pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
The site of regulation of light capture in Symbiodinium: Does the peridinin–chlorophyll a–protein detach to regulate light capture?

AbstractDinoflagellates from the genus Symbiodinium form symbiotic associations with cnidarians including corals and anemones. The photosynthetic apparatuses of these dinoflagellates possess a unique photosynthetic antenna system incorporating the peridinin–chlorophyll a–protein (PCP). It has been proposed that the appearance of a PCP-specific 77K fluorescence emission band around 672–675nm indicates that high light treatment results in PCP dissociation from intrinsic membrane antenna complexes, blocking excitation transfer to the intrinsic membrane-bound antenna complexes, chlorophyll a–chlorophyll c2–peridinin–protein-complex (acpPC) and associated photosystems (Reynolds et al., 2008 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105:13674–13678).We have tested this model using time-resolved fluorescence decay kinetics in conjunction with global fitting to compare the time-evolution of the PCP spectral bands before and after high light exposure. Our results show that no long-lived PCP fluorescence emission components appear either before or after high light treatment, indicating that the efficiency of excitation transfer from PCP to membrane antenna systems remains efficient and rapid even after exposure to high light. The apparent increased relative emission at around 675nm was, instead, caused by strong preferential exciton quenching of the membrane antenna complexes associated with acpPC and reaction centers. This strong non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is consistent with the activation of xanthophyll-associated quenching mechanisms and the generally-observed avoidance in nature of long-lived photoexcited states that can lead to oxidative damage. The acpPC component appears to be the most strongly quenched under high light exposure suggesting that it houses the photoprotective exciton quencher
18F-fluoride positron emission tomography for identification of ruptured and high-risk coronary atherosclerotic plaques: a prospective clinical trial

SummaryBackgroundThe use of non-invasive imaging to identify ruptured or high-risk coronary atherosclerotic plaques would represent a major clinical advance for prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease. We used combined PET and CT to identify ruptured and high-risk atherosclerotic plaques using the radioactive tracers 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG).MethodsIn this prospective clinical trial, patients with myocardial infarction (n=40) and stable angina (n=40) underwent 18F-NaF and 18F-FDG PET-CT, and invasive coronary angiography. 18F-NaF uptake was compared with histology in carotid endarterectomy specimens from patients with symptomatic carotid disease, and with intravascular ultrasound in patients with stable angina. The primary endpoint was the comparison of 18F-fluoride tissue-to-background ratios of culprit and non-culprit coronary plaques of patients with acute myocardial infarction.FindingsIn 37 (93%) patients with myocardial infarction, the highest coronary 18F-NaF uptake was seen in the culprit plaque (median maximum tissue-to-background ratio: culprit 1·66 [IQR 1·40–2·25] vs highest non-culprit 1·24 [1·06–1·38], p<0·0001). By contrast, coronary 18F-FDG uptake was commonly obscured by myocardial uptake and where discernible, there were no differences between culprit and non-culprit plaques (1·71 [1·40–2·13] vs 1·58 [1·28–2·01], p=0·34). Marked 18F-NaF uptake occurred at the site of all carotid plaque ruptures and was associated with histological evidence of active calcification, macrophage infiltration, apoptosis, and necrosis. 18 (45%) patients with stable angina had plaques with focal 18F-NaF uptake (maximum tissue-to-background ratio 1·90 [IQR 1·61–2·17]) that were associated with more high-risk features on intravascular ultrasound than those without uptake: positive remodelling (remodelling index 1·12 [1·09–1·19] vs 1·01 [0·94–1·06]; p=0·0004), microcalcification (73% vs 21%, p=0·002), and necrotic core (25% [21–29] vs 18% [14–22], p=0·001).Interpretation18F-NaF PET-CT is the first non-invasive imaging method to identify and localise ruptured and high-risk coronary plaque. Future studies are needed to establish whether this method can improve the management and treatment of patients with coronary artery disease.FundingChief Scientist Office Scotland and British Heart Foundation
Naturally light neutrinos in Diracon model

AbstractWe propose a simple model for Dirac neutrinos where the smallness of neutrino mass follows from a parameter κ whose absence enhances the symmetry of the theory. Symmetry breaking is performed in a two-doublet Higgs sector supplemented by a gauge singlet scalar, realizing an accidental global U(1) symmetry. Its spontaneous breaking at the few TeV scale leads to a physical Nambu–Goldstone boson – the Diracon, denoted D – which is restricted by astrophysics and induces invisible Higgs decays such as h→DD. The scheme provides a rich, yet very simple scenario for symmetry breaking studies at colliders such as the LHC
Estimation of Solar Radiation by Artificial Networks: East Coast Malaysia

AbstractIn this paper the solar radiation forecasting in Pekan located in Pahang is presented. The time series utilized are 10 minute solar radiation data obtained directly from the measurements realized in the sites during about one month. In order to do solar radiation forecasting, quick propagation algorithms Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were developed. Around 1617 data's are taken to train ANN. The effects of temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind chill, pressure and rain on solar radiation are discussed in this paper. The maximum mean absolute percentage error was found to be less than 7.74% and R-squared (R2) values were found to be about 98.9% for the testing stations. However, these values were found to be 5.398% and 97.9% for the training stations. The trained and tested ANN models show greater accuracy for evaluating the solar radiation. The predicted solar potential values from the ANN are given in the form of table where included the other variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind chill, pressure and rain. This table is of prime importance for different working disciplines, like scientists, architects, meteorologists and solar engineers, in Malaysia. The predictions from the ANN models could enable scientists to locate and design solar energy systems in Malaysia and determine the best solar technolog
Regulation of BRAF protein stability by a negative feedback loop involving the MEK–ERK pathway but not the FBXW7 tumour suppressor

AbstractThe V600EBRAF oncogenic mutation is detected in a wide range of human cancers and induces hyperactivation of the downstream MEK–ERK signalling cascade. Although output of the BRAF–MEK–ERK pathway is regulated by feed-forward RAF activity, feedback control also plays an important role. One such feedback pathway has been identified in Caenorhabditis elegans and involves ERK-mediated phosphorylation of BRAF within a CDC4 phosphodegron (CPD), targeting BRAF for degradation via CDC4 (also known as FBXW7), a component of the SKP1/CUL1/F-box (SCF) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Here we investigate this pathway in mammalian cells. Short-term expression of autochthonous V600EBRAF in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) leads to down-regulation of BRAF protein levels in a proteasome-dependent manner and V600EBRAF has a reduced half-life compared to WTBRAF in HEK293T cells. These effects were reversed by treatment with the MEK inhibitor PD184352. We have identified the equivalent CPD at residues 400–405 in human BRAF and have found that mutation of ERK phosphorylation sites at residues T401 and S405 in V600EBRAF increases the half-life of the protein. While BRAF and FBXW7 co-immunoprecipitated, the overexpression of FBXW7 did not influence the half-life of either WTBRAF or V600EBRAF. Furthermore, disruption of the substrate-binding site of mouse FBXW7 using the R482Q mutation did not affect the interaction with BRAF and the expression levels of WTBRAF and V600EBRAF were not altered in MEFs derived from mice with the homozygous knockin R482QFBXW7 mutation. Overall these data confirm the existence of a negative feedback pathway by which BRAF protein stability is regulated by ERK. However, unlike the situation in C. elegans, FBXW7 does not play a unique role in mediating subsequent BRAF degradation
“Paperless” Foreign Languages Teaching

AbstractThe paper is focused on the integration of the “paperless” technology in English for Specific Purposes and General English teaching-learning process of power engineering students. This technology is an efficient way to realize the functions of the e-learning environment (Moodle, blogs, etc.) of a modern institution of higher education. It creates the conditions for independent acquisition and quality mastering of necessary learning information which can be used at foreign language lessons. The use of electronic teaching materials based on hypertext and multimedia tools clearly demonstrated the advantages of this technology compared with traditional textbooks since it allows revealing the didactic potential of information technologies
Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing Reveals a Continuous Spectrum of Differentiation in Hematopoietic Cells

SummaryThe transcriptional programs that govern hematopoiesis have been investigated primarily by population-level analysis of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, which cannot reveal the continuous nature of the differentiation process. Here we applied single-cell RNA-sequencing to a population of hematopoietic cells in zebrafish as they undergo thrombocyte lineage commitment. By reconstructing their developmental chronology computationally, we were able to place each cell along a continuum from stem cell to mature cell, refining the traditional lineage tree. The progression of cells along this continuum is characterized by a highly coordinated transcriptional program, displaying simultaneous suppression of genes involved in cell proliferation and ribosomal biogenesis as the expression of lineage specific genes increases. Within this program, there is substantial heterogeneity in the expression of the key lineage regulators. Overall, the total number of genes expressed, as well as the total mRNA content of the cell, decreases as the cells undergo lineage commitment
High Impact/Low Frequency Extreme Events: Enabling Reflection and Resilience in a Hyper-connected World

AbstractHelbing (2013:51) poignantly argues that ‘Globalization and technological revolutions are changing our planet’. Along with the benefits and opportunities associated with worldwide collaboration networks comes ‘pathways along which dangerous and damaging events can spread rapidly and globally’. With our hyper-connected world underpinned by hyper or hybrid-risks, the impact of unexpected events such as floods, earthquakes, financial crisis, and cyber-attacks has revealed the fragility and vulnerabilities that lie within the social/technological/economic/political/ecological interdependent systems. In particular, events that affect critical infrastructure such as damage to electric power, telecommunications, transportation, health care systems, financial markets and water-supply systems can have local, regional and global impact. Taleb (2007) calls these extreme events ‘Black swans’ to describe their inherent quality of surprise. Many of the systemic risks that characterize Natural Hazard triggered Technological disasters (NATECH) often arise from unanticipated consequences of interactions within and between different types of systems. Johnson and Tivnan (2012:65) argue that, ‘…understanding, controlling and predicting extreme behavior [of NATECH] is an important strategic goal to support resilience planning’. In this light, a new paradigm is required to support disaster risk reduction (DRR) embedded in hyper-risks; one that will develop not only anticipatory measures for risk management but also prepare for the unpredictable and the ‘unknown’ by building organisational resilience for hyper-risks in general and NATECH disasters in particular. In this paper we explore the emergency management domain associated with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident to show the hyper-connectivity and hyper-risks that permeated the problem space and thereby show how ‘reflective responses’ underpinned by ‘critical reflective practices’ can be used to support resilience in such a complex disaster
Optimal design of a toroidal field magnet system and cost of electricity implications for a tokamak using high temperature superconductors

AbstractThe potential for reducing the Cost of Electricity (CoE) by using High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) in the Toroidal Field (TF) coils of a fusion tokamak power plant has been investigated using a new HTS module in the PROCESS systems code. We report the CoE and the design of HTS tokamaks that have been optimised by minimising the major radius of the plasma. Potential future improvements in both the superconducting properties and the structural materials for TF coils operating at 4.8K and 30K are considered. Increasing the critical current density by a factor of 10 (with a commensurate reduction in costskA−1m−1) results in a CoE 4.4% less than equivalent tokamaks using current low temperature superconductors (LTS). If the yield strength of the TF casing material is increased by 40% to 1400MPa, the CoE is further reduced by 3.4%. Implementing both improvements and operating the TF coils at 4.8K leads to CoE of 19.1 (10.1) €centkW−1h−1 for a 500MW (1.5GW) HTS reactor compared to 20.7 (11.1) €centkW−1h−1 for an LTS reactor (2013 costs). Operating the HTS TF coils at 30K with both improvements, gives a similar CoE for HTS and LTS tokamaks
Flavour-singlet gA and the QCD sum rule incorporating instanton effects

AbstractWe derive a QCD sum rule for the flavour-singlet axial coupling constant gA(0) from a two-point correlation function of flavour-singlet axial vector currents in a one-nucleon state. In evaluating the correlation function by an operator product expansion we take into account the terms up to dimension 6. This correlation function receives an additional two-loop diagram which comes from an (anti-)instanton. If we do not include it, gA(0) is estimated to be 0.8. However, the additional diagram due to instantons contributes negatively and reduces gA(0) towards the experimental value
Differential Dynamic Microscopy: A High-Throughput Method for Characterizing the Motility of Microorganisms

AbstractWe present a fast, high-throughput method for characterizing the motility of microorganisms in three dimensions based on standard imaging microscopy. Instead of tracking individual cells, we analyze the spatiotemporal fluctuations of the intensity in the sample from time-lapse images and obtain the intermediate scattering function of the system. We demonstrate our method on two different types of microorganisms: the bacterium Escherichia coli (both smooth swimming and wild type) and the biflagellate alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We validate the methodology using computer simulations and particle tracking. From the intermediate scattering function, we are able to extract the swimming speed distribution, fraction of motile cells, and diffusivity for E. coli, and the swimming speed distribution, and amplitude and frequency of the oscillatory dynamics for C. reinhardtii. In both cases, the motility parameters were averaged over ∼104 cells and obtained in a few minutes
π±p differential cross sections at low energies

AbstractDifferential cross sections for π−p and π+p elastic scattering were measured at five energies between 19.9 and 43.3 MeV. The use of the CHAOS magnetic spectrometer at TRIUMF, supplemented by a range telescope for muon background suppression, provided simultaneous coverage of a large part of the full angular range, thus allowing very precise relative cross section measurements. The absolute normalisation was determined with a typical accuracy of 5%. This was verified in a simultaneous measurement of muon proton elastic scattering. The measured cross sections show some deviations from phase shift analysis predictions, in particular at large angles and low energies. From the new data we determine the real part of the isospin forward scattering amplitude
Does Vascular Calcification Accelerate Inflammation? A Substudy of the dal-PLAQUE Trial

AbstractBackgroundAtherosclerosis is an inflammatory condition with calcification apparent late in the disease process. The extent and progression of coronary calcification predict cardiovascular events. Relatively little is known about noncoronary vascular calcification.ObjectivesThis study investigated noncoronary vascular calcification and its influence on changes in vascular inflammation.MethodsA total of 130 participants in the dal-PLAQUE (Safety and efficacy of dalcetrapib on atherosclerotic disease using novel non-invasive multimodality imaging) study underwent fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography at entry and at 6 months. Calcification of the ascending aorta, arch, carotid, and coronary arteries was quantified. Cardiovascular risk factors were related to arterial calcification. The influences of baseline calcification and drug therapy (dalcetrapib vs. placebo) on progression of calcification were determined. Finally, baseline calcification was related to changes in vascular inflammation.ResultsAge >65 years old was consistently associated with higher baseline calcium scores. Arch calcification trended to progress more in those with calcification at baseline (p = 0.055). There were no significant differences between progression of vascular calcification with dalcetrapib compared to that with placebo. Average carotid target-to-background ratio indexes declined over 6 months if carotid calcium was absent (single hottest slice [p = 0.037], mean of maximum target-to-background ratio [p = 0.010], and mean most diseased segment [p < 0.001]), but did not significantly change if calcification was present at baseline.ConclusionsAcross multiple arterial regions, higher age is consistently associated with higher calcium scores. The presence of vascular calcification at baseline is associated with progressive calcification; in the carotid arteries, calcification appears to influence vascular inflammation. Dalcetrapib therapy did not affect vascular calcification
Quantifying uncertainty in acoustic measurements of tidal flows using a ‘Virtual’ Doppler Current Profiler

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.Accurate characterisation of flows at tidal sites can enable the developers of tidal stream energy projects to design and model the loads on, and the performance of, tidal energy converters. Acoustic Doppler technology is versatile in the measurement of sea conditions; however, this technology can be limited in its effectiveness at measuring the small-scale kinematic fluctuations caused by waves and turbulence. A Virtual Doppler Current Profiler (VDCP) is used to sample a simulated tidal flow to understand the limitations of this type of measurement instrument whilst recording the small timescale kinematics of waves and turbulence in tidal currents. Results demonstrate the phase dependency of velocity measurements averaged between two acoustic beams and provide a theoretical error for wave and turbulence characteristics sampled under a range of conditions. Spectral moments of the subsurface longitudinal wave orbital velocities recorded by the VDCP can be between 0.1 and 9 times those measured at a point for certain turbulent current conditions, turbulence intensity measurements may vary between 0.2 and 1.5 times the inputted value in low wave conditions and turbulence length scale calculation can also vary hugely dependent on both current and wave conditions. The continuation of this work will enable effective comparison of a linear model for tidal flow kinematics against field measurements from UK tidal site data, and subsequently validate numerical models for the testing of tidal turbines.This work was supported by the Industrial Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy (IDCORE) with funding from the Energy Technologies Institute and the Research Councils Energy Programme [grant number EP/J500847/1] and DNV GL
Evolutionary dynamics of collective action in spatially structured populations

Many models proposed to study the evolution of collective action rely on a formalism that represents social interactions as n-player games between individuals adopting discrete actions such as cooperate and defect. Despite the importance of spatial structure in biological collective action, the analysis of n-player games games in spatially structured populations has so far proved elusive. We address this problem by considering mixed strategies and by integrating discrete-action n-player games into the direct fitness approach of social evolution theory. This allows to conveniently identify convergence stable strategies and to capture the effect of population structure by a single structure coefficient, namely, the pairwise (scaled) relatedness among interacting individuals. As an application, we use our mathematical framework to investigate collective action problems associated with the provision of three different kinds of collective goods, paradigmatic of a vast array of helping traits in nature: “public goods” (both providers and shirkers can use the good, e.g., alarm calls), “club goods” (only providers can use the good, e.g., participation in collective hunting), and “charity goods” (only shirkers can use the good, e.g., altruistic sacrifice). We show that relatedness promotes the evolution of collective action in different ways depending on the kind of collective good and its economies of scale. Our findings highlight the importance of explicitly accounting for relatedness, the kind of collective good, and the economies of scale in theoretical and empirical studies of the evolution of collective action
Measurement of the tt production cross section in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV in dilepton final states containing one τ lepton

The top-quark pair production cross section is measured in final states with one electron or muon and one hadronically decaying τ lepton from the process tt→(ℓνℓ)(τντ)bb-, where ℓ=e,μ. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.6 fb-1 collected with the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at √s=8 TeV. The measured cross section σtt-=257±3 (stat)±24 (syst)±7 (lumi) pb, assuming a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV, is consistent with the standard model prediction.The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, and Turkish Atomic Energy Authorit
Measurement of the production cross sections for a Z boson and one or more b jets in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

The production of a Z boson, decaying into two leptons and produced in association with one or more b jets, is studied using proton-proton collisions delivered by the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data were recorded in 2011 with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5 fb-1. The Z(ℓℓ) + b-jets cross sections (where ℓℓ = μμ or ee) are measured separately for a Z boson produced with exactly one b jet and with at least two b jets. In addition, a cross section ratio is extracted for a Z boson produced with at least one b jet, relative to a Z boson produced with at least one jet. The measured cross sections are compared to various theoretical predictions, and the data favour the predictions in the five-flavour scheme, where b quarks are assumed massless. The kinematic properties of the reconstructed particles are compared with the predictions from the MadGraph event generator using the pythia parton shower simulation.The Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, and Turkish Atomic Energy Authorit