Social Mpower: An Educational Game for Energy Efficiency

A number of serious games have been developed for energy systems that act as an educational tool and help energy consumers to better understand concepts such as resource allocation, electricity prices and grid sustainability. In such gamified environments, players use technology to solve environmental problems including greener environment, optimised energy and water infrastructure, sustainable resources and reduced energy use. Social Mpower game is a representation of an autonomous energy community for local power generation and distribution in which the participants have to avoid a collective blackout by individually reducing their energy consumption by synchronising and coordinating their actions. Our experimental hypothesis is that collective awareness can be enhanced by appropriate features of the game interface, and therefore to increase the opportunities and prospects for successful collective action (e.g to avoid a blackout)

Assessing the impact of Swales on receiving water quality

Swales are one type of sustainable drainage system (SuDS) which contribute to the management of water quality in receiving waterbodies. Using a semi-quantitative approach, an impact assessment procedure is applied to the residual water quality that is carried forward to surface waters and groundwaters following treatment within a swale. Both volumetric and pollutant distributions are considered as stormwater passes through the swale system. The pollutant pathways followed by TSS, nitrate, chloride, metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are determined for a swale receiving highway runoff. For TSS, metals and PAHs between 20% and 29% of the total mean influent pollutant load is predicted to be directed to infiltration through the underlying soils compared to between 4% and 16% of chloride and nitrate. Although surface water impacts are deemed possible, the discharges of swales to groundwaters are assessed to represent a negligible impact for effectively maintained systems

Chapter sixteen: Rodents and other vertebrate invaders in the United States

Contents 16.1 Introduction 381 16.2 Assessing impacts of rodents and other vertebrate invaders 385 16.3 Accounts of some important vertebrate invaders 38616.3.1 Norway rant (Rattus norvegicus) 38616.3.2 Roof Rat (Rattus rattus) 38716.3.3 Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) 38816.3.4 House mouse (Mus Musculus) 38816.3.5 Nutria (Myocastor coypus) 38916.3.6 Gambian giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) 39016.3.7 Feral swine (Sus scofa) 39016.3.8 Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) 39116.3.9 Rock pigeon (Columba livia) 39216.3.10 House sparrow (Passer domesticus) 39316.3.11 European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 39316.3.12 Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) 39416.3.13 Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) 39516.3.14 Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) 39616.3.15 Coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) 39716.3.16 Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) 39716.3.17 European and Asian carp (Cyprinidae) 398 16.4 Offshore Threats 399 16.5 Discussion 400 Acknowledgements 401 References 40

Chapter sixteen: Rodents and other vertebrate invaders in the United States

Contents 16.1 Introduction 381 16.2 Assessing impacts of rodents and other vertebrate invaders 385 16.3 Accounts of some important vertebrate invaders 38616.3.1 Norway rant (Rattus norvegicus) 38616.3.2 Roof Rat (Rattus rattus) 38716.3.3 Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans) 38816.3.4 House mouse (Mus Musculus) 38816.3.5 Nutria (Myocastor coypus) 38916.3.6 Gambian giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) 39016.3.7 Feral swine (Sus scofa) 39016.3.8 Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) 39116.3.9 Rock pigeon (Columba livia) 39216.3.10 House sparrow (Passer domesticus) 39316.3.11 European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 39316.3.12 Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) 39416.3.13 Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) 39516.3.14 Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) 39616.3.15 Coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) 39716.3.16 Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) 39716.3.17 European and Asian carp (Cyprinidae) 398 16.4 Offshore Threats 399 16.5 Discussion 400 Acknowledgements 401 References 40

Zinc in innate and adaptive tumor immunity

Zinc is important. It is the second most abundant trace metal with 2-4 grams in humans. It is an essential trace element, critical for cell growth, development and differentiation, DNA synthesis, RNA transcription, cell division, and cell activation. Zinc deficiency has adverse consequences during embryogenesis and early childhood development, particularly on immune functioning. It is essential in members of all enzyme classes, including over 300 signaling molecules and transcription factors. Free zinc in immune and tumor cells is regulated by 14 distinct zinc importers (ZIP) and transporters (ZNT1-8). Zinc depletion induces cell death via apoptosis (or necrosis if apoptotic pathways are blocked) while sufficient zinc levels allows maintenance of autophagy. Cancer cells have upregulated zinc importers, and frequently increased zinc levels, which allow them to survive. Based on this novel synthesis, approaches which locally regulate zinc levels to promote survival of immune cells and/or induce tumor apoptosis are in order

Systems-wide RNAi analysis of CASP8AP2/FLASH shows transcriptional deregulation of the replication-dependent histone genes and extensive effects on the transcriptome of colorectal cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Colorectal carcinomas (CRC) carry massive genetic and transcriptional alterations that influence multiple cellular pathways. The study of proteins whose loss-of-function (LOF) alters the growth of CRC cells can be used to further understand the cellular processes cancer cells depend upon for survival.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A small-scale RNAi screen of ~400 genes conducted in SW480 CRC cells identified several candidate genes as required for the viability of CRC cells, most prominently <it>CASP8AP2</it>/<it>FLASH</it>. To understand the function of this gene in maintaining the viability of CRC cells in an unbiased manner, we generated gene specific expression profiles following RNAi. Silencing of <it>CASP8AP2</it>/<it>FLASH </it>resulted in altered expression of over 2500 genes enriched for genes associated with cellular growth and proliferation. Loss of CASP8AP2/FLASH function was significantly associated with altered transcription of the genes encoding the replication-dependent histone proteins as a result of the expression of the non-canonical polyA variants of these transcripts. Silencing of <it>CASP8AP2</it>/<it>FLASH </it>also mediated enrichment of changes in the expression of targets of the NFκB and MYC transcription factors. These findings were confirmed by whole transcriptome analysis of <it>CASP8AP2</it>/<it>FLASH </it>silenced cells at multiple time points. Finally, we identified and validated that CASP8AP2/FLASH LOF increases the expression of neurofilament heavy polypeptide (NEFH), a protein recently linked to regulation of the AKT1/ß-catenin pathway.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We have used unbiased RNAi based approaches to identify and characterize the function of CASP8AP2/FLASH, a protein not previously reported as required for cell survival. This study further defines the role CASP8AP2/FLASH plays in the regulating expression of the replication-dependent histones and shows that its LOF results in broad and reproducible effects on the transcriptome of colorectal cancer cells including the induction of expression of the recently described tumor suppressor gene <it>NEFH</it>.</p

Effect of OKY-1581, a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, on coronary thrombosis in the conscious dog

OKY-1581, a new thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, was studied in a conscious canine model of coronary thrombosis. After thoracotomy with placement of a left circumflex coronary artery flow probe and implantation of an electrode into the circumflex artery, animals were assigned randomly to the following groups: 0.9% NaCl vehicle control or OKY-1581 1 mg/kg every 4 h intravenously for 24 h. During the drug treatment period, a 50 [mu]A anodal current was passed through the circumflex electrode, and venous blood was obtained for platelet aggregation studies. As compared to control animals, the OKY-1581 treated animals developed a greater mean coronary flow at the end of the treatment period, smaller thrombi by wet weight, smaller infarcts, and fewer ventricular arrhythmias. Ex vivo platelet aggregation studies revealed significant inhibition of aggregation to standard aggregating agents for the drug treated group only. OKY-1581 is an effective antitbrombotic agent which maintains coronary flow after a thrombogenic stimulus, presumably via blockade of the synthesis of thromboxane by blood platelets.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24663/1/0000076.pd

Protein C deficiency and acute myocardial infarction in the third decade

Protein C deficiency has been associated with a predisposition to venous thrombosis and thromboembolism. Arterial thrombosis has been seen much less frequently and may require other vascular risk factors. Here we describe a young patient with protein C deficiency presenting with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29245/1/0000302.pd

Economic Evaluation of the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES): Treatment of Patients with Severe Heart Failure

Purpose : To use data from the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES) to compare clinical outcomes and costs as part of the assessment of the economic implications of spironolactone treatment of advanced heart failure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44576/1/10557_2004_Article_405789.pd