Two-fold Semantic Web service matchmaking – applying ontology mapping for service discovery

Semantic Web Services (SWS) aim at the automated discovery and orchestration of Web services on the basis of comprehensive, machine-interpretable semantic descriptions. Since SWS annotations usually are created by distinct SWS providers, semantic-level mediation, i.e. mediation between concurrent semantic representations, is a key requirement for SWS discovery. Since semantic-level mediation aims at enabling interoperability across heterogeneous semantic representations, it can be perceived as a particular instantiation of the ontology mapping problem. While recent SWS matchmakers usually rely on manual alignments or subscription to a common ontology, we propose a two-fold SWS matchmaking approach, consisting of (a) a general-purpose semantic-level mediator and (b) comparison and matchmaking of SWS capabilities. Our semantic-level mediation approach enables the implicit representation of similarities across distinct SWS by grounding service descriptions in so-called Mediation Spaces (MS). Given a set of SWS and their respective grounding, a SWS matchmaker automatically computes instance similarities across distinct SWS ontologies and matches the request to the most suitable SWS. A prototypical application illustrates our approach

A model for coupled electro-hydro-mechanical processes in fine grained soils accounting for gas generation and transport

A theoretical and numerical model is developed for the quantitative analysis of coupled processes taking place in active waste containment systems, such as electrokinetic barriers or fences, in which alow intensity DC current is circulated across the clay barrier to move polar and non-polar contaminants. A novel feature of the proposed approach is the allowance for the presence of air in the pore space. Under unsaturated conditions, all transport coefficients involved in the electrokinetic process are strongly dependent on the degree of saturation of pore liquid. In order to assess the predictive capability of the proposed theory and to appreciate the impact of gas production at the electrodes, a series of numerical simulations of simple onedimensional electrokinetic tests have been performed. The results of the simulations compare reasonably well with data obtained from laboratory experiments performed on an illitic clayey silt. The numerical results indicate that the impact of gas production at the electrodes can be significant, even in low-intensity and short-duration treatments

Numerical modelling of electrokinetic processes on a natural soil

Viene presentato uno studio numerico per la modellazione dei fenomeni elettrocinetici in un terreno naturale. Vengono proposte due procedure numeriche propedeutiche allo studio mediante il ben noto metodo degli elementi finiti. Una prima procedura permette l'integrazione dei legami costitutivi per la simulazione delle prove geotecniche di laboratorio in campo non saturo. La seconda procedura è volta alla definizione delle reazioni chimiche che avvengono a seguito dell'applicazione di un campo elettrico nei terreni. I risultati ottenuti da precedenti studi sperimentali sono prima interpretati teoricamente. Viene poi proposto un modello costitutivo elasto-plastico per l'interpretazione delle prove meccaniche. Infine le prove di filtrazione elettrocinetica sono simulate attraverso il metodo degli elementi finiti.A numerical study on modelling electrokinetic processes occurring in a natural soil is presented. Two numerical procedures preparatory to the study by means of the well-known finite element method are presented. The first procedure is intended to integrate constitutive laws along typical unsaturated testing path. The second procedure is devoted to analyse the most relevant chemical reactions occurring in a soil under an electric field. Selected results of previous experimental studies are theoretically analysed to define a suitable interpretation framework. Afterwards that an elasto-plastic constitutive model with generalised hardening is proposed. Finally electrokinetic filtration tests are simulated by means of a finite element model

Pro-Resolving FPR2 Agonists Regulate NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Phosphorylation of HSP27, OSR1, and MARCKS and Activation of the Respective Upstream Kinases

Formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, being activated either by pro-resolving or proinflammatory ligands. FPR2-associated signal transduction pathways result in phosphorylation of several proteins and in NADPH oxidase activation. We, herein, investigated molecular mechanisms underlying phosphorylation of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), oxidative stress responsive kinase 1 (OSR1), and myristolated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) elicited by the pro-resolving FPR2 agonists WKYMVm and annexin A1 (ANXA1)

Intranuclear Signaling Cascades Triggered by Nuclear GPCRs

G protein-couped receptors (GPCRs) play a key role on cellular membranes, where they respond to a broad array of extracellular signals such as lipids, peptides, proteins and sensory agents. Intracellular biological responses triggered by these receptors include hormone secretion, muscle contraction, cellular metabolism a tyrosine kinase receptors transactivation. Recent results indicate that GPCRs localize to and signal also at nuclear level, thus regulating distinct signaling pathways which can also result from the integration of extracellular and intracellular stimuli. Nuclear GPCRs play a central role in many cellular processes, including regulation of gene transcription, cellular proliferation, neovascularization and RNA synthesis. On nuclear membranes and in nucleoplasm are present all the downstream signal transduction components of GPCRs, including G proteins, adenylyl cyclase, and second messengers such as Ca++, ERKs, p38MAPK and other protein kinases. Nuclear GPCRs may be constitutively active or may be activated by ligands internalized from the extracellular space or synthesized within the cell. The translocation of membrane receptors to the nucleus could be attributed to the presence of a Nuclear Localization Signal, which is present in the eighth helix or in the third intracellular loop of a limited number of GPCRs. However, several sequence motifs that do not resemble classical Nuclear Localization Signals can promote import of GPCRs. In this review we discuss the most recent results on nuclear localization and signaling of several GPCRS

Energy efficiency in Europe: trends, convergence and policy effectiveness

This paper analyses energy efficiency in the EU, both in terms of reductions in energy intensity and in terms of physical indicators, looking at the differences among sectors and among Member States. We test econometrically the existence of convergence in energy intensity across Europe. We find a sensible catching–up of less performing countries, particularly in the agricultural and in the industrial sectors. Against this background, we analyse the role played by energy policies in EU Member States and we identify the most effective classes of policies and measures by means of a panel analysis of the EU-15 and Norway. It turns out that, in the residential sector, energy efficiency is particularly affected by heating regulations, by subsidies as well as tax reductions; in the transport sector, effective policies are tax reductions, incentives to eliminate old and polluting cars, car sharing, commuter plan and traffic management; in the industrial sector, mandatory technology standards, financing at low interest rate, information activities, education and outreach proved to be effective.energy intensity, energy efficiency, convergence, European energy policy

Formyl Peptide Receptor 1 Modulates Endothelial Cell Functions by NADPH Oxidase-Dependent VEGFR2 Transactivation

In the vasculature, NADPH oxidase is the main contributor of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which play a key role in endothelial signalling and functions. We demonstrate that ECV304 cells express p47phox, p67phox, and p22phox subunits of NADPH oxidase, as well as formyl peptide receptors 1 and 3 (FPR1/3), which are members of the GPCR family. By RT-PCR, we also detected Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR in these cells. Stimulation of FPR1 by N-fMLP induces p47phox phosphorylation, which is the crucial event for NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production. Transphosphorylation of RTKs by GPCRs is a biological mechanism through which the information exchange is amplified throughout the cell. ROS act as signalling intermediates in the transactivation mechanism. We show that N-fMLP stimulation induces the phosphorylation of cytosolic Y951, Y996, and Y1175 residues of VEGFR2, which constitute the anchoring sites for signalling molecules. These, in turn, activate PI3K/Akt and PLC-γ1/PKC intracellular pathways. FPR1-induced ROS production plays a critical role in this cross-talk mechanism. In fact, inhibition of FPR1 and/or NADPH oxidase functions prevents VEGFR2 transactivation and the triggering of the downstream signalling cascades. N-fMLP stimulation also ameliorates cellular migration and capillary-like network formation ability of ECV304 cells

Environmental dependence of bulge-dominated galaxy sizes in hierarchical models of galaxy formation. Comparison with the local Universe

We compare state-of-the-art semi-analytic models of galaxy formation as well as advanced sub-halo abundance matching models with a large sample of early-type galaxies from SDSS at z < 0.3. We focus our attention on the dependence of median sizes of central galaxies on host halo mass. The data do not show any difference in the structural properties of early-type galaxies with environment, at fixed stellar mass. All hierarchical models considered in this work instead tend to predict a moderate to strong environmental dependence, with the median size increasing by a factor of about 1.5-3 when moving from low to high mass host haloes. At face value the discrepancy with the data is highly significant, especially at the cluster scale, for haloes above log Mhalo > 14. The convolution with (correlated) observational errors reduces some of the tension. Despite the observational uncertainties, the data tend to disfavour hierarchical models characterized by a relevant contribution of disc instabilities to the formation of spheroids, strong gas dissipation in (major) mergers, short dynamical friction timescales, and very short quenching timescales in infalling satellites. We also discuss a variety of additional related issues, such as the slope and scatter in the local size-stellar mass relation, the fraction of gas in local early-type galaxies, and the general predictions on satellite galaxies.Comment: 27 pages, 14 figures, 2 tables. MNRAS, in pres

Ligand-induced dynamics of neurotrophin receptors investigated by single-molecule imaging approaches

Neurotrophins are secreted proteins that regulate neuronal development and survival, as well as maintenance and plasticity of the adult nervous system. The biological activity of neurotrophins stems from their binding to two membrane receptor types, the tropomyosin receptor kinase and the p75 neurotrophin receptors (NRs). The intracellular signalling cascades thereby activated have been extensively investigated. Nevertheless, a comprehensive description of the ligand-induced nanoscale details of NRs dynamics and interactions spanning from the initial lateral movements triggered at the plasma membrane to the internalization and transport processes is still missing. Recent advances in high spatio-temporal resolution imaging techniques have yielded new insight on the dynamics of NRs upon ligand binding. Here we discuss requirements, potential and practical implementation of these novel approaches for the study of neurotrophin trafficking and signalling, in the framework of current knowledge available also for other ligand-receptor systems. We shall especially highlight the correlation between the receptor dynamics activated by different neurotrophins and the respective signalling outcome, as recently revealed by single-molecule tracking of NRs in living neuronal cells

Shear stress reverses dome formation in confluent renal tubular cells.

It has been shown that MDCK cells, a cell line derived from canine renal tubules, develop cell domes due to fluid pumped under cell monolayer and focal detachment from the adhesion surface. In vitro studies have shown that primary cilia of kidney tubular epithelial cells act as mechanosensors, increasing intracellular calcium within seconds upon changes in fluid shear stress (SS) on cell membrane. We then studied the effect of prolonged SS exposure on cell dome formation in confluent MDCK cell monolayers.A parallel plate flow chamber was used to apply laminar SS at 2 dynes/cm(2) to confluent cell monolayers for 6 hours. Control MDCK cell monolayers were maintained in static condition. The effects of Ca(2+) blockade and cell deciliation on SS exposure were also investigated.Seven days after reaching confluence, static cultures developed liquid filled domes, elevating from culture plate. Exposure to SS induced almost complete disappearance of cell domes (0.4±0.8 vs. 11.4±2.8 domes/mm(2), p0.01, n=14). SS induced dome disappearance took place within minutes to hours, as shown by time-lapse videomicroscopy. Exposure to SS importantly affected cell cytoskeleton altering actin stress fibers expression and organization, and the distribution of tight junction protein ZO-1. Dome disappearance induced by flow was completely prevented in the presence of EGTA or after cell deciliation.These data indicate that kidney tubular cells are sensitive to apical flow and that these effects are mediated by primary cilia by regulation of Ca(2+) entry in to the cell. SS induced Ca(2+) entry provokes contraction of cortical actin ring that tenses cell-cell borders and decreases basal stress fibers. These processes may increase paracellular permeability and decrease basal adhesion making dome disappear. Elucidation of the effects of apical fluid flow on tubular cell function may open new insights on the pathophysiology of kidney diseases associated with cilia dysfunction