Improvement of Oxygen-Depolarized Cathodes in Highly Alkaline Media by Electrospinning of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Barrier Layers

Oxygen‐depolarized cathodes (ODC) were developed for chlor‐alkali electrolysis to replace the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) providing electrical energy savings up to 30 % under industrially relevant conditions. These electrodes consist of micro sized silver grains and polytetrafluoroethylene, forming a homogeneous electrode structure. In this work, we report on the modification of ODCs by implementing an electrospun layer of hydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) into the ODC structure, leading to a significantly enhanced ORR performance. The modified electrodes are physically characterized by liquid flow porometry, contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical characterization is performed by linear sweep voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. The overpotential for ORR at application near conditions could be reduced by up to 75 mV at 4 kA m−2 and 135 mV at a higher current density of 9.5 kA m−2. Consequently, we propose that modifying ODCs by electrospinning is an effective and cost‐efficient way to further reduce the energy demand of the ORR in highly alkaline media

Integrating sequence, evolution and functional genomics in regulatory genomics

Finding transcription factor binding sites in regulatory regions of the genom

DOT1L promotes progenitor proliferation and primes neuronal layer identity in the developing cerebral cortex

Cortical development is controlled by transcriptional programs, which are orchestrated by transcription factors. Yet, stable inheritance of spatiooral activity of factors influencing cell fate and localization in different layers is only partly understood. Here we find that deletion of Dot1l in the murine telencephalon leads to cortical layering defects, indicating DOT1L activity and chromatin methylation at H3K79 impact on the cell cycle, and influence transcriptional programs conferring upper layer identity in early progenitors. Specifically, DOT1L prevents premature differentiation by increasing expression of genes that regulate asymmetric cell division (Vangl2, Cenpj). Loss of DOT1L results in reduced numbers of progenitors expressing genes including SoxB1 gene family members. Loss of DOT1L also leads to altered cortical distribution of deep layer neurons that express either TBR1, CTIP2 or SOX5, and less activation of transcriptional programs that are characteristic for upper layer neurons (Satb2, Pou3f3, Cux2, SoxC family members). Data from three different mouse models suggest that DOT1L balances transcriptional programs necessary for proper neuronal composition and distribution in the six cortical layers. Furthermore, because loss of DOT1L in the pre-neurogenic phase of development impairs specifically generation of SATB2-expressing upper layer neurons, our data suggest that DOT1L primes upper layer identity in cortical progenitors.Fil: Franz, Henriette. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; AlemaniaFil: Villarreal, Alejandro. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia "Prof. Eduardo de Robertis". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia; ArgentinaFil: Heidrich, Stefanie. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; AlemaniaFil: Videm, Pavankumar. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; AlemaniaFil: Kilpert, Fabian. Max Planck Institute Of Immunobiology And Epigenetics; AlemaniaFil: Mestres, Ivan. Technical University Dresden; AlemaniaFil: Calegari, Federico. Technical University Dresden; AlemaniaFil: Backofen, Rolf. Universidad de Copenhagen; Dinamarca. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; AlemaniaFil: Manke, Thomas. Max Planck Institute Of Immunobiology And Epigenetics; AlemaniaFil: Vogel, Tanja. Universität Freiburg Im Breisgau; Alemani

Anterior gradient 2 and 3 – two prototype androgen‐responsive genes transcriptionally upregulated by androgens and by oestrogens in prostate cancer cells

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96748/1/febs12118.pd

Functional analysis and identification of cis-regulatory elements of human chromosome 21 gene promoters

Given the inherent limitations of in silico studies relying solely on DNA sequence analysis, the functional characterization of mammalian promoters and associated cis-regulatory elements requires experimental support, which demands cloning and analysis of putative promoter regions. Focusing on human chromosome 21, we cloned 182 gene promoters of 2500 bp in length and conducted reporter gene assays on transfected-cell arrays. We found 56 promoters that were active in HEK293 cells, while another 49 promoters could be activated by treatment of cells with Trichostatin A or depletion of serum. We observed high correlations between promoter activities and endogenous transcript levels, RNA polymerase II occupancy, CpG islands and core promoter elements. Truncation of a subset of 62 promoters to ∼500 bp revealed that truncation rarely resulted in loss of activity, but rather in loss of responses to external stimuli, suggesting the presence of cis-regulatory response elements within distal promoter regions. In these regions, we found a strong enrichment of transcription factor binding sites that could potentially activate gene expression in the presence of stimuli. This study illustrates the modular functional architecture of chromosome 21 promoters and helps to reveal the complex mechanisms governing transcriptional regulatio

Lsd1 ablation triggers metabolic reprogramming of brown adipose tissue

Previous work indicated that lysine-specific demethylase 1 (Lsd1) can positively regulate the oxidative and thermogenic capacities of white and beige adipocytes. Here we investigate the role of Lsd1 in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and find that BAT- selective Lsd1 ablation induces a shift from oxidative to glycolytic metabolism. This shift is associated with downregulation of BAT-specific and upregulation of white adipose tissue (WAT)-selective gene expression. This results in the accumulation of di- and triacylglycerides and culminates in a profound whitening of BAT in aged Lsd1- deficient mice. Further studies show that Lsd1 maintains BAT properties via a dual role. It activates BAT-selective gene expression in concert with the transcription factor Nrf1 and represses WAT-selective genes through recruitment of the CoREST complex. In conclusion, our data uncover Lsd1 as a key regulator of gene expression and metabolic function in BAT

Зависимость эффективности биологической обратной связи по параметрам ритма сердца от вариаций геомагнитного поля

Протягом багатоденного моніторингу біологічного зворотного зв’язку (БЗЗ) за параметрами варіабельності серцевого ритму встановлено залежність ефективності БЗЗ від геліогеофізичної обстановки. У випробуваних з переважанням симпатичної активності є тенденція до більш ефективного біоуправління в умовах геомагнітної збуреності а також стабільного напряму міжпланетного магнітного поля. Навпаки, у випробуваних з переважанням вагусної активності БЗЗ є ефективнішім за умов відсутності геомагнітних збурювань а також при змінах полярності міжпланетного магнітного поля. Таким чином, геліогеофізичну обстановку слід ураховувати при аналізі ефективності біоуправління.Through days-long monitoring of biofeedback parameters of heart rate variability the dependence of biofeedback effectiveness on the geocosmic factors was established. In subjects whose nervous system is dominated by sympathetic type of reactivity, the biofeedback effectiveness tends to a better biocontrol under conditions of changes in interplanetary magnetic field or conditions of stable orientation of the interplanetary geomagnetic field. Individuals with prevalence of vagal activity usually are more effective in the biofeedback session if there are no geomagnetic disturbances as well as under conditions of changes in the interplanetary magnetic field polarity. Thus, the geocosmic factors should be taken into account when biofeedback effectiveness is analyzed

The QCD spectrum with three quark flavors

We present results from a lattice hadron spectrum calculation using three flavors of dynamical quarks - two light and one strange, and quenched simulations for comparison. These simulations were done using a one-loop Symanzik improved gauge action and an improved Kogut-Susskind quark action. The lattice spacings, and hence also the physical volumes, were tuned to be the same in all the runs to better expose differences due to flavor number. Lattice spacings were tuned using the static quark potential, so as a byproduct we obtain updated results for the effect of sea quarks on the static quark potential. We find indications that the full QCD meson spectrum is in better agreement with experiment than the quenched spectrum. For the 0++ (a0) meson we see a coupling to two pseudoscalar mesons, or a meson decay on the lattice.Comment: 38 pages, 20 figures, uses epsf. 5/29/01 revision responds to referee's Comments, changes pion fits and tables, and corrects Fig. 10 and some minor error