Design agency:prototyping multi-agent systems in architecture

This paper presents research on the prototyping of multi-agent systems for architectural design. It proposes a design exploration methodology at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and computer science. The motivation of the work includes exploring bottom up generative methods coupled with optimizing performance criteria including for geometric complexity and objective functions for environmental, structural and fabrication parameters. The paper presents the development of a research framework and initial experiments to provide design solutions, which simultaneously satisfy complexly coupled and often contradicting objectives. The prototypical experiments and initial algorithms are described through a set of different design cases and agents within this framework; for the generation of façade panels for light control; for emergent design of shell structures; for actual construction of reciprocal frames; and for robotic fabrication. Initial results include multi-agent derived efficiencies for environmental and fabrication criteria and discussion of future steps for inclusion of human and structural factors

RNAi screen for NRF2 inducers identifies targets that rescue primary lung epithelial cells from cigarette smoke induced radical stress

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent condition characterized by inflammation and progressive obstruction of the airways. At present, there is no treatment that suppresses the chronic inflammation of the disease, and COPD patients often succumb to the condition. Excessive oxidative stress caused by smoke inhalation is a major driving force of the disease. The transcription factor NRF2 is a critical player in the battle against oxidative stress and its function is impaired in COPD. Increasing NRF2 activity may therefore be a viable therapeutic option for COPD treatment. We show that down regulation of KEAP1, a NRF2 inhibitor, protects primary human lung epithelial cells from cigarette-smoke-extract (CSE) induced cell death in an established in vitro model of radical stress. To identify new potential drug targets with a similar effect, we performed a siRNA screen of the 'druggable' genome using a NRF2 transcriptional reporter cell line. This screen identified multiple genes that when down regulated increased NRF2 transcriptional activity and provided a survival benefit in the in vitro model. Our results suggest that inhibiting components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system will have the strongest effects on NRF2 transcriptional activity by increasing NRF2 levels. We also find that down regulation of the small GTPase Rab28 or the Estrogen Receptor ESRRA provide a survival benefit. Rab28 knockdown increased NRF2 protein levels, indicating that Rab28 may regulate NRF2 proteolysis. Conversely ESRRA down regulation increased NRF2 transcriptional activity without affecting NRF2 levels, suggesting a proteasome-independent mechanism

What can we learn from a race with one runner? A comment on Foreman-Peck and Zhou, ‘Late marriage as a contributor to the industrial revolution in England’

Foreman-Peck and Zhou’s claim that late marriage was a major contributor to the Industrial Revolution in England cannot be sustained. They consider neither other influences on English industrialisation nor other European economies where marriage age was high throughout the early modern period but industrialisation came much later. It is not possible to argue that late marriage age was a major contributor to English industrialisation without analysing other possible contributing factors. Any consideration of this question must assess marriage age alongside other causes of industrialisation and explain why other European economies with higher marriage age industrialised much later than England

Separation and Determination of Fatty Acids from Lipid Fractions by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography: Cholesterol Esters of Umbilical Cord Arteries

Preeclampsia is accompanied by an extensive remodeling of the extracellular matrix of umbilical cord. It is associated with an increase in collagen content in the umbilical cord artery. Furthermore, preeclampsia distinctly reduces proteolytic and gelatinolytic activity, especially after activation with various agents

Nerve Growth Factor Stimulates Interaction of Cayman Ataxia Protein BNIP-H/Caytaxin with Peptidyl-Prolyl Isomerase Pin1 in Differentiating Neurons

Mutations in ATCAY that encodes the brain-specific protein BNIP-H (or Caytaxin) lead to Cayman cerebellar ataxia. BNIP-H binds to glutaminase, a neurotransmitter-producing enzyme, and affects its activity and intracellular localization. Here we describe the identification and characterization of the binding between BNIP-H and Pin1, a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase. BNIP-H interacted with Pin1 after nerve growth factor-stimulation and they co-localized in the neurites and cytosol of differentiating pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and the embryonic carcinoma P19 cells. Deletional mutagenesis revealed two cryptic binding sites within the C-terminus of BNIP-H such that single point mutants affecting the WW domain of Pin1 completely abolished their binding. Although these two sites do not contain any of the canonical Pin1-binding motifs they showed differential binding profiles to Pin1 WW domain mutants S16E, S16A and W34A, and the catalytically inert C113A of its isomerase domain. Furthermore, their direct interaction would occur only upon disrupting the ability of BNIP-H to form an intramolecular interaction by two similar regions. Furthermore, expression of Pin1 disrupted the BNIP-H/glutaminase complex formation in PC12 cells under nerve growth factor-stimulation. These results indicate that nerve growth factor may stimulate the interaction of BNIP-H with Pin1 by releasing its intramolecular inhibition. Such a mechanism could provide a post-translational regulation on the cellular activity of BNIP-H during neuronal differentiation. (213 words

Methods for modelling and analysis of bendable photovoltaic modules on irregularly curved surfaces

Most photovoltaic modules are planar and as a result, research on panel layout for photovoltaic systems typically uses planar panels. However, the increased availability of thin-film photovoltaic modules opens up possibilities for the application of flexible solar panels on irregularly curved surfaces, including the integration of photovoltaic panels on building roofs with double curvature. In order to efficiently arrange photovoltaic panels on such surfaces, geometric CAD tools as well as radiation analysis tools are needed. This paper introduces a method to generate geometry for flexible photovoltaic modules on curved surfaces, as well as a method to arrange multiple of such modules on a surface. By automating the generation of possible photovoltaic panel arrangements and linking the geometric tools to solar analysis software, large numbers of design options can be analysed in a relatively short time. This combination of geometry generation and solar analysis provides data that is important for electrical design of photovoltaic systems. The merits of the methods we introduce are illustrated with a case study, for which hundreds of design configurations have been explored in an automated manner. Based on analysis of the numeric data generated for each of the configurations, the effects of panel dimensions and orientation on solar insolation potential and panel curvature have been established. The quantitative and qualitative conclusions resulting from this analysis have informed the design of the photovoltaic system in the case study project.ISSN:2251-6832ISSN:2008-916

Hemocue, an accurate bedside method of hemoglobin measurement?

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the accuracy of this bedside method to determine hemoglobin (Hb) concentration in general surgery over a wide range of Hb values and to determine potential sources of error. METHODS Accuracy of Hb measurement using HemoCue (AB Leo Diagnostics, Helsinborg, Sweden) was assessed in 140 surgical blood samples using 7 HemoCue devices in comparison with a CO-Oximeter (IL 482, Instrumentation Laboratory, Lexington, MA). To analyze potential sources of error, packed red cells and fresh frozen plasma were reconstituted to randomized Hb levels of 2-18 g/dL. RESULTS In the surgical blood samples, the Hb concentration determined by the CO-Oximeter (HbCOOX) ranged from 5.1 to 16.7 g/dL and the Hb concentration measured by HemoCue (HbHC) from 4.7 to 16.0 g/dL. Bias (HbCOOX - HbHC) between HbCOOX and HbHC was 0.6+/-0.6 g/dL (mean +/- SD) or 5.4+/-5.0% (p < 0.001). Also in the reconstituted blood, the bias between HbCOOX and HbHC was significant (0.2+/-0.3 g/dL or 2.1+/-3.2%; p < 0.001). The microcuvette explained 68% of the variability between HbCOOX and HbHC. HemoCue thus underestimates the Hb concentration by 2-5% and exhibits a 8-10 times higher variability with only 86.4% of HbHC being within +/- 10% of HbCOOX. CONCLUSION. Although the mean bias between HbCOOX and HbHC was relatively low, Hb measurement by HemoCue exhibited a significant variability. Loading multiple microcuvettes and averaging the results may increase the accuracy of Hb measurement by HemoCue