conditioned medium functionalization, constitutes a biomimetic stem cell niche with clear potential, not just for tendon and ligament repair, but also for cartilage and endochondral bone formation and regeneration strategies.

Unearthing Nusantara’s Concept of Religious Pluralism: Harmonization and Syncretism in Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic Classical Texts

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Al Makin

2016-06-01

[Artikel ini mencoba menemukan rumusan pluralisme dengan membaca ulang teks klasik Jawa dengan memilih bagian tertentu dari sastra Hindu-Buddha yang disebut kakawin dan karya Islami yang disebut serat dan babad. Praktik dinamis sinkretisme dan penyelarasan antara tradisi keagamaan lokal dan asing ditemui dalam Sutasoma, Kertagama, Dewa Ruci, Babad Tanah Jawa, dan Centini. Dari hasil bacaan teks-teks di atas, tulisan ini menemukan bahwa sejak masa kuno Singasari dan Majapahit, penyelarasan dan sinkretisme antara banyak tradisi keagamaan telah dipraktikkan sebagai bagian penting dari konsep pluralisme. Hindu-Buddha datang pertama lalu disusul oleh karya Islam yang menambah nuansa sinkretis. Studi ini juga menemukan bahwa tokoh Hindu-Buddha diceritakan ulang dalam karya Islam dengan berbagai modifikasi. Cerita tentang Sunan Kalijaga mencerminkan sumber yang lebih tua seperti Sutasoma, Ken Arok, Bhima, dan tokoh-tokoh lain. Kisah mereka mengajarkan kepada kita tentang relativitas antara kejahatan dan kebaikan; kejahatan tidak dimusnahkan tetapi diubah menjadi kebaikan. Artikel ini merupakan contoh usaha  untuk merumuskan konsep pluralisme berdasarkan kebijakan lokal dengan membaca kembali teks-teks klasik dengan semangat penafsiran ulang ajaran lokal dengan perspektif baru.

Data-driven remaining useful life prognosis techniques stochastic models, methods and applications

CERN Document Server

Si, Xiao-Sheng; Hu, Chang-Hua

2017-01-01

This book introduces data-driven remaining useful life prognosis techniques, and shows how to utilize the condition monitoring data to predict the remaining useful life of stochastic degrading systems and to schedule maintenance and logistics plans. It is also the first book that describes the basic data-driven remaining useful life prognosis theory systematically and in detail. The emphasis of the book is on the stochastic models, methods and applications employed in remaining useful life prognosis. It includes a wealth of degradation monitoring experiment data, practical prognosis methods for remaining useful life in various cases, and a series of applications incorporated into prognostic information in decision-making, such as maintenance-related decisions and ordering spare parts. It also highlights the latest advances in data-driven remaining useful life prognosis techniques, especially in the contexts of adaptive prognosis for linear stochastic degrading systems, nonlinear degradation modeling based pro...

Knowledge-Driven Versus Data-Driven Logics

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dubois, D.; Hájek, Petr; Prade, H.

2000-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 1 (2000), s. 65-89 ISSN 0925-8531 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1030601 Grant - others:CNRS(FR) 4008 Institutional research plan: AV0Z1030915 Keywords : epistemic logic * possibility theory * data-driven reasoning * deontic logic Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics

Increased Wildfire Risk Driven by Climate and Development Interactions in the Bolivian Chiquitania, Southern Amazonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Devisscher, Tahia; Anderson, Liana O; Aragão, Luiz E O C; Galván, Luis; Malhi, Yadvinder

2016-01-01

Wildfires are becoming increasingly dominant in tropical landscapes due to reinforcing feedbacks between land cover change and more severe dry conditions. This study focused on the Bolivian Chiquitania, a region located at the southern edge of Amazonia. The extensive, unique and well-conserved tropical dry forest in this region is susceptible to wildfires due to a marked seasonality. We used a novel approach to assess fire risk at the regional level driven by different development trajectories interacting with changing climatic conditions. Possible future risk scenarios were simulated using maximum entropy modelling with presence-only data, combining land cover, anthropogenic and climatic variables. We found that important determinants of fire risk in the region are distance to roads, recent deforestation and density of human settlements. Severely dry conditions alone increased the area of high fire risk by 69%, affecting all categories of land use and land cover. Interactions between extreme dry conditions and rapid frontier expansion further increased fire risk, resulting in potential biomass loss of 2.44±0.8 Tg in high risk area, about 1.8 times higher than the estimates for the 2010 drought. These interactions showed particularly high fire risk in land used for 'extensive cattle ranching', 'agro-silvopastoral use' and 'intensive cattle ranching and agriculture'. These findings have serious implications for subsistence activities and the economy in the Chiquitania, which greatly depend on the forestry, agriculture and livestock sectors. Results are particularly concerning if considering the current development policies promoting frontier expansion. Departmental protected areas inhibited wildfires when strategically established in areas of high risk, even under drought conditions. However, further research is needed to assess their effectiveness accounting for more specific contextual factors. This novel and simple modelling approach can inform fire and land

Macroeconomic conditions and opioid abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Alex; Ruhm, Christopher J; Simon, Kosali

2017-12-01

We examine how deaths and emergency department (ED) visits related to use of opioid analgesics (opioids) and other drugs vary with macroeconomic conditions. As the county unemployment rate increases by one percentage point, the opioid death rate per 100,000 rises by 0.19 (3.6%) and the opioid overdose ED visit rate per 100,000 increases by 0.95 (7.0%). Macroeconomic shocks also increase the overall drug death rate, but this increase is driven by rising opioid deaths. Our findings hold when performing a state-level analysis, rather than county-level; are primarily driven by adverse events among whites; and are stable across time periods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lateral-directional aerodynamic characteristics of light, twin-engine, propeller driven airplanes

Science.gov (United States)

Wolowicz, C. H.; Yancey, R. B.

1972-01-01

Analytical procedures and design data for predicting the lateral-directional static and dynamic stability and control characteristics of light, twin engine, propeller driven airplanes for propeller-off and power-on conditions are reported. Although the consideration of power effects is limited to twin engine airplanes, the propeller-off considerations are applicable to single engine airplanes as well. The procedures are applied to a twin engine, propeller driven, semi-low-wing airplane in the clean configuration through the linear lift range. The calculated derivative characteristics are compared with wind tunnel and flight data. Included in the calculated characteristics are the spiral mode, roll mode, and Dutch roll mode over the speed range of the airplane.

Comigrants and friends: informal networks and the transmission of traditional ecological knowledge among seminomadic pastoralists of Gujarat, India

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Matthieu Salpeteur

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Previous research has shown that social organization may affect the distribution of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK within local communities of natural resource users in multiple ways. However, in this line of research the potential role of informal relationships has mostly been overlooked. In this article, we contribute toward filling this research gap by studying how two types of informal relationships, namely migration partnership and friendship, affect the distribution of TEK within a community of seminomadic pastoralists from the Kutch area, Gujarat, India. Using social network analysis, we map three networks, migration, men friendship, and women friendship, and compare with similarity-based quantitative approaches the clusters extracted from these networks in relation to four domains of TEK: knowledge about soils, about ethnoveterinary practices, about sheep breeds, and in ethnobotany. Our results show that (1 migration clusters are associated to significant variations in three TEK domains, while (2 friendship clusters are associated to minor variations. We relate these results to the importance of common practical experiences involved by joint migration. Moreover, kin relations are shown to strongly underlie friendship and migration relations, and as such appear as a potential driver of the dynamics of the local TEK system. We conclude by advocating for a better inclusion of such informal relationships in future research on local TEK dynamics, following recent developments in studies on natural resource governance.

Data-Driven Controller Design The H2 Approach

CERN Document Server

Sanfelice Bazanella, Alexandre; Eckhard, Diego

2012-01-01

Data-driven methodologies have recently emerged as an important paradigm alternative to model-based controller design and several such methodologies are formulated as an H2 performance optimization. This book presents a comprehensive theoretical treatment of the H2 approach to data-driven control design. The fundamental properties implied by the H2 problem formulation are analyzed in detail, so that common features to all solutions are identified. Direct methods (VRFT) and iterative methods (IFT, DFT, CbT) are put under a common theoretical framework. The choice of the reference model, the experimental conditions, the optimization method to be used, and several other designer’s choices are crucial to the quality of the final outcome, and firm guidelines for all these choices are derived from the theoretical analysis presented. The practical application of the concepts in the book is illustrated with a large number of practical designs performed for different classes of processes: thermal, fluid processing a...

Pattern formation, social forces, and diffusion instability in games with success-driven motion

Science.gov (United States)

Helbing, Dirk

2009-02-01

A local agglomeration of cooperators can support the survival or spreading of cooperation, even when cooperation is predicted to die out according to the replicator equation, which is often used in evolutionary game theory to study the spreading and disappearance of strategies. In this paper, it is shown that success-driven motion can trigger such local agglomeration and may, therefore, be used to supplement other mechanisms supporting cooperation, like reputation or punishment. Success-driven motion is formulated here as a function of the game-theoretical payoffs. It can change the outcome and dynamics of spatial games dramatically, in particular as it causes attractive or repulsive interaction forces. These forces act when the spatial distributions of strategies are inhomogeneous. However, even when starting with homogeneous initial conditions, small perturbations can trigger large inhomogeneities by a pattern-formation instability, when certain conditions are fulfilled. Here, these instability conditions are studied for the prisoner’s dilemma and the snowdrift game. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that asymmetrical diffusion can drive social, economic, and biological systems into the unstable regime, if these would be stable without diffusion.

The outbreak of cooperation among success-driven individuals under noisy conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Helbing, Dirk; Yu, Wenjian

2009-03-10

According to Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan [1651; 2008 (Touchstone, New York), English Ed], "the life of man [is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," and it would need powerful social institutions to establish social order. In reality, however, social cooperation can also arise spontaneously, based on local interactions rather than centralized control. The self-organization of cooperative behavior is particularly puzzling for social dilemmas related to sharing natural resources or creating common goods. Such situations are often described by the prisoner's dilemma. Here, we report the sudden outbreak of predominant cooperation in a noisy world dominated by selfishness and defection, when individuals imitate superior strategies and show success-driven migration. In our model, individuals are unrelated, and do not inherit behavioral traits. They defect or cooperate selfishly when the opportunity arises, and they do not know how often they will interact or have interacted with someone else. Moreover, our individuals have no reputation mechanism to form friendship networks, nor do they have the option of voluntary interaction or costly punishment. Therefore, the outbreak of prevailing cooperation, when directed motion is integrated in a game-theoretical model, is remarkable, particularly when random strategy mutations and random relocations challenge the formation and survival of cooperative clusters. Our results suggest that mobility is significant for the evolution of social order, and essential for its stabilization and maintenance.

The Use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Forest Management: an Example from India

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Lucy Rist

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Many forest communities possess considerable knowledge of the natural resources they use. Such knowledge can potentially inform scientific approaches to management, either as a source of baseline data to fill information gaps that cannot otherwise be addressed or to provide alternative management approaches from which scientists and managers might learn. In general, however, little attention has been given to the relevance of quantitative forms of such knowledge for resource management. Much discussion has focused on the integration of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK into management, but less attention has been paid to identifying specific areas where it is most useful and where it may be most problematic. We contrasted scientific data with information from TEK in the context of a threat to the sustainable harvesting of a nontimber forest product (NTFP of livelihood importance in southern India, specifically, a fruit tree infected by mistletoe. The efficiency of deriving information from NTFP harvesters compared to scientific field studies was assessed. We further evaluated the potential of TEK to provide novel solutions to the management problem in question, the degree to which TEK could provide quantitative information, and the biases that might be associated with information derived from TEK. TEK complemented previously gathered ecological data by providing concordant and additional information, but also contradicted some results obtained using a scientific approach. TEK also gave a longer-term perspective with regard to NTFP harvesting patterns. Combining information on historical and current harvesting trends for the NTFP with official data suggests that current assessments of sustainability may be inaccurate and that the use of diverse information sources may provide an effective approach to assessing the status of harvested resources.

Starvation Promotes Autophagy-Associated Maturation of the Ovary in the Giant Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii

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Wilairat Kankuan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Limitation of food availability (starvation is known to influence the reproductive ability of animals. Autophagy is a lysosomal driven degradation process that protects the cell under metabolic stress conditions, such as during nutrient shortage. Whether, and how starvation-induced autophagy impacts on the maturation and function of reproductive organs in animals are still open questions. In this study, we have investigated the effects of starvation on histological and cellular changes that may be associated with autophagy in the ovary of the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobachium rosenbergii. To this end, the female prawns were daily fed (controls or unfed (starvation condition for up to 12 days, and the ovary tissue was analyzed at different time-points. Starvation triggered ovarian maturation, and concomitantly increased the expression of autophagy markers in vitellogenic oocytes. The immunoreactivities for autophagy markers, including Beclin1, LC3-II, and Lamp1, were enhanced in the late oocytes within the mature ovaries, especially at the vitellogenic stages. These markers co-localized with vitellin in the yolk granules within the oocytes, suggesting that autophagy induced by starvation could drive vitellin utilization, thus promoting ovarian maturation.

Synchrotron-driven spallation sources

CERN Document Server

Bryant, P J

1996-01-01

The use of synchrotrons for pulsed neutron spallation sources is an example of scientific and technological spin-off from the accelerator development for particle physics. Accelerator-driven sources provide an alternative to the continuous-flux, nuclear reactors that currently furnish the majority of neutrons for research and development. Although the present demand for neutrons can be adequately met by the existing reactors, this situation is unlikely to continue due to the increasing severity of safety regulations and the declared policies of many countries to close down their reactors within the next decade or so. Since the demand for neutrons as a research tool is, in any case,expected to grow, there has been a corresponding interest in sources that are synchrotron-driven or linac-driven with a pulse compression ring and currently several design studies are being made. These accelerator-driven sources also have the advantage of a time structure with a high peak neutron flux. The basic requirement is for a...

Negative effect of the 5'-untranslated leader sequence on Ac transposon promoter expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Scortecci, K C; Raina, R; Fedoroff, N V; Van Sluys, M A

1999-08-01

Transposable elements are used in heterologous plant hosts to clone genes by insertional mutagenesis. The Activator (Ac) transposable element has been cloned from maize, and introduced into a variety of plants. However, differences in regulation and transposition frequency have been observed between different host plants. The cause of this variability is still unknown. To better understand the activity of the Ac element, we analyzed the Ac promoter region and its 5'-untranslated leader sequence (5' UTL). Transient assays in tobacco NT1 suspension cells showed that the Ac promoter is a weak promoter and its activity was localized by deletion analyses. The data presented here indicate that the core of the Ac promoter is contained within 153 bp fragment upstream to transcription start sites. An important inhibitory effect (80%) due to the presence of the 5' UTL was found on the expression of LUC reporter gene. Here we demonstrate that the presence of the 5' UTL in the constructs reduces the expression driven by either strong or weak promoters.

TOWARDS DEMAND DRIVEN PUBLISHING: APPROCHES TO THE PRIORITISATION OF DIGITISATION OF NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS DATA

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Vishwas Chavan

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Natural history collections represent a vast repository of biodiversity data of international significance. There is an imperative to capture the data through digitisation projects in order to expose the data to new and established users of biodiversity data. On the basis of review of current state of digitization of natural history collections, a demand driven approach is advocated through the use of metadata to promote and increase access to natural history collection data.

Observer and data-driven model based fault detection in Power Plant Coal Mills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fogh Odgaard, Peter; Lin, Bao; Jørgensen, Sten Bay

2008-01-01

model with motor power as the controlled variable, data-driven methods for fault detection are also investigated. Regression models that represent normal operating conditions (NOCs) are developed with both static and dynamic principal component analysis and partial least squares methods. The residual...... between process measurement and the NOC model prediction is used for fault detection. A hybrid approach, where a data-driven model is employed to derive an optimal unknown input observer, is also implemented. The three methods are evaluated with case studies on coal mill data, which includes a fault......This paper presents and compares model-based and data-driven fault detection approaches for coal mill systems. The first approach detects faults with an optimal unknown input observer developed from a simplified energy balance model. Due to the time-consuming effort in developing a first principles...

Conditional RNA interference achieved by Oct-1 POU/rtTA fusion protein activator and a modified TRE-mouse U6 promoter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fei Zhaoliang; Chen Zheng; Wang Zhugang; Fei Jian

2007-01-01

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful technique and is widely used to down-regulate expression of specific genes in cultured cells and in vivo. In this paper, we report our development of a new tetracycline-inducible RNAi expression using a modified TRE-mouse U6 promoter in which the distal sequence element (DSE) was replaced by the tetracycline-responsive element (TRE). The modified TRE-mouse U6 promoter can be activated by a Tet-on version tetracycline-regulated artificial activator rTetOct which was constructed by fusing the rtTA DNA binding domain with the Oct-1 POU activation domain. This rTetOct/TRE-U6 system was successfully applied to conditionally and reversibly down-regulate the expression of endogenous p53 gene in MCF7 cells, and the expression of β-defensin gene (mBin1b) either transiently expressed in COS7 cells or stably expressed in CHO cells

Effective Feature Selection for Classification of Promoter Sequences.

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Kouser K

Full Text Available Exploring novel computational methods in making sense of biological data has not only been a necessity, but also productive. A part of this trend is the search for more efficient in silico methods/tools for analysis of promoters, which are parts of DNA sequences that are involved in regulation of expression of genes into other functional molecules. Promoter regions vary greatly in their function based on the sequence of nucleotides and the arrangement of protein-binding short-regions called motifs. In fact, the regulatory nature of the promoters seems to be largely driven by the selective presence and/or the arrangement of these motifs. Here, we explore computational classification of promoter sequences based on the pattern of motif distributions, as such classification can pave a new way of functional analysis of promoters and to discover the functionally crucial motifs. We make use of Position Specific Motif Matrix (PSMM features for exploring the possibility of accurately classifying promoter sequences using some of the popular classification techniques. The classification results on the complete feature set are low, perhaps due to the huge number of features. We propose two ways of reducing features. Our test results show improvement in the classification output after the reduction of features. The results also show that decision trees outperform SVM (Support Vector Machine, KNN (K Nearest Neighbor and ensemble classifier LibD3C, particularly with reduced features. The proposed feature selection methods outperform some of the popular feature transformation methods such as PCA and SVD. Also, the methods proposed are as accurate as MRMR (feature selection method but much faster than MRMR. Such methods could be useful to categorize new promoters and explore regulatory mechanisms of gene expressions in complex eukaryotic species.

BRIEF OVERVIEW ON THE CONDITIONALITY IN THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICY

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Oana Mocanu

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP has become a top issue on the EU agenda after the EU enlargement wave of 2004, completed in 2007. The question of efficiently managing the new borders of EU, by facing the new-fangled challenges related to security, combating trafficking, ensuring economic prosperity and environment protection has driven new and restructured EU mechanisms in order to manage the relations with its new neighbourhood - rather diverse in terms of economic and social welfare. Conditionality from the part of EU towards the ENP partner states has been an intricate issue even from the start. How committed can these countries be on the path of rough economic, political and social reforms, in the absence of a perspective of EU accession? If conditionality, as we know it from the pre-accession process of the former candidate states for example, is going to be a success or a failure in the case of the ENP states is still a matter of perception. This paper attempts to give an overview of different opinions upon the potential effect of the conditionality mechanism within the ENP. The victory or breakdown of conditionality within the ENP depends both on the commitment of the ENP partner states to the goals, values, concrete projects promoted through this policy and its consolidated initiatives (Eastern Partnership, Union for Mediterranean, but most of all on the capacity of the European Union to replace the traditional incentive of accession with a proper alternative, mostly in economic, financial, social and security terms.

Light-regulated promoters for tunable, temporal, and affordable control of fungal gene expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Kevin K; Dunlap, Jay C; Loros, Jennifer J

2018-05-01

Regulatable promoters are important genetic tools, particularly for assigning function to essential and redundant genes. They can also be used to control the expression of enzymes that influence metabolic flux or protein secretion, thereby optimizing product yield in bioindustry. This review will focus on regulatable systems for use in filamentous fungi, an important group of organisms whose members include key research models, devastating pathogens of plants and animals, and exploitable cell factories. Though we will begin by cataloging those promoters that are controlled by nutritional or chemical means, our primary focus will rest on those who can be controlled by a literal flip-of-the-switch: promoters of light-regulated genes. The vvd promoter of Neurospora will first serve as a paradigm for how light-driven systems can provide tight, robust, tunable, and temporal control of either autologous or heterologous fungal proteins. We will then discuss a theoretical approach to, and practical considerations for, the development of such promoters in other species. To this end, we have compiled genes from six previously published light-regulated transcriptomic studies to guide the search for suitable photoregulatable promoters in your fungus of interest.

Chaos control and synchronization in Bragg acousto-optic bistable systems driven by a separate chaotic system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rong; Gao, Jin-Yue

2005-09-01

In this paper we propose a new scheme to achieve chaos control and synchronization in Bragg acousto-optic bistable systems. In the scheme, we use the output of one system to drive two identical chaotic systems. Using the maximal conditional Lyapunov exponent (MCLE) as the criterion, we analyze the conditions for realizing chaos synchronization. Numerical calculation shows that the two identical systems in chaos with negative MCLEs and driven by a chaotic system can go into chaotic synchronization whether or not they were in chaos initially. The two systems can go into different periodic states from chaos following an inverse period-doubling bifurcation route as well when driven by a periodic system.

Loss-cone-driven ion cyclotron waves in the magnetosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denton, R.E.; Hudson, M.K.; Roth, I.

1992-01-01

The theoretical properties of linear ion cyclotron waves propagating in the magnetosphere at arbitrary angles to the background magnetic field are explored. It is found that in some cases the linear wave growth of modes with oblique propagation can dominate that of the parallel propagating electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave. In particular, when the hot ring current protons have a loss cone and their temperature anisotropy A ≡ T perpendicular /T parallel - 1 is reduced, the parallel propagating EMIC wave becomes stable, while the obliquely propagating loss-cone-driven mode persists. The growth rate of the loss-cone-driven model depends strongly on the depth of the loss cone. Unlike the parallel propagating EMIC wave, it can be unstable with A = 0. Other conditions that favor the loss-cone-driven mode in comparison to the parallel mode are stronger background magnetic field, lower density of cold hydrogen, and a lower temperature for the hot anisotropic component of hydrogen. A simple analytical theory is presented which explains the scaling of the growth rate of the oblique mode with respect to various parameters. The loss-cone-driven mode is an electromagnetic mode which is preferentially nearly linearly polarized. It is nearly electrostatic in the sense that the wave electric field is aligned with the perpendicular (to B 0 ) component of the wave vector k and k perpendicular > k parallel . Since the electric and magnetic wave fields are perpendicular to B 0 , they would be difficult to distinguish from those of a linearly polarized parallel propagating electromagnetic wave with the same k parallel

Effects of Physician-directed Pharmaceutical Promotion on Prescription Behaviors: Longitudinal Evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Anusua; Dave, Dhaval

2017-04-01

Spending on prescription drugs (Rx) represents one of the fastest growing components of US healthcare spending and has coincided with an expansion of pharmaceutical promotional spending. Most (83%) of Rx promotion is directed at physicians in the form of visits by pharmaceutical representatives (known as detailing) and drug samples provided to physicians' offices. Such promotion has come under increased public scrutiny, with critics contending that physician-directed promotion may play a role in raising healthcare costs and may unduly affect physicians' prescribing habits towards more expensive, and possibly less cost-effective, drugs. In this study, we bring longitudinal evidence to bear upon the question of how detailing impacts physicians' prescribing behaviors. Specifically, we examine prescriptions and promotion for a particular drug class based on a nationally representative sample of 150,000 physicians spanning 24 months. The use of longitudinal physician-level data allows us to tackle some of the empirical concerns in the extant literature, virtually all of which have relied on aggregate national data. We estimate fixed-effects specifications that bypass stable unobserved physician-specific heterogeneity and address potential targeting bias. In addition, we also assess differential effects at both the extensive and intensive margins of prescribing behaviors and differential effects across physician-level and market-level characteristics, questions that have not been explored in prior work. The estimates suggest that detailing has a significant and positive effect on the number of new scripts written for the detailed drug, with an elasticity magnitude of 0.06. This effect is substantially smaller than those in the literature based on aggregate information, suggesting that most of the observed relationship between physician-directed promotion and drug sales is driven by selection bias. We find that detailing impacts selective brand-specific demand but does

Optimal Design of a 3-DOF Cable-Driven Upper Arm Exoskeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhu-Feng Shao

2014-04-01

Full Text Available With outstanding advantages, such as large workspace, flexibility, and lightweight and low inertia, cable-driven parallel manipulator shows great potential for application as the exoskeleton rehabilitation robot. However, the optimal design is still a challenging problem to be solved. In this paper, the optimal design of a 3-DOF (3-degree-of-freedom cable-driven upper arm exoskeleton is accomplished considering the force exerted on the arm. After analysis of the working conditions, two promising configurations of the cable-driven upper arm exoskeleton are put forward and design parameters are simplified. Then, candidate ranges of two angle parameters are determined with the proposed main workspace requirement. Further, global force indices are defined to evaluate the force applied to the arm by the exoskeleton, in order to enhance the system safety and comfort. Finally, the optimal design of each configuration is obtained with proposed force indices. In addition, atlases and charts given in this paper well illustrate trends of workspace and force with different values of design parameters.

Tidal flushing and wind driven circulation of Ahe atoll lagoon (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia) from in situ observations and numerical modelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumas, F.; Le Gendre, R.; Thomas, Y.; Andréfouët, S.

2012-01-01

Hydrodynamic functioning and water circulation of the semi-closed deep lagoon of Ahe atoll (Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia) were investigated using 1 year of field data and a 3D hydrodynamical model. Tidal amplitude averaged less than 30 cm, but tide generated very strong currents (2 m s −1 ) in the pass, creating a jet-like circulation that partitioned the lagoon into three residual circulation cells. The pass entirely flushed excess water brought by waves-induced radiation stress. Circulation patterns were computed for climatological meteorological conditions and summarized with stream function and flushing time. Lagoon hydrodynamics and general overturning circulation was driven by wind. Renewal time was 250 days, whereas the e-flushing time yielded a lagoon-wide 80-days average. Tide-driven flush through the pass and wind-driven overturning circulation designate Ahe as a wind-driven, tidally and weakly wave-flushed deep lagoon. The 3D model allows studying pearl oyster larvae dispersal in both realistic and climatological conditions for aquaculture applications.

Fluoxetine effects on molecular, cellular and behavioral endophenotypes of depression are driven by the living environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Alboni, S; van Dijk, R M; Poggini, S; Milior, G; Perrotta, M; Drenth, T; Brunello, N; Wolfer, D P; Limatola, C; Amrein, I; Cirulli, F; Maggi, L; Branchi, I

2017-04-01

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) represent the most common treatment for major depression. However, their efficacy is variable and incomplete. In order to elucidate the cause of such incomplete efficacy, we explored the hypothesis positing that SSRIs may not affect mood per se but, by enhancing neural plasticity, render the individual more susceptible to the influence of the environment. Consequently, SSRI administration in a favorable environment promotes a reduction of symptoms, whereas in a stressful environment leads to a worse prognosis. To test such hypothesis, we exposed C57BL/6 mice to chronic stress in order to induce a depression-like phenotype and, subsequently, to fluoxetine treatment (21 days), while being exposed to either an enriched or a stressful condition. We measured the most commonly investigated molecular, cellular and behavioral endophenotypes of depression and SSRI outcome, including depression-like behavior, neurogenesis, brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and long-term potentiation. Results showed that, in line with our hypothesis, the endophenotypes investigated were affected by the treatment according to the quality of the living environment. In particular, mice treated with fluoxetine in an enriched condition overall improved their depression-like phenotype compared with controls, whereas those treated in a stressful condition showed a distinct worsening. Our findings suggest that the effects of SSRI on the depression- like phenotype is not determined by the drug per se but is induced by the drug and driven by the environment. These findings may be helpful to explain variable effects of SSRI found in clinical practice and to device strategies aimed at enhancing their efficacy by means of controlling environmental conditions.

PARTICULARITIES OF MODERN PHARMACEUTICAL PROMOTION

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Юрий Владимирович Тарасов

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Pharmaceutical products market is one of the most saturated consumers’ markets. Characteristic features of it are: high competition, fierce struggle for the customer, specific technologies of promotion. In conditions of globalization and increase in competition both in world pharmaceutical market and in the market of medicines and goods of medical purpose in Russia modern marketing techniques of promotion of the products to the end consumers are the key tools for strengthening market positions – both of producers of pharmaceutical goods and their suppliers, distributors, big whole-sale companies. Among main tools of promotion are: advertising, public relations, stimulation of sales on the market of medicines, personal sales, computer technologies. The article describes different technologies of promotion of medicines: indoor-advertising, hot lines, pharmaceutical exhibitions, packing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-12-1

Streamflow in the upper Mississippi river basin as simulated by SWAT driven by 20{sup th} century contemporary results of global climate models and NARCCAP regional climate models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takle, Eugene S.; Jha, Manoj; Lu, Er; Arritt, Raymond W.; Gutowski, William J. [Iowa State Univ. Ames, IA (United States)

2010-06-15

We use Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) when driven by observations and results of climate models to evaluate hydrological quantities, including streamflow, in the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) for 1981-2003 in comparison to observed streamflow. Daily meteorological conditions used as input to SWAT are taken from (1) observations at weather stations in the basin, (2) daily meteorological conditions simulated by a collection of regional climate models (RCMs) driven by reanalysis boundary conditions, and (3) daily meteorological conditions simulated by a collection of global climate models (GCMs). Regional models used are those whose data are archived by the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP). Results show that regional models correctly simulate the seasonal cycle of precipitation, temperature, and streamflow within the basin. Regional models also capture interannual extremes represented by the flood of 1993 and the dry conditions of 2000. The ensemble means of both the GCM-driven and RCM-driven simulations by SWAT capture both the timing and amplitude of the seasonal cycle of streamflow with neither demonstrating significant superiority at the basin level. (orig.)

Differential Top10 promoter regulation by six tetracycline analogues in plant cells

Science.gov (United States)

Love, John; Allen, George C.; Gatz, Christiane; Thompson, William F.; Brown, C. S. (Principal Investigator)

2002-01-01

The effects of five tetracycline analogues, anhydrotetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline, on Top10 promoter activity in NT1 tobacco tissue culture cells have been analysed. The concentration that repressed Top10 promoter activity, the level of transgene repression and the kinetics of transgene de-repression were determined for each analogue, and could not be predicted from in vitro binding affinity to the tetracycline repressor or from comparison with animal cells. Doxycycline had the most potent effect on the Top10 promoter and completely inhibited transgene expression at 4 nmol l(-1). Tetracycline was the most versatile of the analogues tested; tetracycline inhibited the Top10 promoter at 10 nmol l(-1) and was easily washed out to restore Top10-driven expression in 12-24 h. A study was also made of the suitability for plant research of a novel tetracycline analogue, GR33076X. In animal cells, GR33076X de-repressed Top10 promoter activity in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of anhydrotetracycline. In NT1, it is shown that GR 33076X can antagonize repression of the Top10 promoter in the presence of tetracycline, but not of anhydrotetracycline or of doxycycline. Different tetracycline analogues can therefore be used to regulate the Top10 promoter in plant cells and this property may be exploited in planning an optimum course of transgene regulation.

System design and energetic characterization of a four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid electric powertrain for heavy-duty applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Enhua; Guo, Di; Yang, Fuyuan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A novel four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid powertrain is proposed. • A system model and a rule-based control strategy are designed. • Energetic performance is compared to a rear-wheel-driven hybrid powertrain. • Less torsional oscillation and more robust regenerative braking are achieved. - Abstract: Powertrain topology design is vital for system performance of a hybrid electric vehicle. In this paper, a novel four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid electric powertrain is proposed. A motor is connected to the differential of the rear axle. An auxiliary power unit is linked to the differential of the front axle via a clutch. First, a mathematical model was established to evaluate the fuel-saving potential. A rule-based energy management algorithm was subsequently designed, and its working parameters were optimized. The hybrid powertrain system was applied to a transit bus, and the system characteristics were analyzed. Compared to an existing coaxial power-split hybrid powertrain, the fuel economy of the four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid powertrain can be at the same level under normal road conditions. However, the proposed four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid powertrain can recover braking energy more efficiently under road conditions with a low adhesive coefficient and can alleviate the torsional oscillation occurring at the existing coaxial power-split hybrid powertrain. Therefore, the four-wheel-driven series–parallel hybrid powertrain is a good solution for transit buses toward more robust performance.

Promoter polymorphisms in genes involved in porcine myogenesis influence their transcriptional activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bongiorni, Silvia; Tilesi, Francesca; Bicorgna, Silvia; Iacoponi, Francesca; Willems, Daniela; Gargani, Maria; D'Andrea, MariaSilvia; Pilla, Fabio; Valentini, Alessio

2014-11-07

Success of meat production and selection for improvement of meat quality is among the primary aims in animal production. Meat quality traits are economically important in swine; however, the underlying genetic nature is very complex. Therefore, an improved pork production strongly depends on identifying and studying how genetic variations contribute to modulate gene expression. Promoters are key regions in gene modulation as they harbour several binding motifs to transcription regulatory factors. Therefore, polymorphisms in these regions are likely to deeply affect RNA levels and consequently protein synthesis. In this study, we report the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in promoter regions of candidate genes involved in development, cellular differentiation and muscle growth in Sus scrofa. We identified SNPs in the promoter regions of genes belonging to the Myogenic Regulatory Factors (MRF) gene family (the Myogenic Differentiation gene, MYOD1) and to Growth and Differentiation Factors (GDF) gene family (Myostatin gene, MSTN, GDF8), in Casertana and Large White breeds. The purpose of this study was to investigate if polymorphisms in the promoters could affect the transcriptional activity of these genes. With this aim, we evaluated in vitro the functional activity of the luciferase reporter gene luc2 activity, driven by two constructs carrying different promoter haplotypes. We tested the effects of the G302A (U12574) transition on the promoter efficiency in MYOD1 gene. We ascertained a difference in transcription efficiency for the two variants. A stronger activity of the A-carrying construct is more evident in C2C12. The luciferase expression driven by the MYOD1-A allelic variant displayed a 3.8-fold increased transcriptional activity. We investigated the activity of two haplotype variants (AY527152) in the promoter of GDF8 gene. The haploptype-1 (A435-A447-A879) up-regulated the expression of the reporter gene by a two-fold increase, and

Erythropoietin and a nonerythropoietic peptide analog promote aortic endothelial cell repair under hypoxic conditions: role of nitric oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heikal L

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Lamia Heikal,1 Pietro Ghezzi,1 Manuela Mengozzi,1 Blanka Stelmaszczuk,2 Martin Feelisch,2 Gordon AA Ferns1 1Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, 2Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital and Institute for Life Sciences, Southampton, UK Abstract: The cytoprotective effects of erythropoietin (EPO and an EPO-related nonerythropoietic analog, pyroglutamate helix B surface peptide (pHBSP, were investigated in an in vitro model of bovine aortic endothelial cell injury under normoxic (21% O2 and hypoxic (1% O2 conditions. The potential molecular mechanisms of these effects were also explored. Using a model of endothelial injury (the scratch assay, we found that, under hypoxic conditions, EPO and pHBSP enhanced scratch closure by promoting cell migration and proliferation, but did not show any effect under normoxic conditions. Furthermore, EPO protected bovine aortic endothelial cells from staurosporine-induced apoptosis under hypoxic conditions. The priming effect of hypoxia was associated with stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor-1α, EPO receptor upregulation, and decreased Ser-1177 phosphorylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS; the effect of hypoxia on the latter was rescued by EPO. Hypoxia was associated with a reduction in nitric oxide (NO production as assessed by its oxidation products, nitrite and nitrate, consistent with the oxygen requirement for endogenous production of NO by endothelial NOS. However, while EPO did not affect NO formation in normoxia, it markedly increased NO production, in a manner sensitive to NOS inhibition, under hypoxic conditions. These data are consistent with the notion that the tissue-protective actions of EPO-related cytokines in pathophysiological settings associated with poor oxygenation are mediated by NO. These findings may be particularly relevant to atherogenesis and postangioplasty restenosis. Keywords

Electric system management through hydrogen production - A market driven approach in the French context

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mansilla, C.; Dautremont, S.; Thais, F.; Louyrette, J.; Martin, J.; Albou, S.; Barbieri, G.; Collignon, N.; Bourasseau, C.; Salasc, B.; Valentin, S.

2012-01-01

Hydrogen is usually presented as a promising energy carrier that has a major role to play in low carbon transportation, through the use of fuel cells. However, such a development is not expected in the short term. In the meantime, hydrogen may also contribute to reduce carbon emissions in diverse sectors among which methanol production. Methanol can be produced by combining carbon dioxide and hydrogen, hence facilitating carbon dioxide emission mitigation while providing a beneficial tool to manage the electric system, if hydrogen is produced by alkaline electrolysis operated in a variable way driven by the spot and balancing electricity markets. Such a concept is promoted by the VItESSE project (Industrial and Energy value of CO 2 through Efficient use of CO 2 -free electricity - Electricity Network System Control and Electricity Storage). Through the proposed market driven approach, hydrogen production offers a possibility to help managing the electric system, together with an opportunity to reduce hydrogen production costs. (authors)

On stochastic integration for volatility modulated Brownian-driven Volterra processes via white noise analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

E. Barndorff-Nielsen, Ole; Benth, Fred Espen; Szozda, Benedykt

This paper generalizes the integration theory for volatility modulated Brownian-driven Volterra processes onto the space G* of Potthoff-Timpel distributions. Sufficient conditions for integrability of generalized processes are given, regularity results and properties of the integral are discussed...

On stochastic integration for volatility modulated Brownian-driven Volterra processes via white noise analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barndorff-Nielsen, Ole E.; Benth, Fred Espen; Szozda, Benedykt

This paper generalizes the integration theory for volatility modulated Brownian-driven Volterra processes onto the space G∗ of Potthoff--Timpel distributions. Sufficient conditions for integrability of generalized processes are given, regularity results and properties of the integral are discusse...

Traditional ecological knowledge underlying herding decisions of pastoralists.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamou, C; de Boer, I J M; Ripoll-Bosch, R; Oosting, S J

2018-04-01

Pastoralists have traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is important for their livelihoods and for policies and interventions. Pastoralism is under pressure, however, which may result in a decline of pastoral lifestyle and its related TEK. We, therefore, addressed the following objectives (i) to inventorise and assess how pastoralists characterise and value soils and forages in their environment, (ii) to analyse how soil, forage and livestock (i.e. cattle) characteristics relate to herding decisions and (iii) to determine whether TEK underlying herding decisions differs across generations. Data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews with 72 pastoralists, belonging to three generations and to three agro-ecological zones. Using a three-point scale (high, medium, low), four grasses and three tree forages were assessed in terms of nutritional quality for milk, meat, health and strength. Using their own visual criteria, pastoralists identified five different soils, which they selected for herding at different times of the year. Pastoralists stated that Pokuri was the best soil because of its low moisture content, whereas Karaal was the worst because forage hardly grows on it. They stated that perennials, such as Andropogon gayanus and Loxoderra ledermannii, were of high nutritional quality, whereas annuals such as Andropogon pseudapricus and Hyparrhenia involucrata were of low nutritional quality. Afzelia africana was perceived of high quality for milk production, whereas Khaya senegalensis had the highest quality for meat, health and strength. Pastoralists first used soil, then forage and finally livestock characteristics in their herding decisions. Pastoralists' TEK was not associated with their generations, but with their agro-ecological zones. This study suggests that pastoralists had common and detailed TEK about soils, forages and livestock characteristics, underlying their herding decisions. To conclude, pastoralists use a holistic

On Poor Separation in Magnetically Driven Shock Tube

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chang, C.T.

1973-01-01

Observations made at steady-state running conditions in a magnetically driven shock tube, with parallel-plate electrodes, showed that for a given discharge voltage, sufficient separation between the shock and the current-sheet occurred only at relatively high discharge pressures. As a comparison......, poor separations were also noted in conventional diaphragm-type shock tubes running at low initial pressures. It is demonstrated that the observed poor separation can be explained by a mass leakage, instead of through the wall boundary layer, but through the current-sheet itself....

Quantum recurrence and fractional dynamic localization in ac-driven perfect state transfer Hamiltonians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longhi, Stefano

2014-01-01

Quantum recurrence and dynamic localization are investigated in a class of ac-driven tight-binding Hamiltonians, the Krawtchouk quantum chain, which in the undriven case provides a paradigmatic Hamiltonian model that realizes perfect quantum state transfer and mirror inversion. The equivalence between the ac-driven single-particle Krawtchouk Hamiltonian H -hat (t) and the non-interacting ac-driven bosonic junction Hamiltonian enables to determine in a closed form the quasi energy spectrum of H -hat (t) and the conditions for exact wave packet reconstruction (dynamic localization). In particular, we show that quantum recurrence, which is predicted by the general quantum recurrence theorem, is exact for the Krawtchouk quantum chain in a dense range of the driving amplitude. Exact quantum recurrence provides perfect wave packet reconstruction at a frequency which is fractional than the driving frequency, a phenomenon that can be referred to as fractional dynamic localization

Coherent states of the driven Rydberg atom: Quantum-classical correspondence of periodically driven systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vela-Arevalo, Luz V.; Fox, Ronald F.

2005-01-01

A methodology to calculate generalized coherent states for a periodically driven system is presented. We study wave packets constructed as a linear combination of suitable Floquet states of the three-dimensional Rydberg atom in a microwave field. The driven coherent states show classical space localization, spreading, and revivals and remain localized along the classical trajectory. The microwave strength and frequency have a great effect in the localization of Floquet states, since quasienergy avoided crossings produce delocalization of the Floquet states, showing that tuning of the parameters is very important. Using wavelet-based time-frequency analysis, the classical phase-space structure is determined, which allows us to show that the driven coherent state is located in a large regular region in which the z coordinate is in resonance with the external field. The expectation values of the wave packet show that the driven coherent state evolves along the classical trajectory

Preparation and electrocatalytic properties of Pt-SiO2 nanocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, B; Chen, J H; Zhong, X X; Cui, K Z; Zhou, H H; Kuang, Y F

2007-03-01

Due to their high stability in general acidic solutions, SiO(2) nanoparticles were selected as the second catalyst for ethanol oxidation in sulfuric acid aqueous solution. Pt-SiO(2) nanocatalysts were prepared in this paper. The micrography and elemental composition of Pt-SiO(2) nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The electrocatalytic properties of Pt-SiO(2) nanocatalysts for ethanol oxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Under the same Pt loading mass and experimental conditions for ethanol oxidation, Pt-SiO(2) nanocatalysts show higher activity than PtRu/C (E-Tek), Pt/C (E-Tek), and Pt catalysts. Additionally, Pt-SiO(2) nanocatalysts possess good anti-poisoning ability. The results indicate that Pt-SiO(2) nanocatalysts may have good potential applications in direct ethanol fuel cells.

Energy productivity and Chinese local officials’ promotions: Evidence from provincial governors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xiude; Qin, Quande; Wei, Y.-M.

2016-01-01

Improving energy productivity is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve a sustainable development target. The existing literature has shown some factors that have driven the improvement in China’s energy productivity. However, these studies do little to tackle the role of Chinese local officials. Political promotions can be seen as the most important career incentive for Chinese local officials. Hence, we intend to study whether energy productivity affects Chinese local officials’ promotions in this paper. The data of position changes for the 31 provincial governors during 1978‐2012 are utilized. We adopted probit models to empirically examine the correlation between provincial governors’ political promotions and energy productivity. The empirical results demonstrate that (1) energy productivity has a significantly positive impact on provincial governors’ political promotions in China, meaning that the provincial governors have the momentum to improve energy productivity; and (2) the effect of energy productivity on provincial governors’ political promotions has evolved, dynamically changing along with the transformation of the economic growth mode and the adjustment of the local officials’ promotion mechanism. The results are helpful in understanding the drivers of the improvement in China’s energy productivity and provide insightful implications for conducting energy policy in China. - Highlights: •The data of position changes for China’s provincial governors during 1978–2012 are utilized. •Energy productivity has a positive impact on provincial governors’ promotion in China. •Political incentive is an important driver of the improvement in China’s energy productivity. •The correlation between energy productivity and local officials’ promotions was evolved.

Recombinant Promoter (MUASCsV8CP) Driven Totiviral Killer Protein 4 (KP4) Imparts Resistance Against Fungal Pathogens in Transgenic Tobacco

Science.gov (United States)

Deb, Debasish; Shrestha, Ankita; Maiti, Indu B.; Dey, Nrisingha

2018-01-01

Development of disease-resistant plant varieties achieved by engineering anti-microbial transgenes under the control of strong promoters can suffice the inhibition of pathogen growth and simultaneously ensure enhanced crop production. For evaluating the prospect of such strong promoters, we comprehensively characterized the full-length transcript promoter of Cassava Vein Mosaic Virus (CsVMV; -565 to +166) and identified CsVMV8 (-215 to +166) as the highest expressing fragment in both transient and transgenic assays. Further, we designed a new chimeric promoter ‘MUASCsV8CP’ through inter-molecular hybridization among the upstream activation sequence (UAS) of Mirabilis Mosaic Virus (MMV; -297 to -38) and CsVMV8, as the core promoter (CP). The MUASCsV8CP was found to be ∼2.2 and ∼2.4 times stronger than the CsVMV8 and CaMV35S promoters, respectively, while its activity was found to be equivalent to that of the CaMV35S2 promoter. Furthermore, we generated transgenic tobacco plants expressing the totiviral ‘Killer protein KP4’ (KP4) under the control of the MUASCsV8CP promoter. Recombinant KP4 was found to accumulate both in the cytoplasm and apoplast of plant cells. The agar-based killing zone assays revealed enhanced resistance of plant-derived KP4 against two deuteromycetous foliar pathogenic fungi viz. Alternaria alternata and Phoma exigua var. exigua. Also, transgenic plants expressing KP4 inhibited the growth progression of these fungi and conferred significant fungal resistance in detached-leaf and whole plant assays. Taken together, we establish the potential of engineering “in-built” fungal stress-tolerance in plants by expressing KP4 under a novel chimeric caulimoviral promoter in a transgenic approach. PMID:29556246

The endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica enhances Arabidopsis thaliana growth and modulates Na+/K+ homeostasis under salt stress conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelaziz, Mohamed E; Kim, Dongjin; Ali, Shawkat; Fedoroff, Nina V; Al-Babili, Salim

2017-10-01

The mutualistic, endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has been shown to confer biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to host plants. In this study, we investigated the impact of P. indica on the growth of Arabidopsis plants under normal and salt stress conditions. Our results demonstrate that P. indica colonization increases plant biomass, lateral roots density, and chlorophyll content under both conditions. Colonization with P. indica under salt stress was accompanied by a lower Na + /K + ratio and less pronounced accumulation of anthocyanin, compared to control plants. Moreover, P. indica colonized roots under salt stress showed enhanced transcript levels of the genes encoding the high Affinity Potassium Transporter 1 (HKT1) and the inward-rectifying K + channels KAT1 and KAT2, which play key roles in regulating Na + and K + homeostasis. The effect of P. indica colonization on AtHKT1;1 expression was also confirmed in the Arabidopsis line gl1-HKT:AtHKT1;1 that expresses an additional AtHKT1;1 copy driven by the native promoter. Colonization of the gl1-HKT:AtHKT1;1 by P. indica also increased lateral roots density and led to a better Na + /K + ratio, which may be attributed to the observed increase in KAT1 and KAT2 transcript levels. Our findings demonstrate that P. indica colonization promotes Arabidopsis growth under salt stress conditions and that this effect is likely caused by modulation of the expression levels of the major Na + and K + ion channels, which allows establishing a balanced ion homeostasis of Na + /K + under salt stress conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with mycorrhizal fungi and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria increases wood yield under field conditions

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Martha Viviana Torres Cely

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce and Acaulospora sp. (Ac; two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2; and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2 in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1 were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

Inoculation of Schizolobium parahyba with Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Increases Wood Yield under Field Conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cely, Martha V T; Siviero, Marco A; Emiliano, Janaina; Spago, Flávia R; Freitas, Vanessa F; Barazetti, André R; Goya, Erika T; Lamberti, Gustavo de Souza; Dos Santos, Igor M O; De Oliveira, Admilton G; Andrade, Galdino

2016-01-01

Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum (Huber ex Ducke) occurs naturally in the Brazilian Amazon. Currently, it is being planted extensively because of its fast growth and excellent use in forestry. Consequently, there is great interest in new strategies to increase wood production. The interaction between soil microorganisms and plants, specifically in the roots, provides essential nutrients for plant growth. These interactions can have growth-promoting effects. In this way, this study assessed the effect of the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth of S. parahyba var. amazonicum under field conditions. We used two native species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce), and Acaulospora sp. (Ac); two native strains of Rhizobium sp. (Rh1 and Rh2); and a non-native strain of Burkholderia sp. Different combinations of microorganisms were supplemented with chemical fertilizers (doses D1 and D2) in two planting methods, seed sowing and seedling planting. In seed sowing, the results showed that treatments with Ce/Rh1/Fertilizer D2 and Ac/No PGPR/Fertilizer D2 increased wood yield. In seedling planting, two combinations (Ac/Rh2/Fertilizer D1 and Ac/Rh1/Fertilizer D1) were more effective in increasing seedling growth. In these experiments, inoculation with AMF and PGPR increased wood yield by about 20% compared to the application of fertilizer alone.

Inhibition of Murine Pulmonary Microvascular Endothelial Cell Apoptosis Promotes Recovery of Barrier Function under Septic Conditions

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Lefeng Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Sepsis is characterized by injury of the pulmonary microvasculature and the pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVEC, leading to barrier dysfunction and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS. Our recent work identified a strong correlation between PMVEC apoptosis and microvascular leak in septic mice in vivo, but the specific role of apoptosis in septic PMVEC barrier dysfunction remains unclear. Thus, we hypothesize that PMVEC apoptosis is likely required for PMVEC barrier dysfunction under septic conditions in vitro. Septic stimulation (mixture of tumour necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β, and interferon γ [cytomix] of isolated murine PMVEC resulted in a significant loss of barrier function as early as 4 h after stimulation, which persisted until 24 h. PMVEC apoptosis, as reflected by caspase activation, DNA fragmentation, and loss of membrane polarity, was first apparent at 8 h after cytomix. Pretreatment of PMVEC with the pan-caspase inhibitor Q-VD significantly decreased septic PMVEC apoptosis and was associated with reestablishment of PMVEC barrier function at 16 and 24 h after stimulation but had no effect on septic PMVEC barrier dysfunction over the first 8 h. Collectively, our data suggest that early septic murine PMVEC barrier dysfunction driven by proinflammatory cytokines is not mediated through apoptosis, but PMVEC apoptosis contributes to late septic PMVEC barrier dysfunction.

Highly Regio- and Stereoselective Diels-Alder Cycloadditions via Two-Step and Multicomponent Reactions Promoted by Infrared Irradiation under Solvent-Free Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Conde, Maria Ines; Reyes, Leonor; Herrera, Rafael; Rios, Hulme; Vazquez, Miguel A.; Miranda, Rene; Tamariz, Joaquin; Delgado, Francisco

2012-01-01

Infrared irradiation promoted the Diels-Alder cycloadditions of exo-2-oxazolidinone dienes 1–3 with the Knoevenagel adducts 4–6, as dienophiles, leading to the synthesis of new 3,5-diphenyltetrahydrobenzo[d]oxazol-2-one derivatives (7, 9, 11 and 13–17), under solvent-free conditions. These cycloadditions were performed with good regio- and stereoselectivity, favoring the para-endo cycloadducts. We also evaluated the one-pot three-component reaction of active methylene compounds 20, benzaldehydes 21 and exo-2-oxazolidinone diene 2 under the same reaction conditions. A cascade Knoevenagel condensation/Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction was observed, resulting in the final adducts 13–16 in similar yields. These procedures are environmentally benign, because no solvent and no catalyst were employed in these processes. The regioselectivity of these reactions was rationalized by Frontier Molecular Orbital (FMO) calculations. PMID:22489113

Highly Regio- and Stereoselective Diels-Alder Cycloadditions via Two-Step and Multicomponent Reactions Promoted by Infrared Irradiation under Solvent-Free Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Delgado

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Infrared irradiation promoted the Diels-Alder cycloadditions of exo-2-oxazolidinone dienes 1–3 with the Knoevenagel adducts 4–6, as dienophiles, leading to the synthesis of new 3,5-diphenyltetrahydrobenzo[d]oxazol-2-one derivatives (7, 9, 11 and 13–17, under solvent-free conditions. These cycloadditions were performed with good regio- and stereoselectivity, favoring the para-endo cycloadducts. We also evaluated the one-pot three-component reaction of active methylene compounds 20, benzaldehydes 21 and exo-2-oxazolidinone diene 2 under the same reaction conditions. A cascade Knoevenagel condensation/Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction was observed, resulting in the final adducts 13–16 in similar yields. These procedures are environmentally benign, because no solvent and no catalyst were employed in these processes. The regioselectivity of these reactions was rationalized by Frontier Molecular Orbital (FMO calculations.

Isolation and screening of rhizobia for auxin biosynthesis and growth promotion of mung bean (Vigna radiata L. seedlings under axenic conditions

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Muhammad Ashfaq Anjum, Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Muhammad Arshad and Muhammad Ashraf

2011-04-01

Full Text Available A series of screening experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of rhizobia for producing auxins and improvegrowth and nodulation of mungbean (Vigna radiata L. were carried out under axenic conditions. Forty fouriolatess of rhizobia were isolated using standard procedures. Auxin biosynthesis by these rhizobial isolates wasdetermined in the absence and presence of L-Trp, a physiological precursor of auxins. Rhizobial isolates variedwidely in auxins biosynthesis capabilities. On the basis of auxins biosynthesis, a pouch experiment was conductedfor screening thirty four efficient isolates of rhizobia for the growth promotion of mung bean. Results of pouch studyshowed that inoculation with selected rhizobial isolates increased the root /shoot length, fresh, and dry shoot weightof mung bean up to 33, 59, 71, 148, 107 and 188%, respectively, over untreated control. Further studies are neededunder glasshouse and field conditions for confirmation of these results.

Loss of Pin1 Suppresses Hedgehog-Driven Medulloblastoma Tumorigenesis

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Tao Xu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Therapeutic approaches to medulloblastoma (combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have led to significant improvements, but these are achieved at a high cost to quality of life. Alternative therapeutic approaches are needed. Genetic mutations leading to the activation of the Hedgehog pathway drive tumorigenesis in ~30% of medulloblastoma. In a yeast two-hybrid proteomic screen, we discovered a novel interaction between GLI1, a key transcription factor for the mediation of Hedgehog signals, and PIN1, a peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase that regulates the postphosphorylation fate of its targets. The GLI1/PIN1 interaction was validated by reciprocal pulldowns using epitope-tagged proteins in HEK293T cells as well as by co-immunoprecipiations of the endogenous proteins in a medulloblastoma cell line. Our results support a molecular model in which PIN1 promotes GLI1 protein abundance, thus contributing to the positive regulation of Hedgehog signals. Most importantly, in vivo functional analyses of Pin1 in the GFAP-tTA;TRE-SmoA1 mouse model of Hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma demonstrate that the loss of Pin1 impairs tumor development and dramatically increases survival. In summary, the discovery of the GLI1/PIN1 interaction uncovers PIN1 as a novel therapeutic target in Hedgehog-driven medulloblastoma tumorigenesis.

Isolation of the endosperm-specific LPAAT gene promoter from coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) and its functional analysis in transgenic rice plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Li; Ye, Rongjian; Zheng, Yusheng; Wang, Zhekui; Zhou, Peng; Lin, Yongjun; Li, Dongdong

2010-09-01

As one of the key tropical crops, coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is a member of the monocotyledonous family Aracaceae (Palmaceae). In this study, we amplified the upstream region of an endosperm-specific expression gene, Lysophosphatidyl acyltransferase (LPAAT), from the coconut genomic DNA by chromosome walking. In this sequence, we found several types of promoter-related elements including TATA-box, CAAT-box and Skn1-motif. In order to further examine its function, three different 5'-deletion fragments were inserted into pBI101.3, a plant expression vector harboring the LPAAT upstream sequence, leading to pBI101.3-L1, pBI101.3-L2 and pBI101.3-L3, respectively. We obtained transgenic plants of rice by Agrobacterium-mediated callus transformation and plant regeneration and detected the expression of gus gene by histochemical staining and fluorometric determination. We found that gus gene driven by the three deletion fragments was specifically expressed in the endosperm of rice seeds, but not in the empty vector of pBI101.3 and other tissues. The highest expression level of GUS was at 15 DAF in pBI101.3-L3 and pBI101.3-L2 transgenic lines, while the same level was detected at 10 DAF in pBI101.3-L1. The expression driven by the whole fragment was up to 1.76- and 2.8-fold higher than those driven by the -817 bp and -453 bp upstream fragments, and 10.7-fold higher than that driven by the vector without the promoter. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that these promoter fragments from coconut have a significant potential in genetically improving endosperm in main crops.

Selecting Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi to Promote Cassava Growth and Increase Yield under Field Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Séry, D. Jean-Marc; Kouadjo, Z. G. Claude; Voko, B. R. Rodrigue; Zézé, Adolphe

2016-01-01

The use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) inoculation in sustainable agriculture is now widespread worldwide. Although the use of inoculants consisting of native AMF is highly recommended as an alternative to commercial ones, there is no strategy to allow the selection of efficient fungal species from natural communities. The objective of this study was (i) to select efficient native AMF species (ii) evaluate their impact on nematode and water stresses, and (iii) evaluate their impact on cassava yield, an important food security crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Firstly, native AMF communities associated with cassava rhizospheres in fields were collected from different areas and 7 AMF species were selected, based upon their ubiquity and abundance. Using these criteria, two morphotypes (LBVM01 and LBVM02) out of the seven AMF species selected were persistently dominant when cassava was used as a trap plant. LBVM01 and LBVM02 were identified as Acaulospora colombiana (most abundant) and Ambispora appendicula, respectively, after phylogenetic analyses of LSU-ITS-SSU PCR amplified products. Secondly, the potential of these two native AMF species to promote growth and enhance tolerance to root-knot nematode and water stresses of cassava (Yavo variety) was evaluated using single and dual inoculation in greenhouse conditions. Of the two AMF species, it was shown that A. colombiana significantly improved the growth of the cassava and enhanced tolerance to water stress. However, both A. colombiana and A. appendicula conferred bioprotective effects to cassava plants against the nematode Meloidogyne spp., ranging from resistance (suppression or reduction of the nematode reproduction) or tolerance (low or no suppression in cassava growth). Thirdly, the potential of these selected native AMF to improve cassava growth and yield was evaluated under field conditions, compared to a commercial inoculant. In these conditions, the A. colombiana single inoculation and the

Large-scale modeling of condition-specific gene regulatory networks by information integration and inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellwanger, Daniel Christian; Leonhardt, Jörn Florian; Mewes, Hans-Werner

2014-12-01

Understanding how regulatory networks globally coordinate the response of a cell to changing conditions, such as perturbations by shifting environments, is an elementary challenge in systems biology which has yet to be met. Genome-wide gene expression measurements are high dimensional as these are reflecting the condition-specific interplay of thousands of cellular components. The integration of prior biological knowledge into the modeling process of systems-wide gene regulation enables the large-scale interpretation of gene expression signals in the context of known regulatory relations. We developed COGERE (http://mips.helmholtz-muenchen.de/cogere), a method for the inference of condition-specific gene regulatory networks in human and mouse. We integrated existing knowledge of regulatory interactions from multiple sources to a comprehensive model of prior information. COGERE infers condition-specific regulation by evaluating the mutual dependency between regulator (transcription factor or miRNA) and target gene expression using prior information. This dependency is scored by the non-parametric, nonlinear correlation coefficient η(2) (eta squared) that is derived by a two-way analysis of variance. We show that COGERE significantly outperforms alternative methods in predicting condition-specific gene regulatory networks on simulated data sets. Furthermore, by inferring the cancer-specific gene regulatory network from the NCI-60 expression study, we demonstrate the utility of COGERE to promote hypothesis-driven clinical research. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Experimental Study of Wind-Opposed Buoyancy-Driven Natural Ventilation

OpenAIRE

Andersen, A.; Bjerre, M.; Chen, Z. D.; Heiselberg, Per; Li, Y.

2000-01-01

Natural ventilation driven by natural forces, i.e. wind and thermal buoyancy, is an environmentally friendly system for buildings and has been increasingly used around the world in recent years to mitigate the impact on the global environment due to the significant energy consumption by heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HV AC). There is a need for the understanding and development of theories and tools related to the design, operation and control of natural ventilation systems.

Experimental Study of Wind-Opposed Buoyancy-Driven Natural Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, A.; Bjerre, M.; Chen, Z. D.

Natural ventilation driven by natural forces, i.e. wind and thermal buoyancy, is an environmentally friendly system for buildings and has been increasingly used around the world in recent years to mitigate the impact on the global environment due to the significant energy consumption by heating......, ventilation and air-conditioning (HV AC). There is a need for the understanding and development of theories and tools related to the design, operation and control of natural ventilation systems....

Necrosis-Driven Systemic Immune Response Alters SAM Metabolism through the FOXO-GNMT Axis

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Fumiaki Obata

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Sterile inflammation triggered by endogenous factors is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Here, we demonstrate that apoptosis-deficient mutants spontaneously develop a necrosis-driven systemic immune response in Drosophila and provide an in vivo model for studying the organismal response to sterile inflammation. Metabolomic analysis of hemolymph from apoptosis-deficient mutants revealed increased sarcosine and reduced S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM levels due to glycine N-methyltransferase (Gnmt upregulation. We showed that Gnmt was elevated in response to Toll activation induced by the local necrosis of wing epidermal cells. Necrosis-driven inflammatory conditions induced dFoxO hyperactivation, leading to an energy-wasting phenotype. Gnmt was cell-autonomously upregulated by dFoxO in the fat body as a possible rheostat for controlling energy loss, which functioned during fasting as well as inflammatory conditions. We propose that the dFoxO-Gnmt axis is essential for the maintenance of organismal SAM metabolism and energy homeostasis.

Lagrangian descriptors of driven chemical reaction manifolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Craven, Galen T; Junginger, Andrej; Hernandez, Rigoberto

2017-08-01

The persistence of a transition state structure in systems driven by time-dependent environments allows the application of modern reaction rate theories to solution-phase and nonequilibrium chemical reactions. However, identifying this structure is problematic in driven systems and has been limited by theories built on series expansion about a saddle point. Recently, it has been shown that to obtain formally exact rates for reactions in thermal environments, a transition state trajectory must be constructed. Here, using optimized Lagrangian descriptors [G. T. Craven and R. Hernandez, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 148301 (2015)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.115.148301], we obtain this so-called distinguished trajectory and the associated moving reaction manifolds on model energy surfaces subject to various driving and dissipative conditions. In particular, we demonstrate that this is exact for harmonic barriers in one dimension and this verification gives impetus to the application of Lagrangian descriptor-based methods in diverse classes of chemical reactions. The development of these objects is paramount in the theory of reaction dynamics as the transition state structure and its underlying network of manifolds directly dictate reactivity and selectivity.

Intervention dose estimation in health promotion programmes: a framework and a tool. Application to the diet and physical activity promotion PRALIMAP trial

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Legrand Karine

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the outcomes of health promotion and prevention programmes may depend on the level of intervention, studies and trials often fail to take it into account. The objective of this work was to develop a framework within which to consider the implementation of interventions, and to propose a tool with which to measure the quantity and the quality of activities, whether planned or not, relevant to the intervention under investigation. The framework and the tool were applied to data from the diet and physical activity promotion PRALIMAP trial. Methods A framework allowing for calculation of an intervention dose in any health promotion programme was developed. A literature reviews revealed several relevant concepts that were considered in greater detail by a multidisciplinary working group. A method was devised with which to calculate the dose of intervention planned and that is actually received (programme-driven activities dose, as well as the amount of non-planned intervention (non-programme-driven activities dose. Results Indicators cover the roles of all those involved (supervisors, anchor personnel as receivers and providers, targets, in each intervention-related groups (IRG: basic setting in which a given intervention is planned by the programme and may differ in implementation level and for every intervention period. All indicators are described according to two domains (delivery, participation in two declensions (quantity and quality. Application to PRALIMAP data revealed important inter- and intra-IRG variability in intervention dose. Conclusions A literature analysis shows that the terminology in this area is not yet consolidated and that research is ongoing. The present work provides a methodological framework by specifying concepts, by defining new constructs and by developing multiple information synthesis methods which must be introduced from the programme's conception. Application to PRALIMAP underlined the

Design of direct solar PV driven air conditioner

KAUST Repository

Huang, Bin-Juine

2015-12-05

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Solar air conditioning system directly driven by stand-alone solar PV is studied. The air conditioning system will suffer from loss of power if the solar PV power generation is not high enough. It requires a proper system design to match the power consumption of air conditioning system with a proper PV size. Six solar air conditioners with different sizes of PV panel and air conditioners were built and tested outdoors to experimentally investigate the running probabilities of air conditioning at various solar irradiations. It is shown that the instantaneous operation probability (OPB) and the runtime fraction (RF) of the air conditioner are mainly affected by the design parameter rpL (ratio of maximum PV power to load power). The measured OPB is found to be greater than 0.98 at instantaneous solar irradiation IT > 600 W m-2 if rpL > 1.71 RF approaches 1.0 (the air conditioner is run in 100% with solar power) at daily-total solar radiation higher than 13 MJ m-2 day-1, if rpL > 3.

Evaluation of Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Devices in Energy Cascade Systems under the Restriction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Shimazaki, Yoichi; Akisawa, Atsushi; Kashiwagi, Takao

It is necessary to introduce energy cascade systems into the industrial sector in Japan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the refrigerating and air conditioning devices in cases of introducing both energy cascade systems and thermal recycling systems in industries located around urban areas. The authors have developed an energy cascade model based on linear programming so as to minimize the total system costs with carbon taxes. Five cases are investigated. Limitation of carbon dioxide emissions results in the enhancement of heat cascading, where high temperature heat is supplied for process heating while low temperature one is shifted to refrigeration. It was found that increasing the amount of garbage combustor waste heat can reduce electric power for the turbo refrigerator by promoting waste heat driven ammonia absorption refrigerator.

Health promotion: An effective tool for global health

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Sanjiv Kumar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Health promotion is very relevant today. There is a global acceptance that health and social wellbeing are determined by many factors outside the health system which include socioeconomic conditions, patterns of consumption associated with food and communication, demographic patterns, learning environments, family patterns, the cultural and social fabric of societies; sociopolitical and economic changes, including commercialization and trade and global environmental change. In such a situation, health issues can be effectively addressed by adopting a holistic approach by empowering individuals and communities to take action for their health, fostering leadership for public health, promoting intersectoral action to build healthy public policies in all sectors and creating sustainable health systems. Although, not a new concept, health promotion received an impetus following Alma Ata declaration. Recently it has evolved through a series of international conferences, with the first conference in Canada producing the famous Ottawa charter. Efforts at promoting health encompassing actions at individual and community levels, health system strengthening and multi sectoral partnership can be directed at specific health conditions. It should also include settings-based approach to promote health in specific settings such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, residential areas etc. Health promotion needs to be built into all the policies and if utilized efficiently will lead to positive health outcomes.

The interaction between stimulus-driven and goal-driven orienting as revealed by eye movements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreij, D.B.B.; Los, S.A.; Theeuwes, J.; Enns, J.T.; Olivers, C.N.L.

2014-01-01

It is generally agreed that attention can be captured in a stimulus-driven or in a goal-driven fashion. In studies that investigated both types of capture, the effects on mean manual response time (reaction time [RT]) are generally additive, suggesting two independent underlying processes. However,

Data Driven Economic Model Predictive Control

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Masoud Kheradmandi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This manuscript addresses the problem of data driven model based economic model predictive control (MPC design. To this end, first, a data-driven Lyapunov-based MPC is designed, and shown to be capable of stabilizing a system at an unstable equilibrium point. The data driven Lyapunov-based MPC utilizes a linear time invariant (LTI model cognizant of the fact that the training data, owing to the unstable nature of the equilibrium point, has to be obtained from closed-loop operation or experiments. Simulation results are first presented demonstrating closed-loop stability under the proposed data-driven Lyapunov-based MPC. The underlying data-driven model is then utilized as the basis to design an economic MPC. The economic improvements yielded by the proposed method are illustrated through simulations on a nonlinear chemical process system example.

Microbiota-Dependent Crosstalk Between Macrophages and ILC3 Promotes Intestinal Homeostasis

Science.gov (United States)

Mortha, Arthur; Chudnovskiy, Aleksey; Hashimoto, Daigo; Bogunovic, Milena; Spencer, Sean P.; Belkaid, Yasmine; Merad, Miriam

2014-01-01

The intestinal microbiota and tissue-resident myeloid cells promote immune responses that maintain intestinal homeostasis in the host. However, the cellular cues that translate microbial signals into intestinal homeostasis remain unclear. Here, we show that deficient granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production altered mononuclear phagocyte effector functions and led to reduced regulatory T cell (Treg) numbers and impaired oral tolerance. We observed that RORγt+ innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the primary source of GM-CSF in the gut and that ILC-driven GM-CSF production was dependent on the ability of macrophages to sense microbial signals and produce interleukin-1β. Our findings reveal that commensal microbes promote a crosstalk between innate myeloid and lymphoid cells that leads to immune homeostasis in the intestine. PMID:24625929

Microbiota-dependent crosstalk between macrophages and ILC3 promotes intestinal homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortha, Arthur; Chudnovskiy, Aleksey; Hashimoto, Daigo; Bogunovic, Milena; Spencer, Sean P; Belkaid, Yasmine; Merad, Miriam

2014-03-28

The intestinal microbiota and tissue-resident myeloid cells promote immune responses that maintain intestinal homeostasis in the host. However, the cellular cues that translate microbial signals into intestinal homeostasis remain unclear. Here, we show that deficient granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production altered mononuclear phagocyte effector functions and led to reduced regulatory T cell (T(reg)) numbers and impaired oral tolerance. We observed that RORγt(+) innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are the primary source of GM-CSF in the gut and that ILC-driven GM-CSF production was dependent on the ability of macrophages to sense microbial signals and produce interleukin-1β. Our findings reveal that commensal microbes promote a crosstalk between innate myeloid and lymphoid cells that leads to immune homeostasis in the intestine.

Current-driven turbulence in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kluiver, H. de.

1977-10-01

Research on plasma heating in linear and toroidal systems using current-driven turbulence is reviewed. The motivation for this research is presented. Relations between parameters describing the turbulent plasma state and macroscopic observables are given. Several linear and toroidal devices used in current-driven turbulence studies are described, followed by a discussion of special diagnostic methods used. Experimental results on the measurement of electron and ion heating, anomalous plasma conductivity and associated turbulent fluctuation spectra are reviewed. Theories on current-driven turbulence are discussed and compared with experiments. It is demonstrated from the experimental results that current-driven turbulence occurs not only for extreme values of the electric field but also for an experimentally much more accessible and wide range of parameters. This forms a basis for a discussion on possible future applications in fusion-oriented plasma research

Co-Targeting Prostate Cancer Epithelium and Bone Stroma by Human Osteonectin-Promoter-Mediated Suicide Gene Therapy Effectively Inhibits Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Growth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shian-Ying Sung

Full Text Available Stromal-epithelial interaction has been shown to promote local tumor growth and distant metastasis. We sought to create a promising gene therapy approach that co-targets cancer and its supporting stromal cells for combating castration-resistant prostate tumors. Herein, we demonstrated that human osteonectin is overexpressed in the prostate cancer epithelium and tumor stroma in comparison with their normal counterpart. We designed a novel human osteonectin promoter (hON-522E containing positive transcriptional regulatory elements identified in both the promoter and exon 1 region of the human osteonectin gene. In vitro reporter assays revealed that the hON-522E promoter is highly active in androgen receptor negative and metastatic prostate cancer and bone stromal cells compared to androgen receptor-positive prostate cancer cells. Moreover, in vivo prostate-tumor-promoting activity of the hON-522E promoter was confirmed by intravenous administration of an adenoviral vector containing the hON-522E promoter-driven luciferase gene (Ad-522E-Luc into mice bearing orthotopic human prostate tumor xenografts. In addition, an adenoviral vector with the hON-522E-promoter-driven herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (Ad-522E-TK was highly effective against the growth of androgen-independent human prostate cancer PC3M and bone stromal cell line in vitro and in pre-established PC3M tumors in vivo upon addition of the prodrug ganciclovir. Because of the heterogeneity of human prostate tumors, hON-522E promoter-mediated gene therapy has the potential for the treatment of hormone refractory and bone metastatic prostate cancers.

Experimental investigations of driven Alfven wave resonances in a tokamak plasma using carbon dioxide laser interferometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, T.E.

1984-09-01

The first direct observation of the internal structure of driven global Alfven eigenmodes in a tokamak plasma is presented. A carbon dioxide laser scattering/interferometer has been designed, built, and installed on the PRETEXT tokamak. By using this diagnostic system in the interferometer configuration, we have for the first time, thoroughly investigated the resonance conditions required for, and the spatial wave field structure of, driven plasma eigenmodes at frequencies below the ion cyclotron frequency in a confined, high temperature, tokamak plasma

Nuclear data for accelerator-driven transmutation. Annual report 1999/2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atac, A.; Blomgren, J.; Johansson, C.; Klug, J.; Olsson, N.; Renberg, P.U.

2000-09-01

The present project, supported as a research task agreement by SKI, SKB, Barsebaeck Kraft AB and Vattenfall AB, started 1998-07-01. From 1999-01-01 the project also receives support from the Defence Research Establishment. The primary objective from the supporting organizations is to promote research and research education of relevance for development of the national competence within nuclear energy. The aim of the project is in short to: promote development of the competence within nuclear physics and nuclear technology by supporting licentiate and PhD students, push forward the international research front regarding fundamental nuclear data within the presently highlighted research area 'accelerator-driven transmutation', strengthen the Swedish influence within the mentioned research area by expanding the international contact network, constitute a basis for Swedish participation in the nuclear data activities at IAEA and OECD/NEA. The project is run by the Department of Neutron Research at Uppsala University, and is utilizing the unique neutron beam facility at the national The Svedberg Laboratory. In this document, we give a status report after the second year (1999-07-01--2000-06-30) of the project

Story Immersion of Videogames for Youth Health Promotion: A Review of Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Amy Shirong; Baranowski, Tom; Thompson, Debbe; Buday, Richard

2012-06-01

This article reviews research in the fields of psychology, literature, communication, human-computer interaction, public health, and consumer behavior on narrative and its potential relationships with videogames and story immersion. It also reviews a narrative's role in complementing behavioral change theories and the potential of story immersion for health promotion through videogames. Videogames have potential for health promotion and may be especially promising when attempting to reach youth. An understudied characteristic of videogames is that many contain a narrative, or story. Story immersion (transportation) is a mechanism through which a narrative influences players' cognition, affect, and, potentially, health behavior. Immersion promotes the suspension of disbelief and the reduction of counterarguments, enables the story experience as a personal experience, and creates the player's deep affection for narrative protagonists. Story immersion complements behavioral change theories, including the Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, and Self-Determination Theory. Systematic investigations are needed to realize the powerful potential of interactive narratives within theory-driven research.

Generic analysis of kinetically driven inflation

Science.gov (United States)

Saitou, Rio

2018-04-01

We perform a model-independent analysis of kinetically driven inflation (KDI) which (partially) includes generalized G-inflation and ghost inflation. We evaluate the background evolution splitting into the inflationary attractor and the perturbation around it. We also consider the quantum fluctuation of the scalar mode with a usual scaling and derive the spectral index, ignoring the contribution from the second-order products of slow-roll parameters. Using these formalisms, we find that within our generic framework the models of KDI which possess the shift symmetry of scalar field cannot create the quantum fluctuation consistent with the observation. Breaking the shift symmetry, we obtain a few essential conditions for viable models of KDI associated with the graceful exit.

A local initiative for energy efficiency improvements in motor driven systems in public and private companies - case studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tamm, G. [Behoerde fuer Stadtentwicklung und Umwelt, Hamburg (Germany)

2005-07-01

In the free and hanseatic town Hamburg reduction potentials in public buildings are developed systematically in the context of the energy management by standardised efficiency programs. The City has had special means ready for financing energy saving measures for many years, because the investments amortize themselves by the operation cost reduction. Examples of efficient electrical motor systems in public buildings: ventilation facilities and air conditioning, heating pumps energy saving program. The city of Hamburg also offers a promotional program ''enterprises for resource protection'' for private investors from the Hamburg economy. With this program voluntary investment measures are initiated in private enterprises by financial subsidies to conserving resources. Examples of efficient electrical motor driven systems in enterprises: mill: speed controlled exhauster drives, spice mill: speed controlled mill drives, printer: efficient ventilation techniques at a paper exhaust system, wastewater treatment: adjustable fans for pressure aerators, hazardous waste incineration plant: optimisation of the SO{sub 2}-gas scrubbing system by mass flow controlled pumps. With these programs efforts to climate protection can be realised more economically. (orig.)

International Experiences and Frameworks to Support Country-Driven Low-Emissions Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Benioff, R.; Cochran, J.; Cox, S.

2012-08-01

Countries can use low-emission development strategies (LEDS) to advance sustainable development, promote private-sector growth, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper proposes a framework -- or support infrastructure -- to enable the efficient exchange of LEDS-related knowledge and technical assistance. Under the proposed framework, countries share LEDS-related resources via coordinating forums, 'knowledge platforms,' and networks of experts and investors. The virtual 'knowledge platforms' foster learning by allowing countries to communicate with each other and share technical reports, data, and analysis tools in support of LEDS development. Investing in all elements of the framework in an integrated fashion increases the efficacy of support for country-driven LEDS.

Geophysical monitoring and reactive transport modeling of ureolytically-driven calcium carbonate precipitation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Y.; Ajo-Franklin, J.B.; Spycher, N.; Hubbard, S.S.; Zhang, G.; Williams, K.H.; Taylor, J.; Fujita, Y.; Smith, R.

2011-07-15

Ureolytically-driven calcium carbonate precipitation is the basis for a promising in-situ remediation method for sequestration of divalent radionuclide and trace metal ions. It has also been proposed for use in geotechnical engineering for soil strengthening applications. Monitoring the occurrence, spatial distribution, and temporal evolution of calcium carbonate precipitation in the subsurface is critical for evaluating the performance of this technology and for developing the predictive models needed for engineering application. In this study, we conducted laboratory column experiments using natural sediment and groundwater to evaluate the utility of geophysical (complex resistivity and seismic) sensing methods, dynamic synchrotron x-ray computed tomography (micro-CT), and reactive transport modeling for tracking ureolytically-driven calcium carbonate precipitation processes under site relevant conditions. Reactive transport modeling with TOUGHREACT successfully simulated the changes of the major chemical components during urea hydrolysis. Even at the relatively low level of urea hydrolysis observed in the experiments, the simulations predicted an enhanced calcium carbonate precipitation rate that was 3-4 times greater than the baseline level. Reactive transport modeling results, geophysical monitoring data and micro-CT imaging correlated well with reaction processes validated by geochemical data. In particular, increases in ionic strength of the pore fluid during urea hydrolysis predicted by geochemical modeling were successfully captured by electrical conductivity measurements and confirmed by geochemical data. The low level of urea hydrolysis and calcium carbonate precipitation suggested by the model and geochemical data was corroborated by minor changes in seismic P-wave velocity measurements and micro-CT imaging; the latter provided direct evidence of sparsely distributed calcium carbonate precipitation. Ion exchange processes promoted through NH{sub 4}{sup

Water-driven micromotors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Wei; Pei, Allen; Wang, Joseph

2012-09-25

We demonstrate the first example of a water-driven bubble-propelled micromotor that eliminates the requirement for the common hydrogen peroxide fuel. The new water-driven Janus micromotor is composed of a partially coated Al-Ga binary alloy microsphere prepared via microcontact mixing of aluminum microparticles and liquid gallium. The ejection of hydrogen bubbles from the exposed Al-Ga alloy hemisphere side, upon its contact with water, provides a powerful directional propulsion thrust. Such spontaneous generation of hydrogen bubbles reflects the rapid reaction between the aluminum alloy and water. The resulting water-driven spherical motors can move at remarkable speeds of 3 mm s(-1) (i.e., 150 body length s(-1)), while exerting large forces exceeding 500 pN. Factors influencing the efficiency of the aluminum-water reaction and the resulting propulsion behavior and motor lifetime, including the ionic strength and environmental pH, are investigated. The resulting water-propelled Al-Ga/Ti motors move efficiently in different biological media (e.g., human serum) and hold considerable promise for diverse biomedical or industrial applications.

Capacity modulation of an inverter-driven multi-air conditioner using electronic expansion valves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, J.M.; Kim, Y.C.

2003-01-01

An inverter-driven multi-air conditioner provides the benefits of comfort, energy conservation and easy maintenance. Recently, the multi-air conditioner has been employed in small and medium-sized buildings. However, the performance data and control algorithm for multi-air conditioners are limited in literature due to complicated system parameters and operating conditions. In the present study, the performance of an inverter-driven multi-air conditioner having two indoor units with electronic expansion valves (EEV) was measured by varying indoor loads, EEV opening, and compressor speed. Based on the experimental results, the operating characteristics and capacity modulation of the inverter-driven multi-air conditioner are discussed. As a result, it is suggested that the superheats for both indoor units have to be maintained around 4 o C by utilizing the EEVs in this system, and consequently, the compressor speed needs to be adjusted to provide optimum cooling capacity for each indoor unit

Residential solar air conditioning: Energy and exergy analyses of an ammonia–water absorption cooling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aman, J.; Ting, D.S.-K.; Henshaw, P.

2014-01-01

Large scale heat-driven absorption cooling systems are available in the marketplace for industrial applications but the concept of a solar driven absorption chiller for air-conditioning applications is relatively new. Absorption chillers have a lower efficiency than compression refrigeration systems, when used for small scale applications and this restrains the absorption cooling system from air conditioning applications in residential buildings. The potential of a solar driven ammonia–water absorption chiller for residential air conditioning application is discussed and analyzed in this paper. A thermodynamic model has been developed based on a 10 kW air cooled ammonia–water absorption chiller driven by solar thermal energy. Both energy and exergy analyses have been conducted to evaluate the performance of this residential scale cooling system. The analyses uncovered that the absorber is where the most exergy loss occurs (63%) followed by the generator (13%) and the condenser (11%). Furthermore, the exergy loss of the condenser and absorber greatly increase with temperature, the generator less so, and the exergy loss in the evaporator is the least sensitive to increasing temperature. -- Highlights: • 10 kW solar thermal driven ammonia–water air cooled absorption chiller is investigated. • Energy and exergy analyses have been done to enhance the thermal performance. • Low driving temperature heat sources have been optimized. • The efficiencies of the major components have been evaluated

Cointegration rank testing under conditional heteroskedasticity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cavaliere, Giuseppe; Rahbek, Anders Christian; Taylor, Robert M.

2010-01-01

We analyze the properties of the conventional Gaussian-based cointegrating rank tests of Johansen (1996, Likelihood-Based Inference in Cointegrated Vector Autoregressive Models) in the case where the vector of series under test is driven by globally stationary, conditionally heteroskedastic......, relative to tests based on the asymptotic critical values or the i.i.d. bootstrap, the wild bootstrap rank tests perform very well in small samples under a variety of conditionally heteroskedastic innovation processes. An empirical application to the term structure of interest rates is given....

Implementing health promotion tools in Australian Indigenous primary health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Percival, Nikki A; McCalman, Janya; Armit, Christine; O'Donoghue, Lynette; Bainbridge, Roxanne; Rowley, Kevin; Doyle, Joyce; Tsey, Komla

2018-02-01

In Australia, significant resources have been invested in producing health promotion best practice guidelines, frameworks and tools (herein referred to as health promotion tools) as a strategy to improve Indigenous health promotion programmes. Yet, there has been very little rigorous implementation research about whether or how health promotion tools are implemented. This paper theorizes the complex processes of health promotion tool implementation in Indigenous comprehensive primary healthcare services. Data were derived from published and grey literature about the development and the implementation of four Indigenous health promotion tools. Tools were theoretically sampled to account for the key implementation types described in the literature. Data were analysed using the grounded-theory methods of coding and constant comparison with construct a theoretical implementation model. An Indigenous Health Promotion Tool Implementation Model was developed. Implementation is a social process, whereby researchers, practitioners and community members collectively interacted in creating culturally responsive health promotion to the common purpose of facilitating empowerment. The implementation of health promotion tools was influenced by the presence of change agents; a commitment to reciprocity and organizational governance and resourcing. The Indigenous Health Promotion Tool Implementation Model assists in explaining how health promotion tools are implemented and the conditions that influence these actions. Rather than simply developing more health promotion tools, our study suggests that continuous investment in developing conditions that support empowering implementation processes are required to maximize the beneficial impacts and effectiveness of health promotion tools. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Inoculation of Brassica oxyrrhina with plant growth promoting bacteria for the improvement of heavy metal phytoremediation under drought conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Ying; Rajkumar, Mani; Zhang, Chang; Freitas, Helena

2016-12-15

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of drought resistant serpentine rhizobacteria on plant growth and metal uptake by Brassica oxyrrhina under drought stress (DS) condition. Two drought resistant serpentine rhizobacterial strains namely Pseudomonas libanensis TR1 and Pseudomonas reactans Ph3R3 were selected based on their ability to stimulate seedling growth in roll towel assay. Further assessment on plant growth promoting (PGP) parameters revealed their ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase. Moreover, both strains exhibited high resistance to various heavy metals, antibiotics, salinity and extreme temperature. Inoculation of TR1 and Ph3R3 significantly increased plant growth, leaf relative water and pigment content of B. oxyrrhina, whereas decreased concentrations of proline and malondialdehyde in leaves under metal stress in the absence and presence of DS. Regardless of soil water conditions, TR1 and Ph3R3 greatly improved organ metal concentrations, translocation and bioconcentration factors of Cu and Zn. The successful colonization and metabolic activities of P. libanensis TR1 and P. reactans Ph3R3 represented positive effects on plant development and metal phytoremediation under DS. These results indicate that these strains could be used as bio-inoculants for the improvement of phytoremediation of metal polluted soils under semiarid conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beyond Promotion-Based Store Switching: Antecedents and Consequences of Systematic Multiple-Store Shopping

OpenAIRE

Gijsbrechts, E.; Campo, K.; Nisol, P.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate that single-purpose multiple store shopping is not only driven by opportunistic, promotion-based motivations, but may also be part of a longer term shopping planning process based on stable store characteristics.Starting from a utility-maximizing shopping behavior model, we find that consumers systematically visit multiple stores to take advantage of two types of store complementarity.With 'fixed cost complementarity', consumers alternate visits to highly preferr...

The SU(∞) twisted gradient flow running coupling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez, Margarita García [Instituto de Física Teórica UAM-CSIC,Nicolás Cabrera 13-15, E-28049-Madrid (Spain); González-Arroyo, Antonio [Instituto de Física Teórica UAM-CSIC,Nicolás Cabrera 13-15, E-28049-Madrid (Spain); Departamento de Física Teórica, C-15, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid,E-28049-Madrid (Spain); Keegan, Liam [PH-TH, CERN,CH-1211 Geneva 23 (Switzerland); Okawa, Masanori [Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University,Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan)

2015-01-09

We measure the running of the SU(∞) ’t Hooft coupling by performing a step scaling analysis of the Twisted Eguchi-Kawai (TEK) model, the SU(N) gauge theory on a single site lattice with twisted boundary conditions. The computation relies on the conjecture that finite volume effects for SU(N) gauge theories defined on a 4-dimensional twisted torus are controlled by an effective size parameter l-tilde=l√N, with l the torus period. We set the scale for the running coupling in terms of l-tilde and use the gradient flow to define a renormalized ’t Hooft coupling λ(l-tilde). In the TEK model, this idea allows the determination of the running of the coupling through a step scaling procedure that uses the rank of the group as a size parameter. The continuum renormalized coupling constant is extracted in the zero lattice spacing limit, which in the TEK model corresponds to the large N limit taken at fixed value of λ(l-tilde). The coupling constant is thus expected to coincide with that of the ordinary pure gauge theory at N=∞. The idea is shown to work and permits us to follow the evolution of the coupling over a wide range of scales. At weak coupling we find a remarkable agreement with the perturbative two-loop formula for the running coupling.

Spin TEKi tarkvara aitab firmadel majandada / Teet Reier

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Reier, Teet, 1965-

2005-01-01

AS Spin TEK loob erinevaid tarkvarasid, mis on vajalikud raamatupidajatele, personalijuhtidele, ehituse eelarvestajatele ja projektijuhtidele ning erinevaid registrisüsteeme ja veebilahendusi. Lisa: Spin TEK-is väljatöötatud programmid. Vt. samas: Koostöö Elioniga toob korteriühistud veebi

Hydrodynamics of AHWR gravity driven water pool under simulated LOCA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thangamani, I.; Verma, Vishnu; Ali, Seik Mansoor

2015-01-01

The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) employs a double containment concept with a large inventory of water within the Gravity Driven Water Pool (GDWP) located at a high elevation within the primary containment building. GDWP performs several important safety functions in a passive manner, and hence it is essential to understand the hydrodynamics that this pool will be subjected to in case of an accident such as LOCA. In this paper, a detailed thermal hydraulic analysis for AHWR containment transients is presented for postulated LOCA scenarios involving RIH break sizes ranging from 2% to 50%. The analysis is carried out using in-house containment thermal hydraulics code 'CONTRAN'. The blowdown mass and energy discharge data for each break size, along with the geometrical details of the AHWR containment forms the main input for the analysis. Apart from obtaining the pressure and temperature transients within the containment building, the focus of this work is on simulating the hydrodynamic phenomena of vent clearing and pool swell occurring in the GDWP. The variation of several key parameters such as primary containment V1 and V2 volume pressure, temperature and V1-V2 differential pressure with time, BOP rupture time, vent clearing velocity, effect of pool swell on the V2 air-space pressure, GDWP water level etc. are discussed in detail and important findings are highlighted. Further, the effect of neglecting the pool swell phenomenon on the containment transients is also clearly brought out by a comparative study. The numerical studies presented in this paper give insight into containment transients that would be useful to both the system designer as well as the regulator. (author)

D-Cycloserine Does Not Facilitate Fear Extinction by Reducing Conditioned Stimulus Processing or Promoting Conditioned Inhibition to Contextual Cues

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Kathryn D.; McNally, Gavan P.; Richardson, Rick

2012-01-01

The NMDA receptor partial agonist d-cycloserine (DCS) enhances the extinction of learned fear in rats and exposure therapy in humans with anxiety disorders. Despite these benefits, little is known about the mechanisms by which DCS promotes the loss of fear. The present study examined whether DCS augments extinction retention (1) through reductions…

Bmi1 Is Required for Hedgehog Pathway-Driven Medulloblastoma Expansion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lowell Evan Michael

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Inappropriate Hedgehog (Hh signaling underlies development of a subset of medulloblastomas, and tumors with elevated HH signaling activity express the stem cell self-renewal gene BMI1. To test whether Bmi1 is required for Hh-driven medulloblastoma development, we varied Bmi1 gene dosage in transgenic mice expressing an oncogenic Hh effector, SmoA1, driven by a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP promoter. Whereas 100% of SmoA1; Bmi1+/+ or SmoA1;Bmi1+/- mice examined between postnatal (P days 14 and 26 had typical medulloblastomas (N = 29, tumors were not detected in any of the SmoA1;Bmi1-/- animals examined (N = 6. Instead, small ectopic collections of cells were present in the region of greatest tumor load in SmoA1 animals, suggesting that medulloblastomas were initiated but failed to undergo expansion into frank tumors. Cells within these Bmi1-/- lesions expressed SmoA1 but were largely nonproliferative, in contrast to cells in Bmi1+/+ tumors (6.2% vs 81.9% PCNA-positive, respectively. Ectopic cells were negative for the progenitor marker nestin, strongly GFAP-positive, and highly apoptotic, relative to Bmi1+/+ tumor cells (29.6% vs 6.3% TUNEL-positive. The alterations in proliferation and apoptosis in SmoA1;Bmi1-/- ectopic cells are associated with reduced levels of Cyclin D1 and elevated expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p19Arf, two inversely regulated downstream targets of Bmi1. These data provide the first demonstration that Bmi1 is required for spontaneous de novo development of a solid tumor arising in the brain, suggest a crucial role for Bmi1-dependent, nestin-expressing progenitor cells in medulloblastoma expansion, and implicate Bmi1 as a key factor required for Hh pathway-driven tumorigenesis.

Traditional ecological knowledge reveals the extent of sympatric lake trout diversity and habitat preferences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kia Marin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Multidisciplinary approaches to conservation have become increasingly important in northern regions. Because many First Nations communities have relied on freshwater fish populations for essential food over millennia, community members often possess traditional ecological knowledge (TEK. We consulted Cree First Nation fishers to collate TEK for one of Canada's most important subsistence fishes (lake trout in Québec's largest lake (Mistassini, 2335 km2. We further integrated TEK with what was regionally known scientifically about the species, toward effective fisheries conservation. Cree fishers described a richer diversity of sympatric lake trout forms than did scientific research that was conducted simultaneously, based on color, size, fin accent patterns, scale texture and depth, and spatial preferences. Traditional ecological knowledge also provided descriptions of lake trout seasonal movements, spawning locations, and reproductive timing that were not captured by scientific research, and highlighted several concerns or temporal changes of import to future management initiatives. Our study highlights the wealth of TEK on harvested species in First Nations communities. It further illustrates how TEK can reveal not only distinctions within species of relevance to natural resource management and taxonomy, but also informs upon the extent of such population differentiation, thereby providing important conservation benefits for remote and northern regions.

CDK-mediated activation of the SCF(FBXO) (28) ubiquitin ligase promotes MYC-driven transcription and tumourigenesis and predicts poor survival in breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cepeda, Diana; Ng, Hwee-Fang; Sharifi, Hamid Reza

2013-01-01

SCF (Skp1/Cul1/F-box) ubiquitin ligases act as master regulators of cellular homeostasis by targeting key proteins for ubiquitylation. Here, we identified a hitherto uncharacterized F-box protein, FBXO28 that controls MYC-dependent transcription by non-proteolytic ubiquitylation. SCF(FBXO28...... results in an impairment of MYC-driven transcription, transformation and tumourigenesis. Finally, in human breast cancer, high FBXO28 expression and phosphorylation are strong and independent predictors of poor outcome. In conclusion, our data suggest that SCF(FBXO28) plays an important role...... in transmitting CDK activity to MYC function during the cell cycle, emphasizing the CDK-FBXO28-MYC axis as a potential molecular drug target in MYC-driven cancers, including breast cancer....

Heat-driven spin torques in antiferromagnets

Science.gov (United States)

Białek, Marcin; Bréchet, Sylvain; Ansermet, Jean-Philippe

2018-04-01

Heat-driven magnetization damping, which is a linear function of a temperature gradient, is predicted in antiferromagnets by considering the sublattice dynamics subjected to a heat-driven spin torque. This points to the possibility of achieving spin torque oscillator behavior. The model is based on the magnetic Seebeck effect acting on sublattices which are exchange coupled. The heat-driven spin torque is estimated and the feasibility of detecting this effect is discussed.

Spontaneous chondroma formation in CD2-Cre-driven Erk-deficient mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiokawa, Moe; Lu, Xiuyuan; Miyake, Yasunobu; Ishikawa, Eri; Pagès, Gilles; Pouysségur, Jacques; Ogata, Masato; Yamasaki, Sho

2017-12-18

Lineage-specific Cre Tg mice are widely used to delineate the functions of genes in a tissue-specific manner. Several T-cell-specific promoter cassettes have been developed; however, the activities of those promoters in non-T cells have not been investigated extensively. Here, we report that CD2-Cre-mediated deletion of Erk proteins by generating CD2-Cre × Erk1-/-Erk2flox/flox (Erk∆CD2-Cre) mice results in abnormal cartilage hyperplasia. Histological analysis revealed that this abnormality is caused by aberrant hyperplasia of chondrocytes. The presence of Erk-deficient T cells is not required for this chondroma formation, as it was similarly observed in the absence of T cells in a CD3ε-deficient background. In addition, adoptive transfer of bone marrow cells from Erk∆CD2-Cre mice to wild-type recipients did not cause chondroma formation, suggesting that Erk-deficient non-immune cells are responsible for this abnormality. By tracing Cre-expressed tissues using a ROSA26-STOP-RFP allele, we found that the chondroma emitted RFP fluorescence, indicating that functional Cre is expressed in hyperplastic chondrocytes in Erk∆CD2-Cre mice. Furthermore, RFP+ chondrocytes were also found in an Erk-sufficient background, albeit without aberrant growth. These results suggest that unexpected expression of CD2-driven Cre in chondrocytes generates Erk-deficient chondrocytes, resulting in hyperplastic cartilage formation. Recently, two independent reports showed that CD4-Cre-mediated Ras-Erk signaling ablation led to similar abnormal cartilage formation (Guittard, G., Gallardo, D. L., Li, W. et al. 2017. Unexpected cartilage phenotype in CD4-Cre-conditional SOS-deficient mice. Front. Immunol. 8:343; Wehenkel, M., Corr, M., Guy, C. S. et al. 2017. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling in CD4-expressing cells inhibits osteochondromas. Front. Immunol. 8:482). Together with these reports, our study suggests that an unexpected link exists between T-like cell and

Multiple ways to the prior occurrence of an event: an electrophysiological dissociation of experimental and conceptually driven familiarity in recognition memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiegand, Iris; Bader, Regine; Mecklinger, Axel

2010-11-11

Recent research has shown that familiarity contributes to associative memory when the to-be-associated stimuli are unitized during encoding. However, the specific processes underlying familiarity-based recognition of unitized representations are still indefinite. In this study, we present electrophysiologically dissociable early old/new effects, presumably related to two different kinds of familiarity inherent in associative recognition tasks. In a study-test associative recognition memory paradigm, we employed encoding conditions that established unitized representations of two pre-experimentally unrelated words, e.g. vegetable-bible. We compared event-related potentials (ERP) during the retrieval of these unitized word pairs using different retrieval cues. Word pairs presented in the same order as during unitization at encoding elicited a parietally distributed early old/new effect which we interpret as reflecting conceptually driven familiarity for newly formed concepts. Conversely, word pairs presented in reversed order only elicited a topographically dissociable early effect, i.e. the mid-frontal old/new effect, the putative correlate of experimental familiarity. The late parietal old/new effect, the putative ERP correlate of recollection, was obtained irrespective of word order, though it was larger for words presented in same order. These results indicate that familiarity may not be a unitary process and that different task demands can promote the assessment of conceptually driven familiarity for novel unitized concepts or experimentally-induced increments of experimental familiarity, respectively. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stability aspects of plasmas penetrated by neutral gas with respect to velocity driven modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohlsson, D.

1978-08-01

A study of the stability properties of dense partially ionized plasmas immersed in strong magnetic fields with respect to velocity driven modes are presented. First we consider modes driven by mass motion perpendicular to the lines of force and the unperturbed density and temperature gradients. The presence of a third fluid, neutral gas, gives under certain conditions rise to unstable modes. This type of instability arises independently or whether the applied electric field transverse to the lines of force, driving the mass motion, being parallel or antiparallel to the unperturbed density and temperature gradient. The presence of neutral gas also corresponds to stabilizing effects which, in certain parameter regions, result in a quenching of this instability. It is shown that modes driven by velocity shear perpendicular to the lines of force are effectively stabilized by viscous and resistive effects. These effects are in certain parameter ranges strongly enhanced on account of plasma-neutral gas interaction effects. In collisionless plasmas, modes driven by velocity shear parallel to the lines of force are stabilized by compressibility effects parallel to the magnetic field and by finite Larmor radius effects. (author)

Confidentiality Concerns Raised by DNA-Based Tests in the Market-Driven Managed Care Setting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kotval, Jeroo S.

2006-07-28

In a policy climate where incentives to cherry pick are minimized, Managed Care Organizations can implement practices that safeguard medical privacy to the extent that data is protected from falling into the hands of third parties who could misuse it to discriminate. To the extent that these practices have been codified into the regulatory Network of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Consumers may be able to rest easy about their genetic data being revealed to third parties who may discriminate. However, there are limitations to the use of policy instruments to prevent the discrimination of an entire genre of clients by market driven managed care organizations. Policy measures, to assure that knowledge of genetic conditions and their future costs would not be used by market driven managed care organizations to implement institutional policies and products that would implicitly discriminate against a genre of clients with genetic conditions, present difficulties.

Characterization of plant-growth promoting diazotrophic bacteria isolated from field grown Chinese cabbage under different fertilization conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Yim, Woo-Jong; Poonguzhali, Selvaraj; Madhaiyan, Munusamy; Palaniappan, Pitchai; Siddikee, M A; Sa, Tongmin

2009-04-01

Diazotrophic bacteria isolated from the rhizosphere of Chinese cabbage were assessed for other plant growth promoting characteristics viz., production of IAA, ethylene, ACC deaminase, phosphate solubilization, and gnotobiotic root elongation. Their effect on inoculation to Chinese cabbage was also observed under growth chamber conditions. A total of 19 strains that showed higher nitrogenase activity identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis were found to be the members of the genera Pseudomonas and Agrobacterium belonging to alpha- and gamma-Proteobacteria groups. These strains were also efficient in producing IAA and ACC deaminase though they produced low levels of ethylene and no phosphate solubilization. In addition, inoculation of selected diazotrophic bacterial strains significantly increased seedling length, dry weight, and total nitrogen when compared to uninoculated control. The colonization of crop plants by diazotrophic bacteria can be affected by many biotic and abiotic factors, and further studies are oriented towards investigating the factors that could influence the establishment of a selected bacterial community.

Global burden of dental condition among children in nine countries participating in an international oral health promotion programme, 2012-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourgeois, Denis M; Llodra, Juan Carlos

2014-10-01

The Live.Learn.Laugh. phase 2 programme is a unique global partnership between FDI World Dental Federation and Unilever Oral Care which aims to provide measurable improvement of oral health on a global scale through encouraging twice-daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste. It was based on international recommendations using the principles of health promotion within school for the implementation of preventive health strategies. This paper is an overview of the dental caries condition of children from 2012 to 2013 in nine countries included in four World Health Organisation (WHO) regions. A cross-sectional study was conducted in each country before the implementation of health-promotion measures focused on twice-daily toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste. The sample was based on stratified sampling according to the WHO pathfinder recommendations. From a total of 7,949 children examined, there were 517 children (1-2 years of age), 1,667 preschool children (3-5 years of age) and 5,789 schoolchildren (6-13 years of age). The prevalence and severity of primary dental caries, early childhood caries and temporary dental caries were described using decayed, filled teeth (dft), permanent decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) indices and the significant caries index (SCI). The major findings were a high prevalence of caries, identification of high-risk groups and inequality in the distribution of the severity of dental conditions. Aggregated data from this overview should provide justification for implementing an oral health programme. The main point is the need to retain and expand the community fluoridation programme as an effective preventive measure. At the individual level, the aggregated data identify the need for more targeted efforts to reach children early - especially among specific high-risk groups. © 2014 FDI World Dental Federation.

Effects of Topography-driven Micro-climatology on Evaporation

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, D. D.; Boll, J.; Wagenbrenner, N. S.

2017-12-01

The effects of spatial-temporal variation of climatic conditions on evaporation in micro-climates are not well defined. Current spatially-based remote sensing and modeling for evaporation is limited for high resolutions and complex topographies. We investigated the effect of topography-driven micro-climatology on evaporation supported by field measurements and modeling. Fourteen anemometers and thermometers were installed in intersecting transects over the complex topography of the Cook Agronomy Farm, Pullman, WA. WindNinja was used to create 2-D vector maps based on recorded observations for wind. Spatial analysis of vector maps using ArcGIS was performed for analysis of wind patterns and variation. Based on field measurements, wind speed and direction show consequential variability based on hill-slope location in this complex topography. Wind speed and wind direction varied up to threefold and more than 45 degrees, respectively for a given time interval. The use of existing wind models enables prediction of wind variability over the landscape and subsequently topography-driven evaporation patterns relative to wind. The magnitude of the spatial-temporal variability of wind therefore resulted in variable evaporation rates over the landscape. These variations may contribute to uneven crop development patterns observed during the late growth stages of the agricultural crops at the study location. Use of hill-slope location indexes and appropriate methods for estimating actual evaporation support development of methodologies to better define topography-driven heterogeneity in evaporation. The cumulative effects of spatially-variable climatic factors on evaporation are important to quantify the localized water balance and inform precision farming practices.

Role of compressibility on driven magnetic reconnection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, T.; Hayashi, T.; Watanabe, K.; Horiuchi, R.; Tanaka, M.; Sawairi, N.; Kusano, K.

1991-08-01

Whether it is induced by an ideal (current driven) instability or by an external force, plasma flow causes a change in the magnetic field configuration and often gives rise to a current intensification locally, thereby a fast driven reconnection being driven there. Many dramatic phenomena in magnetically confined plasmas such as magnetospheric substorms, solar flares, MHD self-organization and tokamak sawtooth crash, may be attributed to this fast driven reconnection. Using a fourth order MHD simulation code it is confirmed that compressibility of the plasma plays a crucial role in leading to a fast (MHD time scale) driven reconnection. This indicates that the incompressible representation is not always applicable to the study of a global dynamical behavior of a magnetically confined plasma. (author)

Promoting Art through Technology, Education and Research of Natural Sciences (PATTERNS) across Wyoming, A Wyoming NSF EPSCoR Funded Project

Science.gov (United States)

Gellis, B. S.; McElroy, B. J.

2016-12-01

PATTERNS across Wyoming is a science and art project that promotes new and innovative approaches to STEM education and outreach, helping to re-contextualize how educators think about creative knowledge, and how to reach diverse audiences through informal education. The convergence of art, science and STEM outreach efforts is vital to increasing the presence of art in geosciences, developing multidisciplinary student research opportunities, expanding creative STEM thinking, and generating creative approaches of visualizing scientific data. A major goal of this project is to train art students to think critically about the value of scientific and artistic inquiry. PATTERNS across Wyoming makes science tangible to Wyoming citizens through K-14 art classrooms, and promotes novel maker-based art explorations centered around Wyoming's geosciences. The first PATTERNS across Wyoming scientific learning module (SIM) is a fish-tank sized flume that recreates natural patterns in sand as a result of fluid flow and sediment transport. It will help promotes the understanding of river systems found across Wyoming (e.g. Green, Yellowstone, Snake). This SIM, and the student artwork inspired by it, will help to visualize environmental-water changes in the central Rocky Mountains and will provide the essential inspiration and tools for Wyoming art students to design biological-driven creative explorations. Each art class will receive different fluvial system conditions, allowing for greater understanding of river system interactions. Artwork will return to the University of Wyoming for a STE{A}M Exhibition inspired by Wyoming's varying fluvial systems. It is our hope that new generations of science and art critical thinkers will not only explore questions of `why' and `how' scientific phenomena occur, but also `how' to better predict, conserve and study invaluable artifacts, and visualize conditions which allow for better control of scientific outcomes and public understanding.

Feasibility analysis of constant TRU feeding in waste transmutation system using accelerator-driven subcritical system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Kun Jai; Cho, Nam Zin; Jo, Chang Keun; Park, Chang Je; Kim, Do Sam; Park, Jeong Hwan [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea)

1999-03-01

It is probable that the issue of nuclear spent fuel and high-level waste can have negative impact on the future expansion of nuclear power programs. Accelerator-driven nuclear waste transmutation with constant composition TRU feeding which satisfies non-proliferation condition will help establish the long-range nuclear waste disposal strategy. In this study, current status of accelerator-driven transmutation of waste technology, and feasibility analysis of constant composition TRU feeding system were investigated. We ascertained that solid system using constant composition TRU is feasible with the the capability of transmutation. (author). 13 refs., 53 figs., 20 tabs.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Concepts and Cases | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The papers in this volume were selected from presentations made in a number of special sessions on Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), which were held as ... concepts, provide case studies, and confirm once again the importance and, as yet, unrealized potential of TEK in resource and environmental management.

Increased Wildfire Risk Driven by Climate and Development Interactions in the Bolivian Chiquitania, Southern Amazonia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tahia Devisscher

Full Text Available Wildfires are becoming increasingly dominant in tropical landscapes due to reinforcing feedbacks between land cover change and more severe dry conditions. This study focused on the Bolivian Chiquitania, a region located at the southern edge of Amazonia. The extensive, unique and well-conserved tropical dry forest in this region is susceptible to wildfires due to a marked seasonality. We used a novel approach to assess fire risk at the regional level driven by different development trajectories interacting with changing climatic conditions. Possible future risk scenarios were simulated using maximum entropy modelling with presence-only data, combining land cover, anthropogenic and climatic variables. We found that important determinants of fire risk in the region are distance to roads, recent deforestation and density of human settlements. Severely dry conditions alone increased the area of high fire risk by 69%, affecting all categories of land use and land cover. Interactions between extreme dry conditions and rapid frontier expansion further increased fire risk, resulting in potential biomass loss of 2.44±0.8 Tg in high risk area, about 1.8 times higher than the estimates for the 2010 drought. These interactions showed particularly high fire risk in land used for 'extensive cattle ranching', 'agro-silvopastoral use' and 'intensive cattle ranching and agriculture'. These findings have serious implications for subsistence activities and the economy in the Chiquitania, which greatly depend on the forestry, agriculture and livestock sectors. Results are particularly concerning if considering the current development policies promoting frontier expansion. Departmental protected areas inhibited wildfires when strategically established in areas of high risk, even under drought conditions. However, further research is needed to assess their effectiveness accounting for more specific contextual factors. This novel and simple modelling approach can

Into the Surge of Network-driven Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Claus Møller; Rosenstand, Claus Andreas Foss; Gertsen, Frank

2013-01-01

this is examined from the 1880’s up until today. The contribution of the paper is a societal perspective on innovation, where the difference between industrial society and knowledge society leads into the surge of network-driven innovation. Network-driven innovation is unfolded on top of the known cost- driven...

Economics-driven software architecture

CERN Document Server

Mistrik, Ivan; Kazman, Rick; Zhang, Yuanyuan

2014-01-01

Economics-driven Software Architecture presents a guide for engineers and architects who need to understand the economic impact of architecture design decisions: the long term and strategic viability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of applications and systems. Economics-driven software development can increase quality, productivity, and profitability, but comprehensive knowledge is needed to understand the architectural challenges involved in dealing with the development of large, architecturally challenging systems in an economic way. This book covers how to apply economic consider

The analysis of repository-heat-driven hydrothermal flow at Yucca Mountain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buscheck, T.A.; Nitao, J.J.

1993-01-01

To safely and permanently store high-level nuclear waste, the potential Yucca Mountain repository site must mitigate the release and transport of radionuclides for tens of thousands of years. In the failure scenario of greatest concern, water would contact the waste package (WP), accelerate its failure rate, and eventually transport radionuclides to the water table. In a concept called the ''extended-dry repository,'' decay heat arising from radioactive waste extends the time before liquid water can contact a WP. Recent modeling and theoretical advances in nonisothermal, multiphase fracture-matrix flow have demonstrated (1) the critical importance of capillary pressure disequilibrium between fracture and matrix flow, and (2) that radioactive decay heat plays a dominant role in the ability of the engineered and natural barriers to contain and isolate radionuclides. Our analyses indicate that the thermo-hydrological performance of both the unsaturated zone (UZ) and saturated zone (SZ) will be dominated by repository-heat-driven hydrothermal flow for tens of thousands of years. For thermal loads resulting in extended-dry repository conditions, UZ performance is primarily sensitive to the thermal properties and thermal loading conditions and much less sensitive to the highly spatially and temporally variable ambient hydrologic properties and conditions. The magnitude of repository-heat-driven buoyancy flow in the SZ is far more dependent on the total mass of emplaced spent nuclear fuel (SNF) than on the details of SNF emplacement, such as the Areal Power Density [(APD) expressed in kill/acre] or SNF age

Fenomena Intertekstualitas Fashion Karnaval di Nusantara

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lois Denissa

2016-12-01

ABSTRAK   Merebaknya fashion karnaval di Nusantara dan berbagai genre lain dipicu oleh keberadaan Jember Fashion Carnaval. Michael Bahtin menyebut fenomena ini sebagai intertekstualitas yaitu ketergantungan satu teks dengan teks lain, sehingga keberadaan sebuah teks selalu dipengaruhi oleh teks sebelumnya. Teori intertekstualitas ini mengubah pandangan orang terhadap proses pengutipan karya dan melahirkan kritik terhadap karya yang mengedepankan otentisitas dan orisinalitas. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif interpretastif dengan menganalisis bagaimana perkembangan Jember Fashion Carnaval mempengaruhi merebaknya karnaval seru- pa di kota lain dan bangkitnya respon positif genre-genre seni untuk berkiprah bersama. Kon- sistensinya telah menjadi magnit bagi fotografer, media, pameran fotografi, lukisan, kuliner dan industri kreatif lokal. Terbentuknya Asosiasi Karnaval Indonesia, tergabungnya tujuh propinsi dalam Wonderful Archipelago Carnival Indonesia  dan Jember menjadi tuan rumah etalase karna- val Nusantara. Hasil penelitian ini menginterpretasikan bahwa proses interteks-tualitas kostum pada karnaval merupakan perspektif yang positif karena kemampuannya mengaktifkan genre seni sejenis maupun berbeda sehingga menciptakan medan karnaval yang kondusif.   Kata kunci: Intertekstualitas, Jember Fashion Carnaval, Medan Karnaval

Data-driven batch schuduling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bent, John [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Denehy, Tim [GOOGLE; Arpaci - Dusseau, Remzi [UNIV OF WISCONSIN; Livny, Miron [UNIV OF WISCONSIN; Arpaci - Dusseau, Andrea C [NON LANL

2009-01-01

In this paper, we develop data-driven strategies for batch computing schedulers. Current CPU-centric batch schedulers ignore the data needs within workloads and execute them by linking them transparently and directly to their needed data. When scheduled on remote computational resources, this elegant solution of direct data access can incur an order of magnitude performance penalty for data-intensive workloads. Adding data-awareness to batch schedulers allows a careful coordination of data and CPU allocation thereby reducing the cost of remote execution. We offer here new techniques by which batch schedulers can become data-driven. Such systems can use our analytical predictive models to select one of the four data-driven scheduling policies that we have created. Through simulation, we demonstrate the accuracy of our predictive models and show how they can reduce time to completion for some workloads by as much as 80%.

Performance Investigation of a Solar Heat Driven Adsorption Chiller under Two Different Climatic Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhury, Biplab; Chatterjee, Pradip Kumar; Habib, Khairul; Saha, Bidyut Baran

2018-06-01

The demand for cooling, especially in the developing economies, is rising at a fast rate. Fast-depleting sources of fossil fuel and environmental concerns necessitate looking for alternative cooling solutions. Solar heat driven adsorption based cooling cycles are environmentally friendly due to their use of natural refrigerants and the thermal compression process. In this paper, a performance simulation study of a basic two-bed solar adsorption chiller has been performed through a transient model for two different climatic locations in India. Effect of operating temperatures and cycle time on the chiller performance has been studied. It is observed that the solar hot water temperature obtained in the composite climate of Delhi (28.65°N, 77.25°E) can run the basic adsorption cooling cycle efficiently throughout the year. Whereas, the monsoon months of July and August in the warm and humid climate of Durgapur (23.48°N, 87.32°E) are unable to supply the required driving heat.

Reduced reward-driven eating accounts for the impact of a mindfulness-based diet and exercise intervention on weight loss: Data from the SHINE randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Ashley E; Epel, Elissa S; Aschbacher, Kirstin; Lustig, Robert H; Acree, Michael; Kristeller, Jean; Cohn, Michael; Dallman, Mary; Moran, Patricia J; Bacchetti, Peter; Laraia, Barbara; Hecht, Frederick M; Daubenmier, Jennifer

2016-05-01

Many individuals with obesity report over eating despite intentions to maintain or lose weight. Two barriers to long-term weight loss are reward-driven eating, which is characterized by a lack of control over eating, a preoccupation with food, and a lack of satiety; and psychological stress. Mindfulness training may address these barriers by promoting awareness of hunger and satiety cues, self-regulatory control, and stress reduction. We examined these two barriers as potential mediators of weight loss in the Supporting Health by Integrating Nutrition and Exercise (SHINE) randomized controlled trial, which compared the effects of a 5.5-month diet and exercise intervention with or without mindfulness training on weight loss among adults with obesity. Intention-to-treat multiple mediation models tested whether post-intervention reward-driven eating and psychological stress mediated the impact of intervention arm on weight loss at 12- and 18-months post-baseline among 194 adults with obesity (BMI: 30-45). Mindfulness (relative to control) participants had significant reductions in reward-driven eating at 6 months (post-intervention), which, in turn, predicted weight loss at 12 months. Post-intervention reward-driven eating mediated 47.1% of the total intervention arm effect on weight loss at 12 months [β = -0.06, SE(β) = 0.03, p = .030, 95% CI (-0.12, -0.01)]. This mediated effect was reduced when predicting weight loss at 18 months (p = .396), accounting for 23.0% of the total intervention effect, despite similar weight loss at 12 months. Psychological stress did not mediate the effect of intervention arm on weight loss at 12 or 18 months. In conclusion, reducing reward-driven eating, which can be achieved using a diet and exercise intervention that includes mindfulness training, may promote weight loss (clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT00960414). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design Driven Testing Test Smarter, Not Harder

CERN Document Server

Stephens, M

2010-01-01

The groundbreaking book Design Driven Testing brings sanity back to the software development process by flipping around the concept of Test Driven Development (TDD) - restoring the concept of using testing to verify a design instead of pretending that unit tests are a replacement for design. Anyone who feels that TDD is "Too Damn Difficult" will appreciate this book. Design Driven Testing shows that, by combining a forward-thinking development process with cutting-edge automation, testing can be a finely targeted, business-driven, rewarding effort. In other words, you'll learn how to test

Properties of Neutrino-driven Ejecta from the Remnant of a Binary Neutron Star Merger: Pure Radiation Hydrodynamics Case

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujibayashi, Sho [Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Sekiguchi, Yuichiro [Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510 (Japan); Kiuchi, Kenta; Shibata, Masaru, E-mail: sho.fujibayashi@yukawa.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Center for Gravitational Physics, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan)

2017-09-10

We performed general relativistic, long-term, axisymmetric neutrino radiation hydrodynamics simulations for the remnant formed after a binary neutron star merger, which consists of a massive neutron star and a torus surrounding it. As an initial condition, we employ the result derived in a three-dimensional, numerical relativity simulation for the binary neutron star merger. We investigate the properties of neutrino-driven ejecta. Due to the pair-annihilation heating, the dynamics of the neutrino-driven ejecta are significantly modified. The kinetic energy of the ejecta is about two times larger than that in the absence of pair-annihilation heating. This suggests that the pair-annihilation heating plays an important role in the evolution of merger remnants. The relativistic outflow, which is required for driving gamma-ray bursts, is not observed because the specific heating rate around the rotational axis is not sufficiently high, due to the baryon loading caused by the neutrino-driven ejecta from the massive neutron star. We discuss the condition for launching the relativistic outflow and the nucleosynthesis in the ejecta.

Identification and functional characterisation of the promoter of the calcium sensor gene CBL1 from the xerophyte Ammopiptanthus mongolicus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin Weilun

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background CBL1 is a calcium sensor that regulates drought, cold and salt signals in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of CBL1 gene in Arabidopsis and in Ammopiptanthus mongolicus showed different tolerant activities. We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanism of the upstream region of the CBL1 gene of A. mongolicus (AmCBL1. We investigated and characterized the promoter of the AmCBL1 gene, for promoters play a very important role in regulating gene expression in eukaryotes. Results A 1683-bp 5' flanking region was isolated from A. mongolicus. The sequence was identified as AmCBL1 promoter. Analysis of the promoter sequence indicated a 690-bp intron and some basic cis-acting elements were related to various environmental stresses and plant hormones. To identify the functional region of the AmCBL1 promoter, five plant expression vectors fused with the GUS (β-glucuronidase gene, driven by series deleted fragments of AmCBL1 promoter at different lengths from -1659, -1414, -1048, -296 to -167 bp relative to the transcriptional start site were constructed and transformed into Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. 89. Functional properties of each promoter segment were examined by GUS staining and fluorescence quantitative analyses using at least three single-copy PCR-positive plants of transgenic tobacco, treated with various environmental stresses and plant hormones for different times. We demonstrated that the AmCBL1 promoter was a vascular-specific and multiple-stress-inducible promoter. Our results further imply that the promoter fragment B1S3 possessed sufficient essential cis-acting elements, accounting for vascular-specific and stress-induced expression patterns. It may also indicate that for response to some stresses certain cis-elements are required in tissues outside the region of the B1S3 construct. Conclusions To help resolve uncertainties about the upstream regulatory mechanism of the CBL1 gene in desert plants, we suggest that

The effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on asparagus seedlings and germinating seeds subjected to water stress under greenhouse conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Liddycoat, Scott M; Greenberg, Bruce M; Wolyn, David J

2009-04-01

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can have positive effects on vigour and productivity, especially under stress conditions. In asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) field culture, seeds are planted in high-density nurseries, and 1-year-old crowns are transplanted to production fields. Performance can be negatively affected by water stress, transplant shock, and disease pressure on wounded roots. PGPR inoculation has the potential to alleviate some of the stresses incurred in the production system. In this study, the effects of PGPR (Pseudomonas spp.) treatment were determined on 3-week-old greenhouse-grown seedlings and germinating seeds of 2 asparagus cultivars. The pots were irrigated to a predetermined level that resulted in optimum growth or the plants were subjected to drought or flooding stress for 8 weeks. The cultivars responded differently to PGPR: single inoculations of seedlings enhanced growth of 'Guelph Millennium' under optimum conditions and 'Jersey Giant' seedlings under drought stress. Seed inoculations with PGPR resulted in a positive response only for 'Guelph Millennium', for which both single or multiple inoculations enhanced plant growth under drought stress.

The Role of Promotion in Milling and Bakery Products Sales

OpenAIRE

Sergiu-Bogdan Constantin

2009-01-01

Irrespective of the avenue chosen for the retail of milling and bakery products, a key role in sales growth is the one played by promotion, information of the future customers as to the characteristics of the products, the execution and sale conditions. Such information process takes place by means of the promotional mix, consisting of a blend of advertising, sales promotion, public relations tools, trademarks, promotional events, and sales forces. The milling and baking industry uses, to cer...

The SimpleMix study with biphasic insulin aspart 30: a randomized controlled trial investigating patient-driven titration versus investigator-driven titration.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yan; Luquez, Cecilia; Lynggaard, Helle; Andersen, Henning; Saboo, Banshi

2014-12-01

The study aimed to confirm the efficacy, through non-inferiority, of patient-driven versus investigator-driven titration of biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) in terms of glycemic control assessed by HbA1c change. SimpleMix was a 20 week, open-label, randomized, two-armed, parallel-group, multicenter study in five countries (Argentina, China, India, Poland, and the UK). Patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized into either patient-driven or investigator-driven BIAsp 30 titration groups. Non-inferiority of patient-driven vs. investigator-driven titration based on change in HbA1c from baseline to week 20 could not be demonstrated. Mean (SE) estimated change from baseline to week 20 was -0.72 (0.08)% in the patient-driven group and -0.97 (0.08)% in the investigator-driven group; estimated difference 0.25% (95% CI: 0.04; 0.46). Estimated mean change (SE) in fasting plasma glucose from baseline to week 20 was similar between groups: -0.94 (0.21) mmol/L for patient-driven and -1.07 (0.22) mmol/L for investigator-driven (difference non-significant). Both treatment arms were well tolerated, and hypoglycemic episode rates were similar between groups, with a rate ratio of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.54; 1.09; p = 0.143) for all hypoglycemic episodes and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.42; 1.43; p = 0.417) for nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes. Non-inferiority of patient-driven versus investigator-driven titration with regard to change from baseline to end-of-treatment HbA1c could not be confirmed. It is possible that a clinic visit 12 weeks after intensification of treatment with BIAsp 30 in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately treated with basal insulin may benefit patient-driven titration of BIAsp 30. A limitation of the study was the relatively small number of patients recruited in each country, which does not allow country-specific analyses to be performed. Overall, treatment with BIAsp 30 was well tolerated in both treatment groups.

Acute activation of GLP-1-expressing neurons promotes glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity

OpenAIRE

Xuemei Shi; Shaji Chacko; Feng Li; Depei Li; Douglas Burrin; Lawrence Chan; Xinfu Guan

2017-01-01

Objective: Glucagon-like peptides are co-released from enteroendocrine L cells in the gut and preproglucagon (PPG) neurons in the brainstem. PPG-derived GLP-1/2 are probably key neuroendocrine signals for the control of energy balance and glucose homeostasis. The objective of this study was to determine whether activation of PPG neurons per se modulates glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in vivo. Methods: We generated glucagon (Gcg) promoter-driven Cre transgenic mice and injected...

Pressure-driven fast reaction and recovery of peptide receptor for an electronic nose application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Yong Kyoung [Department of Electrical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 139-701 (Korea, Republic of); Center for Biomicrosystems, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang-Myung [Department of Chemical Engineering, Kangwon National University, Kangwon-do 200-701 (Korea, Republic of); Chae, Myung-Sic; Yoon Kang, Ji; Song Kim, Tae; Seon Hwang, Kyo, E-mail: kshwang@kist.re.kr, E-mail: jhlee@kw.ac.kr [Center for Biomicrosystems, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Hoon Lee, Jeong, E-mail: kshwang@kist.re.kr, E-mail: jhlee@kw.ac.kr [Department of Electrical Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 139-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-24

Combining a highly sensitive sensor platform with highly selective recognition elements is essential for micro/nanotechnology-based electronic nose applications. Particularly, the regeneration sensor surface and its conditions are key issues for practical e-nose applications. We propose a highly sensitive piezoelectric-driven microcantilever array chip with highly selective peptide receptors. By utilizing the peptide receptor, which was discovered by a phase display screening process, we immobilized a dinitrotoluene (DNT) specific peptide as well as a DNT nonspecific peptide on the surface of the cantilever array. The delivery of DNT gas via pressure-driven flow led to a greater instant response of ∼30 Hz, compared to diffusion only (∼15 Hz for 15 h). Using a simple pressure-driven air flow of ∼50 sccm, we confirmed that a ratio of ∼70% of the specific-bounded sites from DNT gas molecules could be regenerated, showing re-usability of the peptide receptor in on-site monitoring for electronic nose applications.

Analysis of promoter activity in transgenic plants by normalizing ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Prakash

2009-12-09

Dec 9, 2009 ... varies from one construct to another, the Pref-reporter ... conditions (16 h day and 8 h night, 28°C ± 2°C, relative ... Ptest stands for the synthetic promoter driving the gus reporter gene or 35S promoter in the case of the.

Dynamical Analysis and Simulation Validation of Incompletely Restrained Cable-Suspended Swinging System Driven by Two Cables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naige Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The flexibility of the suspension multicables and driven length difference between two cables cause the translation and rotation of the platform in the incompletely restrained cable-suspended system driven by two cables (IRCSWs2, which are theoretically investigated in this paper. The suspension cables are spatially discretized using the assumed modes method (AMM and the equations of motion are derived from Lagrange equations of the first kind. Considering all the geometric matching conditions are approximately linear with external actuator, the differential algebraic equations (DAEs are transformed to a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs. Using linear boundary conditions of the suspension cable, the current method can obtain not only the accurate longitudinal displacements of cable and posture of the platform, but also the tension between the platform and cables, and the current method is verified by ADAMS simulation.