474 research outputs found
Thomas-Ehrman shifts in nuclei around ^{16}O and role of residual nuclear interaction
The asymmetry in the energy spectra between mirror nuclei (the Thomas-Ehrman
shifts) around O is investigated from a phenomenological viewpoint. The
recent data on proton-rich nuclei indicates that the residual nuclear
interaction is reduced for the loosely bound s-orbit by as much as 30%, which
originates in the broad radial distribution of the proton single-particle wave
function.Comment: to appear in Phys. Lett. B, with 3 eps figure
Response of bacterioplankton community structure to an artificial gradient of pCO2 in the Arctic Ocean
In order to test the influences of ocean acidification on the ocean pelagic ecosystem, so far the largest CO2 manipulation mesocosm study (European Project on Ocean Acidification, EPOCA) was performed in Kings Bay (Kongsfjorden), Spitsbergen. During a 30 day incubation, bacterial diversity was investigated using DNA fingerprinting and clone library analysis of bacterioplankton samples. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of the PCR amplicons of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that general bacterial diversity, taxonomic richness and community structure were influenced by the variation of productivity during the time of incubation, but not the degree of ocean acidification. A BIOENV analysis suggested a complex control of bacterial community structure by various biological and chemical environmental parameters. The maximum apparent diversity of bacterioplankton (i.e., the number of T-RFs) in high and low pCO2 treatments differed significantly. A negative relationship between the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and pCO2 levels was observed for samples at the end of the experiment by the combination of T-RFLP and clone library analysis. Our study suggests that ocean acidification affects the development of bacterial assemblages and potentially impacts the ecological function of the bacterioplankton in the marine ecosystem
TPXL-1 activates Aurora A to clear contractile ring components from the polar cortex during cytokinesis
During cytokinesis, a signal from the central spindle that forms between the separating anaphase chromosomes promotes the accumulation of contractile ring components at the cell equator, while a signal from the centrosomal microtubule asters inhibits accumulation of contractile ring components at the cell poles. However, the molecular identity of the inhibitory signal has remained unknown. To identify molecular components of the aster-based inhibitory signal, we developed a means to monitor the removal of contractile ring proteins from the polar cortex after anaphase onset. Using this assay, we show that polar clearing is an active process that requires activation of Aurora A kinase by TPXL-1. TPXL-1 concentrates on astral microtubules coincident with polar clearing in anaphase, and its ability to recruit Aurora A and activate its kinase activity are essential for clearing. In summary, our data identify Aurora A kinase as an aster-based inhibitory signal that restricts contractile ring components to the cell equator during cytokinesis.We thank the Caenorhabditis Genetic Center (funded by the National Institutes of Health Office of Research Infrastructure Programs P40 OD010440) for strains. This work was supported by grants to K. Oegema (National Institutes of Health; GM074207), E. Zanin (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, ZA619/3-1), and A.X. Carvalho (European Research Council; 640553–ACTOMYO). T. Kim was supported by a grant to Arshad Desai (National Institutes of Health; GM074215). K. Oegema receives salary and other support from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. S. Mangal is a member of International Max Planck Research School for Molecular Life Sciences, and J. Sacher is a member of the Life Science Munich graduate program; both thank their programs for support
Case Studies of Energy Information Systems and Related Technology: Operational Practices, Costs, and Benefits
Energy Information Systems (EIS), which can
monitor and analyze building energy consumption
and related data throughout the Internet, have been
increasing in use over the last decade. Though EIS
developers describe the capabilities, costs, and
benefits of EIS, many of these descriptions are
idealized and often insufficient for potential users to
evaluate cost, benefit and operational usefulness.
LBNL has conducted a series of case studies of
existing EIS and related technology installations.
This study explored the following questions: 1) How is the EIS used in day-to-day operation? 2) What are the costs and benefits of an EIS? 3) Where do the energy savings come from? This paper reviews the process of these technologies
from installation through energy management
practice. The study is based on interviews with
operators and energy managers who use EIS.
Analysis of energy data trended by EIS and utility
bills was also conducted to measure the benefit. This
paper explores common uses and findings to identify
energy savings attributable to EIS, and discusses nonenergy
benefits as well. This paper also addresses
technologies related to EIS that have been
demonstrated and evaluated by LBNL
Introduction to Commercial Building Control Strategies and Techniques for Demand Response -- Appendices
There are 3 appendices listed: (A) DR strategies for HVAC systems; (B) Summary of DR strategies; and (C) Case study of advanced demand response
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Loss of DLX3 tumor suppressive function promotes progression of SCC through EGFR-ERBB2 pathway
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) ranks second in the frequency of all skin cancers. The balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation is disrupted in the pathological development of cSCC. DLX3 is a homeobox transcription factor which plays pivotal roles in embryonic development and epidermal homeostasis. To investigate the impact of DLX3 expression on cSCC prognosis, we carried out clinicopathologic analysis of DLX3 expression which showed statistical correlation between tumors of higher pathologic grade and levels of DLX3 protein expression. Further, Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated that low DLX3 expression correlated with poor patient survival. To model the function of Dlx3 in skin tumorigenesis, a two-stage dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) study was performed on mice genetically depleted of Dlx3 in skin epithelium (Dlx3cKO). Dlx3cKO mice developed significantly more tumors, with more rapid tumorigenesis compared to control mice. In Dlx3cKO mice treated only with DMBA, tumors developed after similar to 16 weeks suggesting that loss of Dlx3 has a tumor promoting effect. Whole transcriptome analysis of tumor and skin tissue from our mouse model revealed spontaneous activation of the EGFR-ERBB2 pathway in the absence of Dlx3. Together, our findings from human and mouse model system support a tumor suppressive function for DLX3 in skin and underscore the efficacy of therapeutic approaches that target EGFR-ERBB2 pathway
Variability in automated responses of commercial buildings and industrial facilities to dynamic electricity prices
Changes in the electricity consumption of commercial buildings and industrial facilities (C&I facilities) during Demand Response (DR) events are usually estimated using counterfactual baseline models. Model error makes it difficult to precisely quantify these changes in consumption and understand if C&I facilities exhibit event-to-event variability in their response to DR signals. This paper seeks to understand baseline model error and DR variability in C&I facilities facing dynamic electricity prices. Using a regression-based baseline model, we present a method to compute the error associated with estimates of several DR parameters. We also develop a metric to determine how much observed DR variability results from baseline model error rather than real variability in response. We analyze 38 C&I facilities participating in an automated DR program and find that DR parameter errors are large. Though some facilities exhibit real DR variability, most observed variability results from baseline model error. Therefore, facilities with variable DR parameters may actually respond consistently from event to event. Consequently, in DR programs in which repeatability is valued, individual buildings may be performing better than previously thought. In some cases, however, aggregations of C&I facilities exhibit real DR variability, which could create challenges for power system operation
Influence of SIGLEC9 polymorphisms on COPD phenotypes including exacerbation frequency.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The exacerbation-prone phenotype of COPD is particularly important, as exacerbations lead to poor quality of life and disease progression. We previously found that COPD patients who lack Siglec-14, a myeloid cell protein that recognizes bacteria and triggers inflammatory responses, are less prone to exacerbation. We hypothesized that the variations in other SIGLEC genes could also influence COPD exacerbation frequency, and investigated the association between SIGLEC9 polymorphisms and the exacerbation-prone phenotype of COPD. METHODS: We examined whether SIGLEC9 polymorphisms affect the frequency of COPD exacerbation in 135 subjects within our study population, and also analysed the correlation between the genotypes and the severity of airflow obstruction and emphysema in 362 Japanese smokers including 244 COPD patients. The association between these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and COPD phenotypes were also assessed in a Caucasian population of ECLIPSE study. The effects of these coding SNPs (cSNPs) on Siglec-9 protein functions were analysed using in vitro assays. RESULTS: The G allele of rs2075803 and rs2075803 G/rs2258983 A(GA) haplotype in SIGLEC9 was associated with higher frequency of exacerbations and the extent of emphysema in COPD. These results did not replicate in the ECLIPSE study. A myeloid cell line expressing the Siglec-9 variant corresponding to GA haplotype produced more TNF-α than the one expressing the variant corresponding to the other major haplotype. CONCLUSION: The SIGLEC9 rs2075803 G/rs2258983 A haplotype, which corresponds to a Siglec-9 variant that is less effective at suppressing inflammatory response, may be a risk factor for the development of emphysema
Simultaneous disruption of two DNA polymerases, Polη and Polζ, in Avian DT40 cells unmasks the role of Polη in cellular response to various DNA lesions
Replicative DNA polymerases are frequently stalled by DNA lesions. The resulting replication blockage is released by homologous recombination (HR) and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). TLS employs specialized TLS polymerases to bypass DNA lesions. We provide striking in vivo evidence of the cooperation between DNA polymerase η, which is mutated in the variant form of the cancer predisposition disorder xeroderma pigmentosum (XP-V), and DNA polymerase ζ by generating POLη−/−/POLζ−/− cells from the chicken DT40 cell line. POLζ−/− cells are hypersensitive to a very wide range of DNA damaging agents, whereas XP-V cells exhibit moderate sensitivity to ultraviolet light (UV) only in the presence of caffeine treatment and exhibit no significant sensitivity to any other damaging agents. It is therefore widely believed that Polη plays a very specific role in cellular tolerance to UV-induced DNA damage. The evidence we present challenges this assumption. The phenotypic analysis of POLη−/−/POLζ−/− cells shows that, unexpectedly, the loss of Polη significantly rescued all mutant phenotypes of POLζ−/− cells and results in the restoration of the DNA damage tolerance by a backup pathway including HR. Taken together, Polη contributes to a much wide range of TLS events than had been predicted by the phenotype of XP-V cells
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