In this paper, a novel distributed control strategy addressing a (feasible) psycho-social-physical welfare problem in islanded Direct Current (DC) smart grids is proposed. Firstly, we formulate a ...(convex) optimization problem that allows prosumers to share current with each other, taking into account the technical and physical aspects and constraints of the grid (e.g., stability, safety), as well as psycho-social factors (i.e., prosumers' personal values). Secondly, we design a controller whose (unforced) dynamics represent the continuous time primal-dual dynamics of the considered optimization problem. Thirdly, a passive interconnection between the physical grid and the controller is presented. Global asymptotic convergence of the closed-loop system to the desired steady-state is proved and simulations based on collected data on psycho-social aspects illustrate and confirm the theoretical results.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are crucial for our host defense against microbial infections. TLR2 is especially important to fight bacterial infections, as it specifically recognizes bacterial ...lipoproteins of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative origin. Present on a variety of immune cells, TLR2 is critical for host protection against several bacterial infections, including those caused by
Staphylococcus aureus.
This major human pathogen causes increasing health care problems due to its increased resistance to antibiotics.
S. aureus
secretes a wide variety of proteins that inhibit innate immune responses. Recently, several staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins (SSLs) have been described to mediate immune evasive properties. Here, we describe that SSL3 specifically binds and inhibits TLR2 activation on human and murine neutrophils and monocytes. Through binding of the extracellular TLR2 domain, SSL3 inhibits IL-8 production by HEK cells expressing TLR1/2 and TLR2/6 dimers, stimulated with their specific ligands. The SSL3–TLR2 interaction is partially glycan dependent as binding of SSL3 to TLR2 is affected upon removal of sialic acid residues. Moreover, the SSL3(R308A) mutant lacking glycan-binding properties shows lower TLR2 inhibition. An SSL3 mutant, lacking the N-terminal 126 amino acids, still retains full TLR2 inhibiting activity. Of other SSLs tested, only SSL4, which shares the highest homology with SSL3, blocks TLR2 activation. SSL3 is the first-described bacterial protein that blocks TLR2 activation through direct extracellular interaction with the receptor. This unique function of SSL3 adds to the arsenal of immune evasive molecules that
S. aureus
can employ to subvert both innate and adaptive immunity.
The effect of sward composition and grass species richness on soil NO₃-leaching following the application of mineral N was tested on a very rapidly draining soil in a cool humid climate 2007 and ...2008. The factorial split-plot experiment used NH₄NO₃ at three rates in three split applications to three different mixtures of white clover (Trifolium repens), timothy (Phleum pratense), blue grass (Poa pratensis), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), and reed canary (Phalaris arundinacea). Grass-clover composition of the sward induced two effects on NO₃-leaching from the soil following the application of mineral N. Apparent fertilizer N replacement by white clover increased NO₃-leaching while blue grass proportion reduced NO₃-leaching. Summer application of mineral N amplified the phenological asynchrony between white clover and cool season species, like timothy, in the N cycle of mixed grassland. An increase of the number of grass species from two to four did not reveal any N-conserving effect that could be attributed to species richness.
•Spatio-temporal variability of tree diversity stayed within narrow limits.•High fir proportion decreased tree species diversity and structural evenness.•Basal area losses due to fir decline offset ...by hardwood increases.•Stand dynamics structurally stratified due to low resilience of small trees.•Tree species diversity conferred resilience at the stand level.
Tree data collected in four inventories of twelve permanent sampling plots during 30 years were analyzed to determine to what extent the abundance of the ubiquitous balsam fir (Abies balsamea) drives tree diversity in mixed stands of Eastern Cape Breton Island, Canada. Dominant deciduous species comprised yellow birch (Betula allegheniensis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Tree species richness ranged from 2 to 6. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index indicated that high fir proportion decreased tree species diversity (H’) and structural evenness (J’). The basal area ratio for year 30 over year 1 provided an index of resilience (R) for forest stands subject to natural self-thinning and epidemic insect infestations. There was no significant effect of fir admixture on R since basal area losses due to fir decline were offset within the 30-year period largely by hardwood increases. Stand dynamics were however, structurally stratified due to low R-values for low-diameter trees. The indices H’, J’, and R are recommended for assessing the naturalness and apparent resilience function of tree diversity and large trees in mixed forests of low species richness.
In this study (1) exposure in vivo plus response prevention, (2) cognitive therapy and (3) a waiting-list control condition were compared on their efficacy on the treatment of hypochondriasis. ...Seventy-eight patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of hypochondriasis were randomly assigned to one of these conditions. Patients in both active treatment conditions improved significantly on all the measures, whereas the patients in the waiting-list control condition did not improve. The improvements were clinically significant. Exposure in vivo plus response prevention and cognitive therapy were equally effective. The improvements were maintained at the 7 months follow up.
Soil acidification from long-term use of anhydrous ammonia and urea Bouman, O.T. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Station, Swift Current, SK, Canada.); Curtin, D; Campbell, C.A ...
Soil Science Society of America journal,
September-October 1995, Volume:
59, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Acidity generated by N fertilizers depends on factors such as the composition of the fertilizer, climatic and soil conditions, and the crops grown. Our objective was to quantify the acidifying ...effects of urea and anhydrous NH3 when used as fertilizers for cereal production in Saskatchewan, Canada. The fertilizers were injected annually (at 10-cm depth) into a medium-textured, moderately acid (pH approximately 5.5) Typic Haploboroll, at rates of 0, 45, 90, and 180 kg N ha-1 for 9 yr. Soil acidity increased as N application rate increased, with anhydrous NH3 causing greater acidification than urea. Although pH values as low as 4.3 were recorded in soil treated with anhydrous NH3, KCl-exchangeable acidity remained low. The major effect of acidification was a depletion of exchangeable Ca and Mg. The solubility of Mn (but not Al) increased substantially as pH decreased, with solution concentrations of almost 30 mg Mn L-1 being recorded 6 d after injection of NH3. Acidity generated by anhydrous NH3 compared well with values predicted assuming that all of the applied NH3 was oxidized to NO3(-) (with the production of 1 mol H+ mol-1 of N) and that these protons were partly neutralized by OH- released when NO3 was taken up and assimilated by plants. Acidification due to export of bases in grain was insignificant because wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) remove only a slight excess of cations over anions. Urea failed to realize its full acidification potential because of an apparent loss of urea-N from the soil by NH3 volatilization
The northern Upper Rhine Graben hosts a well-preserved Late Weichselian and Holocene fluvial terrace sequence. Terraces differ in elevation, morphology, and overbank sediment characteristics. The ...purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of allogenic controlling factors versus autogenic evolution on the successive formation of these terraces. For a representative valley segment (the Gernsheim region), results from previous research were integrated with newly obtained borehole data and digitized elevation maps to construct palaeogeographic maps and cross sections. Coarse-grained channel deposits below terrace surfaces were dated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence, and fine-grained abandoned channel fill deposits were dated using pollen stratigraphy and radiocarbon analysis. Initiation of terrace formation was caused by climatic change in the Late Pleniglacial (after ~
20 ka), but fluvial response was complex and slow and continued locally until the middle Boreal (~
9 ka). Early to Middle Holocene (~
6 ka) changes in fluvial style and associated overbank lithofacies are not necessarily controlled by climatic change as was previously proposed. Instead, autogenic processes combined with river reach-specific factors explain the observed terrace development. Continuous incision, autogenic evolution, and high preservation potential provide an alternative explanation for the presence of a terrace sequence in this subsiding area.
Repeated analysis of soil organic matter (SOM) in the top 0.3 m of a perennial rotation pasture with legumes in Nova Scotia showed a significant increase of SOM from 2007 to 2015 (paired t test; n = ...24; P < 0.001). This suggests perennial pastures in cool-humid biomes enhance ecosystem services of dairy farms through SOM storage.
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