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Despite decades of research on women's representation, we still know surprisingly little about the extent to which public policy responds unequally to the preferences of women and men. This article exploits two comparable data sets, one for the United States and one for Norway, together containing measures of gender-disaggregated public opinion, as well as public policy outcomes, on 2,650 specific proposals asked about in survey polls between 1964 and 2014. The data reveal a substantial gap in policy responsiveness to men and women (in favor of men) in both countries. However, in Norway, the gender gap has virtually disappeared over time, a development that appears to be attributable to the increasing share of women in parliament. In the United States, the gap has remained remarkably stable over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive observational approach that aims to establish relationships between the surface–atmosphere exchange of ammonia (NH3) and CO2 uptake and transpiration by vegetation. In doing so, we study relationships useful for the improvement and development of NH3 flux representations in models. The NH3 concentration and flux are measured using a novel open-path miniDOAS (differential optical absorption spectroscopy) measurement setup, taken during the 5-week Ruisdael Land–Atmosphere Interactions Intensive Trace-gas and Aerosol measurement (RITA-2021) campaign (25 August until 12 October 2021) at the Ruisdael Observatory in Cabauw, the Netherlands. After filtering for unobstructed flow, sufficient turbulent mixing and CO2 uptake, we find the diurnal variability in the NH3 flux to be characterized by daytime emissions (0.05 µgm-2s-1 on average) and deposition at sunrise and sunset (-0.05 µgm-2s-1 on average). We first compare the NH3 flux to the observed gross primary production (GPP), representing CO2 uptake, and latent heat flux (LvE), representing net evaporation. Next, we study the observations following the main drivers of the dynamic vegetation response, which are photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), temperature (T) and the water vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Our findings indicate the dominance of the stomatal emission of NH3 , with a high correlation between the observed emissions and both LvE (0.70) and PAR (0.72), as well as close similarities in the diurnal variability in the NH3 flux and GPP. However, efforts to establish relationships are hampered by the high diversity in the NH3 sources of the active agricultural region and the low data availability after filtering. Our findings show the need to collocate meteorological, carbon and nitrogen studies to advance our understanding of NH3 surface exchange and its representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) necessitate a consistent energy supply, commonly sourced from an embedded battery. However, given the finite lifespan of batteries, periodic replacement becomes imperative. This paper addresses the challenge by introducing a wireless power transfer system designed specifically for implantable medical devices (IMDs). It begins with a detailed analysis of the four conventional topologies. Following this, the paper provides a thorough explanation for choosing the PS topology, highlighting its advantages and suitability for the intended application. The primary parallel capacitance necessitates power from current sources; thus, a Class-E amplifier was implemented. Additionally, the selected circuit was engineered to deliver 1 W at the biocompatible resonance frequency of 13.56 MHz. The delineation of the resonance parameters hinges on multifaceted solutions, encompassing bifurcation-free operation and the attainment of peak efficiency. To ensure the feasibility of the proposed solution, a Differential-Evolution-based algorithm was employed. The results obtained from simulation-based evaluations indicated that the system achieved an efficiency exceeding 86%. This efficiency level was maintained even in the face of frequency fluctuations and variations in the coupling between the coils, thereby ensuring stable operational performance. This aligns seamlessly with the specified application prerequisites, guaranteeing a feasible and reliable operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sympathetically cool highly charged ions (HCI) in Coulomb crystals of Doppler-cooled Be+ ions confined in a cryogenic linear Paul trap that is integrated into a fully enclosing radio-frequency resonator manufactured from superconducting niobium. By preparing a single Be+ cooling ion and a single HCI, quantum logic spectroscopy toward frequency metrology and qubit operations with a great variety of species are enabled. While cooling down the assembly through its transition temperature into the superconducting state, an applied quantization magnetic field becomes persistent, and the trap becomes shielded from subsequent external electromagnetic fluctuations. Using a magnetically sensitive hyperfine transition of Be+ as a qubit, we measure the fractional decay rate of the stored magnetic field to be at the 10−10 s−1 level. Ramsey interferometry and spin-echo measurements yield coherence times of >400 ms, demonstrating excellent passive magnetic shielding at frequencies down to DC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a comprehensive observational approach, aiming to establish relations between the surface-atmosphere exchange of ammonia (NH3) and the CO2 uptake and transpiration by vegetation. In doing so, we study relationships useful for the the improvement and development of NH3 flux representations and their dependences. The NH3 concentration and flux are measured using a novel open-path miniDOAS measurement setup, taken during the five week RITA-2021 campaign (25 August until 12 October 2021) at the Ruisdael Observatory at Cabauw, the Netherlands. After filtering for unobstructed flow, sufficient turbulent mixing and CO2 uptake, we find the diurnal variability of the NH3 flux to be characterized by daytime emissions (0.05 µg m-2s-1 on average) and deposition at sunrise and sunset (-0.05 µg m-2s-1 on average). We first compare the NH3 flux to the observed gross primary production (GPP), representing CO2 uptake, and latent heat flux (LvE), representing to evapotranspiration. Next we study the observations following the main drivers of the dynamic vegetation response, which are photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), temperature (T) and the water vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Our findings show indication of the dominance of stomatal emission of NH3, with high correlation between the observed emissions and both net LvE (0.70) and PAR (0.72), as well as close similarities in the diurnal variability of the NH3 flux and GPP. However, the efforts to establish relationships are hampered due to the amount of diversity of NH3 sources of the active agricultural region and low data availability after filtering. Our findings show the need to collocate meteorological, carbon and nitrogen studies to advance on our understanding of NH3 deposition and its representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work consists of the development of a market-friendly 600 W photovoltaic battery-less water pumping system. The system is composed of four 280 Wp solar panels, an auxiliary 10 W solar panel, a three-phase converter and a ½ horsepower (hp) submersible water pump. The electronic stage involves a resonant DC-DC converter in series with a voltage source three-phase inverter. The novelties of this work are related to the use of a resonant DC-DC converter with fixed duty-cycle and frequency for water pumping application, the use of Silicon Carbide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) for solving converter startup issues, and the use of a constant voltage maximum power tracking (MPPT) algorithm with auxiliary panels. The work displays the design of the converter, simulation and experimental results, discussions, and cost evaluation. The feasibility of the system is studied for the water requirements of a beef cattle farm in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient genetic transformation protocol is necessary to edit genes for trait improvement directly in elite bread wheat cultivars. We used a protein fusion between a wheat growth-regulating factor 4 (GRF4) and its interacting factor (GIF1) to develop a reproducible genetic transformation and regeneration protocol, which we then used to successfully transform elite bread wheat cultivars Baj, Kachu, Morocco, Reedling, RL6077, and Sujata in addition to the experimental cultivar Fielder. Immature embryos were transformed with the vector using particle bombardment method. Transformation frequency increased nearly 60-fold with the GRF4-GIF1-containing vectors as compared to the control vector and ranged from ~5% in the cultivar Kachu to 13% in the cultivar RL6077. We then edited two genes that confer resistance against leaf rust and powdery mildew directly in the aforementioned elite cultivars. A wheat promoter, TaU3 or TaU6, to drive the expression of guide RNA was effective in gene editing whereas the OsU3 promoter failed to generate any edits. Editing efficiency was nearly perfect with the wheat promoters. Our protocol has made it possible to edit genes directly in elite wheat cultivars and would be useful for gene editing in other wheat varieties, which have been recalcitrant to transformation thus far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents novel current sensorless maximum-power point-tracking (MPPT) algorithms based on compensators/controllers and a single-input voltage sensor. The proposed MPPTs eliminate the expensive and noisy current sensor, which can significantly reduce the system cost and retain the advantages of the widely used MPPT algorithms, such as Incremental Conductance (IC) and Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithms. Additionally, it is verified that the proposed algorithms, especially the proposed Current Sensorless V based on PI, can reach outstanding tracking factors (TFs) such as the IC and P&O based on PI algorithms. In this sense, the insertion of controllers inside the MPPT gives them adaptive characteristics, and the experimental TFs are in the remarkable range of more than 99%, with an average yield of 99.51% and a peak of 99.80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes a differential evolution algorithm to control a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system based on photovoltaic generation and energy cost curves, and constraints associated with the power converters' operation, battery charging strategy, and initial budgets. The algorithm is designed to trade off the batteries' state of charge and the profits gained from selling energy to the grid. To achieve this balance, a fuzzy controller is employed and acts based on forecasts of the photovoltaic generation and the cost of electricity, within prediction windows of 120 min, adapting the batteries' rate of charging or discharging. Simulation results show that for different curves and different initial budgets, the target state of charge is reached at the end of the time horizon. By evaluating the proposed scheme under different scenarios, the algorithm's performance is proven to be suitable for future practical deployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polymorph of glycyl-L-alanine HI.H2O is synthesized from chiral cyclo-glycyl-L-alanine dipeptide. The dipeptide is known to show molecular flexibility in different environments, which leads to polymorphism. The crystal structure of the glycyl-L-alanine HI.H2O polymorph is determined at room temperature and indicates that the space group is polar (P21), with two molecules per unit cell and unit cell parameters a = 7.747 Å, b = 6.435 Å, c = 10.941 Å, α = 90°, β = 107.53(3)°, γ = 90° and V = 520.1(7) Å3. Crystallization in the polar point group 2, with one polar axis parallel to the b axis, allows pyroelectricity and optical second harmonic generation. Thermal melting of the glycyl-L-alanine HI.H2O polymorph starts at 533 K, close to the melting temperature reported for cyclo-glycyl-L-alanine (531 K) and 32 K lower than that reported for linear glycyl-L-alanine dipeptide (563 K), suggesting that although the dipeptide, when crystallized in the polymorphic form, is not anymore in its cyclic form, it keeps a memory of its initial closed chain and therefore shows a thermal memory effect. Here, we report a pyroelectric coefficient as high as 45 µC/m2K occurring at 345 K, one order of magnitude smaller than that of semi-organic ferroelectric triglycine sulphate (TGS) crystal. Moreover, the glycyl-L-alanine HI.H2O polymorph displays a nonlinear optical effective coefficient of 0.14 pm/V, around 14 times smaller than the value from a phase-matched inorganic barium borate (BBO) single crystal. The new polymorph displays an effective piezoelectric coefficient equal to d e f f = 280   p C N − 1 , when embedded into electrospun polymer fibers, indicating its suitability as an active system for energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research from the United States and Europe suggests that affluent citizens enjoy considerably more policy influence than do average citizens and the poor. I examine the extent of unequal policy responsiveness in one of the countries that have gone farthest in reducing economic inequality and restricting money in politics: Norway. I use an original dataset on public opinion and public policy containing 603 specific issues over five decades (1966–2014). The results show that although policy is certainly skewed toward the preferences of the privileged, Norway stands out among previously studied cases for two reasons: (1) The preferences of the poor seem to have some sway on economic issues and (2) not all affluent citizens get their way: educational attainment appears to be the more important determinant. The Norwegian case suggests that influence need not be as dependent upon affluence as in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the use of a Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverter to deal with the problem of partial shading in a photovoltaic system connected to the grid. Combined with the topology, it proposes the use of a virtual synchronous generator for power sharing between photovoltaic arrays and to ensure the connection to the power grid even in extreme shading situations with no power buffer. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the strategy adopted and the limitations to overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work compares the performance of two embedded FPGA controllers that can be used in Active Parallel Power Filters (APPF). Both controllers are validated through the FPGA-in-the-loop (FIL) technique, the algorithm's synthesis is accomplished using the Quartus II® platform, and the board used is from Altera®—Cyclone IV DE2-115. The main difference between the controllers resides in the power theories used to obtain the currents for compensation. The results confirm that the FPGA is a suitable digital device for the parallel operation of multiple compensators and calculation stages, being a viable solution for the requirements imposed in the control of APPF. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the FIL technique for validating the operation of digital circuits and control systems is also confirmed. Finally, a comparison between the processing costs of each of the implemented power theories is presented to guide novel proposals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a fine-scale simulation approach to assess the representativity of ammonia (NH 3) measurements in the proximity of an emission source. Close proximity to emission sources (< 5 km) can introduce a bias in regionally representative measurements of the NH 3 molar fraction and flux. Measurement sites should, therefore, be located a significant distance away from emission sources, but these requirements are poorly defined and can be difficult to meet in densely agricultural regions. This study presents a consistent criterion to assess the regional representativity of NH 3 measurements in proximity to an emission source, calculating variables that quantify the NH 3 plume dispersion using a series of numerical experiments at a fine resolution (20 m). Our fine-scale simulation framework with explicitly resolved turbulence enables us to distinguish between the background NH 3 and the emission plume, including realistic representations of NH 3 deposition and chemical gas–aerosol transformations. We introduce the concept of blending distance based on the calculation of turbulent fluctuations to systematically analyze the impact of the emission plume on simulated measurements, relative to this background NH 3. We perform a suite of systematic numerical experiments for flat homogeneous grasslands, centered around the CESAR Observatory at Cabauw, to analyze the sensitivity of the blending distance, varying meteorological factors, emission/deposition and NH 3 dependences. Considering these sensitivities, we find that NH 3 measurements at this measurement site should be located at a minimum distance of 0.5–3.0 and 0.75–4.5 km from an emission source for NH 3 molar fraction and flux measurements, respectively. The simulation framework presented here can easily be adapted to local conditions, and paves the way for future ammonia research to integrate simulations at high spatio-temporal resolutions with observations of NH 3 concentrations and fluxes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a fine scale simulation approach to assess the representativity of ammonia (NH3) measurements in proximity of an emission source. Close proximity to emission sources (< 5 km) can introduce a bias in regionally representative measurements of the NH3 molar fraction and flux. Measurement sites should therefore be located a significant distance from emission sources, but such requirements are poorly defined and can be difficult to meet in densely agricultural regions. This study presents a consistent criterium to assess the regional representativity of NH3 measurements in proximity of an emission source, calculating variables that quantify the NH[sub 3] plume dispersion using a series of numerical experiments at a fine resolution (20 m). Our fine scale simulation framework with explicitly resolved turbulence enables us to distinguish between the background NH3 and the emission plume, including realistic representations of NH3 deposition and chemical gas-aerosol transformations. We introduce the concept of blending-distance, based on the calculation of turbulent fluctuations, to systematically analyze the impact of the emission plume on simulated measurements, relative to this background NH3. This sensitivity analysis includes systematic experiments varying meteorological factors, emission/deposition and NH3 dependences. Considering these sensitivities, we find that NH3 measurements should be located at a minimum distance of 0.5 - 2.5 km and 1-3.5 km from an emission source, for NH3 molar fraction and flux measurements respectively. The simulation framework presented here can easily be adapted to local conditions and paves the way for future ammonia research at high spatio-temporal resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Described here is a titanocene‐catalyzed reaction for the synthesis of acetals and hemiaminals from benzylic ethers and benzylic amines, respectively, with pendant epoxides. The reaction proceeds by catalysis in single‐electron steps. The oxidative addition comprises an epoxide opening. An H‐atom transfer, to generate a benzylic radical, serves as a radical translocation step, and an organometallic oxygen rebound as a reductive elimination. The reaction mechanism was studied by high‐level dispersion corrected hybrid functional DFT with implicit solvation. The low‐energy conformational space was searched by the efficient CREST program. The stereoselectivity was deduced from the lowest lying benzylic radical structures and their conformations are controlled by hyperconjugative interactions and steric interactions between the titanocene catalyst and the aryl groups of the substrate. An interesting mechanistic aspect is that the oxidation of the benzylic center occurs under reducing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Described here is a titanocene‐catalyzed reaction for the synthesis of acetals and hemiaminals from benzylic ethers and benzylic amines, respectively, with pendant epoxides. The reaction proceeds by catalysis in single‐electron steps. The oxidative addition comprises an epoxide opening. An H‐atom transfer, to generate a benzylic radical, serves as a radical translocation step, and an organometallic oxygen rebound as a reductive elimination. The reaction mechanism was studied by high‐level dispersion corrected hybrid functional DFT with implicit solvation. The low‐energy conformational space was searched by the efficient CREST program. The stereoselectivity was deduced from the lowest lying benzylic radical structures and their conformations are controlled by hyperconjugative interactions and steric interactions between the titanocene catalyst and the aryl groups of the substrate. An interesting mechanistic aspect is that the oxidation of the benzylic center occurs under reducing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation electrification is gaining notoriety in recent years as to fulfill the aim of reducing the fossil fuels consumption and to increase energy efficiency. Accordingly, integrated starter alternator is a compelling method to convert conventional vehicles into hybrid ones. A deal of benefits can be reached by using ISA systems. In general, it provides vehicles performance enhancement and also reduces fuel consumption. This paper aims to present simulation results and preliminary experimental achievements with a power electronics-based prototype driving a permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM). The ISA operation is demonstrated throughout providing cranking torque and assistant torque for constant power and constant torque conditions and afterward the generation mode. Details of the hardware design and control strategies, which include an ADALINE neural network for properly find the mechanical position and the application of a metaheuristic technique to tune the controllers of the motor control, have been also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeast amino acid transporters of the APC superfamily are responsible for the proton motive force‐driven uptake of amino acids into the cell, which for most secondary transporters is a reversible process. The l‐lysine proton symporter Lyp1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is special in that the Michaelis constant from out‐to‐in transport (Kmout→in) is much lower than Kmin→out, which allows accumulation of l‐lysine to submolar concentration. It has been proposed that high intracellular lysine is part of the antioxidant mechanism of the cell. The molecular basis for the unique kinetic properties of Lyp1 is unknown. We compared the sequence of Lyp1 with APC para‐ and orthologues and find structural features that set Lyp1 apart, including differences in extracellular loop regions. We screened the extracellular loops by alanine mutagenesis and determined Lyp1 localization and activity and find positions that affect either the localization or activity of Lyp1. Half of the affected mutants are located in the extension of extracellular loop 3 or in a predicted α‐helix in extracellular loop 4. Our data indicate that extracellular loops not only connect the transmembrane helices but also serve functionally important roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the conversion times of biomass pyrolysis are measured at temperatures between 450 and 550 °C and particle size fractions between 0 and 400 μm using a cyclonic thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) device. Beech, spruce, and ash wood are investigated, as well as torrefied samples. The conversion time decreases with the increasing temperature from 7 to less than 1 s. The influence of the type of biomass on the conversion time is limited and only significant for low temperatures, when kinetics dominates the conversion process. A clear influence of the torrefaction process on the pyrolysis conversion time is noted and can be explained by the modified porosity of the biomass particles during the torrefaction process. Kinetic data are extracted from the conversion times, and a model is developed for a better interpretation of the measured results. The model shows good comparison with the experimental data and may also be used for design purposes of fast pyrolysis reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Netherlands is characterized by highly variable land use within a small area, and a strong influence of the North Sea on national climate. Devoid of significant topography, it is an excellent location for assessing the relative influence of various factors on fog occurrence in the absence of terrain effects. Using observations from a dense network of weather stations throughout the country, the climatology of fog in the Netherlands is assessed over a period of 45 years. On a national scale, interannual variability is linked to changes in synoptic pressure‐gradient forcing. Within the country, a comprehensive in‐depth analysis of regional differences between fog occurrence is made, together with an assessment of local physical factors which could bias fog formation in one location over another. Regional variability is shown to be strongly related to the mesoscale influences of urbanization and the North Sea. In fact, some locations experience over twice as much fog as others. From this finding, a simple index is presented, which combines the water and urban fraction surrounding a station. This "Regionally Weighted Index" (RWI) is able to accurately sort the stations according to their relative fogginess. Its practical use is encouraged for assessing a given site's climatological favourability, even when in situ meteorological observations are unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a combined electrochemical, kinetic, and synthetic study with a novel and easily accessible class of titanocene catalysts for catalysis in single‐electron steps. The tailoring of the electronic properties of our Cp2TiX‐catalysts that are prepared in situ from readily available Cp2TiX2 is achieved by varying the anionic ligand X. Of the complexes investigated, Cp2TiOMs proved to be either equal or substantially superior to the best catalysts developed earlier. The kinetic and thermodynamic properties pertinent to catalysis have been determined. They allow a mechanistic understanding of the subtle interplay of properties required for an efficient oxidative addition and reduction. Therefore, our study highlights that efficient catalysts do not require the elaborate covalent modification of the cyclopentadienyl ligands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: More than 20 years ago, our reappraisal of the Hutchinson's sign (HS) gave birth to the concept of the pseudo‐Hutchinson's sign. Objectives: We have found it interesting to emphasize some important histologic points and to expand the list of the numerous HS simulants. Methods: We have examined the cutaneous samples taken from the pigmented skin of patients in association with nail matrix biopsy. We have also extended the long list of non‐melanoma HS based on comprehensive literature review. Results: Histologically, HS may present only as an epidermal pigmentation, depending on the area sampled. Occasionally, there may be a sparse junctional melanocytic proliferation which does not demonstrate cytologic atypia due to an underlying melanocytic naevus of the nail matrix. However, early HS often shows a melanoma in situ, with a HS at the proximal nail fold (PNF) and confluent “atypical” melanocytes in the nail matrix. Finally, involvement of the PNF, nail matrix and nail bed containing atypical melanocytes in irregular array may be seen in more advanced lesions. The recent literature on non‐melanoma HS simulants is summarized and clinical examples are provided. Conclusion: The mere presence of periungual pigmentation is neither clinically nor histologically pathognomonic of subungual melanoma and justifies the usefulness of this work stressing the non‐melanoma HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular calcification is associated with poor cardiovascular outcome. Histochemical analysis of calcification and the expression of proteins involved in mineralization are usually based on whole section analysis, thereby often ignoring regional differences in atherosclerotic lesions. At present, limited information is available about factors involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Aim of This Study: This study investigates the intra-section association of micro-calcifications with markers for atherosclerosis in randomly chosen section areas of human coronary arteries. Moreover, the possible causal relationship between calcifying vascular smooth muscle cells and inflammation was explored in vitro. Technical Approach: To gain insights into the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we performed analysis of the distribution of micro-calcifications using a 3-MeV proton microbeam. Additionally, we performed systematic analyses of 30 to 40 regions of 12 coronary sections obtained from 6 patients including histology and immuno-histochemistry. Section areas were classified according to CD68 positivity. In vitro experiments using human vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMCs) were performed to evaluate causal relationships between calcification and inflammation. Results: From each section multiple areas were randomly chosen and subsequently analyzed. Depositions of calcium crystals at the micrometer scale were already observed in areas with early pre-atheroma type I lesions. Micro-calcifications were initiated at the elastica interna concomitantly with upregulation of the uncarboxylated form of matrix Gla-protein (ucMGP). Both the amount of calcium crystals and ucMGP staining increased from type I to IV atherosclerotic lesions. Osteochondrogenic markers BMP-2 and osteocalcin were only significantly increased in type IV atheroma lesions, and at this stage correlated with the degree of calcification. From atheroma area type III onwards a considerable number of CD68 positive cells were observed in combination with calcification, suggesting a pro-inflammatory effect of micro-calcifications. In vitro, invasion assays revealed chemoattractant properties of cell-culture medium of calcifying vascular smooth muscle cells towards THP-1 cells, which implies pro-inflammatory effect of calcium deposits. Additionally, calcifying hVSMCs revealed a pro-inflammatory profile as compared to non-calcifying hVSMCs. Conclusion: Our data indicate that calcification of VSMCs is one of the earliest events in the genesis of atherosclerosis, which strongly correlates with ucMGP staining. Our findings suggest that loss of calcification inhibitors and/or failure of inhibitory capacity is causative for the early precipitation of calcium, with concomitant increased inflammation followed by osteochondrogenic transdifferentiation of VSMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand management of Plug-in Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (PHEV) is an important requirement for the reduction of greenhouse gases and better use of the energy sources. Smart grids can control the power demand of PHEV, based on the knowledge of the demand curves. However, this information is not always known by PHEV owners or charging stations due to loss of data or due to the charging is done in cities with conventional power grids. These problems can increase the peak demand and makes dynamic pricing more difficult to implement. This paper proposes the use of fuzzy demands estimations to reduce the impact of these problems. This estimator is the basis of assistant software applications for PHEV users and charging stations to get more information for a best load management for PHEV. Results demonstrate the advantage of this proposal in the demand management for PHEV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decisions about disaster preparedness are rarely informed by cost-benefit analyses. This paper presents an economic model to address the thorny question, 'how prepared is prepared enough?' Difficulties related to the use of cost-benefit analysis in the field of disaster management concern the tension between the large number of high-probability events that can be handled by a single emergency response unit and the small number of low-probability events that must be handled by a large number of them. A further special feature of disaster management concerns the opportunity for cooperation between different emergency response units. To account for these issues, we introduce a portfolio approach. Our analysis shows that it would be useful to define disaster preparedness not in terms of capacities, but in terms of the frequency with which response capacity is expected to fall short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is accumulating that calcium-rich microdeposits in the vascular wall might play a crucial role in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Here we investigated an atherosclerotic lesion of the carotid artery in an established murine model, i.e. the apolipoprotein E-deficient (APOE) mouse to identify (i) the presence of microcalcifications, if any, (ii) the elemental composition of microcalcifications with special reference to calcium/phosphorus mass ratio and (iii) co-localization of increased concentrations of iron and zinc with microcalcifications. Atherosclerosis was induced by a flow-divider placed around the carotid artery resulting in low and high shear-stress regions. Element composition was assessed with a proton microprobe. Microcalcifications, predominantly present in the thickened intima of the low shear-stress region, were surrounded by areas with normal calcium levels, indicating that calcium-precipitation is a local event. The diameter of intimal microcalcifications varied from 6 to 70 μm. Calcium/phosphorus ratios of microcalcifications varied from 0.3 to 4.8, mainly corresponding to the ratio of amorphous calcium-phosphate. Increased iron and zinc concentrations commonly co-localized with microcalcifications. Our findings indicate that the atherosclerotic process in the murine carotid artery is associated with locally accumulated calcium, iron and zinc. The calcium-rich deposits resemble amorphous calcium phosphate rather than pure hydroxyapatite. We propose that the APOE mouse, in which atherosclerosis was evoked by a flow-divider, offers a useful model to investigate the pathophysiological significance of accumulation of elements such as calcium, iron and zinc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Because many patients with chronic viral hepatitis do not progress to end-stage liver disease, it is possible that host factors such as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) differences are important. Our aims were to determine HLA marker-specific rates of progression to liver transplantation among patients with chronic hepatitis C; and to determine if polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based HLA DRB1 typing can be performed on stored serum samples. METHODS: Forty-two hepatitis C virus RNA-positive liver transplant patients and 87 untransplanted patients were included in a Cox proportional hazards model to test whether the occurrence of certain HLA DRB1 markers were associated with progression to liver transplantation. HLA DRB1 typing was performed on stored serum samples using a PCR method. RESULTS: There were no differences among the HLA DRB1 markers with regard to the HLA marker-specific rate of progression to transplantation among patients with chronic hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS: HLA DRB1 markers do not appear to be associated with progression of disease in chronic viral hepatitis C. It is possible to perform PCR-based HLA DRB1 typing on stored frozen serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study of the sampling rate effect on electrical power measurements whose definitions are based on the Conservative Power Theory (CPT). The definitions of active power and reactive power of the CPT were applied in the MATLAB® software by varying the sampling rate and using a digital power meter as a reference. The measurements were performed in scenarios with linear and non-linear loads. Due to the usage of an integral in the CPT calculus, an error was verified associated with the reactive power being inversely proportional to the sampling rate. From the present study, it is possible to conclude that depending on the sample rate, the errors associated with the reactive power measurements are unacceptable and make the CPT implementation unfeasible. The results also presented effective information about the minimal sampling rate needed to make these errors neglected and to assist in choosing suitable microprocessors for the digital implementation of the CPT. It is worth mentioning that this paper was limited to assess how accurate the measurements of active and reactive powers were and important to highlight that the CPT has the additional contribution of dealing with distortion currents and consequently new portions of powers. For the latter, the influence of sampling rate may be crucial and new lines of investigation are motivated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the treatment of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) with triamcinolone acetonide. It mentions that treatments are directed to reduce symptoms and signs of disease but doe not stimulate hair growth. It is assumed that corticosteroid injections will inhibit inflammation and hinder destruction of follicular stem cells and the sebaceous gland. Furthermore, eyebrow hair growth is marked in some patients while it is minimal for some.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "'Severe autologous GVHD after hematopoeitic progenitor cell transplantation for multiple myeloma," in the January 2009.

Abstract: Invited for the cover of this issue are the groups of Robert Flowers at Lehigh University and Andreas Gansäuer at Universität Bonn. The image depicts a titanocene complex picking the best “fruit” from a selection of anions for catalysis. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.201705707. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on an evaluation of the performance of different lateral reinforcement arrangements as confinement steel in reinforced concrete columns. Samples of cross sections evaluated in the study; Concerns on the selection of longitudinal rebar arrangements.