Levelized cost-based learning analysis of utility-scale wind and solar in the United States.

Learning curves play a central role in power sector planning. We improve upon past learning curves for utility-scale wind and solar through a combination of approaches. First, we generate plant-level estimates of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) in the United States, and then use LCOE, rather than capital costs, as the dependent variable.

Inhibition of Atypical Protein Kinase C Reduces Inflammation-Induced Retinal Vascular Permeability.

Changes in permeability of retinal blood vessels contribute to macular edema and the pathophysiology of numerous ocular diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, and macular degeneration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induces retinal permeability and macular thickening in these diseases. However, inflammatory agents, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), also may drive vascular permeability, specifically in patients unresponsive to anti-VEGF therapy.

Moving Past Anti-VEGF: Novel Therapies for Treating Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults, and is projected to be a significant future health concern due to the rising incidence of diabetes. The recent advent of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies has revolutionized the treatment of diabetic retinopathy but a significant subset of patients fail to respond to treatment. Accumulating evidence indicates that inflammatory cytokines and chemokines other than VEGF may contribute to the disease process.

Occludin S471 Phosphorylation Contributes to Epithelial Monolayer Maturation.

Multiple organ systems require epithelial barriers for normal function, and barrier loss is a hallmark of diseases ranging from inflammation to epithelial cancers. However, the molecular processes regulating epithelial barrier maturation are not fully elucidated. After contact, epithelial cells undergo size-reductive proliferation and differentiate, creating a dense, highly ordered monolayer with high resistance barriers.

Differential effects of temperature and glucose on glycogenolytic enzymes in tissues of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

The pathways and regulatory mechanisms of glycogenolysis remain relatively unexplored in non-mammalian vertebrates, especially poikilotherms. We studied the temperature sensitivity and inhibition of glycogenolytic enzymes in liver, ventricle, and white muscle of rainbow trout acclimated to 14 °C. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) and acid α-glucosidase (GAA) activities were measured in homogenates of tissues at physiological temperatures (4, 14, and 24 °C), and in the presence of allosteric inhibitor, glucose.

Carbohydrate energy reserves and effects of food deprivation in male and female rainbow trout.

We investigated the effects of nutritional state on carbohydrate, lipid, and protein stores in the heart, liver, and white skeletal muscle of male and female rainbow trout. For fed animals we also partitioned glycogen into fractions based on acid solubility. Fish (10-14 months-old, ~400-500 g) were held at 14 °C and either fed (1% of body weight, every other day) or deprived of food for 14 days.