Search results for "Balance"
showing 10 items of 1379 documents
Biochemical Applications of Solid Supported Membranes on Gold Surfaces: Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Impedance Analysis
2003
Since their inception in 1985 by Tamm and McConnell [1], solid supported lipid bilayers have been widely used as model systems for cellular membranes [2]. They have been applied in fundamental and applied studies of lipid assemblies on surfaces, to study the structure of membranes and membrane dynamics, lipidreceptor-interactions and electrochemical properties of membranes [3-5]. Several attempts have been made to apply solid supported membranes (SSM) in biosensor devices [6]. Planar lipid membranes can be formed on various surfaces, i.e. glass, silicon, mica or metal surfaces such as platinum or gold. Surface attachment of the lipids is typically achieved following two different strategies…
Mass/charge balance as a tool to estimate dimensional change in polypyrrole-based actuators
2006
The deconvolution of the voltammograms of polypyrrole electrochemistry has proved to be possible through the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance data using the F(dm/dQ) function. This deconvolution allows the evolution of the thickness of the polypyrrole films during their redox processes to be estimated and therefore, the mechanical contraction/decontraction of this polymer as a function of the ionic exchange processes can be evaluated. Keywords: Polypyrrole, EQCM, Thickness change
Probing the role of water in protein conformation and function
2004
Life began in a bath of water and has never escaped it. Cellular function has forced the evolution of many mechanisms ensuring that cellular water concentration has never changed significantly. To free oneself of any conceptual distinction among all small molecules, solutes and solvents, means that experiments to probe water's specific role in molecular function can be designed like any classical chemical reaction. Such an ‘osmotic stress’ strategy will be described in general and for an enzyme, hexokinase. Water behaves like a reactant that competes with glucose in binding to hexokinase, and modulates its conformational change and activity. This ‘osmotic stress’ strategy, now applied to ma…
Evidence for Conformational Mechanism on the Binding of TgMIC4 with β-Galactose-Containing Carbohydrate Ligand
2015
A deeper understanding of the role of sialic/desialylated groups during TgMIC4-glycoproteins interactions has importance to better clarify the odd process of host cell invasion by members of the apicomplexan phylum. Within this context, we evaluated the interaction established by recombinant TgMIC4 (the whole molecule) with sialylated (bovine fetuin) and desialylated (asialofetuin) glycoproteins by using functionalized quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). A suitable receptive surface containing recombinant TgMIC4 for monitoring β-galactose-containing carbohydrate ligand (limit of quantification ∼ 40 μM) was designed and used as biomolecular recognition platform t…
Is there such a thing as sustainable physical activity?
2016
- This study aims to assess the prevalence of different modes of commuting to school and work for 10-12year-olds and their parents; to assess the associations with demographic variables (country, sex, parental education and ethnicity) and with weight status in eight European countries. As part of the ENERGY project a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2010 in which modes of commuting and socio-demographic variables for children (N=7903) and one of their parents (n=6455) were measured by questionnaires. Children's weight and height were objectively measured; parents self-reported their weight and height. Logistic multilevel regression analyses assessed the associations between mode of c…
“The Limits” of Economic Growth in Romania
2014
Abstract A sustainable economic growth of GDP of 3-4% annually in Romania for the reduction of gaps in development was considered impossible by most institutions of various skill and opinion leaders, as well as of international financial bodies. The reasons cited were delayed public reforms, low growth potential as a result of the crisis, the overview status of the states in the Eurozone dependent on inside community trade and also the prospects for a lasting economic stagnation, the balance sheet effect, as a result of over indebtedness of firms and individuals that substantially reduced inclination towards investment and consumption. Contradicting these forecasts, in 2013, Romania's econo…
State and parameter update in a coupled energy/hydrologic balance model using ensemble Kalman filtering
2012
Summary The capability to accurately monitor and describe daily evapotranspiration (ET) in a cost effective manner is generally attributed to hydrological models. However, continuous solution of energy and water balance provides precise estimations only when a detailed knowledge of sub-surface characteristics is available. On the other hand, residual surface energy balance models, based on remote observation of land surface temperature, are characterised by sufficient accuracy, but their applicability is limited by the lack of high frequency and high resolution thermal data. A compromise between these two methodologies is represented by the use of data assimilation scheme to include sparse …
A General Investigation on the Differential Leakage Factor for Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Multiphase Winding Design
2020
This work provides an investigation based on a fast estimation of the degree of unbalance (D.U.%) and the differential leakage factor (&sigma
Modulation of excitatory and inhibitory circuits for visual awareness in the human right parietal cortex.
2005
The balance of specific patterns of excitation and inhibition in critical regions of both hemispheres could be relevant in orienting attention over the extrapersonal space. In the present study a group of normal subjects had to detect small rectangular stimuli presented briefly on a computer screen in three different conditions: unilateral presentation either to left or right visual periphery or bilateral simultaneous presentation. Paired transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), was applied over the right parietal cortex 150 ms after the presentation of the visual stimuli with different inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs: 1, 3,5 and 10 ms). When paired TMS was applied 150 ms, but not 100 ms, af…
Effect of Six-Month Diet Intervention on Sleep among Overweight and Obese Men with Chronic Insomnia Symptoms : A Randomized Controlled Trial
2016
Growing evidence suggests that diet alteration affects sleep, but this has not yet been studied in adults with insomnia symptoms. We aimed to determine the effect of a six-month diet intervention on sleep among overweight and obese (Body mass index, BMI >= 25 kg/m(2)) men with chronic insomnia symptoms. Forty-nine men aged 30-65 years with chronic insomnia symptoms were randomized into diet (n = 28) or control (n = 21) groups. The diet group underwent a six-month individualized diet intervention with three face-to-face counseling sessions and online supervision 1-3 times per week; 300-500 kcal/day less energy intake and optimized nutrient composition were recommended. Controls were instruct…