Το θέμα της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η μελέτη της συμπεριφοράς απαγωγέων υπερτάσεων (SPD), όταν αυτοί αποτελούν μέρος του εσωτερικού συστήματος αντικεραυνικής προστασίας για μια οικιακή εγκατάσταση. Αρχικά γίνεται μια αναφορά στα αίτια δημιουργίας κρουστικών υπερτάσεων στο δίκτυο διανομής, ενώ στη συνέχεια δίνεται έμφαση στις υπερτάσεις που προκαλούνται από άμεσα ή έμμεσα κεραυνικά πλήγματα στο σύστημα. Στα πλαίσια της μελέτης δημιουργήθηκε ένα μοντέλο προσομοίωσης που αναπαριστά ένα δίκτυο χαμηλής τάσης TN-C-S με δύο πανομοιότυπους οικιακούς καταναλωτές, όσον αφορά τη δομή της εσωτερικής ηλεκτρικής εγκατάστασής τους παρουσία ή μη διατάξεων αντικεραυνικής προστασίας. Σκοπός της προκειμένης μελέτης είναι να δειχθεί η βέλτιστη συνδεσμολογία των διατάξεων προστασίας μέσα σε εσωτερικές ηλεκτρικές εγκαταστάσεις έτσι ώστε να αποτρέπεται η ανάπτυξη επικίνδυνων τάσεων και ρευμάτων για τον άνθρωπο και τον εξοπλισμό της οικιακής εγκατάστασης. / The subject of this project is a study upon the dynamic performance of surge arresters as a part of the internal lightning protection system for a residential electrical installation. At first, a reference about the actions or the natural phenomena that cause surge overvoltages in low voltage systems is given in detail and is followed by an essential theoretical approach on the lighning phenomenon. Both the causes, the consequences and the conditions in which a lightning occurs are being analysed. Furthermore, the characteristics and the qualifications a Lightning Protection System needs to comply with, are given, according to the Greek Standard ΕΛΟΤ-1197 and the European Standards IEC 62305-2, IEC 61643-12. Along with writing this essay, a simulation model using Simulink-Matlab was produced. The model represents a LV TN-C-S system that distributes power to two households with identical internal electrical installation. The aim of the present study is to indicate the optimal connection of the surge protective devices (SPDs) in the domestic electrical installation in order to prevent the appearance of potentially dangerous overvoltages to the humans or to the household equipment.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-02-25T17:40:15Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gevaschaeferpereiramartins.pdf: 2682934 bytes, checksum: 33ec1a1ae839b115cb034d5d0518f377 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-03-03T13:32:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gevaschaeferpereiramartins.pdf: 2682934 bytes, checksum: 33ec1a1ae839b115cb034d5d0518f377 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-03T13:32:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gevaschaeferpereiramartins.pdf: 2682934 bytes, checksum: 33ec1a1ae839b115cb034d5d0518f377 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-03 / As vantagens da utilização de jogos com objetivos educacionais podem ser consideradas como um consenso entre professores e alunos. No entanto, jogos sérios constituem-se objetos multimídia complexos e caros de se produzir. A natureza multidisciplinar dos jogos educacionais pressupõe o envolvimento e coordenação de uma equipe especializada. Com o objetivo de auxiliar no desenvolvimento de jogos educacionais é proposto o modelo computacional BROAD-PLG. O modelo é composto por uma arquitetura de alto nível, modelagens de domínio baseadas em características que descrevem três diferentes tipos dos jogos educacionais, e uma ferramenta de engenharia de aplicação, que permite instanciação de um arcabouço pronto para ser utilizado no desenvolvimento desses tipos de jogos. A separação de interesses divide o domínio de jogos educacionais em conjuntos de características que englobam aspectos educacionais, mecânica de jogos e elementos de gamificação. Ao final do trabalho são construídos três exemplos distintos de aplicações demonstrando esses três aspectos. Avaliando-se os exemplos pode-se concluir que o BROAD-PLG, apesar de estar na versão inicial, demonstra grande potencial para ser utilizado como uma ferramenta tanto na forma de geração de aplicações, quanto como referência na modelagem de domínio do problema. / The advantages of using games for educational purposes can be considered as a consensus among teachers and students. However, serious games constitute complex and expensive to produce multimedia objects. The multidisciplinary nature of educational games requires the involvement and coordination of a specialized team. With the objective of assisting in the development of educational games is proposed the computational model BROAD-PLG. The model consists of a high-level architecture, domain modeling based on features that describe three different faces of educational games and application engineering tool that allows instantiation of a framework ready to be used in game development. The separation of concerns splits the domain of educational games into sets of features that include educational aspects of game mechanics and gamification elements. At the end of the work three different application examples are constructed demonstrating these three aspects. In reviewing the examples it can be concluded that the broad-PLG despites being in the initial stage shows great potential to be used as a tool in generating applications as reference in modeling the problem domain.

Short ORF-encoded peptides (SEPs) are increasingly being identified as functional elements in various cellular processes. The current computational methods and experimental molecular biochemistry allow us to discover putative SEPs or micropeptides from proteogenomic datasets and experimentally validate them. Here, we identified a micropeptide produced from a putative long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) 1810058I24Rik which is downregulated in both human and murine myeloid cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), as well as other TLR ligands and inflammatory cytokines. Analysis of lncRNA 1810058I24Rik subcellular localization revealed this transcript is localized in the cytosol, prompting us to evaluate its coding potential. In vitro translation with 35S-labeled methionine resulted in translation of a 47 amino acid micropeptide. Microscopy and subcellular fractionation studies in macrophages demonstrated endogenous expression of this peptide on the mitochondrion. We thus named this gene ‘Mitochondrial micropeptide-47 (Mm47)’. Functional studies using siRNA and Cripsr-cas9-mediated deletion in primary cells, showed that the transcriptional response downstream of TLR4 was not affected by Mm47 loss of function. In contrast, both the Crispr-cas9- and siRNA-targeted BMDM cells were compromised for Nlrp3 inflammasome responses. However, the primary macrophages derived from the Mm47 knockout mice do not require Mm47 for Nlrp3 activation, likely due to basal downregulation of a negative regulator microRNA of Nlrp3 called Mir-223. Notably, the Mm47-deficient mice are susceptible to influenza virus infection and succumb despite comparable antiviral and inflammatory response to wildtype mice. We hypothesize that the Mm47 deficiency may affect the antiviral resilience of mice due to secondary mitochondria dependent immunometabolic defect or failure of recovery from immune pathology, which warrants further investigation. This study therefore identifies a novel mitochondrial micropeptide Mm47 that is required for activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome in cells and resistance to influenza virus infection. Broadly, this work highlights the presence of translatable ORFs is annotated noncoding RNA transcripts and underscores their importance in innate immunity and virus infection.

Alcohol consumption causes liver diseases, designated as Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD). Because alcohol is detoxified by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), a major ethanol metabolism system, the development of ALD was initially believed to be due to malnutrition caused by alcohol metabolism in liver. The discovery of the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) changed this dogma. Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP) constitute the major components of MEOS. Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) in MEOS is one of the major ROS generators in liver and is considered to be contributive to ALD. Our labs have been studying the relationship between CYP2E1 and ALD for many years. Recently, we found that human CYP2A6 and its mouse analog CYP2A5 are also induced by alcohol. In mice, the alcohol induction of CYP2A5 is CYP2E1-dependent. Unlike CYP2E1, CYP2A5 protects against the development of ALD. The relationship of CYP2E1, CYP2A5, and ALD is a major focus of this review.

No description available.

Patienten mit chronischem Nierenversagen leiden sowohl klinisch als auch subklinisch unter Entzündungsepisoden. Um einen Frühindikator der Mikroinflammation zu finden, wurde die Expression funktioneller monozytärer Oberflächenantigene (HLA-DR, CD14, CD16, TLR2 (extra-, intrazellulär), TLR4 (extra-, intrazellulär), CD80, CD86), das Zytokinexpressionsprofil (IL1, IL6, IL10, TNFa, TGFb) und der ultrastruktrurelle Phänotyp des Monozyten in vivo bzw. in vitro untersucht. Dabei wurde strikt zwischen der Membranproteinexpression auf antiinflammatorischen (CD14++CD16-), proinflammatorischen (CD14++CD16+, CD14dimCD16+) und CD14+ bzw. CD16+ Monozyten unterschieden und parallel die Serumspiegel von Parathormon (PTH), C-reaktivem Protein (CRP), Calcium und Phosphor untersucht. Inwieweit monozytäre Aktivierungsmarker zum immunologischen Monitoring geeignet sind, sollte vergleichend zwischen Gesunden, Hämodialyse-(HD)- und Peritonealdialyse-(CAPD)-Patienten untersucht werden. Zusätzlich wurde die Expression in einem in-vitro-Zellkulturmodell vergleichend betrachtet. Der Serum-PTH-Spiegel fiel nach Injektion des Vitamin D-Derivates Paricalcitol, der Serumcalciumspiegel stieg signifikant innerhalb des oberen Referenzbereiches bei Patienten mit sekundärem Hyperparathyroidismus drei Wochen nach Beginn der Therapie. Die HLA-DR, extrazelluläre TLR2, intrazelluläre TLR4, CD80, CD86 Expression fiel nach Paricalcitolinjektion. Paricalcitol erhöhte die Anzahl antiinflammatorischer und erniedrigte die Anzahl proinflammatorischer Monozyten. Beim ultrastrukturellen Vergleich zeigte sich eine deutliche Häufung von elektronendichten Granula bei Paricalcitol-inkubierten Zellen im in-vitro-Versuch. Hierbei handelt es sich mit an Sicherheit grenzender Wahrscheinlichkeit um Lysosomen, was die These einer erhöhten phagolysosomalen monozytären Aktivität unter Paricalcitol-Inkubation stützt. Sowohl bei 48- als auch bei 72-stündiger Inkubation in Primärzellkultur wirkte Paricalcitol antiinflammatorisch, indem es Aktivierungsmarker des Monozyten (HLA-DR, TLR2 (extrazellulär), TLR4 (extrazellulär)), die Anzahl proinflammatorischer Monozyten und die Synthese proinflammatorischer Zytokine (IL1, IL6, TNFa) supprimierte. Dialysepatienten unterliegen einem erhöhten Eintrag von Endotoxin (=LPS) über die Dialysemembran, das in der Regel durch Bindung an den LPS-Rezeptor (=CD14) detoxifiziert wird. Dieser wird nicht nur nach LPS Inkubation, sondern v.a. nach Paricalcitol Inkubation vermehrt exprimiert. LPS erhöhte die Anzahl der proinflammatorischen Monozyten in Zellkultur und reflektierte damit den steady state des HD-Patienten. Aktivierungsmarker von Monozyten unterschieden sich zudem bei vergleichender Betrachtung zwischen CAPD-, HD-Patienten und Gesunden und außerdem im Vergleich vor und nach HD. Die intrazelluläre TLR2 und TLR4 Expression von CAPD-Patienten und HD-Patienten war gegenüber Gesunden erniedrigt, während die CD14 Expression signifikant erhöht war. HD-Patienten zeigten einen erhöhten Anteil proinflammatorischer Monozyten vergleichend zu Gesunden aber auch zu Patienten unter CAPD-Substitutionstherapie. Unmittelbar nach HD fielen die proinflammatorischen Monozyten, während v.a. die Expression von extrazellulärem TLR2, intrazellulärem TLR2 und intrazellulärem TLR4 stieg. Somit unterliegt der HD-Patient einer stärkeren Mikroinflammation als der CAPD-Patient. CAPD-, HD- und auch Patienten mit sekundärem Hyperparathyroidismus zeigen Zeichen einer Mikroinflammation. Dabei war CRP (derzeitiger Routineparameter) kein probates diagnostisches Mittel der Entzündung bei CAPD- und HD-Patienten, des Weiteren nicht geeignet zwischen beiden Patientengruppen zu unterscheiden. Die Verteilung der monozytären Subpopulationen und Expression monozytärer Aktivierungsmarker unterschied sich hinreichend zwischen CAPD- und HD-Patienten. Paricalcitol moduliert funktionelle monozytäre Antigene und Zytokine in vivo und in vitro und wirkt damit der Mikroinflammation und dem Immundefekt des CNI-Patienten entgegen. Der Monozyt wirkt ambivalent und initiiert seine „eigene“ Gegenregulation zur Inflammation, die beim Patienten unter Nierenersatztherapie Endotoxin-vermittelt ist. Vitamin D-Derivate wie Paricalcitol wirken nicht nur auf die Calcium-Phosphat-Homöostase sondern auch immunmodulatorisch, indem sie auf monozytäre Antigene, wie Rezeptoren der angeborenen Immunabwehr, Einfluss nehmen.

The pathogenesis of inflammatory liver diseases and development of liver fibrosis involves hepatocytes as well as non-parenchymal liver cells like resident liver macrophages (Kupffer cells (KC)), Stellate cells and endothelial cells. Kupffer cells play a critical role in liver (patho)physiology and in the defense of the liver during inflammation. They constitute about 50% of non-parenchymal cells and are the largest population of tissues macrophages in the body. Infections, toxins (lipopolysacharide (LPS)), parenchymal damage and stresses stimulate the inflammatory response of Kupffer cells with the following secretion of bioactive factors, cytotoxicity, antigen processing, etc. Resident liver macrophages are the main producers of inflammatory mediators in the liver. Among them there are prostanoids (prostaglandin (PG) E2 and thromboxane (Tx) A2), cytokines (e.g. interleukin (IL)-1,-6, -10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α) and inorganic mediators like nitric oxide (NO). Macrophages-derived products play opposing roles in the development of liver fibrogenesis: IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and TxA2 (pro-fibrogenic mediators) promote whereas PGE2, IL-10 and nitric oxide (anti-fibrogenic mediators) suppress liver fibrogenesis. The present study shows the production of PGE2 and TxA2 by resident liver macrophages upon prolonged activation by LPS and the characterization of biosynthesis pathways. The production of PGE2 and TxA2 is followed during 24 h after stimulation of macrophages with LPS. The involvement of enzymes is measured on the RNA level (RT-PCR), protein level (Western blot analysis) and activity (activity assays), respectively. The amounts of released prostanoids are measured at time points 2, 4, 8 and 24 h after LPS stimulation. The production of PGE2 is very low without stimulation, shows a delay within the first few hours after stimulation with LPS, and thereafter linearly increases up to 24 h. TxA2 production is very low without stimulation, and increases without a time-delay after the addition of LPS. Prostanoid biosynthesis is inhibited by dexamethasone. The present study shows the involvement and regulation of the AA cascade by the following enzymes: cPLA2: is expressed in resting Kupffer cells; cPLA2 expression and phosphorylation is increased by LPS, dexamethasone suppresses the LPS effect, localization in membrane fraction. COX-1: is expressed in resting Kupffer cells; COX-1 expression is not influenced by LPS and dexamethasone. The COX-1 inhibitor SC560 suppresses the LPS-induced production of PGE2 and TxA2 (8h and 24h), localization predominantly in membrane fraction. COX-2: is almost not expressed in resting Kupffer cells; COX-2 expression is highly increased by LPS, dexamethasone suppresses the LPS effect. The COX-2 inhibitor SC236 inhibits the production of PGE2 and TxA2 at 8h by about 77% and 20%, and at 24h by about 42% and 34%, respectively, localization predominantly in membrane fraction. mPGES-1: is almost not expressed in resting cells; mPGES-1 expression is highly increased by LPS, dexamethasone suppresses the LPS effect, localization in membrane fraction. mPGES-2: is expressed in resting Kupffer cells; mPGES-2 expression is slightly increased by LPS, localization predominantly in membrane fraction. cPGES: is expressed in resting Kupffer cells; LPS has no effect, localization predominantly in soluble fraction. TxA2 synthase: is expressed in resting Kupffer cells; LPS and dexamethasone have no effect, localization predominantly in membrane fraction. Treatment of Kupffer cells with IL-1ß and TNF-α leads to an enhanced release of PGE2 and TxA2 and upregulate the expression of cPLA2, COX-2 and mPGES-1. IL-6 has no effect on prostanoid production. In contrast, IL-10 suppresses the LPS-induced production of PGE2 and TxA2 and expression of cPLA2, COX-2 and mPGES-1. Resting Kupffer cells release very low amounts of NO and do not express iNOS, nNOS and eNOS. LPS, TNF-α and IL-1ß upregulate NO release and the expression of iNOS whereas dexamethasone and IL-10 downregulate NO release and the expression of iNOS. PGE2 suppresses the LPS-induced release of NO but enhances the cytokine-induced release of NO. NO induces a release of PGE2. Thus, the study demonstrates a crosstalk between prostanoids, nitric oxide and cytokines in Kupffer cells under inflammatory conditions and demonstrates a possible anti-fibrogenic effect of PGE2 in the process of liver fibrogenesis.

DNA microarrays are a relatively new technology for assessing the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. Researchers hope to find genes that are differentially expressed by hybridizing cDNA from known treatment sources with various genes spotted on the microarrays. The large number of tests involved in analyzing microarrays has raised new questions in multiple testing. Several approaches for identifying differentially expressed genes have been proposed. This paper considers two: (1) a mixed models approach, and (2) the Signiffcance Analysis of Microarrays.

No description available.

Das Lipopolysaccharid Bindende Protein (LBP) ist ein überwiegend in der Leber synthetisiertes Akutphaseprotein. Es bindet den Zellwandbestandteil Lipopolysaccharid (LPS) Gram-negativer Bakterien und transportiert es zu zellulären Rezeptoren, wodurch das angeborene Immunsystem aktiviert wird. In dieser Arbeit wird die Regulation der LBP-Expression in Interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 und Dexamethason (Dex) stimulierten humanen Hepatomzelllinien HuH-7 und HepG2 untersucht. Der wichtigste Stimulator ist dabei IL-6, dessen Wirkung über die Transkriptionsfaktoren (TF) Stat-3, C/EBP-beta und AP-1 vermittelt wird. Für alle 3 TF konnten aktive Bindungsstellen auf dem LBP-Promotor nachgewiesen werden. Für IL-1-Effekte die u. a. über den TF NF-kappaB vermittelt werden, konnten ebenfalls aktive Bindungsstellen nachgewiesen werden. Die Wirkung von Dex wird über Glucocorticoid Responsive Elements (GREs) vermittelt. Auf dem LBP-Promotor befinden, sich wie gezeigt werden konnte, mehrere aktive GREs, wobei einige verstärkend und einige hemmend wirken. Eine zu beobachtende Synergiewirkung von Dex und IL-6 wird durch die Aufregulation des IL-6-Rezeptors durch Dex verursacht. Die LBP-Expression kann durch TGF (Transforming Growth Factor)-beta gehemmt werden. Der TGF-beta-Signalweg über Smads ist in den Hepatomzellen aktiv, vermittelt aber nicht den TGF-beta-Hemmeffekt, sondern eine geringe stimulierende Wirkung, die bei alleiniger TGF-beta-Inkubation auftritt. Die inhibierende Wirkung von TGF-beta wird durch Gfi-1- und AP-1-Bindungsstellen vermittelt. Die Gfi-1-Bindungsstelle nimmt dabei, wie hier erstmals gezeigt werden konnte, eine herausragende Stellung ein. Die Aufklärung der LBP-Regulation und dabei besonders die Hemmung der LBP-Expression kann mittelfristig dazu beitragen, den klinischen Verlauf von inflammatorischen und infektiösen Erkrankungen zu beeinflussen und bietet daher Potenzial für neue Therapieansätze. / Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding protein (LBP) is an acute phase protein with the ability to bind and transfer LPS of Gram-negative bacteria. This soluble pattern recognition molecule represents an important defense principle of the host. Regulation of the hepatic acute phase response and its termination are important mechanisms for limiting systemic inflammatory activity of the host. Here were analyze the cooperation of Interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and Dexamethasone (Dex) at LBP expression in the hepatoma cell lines HuH-7 and Hep G2. The major inducer of LBP expression is IL-6. Within the LBP promoter numerously highly consensus binding sites such as AP-1, C/EBP-beta? and STAT3 are present, that confer transcriptional activity as shown by truncation and mutation experiments. Additionally, activate NF-kappaB sites activated by IL-1 were detected at the LBP promoter. By mutation experiments of the promoter furthermore were found differentially active glucocorticoid response elements (GREs). The promoter contains GREs enhancing the activity as well as inhibitory ones. The enhancing effect towards LBP expression by Dex was mediated by IL-6. Dex stimulated the expression of the IL-6 receptor and therefore upregulated the IL-6 pathway. Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-beta is able to inhibit LBP expression in stimulated cells. An AP-1 binding site was identified mediating inhibitory TGF-beta effects towards LBP promoter activity. Furthermore it was shown that a growth factor independence (Gfi)-1 binding site localized near the AP-1 site is essential for mediating the TGF-beta inhibitory effect. The relevancy of the Gfi-1 site fore mediating TGF-beta effects indicates a novel mechanism for understanding inhibitory TGF-beta effects at the transcriptional level. In summary the complex regulation of LBP were elucidate which may help to eventually develop novel intervention strategies for acute phase, sepsis, and septic shock.