University of Duisburg-Essen

About: University of Duisburg-Essen is a education organization based out in Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 16072 authors who have published 39972 publications receiving 1109199 citations.

A Novel Scheme for Key Performance Indicator Prediction and Diagnosis With Application to an Industrial Hot Strip Mill

Abstract: In this paper, a data-driven scheme of key performance indicator (KPI) prediction and diagnosis is developed for complex industrial processes. For static processes, a KPI prediction and diagnosis approach is proposed in order to improve the prediction performance. In comparison with the standard partial least squares (PLS) method, the alternative approach significantly simplifies the computation procedure. By means of a data-driven realization of the so-called left coprime factorization (LCF) of a process, efficient KPI prediction, and diagnosis algorithms are developed for dynamic processes, respectively, with and without measurable KPIs. The proposed KPI prediction and diagnosis scheme is finally applied to an industrial hot strip mill, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Heterozygous missense mutations in SMARCA2 cause Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome

Abstract: Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome (NBS) is characterized by sparse hair, distinctive facial morphology, distal-limb anomalies and intellectual disability. We sequenced the exomes of ten individuals with NBS and identified heterozygous variants in SMARCA2 in eight of them. Extended molecular screening identified nonsynonymous SMARCA2 mutations in 36 of 44 individuals with NBS; these mutations were confirmed to be de novo when parental samples were available. SMARCA2 encodes the core catalytic unit of the SWI/SNF ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex that is involved in the regulation of gene transcription. The mutations cluster within sequences that encode ultra-conserved motifs in the catalytic ATPase region of the protein. These alterations likely do not impair SWI/SNF complex assembly but may be associated with disrupted ATPase activity. The identification of SMARCA2 mutations in humans provides insight into the function of the Snf2 helicase family.

CNGB3 mutations account for 50% of all cases with autosomal recessive achromatopsia

Abstract: Achromatopsia is a congenital, autosomal recessively inherited disorder characterized by a lack of color discrimination, low visual acuity (<0.2), photophobia, and nystagmus. Mutations in the genes for CNGA3, CNGB3, and GNAT2 have been associated with this disorder. Here, we analyzed the spectrum and prevalence of CNGB3 gene mutations in a cohort of 341 independent patients with achromatopsia. In 163 patients, CNGB3 mutations could be identified. A total of 105 achromats carried apparent homozygous mutations, 44 were compound (double) heterozygotes, and 14 patients had only a single mutant allele. The derived CNGB3 mutation spectrum comprises 28 different mutations including 12 nonsense mutations, eight insertions and/or deletions, five putative splice site mutations, and three missense mutations. Thus, the majority of mutations in the CNGB3 gene result in significantly altered and/or truncated polypeptides. Several mutations were found recurrently, in particular a 1 bp deletion, c.1148delC, which accounts for over 70% of all CNGB3 mutant alleles. In conclusion, mutations in the CNGB3 gene are responsible for approximately 50% of all patients with achromatopsia. This indicates that the CNGB3/ACHM3 locus on chromosome 8q21 is the major locus for achromatopsia in patients of European origin or descent.

Impact of distributed generation on the stability of electrical power system

Abstract: This paper aims at analysing the potential impacts that distributed generation might have on the stability of electrical power networks. In particular, the performance of a power system with significant penetration of distributed resources is described to assess different types of stability of the bulk network. For this purpose, a hypothetical network is simulated, assuming a large number of fuel cells and micro-turbines as dispersed units in the low-voltage area. The investigation is carried out at constant load demands but with different contributions from fuel cells and micro-turbines. Thus, the rated and supplied powers of the conventional synchronous generators are adjusted to achieve the power balance in the network. With each penetration level of the distributed generation, the performance of the network is studied and different stability classes are analysed. The results are compared with the performance of the network without any distributed generation, as a reference case, to highlight the influence of penetration levels of such units on the stability of the entire network.

Attitudes Towards Redistributive Spending in an Era of Demographic Aging: The Rival Pressures from Age and Income in 14 OECD Countries

Abstract: This article is about the relative impact of age and income on individual attitudes towards welfare state policies in advanced industrial democracies, i.e. the extent to which the intergenerational conflict supersedes or complements intragenerational conflicts. On the basis of a multivariate statistical analysis of the 1996 ISSP Role of Government Data Set for 14 OECD countries, we find considerable age-related differences in welfare state preferences. In particular for the case of education spending, but also for other policy areas, we see that one's position in the life-cycle is a more important predictor of preferences than income. Second, some countries, such as the United States, show a higher salience of the age cleavage across all policy fields, that is, age is a more important line of political preference formation in these countries than in others. Third, country characteristics matter. Although the relative salience of age varies across policy areas, we see - within one policy area - a large variance across countries.