136,841 research outputs found
Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) parameters for ensis directus
No full textIn this report a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model for razor clams (Ensis directus) is presented. A DEB model is a generic model describing growth and development of individual organisms as a function of environmental conditions. The DEB model for Ensis directus is based on the standard DEB model. The species specific primary DEB parameters are estimated with the Add_my_pet procedure, using literature data and the results of laboratory experiments with Ensis directus. The performance of the model is demonstrated by theoretical model experiments with varying environmental conditions. In following projects, the model will be used to predict and quantify the effects of sand mining on the shellfish community in the Dutch coastal zone. For this purpose the functional response of the model should be adapted so that the combined effect of changing phytoplankton and suspended sediment concentration on the uptake rate can be simulated
Nicholas deB. Katzenbach to John D. Feerick
No full textLetter from Attorney General of the United States Nicholas deB. Katzenbach (1965-1966) to Dean John D. Feerick, regarding his scholarly article on presidential inability.https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/twentyfifth_amendment_correspondence/1018/thumbnail.jp
Curtis, D Deb, 402789
No full textThis record was harvested from a previous catalogue system and will be withdrawn in 2025. Information in this record may be superseded or incomplete. Visit this record in UMA's new catalogue at: https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au/nodes/view/380152Surname: CURTIS
Given Name(s) or Initials: D DEB
Military Service Number or Last Known Location: 402789
Missing, Wounded and Prisoner of War Enquiry Card Index Number: 50975193964
Item: [2016.0049.12445] "Curtis, D Deb, 402789
A Tutorial on Evolutionary Multi-Objective Optimization (EMO)
No full textMany real-world search and optimization problems are naturally posed
as non-linear programming problems having multiple objectives.
Due to lack of suitable solution techniques, such problems are
artificially converted into a single-objective problem and solved.
The difficulty arises because such problems give rise to a set
of Pareto-optimal solutions, instead of a single optimum solution.
It then becomes important to find not just one Pareto-optimal
solution but as many of them as possible. Classical methods are
not quite efficient in solving these problems because they require
repetitive applications to find multiple Pareto-optimal solutions
and in some occasions repetitive applications do not guarantee
finding distinct Pareto-optimal solutions. The population approach
of evolutionary algorithms (EAs) allows an efficient way to find
multiple Pareto-optimal solutions simultaneously in a single
simulation run.
In this tutorial, we discussed the following aspects related to
EMO:
1. The basic differences in principle of EMO with classical methods.
2. A gentle introduction to evolutionary algorithms with simple
examples. A simple method of handling constraints was also
discussed.
3. The concept of domination and methods of finding non-dominated
solutions in a population of solutions were discussed.
4. A brief history of the development of EMO is highlighted.
5. A number of main EMO methods (NSGA-II, SPEA and PAES) were
discussed.
6. The advantage of EMO methodologies was discussed by presenting
a number of case studies. They clearly showed the advantage of
finding a number of Pareto-optimal solutions simultaneously.
7. Three advantages of using an EMO methodology were stressed:
(i) For a better decision making (in terms of choosing a
compromised solution) in the presence of multiple solutions
(ii) For finding important relationships among decision variables
(useful in design optimization). Some case studies from engineering
demonstrated the importance of such studies.
(iii) For solving other optimization problems efficiently. For
example, in solving genetic programming problems, the so-called
`bloating problem of increased program size can be solved by using
a second objective of minimizing the size of the programs.
8. A number of salient research topics were highlighted. Some of
them are as follows:
(i) Development of scalable test problems
(ii) Development of computationally fast EMO methods
(iii) Performance metrics for evaluating EMO methods
(iv) Interactive EMO methodologies
(v) Robust multi-objective optimization procedures
(vi) Finding knee or other important solutions including partial
Pareto-optimal set
(vii) Multi-objective scheduling and other optimization problems.
It was clear from the discussions that
evolutionary search methods offers an alternate means of solving
multi-objective optimization problems compared to classical
approaches. This is why multi-objective optimization using EAs is
getting a growing attention in the recent years.
The motivated readers may explore
current research issues and other important studies from various
texts (Coello et al, 2003; Deb, 2001), conference proceedings
(EMO-01 and EMO-03 Proceedings) and numerous research papers
(http://www.lania.mx/~ccoello/EMOO/).
References:
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C. A. C. Coello, D. A. VanVeldhuizen, and G. Lamont.
Evolutionary Algorithms for Solving Multi-Objective Problems.
Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002.
K.Deb. Multi-objective optimization using evolutionary algorithms.
Chichester, UK: Wiley, 2001.
C. Fonseca, P. Fleming, E. Zitzler, K. Deb, and L. Thiele, editors.
Proceedings of the Second Evolutionary Multi-Criterion
Optimization (EMO-03) Conference
(Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 2632).
Heidelberg: Springer, 2003.
E. Zitzler, K. Deb, L. Thiele, C. A. C. Coello, and D. Corne,
editors. Proceedings of the First Evolutionary Multi-Criterion
Optimization (EMO-01) Conference
(Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) 1993).
Heidelberg: Springer, 2001
Major house dust allergens Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1 and Dermatophagoides farinae 1 degrade and inactivate lung surfactant proteins A and D
No full textLung surfactant proteins (SP) A and D are calcium-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins. In addition to playing multiple roles in innate immune defense such as bacterial aggregation and modulation of leukocyte function, SP-A and SP-D have also been implicated in the allergic response. They interact with a wide range of inhaled allergens, competing with their binding to cell-sequestered IgE resulting in inhibition of mast cell degranulation, and exogenous administration of SP-A and SP-D diminishes allergic hypersensitivity in vivo. House dust mite allergens are a major cause of allergic asthma in the western world, and here we confirm the interaction of SP-A and SP-D with two major mite allergens, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1 and Dermatophagoides farinae 1, and show that the cysteine protease activity of these allergens results in the degradation of SP-A and SP-D under physiological conditions, with multiple sites of cleavage. A recombinant fragment of SP-D that is effective in diminishing allergic hypersensitivity in mouse models of dust mite allergy was more susceptible to degradation than the native full-length protein. Degradation was enhanced in the absence of calcium, with different sites of cleavage, indicating that the calcium associated with SP-A and SP-D influences accessibility to the allergens. Degradation of SP-A and SP-D was associated with diminished binding to carbohydrates and to D. pteronyssinus 1 itself and diminished capacity to agglutinate bacteria. Thus, the degradation and consequent inactivation of SP-A and SP-D may be a novel mechanism to account for the potent allergenicity of these common dust mite allergens. <br/
MeSH term explosion and author rank improve expert recommendations
No full textInformation overload is an often-cited phenomenon that reduces the productivity, efficiency and efficacy of scientists. One challenge for scientists is to find appropriate collaborators in their research. The literature describes various solutions to the problem of expertise location, but most current approaches do not appear to be very suitable for expert recommendations in biomedical research. In this study, we present the development and initial evaluation of a vector space model-based algorithm to calculate researcher similarity using four inputs: 1) MeSH terms of publications; 2) MeSH terms and author rank; 3) exploded MeSH terms; and 4) exploded MeSH terms and author rank. We developed and evaluated the algorithm using a data set of 17,525 authors and their 22,542 papers. On average, our algorithms correctly predicted 2.5 of the top 5/10 coauthors of individual scientists. Exploded MeSH and author rank outperformed all other algorithms in accuracy, followed closely by MeSH and author rank. Our results show that the accuracy of MeSH term-based matching can be enhanced with other metadata such as author rank
Creative destruction during crises: An opportunity for a cleaner energy mix
No full textLockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic reduced overall energy demand but electricity generation from renewable sources was more resilient. While this partly reflects the trend increase in renewables, the empirical analysis presented in this paper highlights that recessions and crises result in a permanent, albeit small, increase in energy efficiency and in the share of renewables in total electricity. These effects are stronger in the case of advanced economies and when complemented with environment and energy policies—both market-based measures such as taxes on pollutants, trading schemes and feed-in-tariffs, as well as non-market measures such as emission and fuel standards and R&D investment and subsidies—to incentivize and hasten the transition towards renewable sources of energy
Truncated recombinant human SP-D attenuates emphysema and type II cell changes in SP-D deficient mice
No full textBACKGROUND: Surfactant protein D (SP-D) deficient mice develop emphysema-like pathology associated with focal accumulations of foamy alveolar macrophages, an excess of surfactant phospholipids in the alveolar space and both hypertrophy and hyperplasia of alveolar type II cells. These findings are associated with a chronic inflammatory state. Treatment of SP-D deficient mice with a truncated recombinant fragment of human SP-D (rfhSP-D) has been shown to decrease the lipidosis and alveolar macrophage accumulation as well as production of proinflammatory chemokines. The aim of this study was to investigate if rfhSP-D treatment reduces the structural abnormalities in parenchymal architecture and type II cells characteristic of SP-D deficiency. METHODS: SP-D knock-out mice, aged 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 9 weeks were treated with rfhSP-D for 9, 6 and 3 weeks, respectively. All mice were sacrificed at age 12 weeks and compared to both PBS treated SP-D deficient and wild-type groups. Lung structure was quantified by design-based stereology at the light and electron microscopic level. Emphasis was put on quantification of emphysema, type II cell changes and intracellular surfactant. Data were analysed with two sided non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test. MAIN RESULTS: After 3 weeks of treatment, alveolar number was higher and mean alveolar size was smaller compared to saline-treated SP-D knock-out controls. There was no significant difference concerning these indices of pulmonary emphysema within rfhSP-D treated groups. Type II cell number and size were smaller as a consequence of treatment. The total volume of lamellar bodies per type II cell and per lung was smaller after 6 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of SP-D deficient mice with rfhSP-D leads to a reduction in the degree of emphysema and a correction of type II cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy. This supports the concept that rfhSP-D might become a therapeutic option in diseases that are characterized by decreased SP-D levels in the lung
The Death Studies Podcast Ep3 Deb Rawlings and Emma Clare
No full textThis is the interview featured in episode three of The Death Studies Podcast. This interview is with Deb Rawlings and Emma Clare. You can find out more about the guests and hear the full episode at www.thedeathstudiespodcast.com or listen to the full episode wherever you find your podcasts.Please cite, depending on which guest you are citing, as:Clare, E. (2021) Interview on The Death Studies Podcast hosted by Michael-Fox, B. and Visser, R. Published 15 November 2021. Available at: www.thedeathstudiespodcast.com, DOI: https:doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17012624 Rawlings, D. (2021) Interview on The Death Studies Podcast hosted by Michael-Fox, B. and Visser, R. Published 15 November 2021. Available at: www.thedeathstudiespodcast.com, DOI: https:doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.17012624 </p
DEB model for cockles (Cerastoderma edule) in the Oosterschelde
No full textThe natural and cultured shellfish populations in the Oosterschelde are of considerable biological and economical interest. The hydromorphology of the Oosterschelde is continuously changing and adapting in response to natural anthropological and climatological changes. In view of these changes and of possible future developments in the region, questions arise with regard to the impact on the system’s carrying capacity for shellfish populations. Dynamic shellfish models can help to answer these questions. In this study, a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model for cockles (Cerastoderma edule) in the Oosterschelde estuary is presented
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