Tau method treatment of a delayed negative feedback equation

The step-by-step Tau method is applied to find polynomial approximations to the solution of the nonlinear functional equation,

, which arises in population dynamics. The behavior of the approximate solutions is consistent with the theoretical results obtained elsewhere.     

Acrylamide–taurine adducts formation as a key mechanism for taurine’s inhibitory effect on acrylamide formation

Amino acids have attracted increasing attention in developing effective inhibitors on acrylamide (AA) formation during food processing. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect and mechanism of taurine (Tau) on AA formation. In the presence of Tau, AA formation was effectively inhibited in asparagine/glucose (Asn/Glc) model system. Results also showed that Glc content was decreased as Glc–Tau solution was heated, which indicated that Tau could react directly with Glc in the Maillard reaction. LC‐QTOF MS revealed two peaks in extracted ion chromatograms [M + H] ⁺ at m/z 197 and m/z 268 during the thermal treatment, which were identified as AA–Tau and AA dimmer–Tau adducts, respectively. Our results demonstrated that inhibitory effect of Tau on AA formation was not only mediated through contesting consumption of Glc with Asn, but also directly reacting with AA to promote formation of AA–Tau and AA dimer–Tau adducts.     

A Thurstonian model for the degree of difference protocol

In the degree of difference methodology (DOD), subjects are presented with pairs of samples, either identical or different, and must indicate how different the samples are using a t-point category rating scale. In this article, the Thurstonian model for the DOD assuming independent assessments is derived. The model permits the estimation of the size of the underlying difference between the products (δ), the variance of this estimate, as well as the sizes of the t − 1 τ criteria (scale boundaries on the difference perceptual distribution). This model expands further the collection of Thurstonian models already available for many discrimination, rating and ranking methodologies.     

Assessment of Amyloid Forming Tendency of Peptide Sequences from Amyloid Beta and Tau Proteins Using Force-Field,Semi-Empirical,and Density Functional Theory Calculations

A wide variety of neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the accumulation of protein aggregates in intraneuronal or extraneuronal brain regions. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the extracellular aggregates originate from amyloid-β proteins, while the intracellular aggregates are formed from microtubule-binding tau proteins. The amyloid forming peptide sequences in the amyloid-β peptides and tau proteins are responsible for aggregate formation. Experimental studies have until the date reported many of such amyloid forming peptide sequences in different proteins, however, there is still limited molecular level understanding about their tendency to form aggregates. In this study, we employed umbrella sampling simulations and subsequent electronic structure theory calculations in order to estimate the energy profiles for interconversion of the helix to β-sheet like secondary structures of sequences from amyloid-β protein (KLVFFA) and tau protein (QVEVKSEKLD and VQIVYKPVD). The study also included a poly-alanine sequence as a reference system. The calculated force-field based free energy profiles predicted a flat minimum for monomers of sequences from amyloid and tau proteins corresponding to an α-helix like secondary structure. For the parallel and anti-parallel dimer of KLVFFA, double well potentials were obtained with the minima corresponding to α-helix and β-sheet like secondary structures. A similar double well-like potential has been found for dimeric forms for the sequences from tau fibril. Complementary semi-empirical and density functional theory calculations displayed similar trends, validating the force-field based free energy profiles obtained for these systems.     

Tau Is Truncated in Five Regions of the Normal Adult Human Brain

The truncation of Tau is thought to be important in promoting aggregation, with this feature characterising the pathology of dementias such as Alzheimer disease. Antibodies to the C-terminal and N-terminal regions of Tau were employed to examine Tau cleavage in five human brain regions: the entorhinal cortex, prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. These were obtained from normal subjects ranging in age from 18 to 104 years. Tau fragments of approximately 40 kDa and 45 kDa with an intact N-terminus retained were found in soluble and insoluble brain fractions. In addition, smaller C-terminal Tau fragments ranging in mass from 17 kDa to 25 kDa were also detected. These findings are consistent with significant Tau cleavage taking place in brain regions from 18 years onwards. It appears that site-specific cleavage of Tau is widespread in the normal human brain, and that large Tau fragments that contain the N-terminus, as well as shorter C-terminal Tau fragments, are present in brain cells across the age range.     

Background analysis around Qββ for Ge double beta decay experiments, and statistics at low count rates

The background in the region of the Q-value for neutrinoless double beta decay of ⁷⁶Ge has been investigated by different methods: Simulation with GEANT 4 of the HEIDELBERG–MOSCOW experiment and analysis of other Ge double beta experiments. Statistical features of the analysis at very low count rates are discussed.     

基于Tau G2 的在轨服务流程可视化建模

为促进军事人员和建模人员之间的理解和沟通,基于建模平台Tau G2进行在轨服务流程可视化建模。应用可视化建模语言UML 2.0,以在轨组装为例,从流程入手,对在轨服务活动进行建模,并对模型进行验证。侧重于顶层,模型从任务需求、系统节点、组织关系、流程描述、状态变化等方面对在轨服务进行综合性分析。所构建的模型有助于相关人员从整体的角度把握整个活动,取得一致性的理解。     

贵州土司官寨聚落形态与建筑分析 ——以开阳马头寨为例

本文介绍了马头寨村寨聚落格局形成的原因,并通过详细的实地考查及对村寨内院落的分析,阐述了马头寨院落以堂屋为中心的平面布局,分析了村寨内的重点建筑。     

贵州土司官寨聚落形态与建筑分析——以开阳马头寨为例

在关键性自然地理及人类学因素的影响下,马头寨形成了蝴蝶形平面布局。这一布局与传统布依族村寨布局稍有不同,在贵州水东土司文化的影响下,村寨内主要轴线的形成与官宅密切相关。通过详细的实地考查及对村寨内院落的分析,阐述了马头寨院落是以堂屋为中心的平面布局,并分析了村寨内的重点建筑。     

BACH HO FIELD, A FRACTURED GRANITIC BASEMENT RESERVOIR, CUU LONG BASIN, OFFSHORE SE VIETNAM: A "BURIED-HILL" PLAY

A combination of seismic, wireline, FMI and core data shows that Bach Ho field in the Cuu Long Basin, offshore SE Vietnam, is an unusual “buried hill” reservoir. There is little or no production from associated siliciclastic “grus” or granite wash, and the fractured reservoir matrix is largely made up of unaltered acid igneous lithologies (mostly granites and granodiorites). A major NE‐SW late Oligocene reverse fault system cross‐cuts the field, with about 2000 m of lateral displacement in the highly productive Central Block. The associated fracture meshwork greatly enhances reservoir quality. Transpressional wrench faulting in the late Oligocene in this part of the field emplaced a block of brittle granitic rock on top of organic‐rich Eocene – Oligocene mudstones, and facilitated the early migration of hydrocarbons into the fracture network. Structure, not erosion, set up the 1000 m column of liquids in the fractured granodiorites which form the reservoir at Bach Ho. Faulted intervals with associated damage zones create an enhanced secondary porosity system in the granodiorite; effective porosities range from 3‐5% and occasionally up to 20%. Some associated fractures are partially blocked by authigenic calcite and kaolinite. Features that degrade reservoir quality at Bach Ho include: (i) a thin, low‐permeability clay‐plugged “rind” created by surface‐related (meteoric) Eocene – Oligocene weathering — this rind variably overprints the uppermost 10‐40 m of exposed basement throughout the Cuu Long Basin; and (ii) widespread hydrothermal cements which largely predate late Oligocene wrench faulting; cementation mostly took place during post‐magmatic cooling and precipitated zeolites, carbonates and silica in fractures which cut across both the igneous and the country rocks. Porosity‐occluding hydrothermal and authigenic precipitates developed in pre‐existing fractures in the Bach Ho granodiorite. These pre– late Oligocene mineral‐filled fractures acted as zones of structural weakness during and after subsequent late Oligocene structural deformation. Together with new fractures formed during thrusting, the older fractures may have reopened during thrust emplacement, and subsequent gravitational settling of, the Central Block.