Going Green with IT: A Study of Energy Consumption by Home and School Information Technology Systems in the College of Information at the University of North Texas

This paper addresses the strategies introduced by the College of Information at the University of North Texas to monitor and begin implementing approaches to enable the college to move toward the university???s strategic goal of becoming a climate-neutral, ???Green University??? [3]. Data based on monitoring selected office and home inventories of information technology equipment were used to generate estimated production-level use and standby (vampire) consumption of electrical energy. Sample-based estimations and projections regarding 2008 to 2009 progress indicate that that the College of Information at the University of North Texas has made extensive progress over one year in reducing the energy consumed by its information technology systems. New computer and printer systems have greater processing power and capabilities but consume no more power than the ones they replace, when in full operation. The computer systems consume one-half to one-third (and in some cases oneseventh) the power of the previous systems when in 'sleep???, 'hibernate' or 'shut down' states that qualify for the standard definition of consuming stand by power. The authors estimate that these actions have brought the college at least halfway toward its five-year goal of becoming climate neutral, during the first year of the initiative

Long-Term High Fat Diet Has a Profound Effect on Body Weight, Hormone Levels, and Estrous Cycle in Mice

Background: Obesity causes several health complications along with disruption of the reproductive system. The aim of the current study was to determine how long-term intake of very high fat diet (VHFD) changes the hormonal milieu, affecting the cellular morphology and reproductive cycle in female mice. Material/Methods: Mice were fed on normal diet (ND) and VHFD for 2 weeks, 12 weeks, and 25–27 weeks. We assessed changes in body weight, food consumption, energy intake, cellular and tissue morphology, hormonal levels (leptin, insulin, and estradiol), and vaginal smears were performed at various time points to determine the length and cellularity at each stage of the estrous cycle. Results: Mice fed on VHFD showed a significant increase in weight gain, reduction in food intake, and increase in energy intake compared to animals fed on ND, indicating that the caloric density of the diet is responsible for the differences in weight gain. Hormonal analysis showed hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, and increases in estrogen levels, along with increases in size of the islet of Langerhans and adipocytes. After 25–27 weeks, all animals fed on VHFD showed complete acyclicity; elongation of phases (e.g., diestrous), skipping of phases (e.g., metestrous), or a combination of both, indicating disruption in the reproductive cycle. Quantitative analysis showed that in the diestrous phase there was a 70% increase in cell count in VHFD compared to animals fed on ND. Conclusions: The above results show that morphological and hormonal changes caused by VHFD probably act via negative feedback to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to shut down reproduction, which has a direct effect on the estrous cycle, causing acyclicity in mice

Asn12 and Asn278: Critical Residues for In Vitro Biological Activity of Reteplase

Reteplase (rPA) is a thrombolytic agent used for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. We studied the expression of rPA and its selected asparagine mutants after integration into the Pichia genome. Though methanol induction of the native and the rPA mutants showed similar expression levels (~200–250 mg/L), the mutants displayed significant loss of protease activity. Strikingly, the clot lysis activities of these mutants were considerably different. While mutation of Asn12 (N12P) of the Kringle 2 domain showed delayed clot lysis activity (t1/2 = 38 min) compared to the native rPA (t1/2 = 33 min), a faster rate of clot lysis (t1/2 = 27 min) was observed when the Asn278 (N278S) of the serine protease domain was mutated. Interestingly, the slowest clot lysis activity (t1/2 = 49 min) demonstrated by the double mutant (N12P, N278S) suggests the dominant role of Asn12 in regulating the fibrinolytic activity of rPA. The results presented in this paper indicate that the fibrinolytic and the proteolytic activities of rPA are independent of each other

Arachis hoehnei the probable B genome donor of Arachis hypogaea based on crossability, cytogenetical and molecular studies

Results are presented of a study investigating the crossability relationship between Arachis hypogaea and six B genome species. Cultivated groundnut was crossed with Arachis hoehnei, A. benensis, A. valida, A. magna, A. batizocoi and A. ipaensis. A. hoehnei when crossed with A. hypogaea set bold seeds without the application of growth regulators. Based on crossability between A. duranensis and A. hoehnei, cytogenetical data and molecular analysis of the hybrid between A. duranensis and A. hoehnei, it is proposed that A. hoehnei is the probable B genome donor of cultivated groundnut

Analysis of knockout mice suggests a role for VGF in the control of fat storage and energy expenditure

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous studies of mixed background mice have demonstrated that targeted deletion of <it>Vgf </it>produces a lean, hypermetabolic mouse that is resistant to diet-, lesion-, and genetically-induced obesity. To investigate potential mechanism(s) and site(s) of action of VGF, a neuronal and endocrine secreted protein and neuropeptide precursor, we further analyzed the metabolic phenotypes of two independent VGF knockout lines on C57Bl6 backgrounds.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Unlike hyperactive VGF knockout mice on a mixed C57Bl6-129/SvJ background, homozygous mutant mice on a C57Bl6 background were hypermetabolic with similar locomotor activity levels to <it>Vgf+/Vgf+ </it>mice, during day and night cycles, indicating that mechanism(s) other than hyperactivity were responsible for their increased energy expenditure. In <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>knockout mice, morphological analysis of brown and white adipose tissues (BAT and WAT) indicated decreased fat storage in both tissues, and decreased adipocyte perimeter and area in WAT. Changes in gene expression measured by real-time RT-PCR were consistent with increased fatty acid oxidation and uptake in BAT, and increased lipolysis, decreased lipogenesis, and brown adipocyte differentiation in WAT, suggesting that increased sympathetic nervous system activity in <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>mice may be associated with or responsible for alterations in energy expenditure and fat storage. In addition, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and UCP2 protein levels, mitochondrial number, and mitochondrial cristae density were upregulated in <it>Vgf-/Vgf- </it>BAT. Using immunohistochemical and histochemical techniques, we detected VGF in nerve fibers innervating BAT and <it>Vgf </it>promoter-driven reporter expression in cervical and thoracic spinal ganglia that project to and innervate the chest wall and tissues including BAT. Moreover, VGF peptide levels were quantified by radioimmunoassay in BAT, and were found to be down-regulated by a high fat diet. Lastly, despite being hypermetabolic, VGF knockout mice were cold intolerant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We propose that VGF and/or VGF-derived peptides modulate sympathetic outflow pathways to regulate fat storage and energy expenditure.</p

Identification of extracellular glycerophosphodiesterases in Pseudomonas and their role in soil organic phosphorus remineralisation

In soils, phosphorus (P) exists in numerous organic and inorganic forms. However, plants can only acquire inorganic orthophosphate (Pi), meaning global crop production is frequently limited by P availability. To overcome this problem, rock phosphate fertilisers are heavily applied, often with negative environmental and socio-economic consequences. The organic P fraction of soil contains phospholipids that are rapidly degraded resulting in the release of bioavailable Pi. However, the mechanisms behind this process remain unknown. We identified and experimentally confirmed the function of two secreted glycerolphosphodiesterases, GlpQI and GlpQII, found in Pseudomonas stutzeri DSM4166 and Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25, respectively. A series of co-cultivation experiments revealed that in these Pseudomonas strains, cleavage of glycerolphosphorylcholine and its breakdown product G3P occurs extracellularly allowing other bacteria to benefit from this metabolism. Analyses of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic datasets revealed that this trait is widespread among soil bacteria with Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, specifically Betaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, the likely major players