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There are new and interesting adsorbents that show very high levels of adsorption on a mass basis. As one looks for viable new materials that can be moved from the bench to a pilot and then to full-scale units, a gap in adsorption results of these adsorbents immediately emerges. There has been a lack of consideration given to adsorbent density. When the transition is made from science to technology, density is critical because this variable will control the volume of the adsorbent bed and the size of the unit, both of which determine capital outlay.

Carbon materials with bimodal porosity have shown enhanced performance in a wide variety of applications including catalysis, energy storage and fluid separation. Presence of mesoporosity is essential to lower the mass transfer limitation imposed by the microporous nature of the carbons. The synthesis approaches used to prepare bimodal carbons with controlled micro/mesopore size and narrow pore size distribution, usually involve multi step processes and the use of harsh chemicals and solvents. Herein, we present a simple one step method that can be used to synthesize carbon with bimodal pore size distribution. Simultaneous polymerization of furfuryl alcohol and phloroglucinol-formaldehyde in the presence of a structure-directing agent (Pluronic F-127) was carried out and the resultant polymer was pyrolyzed to yield the bimodal carbon. Effect of polymerization conditions such as concentrations of monomer, initiator and surfactant on the bimodal pore size distribution of the carbon was studied in detail. Pyrolyzed precursors form carbons with narrow mean micropore size of 0.5 nm and mean mesopores ranging from 3.5 to 6 nm. The range of the mesopore size could be altered by varying the polymerization parameters (acid and surfactant concentration) as well as selective oxidation using CO 2 gas.

Novelty modulates sensory and reward processes, but it remains unknown how these effects interact, i.e., how the visual effects of novelty are related to its motivational effects. A widespread hypothesis, based on findings that novelty activates reward-related structures, is that all the effects of novelty are explained in terms of reward. According to this idea, a novel stimulus is by default assigned high reward value and hence high salience, but this salience rapidly decreases if the stimulus signals a negative outcome. Here we show that, contrary to this idea, novelty affects visual salience in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP) in ways that are independent of expected reward. Monkeys viewed peripheral visual cues that were novel or familiar (received few or many exposures) and predicted whether the trial will have a positive or a negative outcome--i.e., end in a reward or a lack of reward. We used a saccade-based assay to detect whether the cues automatically attracted or repelled attention from their visual field location. We show that salience--measured in saccades and LIP responses--was enhanced by both novelty and positive reward associations, but these factors were dissociable and habituated on different timescales. The monkeys rapidly recognized that a novel stimulus signaled a negative outcome (and withheld anticipatory licking within the first few presentations), but the salience of that stimulus remained high for multiple subsequent presentations. Therefore, novelty can provide an intrinsic bonus for attention that extends beyond the first presentation and is independent of physical rewards.

In heterogeneous catalysis, pore size exerts an influence on reaction pathway, selectivity, equilibrium and adsorption constants. This effect can in principle cause noticeable changes in selectivity. Here, we present an analysis of a diffusion–reaction process in the pores of a catalyst comprised of platinum nanoparticles embedded within a molecular sieving carbon. When the alkenes are hydrogenated over this catalyst, the reaction takes place within the ultramicropores of the carbon. Experimental data for the liquid phase hydrogenation of different alkenes over platinum supported on the carbon versus platinum embedded within the same carbon were collected. From these data kinetic parameters and diffusion coefficients for reactions were evaluated. The forward rate constant for 2-methyl-1-pentene hydrogenation was found to be almost one order of magnitude larger within the embedded platinum catalyst versus the supported platinum catalyst. The variation in pore size and reactant molecule dimension, were also found to affect the adsorption equilibrium constants and diffusion coefficients. For 2-methyl-1-pentene molecule with the highest steric hindrance, K increased to 500 g/mol in embedded catalyst compared to 100 g/mol on supported catalyst. At the same time the diffusion coefficient for 2-methyl-1-pentene was one order of magnitude smaller than 1-hexene.

After 22 seasons of competition, the Arena Football League (AFL) suspended operations in 2009. Play resumed in 2010, but attendance has declined dramatically. We examine the determinants of the demand for tickets to AFL games using data from the league’s first incarnation from 1987 to 2008; we find that the honeymoon effect for first-generation AFL teams was very short. Teams lost about 1,700 fans per game on average in their second year of operation, a sizeable loss given league average of 11,000 fans. Our results also suggest that Major League Baseball (MLB) serves as a direct competitor to the AFL, and this offers insights into why the AFL has struggled in its second incarnation (2010–2012).

Reactant shape selective catalysis occurs when substrates of different sizes and shapes are consumed at different rates over catalysts that combine molecular sieving transport processes with reaction. By contrast the same substrates react at nearly equivalent rates over catalysts that have large, open pores that do not induce any form of molecular sieving. Here we describe the design and synthesis of reactant shape selective catalysts for liquid phase hydrogenation reactions. Using an emulsion polymerization of furfuryl alcohol, we have made catalysts that consist of microporous carbon nanospheres within which are embedded platinum nanoparticles. The porosity of the carbon spheres was found to be a key parameter affecting catalyst activity and selectivity; porosity was varied by adding pore forming agents, such as polyethylene glycol with different molecular weights, during synthesis, or by mild oxidation of the as-synthesized catalyst using carbon dioxide. In addition to increasing porosity to reduce mass transfer limitations, a synthesis of smaller carbon spheres (

Motile cilia perform crucial functions during embryonic development and throughout adult life. Development of organs containing motile cilia involves regulation of cilia formation (ciliogenesis) and formation of a luminal space (lumenogenesis) in which cilia generate fluid flows. Control of ciliogenesis and lumenogenesis is not yet fully understood, and it remains unclear whether these processes are coupled. In the zebrafish embryo, lethal giant larvae 2 (lgl2) is expressed prominently in ciliated organs. Lgl proteins are involved in establishing cell polarity and have been implicated in vesicle trafficking. Here, we identified a role for Lgl2 in development of ciliated epithelia in Kupffer’s vesicle, which directs left-right asymmetry of the embryo; the otic vesicles, which give rise to the inner ear; and the pronephric ducts of the kidney. Using Kupffer’s vesicle as a model ciliated organ, we found that depletion of Lgl2 disrupted lumen formation and reduced cilia number and length. Immunofluorescence and time-lapse imaging of Kupffer’s vesicle morphogenesis in Lgl2-deficient embryos suggested cell adhesion defects and revealed loss of the adherens junction component E-cadherin at lateral membranes. Genetic interaction experiments indicate that Lgl2 interacts with Rab11a to regulate E-cadherin and mediate lumen formation that is uncoupled from cilia formation. These results uncover new roles and interactions for Lgl2 that are crucial for both lumenogenesis and ciliogenesis and indicate that these processes are genetically separable in zebrafish.

T-cell receptor (TCR)-pMHC affinity has been generally accepted to be the most important factor dictating antigen recognition in gene-modified T-cells. As such, there is great interest in optimizing TCR-based immunotherapies by enhancing TCR affinity to augment the therapeutic benefit of TCR gene-modified T-cells in cancer patients. However, recent clinical trials using affinity-enhanced TCRs in adoptive cell transfer (ACT) have observed unintended and serious adverse events, including death, attributed to unpredicted off-tumor or off-target cross-reactivity. It is critical to re-evaluate the importance of other biophysical, structural, or cellular factors that drive the reactivity of TCR gene-modified T-cells. Using a model for altered antigen recognition, we determined how TCR-pMHC affinity influenced the reactivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) TCR gene-modified T-cells against a panel of naturally occurring HCV peptides and HCV-expressing tumor targets. The impact of other factors, such as TCR-pMHC stabilization and signaling contributions by the CD8 co-receptor, as well as antigen and TCR density were also evaluated. We found that changes in TCR-pMHC affinity did not always predict or dictate IFNγ release or degranulation by TCR gene-modified T-cells, suggesting that less emphasis might need to be placed on TCR-pMHC affinity as a means of predicting or augmenting the therapeutic potential of TCR gene-modified T-cells used in ACT. A more complete understanding of antigen recognition by gene-modified T-cells and a more rational approach to improve the design and implementation of novel TCR-based immunotherapies is necessary to enhance efficacy and maximize safety in patients.

Quinolizidine alkaloids (QAs) are toxic secondary metabolites found within the genus Lupinus, some species of which are commercially important grain legume crops including L. angustifolius (narrow-leafed lupin), L. luteus (yellow lupin), L. albus (white lupin) and L. mutabilis (pearl lupin), with narrow-leafed lupin (NLL) grain being the most largely produced of the four species in Australia and worldwide. While QAs offer the plants protection against insect pests, the accumulation of QAs in lupin grain complicates its use for food purposes as QA levels must remain below the industry threshold (0.02%), which is often exceeded. It is not well understood what factors cause grain QA levels to exceed this threshold. Much of the early work on QA biosynthesis began in the 1970-1980s, with many QA chemical structures well-characterized and lupin cell cultures and enzyme assays employed to identify some biosynthetic enzymes and pathway intermediates. More recently, two genes associated with these enzymes have been characterized, however the QA biosynthetic pathway remains only partially elucidated. Here, we review the research accomplished thus far concerning QAs in lupin and consider some possibilities for further elucidation and manipulation of the QA pathway in lupin crops, drawing on examples from model alkaloid species. One breeding strategy for lupin is to produce plants with high QAs in vegetative tissues while low in the grain in order to confer insect resistance to plants while keeping grain QA levels within industry regulations. With the knowledge achieved on alkaloid biosynthesis in other plant species in recent years, and the recent development of genomic and transcriptomic resources for NLL, there is considerable scope to facilitate advances in our knowledge of QAs, leading to the production of improved lupin crops.

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Scope: We have investigated the potential use of β-conglutin protein isoforms from narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) as a diabetes treatment. Methods and results: We produced purified recombinant β1-, β2-, β3-, β4-, and β6-conglutin proteins and showed that β1, β3, and β6 could bind to insulin. To assess β-conglutin proteins modulatory effect on insulin activation meditated kinases, whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures from type 2 diabetes (T2D) and healthy control subjects (C) were incubated with conglutin proteins. The treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from T2D patients with β1, β3, and β6 proteins increased up to threefold mRNA and protein levels of genes important in insulin signaling pathways, namely insulin receptor substrate 1/p85/AKT/glucose transporter type 4. This was accompanied by a comparable fold-change decrease in the mRNA expression level of pro-inflammatory genes (iNOS and IL-1β) and proteins compared to healthy controls. The β2 and β4 isoforms had no effect on the insulin signaling pathway. However, these β-conglutin proteins elicited pro-inflammatory effects since levels of mRNA and proteins of inducible nitric oxide synthase and IL 1 beta were increased. Conclusion: Our results raise the possibility of using these particular β-conglutin proteins in the prevention and treatment of diabetes, as well as their potential as anti-inflammatory molecules., This study has been funded by the European Research Program MARIE CURIE (FP7‐PEOPLE‐2011‐IOF) under the grant ref. number PIOF‐GA‐2011‐301550 to J.C.J.‐L., K.B.S., and J.D.A.; J.C.J.‐L. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for the grant ref. number RYC‐2014‐16536 (Ramon y Cajal Research Program).

We present a simple method to synthesize shape selective carbon catalysts for large alkene hydrogenation reactions by tailoring porosity of platinum embedded in polyfurfuryl alcohol derived carbons. A small amount of mesoporosity, in addition to the intrinsic microporous nature of the carbon, shortens the diffusion length for the reactant molecule, enabling these materials to be used for catalysis in the liquid phase. A systematic study of hydrogenation reactions of liquid phase alkenes is reported. The molecular sieving effect of the catalyst was examined by varying molecular length, size, double bond position, stereoregularity and the number of double bonds in the alkenes.

Carbon spheres were synthesized by emulsion polymerization and pyrolysis of polyfurfuryl alcohol. Pluronic F-127 was used as the structure-directing agent to synthesize polymer spheres that after pyrolysis led to carbon spheres with average sizes from 50 nm to few micrometers in diameter depending upon the conditions of polymerization. As-synthesized carbon spheres possess high surface areas of around 480 m2/g with an average mean pore size of 0.5 nm. These spheres can be activated using carbon dioxide to create much higher surface areas (>1500 m2/g). Different compositional regions of the pseudo-ternary phase diagram of surfactant/monomer/solvent were explored in order to determine the effects of changes in the emulsion polymerization variables on the kinds of carbon morphologies that could be derived from polyfurfuryl alcohol after pyrolysis. The diameter of the carbon spheres was found to be sensitive to monomer and surfactant concentrations, acid molarity and solvent composition. In general, the diameter of the spheres grew with increasing furfuryl alcohol concentration and decreasing surfactant concentration, respectively. By varying the acid concentration and solvent composition, a minimum diameter for spheres was found. The formation and size of the spheres are strongly influenced both by micelle growth and the polymerization mechanism.

Vicilins (7S globulins) are seed storage proteins and constitute the main protein family in legume seeds, particularly in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.; NLL), where seven vicilin genes, called β1- to β7-conglutin have been identified. Vicilins are involved in germination processes supplying amino acids for seedling growth and plant development, as well as in some cases roles in plant defense and protection against pathogens. The roles of NLL β-conglutins in plant defense are unknown. Here the potential role of five NLL β-conglutin family members in protection against necrotrophic fungal pathogens was investigated and it was demonstrated that recombinant purified 6xHis-tagged β1- and β6-conglutin proteins exhibited the strongest in vitro growth inhibitory activity against a range of necrotrophic fungal pathogens compared to β2, β3, and β4 conglutins. To examine activity in vivo, two representative necrotrophic pathogens, the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and oomycete Phytophthora nicotianae were used. Transient expression of β1- and β6-conglutin proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves demonstrated in vivo growth suppression of both of these pathogens, resulting in low percentages of hyphal growth and elongation in comparison to control treated leaves. Cellular studies using β1- and β6-GFP fusion proteins showed these conglutins localized to the cell surface including plasmodesmata. Analysis of cellular death following S. sclerotiorum or P. nicotianae revealed both β1- and β6-conglutins suppressed pathogen induced cell death in planta and prevented pathogen induced suppression of the plant oxidative burst as determined by protein oxidation in infected compared to mock-inoculated leaves.

Background School-level socioeconomic status (SES) influences on adolescents' lifestyle behaviors is understudied. We examined how school-level SES and sex influence adolescents' health-related lifestyle behaviors and intentions. Methods Grade 8 students aged 13-14 years completed an online questionnaire regarding their sociodemographic characteristics, dietary behaviors, physical activity participation and recreational screen-time, and intentions regarding these behaviors. School-level SES, based on an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA), was categorized as low or high. Generalized estimating equations estimated individual-level summary statistics, adjusted for clustering. Results Students (N = 2538; response rate = 79%) from 23 high schools (low ICSEA = 16) participated. Compared with low ICSEA students, high ICSEA students were more likely to report eating breakfast daily (OR 1.9 [95% CI 1.5, 2.4]), not drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) daily (2.9 [1.9, 4.3]), and were more likely to have intentions to eat breakfast (1.8 [1.3, 2.3]) and ≥ 5 vegetable serves (1.2 [1.0, 1.5]) daily. Boys were more likely than girls to meet recommendations for breakfast eating, vegetable intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and screen-time, but boys were less likely to meet recommendations regarding SSB intake. Conclusions Students from low ICSEA schools would benefit from additional support to improve dietary-related behaviors and intentions. More research is required to identify what targeted approaches will address sex differences in adolescents' lifestyle behaviors.

A variety of systemic agents are used to treat lichen planopilaris (LPP) with a limited evidence base. The aim of our study was to retrospectively review the response rate to and tolerability of hydroxychloroquine in a cohort of patients with LPP in an effort to add to the evidence base for its use. Twenty-three patients with a clinical and histopathological diagnosis of LPP who had been treated with hydroxychloroquine for their disease in a single center were identified. A retrospective review of these patients' medical records was performed and physician rated response was documented. Complete response was observed in 61% of our patients, and a further 9% of patients demonstrated partial response. Thirteen percent of patients withdrew from treatment because of suspected adverse effects. Our sample size was small, and data was collected retrospectively. We found hydroxychloroquine to be a reasonable therapeutic choice in LPP.

Astrocytes intimately interact with synapses, both morphologically and, as evidenced in the past 20 years, at the functional level. Ultrathin astrocytic processes contact and sometimes enwrap the synaptic elements, sense synaptic transmission and shape or alter the synaptic signal by releasing signalling molecules. Yet, the consequences of such interactions in terms of information processing in the brain remain very elusive. This is largely due to two major constraints: (i) the exquisitely complex, dynamic and ultrathin nature of distal astrocytic processes that renders their investigation highly challenging and (ii) our lack of understanding of how information is encoded by local and global fluctuations of intracellular calcium concentrations in astrocytes. Here, we will review the existing anatomical and functional evidence of local interactions between astrocytes and synapses, and how it underlies a role for astrocytes in the computation of synaptic information. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Integrating Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity’.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an activity-based work (ABW) office environment on physical activity and sedentary behavior, work ability, and musculoskeletal discomfort.Eighty-eight office workers trialed ABW for 4 weeks. Accelerometer and self-reported outcomes were measured at baseline, end-intervention, and follow-up. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models.Accelerometry measured sedentary time; sedentary breaks and step count did not significantly change from baseline to end-intervention (P = 0.13, 0.09, 0.18, respectively). Self-reported sitting-time was 14% lower, with standing-time and walking 11% and 3% higher in ABW than baseline (P 0.01 for all). Low back pain was lower in ABW than baseline (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.7). Work ability reduced from 8.4 to 7.8 points (P 0.01) at follow-up.ABW environment appears to reduce self-reported sedentary behavior and low back pain and increase standing time.

Background/Aims: Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) are a well-established efficacious systemic treatment for psoriasis. Recent recommendations from the European Medicines Agency suggest monitoring of full blood count every 4 weeks for the duration of therapy for psoriasis. The aim of our study was to assess the incidence of lymphopenia in patients taking FAEs and the impact of recent recommendations for our practice. Methods: We reviewed 151 patients treated with FAEs for psoriasis between December 2013 and 2015. Results: Lymphopenia 9/L was detected within the last 12 months in 36/151 (24%) and lymphopenia 9/L in 10/151 (7%). Of 39 patients no longer on treatment, 7 (18%) stopped because of persistent lymphopenia. Conclusion: The implementation of these recommendations would have significant resource implications and also likely influence the acceptability of FAEs to patients. Cessation of FAEs necessitates the need for alternative therapy, commonly biologic therapy.

Facebook, the most widely used social media platform, has been adopted by public health organisations for health promotion and behaviour change campaigns and activities. However, limited information is available on the most effective and efficient use of Facebook for this purpose. This study sought to identify the features of Facebook posts that are associated with higher user engagement on Australian public health organisations' Facebook pages. We selected 20 eligible pages through a systematic search and coded 360-days of posts for each page. Posts were coded by: post type (e.g., photo, text only etc.), communication technique employed (e.g. testimonial, informative etc.) and use of marketing elements (e.g., branding, use of mascots). A series of negative binomial regressions were used to assess associations between post characteristics and user engagement as measured by the number of likes, shares and comments. Our results showed that video posts attracted the greatest amount of user engagement, although an analysis of a subset of the data suggested this may be a reflection of the Facebook algorithm, which governs what is and is not shown in user newsfeeds and appear to preference videos over other post types. Posts that featured a positive emotional appeal or provided factual information attracted higher levels of user engagement, while conventional marketing elements, such as sponsorships and the use of persons of authority, generally discouraged user engagement, with the exception of posts that included a celebrity or sportsperson. Our results give insight into post content that maximises user engagement and begins to fill the knowledge gap on effective use of Facebook by public health organisations.

The objective of this study was to evaluate strategies for addressing missing meteorological (MET) data when predicting the hydrology of a water balance cover for a waste-containment system using a variably-saturated flow code. Predicting the hydrology of water balance covers typically requires site-specific daily MET data, which may be only partially available (e.g., dew point temperature (Tdew), solar radiation (Rs), wind speed, and cloud cover frequently are only partly available). Thus, some of the input data may need to be estimated or surrogate data employed for hydrologic modeling. The influence of replacing missing MET data with estimates on hydrologic predictions was evaluated for a water balance cover in a semiarid climate. Substitution of single or multiple MET variables with long-term averages led to statistically similar predictions of annual percolation relative to percolation predicted using actual data. Replacing all MET variables (Tdew, Rs, wind speed, and cloud cover) with long-t...

The successful integration of automatic milking (AM) systems and grazing has resulted in AM becoming a feasible alternative to conventional milking (CM) in pasture-based systems. The objective of this study was to identify the profitability of AM in a pasture-based system, relative to CM herringbone parlors with 2 different levels of automation, across 2 farm sizes, over a 10-yr period following initial investment. The scenarios which were evaluated were (1) a medium farm milking 70 cows twice daily, with 1 AM unit, a 12-unit CM medium-specification (MS) parlor and a 12-unit CM high-specification (HS) parlor, and (2) a large farm milking 140 cows twice daily with 2 AM units, a 20-unit CM MS parlor and a 20-unit CM HS parlor. A stochastic whole-farm budgetary simulation model combined capital investment costs and annual labor and maintenance costs for each investment scenario, with each scenario evaluated using multiple financial metrics, such as annual net profit, annual net cash flow, total discounted net profitability, total discounted net cash flow, and return on investment. The capital required for each investment was financed from borrowings at an interest rate of 5% and repaid over 10-yr, whereas milking equipment and building infrastructure were depreciated over 10 and 20 yr, respectively. A supporting labor audit (conducted on both AM and CM farms) showed a 36% reduction in labor demand associated with AM. However, despite this reduction in labor, MS CM technologies consistently achieved greater profitability, irrespective of farm size. The AM system achieved intermediate profitability at medium farm size; it was 0.5% less profitable than HS technology at the large farm size. The difference in profitability was greatest in the years after the initial investment. This study indicated that although milking with AM was less profitable than MS technologies, it was competitive when compared with a CM parlor of similar technology.

The transfer of nutrients from the mother through the chorioallantoic placenta meets the nutritional needs of the embryo during human prenatal development. Although all amniotes start with a similar "tool kit" of extraembryonic tissues, an enormous diversity of extraembryonic tissue formation has evolved to accommodate embryological and physiological constraints unique to their developmental programs. A comparative knowledge of these extraembryonic tissues and their role in nutrient uptake during development is required to fully appreciate the adaptive changes in placental mammals. Here, we offer a comparative embryological perspective and propose that there are three conserved nutrient transfer routes among the amniotes. We highlight the importance of the yolk sac endoderm, thought to be a vestigial remnant of our amniote lineage, in mediating nutrient uptake during early human development. We also draw attention to the similarity between yolk sac endoderm-mediated and trophectoderm-mediated nutrient uptake.

PurposeThe aim is to explain certain disclosure and other obligations of municipal securities dealers when they act as underwriters to municipal securities issuers, as contained in a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board interpretive notice regarding MSRB Rule G‐17, approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 4, 2012.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains the basic fair dealing principle; required disclosure by an underwriter; timing, manner, acknowledgement, and substance of disclosures; guidance concerning the role and compensation of the underwriter; disclosures of other conflicts; disclosures required in the case of complex financing structures; guidance concerning underwriter compensation and new issuance pricing; requirements for underwriters to honor retail order periods; and guidance on dealer payments to issuer personnel.FindingsAlthough most underwriters have always viewed themselves as having a duty of fair dealing to municipal issuers, the MSRB's notice will require underwriters to formalize their procedures. Underwriters will have to develop mandatory disclosures, checklists of potential conflict disclosures, and procedures for receiving written acknowledgments. They will need to rethink how they approach complex financings.Originality/valueThe paper provides practical guidance from experienced securities lawyers.

(2012). A New Approach to Intellectual Property Management and Industrially Funded Research at Penn State. Research-Technology Management: Vol. 55, No. 5, pp. 12-17.

How are spatial and object attention coordinated to achieve rapid object learning and recognition during eye movement search? How do prefrontal priming and parietal spatial mechanisms interact to determine the reaction time costs of intra-object attention shifts, inter-object attention shifts, and shifts between visible objects and covertly cued locations? What factors underlie individual differences in the timing and frequency of such attentional shifts? How do transient and sustained spatial attentional mechanisms work and interact? How can volition, mediated via the basal ganglia, influence the span of spatial attention? A neural model is developed of how spatial attention in the where cortical stream coordinates view-invariant object category learning in the what cortical stream under free viewing conditions. The model simulates psychological data about the dynamics of covert attention priming and switching requiring multifocal attention without eye movements. The model predicts how “attentional shrouds” are formed when surface representations in cortical area V4 resonate with spatial attention in posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), while shrouds compete among themselves for dominance. Winning shrouds support invariant object category learning, and active surface-shroud resonances support conscious surface perception and recognition. Attentive competition between multiple objects and cues simulates reaction-time data from the two-object cueing paradigm. The relative strength of sustained surface-driven and fast-transient motion-driven spatial attention controls individual differences in reaction time for invalid cues. Competition between surface-driven attentional shrouds controls individual differences in detection rate of peripheral targets in useful-field-of-view tasks. The model proposes how the strength of competition can be mediated, though learning or momentary changes in volition, by the basal ganglia. A new explanation of crowding shows how the cortical magnification factor, among other variables, can cause multiple object surfaces to share a single surface-shroud resonance, thereby preventing recognition of the individual objects.

In the present work, design and operation of a high pressure gas adsorption apparatus at room temperature and at pressures up to 100 bar are discussed. A theoretical and experimental error analysis is done to determine accuracy and robustness of the measurements. For this study, activated carbon was selected as the adsorbent and hydrogen as the adsorbate gas. A sensitivity analysis was done by taking into account the effects of temperature, pressure, volume and weight of the sample. The analysis shows that the volumes of the sample and reference cells as determined by helium-free space measurements have significant effect on the accuracy of the adsorption uptake measurement. For instance, a 0.1% error in the measurement of either volume led to approximately a 3% error in hydrogen uptake measurement at 298 K and 100 bar.

n contrast to almost every other artifact produced bymodern industrial society, (automobiles, jet aircraft,locomotives, ocean going vessels, etc.) the design,construction and operation of buildings is still highly frag-mented and comparatively unsophisticated. This is thecase even though the construction industry amounts toover one trillion dollars of the US economy. Materials ofconstruction, coatings, cladding, as well as electrical,mechanical and other components (windows, roofing,heating, ventilation, air conditioning etc.) may be selectedindependently with little, or no, thought given to theirinteractions and the effects of their coupling on the build-ing’s performance. For some architects and building own-ers, especially of high-end structures for urban officespace, the principal goal of design has often been visualimpact, which is to say that form dominates function.This kind of architectural statement is accomplished onlywith enormous up-front capital investments and with hugepenalties in downstream operating costs due to low effi-ciencies inherent to the design. To say that energy effi-ciency suffers most in such buildings is an understatement.The financial model in such cases is that the architecturalstatement will be afforded with collection of very highrents. In some cases, little or no consideration is or waspaid to the habitability of the space in other words thebuilding’s indoor ecology was at best of secondary impor-tance.There are notable examples of such extravagant buildingsin almost every large American city, as well as around theworld; they are not hard to find, but they are emblematic of aby-gone era. These buildings, constructed in the 20th century,symbolize much of what must be changed in the 21st centurybuilding industry; functionality and performance must trumpexcesses of form. As evidence that the society’s view of thesebuildings and buildings in general is changing rapidly, thepremier icon of the ‘‘sky-scraper era’’, the Empire StateBuilding, has undergone a deep retrofit to bring its efficiencyto the level of LEED Gold and this symbolizes the new stand-ards that can be achieved for older commercial buildings aswe move further into the 21st century

Summary Interactions between the endoderm and mesoderm that mediate myocardial induction are difficult to study in vivo because of the small size of mammalian embryos at relevant stages. However, we and others have demonstrated that signals from endodermal cell lines can influence myocardial differentiation from both mouse and human embryoid bodies (EBs), and because of this, assays that utilize embryonic stem (ES) cells and endodermal cell lines provide excellent in vitro models to study early cardiac differentiation. Extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) stem cells have a particular advantage over other heart-inducing cell lines in that they can easily be derived from both wild type and mutant mouse blastocysts. Here we describe the first isolation of a Nodal mutant XEN stem cell line. Nodal−/− XEN cell lines were not isolated at expected Mendelian ratios, and those that were successfully established, showed an increase in markers for the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE). Since AVE represents the heart-inducing endoderm in the mouse, cardiac differentiation was compared in EBs treated with conditioned medium (CM) collected from wild type or Nodal−/− XEN cells. EBs treated with CM from Nodal−/− cells began beating earlier and showed early activation of myocardial genes, but this early cardiac differentiation did not cause an overall increase in cardiomyocyte yield. By comparison, CM from wild type XEN cells both delayed cardiac differentiation and caused a concomitant increase in overall cardiomyocyte formation. Detailed marker analysis suggested that early activation of cardiac differentiation by Nodal−/− XEN CM caused premature differentiation and subsequent depletion of cardiac progenitors.

The Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) for Energy-Efficient Buildings is breaking new ground on how public-private research partnerships are conducted. A consortium of public, private, ...

Boron/nitrogen substituted carbons were synthesized by co-pyrolysis of polyborazylene/coal tar pitch blends to yield a carbon with a boron and nitrogen content of 14 at% and 10 at%, respectively. The presence of heteroatoms in these carbons shifted the hydrogen evolution overpotential to −1.4 V vs Ag/AgCl in aqueous electrolytes, providing a large electrochemical potential window (∼2.4 V) as well as a specific capacitance of 0.6 F/m2. An asymmetric capacitor was fabricated using the as-prepared low surface area carbon as the negative electrode along with a redox active manganese dioxide as the positive electrode. The energy density of the capacitor exceeded 10 Wh/kg at a power density of 1 kW/kg and had a cycle life greater than 1000 cycles.

Several new automated methods have recently become available for high-throughput DNA extraction, including the Maxwell 16 System (Promega UK, Southampton, UK). The purpose of this report is to compare automated with manual DNA extraction methods, and invasive with noninvasive sample collection methods, in terms of DNA yield and quality. Milk, blood, and nasal swab samples were taken from 10 cows for DNA extraction. Nasal swabs were also taken from 10 calves and semen samples from 15 bulls for comparative purposes. The Performagene Livestock (DNA Genotek, Kanata, Ontario, Canada) method was compared with similar samples taken from the same animal using manual extraction methods. All samples were analyzed using both the Qubit Quantification Platform (Invitrogen Ltd., Paisley, UK) and NanoDrop spectrophotometer (NanoDrop Technologies, Inc., Wilmington, DE) to accurately assess DNA quality and quantity. In general, the automated Maxwell 16 System performed best, consistently yielding high quantity and quality DNA across the sample range tested. Average yields of 28.7, 10.3, and 19.2 μg of DNA were obtained from 450 μL of blood, 400 μL of milk, and a single straw of semen, respectively. The quality of DNA obtained from buffy coat and from semen was significantly higher with the automated method than with the manual methods (260/280 ratio of 1.9 and 1.8, respectively). Centrifugation of whole blood facilitated the concentration of leukocytes in the buffy coat, which significantly increased DNA yield after manual extraction. The Performagene method also yielded 18.4 and 49.8 μg of high quality (260/280 ratio of 1.8) DNA from the cow and calf nasal samples, respectively. These results show the advantages of noninvasive sample collection and automated methods for high-throughput extraction and biobanking of high quality DNA.

Because we can observe oscillation within individual cells and in the tissue as a whole, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) presents a unique system in the mammalian brain for the analysis of individual cells and the networks of which they are a part. While dispersed cells of the SCN sustain circadian oscillations in isolation, they are unstable oscillators that require network interactions for robust cycling. Using cluster analysis to assess bioluminescence in acute brain slices from PERIOD2::Luciferase (PER2::LUC) knockin mice, and immunochemistry of SCN from animals harvested at various circadian times, we assessed the spatiotemporal activation patterns of PER2 to explore the emergence of a coherent oscillation at the tissue level. The results indicate that circadian oscillation is characterized by a stable daily cycle of PER2 expression involving orderly serial activation of specific SCN subregions, followed by a silent interval, with substantial symmetry between the left and right side of the SCN. The biological significance of the clusters identified in living slices was confirmed by co-expression of LUC and PER2 in fixed, immunochemically stained brain sections, with the spatiotemporal pattern of LUC expression resembling that revealed in the cluster analysis of bioluminescent slices. We conclude that the precise timing of PER2 expression within individual neurons is dependent on their location within the nucleus, and that small groups of neurons within the SCN give rise to distinctive and identifiable subregions. We propose that serial activation of these subregions is the basis of robustness and resilience of the daily rhythm of the SCN.

Asymmetric aqueous electrochemical capacitors with energy densities as high as 22 Wh kg −1 , power densities of 11 kW kg −1 and a cell voltage of 2 V were fabricated using cost effective, high surface carbon derived from coal tar pitch and manganese dioxide. The narrow pore size distribution of the activated carbon (mean pore size ∼0.8 nm) resulted in strong electroadsorption of protons making them suitable for use as negative electrodes. Amorphous manganese dioxide anodes were synthesized by chemical precipitation method with high specific capacitance (300 F g −1 ) in aqueous electrolytes containing bivalent cations. The fabricated capacitors demonstrated excellent cyclability with no signs of capacitance fading even after 1000 cycles.

Signaling through cell adhesion complexes plays a critical role in coordinating cytoskeletal remodeling necessary for efficient cell migration. During embryonic development, normal morphogenesis depends on a series of concerted cell movements; but the roles of cell adhesion signaling during these movements are poorly understood. The transparent zebrafish embryo provides an excellent system to study cell migration during development. Here, we have identified zebrafish git2a and git2b, two new members of the GIT family of genes that encode ArfGAP proteins associated with cell adhesions. Loss-of-function studies revealed an essential role for Git2a in zebrafish cell movements during gastrulation. Time-lapse microscopy analysis demonstrated that antisense depletion of Git2a greatly reduced or arrested cell migration towards the vegetal pole of the embryo. These defects were rescued by expression of chicken GIT2, indicating a specific and conserved role for Git2 in controlling embryonic cell movements. Git2a knockdown embryos showed defects in cell morphology that were associated with reduced cell contractility. We show that Git2a is required for phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC), which regulates myosin II-mediated cell contractility. Consistent with this, embryos treated with Blebbistatin-a small molecule inhibitor for myosin II activity-exhibited cell movement defects similar to git2a knockdown embryos. These observations provide in vivo evidence of a physiologic role for Git2a in regulating cell morphogenesis and directed cell migration via myosin II activation during zebrafish embryonic development.

Pacemaker cardiomyocytes of the sinoatrial node (SAN) beat more rapidly than cells of the working myocardium. Beating in SAN cells responds to β-adrenergic and cholinergic signaling by speeding up or slowing, respectively. Beat rate has traditionally been assessed using voltage or calcium sensitive dyes, however these may not reflect the true rate of beating because they sequester calcium. Finally, in vitro differentiated cardiomyocytes sometimes briefly pause during imaging giving inaccurate beat rates. We have developed a MATLAB automation to calculate cardiac beat rates directly from video clips based on changes in pixel density at the edges of beating areas. These data are normalized to minimize the effects of secondary movement and are converted to frequency data using a fast Fourier transform (FFT). We find that this gives accurate beat rates even when there are brief pauses in beating. This technique can be used to rapidly assess beating of cardiomyocytes in organoid culture. This technique could also be combined with field scanning techniques to automatically and accurately assess beating within a complex cardiac organoid.