246 research outputs found
Caisson Foundations for Competitive Offshore wind Farms in ITALY
No full textAbstractThe research presented in the paper moves from the results of a feasibility study recently carried out for the development of an offshore wind farm off the cost of Rimini, in the Northern Adriatic Sea. The work, based on in-situ measurements of the environmental conditions, assessed the suitability of the considered area for the development of a relatively large wind farm, although at the profitability limit. The study has considered 60 offshore wind turbines installed on monopiles, as they are, at present, the most common solution and a quantification of the investment costs could be reliably completed. With reference to such case, the paper addresses the use of caisson foundations, a convenient alternative to monopiles in water of shallow to intermediate depth, with the final aim of improving the overall cost-effectiveness of the investment
No Rising Tide: Theology, Economics and the Future
No full textTitle: No rising tide : theology, economics, and the future Author: Joerg Rieger Publisher: Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009 ISBN: 978080066459
Role of oxygen vacancies for resistive switching in noble metal sandwiched Pr<sub>0.67</sub>Ca<sub>0.33</sub>MnO<sub>3-δ</sub>
No full textNon-volatile resistance change under electric stimulation in oxides is a promising path to next generation memory devices. However, the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. We report here on the study of switching in Pr0.67Ca0.33MnO3-delta (PCMO) films sandwiched by noble metal Pt electrodes, where electrode oxidation can be excluded. In order to develop an understanding of the switching induced oxygen migration, its initial concentration is modified by post-annealing of the deposited PCMO films. The oxygen distribution is obtained by manganese valence determination using spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy in scanning transmission electron microscopy mode. We observe correlations between virgin state resistance, resistive switching properties, oxygen vacancy distribution, and stress/strain state of the PCMO films and propose a simplified interface resistance model based on the measured valence distribution. It assumes a linear correlation of oxygen vacancy concentration with conductivity and a metal to insulator transition above a critical vacancy concentration threshold. Our results suggest that resistance changes can take place at both interfaces of symmetric devices and only requires small changes in oxygen vacancy concentration. (C) 2017 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).DFG [Jo 348/10-01
Author instructions regarding trial registration.
No full text<p>Author instructions regarding trial registration.</p
NOD-Like Receptor Signaling in Cholesteatoma
No full textLeichtle A, Klenke C, Ebmeyer J, et al. NOD-Like Receptor Signaling in Cholesteatoma. BioMed Research International. 2015;2015: 408169 .Background. Cholesteatoma is a destructive process of the middle ear resulting in erosion of the surrounding bony structures with consequent hearing loss, vestibular dysfunction, facial paralysis, or intracranial complications. The etiopathogenesis of cholesteatoma is controversial but is associated with recurrent ear infections. The role of intracellular innate immune receptors, the NOD-like receptors, and their associated signaling networks was investigated in cholesteatoma, since mutations in NOD-like receptor-related genes have been implicated in other chronic inflammatory disorders. Results. The expression of NOD2 mRNA and protein was significantly induced in cholesteatoma compared to the external auditory canal skin, mainly located in the epithelial layer of cholesteatoma. Microarray analysis showed significant upregulation for NOD2, not for NOD1, TLR2, or TLR4 in cholesteatoma. Moreover, regulation of genes in an interaction network of the NOD-adaptor molecule RIPK2 was detected. In addition to NOD2, NLRC4, and PYCARD, the downstream molecules IRAK1 and antiapoptotic regulator CFLAR showed significant upregulation, whereas SMAD3, a proapoptotic inducer, was significantly downregulated. Finally, altered regulation of inflammatory target genes of NOD signaling was detected. Conclusions. These results indicate that the interaction of innate immune signaling mediated by NLRs and their downstream target molecules is involved in the etiopathogenesis and growth of cholesteatoma
Author response
No full textThe biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis causes smut disease in maize with characteristic tumor formation and anthocyanin induction. Here, we show that anthocyanin biosynthesis is induced by the virulence promoting secreted effector protein Tin2. Tin2 protein functions inside plant cells where it interacts with maize protein kinase ZmTTK1. Tin2 masks a ubiquitin-proteasome degradation motif in ZmTTK1, thus stabilizing the active kinase. Active ZmTTK1 controls activation of genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Without Tin2, enhanced lignin biosynthesis is observed in infected tissue and vascular bundles show strong lignification. This is presumably limiting access of fungal hyphae to nutrients needed for massive proliferation. Consistent with this assertion, we observe that maize brown midrib mutants affected in lignin biosynthesis are hypersensitive to U. maydis infection. We speculate that Tin2 rewires metabolites into the anthocyanin pathway to lower their availability for other defense responses
Tactile Feedback for Artery Detection in Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery –Preliminary Results of a New Approach
No full textMinimally invasive robotic surgery (MIRS) entails
total absence of haptic feedback due to the spatial separation
of patient and surgeon. In conventional surgery, however,
palpation to detect superficial arteries by a slight pulsation is
an important, commonly applied, and security-relevant procedure.
Therefore, an ultrasound based unidirectional sensor for
MIRS was developed feeding back kinesthetic impulses to the
surgeon-sided haptic input device
Simulating multiple diffraction in imaging systems using a path integration method
No full textWe present a method for simulating multiple diffraction in imaging systems based on the Huygens–Fresnel principle. The method accounts for the effects of both aberrations and diffraction and is entirely performed using Monte Carlo ray tracing.We compare the results of this method to those of reference simulations for field propagation through optical systems and for the calculation of point spread functions. The method can accurately model a wide variety of optical systems beyond the exit pupil approximation.Accepted Author ManuscriptImPhys/Optic
UK Research Information Shared Service (UKRISS) Final Report, July 2014
No full textThe reporting of research information is a complex and expensive activity for research organisations (ROs). There is little alignment between funders of the reporting requests made to institutions and requests made to individual researchers about their research outputs and outcomes. This inevitably results in duplication and increased costs across the sector, whilst limiting the potential sharing and reuse of the information. The UK Research Information Shared Service (UKRISS) project conducted a feasibility and scoping study for the reporting of research information at a national level based on CERIF (Common European Research Information Format), with the objective of increasing efficiency, productivity and quality across the sector. The aim was to define and prototype solutions which are compelling, easy to use, have a low entry barrier, and support innovative information sharing and benchmarking. CERIF has emerged as the preferred format for expressing research information across Europe. To date, CERIF has been piloted for specific applications, but not as a format for reporting requirements across all UK ROs. The final report presents the work carried out by the UKRISS project, including requirements gathering, modelling and prototyping, as well as recommendation for sustainability. UKRISS was divided into two phases. Phase 1, mapping the reporting landscape, ran from March 2012 to December 2012. Phase 2, exploring delivery of potential solutions, began in February 2013 and ended in December 2013
Author instructions regarding the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) developed by the ICMJE.
No full text<p>Author instructions regarding the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts (URM) developed by the ICMJE.</p
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