Механизмы государственных программ стимулирования энергосбережения в промышленности: перспективы применения зарубежного опыта в России

The article is addressing an issue of public programs mechanisms development aimed to stimulate energy savings in industry sector. Analysis was undertaken to estimate feasibility of international best practise implementation in Russia. We have also judged the perspective of certain mechanisms of government support implementation in energy sector in Russia

Механизмы государственных программ стимулирования энергосбережения в промышленности: перспективы применения зарубежного опыта в России

The article is addressing an issue of public programs mechanisms development aimed to stimulate energy savings in industry sector. Analysis was undertaken to estimate feasibility of international best practise implementation in Russia. We have also judged the perspective of certain mechanisms of government support implementation in energy sector in Russia

Performance on the Robotics On-Board Trainer (ROBoT-r) Spaceflight Simulation During Acute Sleep Deprivation

Exploration of deep space poses many challenges. Mission support personnel will not be immediately available to assist crewmembers performing complex operations on future long-duration exploration operations. Consequently, it is imperative that crewmembers have objective, reliable, and non-invasive metrics available to aid them in determining their fitness for duty prior to engaging in potentially dangerous tasks. The Robotics On-Board Trainer (ROBoT) task is NASA’s platform for training astronauts to perform docking and grappling maneuvers. It is regularly used by crewmembers during spaceflight for refresher training. The operational ROBoT system, however, does not record data. Thus, a research version of ROBoT, called ROBoT-r, was developed so that operationally relevant data could be mined to provide feedback to crewmembers. We investigated whether ROBoT-r metrics would change according to sleep loss and circadian phase in a 28-h laboratory-based sleep deprivation study. Overall, participants showed improvement over time despite sleep loss, indicating continued learning. Performance on the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) followed an expected profile, with reduced performance across the night. These findings suggest that individuals may be able to temporarily compensate for sleep loss to maintain performance on complex, novel tasks. It is possible that some ROBoT-r metrics may be sensitive to sleep loss after longer bouts of wakefulness or after individuals have habituated to the task. Studies with additional participants and extended pre-training on the ROBoT-r task should be conducted to disentangle how brain activity may change as individuals learn and habituate to complex tasks during sleep loss

Detecting sub-MeV neutrons in solid plastic scintillator with gamma-ray discrimination

We report on recent efforts to design a solid plastic scintillation hodoscope to measure neutron production cross sections at low energies. Our program includes not only the development of the detector itself, but also a set of auxiliary measurements which will help characterize its low-energy response. A novel scintillation counter has been developed to detect sub-MeV neutrons while rejecting gamma-ray backgrounds with good efficiency. The detector uses multiple layers of thin solid scintillator, with optical isolation between the adjacent layers. Incident low-energy neutrons produce ionizing recoil particles which remain within just one of the scintillator layers, while background gamma rays create electrons which most often cross the boundary between layers. By observing the trigger pattern within the layers, most gamma-ray backgrounds can be distinguished from the low-energy neutrons of interest. We report on the results of our Monte Carlo studies of this design, as well as on the operation of a prototype detector unit. We also have undertaken a new measurement of the neutron-proton total cross section below 1 MeV. Calculations of the efficiency for detecting low energy neutrons in plastic scintillator rely on accurate low energy n-p cross sections, yet surprisingly few such data currently exist. New measurements which span the region from 150 to 800 keV neutron (lab) energy are reported and discussed. Additionally, we have measured the light response of BC 418 scintillator for recoil proton energies as low as 100 keV. Recoil protons are produced at a known energy in the scintillator by placing it in a neutron beam and detecting in coincidence the elastically scattered neutrons at fixed angle. Our new results extend the energy range of previous measurements of the light response of solid organic scintillators, and may indicate a significantly modified response at the lowest observed energies.United States. Dept. of Energy (Grant No. DE-FG52-10NA29651

Transgenic overexpression of glutathione S-transferase μ-type 1 reduces hypertension and oxidative stress in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat

Background: Combined congenic breeding and microarray gene expression profiling previously identified glutathione S-transferase m-type 1 (Gstm1) as a positional and functional candidate gene for blood pressure (BP) regulation in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHRSP) rat. Renal Gstm1 expression in SHRSP rats is significantly reduced when compared with normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. As Gstm1 plays an important role in the secondary defence against oxidative stress, significantly lower expression levels may be functionally relevant in the development of hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Gstm1 in BP regulation and oxidative stress by transgenic overexpression of the Gstm1 gene. Method: Two independent Gstm1 transgenic SHRSP lines were generated by microinjecting SHRSP embryos with a linear construct controlled by the EF-1a promoter encoding WKY Gstm1 cDNA [SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY]. Results: Transgenic rats exhibit significantly reduced BP and pulse pressure when compared with SHRSP [systolic: SHRSP 205.2 3.7 mmHg vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 175.5 1.6 mmHg and SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)2WKY 172 3.2 mmHg, P< 0.001; pulse pressure: SHRSP 58.4 0.73 mmHg vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 52.7 0.19 mmHg and SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)2WKY 40.75 0.53 mmHg, P< 0.001]. Total renal and aortic Gstm1 expression in transgenic animals was significantly increased compared with SHRSP [renal relative quantification (RQ): SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 1.95 vs. SHRSP 1.0, P< 0.01; aorta RQ: SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 2.8 vs. SHRSP 1.0, P< 0.05]. Renal lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde: protein) and oxidized : reduced glutathione ratio levels were significantly reduced in both transgenic lines when compared with SHRSP [malondialdehyde: SHRSP 0.04 0.009mmol/l vs. SHRSP-Tg(Gstm1)1WKY 0.024 0.002mmol/l and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY 0.021 0.002mmol/l; (oxidized : reduced glutathione ratio): SHRSP 5.19 2.26mmol/l vs. SHRSPTg(Gstm1)1WKY 0.17 0.111mmol/l and SHRSPTg(Gstm1)2WKY 0.471 0.223mmol/l]. Transgenic SHRSP rats containing the WKY Gstm1 gene demonstrate significantly lower BP, reduced oxidative stress and improved levels of renal Gstm1 expression. Conclusion: These data support the hypothesis that reduced renal Gstm1 plays a role in the development of hypertension

Classification of underwater targets from autonomous underwater vehicle sampled bistatic acoustic scattered fields

One of the long term goals of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) minehunting is to have multiple inexpensive AUVs in a harbor autonomously classify hazards. Existing acoustic methods for target classification using AUV-based sensing, such as sidescan and synthetic aperture sonar, require an expensive payload on each outfitted vehicle and post-processing and/or image interpretation. A vehicle payload and machine learning classification methodology using bistatic angle dependence of target scattering amplitudes between a fixed acoustic source and target has been developed for onboard, fully autonomous classification with lower cost-per-vehicle. To achieve the high-quality, densely sampled three-dimensional (3D) bistatic scattering data required by this research, vehicle sampling behaviors and an acoustic payload for precision timed data acquisition with a 16 element nose array were demonstrated. 3D bistatic scattered field data were collected by an AUV around spherical and cylindrical targets insonified by a 7–9 kHz fixed source. The collected data were compared to simulated scattering models. Classification and confidence estimation were shown for the sphere versus cylinder case on the resulting real and simulated bistatic amplitude data. The final models were used for classification of simulated targets in real time in the LAMSS MOOS-IvP simulation package [M. Benjamin, H. Schmidt, P. Newman, and J. Leonard, J. Field Rob. 27, 834–875 (2010)]United States. Office of Naval Research (Grant N00014-14-1- 0214

Iron conservation by reduction of metalloenzyme inventories in the marine diazotroph Crocosphaera watsonii

The marine nitrogen fixing microorganisms (diazotrophs) are a major source of nitrogen to open ocean ecosystems and are predicted to be limited by iron in most marine environments. Here we use global and targeted proteomic analyses on a key unicellular marine diazotroph Crocosphaera watsonii to reveal large scale diel changes in its proteome, including substantial variations in concentrations of iron metalloproteins involved in nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis, as well as nocturnal flavodoxin production. The daily synthesis and degradation of enzymes in coordination with their utilization results in a lowered cellular metalloenzyme inventory that requires ~40% less iron than if these enzymes were maintained throughout the diel cycle. This strategy is energetically expensive, but appears to serve as an important adaptation for confronting the iron scarcity of the open oceans. A global numerical model of ocean circulation, biogeochemistry and ecosystems suggests that Crocosphaera’s ability to reduce its iron-metalloenzyme inventory provides two advantages: It allows Crocosphaera to inhabit regions lower in iron and allows the same iron supply to support higher Crocosphaera biomass and nitrogen fixation than if they did not have this reduced iron requirement.National Science Foundation (U.S.). Chemical and Biological Oceanography Program (OCE-0452883)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Chemical and Biological Oceanography Program (OCE-0752291)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Chemical and Biological Oceanography Program (OCE-0723667)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Chemical and Biological Oceanography Program (OCE-0928414)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Polar Program (ANT-0732665)United States. Environmental Protection Agency (Star Fellowship)Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Ocean Life InstituteCenter for Microbial Oceanography: Research and EducationCenter for Environmental Bioinorganic Chemistr

Consequences of permafrost degradation for Arctic infrastructure - Bridging the model gap between regional and engineering scales

Infrastructure built on perennially frozen ice-rich ground relies heavily on thermally stable subsurface conditions. Climate-warming-induced deepening of ground thaw puts such infrastructure at risk of failure. For better assessing the risk of large-scale future damage to Arctic infrastructure, improved strategies for model-based approaches are urgently needed. We used the laterally coupled 1D heat conduction model CryoGrid3 to simulate permafrost degradation affected by linear infrastructure. We present a case study of a gravel road built on continuous permafrost (Dalton highway, Alaska) and forced our model under historical and strong future warming conditions (following the RCP8.5 scenario). As expected, the presence of a gravel road in the model leads to higher net heat flux entering the ground compared to a reference run without infrastructure and thus a higher rate of thaw. Further, our results suggest that road failure is likely a consequence of lateral destabilisation due to talik formation in the ground beside the road rather than a direct consequence of a top-down thawing and deepening of the active layer below the road centre. In line with previous studies, we identify enhanced snow accumulation and ponding (both a consequence of infrastructure presence) as key factors for increased soil temperatures and road degradation. Using differing horizontal model resolutions we show that it is possible to capture these key factors and their impact on thawing dynamics with a low number of lateral model units, underlining the potential of our model approach for use in pan-Arctic risk assessments. Our results suggest a general two-phase behaviour of permafrost degradation: an initial phase of slow and gradual thaw, followed by a strong increase in thawing rates after the exceedance of a critical ground warming. The timing of this transition and the magnitude of thaw rate acceleration differ strongly between undisturbed tundra and infrastructure-affected permafrost ground. Our model results suggest that current model-based approaches which do not explicitly take into account infrastructure in their designs are likely to strongly underestimate the timing of future Arctic infrastructure failure. By using a laterally coupled 1D model to simulate linear infrastructure, we infer results in line with outcomes from more complex 2D and 3D models, but our model's computational efficiency allows us to account for long-term climate change impacts on infrastructure from permafrost degradation. Our model simulations underline that it is crucial to consider climate warming when planning and constructing infrastructure on permafrost as a transition from a stable to a highly unstable state can well occur within the service lifetime (about 30 years) of such a construction. Such a transition can even be triggered in the coming decade by climate change for infrastructure built on high northern latitude continuous permafrost that displays cold and relatively stable conditions today.publishedVersio

The transcriptome and proteome of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana reveal a diverse phosphorus stress response

© The Author(s), 2012. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in PLoS One 7 (2012): e33768, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033768.Phosphorus (P) is a critical driver of phytoplankton growth and ecosystem function in the ocean. Diatoms are an abundant class of marine phytoplankton that are responsible for significant amounts of primary production. With the control they exert on the oceanic carbon cycle, there have been a number of studies focused on how diatoms respond to limiting macro and micronutrients such as iron and nitrogen. However, diatom physiological responses to P deficiency are poorly understood. Here, we couple deep sequencing of transcript tags and quantitative proteomics to analyze the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana grown under P-replete and P-deficient conditions. A total of 318 transcripts were differentially regulated with a false discovery rate of <0.05, and a total of 136 proteins were differentially abundant (p<0.05). Significant changes in the abundance of transcripts and proteins were observed and coordinated for multiple biochemical pathways, including glycolysis and translation. Patterns in transcript and protein abundance were also linked to physiological changes in cellular P distributions, and enzyme activities. These data demonstrate that diatom P deficiency results in changes in cellular P allocation through polyphosphate production, increased P transport, a switch to utilization of dissolved organic P through increased production of metalloenzymes, and a remodeling of the cell surface through production of sulfolipids. Together, these findings reveal that T. pseudonana has evolved a sophisticated response to P deficiency involving multiple biochemical strategies that are likely critical to its ability to respond to variations in environmental P availability.This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Environmental Genomics and NSF Biological Oceanography Program through grant OCE-0723667 to Dr. Dyhrman, Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Saito, and Dr. Rynearson, the NSF Chemical Oceanography Program through grant OCE-0549794 to Dr. Dyhrman and OCE-0526800 to Dr. Jenkins, the G. B. Moore Foundation and OCE-0752291 to Dr. Saito, NSF-EPSCoR (NSF-0554548 & NSF-1004057) to the University of Rhode Island, the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, and the Joint Genome Institute/DOE Community Sequencing Program (CSP795793) to Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Dyhrman, Dr. Rynearson and Dr. Saito