We report the first evidence of a chromosome-encoded toxin-antitoxin locus in spirochetes. This locus has been found in the pathogenic spirochete Leptospira interrogans and exhibits homologies with the pem/chp loci. The L. interrogans chp locus consists of two genes: chpK (for "killer protein") and its upstream partner chpI (for "inhibitory protein"). Expression of ChpK in Escherichia coli resu...

Sustainable economic development requires the efficient production and use of energy; combined heat and power (CHP) systems contribute to both of these goals. While a recent executive order set a national goal of 40 GW of new industrial CHP by 2020, the deployment of CHP is challenged by financial, regulatory, and workforce barriers. Discrepancies between private and public interests can be min...

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) includes Chinese herbal products (CHPs), acupuncture, and traumatology manipulative therapies. TCM physicians often prescribe CHP to treat patients with osteoporosis; however, the drugs used and their patterns of prescriptions have yet to be characterized. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the CHP used for the treatment of osteoporosis in Ta...

Long-term production of murine hematopoietic cells in vitro is dependent on establishment of a complex microenvironment consisting of a variety of stromal cells and an extensive extracellular matrix which includes collagen, fibronectin, laminin, proteoglycans, and other undefined components adherent to the culture dishes. Cis-4-hydroxyproline (CHP), a relatively specific inhibitor of collagen s...

This paper presents a novel control algorithm for optimising operational costs of a combined domestic micro-CHP (combined heat and power), battery and heat storage system. Using a minute by minute basic time-step, this work proposes a simple and computationally efficient rule based whole-system management, developed from empirical study of realistic simulated domestic electricity and heat loads...

Austria aims at increasing its share of renewable energy production by 11% until 2020. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants fired by forest wood can significantly contribute to attaining this target. However, the spatial distribution of biomass supply and of heat demand limits the potentials of CHP production. This paper assesses CHP potentials using a mixed integer programming model that optim...

Combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration can play a strategic role in addressing environmental issues and climate change. CHP systems require less fuel than separate heat and power systems in order to produce the same amount of energy saving primary energy, improving the security of the supply. Because less fuel is combusted, greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants are reduced. I...

The on-site generation of electricity can offer building owners and occupiers financial benefits as well as social benefits such as reduced grid congestion, improved energy efficiency, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Combined heat and power (CHP), or cogeneration, systems make use of the waste heat from the generator for site heating needs. Real-time optimal dispatch of CHP systems is dif...

Combined heat and power (CHP) is a promising technology that can contribute to energy efficiency and environmental protection. More CHP-based energy systems are planned for the future. This makes the evaluation and selection of CHP systems very important. In this paper, 16 CHP units representing different technologies are taken into account for multicriteria evaluation with respect to the end u...

Oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species are known to play a major role in neuronal cell damage, but the exact mechanisms responsible for neuronal injury and death remain uncertain. In the present study, we examined the effects of oxidative stress on spontaneous spike activity and depolarizing outward potassium current by exposing the Retzius neurons of the leech to cumene...