Combining phosphate species and stainless steel cathode to enhance hydrogen evolution in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC)

Microbial electrolysis cells (MEC) must work around neutral pH because of microbial catalysis at the anode. To develop a hydrogen evolution cathode that can work at neutral pH remains a major challenge in MEC technology. Voltammetry performed at pH 8.0 on rotating disk electrodes showed that the presence of phosphate species straightforwardly multiplied the current density of hydrogen evolution, through the so-called cathodic deprotonation reaction. The mechanism was stable on stainless steel cathodes whereas it rapidly vanished on platinum. The phosphate/stainless steel system implemented in a 25 L MEC with a marine microbial anode led to hydrogen evolution rates of up to 4.9 L/h/m2 under 0.8 V voltage, which were of the same order than the best performance values reported so far. Keywords: Hydrogen; Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC); Stainless steel; Phosphat

Depinning and wetting in nonequilibrium systems

We present an extension of equilibrium wetting to nonequilibrium situations particularly suited to systems with anisotropic interactions. Both critical and complete wetting transitions were found and characterized. We have identified a region in the space of parameters (temperature and chemical potential) where the wet and non-wet phases coexist. Emphasis is made on the analogies and differences between equilibrium and nonequilibrium wetting.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, needs aipproc.cls; 7th Granada Seminar on Computational Physic

Recommendations from the Association for European Paediatric Cardiology for training in paediatric cardiac intensive care: AEPC's recommendations for European paediatric cardiology trainees The Working Group on Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care

The following document provides a summary of the guidelines and recommendations for paediatric cardiac intensive care training as a requirement for recognition as a European paediatric cardiologist. It is therefore primarily targeting paediatric cardiology trainees in Europe, including those doctors who might wish to become experts in cardiac intensive care. These recommendations represent a frame for consistency, will evolve, and may be adapted to specific institutional requirements. They will be complemented by a learning module to be provided by our Association in the near futur

Scalable Physical Layer Security Components for Microservice-Based Optical SDN Controllers

We propose and demonstrate a set of microservice-based security components able to perform physical layer security assessment and mitigation in optical networks. Results illustrate the scalability of the attack detection mechanism and the agility in mitigating attacks

Microservice-Based Unsupervised Anomaly Detection Loop for Optical Networks

Unsupervised learning (UL) is a technique to detect previously unseen anomalies without needing labeled datasets. We propose the integration of a scalable UL-based inference component in the monitoring loop of an SDN-controlled optical network

Microservice-Based Unsupervised Anomaly Detection Loop for Optical Networks

Unsupervised learning (UL) is a technique to detect previously unseen anomalies without needing labeled datasets. We propose the integration of a scalable UL-based inference component in the monitoring loop of an SDN-controlled optical network

Children and older adults exhibit distinct sub-optimal cost-benefit functions when preparing to move their eyes and hands

"© 2015 Gonzalez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited"Numerous activities require an individual to respond quickly to the correct stimulus. The provision of advance information allows response priming but heightened responses can cause errors (responding too early or reacting to the wrong stimulus). Thus, a balance is required between the online cognitive mechanisms (inhibitory and anticipatory) used to prepare and execute a motor response at the appropriate time. We investigated the use of advance information in 71 participants across four different age groups: (i) children, (ii) young adults, (iii) middle-aged adults, and (iv) older adults. We implemented 'cued' and 'non-cued' conditions to assess age-related changes in saccadic and touch responses to targets in three movement conditions: (a) Eyes only; (b) Hands only; (c) Eyes and Hand. Children made less saccade errors compared to young adults, but they also exhibited longer response times in cued versus non-cued conditions. In contrast, older adults showed faster responses in cued conditions but exhibited more errors. The results indicate that young adults (18 -25 years) achieve an optimal balance between anticipation and execution. In contrast, children show benefits (few errors) and costs (slow responses) of good inhibition when preparing a motor response based on advance information; whilst older adults show the benefits and costs associated with a prospective response strategy (i.e., good anticipation)

Antibodies Against Glycolipids Enhance Antifungal Activity of Macrophages and Reduce Fungal Burden After Infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

Paracoccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease endemic in Latin America. Polyclonal antibodies to acidic glycosphingolipids (GSLs) from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis opsonized yeast forms in vitro increasing phagocytosis and reduced the fungal burden of infected animals. Antibodies to GSL were active in both prophylactic and therapeutic protocols using a murine intratracheal infection model. Pathological examination of the lungs of animals treated with antibodies to GSL showed well-organized granulomas and minimally damaged parenchyma compared to the untreated control. Murine peritoneal macrophages activated by IFN-gamma and incubated with antibodies against acidic GSLs more effectively phagocytosed and killed P brasiliensis yeast cells as well as produced more nitric oxide compared to controls. The present work discloses a novel target of protective antibodies against P brasiliensis adding to other well-studied mediators of the immune response to this fungus.CapesFAPESPUniv Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol, Inst Biomed Sci, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Sao Paulo, Lab Med Mycol IMTSP LIM53, Sao Paulo, BrazilAlbert Einstein Coll Med, Dept Med, New York, NY USAAlbert Einstein Coll Med, Dept Microbiol & Immunol, New York, NY USAUniv Fed Fluminense, Niteroi, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Sao Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2011/17267-4FAPESP: 2013/18655-3Web of Scienc