Impact of geometrical properties on permeability and fluid phase distribution in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmann, P.; Berchtold, M.; Ahrenholz, B.; Tölke, J.; Kaestner, A.; Krafczyk, M.; Flühler, H.; Künsch, H. R.

2008-09-01

To predict fluid phase distribution in porous media, the effect of geometric properties on flow processes must be understood. In this study, we analyze the effect of volume, surface, curvature and connectivity (the four Minkowski functionals) on the hydraulic conductivity and the water retention curve. For that purpose, we generated 12 artificial structures with 800 3 voxels (the units of a 3D image) and compared them with a scanned sand sample of the same size. The structures were generated with a Boolean model based on a random distribution of overlapping ellipsoids whose size and shape were chosen to fulfill the criteria of the measured functionals. The pore structure of sand material was mapped with X-rays from synchrotrons. To analyze the effect of geometry on water flow and fluid distribution we carried out three types of analysis: Firstly, we computed geometrical properties like chord length, distance from the solids, pore size distribution and the Minkowski functionals as a function of pore size. Secondly, the fluid phase distribution as a function of the applied pressure was calculated with a morphological pore network model. Thirdly, the permeability was determined using a state-of-the-art lattice-Boltzmann method. For the simulated structure with the true Minkowski functionals the pores were larger and the computed air-entry value of the artificial medium was reduced to 85% of the value obtained from the scanned sample. The computed permeability for the geometry with the four fitted Minkowski functionals was equal to the permeability of the scanned image. The permeability was much more sensitive to the volume and surface than to curvature and connectivity of the medium. We conclude that the Minkowski functionals are not sufficient to characterize the geometrical properties of a porous structure that are relevant for the distribution of two fluid phases. Depending on the procedure to generate artificial structures with predefined Minkowski functionals, structures differing in pore size distribution can be obtained.

Constant scalar curvature hypersurfaces in (3 + 1) -dimensional GHMC Minkowski spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Graham

2018-06-01

We prove that every (3 + 1) -dimensional flat GHMC Minkowski spacetime which is not a translation spacetime or a Misner spacetime carries a unique foliation by spacelike hypersurfaces of constant scalar curvature. In other words, we prove that every such spacetime carries a unique time function with isochrones of constant scalar curvature. Furthermore, this time function is a smooth submersion.

Chiral-symmetry breaking and confinement in Minkowski space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biernat, Elmer P.; Pena, M. T.; Ribiero, J. E.

2016-01-01

We present a model for the quark-antiquark interaction formulated in Minkowski space using the Covariant Spectator Theory. The quark propagators are dressed with the same kernel that describes the interaction between different quarks. By applying the axial-vector Ward-Takahashi identity we show that our model satisfies the Adler-zero constraint imposed by chiral symmetry. For this model, our Minkowski-space results of the dressed quark mass function are compared to lattice QCD data obtained in Euclidean space. The mass function is then used in the calculation of the electromagnetic pion form factor in relativistic impulse approximation, and the results are presented and comparedmore » with the experimental data from JLab.« less

Chiral-symmetry breaking and confinement in Minkowski space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biernat, Elmar P.; Peña, M. T.; Departamento de Física, Instituto Superior Técnico

2016-01-22

We present a model for the quark-antiquark interaction formulated in Minkowski space using the Covariant Spectator Theory. The quark propagators are dressed with the same kernel that describes the interaction between different quarks. By applying the axial-vector Ward-Takahashi identity we show that our model satisfies the Adler-zero constraint imposed by chiral symmetry. For this model, our Minkowski-space results of the dressed quark mass function are compared to lattice QCD data obtained in Euclidean space. The mass function is then used in the calculation of the electromagnetic pion form factor in relativistic impulse approximation, and the results are presented and comparedmore » with the experimental data from JLab.« less

Probing the statistical properties of CMB B-mode polarization through Minkowski functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Larissa; Wang, Kai; Zhao, Wen

2016-07-01

The detection of the magnetic type B-mode polarization is the main goal of future cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments. In the standard model, the B-mode map is a strong non-gaussian field due to the CMB lensing component. Besides the two-point correlation function, the other statistics are also very important to dig the information of the polarization map. In this paper, we employ the Minkowski functionals to study the morphological properties of the lensed B-mode maps. We find that the deviations from Gaussianity are very significant for both full and partial-sky surveys. As an application of the analysis, we investigate the morphological imprints of the foreground residuals in the B-mode map. We find that even for very tiny foreground residuals, the effects on the map can be detected by the Minkowski functional analysis. Therefore, it provides a complementary way to investigate the foreground contaminations in the CMB studies.

Heterozygous TGFBR2 mutations in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Mizuguchi, Takeshi; Collod-Beroud, Gwenaëlle; Akiyama, Takushi; Abifadel, Marianne; Harada, Naoki; Morisaki, Takayuki; Allard, Delphine; Varret, Mathilde; Claustres, Mireille; Morisaki, Hiroko; Ihara, Makoto; Kinoshita, Akira; Yoshiura, Koh-ichiro; Junien, Claudine; Kajii, Tadashi; Jondeau, Guillaume; Ohta, Tohru; Kishino, Tatsuya; Furukawa, Yoichi; Nakamura, Yusuke; Niikawa, Norio; Boileau, Catherine; Matsumoto, Naomichi

2004-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an extracellular matrix disorder with cardinal manifestations in the eye, skeleton, and cardiovascular systems and associated with defects in the fibrillin gene (FBN1) at 15q21.1 1. We previously mapped the second locus for MFS (MFS type 2, MFS2, OMIM *154705), at 3p24.2-p25 in a large French family (MS1)2. Identification of a 3p24.1 chromosomal breakpoint disrupting the TGF-beta receptor 2 gene (TGFBR2) in a Japanese MFS patient led us to consider TGFBR2 as the MSF2 gene. We found a Q508Q mutation of TGFBR2 that resulted in abnormal splicing and segregated with MFS2 in MS1. Three other missense mutations were found in four unrelated probands and were shown by luciferase-assays to lead to loss of function of the TGF-β signaling activity on extracellular matrix formation. These results show that heterozygous mutations in TGFBR2, a putative tumor suppressor gene implicated in several malignancies, are also associated with inherited connective-tissue disorders. PMID:15235604

Analysis of image heterogeneity using 2D Minkowski functionals detects tumor responses to treatment.

PubMed

Larkin, Timothy J; Canuto, Holly C; Kettunen, Mikko I; Booth, Thomas C; Hu, De-En; Krishnan, Anant S; Bohndiek, Sarah E; Neves, André A; McLachlan, Charles; Hobson, Michael P; Brindle, Kevin M

2014-01-01

The acquisition of ever increasing volumes of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data has created an urgent need to develop automated and objective image analysis algorithms that can assist in determining tumor margins, diagnosing tumor stage, and detecting treatment response. We have shown previously that Minkowski functionals, which are precise morphological and structural descriptors of image heterogeneity, can be used to enhance the detection, in T1 -weighted images, of a targeted Gd(3+) -chelate-based contrast agent for detecting tumor cell death. We have used Minkowski functionals here to characterize heterogeneity in T2 -weighted images acquired before and after drug treatment, and obtained without contrast agent administration. We show that Minkowski functionals can be used to characterize the changes in image heterogeneity that accompany treatment of tumors with a vascular disrupting agent, combretastatin A4-phosphate, and with a cytotoxic drug, etoposide. Parameterizing changes in the heterogeneity of T2 -weighted images can be used to detect early responses of tumors to drug treatment, even when there is no change in tumor size. The approach provides a quantitative and therefore objective assessment of treatment response that could be used with other types of MR image and also with other imaging modalities. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evolution of the stellar mass function in multiple-population globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vesperini, Enrico; Hong, Jongsuk; Webb, Jeremy J.; D'Antona, Franca; D'Ercole, Annibale

2018-05-01

We present the results of a survey of N-body simulations aimed at studying the effects of the long-term dynamical evolution on the stellar mass function (MF) of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters. Our simulations show that if first-(1G) and second-generation (2G) stars have the same initial MF (IMF), the global MFs of the two populations are affected similarly by dynamical evolution and no significant differences between the 1G and 2G MFs arise during the cluster's evolution. If the two populations have different IMFs, dynamical effects do not completely erase memory of the initial differences. Should observations find differences between the global 1G and 2G MFs, these would reveal the fingerprints of differences in their IMFs. Irrespective of whether the 1G and 2G populations have the same global IMF or not, dynamical effects can produce differences between the local (measured at various distances from the cluster centre) 1G and 2G MFs; these differences are a manifestation of the process of mass segregation in populations with different initial structural properties. In dynamically old and spatially mixed clusters, however, differences between the local 1G and 2G MFs can reveal differences between the 1G and 2G global MFs. In general, for clusters with any dynamical age, large differences between the local 1G and 2G MFs are more likely to be associated with differences in the global MF. Our study also reveals a dependence of the spatial mixing rate on the stellar mass, another dynamical consequence of the multiscale nature of multiple-population clusters.

Boosted Schwarzschild metrics from a Kerr–Schild perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mädler, Thomas; Winicour, Jeffrey

2018-02-01

The Kerr–Schild version of the Schwarzschild metric contains a Minkowski background which provides a definition of a boosted black hole. There are two Kerr–Schild versions corresponding to ingoing or outgoing principle null directions. We show that the two corresponding Minkowski backgrounds and their associated boosts have an unexpected difference. We analyze this difference and discuss the implications in the nonlinear regime for the gravitational memory effect resulting from the ejection of massive particles from an isolated system. We show that the nonlinear effect agrees with the linearized result based upon the retarded Green function only if the velocity of the ejected particle corresponds to a boost symmetry of the ingoing Minkowski background. A boost with respect to the outgoing Minkowski background is inconsistent with the absence of ingoing radiation from past null infinity.

76 FR 62470 - MFS Series Trust I, et al.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-07

...] MFS Series Trust I, et al.; Notice of Application September 30, 2011. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange... Series Trust I, MFS Series Trust II, MFS Series Trust III, MFS Series Trust IV, MFS Series Trust V, MFS Series Trust VI, MFS Series Trust VII, MFS Series Trust VIII, MFS Series Trust IX, MFS Series Trust X...

Tensor Minkowski Functionals for random fields on the sphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chingangbam, Pravabati; Yogendran, K. P.; Joby, P. K.; Ganesan, Vidhya; Appleby, Stephen; Park, Changbom

2017-12-01

We generalize the translation invariant tensor-valued Minkowski Functionals which are defined on two-dimensional flat space to the unit sphere. We apply them to level sets of random fields. The contours enclosing boundaries of level sets of random fields give a spatial distribution of random smooth closed curves. We outline a method to compute the tensor-valued Minkowski Functionals numerically for any random field on the sphere. Then we obtain analytic expressions for the ensemble expectation values of the matrix elements for isotropic Gaussian and Rayleigh fields. The results hold on flat as well as any curved space with affine connection. We elucidate the way in which the matrix elements encode information about the Gaussian nature and statistical isotropy (or departure from isotropy) of the field. Finally, we apply the method to maps of the Galactic foreground emissions from the 2015 PLANCK data and demonstrate their high level of statistical anisotropy and departure from Gaussianity.

Extreme value laws for fractal intensity functions in dynamical systems: Minkowski analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantica, Giorgio; Perotti, Luca

2016-09-01

Typically, in the dynamical theory of extremal events, the function that gauges the intensity of a phenomenon is assumed to be convex and maximal, or singular, at a single, or at most a finite collection of points in phase-space. In this paper we generalize this situation to fractal landscapes, i.e. intensity functions characterized by an uncountable set of singularities, located on a Cantor set. This reveals the dynamical rôle of classical quantities like the Minkowski dimension and content, whose definition we extend to account for singular continuous invariant measures. We also introduce the concept of extremely rare event, quantified by non-standard Minkowski constants and we study its consequences to extreme value statistics. Limit laws are derived from formal calculations and are verified by numerical experiments. Dedicated to the memory of Joseph Ford, on the twentieth anniversary of his departure.

A novel major facilitator superfamily transporter in Penicillium digitatum (PdMFS2) is required for prochloraz resistance, conidiation and full virulence.

PubMed

Wu, Zhi; Wang, Shengqiang; Yuan, Yongze; Zhang, Tingfu; Liu, Jing; Liu, Deli

2016-08-01

To clone a novel major facilitator superfamily (MFS, a large protein family with diverse physiological functions in all kingdoms) transporter gene, Pdmfs2, and characterize its function in Penicillium digitatum. A novel MFS transporter gene, Pdmfs2, was isolated from P. digitatum. The full-length DNA of Pdmfs2 had a 1590 bp ORF encoding a full-size MFS transporter with 529 amino acids. In a prochloraz-resistant strain (PdHS-F6), Pdmfs2 transcript level was up-regulated compared with the prochloraz-sensitive strain (PdHS-E3) and could be induced by 7 μg prochloraz/ml. The deletion of Pdmfs2 (ΔPdmfs2) in PdHS-F6 led to increased susceptibility to prochloraz and lower EC50 value (the concentration of prochloraz producing 50 % growth inhibition) compared with the PdHS-F6 or complementation strain (COPdmfs2). The ΔPdmfs2 strain was defective in conidia yield and virulence towards citrus fruits, while the complementation of Pdmfs2 could restore the phenotypic features to a large extent. Pdmfs2 is the second MFS transporter gene in P. digitatum and is required for prochloraz resistance, conidiation and full virulence.

Systematic review of chronic pain in persons with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Velvin, G; Bathen, T; Rand-Hendriksen, S; Geirdal, A Ø

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the literature on chronic pain in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS), critically appraising and synthesizing relevant literature. A systematic review was conducted by searching the published literature databases using available medical, physical, psychological, social databases and other sources. All studies that addressed pain in MFS, published in peer-reviewed journals were assessed. Of 351 search results, 18 articles satisfied the eligibility criteria. All studies were cross-sectional and quantitative; no randomized controlled trials or intervention studies were found. Most studies had small sample sizes, low response rates and mainly dealt with other aspects of the diagnosis than pain. Only one article dealt mainly with pain. The research on chronic pain in MFS is limited in size and quality. Despite these limitations, studies describe that the prevalence of pain in patients with MFS is high, varying from 47 to 92% and affecting several anatomic sites. In addition, chronic pain limits daily function and few studies describe treatment options for pain in patients with MFS. Research is needed to obtain more evidence-based knowledge for developing more appropriate rehabilitation programs for people with MFS. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain-containing protein 2 (DCBLD2) is a novel biomarker of myxofibrosarcoma invasion identified by global protein expression profiling.

PubMed

Kikuta, Kazutaka; Kubota, Daisuke; Yoshida, Akihiko; Qiao, Zhiwei; Morioka, Hideo; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Chuman, Hirokazu; Kawai, Akira; Kondo, Tadashi

2017-09-01

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a mesenchymal malignancy characterized by frequent recurrence even after radical wide resection. To optimize therapy for MFS patients, we aimed to identify candidate tissue biomarkers of MFS invasion potential. Invasion characteristics of MFS were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and protein expression profiling of primary tumor tissues performed using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). Protein expression profiles were compared between invasive and non-invasive tumors surgically resected from 11 patients. Among the 3453 protein spots observed, 59 demonstrated statistically significant difference in intensity (≥2-fold) between invasive and non-invasive tumors (p<0.01 by Wilkoxon test), and were identified by mass spectrometry as 47 individual proteins. Among them, we further focused on discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain-containing protein 2 (DCBLD2), a receptor tyrosine kinase with aberrant expression in malignant tumors. Immunohistochemistry analysis of 21 additional MFS cases revealed that higher DCBLD2 expression was significantly associated with invasive properties of tumor cells. DCBLD2 sensitivity and specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for MFS invasion were 69.2%, 87.5%, 90%, and 63.6%, respectively. The expression level of DCBLD2 was consistent in different portions of tumor tissues. Thus, DCBLD2 expression can be a useful biomarker to evaluate invasive properties of MFS. Further validation studies based on multi-institutional collaboration and comprehensive analysis of DCBLD2 biological functions in MFS are required to confirm its prognostic utility for clinical application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new method to estimate left ventricular circumferential midwall systolic function by standard echocardiography: Concordance between models and validation by speckle tracking.

PubMed

Ballo, Piercarlo; Nistri, Stefano; Bocelli, Arianna; Mele, Donato; Dini, Frank L; Galderisi, Maurizio; Zuppiroli, Alfredo; Mondillo, Sergio

2016-01-15

Assessment of left ventricular circumferential (LVcirc) systolic function by standard echocardiography can be performed by estimating midwall fractional shortening (mFS) and stress-corrected mFS (ScmFS). Their determination is based on spherical or cylindrical LV geometric models, which often yield discrepant values. We developed a new model based on a more realistic truncated ellipsoid (TE) LV shape, and explored the concordance between models among hypertensive patients. We also compared the relationships of different mFS and ScmFS estimates with indexes of LVcirc systolic strain. In 364 hypertensive subjects, mFS was determined using the spherical (mFSspher), cylindrical (mFScyl), and TE model (mFSTE). Corresponding values of ScmFSspher, ScmFScyl, and ScmFSTE were obtained. Global circumferential strain (GCS) and systolic strain rate (GCSR) were also measured by speckle tracking. The three models showed poor concordance for the estimation of mFS, with average differences ranging between 11% and 30% and wide limits of agreement. Similar results were found for ScmFS, where reclassification rates for the identification of abnormal LVcirc systolic function ranged between 18% and 29%. When tested against strain indexes, mFSTE and ScmFSTE showed the best correlations (R=0.81 and R=0.51, p<0.0001 for both) with GCS and GCSR. Multivariable analysis confirmed that mFSTE and ScmFSTE showed the strongest independent associations with LVcirc strain measures. Substantial discrepancies in LVcirc midwall systolic indexes exist between different models, supporting the need of model-specific normative data. The use of the TE model might provide indexes that show the best associations with established strain measures of LVcirc systolic function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in the Thoracic Aorta by Region and Sex in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Siegert, Anna-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Meirelles, Thayna; Barberà, Laura; Dantas, Ana P; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo

2017-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue that causes life-threatening aortic aneurysm, which initiates at the aortic root and can progress into the ascending portion. However, analysis of ascending aorta reactivity in animal models of MFS has remained elusive. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that although MFS is equally prevalent in men and women, men are at a higher risk of aortic complications than non-pregnant women. Nevertheless, there is no experimental evidence to support this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to explore whether there are regional and sex differences in the thoracic aorta function of mice heterozygous for the fibrillin 1 ( Fbn1 ) allele encoding a missense mutation ( Fbn1 C1039G/+ ), the most common class of mutation in MFS. Ascending and descending thoracic aorta reactivity was evaluated by wire myography. Ascending aorta mRNA and protein levels, and elastic fiber integrity were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson histological staining, respectively. MFS differently altered reactivity in the ascending and descending thoracic aorta by either increasing or decreasing phenylephrine contractions, respectively. When mice were separated by sex, contractions to phenylephrine increased progressively from 3 to 6 months of age in MFS ascending aortas of males, whereas contractions in females were unchanged. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was unaltered in the MFS ascending aorta of either sex; an effect related to augmented endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-type dilations. In MFS males, the non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin prevented the MFS-induced enhancement of phenylephrine contractions linked to increased COX-2 expression. In MFS mice of both sexes, the non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME revealed negative feedback of nitric oxide on phenylephrine contractions, which was associated with upregulation of eNOS in females. Finally, MFS ascending aortas showed a greater number of elastic fiber breaks than the wild-types, and males exhibited more breaks than females. These results show regional and sex differences in Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice thoracic aorta contractility and aortic media injuries. The presence of more pronounced aortic alterations in male mice provides experimental evidence to support that male MFS patients are at increased risk of suffering aortic complications.

Differences in the Thoracic Aorta by Region and Sex in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Siegert, Anna-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Meirelles, Thayna; Barberà, Laura; Dantas, Ana P.; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo

2017-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a hereditary disorder of the connective tissue that causes life-threatening aortic aneurysm, which initiates at the aortic root and can progress into the ascending portion. However, analysis of ascending aorta reactivity in animal models of MFS has remained elusive. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that although MFS is equally prevalent in men and women, men are at a higher risk of aortic complications than non-pregnant women. Nevertheless, there is no experimental evidence to support this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to explore whether there are regional and sex differences in the thoracic aorta function of mice heterozygous for the fibrillin 1 (Fbn1) allele encoding a missense mutation (Fbn1C1039G/+), the most common class of mutation in MFS. Ascending and descending thoracic aorta reactivity was evaluated by wire myography. Ascending aorta mRNA and protein levels, and elastic fiber integrity were assessed by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and Verhoeff-Van Gieson histological staining, respectively. MFS differently altered reactivity in the ascending and descending thoracic aorta by either increasing or decreasing phenylephrine contractions, respectively. When mice were separated by sex, contractions to phenylephrine increased progressively from 3 to 6 months of age in MFS ascending aortas of males, whereas contractions in females were unchanged. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was unaltered in the MFS ascending aorta of either sex; an effect related to augmented endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization-type dilations. In MFS males, the non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin prevented the MFS-induced enhancement of phenylephrine contractions linked to increased COX-2 expression. In MFS mice of both sexes, the non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-NAME revealed negative feedback of nitric oxide on phenylephrine contractions, which was associated with upregulation of eNOS in females. Finally, MFS ascending aortas showed a greater number of elastic fiber breaks than the wild-types, and males exhibited more breaks than females. These results show regional and sex differences in Fbn1C1039G/+ mice thoracic aorta contractility and aortic media injuries. The presence of more pronounced aortic alterations in male mice provides experimental evidence to support that male MFS patients are at increased risk of suffering aortic complications. PMID:29187826

Functional role of oligomerization for bacterial and plant SWEET sugar transporter family.

PubMed

Xuan, Yuan Hu; Hu, Yi Bing; Chen, Li-Qing; Sosso, Davide; Ducat, Daniel C; Hou, Bi-Huei; Frommer, Wolf B

2013-09-24

Eukaryotic sugar transporters of the MFS and SWEET superfamilies consist of 12 and 7 α-helical transmembrane domains (TMs), respectively. Structural analyses indicate that MFS transporters evolved from a series of tandem duplications of an ancestral 3-TM unit. SWEETs are heptahelical proteins carrying a tandem repeat of 3-TM separated by a single TM. Here, we show that prokaryotes have ancestral SWEET homologs with only 3-TM and that the Bradyrhizobium japonicum SemiSWEET1, like Arabidopsis SWEET11, mediates sucrose transport. Eukaryotic SWEETs most likely evolved by internal duplication of the 3-TM, suggesting that SemiSWEETs form oligomers to create a functional pore. However, it remains elusive whether the 7-TM SWEETs are the functional unit or require oligomerization to form a pore sufficiently large to allow for sucrose passage. Split ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid and split GFP assays indicate that Arabidopsis SWEETs homo- and heterooligomerize. We examined mutant SWEET variants for negative dominance to test if oligomerization is necessary for function. Mutation of the conserved Y57 or G58 in SWEET1 led to loss of activity. Coexpression of the defective mutants with functional A. thaliana SWEET1 inhibited glucose transport, indicating that homooligomerization is necessary for function. Collectively, these data imply that the basic unit of SWEETs, similar to MFS sugar transporters, is a 3-TM unit and that a functional transporter contains at least four such domains. We hypothesize that the functional unit of the SWEET family of transporters possesses a structure resembling the 12-TM MFS structure, however, with a parallel orientation of the 3-TM unit.

Functional role of oligomerization for bacterial and plant SWEET sugar transporter family

PubMed Central

Xuan, Yuan Hu; Hu, Yi Bing; Chen, Li-Qing; Sosso, Davide; Ducat, Daniel C.; Hou, Bi-Huei; Frommer, Wolf B.

2013-01-01

Eukaryotic sugar transporters of the MFS and SWEET superfamilies consist of 12 and 7 α-helical transmembrane domains (TMs), respectively. Structural analyses indicate that MFS transporters evolved from a series of tandem duplications of an ancestral 3-TM unit. SWEETs are heptahelical proteins carrying a tandem repeat of 3-TM separated by a single TM. Here, we show that prokaryotes have ancestral SWEET homologs with only 3-TM and that the Bradyrhizobium japonicum SemiSWEET1, like Arabidopsis SWEET11, mediates sucrose transport. Eukaryotic SWEETs most likely evolved by internal duplication of the 3-TM, suggesting that SemiSWEETs form oligomers to create a functional pore. However, it remains elusive whether the 7-TM SWEETs are the functional unit or require oligomerization to form a pore sufficiently large to allow for sucrose passage. Split ubiquitin yeast two-hybrid and split GFP assays indicate that Arabidopsis SWEETs homo- and heterooligomerize. We examined mutant SWEET variants for negative dominance to test if oligomerization is necessary for function. Mutation of the conserved Y57 or G58 in SWEET1 led to loss of activity. Coexpression of the defective mutants with functional A. thaliana SWEET1 inhibited glucose transport, indicating that homooligomerization is necessary for function. Collectively, these data imply that the basic unit of SWEETs, similar to MFS sugar transporters, is a 3-TM unit and that a functional transporter contains at least four such domains. We hypothesize that the functional unit of the SWEET family of transporters possesses a structure resembling the 12-TM MFS structure, however, with a parallel orientation of the 3-TM unit. PMID:24027245

Reference Values for the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale in Adolescent Athletes by Sport and Sex.

PubMed

Snyder Valier, Alison R; Welch Bacon, Cailee E; Bay, R Curtis; Molzen, Eileen; Lam, Kenneth C; Valovich McLeod, Tamara C

2017-10-01

Effective use of patient-rated outcome measures to facilitate optimal patient care requires an understanding of the reference values of these measures within the population of interest. Little is known about reference values for commonly used patient-rated outcome measures in adolescent athletes. To determine reference values for the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS) in adolescent athletes by sport and sex. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A convenience sample of interscholastic adolescent athletes from 9 sports was used. Participants completed the PedsQL and MFS during one testing session at the start of their sport season. Data were stratified by sport and sex. Dependent variables included the total PedsQL score and the 5 PedsQL subscale scores: physical functioning, psychosocial functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning, and school functioning. Dependent variables for the MFS included 3 subscale scores: general functioning, sleep functioning, and cognitive functioning. Summary statistics were reported for total and subscale scores by sport and sex. Among 3574 males and 1329 female adolescent athletes, the PedsQL scores (100 possible points) generally indicated high levels of health regardless of sport played. Mean PedsQL total and subscales scores ranged from 82.6 to 95.7 for males and 83.9 to 95.2 for females. Mean MFS subscale scores (100 possible points) ranged from 74.2 to 90.9 for males and 72.8 to 87.4 for females. Healthy male and female adolescent athletes reported relatively high levels of health on the PedsQL subscales and total scores regardless of sport; no mean scores were lower than 82.6 points for males or 83.9 points for females. On the MFS, males and females tended to report low effect of general and cognitive fatigue regardless of sport; mean scores were higher than 83.5 points for males and 83.8 points for females. Clinically, athletes who score below the reference values for their sport have poorer health status than average adolescent athletes participating in that sport. Scores below reference values may warrant consideration of early intervention or treatment.

Classification of pulmonary emphysema from chest CT scans using integral geometry descriptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Rikxoort, E. M.; Goldin, J. G.; Galperin-Aizenberg, M.; Brown, M. S.

2011-03-01

To gain insight into the underlying pathways of emphysema and monitor the effect of treatment, methods to quantify and phenotype the different types of emphysema from chest CT scans are of crucial importance. Current standard measures rely on density thresholds for individual voxels, which is influenced by inspiration level and does not take into account the spatial relationship between voxels. Measures based on texture analysis do take the interrelation between voxels into account and therefore might be useful for distinguishing different types of emphysema. In this study, we propose to use Minkowski functionals combined with rotation invariant Gaussian features to distinguish between healthy and emphysematous tissue and classify three different types of emphysema. Minkowski functionals characterize binary images in terms of geometry and topology. In 3D, four Minkowski functionals are defined. By varying the threshold and size of neighborhood around a voxel, a set of Minkowski functionals can be defined for each voxel. Ten chest CT scans with 1810 annotated regions were used to train the method. A set of 108 features was calculated for each training sample from which 10 features were selected to be most informative. A linear discriminant classifier was trained to classify each voxel in the lungs into a subtype of emphysema or normal lung. The method was applied to an independent test set of 30 chest CT scans with varying amounts and types of emphysema with 4347 annotated regions of interest. The method is shown to perform well, with an overall accuracy of 95%.

Differences in Contractile Function of Myofibrils within Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes vs. Adult Ventricular Myofibrils Are Related to Distinct Sarcomeric Protein Isoforms

PubMed Central

Iorga, Bogdan; Schwanke, Kristin; Weber, Natalie; Wendland, Meike; Greten, Stephan; Piep, Birgit; dos Remedios, Cristobal G.; Martin, Ulrich; Zweigerdt, Robert; Kraft, Theresia; Brenner, Bernhard

2018-01-01

Characterizing the contractile function of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) is key for advancing their utility for cellular disease models, promoting cell based heart repair, or developing novel pharmacological interventions targeting cardiac diseases. The aim of the present study was to understand whether steady-state and kinetic force parameters of β-myosin heavy chain (βMyHC) isoform-expressing myofibrils within human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) differentiated in vitro resemble those of human ventricular myofibrils (hvMFs) isolated from adult donor hearts. Contractile parameters were determined using the same micromechanical method and experimental conditions for both types of myofibrils. We identified isoforms and phosphorylation of main sarcomeric proteins involved in the modulation of force generation of both, chemically demembranated hESC-CMs (d-hESC-CMs) and hvMFs. Our results indicate that at saturating Ca2+ concentration, both human-derived contractile systems developed forces with similar rate constants (0.66 and 0.68 s−1), reaching maximum isometric force that was significantly smaller for d-hESC-CMs (42 kPa) than for hvMFs (94 kPa). At submaximal Ca2+-activation, where intact cardiomyocytes normally operate, contractile parameters of d-hESC-CMs and hvMFs exhibited differences. Ca2+ sensitivity of force was higher for d-hESC-CMs (pCa50 = 6.04) than for hvMFs (pCa50 = 5.80). At half-maximum activation, the rate constant for force redevelopment was significantly faster for d-hESC-CMs (0.51 s−1) than for hvMFs (0.28 s−1). During myofibril relaxation, kinetics of the slow force decay phase were significantly faster for d-hESC-CMs (0.26 s−1) than for hvMFs (0.21 s−1), while kinetics of the fast force decay were similar and ~20x faster. Protein analysis revealed that hESC-CMs had essentially no cardiac troponin-I, and partially non-ventricular isoforms of some other sarcomeric proteins, explaining the functional discrepancies. The sarcomeric protein isoform pattern of hESC-CMs had features of human cardiomyocytes at an early developmental stage. The study indicates that morphological and ultrastructural maturation of βMyHC isoform-expressing hESC-CMs is not necessarily accompanied by ventricular-like expression of all sarcomeric proteins. Our data suggest that hPSC-CMs could provide useful tools for investigating inherited cardiac diseases affecting contractile function during early developmental stages. PMID:29403388

Quantification of Soil Pore Structure Based on Minkowski-Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, H.; Weller, U.; Schlüter, S.

2009-05-01

The porous structure in soils and other geologic media is typically a complex 3-dimensional object. Most of the physical material properties including mechanical and hydraulic characteristics are immediately linked to this structure which can be directly observed using non-invasive techniques as e.g. X-ray tomography. It is an old dream and still a formidable challenge to related structural features of porous media to their physical properties. In this contribution we present a scale-invariant concept to quantify pore structure based on a limited set of meaningful morphological functions. They are based on d+1 Minkowski functionals as defined for d-dimensional bodies. These basic quantities are determined as a function of pore size obtained by filter procedures using mathematical morphology. The resulting Minkowski functions provide valuable information on pore size, pore surface area and pore topology having the potential to be linked to physical properties. The theoretical background and the related algorithms are presented and the approach is demonstrated for the structure of an arable topsoil obtained by X-ray micro tomography. We also discuss the fundamental problem of limited resolution which is critical for any attempt to quantify structural features at any scale.

Gating Topology of the Proton-Coupled Oligopeptide Symporters

PubMed Central

Fowler, Philip W.; Orwick-Rydmark, Marcella; Radestock, Sebastian; Solcan, Nicolae; Dijkman, Patricia M.; Lyons, Joseph A.; Kwok, Jane; Caffrey, Martin; Watts, Anthony; Forrest, Lucy R.; Newstead, Simon

2015-01-01

Summary Proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters belong to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) of membrane transporters. Recent crystal structures suggest the MFS fold facilitates transport through rearrangement of their two six-helix bundles around a central ligand binding site; how this is achieved, however, is poorly understood. Using modeling, molecular dynamics, crystallography, functional assays, and site-directed spin labeling combined with double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, we present a detailed study of the transport dynamics of two bacterial oligopeptide transporters, PepTSo and PepTSt. Our results identify several salt bridges that stabilize outward-facing conformations and we show that, for all the current structures of MFS transporters, the first two helices of each of the four inverted-topology repeat units form half of either the periplasmic or cytoplasmic gate and that these function cooperatively in a scissor-like motion to control access to the peptide binding site during transport. PMID:25651061

Introducing anisotropic Minkowski functionals and quantitative anisotropy measures for local structure analysis in biomedical imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wismüller, Axel; De, Titas; Lochmüller, Eva; Eckstein, Felix; Nagarajan, Mahesh B.

2013-03-01

The ability of Minkowski Functionals to characterize local structure in different biological tissue types has been demonstrated in a variety of medical image processing tasks. We introduce anisotropic Minkowski Functionals (AMFs) as a novel variant that captures the inherent anisotropy of the underlying gray-level structures. To quantify the anisotropy characterized by our approach, we further introduce a method to compute a quantitative measure motivated by a technique utilized in MR diffusion tensor imaging, namely fractional anisotropy. We showcase the applicability of our method in the research context of characterizing the local structure properties of trabecular bone micro-architecture in the proximal femur as visualized on multi-detector CT. To this end, AMFs were computed locally for each pixel of ROIs extracted from the head, neck and trochanter regions. Fractional anisotropy was then used to quantify the local anisotropy of the trabecular structures found in these ROIs and to compare its distribution in different anatomical regions. Our results suggest a significantly greater concentration of anisotropic trabecular structures in the head and neck regions when compared to the trochanter region (p < 10-4). We also evaluated the ability of such AMFs to predict bone strength in the femoral head of proximal femur specimens obtained from 50 donors. Our results suggest that such AMFs, when used in conjunction with multi-regression models, can outperform more conventional features such as BMD in predicting failure load. We conclude that such anisotropic Minkowski Functionals can capture valuable information regarding directional attributes of local structure, which may be useful in a wide scope of biomedical imaging applications.

Introducing Anisotropic Minkowski Functionals and Quantitative Anisotropy Measures for Local Structure Analysis in Biomedical Imaging

PubMed Central

Wismüller, Axel; De, Titas; Lochmüller, Eva; Eckstein, Felix; Nagarajan, Mahesh B.

2017-01-01

The ability of Minkowski Functionals to characterize local structure in different biological tissue types has been demonstrated in a variety of medical image processing tasks. We introduce anisotropic Minkowski Functionals (AMFs) as a novel variant that captures the inherent anisotropy of the underlying gray-level structures. To quantify the anisotropy characterized by our approach, we further introduce a method to compute a quantitative measure motivated by a technique utilized in MR diffusion tensor imaging, namely fractional anisotropy. We showcase the applicability of our method in the research context of characterizing the local structure properties of trabecular bone micro-architecture in the proximal femur as visualized on multi-detector CT. To this end, AMFs were computed locally for each pixel of ROIs extracted from the head, neck and trochanter regions. Fractional anisotropy was then used to quantify the local anisotropy of the trabecular structures found in these ROIs and to compare its distribution in different anatomical regions. Our results suggest a significantly greater concentration of anisotropic trabecular structures in the head and neck regions when compared to the trochanter region (p < 10−4). We also evaluated the ability of such AMFs to predict bone strength in the femoral head of proximal femur specimens obtained from 50 donors. Our results suggest that such AMFs, when used in conjunction with multi-regression models, can outperform more conventional features such as BMD in predicting failure load. We conclude that such anisotropic Minkowski Functionals can capture valuable information regarding directional attributes of local structure, which may be useful in a wide scope of biomedical imaging applications. PMID:29170580

Marfan syndrome associated aortic disease in neonates and children: a clinical-morphologic review.

PubMed

Ware, Adam L; Miller, Dylan V; Erickson, Lance K; Menon, Shaji C

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multisystem connective tissue disorder that can lead to aortic dilation requiring aortic root replacement. Neonatal MFS (nMFS) is a rare and severe form of MFS compared to classic MFS (cMFS). Aortic root histology in MFS is thought to demonstrate predominantly medial degeneration (MD) of a translamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation (MEMA-T) vs. the intralamellar mucoid extracellular matrix accumulation (MEMA-I) seen in other aortopathies. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical and histopathologic features of nMFS and cMFS patients undergoing aortic root replacement. Children with MFS who underwent aortic root replacement between 2000 and 2012 at a single institution were included. Medical records including clinical details, aortic dimensions (Z scores), and histology including MD type were obtained. Statistics were descriptive with univariate analysis of age at surgery and type of MD. Eleven patients, 3 (27%) with nMFS, were included. Root dilation at time of surgery was greater in nMFS compared to cMFS (Z=12.8 vs. 7.6, P=.005), and nMFS patients were younger at time of surgery (7.3 vs. 18.8 years, P=.002). Histology in the nMFS group demonstrated MEMA-I in one and no MD in two. In the cMFS group, there were three with MEMA-T, four with MEMA-I, and one with both types. In summary, nMFS has earlier root dilation often in the absence of MD. Both forms of MD were present in our cohort, and there was no correlation between age at surgery and type of MD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new construction of rational electromagnetic knots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lechtenfeld, Olaf; Zhilin, Gleb

2018-06-01

We set up a correspondence between solutions of the Yang-Mills equations on R ×S3 and in Minkowski spacetime via de Sitter space. Some known Abelian and non-Abelian exact solutions are rederived. For the Maxwell case we present a straightforward algorithm to generate an infinite number of explicit solutions, with fields and potentials in Minkowski coordinates given by rational functions of increasing complexity. We illustrate our method with a nontrivial example.

Hints of hybridizing Majorana fermions in a nanowire coupled to superconducting leads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finck, A. D. K.; van Harlingen, D. J.; Mohseni, P. K.; Jung, K.; Li, X.

2013-03-01

It has been proposed that a nanowire with strong spin-orbit coupling that is contacted with a conventional superconductor and subjected to a large magnetic field can be driven through a topological phase transition. In this regime, the two ends of the nanowire together host a pair of quasi-particles known as Majorana fermions (MFs). A key feature of MFs is that they are pinned to zero energy when the topological nanowire is long enough such that the wave functions of the two MFs do not overlap significantly, resulting in a zero bias anomaly (ZBA). It has been recently predicted that changes in external parameters can vary the wave function overlap and cause the MFs to hybridize in an oscillatory fashion. This would lead to a non-monotonic splitting or broadening of the ZBA and help distinguish MF transport signatures from a Kondo effect. Here, we present transport studies of an InAs nanowire contacted with niobium nitride leads in high magnetic fields. We observe a number of robust ZBAs that can persist for a wide range of back gate bias and magnetic field strength. Under certain conditions, we find that the height and width of the ZBA can oscillate with back gate bias or magnetic field. This work was supported by Microsoft Project Q.

Abnormal Morphology of Fibrillin Microfibrils in Fibroblast Cultures from Patients with Neonatal Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Godfrey, Maurice; Raghunath, Michael; Cisler, Jason; Bevins, Charles L.; DePaepe, Anne; Di Rocco, Maja; Gregoritch, Jane; Imaizumi, Kiyoshi; Kaplan, Paige; Kuroki, Yoshikazu; Silberbach, Michael; Superti-Furga, Andrea; Van Thienen, Marie-Noëlle; Vetter, Ulrich; Steinmann, Beat

1995-01-01

The Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder manifested by variable and pleiotropic features in the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. The average life span in MFS is about 35 years. A group with much more severe cardiovascular disease and a mean life span of approximately I year also exists. We refer to this latter group as “neonatal Marfan syndrome” (nMFS). Fibrillin defects are now known to be the cause of MFS and nMFS. Immunofluorescence studies were the first to demonstrate this association. Here we describe immunofluorescence studies in a series of 10 neonates and summarize their salient clinical features. In vitro accumulation of fibrillin reactive fibers was assayed using monoclonal antibodies to fibrillin in hyperconfluent fibroblast cultures. As was previously observed in MFS, fibroblast cultures from nMFS patients showed an apparent decrease in accumulation of immunostainable fibrillin. Significantly, however, the morphology of the immunostained fibrils in the nMFS cultures were abnormal and differed not only from control cultures, but also from those seen in cultures of MFS fibroblasts. The nMFS fibrils appeared short, fragmented, and frayed, characteristics that are not seen in MFS. Both the clinical and fibrillin morphology data provide evidence to suggest a useful subclassification of nMFS in the spectrum of MFS. ImagesFigure 1Figure 2 PMID:7778680

Classification of small lesions in dynamic breast MRI: Eliminating the need for precise lesion segmentation through spatio-temporal analysis of contrast enhancement over time.

PubMed

Nagarajan, Mahesh B; Huber, Markus B; Schlossbauer, Thomas; Leinsinger, Gerda; Krol, Andrzej; Wismüller, Axel

2013-10-01

Characterizing the dignity of breast lesions as benign or malignant is specifically difficult for small lesions; they don't exhibit typical characteristics of malignancy and are harder to segment since margins are harder to visualize. Previous attempts at using dynamic or morphologic criteria to classify small lesions (mean lesion diameter of about 1 cm) have not yielded satisfactory results. The goal of this work was to improve the classification performance in such small diagnostically challenging lesions while concurrently eliminating the need for precise lesion segmentation. To this end, we introduce a method for topological characterization of lesion enhancement patterns over time. Three Minkowski Functionals were extracted from all five post-contrast images of sixty annotated lesions on dynamic breast MRI exams. For each Minkowski Functional, topological features extracted from each post-contrast image of the lesions were combined into a high-dimensional texture feature vector. These feature vectors were classified in a machine learning task with support vector regression. For comparison, conventional Haralick texture features derived from gray-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM) were also used. A new method for extracting thresholded GLCM features was also introduced and investigated here. The best classification performance was observed with Minkowski Functionals area and perimeter , thresholded GLCM features f8 and f9, and conventional GLCM features f4 and f6. However, both Minkowski Functionals and thresholded GLCM achieved such results without lesion segmentation while the performance of GLCM features significantly deteriorated when lesions were not segmented ( p < 0.05). This suggests that such advanced spatio-temporal characterization can improve the classification performance achieved in such small lesions, while simultaneously eliminating the need for precise segmentation.

Glutathione system participation in thoracic aneurysms from patients with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Zúñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra María; Pérez-Torres, Israel; Guarner-Lans, Verónica; Núñez-Garrido, Elías; Velázquez Espejel, Rodrigo; Huesca-Gómez, Claudia; Gamboa-Ávila, Ricardo; Soto, María Elena

2017-05-01

Aortic dilatation in Marfan syndrome (MFS) is progressive. It is associated with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can result in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. We evaluated the participation of the glutathione (GSH) system, which could be involved in the mechanisms that promote the formation and progression of the aortic aneurysms in MFS patients. Aortic aneurysm tissue was obtained during chest surgery from eight control subjects and 14 MFS patients. Spectrophotometrical determination of activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, carbonylation, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and concentration of reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG respectively), was performed in the homogenate from aortic aneurysm tissue. LPO index, carbonylation, TGF-β1, and GR activity were increased in MFS patients (p < 0.04), while TAC, GSH/GSSG ratio, GPx, and GST activity were significantly decreased (p < 0.04). The depletion of GSH, in spite of the elevated activity of GR, not only diminished the activity of GSH-depend GST and GPx, but increased LPO, carbonylation and decreased TAC. These changes could promote the structural and functional alterations in the thoracic aorta of MFS patients.

Biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Gehle, Petra; Goergen, Barbara; Pilger, Daniel; Ruokonen, Peter; Robinson, Peter N; Salchow, Daniel J

2017-01-01

To study biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS). Observational, retrospective, comparative cohort study in a tertiary referral center on 285 MFS patients and 267 controls. Structural and biometric ocular characteristic were compared. MFS eyes were longer (axial length 24.25 ± 1.74 mm versus 23.89 ± 1.31 mm, p < 0.001) and had a flatter cornea than control eyes (mean keratometry 41.78 ± 1.80 diopters (D) versus 43.05 ± 1.51 D, p < 0.001). Corneal astigmatism was greater and the central cornea was thinner in MFS eyes (530.14 ± 41.31 μm versus 547.02 ± 39.18 μm, p < 0.001). MFS eyes were more myopic than control eyes (spherical equivalent -2.16 ± 3.75 D versus -1.17 ± 2.58 D, p < 0.001). Visual acuity was reduced (0.13 ± 0.25 logMAR versus 0.05 ± 0.18 logMAR, p < 0.001) and intraocular pressure was lower in MFS eyes (14.6 ± 3.4 mmHg versus 15.1 ± 3.2 mmHg, p = 0.01). Iris transillumination defects (ITD) were significantly more common in MFS eyes (odds ratio for MFS in the presence of ITD, 3.7). Ectopia lentis (EL) was only present in MFS eyes (33.4%). History of retinal detachment was significantly more common in MFS eyes. Glaucoma was equally common in both groups. ITD and EL are most characteristic findings in MFS. ITD and corneal curvature should be studied as diagnostic criteria for MFS. Visual acuity is reduced in MFS. MFS patients need regular eye exams to identify serious ocular complications.

Perspectives on the revised Ghent criteria for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

von Kodolitsch, Yskert; De Backer, Julie; Schüler, Helke; Bannas, Peter; Behzadi, Cyrus; Bernhardt, Alexander M; Hillebrand, Mathias; Fuisting, Bettina; Sheikhzadeh, Sara; Rybczynski, Meike; Kölbel, Tilo; Püschel, Klaus; Blankenberg, Stefan; Robinson, Peter N

2015-01-01

Three international nosologies have been proposed for the diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS): the Berlin nosology in 1988; the Ghent nosology in 1996 (Ghent-1); and the revised Ghent nosology in 2010 (Ghent-2). We reviewed the literature and discussed the challenges and concepts of diagnosing MFS in adults. Ghent-1 proposed more stringent clinical criteria, which led to the confirmation of MFS in only 32%–53% of patients formerly diagnosed with MFS according to the Berlin nosology. Conversely, both the Ghent-1 and Ghent-2 nosologies diagnosed MFS, and both yielded similar frequencies of MFS in persons with a causative FBN1 mutation (90% for Ghent-1 versus 92% for Ghent-2) and in persons not having a causative FBN1 mutation (15% versus 13%). Quality criteria for diagnostic methods include objectivity, reliability, and validity. However, the nosology-based diagnosis of MFS lacks a diagnostic reference standard and, hence, quality criteria such as sensitivity, specificity, or accuracy cannot be assessed. Medical utility of diagnosis implies congruency with the historical criteria of MFS, as well as with information about the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic triggers, prognostic triggers, and potential complications of MFS. In addition, social and psychological utilities of diagnostic criteria include acceptance by patients, patient organizations, clinicians and scientists, practicability, costs, and the reduction of anxiety. Since the utility of a diagnosis or exclusion of MFS is context-dependent, prioritization of utilities is a strategic decision in the process of nosology development. Screening tests for MFS should be used to identify persons with MFS. To confirm the diagnosis of MFS, Ghent-1 and Ghent-2 perform similarly, but Ghent-2 is easier to use. To maximize the utility of the diagnostic criteria of MFS, a fair and transparent process of nosology development is essential. PMID:26124674

Biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Gehle, Petra; Goergen, Barbara; Pilger, Daniel; Ruokonen, Peter; Robinson, Peter N.

2017-01-01

Background To study biometric and structural ocular manifestations of Marfan syndrome (MFS). Methods Observational, retrospective, comparative cohort study in a tertiary referral center on 285 MFS patients and 267 controls. Structural and biometric ocular characteristic were compared. Results MFS eyes were longer (axial length 24.25 ± 1.74 mm versus 23.89 ± 1.31 mm, p < 0.001) and had a flatter cornea than control eyes (mean keratometry 41.78 ± 1.80 diopters (D) versus 43.05 ± 1.51 D, p < 0.001). Corneal astigmatism was greater and the central cornea was thinner in MFS eyes (530.14 ± 41.31 μm versus 547.02 ± 39.18 μm, p < 0.001). MFS eyes were more myopic than control eyes (spherical equivalent -2.16 ± 3.75 D versus -1.17 ± 2.58 D, p < 0.001). Visual acuity was reduced (0.13 ± 0.25 logMAR versus 0.05 ± 0.18 logMAR, p < 0.001) and intraocular pressure was lower in MFS eyes (14.6 ± 3.4 mmHg versus 15.1 ± 3.2 mmHg, p = 0.01). Iris transillumination defects (ITD) were significantly more common in MFS eyes (odds ratio for MFS in the presence of ITD, 3.7). Ectopia lentis (EL) was only present in MFS eyes (33.4%). History of retinal detachment was significantly more common in MFS eyes. Glaucoma was equally common in both groups. Conclusions ITD and EL are most characteristic findings in MFS. ITD and corneal curvature should be studied as diagnostic criteria for MFS. Visual acuity is reduced in MFS. MFS patients need regular eye exams to identify serious ocular complications. PMID:28931008

Exact solutions to the fermion propagator Schwinger-Dyson equation in Minkowski space with on-shell renormalization for quenched QED

DOE PAGES

Jia, Shaoyang; Pennington, M. R.

2017-08-01

With the introduction of a spectral representation, the Schwinger-Dyson equation (SDE) for the fermion propagator is formulated in Minkowski space in QED. After imposing the on-shell renormalization conditions, analytic solutions for the fermion propagator spectral functions are obtained in four dimensions with a renormalizable version of the Gauge Technique anzatz for the fermion-photon vertex in the quenched approximation in the Landau gauge. Despite the limitations of this model, having an explicit solution provides a guiding example of the fermion propagator with the correct analytic structure. The Padé approximation for the spectral functions is also investigated.

Exact solutions to the fermion propagator Schwinger-Dyson equation in Minkowski space with on-shell renormalization for quenched QED

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jia, Shaoyang; Pennington, M. R.

With the introduction of a spectral representation, the Schwinger-Dyson equation (SDE) for the fermion propagator is formulated in Minkowski space in QED. After imposing the on-shell renormalization conditions, analytic solutions for the fermion propagator spectral functions are obtained in four dimensions with a renormalizable version of the Gauge Technique anzatz for the fermion-photon vertex in the quenched approximation in the Landau gauge. Despite the limitations of this model, having an explicit solution provides a guiding example of the fermion propagator with the correct analytic structure. The Padé approximation for the spectral functions is also investigated.

77 FR 57596 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-18

...; NASA Case No.: MFS-32940-1: Weld Nugget Temperature Control in Thermal Stir Welding; NASA Case No.: MFS-31559-2-DIV: Thermal Stir Welding Process; NASA Case No.: MFS-32611-1: Mass Gauging Demonstrator for Any....: MFS-32859-1: Pulsed Ultrasonic Stir Welding System; NASA Case No.: MFS-32655-1: Aerospace Laser...

Prognostic value of depressed midwall systolic function in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis.

PubMed

Perlini, Stefano; Salinaro, Francesco; Musca, Francesco; Mussinelli, Roberta; Boldrini, Michele; Raimondi, Ambra; Milani, Paolo; Foli, Andrea; Cappelli, Francesco; Perfetto, Federico; Palladini, Giovanni; Rapezzi, Claudio; Merlini, Giampaolo

2014-05-01

Cardiac amyloidosis represents an archetypal form of restrictive heart disease, characterized by profound diastolic dysfunction. As ejection fraction is preserved until the late stage of the disease, the majority of patients do fulfill the definition of diastolic heart failure, that is, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In another clinical model of HFpEF, that is, pressure-overload hypertrophy, depressed midwall fractional shortening (mFS) has been shown to be a powerful prognostic factor. To assess the potential prognostic role of mFS in cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with preserved ejection fraction, we enrolled 221 consecutive untreated patients, in whom a first diagnosis of cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was concluded between 2008 and 2010. HFpEF was present in 181 patients. Patients in whom cardiac involvement was excluded served as controls (n = 121). Prognosis was assessed after a median follow-up of 561 days. When compared with light-chain amyloidosis patients without myocardial involvement, cardiac light-chain amyloidosis was characterized by increased wall thickness (P <0.001), reduced end-diastolic left ventricular volumes (P <0.001), and diastolic dysfunction (P <0.001). In patients with preserved ejection fraction, mFS was markedly depressed [10.6% (8.7-13.5) vs. 17.8% (15.9-19.5) P <0.001]. At multivariable analysis, mFS, troponin I, and NT-pro-brain natriuretic peptide were the only significant prognostic determinants (P <0.001), whereas other indices of diastolic (E/E' ratio, transmitral and pulmonary vein flow velocities) and systolic function (tissue Doppler systolic indices, ejection fraction), or the presence/absence of congestive heart failure did not enter the model. In cardiac light-chain amyloidosis with normal ejection fraction, depressed circumferential mFS, a marker of myocardial contractile dysfunction, is a powerful predictor of survival.

Corneal curvature, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Konradsen, Tiina R; Koivula, Annemari; Kugelberg, Maria; Zetterström, Charlotta

2012-06-01

To evaluate corneal curvature, pachymetry, and endothelial cell density (ECD) in Marfan syndrome (MFS). A case-control study in which K values, pachymetry, and ECD were compared in 39 MFS eyes and 40 control eyes matched for age and refraction was conducted. MFS eyes with lens subluxation also were compared with eyes without subluxation. The mean K(med) value in MFS eyes was lower than in the control eyes, 42.2 ± 1.9 versus 43.4 ± 1.4 dioptres (D), respectively (p = 0.02). Fifteen MFS eyes (38%) and three control eyes (8%) had K(med) values below 41.5 D (p = 0.0012). MFS eyes had generally more corneal astigmatism than control eyes, 1.1 ± 0.9 versus 0.8 ± 0.4 D (p = 0.035), and MFS eyes with lens subluxation had more corneal astigmatism than those without, 1.6 ± 1.1 versus 0.6 ± 0.3 D (p = 0.0002). Nine MFS eyes with corneal astigmatism exceeding 1.5 D also had a subluxated lens. No eyes had keratoconus. The mean pachymetry value was lower in MFS eyes compared to the controls, 485 ± 54.5 versus 514 ± 37.3 μm (p = 0.007); 24 MFS eyes (62%) and 10 control eyes (25%) had measurements below 500 μm (p = 0.01). The mean ECD values were similar in MFS and control eyes, 2815 ± 430 versus 2858 ± 458 cells/mm(2) (p = 0.66). The mean K value, pachymetry, and ECD values did not differ between MFS eyes with and without lens subluxation. Decreased K values and pachymetry could indicate MFS regardless of subluxation. High corneal astigmatism is associated with subluxation in MFS. Subluxation should be identified in MFS eyes with high corneal astigmatism. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Acta Ophthalmol.

An exact solution of the Currie-Hill equations in 1 + 1 dimensional Minkowski space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balog, János

2014-11-01

We present an exact two-particle solution of the Currie-Hill equations of Predictive Relativistic Mechanics in 1 + 1 dimensional Minkowski space. The instantaneous accelerations are given in terms of elementary functions depending on the relative particle position and velocities. The general solution of the equations of motion is given and by studying the global phase space of this system it is shown that this is a subspace of the full kinematic phase space.

Recurrent Guillain-Barré syndrome, Miller Fisher syndrome and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis.

PubMed

Ishii, Junko; Yuki, Nobuhiro; Kawamoto, Michi; Yoshimura, Hajime; Kusunoki, Susumu; Kohara, Nobuo

2016-05-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (BBE) are usually monophasic, but some patients experience recurrences after long asymptomatic intervals. We aimed to investigate clinical features of recurrent GBS, MFS, and BBE at a single hospital. Records from 97 consecutive patients with GBS, MFS or BBE who were admitted to a tertiary hospital between 2001 and 2013 were reviewed. Clinical and laboratory features of patients with recurrent GBS, MFS, or BBE were investigated. Patients included 55 (32 males) with GBS, 34 (22 males) with MFS, and 8 (6 males) with BBE. Recurrent cases occurred in 2 (4%) of the 55 patients with GBS, 4 (12%) of the 34 patients with MFS, and 2 (25%) of the 8 patients with BBE. Patients with recurrent MFS had a tendency to be younger at the first episode than patients with non-recurrent MFS (median, 22 versus 37years old). Symptoms and signs were less severe during relapses than during the initial episode in recurrent patients. Recurrences occurred more frequently in patients with MFS or BBE compared with those with GBS. Patients with recurrent MFS might be younger than those with non-recurrent MFS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Redox stress in Marfan syndrome: Dissecting the role of the NADPH oxidase NOX4 in aortic aneurysm.

PubMed

Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc; Meirelles, Thayna; Crosas-Molist, Eva; Sorolla, M Alba; Del Blanco, Darya Gorbenko; López-Luque, Judit; Mas-Stachurska, Aleksandra; Siegert, Ana-Maria; Bonorino, Fabio; Barberà, Laura; García, Carolina; Condom, Enric; Sitges, Marta; Rodríguez-Pascual, Fernando; Laurindo, Francisco; Schröder, Katrin; Ros, Joaquim; Fabregat, Isabel; Egea, Gustavo

2018-04-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is characterized by the formation of ascending aortic aneurysms resulting from altered assembly of extracellular matrix fibrillin-containing microfibrils and dysfunction of TGF-β signaling. Here we identify the molecular targets of redox stress in aortic aneurysms from MFS patients, and investigate the role of NOX4, whose expression is strongly induced by TGF-β, in aneurysm formation and progression in a murine model of MFS. Working models included aortae and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from MFS patients, and a NOX4-deficient Marfan mouse model (Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- ). Increased tyrosine nitration and reactive oxygen species levels were found in the tunica media of human aortic aneurysms and in cultured VSMC. Proteomic analysis identified nitrated and carbonylated proteins, which included smooth muscle α-actin (αSMA) and annexin A2. NOX4 immunostaining increased in the tunica media of human Marfan aorta and was transcriptionally overexpressed in VSMC. Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- mice aortas showed a reduction of fragmented elastic fibers, which was accompanied by an amelioration in the Marfan-associated enlargement of the aortic root. Increase in the contractile phenotype marker calponin in the tunica media of MFS mice aortas was abrogated in Fbn1 C1039G/+ -Nox4 -/- mice. Endothelial dysfunction evaluated by myography in the Marfan ascending aorta was prevented by the absence of Nox4 or catalase-induced H 2 O 2 decomposition. We conclude that redox stress occurs in MFS, whose targets are actin-based cytoskeleton members and regulators of extracellular matrix homeostasis. Likewise, NOX4 have an impact in the progression of the aortic dilation in MFS and in the structural organization of the aortic tunica media, the VSMC phenotypic modulation, and endothelial function. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Micheli Functional Scale to Persian Language for Evaluation of Low Back Pain in the Young Athletes.

PubMed

Naghdi, Soofia; Nakhostin Ansari, Noureddin; Ashrafi, Hanieh; Entezary, Ebrahim; Nakhostin Ansari, Amin; Olyaei, Gholamreza

2015-12-01

A clinical outcome tool is needed for the assessment of young athletes with low back pain. To translate and culturally adapt the Micheli functional scale (MFS), a self-report questionnaire developed to evaluate young athletes with low back pain (LBP) into Persian language and examine the reliability and validity of the Persian MFS (PMFS). A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the PMFS. The PMFS was cross-culturally adapted into Persian language adopting forward/backward translation, expert panel review, and pre-testing. The PMFS was administered to young athletes with and without LBP. Main outcome measures were Persian MFS, Persian functional rating Index (PFRI), and visual analogue scale (VAS). A sample of 100 young athletes with LBP with a mean age of 16.5 ± 2.5 years participated. Fifty young athletes without LBP completed the PMFS. There was no missing responses and floor or ceiling effects. There was a significant difference for the total PMFS scores between young athletes with and without LBP. A significant correlation was found between the total PMFS score and the VAS (r = 0.92) or the PFRI (r = 0.82; P < 0.001). A high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach α = 0.73), and excellent test-retest reliability (ICCagreement = 0.99, P < 0.001) were demonstrated for the PMFS. Factor analysis indicated a single-factor model for PMFS scores. The Persian MFS is valid and reliable for use in Persian-speaking young athletes with LBP.

Association of left ventricular longitudinal and circumferential systolic dysfunction with diastolic function in hypertension: a nonlinear analysis focused on the interplay with left ventricular geometry.

PubMed

Ballo, Piercarlo; Nistri, Stefano; Cameli, Matteo; Papesso, Barbara; Dini, Frank Lloyd; Galderisi, Maurizio; Zuppiroli, Alfredo; Mondillo, Sergio

2014-02-01

The relationships of left ventricular (LV) longitudinal and circumferential systolic dysfunction with diastolic performance in hypertensive patients have never been compared. In 532 asymptomatic hypertensive patients, circumferential function was assessed with the use of midwall fractional shortening (mFS) and stress-corrected mFS (SCmFS), whereas longitudinal function was assessed with the use of left atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) and systolic mitral annulus velocity (s'). Early diastolic annular velocity (e') and the E/e' ratio were measured. Global longitudinal and circumferential strain were determined in a subset of 210 patients. e' was linearly related to all systolic indexes (AVPD: R = 0.40; s': R = 0.39; mFS: R = 0.16; SCmFS: R = 0.17; all P < .0001), but the correlations were stronger with longitudinal indexes than with circumferential ones (P < .0001). E/e' was nonlinearly related to AVPD (R = -0.49; P < .0001) and s' (R = -0.34; P < .0001) and showed no relationship with mFS and SCmFS. Longitudinal indexes were superior to circumferential ones in predicting e' <8 cm/s, E/e' <8, and E/e' ≥13. The effect of LV geometry on LV diastolic function was evident among patients with preserved systolic longitudinal function, but was blunted among patients with impaired longitudinal function. In multivariable analyses, only longitudinal indexes remained associated with e' and E/e'. Analyses using strains provided similar results. In asymptomatic hypertensive subjects, LV diastolic performance is independently associated with longitudinal systolic dysfunction, but not with circumferential systolic dysfunction. Subtle longitudinal systolic impairment plays a role in mediating the effect of LV geometry on diastolic performance. These findings may support the need of critically revising the concept of isolated diastolic dysfunction in these patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nonmyocyte ERK1/2 signaling contributes to load-induced cardiomyopathy in Marfan mice

PubMed Central

MacFarlane, Elena Gallo; Takimoto, Eiki; Chaudhary, Rahul; Nagpal, Varun; Rainer, Peter P.; Bindman, Julia G.; Gerber, Elizabeth E.; Bedja, Djahida; Schiefer, Christopher; Miller, Karen L.; Zhu, Guangshuo; Myers, Loretha; Amat-Alarcon, Nuria; Lee, Dong I.; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Judge, Daniel P.; Dietz, Harry C.

2017-01-01

Among children with the most severe presentation of Marfan syndrome (MFS), an inherited disorder of connective tissue caused by a deficiency of extracellular fibrillin-1, heart failure is the leading cause of death. Here, we show that, while MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+ mice) typically have normal cardiac function, pressure overload (PO) induces an acute and severe dilated cardiomyopathy in association with fibrosis and myocyte enlargement. Failing MFS hearts show high expression of TGF-β ligands, with increased TGF-β signaling in both nonmyocytes and myocytes; pathologic ERK activation is restricted to the nonmyocyte compartment. Informatively, TGF-β, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), or ERK antagonism (with neutralizing antibody, losartan, or MEK inhibitor, respectively) prevents load-induced cardiac decompensation in MFS mice, despite persistent PO. In situ analyses revealed an unanticipated axis of activation in nonmyocytes, with AT1R-dependent ERK activation driving TGF-β ligand expression that culminates in both autocrine and paracrine overdrive of TGF-β signaling. The full compensation seen in wild-type mice exposed to mild PO correlates with enhanced deposition of extracellular fibrillin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that fibrillin-1 contributes to cardiac reserve in the face of hemodynamic stress, critically implicate nonmyocytes in disease pathogenesis, and validate ERK as a therapeutic target in MFS-related cardiac decompensation. PMID:28768908

Nonmyocyte ERK1/2 signaling contributes to load-induced cardiomyopathy in Marfan mice.

PubMed

Rouf, Rosanne; MacFarlane, Elena Gallo; Takimoto, Eiki; Chaudhary, Rahul; Nagpal, Varun; Rainer, Peter P; Bindman, Julia G; Gerber, Elizabeth E; Bedja, Djahida; Schiefer, Christopher; Miller, Karen L; Zhu, Guangshuo; Myers, Loretha; Amat-Alarcon, Nuria; Lee, Dong I; Koitabashi, Norimichi; Judge, Daniel P; Kass, David A; Dietz, Harry C

2017-08-03

Among children with the most severe presentation of Marfan syndrome (MFS), an inherited disorder of connective tissue caused by a deficiency of extracellular fibrillin-1, heart failure is the leading cause of death. Here, we show that, while MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+ mice) typically have normal cardiac function, pressure overload (PO) induces an acute and severe dilated cardiomyopathy in association with fibrosis and myocyte enlargement. Failing MFS hearts show high expression of TGF-β ligands, with increased TGF-β signaling in both nonmyocytes and myocytes; pathologic ERK activation is restricted to the nonmyocyte compartment. Informatively, TGF-β, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), or ERK antagonism (with neutralizing antibody, losartan, or MEK inhibitor, respectively) prevents load-induced cardiac decompensation in MFS mice, despite persistent PO. In situ analyses revealed an unanticipated axis of activation in nonmyocytes, with AT1R-dependent ERK activation driving TGF-β ligand expression that culminates in both autocrine and paracrine overdrive of TGF-β signaling. The full compensation seen in wild-type mice exposed to mild PO correlates with enhanced deposition of extracellular fibrillin-1. Taken together, these data suggest that fibrillin-1 contributes to cardiac reserve in the face of hemodynamic stress, critically implicate nonmyocytes in disease pathogenesis, and validate ERK as a therapeutic target in MFS-related cardiac decompensation.

Biomechanical properties of the thoracic aorta in Marfan patients

PubMed Central

Sulejmani, Fatiesa; Pokutta-Paskaleva, Anastassia; Ziganshin, Bulat; Leshnower, Bradley; Iannucci, Glen; Elefteriades, John

2017-01-01

Background Marfan syndrome (MFS), a genetic disorder of the connective tissue, has been strongly linked to dilation of the thoracic aorta, among other cardiovascular complications. As a result, MFS patients frequently suffer from aortic dissection and rupture, contributing to the high rate of mortality and morbidity among MFS patients. Despite the significant effort devoted to the investigation of mechanical and structural properties of aneurysmal tissue, studies on Marfan aneurysmal biomechanics are scarce. Ex vivo mechanical characterization of MFS aneurysmal tissue can provide a better insight into tissue strength outside the physiologic loading range and serve as a basis for improved risk assessment and failure prediction. Methods The mechanical and microstructural properties of MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (MFS, n=15, 39.5±3.91 years), non-MFS aneurysmal thoracic aorta (TAA, n=8, 52.8±4.9 years), healthy human thoracic aorta (HH, n=8, 75.4±6.1 years), and porcine thoracic aorta (n=10) are investigated. Planar biaxial tensile testing and uniaxial failure testing were utilized to characterize the mechanical and failure properties of the tissue, respectively. Verhoeff-Van Gieson (VVG) and PicroSirius Red stains were utilized to visualize the elastin and collagen fiber architecture, respectively. Results MFS tissue was found to have age-dependent but diameter-independent mechanical, structural, and morphological properties, also showing extensive elastin fiber degradation. Non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal aorta was thicker and stiffer than age-matched MFS tissue. Moreover, non-MFS thoracic aneurysmal mechanics resembled closely the mechanics of older healthy human tissue. Younger MFS tissue (<40 years) exhibited similar mechanical and structural properties to aged porcine tissue. Conclusions Both age and aneurysmal presence were found to be factors associated with increased stiffness in aortic tissue, and aortic diameter was not a significant determinant of mechanical property deterioration. Additionally, the presence of MFS was found to induce stiffening of the thoracic aorta, although not to the extent of the non-MFS aneurysm. PMID:29270373

Miltefosine has post-antifungal effect and induces apoptosis in Cryptococcus yeasts.

PubMed

Spadari, Cristina de Castro; Vila, Taissa; Rozental, Sonia; Ishida, Kelly

2018-05-29

Cryptococcus spp. are common opportunistic fungal pathogens, particularly in HIV patients. The approved drug miltefosine (MFS) has potential as an alternative antifungal against cryptococcosis; however, the mechanism of action of MFS in Cryptococcus is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of MFS on C. neoformans and C. gattii yeasts (planktonic and biofilm lifestyles), to clarify its mechanism of action. MFS presented inhibitory and fungicidal effects against planktonic Cryptococcus cells, with similar activity against dispersion biofilm cells, while sessile biofilm cells were less sensitive to MFS. Interestingly, MFS had post-antifungal effect on Cryptococcus , with a proliferation delay of up to 8.15 h after short exposure to fungicidal doses. MFS at fungicidal concentrations increased plasma membrane permeability, likely due to direct interaction with ergosterol, as suggested by competition assays with exogenous ergosterol. Moreover, MFS reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, increased ROS production, and induced DNA fragmentation and condensation, all of which are hallmarks of apoptosis. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that MFS-treated yeasts had a reduced mucopolysaccharide capsule (confirmed by morphometry in light microscopy), plasma membrane irregularities, mitochondrial swelling and a less conspicuous cell wall. Our results suggest that MFS increases plasma membrane permeability in Cryptococcus via interaction with ergosterol, and also affects the mitochondrial membrane, eventually leading to apoptosis, in line with its fungicidal activity. These findings confirm the potential of MFS as an antifungal against C. neoformans and C. gattii, and warrants further studies to establish clinical protocols for MFS use against cryptococcosis. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of Marfan syndrome develops into two distinctive phenotypes

PubMed Central

Tae, Hyun-Jin; Marshall, Shannon; Krawczyk, Melissa; Talan, Mark

2015-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder of connective tissue caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. Cardiac dysfunction in MFS has not been characterized halting the development of therapies of cardiac complication in MFS. We aimed to study the age-dependent cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of MFS FbnC1039G+/− mouse [Marfan heterozygous (HT) mouse] and its association with valvular regurgitation. Marfan HT mice of 2–4 mo demonstrated a mild hypertrophic cardiac remodeling with predominant decline of diastolic function and increased transforming growth factor-β canonical (p-SMAD2/3) and noncanonical (p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK) signaling and upregulation of hypertrophic markers natriuretic peptides atrium natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide. Among older HT mice (6–14 mo), cardiac remodeling was associated with two distinct phenotypes, manifesting either dilated or constricted left ventricular chamber. Dilatation of left ventricular chamber was accompanied by biochemical evidence of greater mechanical stress, including elevated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation and higher brain natriuretic peptide expression. The aortic valve regurgitation was registered in 20% of the constricted group and 60% of the dilated group, whereas mitral insufficiency was observed in 40% of the constricted group and 100% of the dilated group. Cardiac dysfunction was not associated with the increase of interstitial fibrosis and nonmyocyte proliferation. In the mouse model fibrillin-1, haploinsufficiency results in the early onset of nonfibrotic hypertrophic cardiac remodeling and dysfunction, independently from valvular abnormalities. MFS heart is vulnerable to stress-induced cardiac dilatation in the face of valvular regurgitation, and stress-activated MAPK signals represent a potential target for cardiac management in MFS. PMID:26566724

Cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of Marfan syndrome develops into two distinctive phenotypes.

PubMed

Tae, Hyun-Jin; Petrashevskaya, Natalia; Marshall, Shannon; Krawczyk, Melissa; Talan, Mark

2016-01-15

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic disorder of connective tissue caused by mutations in fibrillin-1. Cardiac dysfunction in MFS has not been characterized halting the development of therapies of cardiac complication in MFS. We aimed to study the age-dependent cardiac remodeling in the mouse model of MFS FbnC1039G+/- mouse [Marfan heterozygous (HT) mouse] and its association with valvular regurgitation. Marfan HT mice of 2-4 mo demonstrated a mild hypertrophic cardiac remodeling with predominant decline of diastolic function and increased transforming growth factor-β canonical (p-SMAD2/3) and noncanonical (p-ERK1/2 and p-p38 MAPK) signaling and upregulation of hypertrophic markers natriuretic peptides atrium natriuretic peptide and brain natriuretic peptide. Among older HT mice (6-14 mo), cardiac remodeling was associated with two distinct phenotypes, manifesting either dilated or constricted left ventricular chamber. Dilatation of left ventricular chamber was accompanied by biochemical evidence of greater mechanical stress, including elevated ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation and higher brain natriuretic peptide expression. The aortic valve regurgitation was registered in 20% of the constricted group and 60% of the dilated group, whereas mitral insufficiency was observed in 40% of the constricted group and 100% of the dilated group. Cardiac dysfunction was not associated with the increase of interstitial fibrosis and nonmyocyte proliferation. In the mouse model fibrillin-1, haploinsufficiency results in the early onset of nonfibrotic hypertrophic cardiac remodeling and dysfunction, independently from valvular abnormalities. MFS heart is vulnerable to stress-induced cardiac dilatation in the face of valvular regurgitation, and stress-activated MAPK signals represent a potential target for cardiac management in MFS.

Quantification of soil structure based on Minkowski functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, H.-J.; Weller, U.; Schlüter, S.

2010-10-01

The structure of soils and other geologic media is a complex three-dimensional object. Most of the physical material properties including mechanical and hydraulic characteristics are immediately linked to the structure given by the pore space and its spatial distribution. It is an old dream and still a formidable challenge to relate structural features of porous media to their functional properties. Using tomographic techniques, soil structure can be directly observed at a range of spatial scales. In this paper we present a scale-invariant concept to quantify complex structures based on a limited set of meaningful morphological functions. They are based on d+1 Minkowski functionals as defined for d-dimensional bodies. These basic quantities are determined as a function of pore size or aggregate size obtained by filter procedures using mathematical morphology. The resulting Minkowski functions provide valuable information on the size of pores and aggregates, the pore surface area and the pore topology having the potential to be linked to physical properties. The theoretical background and the related algorithms are presented and the approach is demonstrated for the pore structure of an arable soil and the pore structure of a sand both obtained by X-ray micro-tomography. We also analyze the fundamental problem of limited resolution which is critical for any attempt to quantify structural features at any scale using samples of different size recorded at different resolutions. The results demonstrate that objects smaller than 5 voxels are critical for quantitative analysis.

Distribution and dynamics of the cytoskeleton in graviresponding protonemata and rhizoids of characean algae: exclusion of microtubules and a convergence of actin filaments in the apex suggest an actin-mediated gravitropism.

PubMed

Braun, M; Wasteneys, G O

1998-05-01

The organization of the microtubule (MT) and actin microfilament (MF) cytoskeleton of tip-growing rhizoids and protonemata of characean green algae was examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. This analysis included microinjection of fluorescent tubulin and phallotoxins into living cells, as well as immunofluorescence labeling of fixed material and fluorescent phallotoxin labeling of unfixed material. Although the morphologically very similar positively gravitropic (downward growing) rhizoids and negatively gravitropic (upward growing) protonemata show opposite gravitropic responses, no differences were detected in the extensive three-dimensional distribution of actin MFs and MTs in both cell types. Tubulin microinjection revealed that in contrast to internodal cells, fluorescent tubulin incorporated very slowly into the MT arrays of rhizoids, suggesting that MT dynamics are very different in tip-growing and diffusely expanding cells. Microtubules assembled from multiple sites at the plasma membrane in the basal zone, and a dense subapical array emerged from a diffuse nucleation centre on the basal side of the nuclear envelope. Immunofluorescence confirmed these distribution patterns but revealed more extensive MT arrays. In the basal zone, short branching clusters of MTs form two cortical hemicylinders. Subapical, axially oriented MTs are distributed in equal density throughout the peripheral and inner cytoplasm and are closely associated with subapical organelles. Microtubules, however, are completely absent from the apical zones of rhizoids and protonemata. Actin MFs were found in all zones of rhizoids and protonemata including the apex. Two files of axially oriented bundles of subcortical actin MFs and ring-like actin structures in the streaming endoplasm of rhizoids were detected in the basal zones by microinjection or rhodamine-phalloidin labeling. The subapical zone contains a dense array of mainly axially oriented actin MFs that co-distribute with the subapical MT array. In the apex, actin MFs form thicker bundles that converge into a remarkably distinct actin patch in the apical dome, whose position coincides with the position of the endoplasmic reticulum aggregate in the centre of the Spitzenkörper. Actin MFs radiate from the actin patch towards the apical membrane. Together with results from previous inhibitor studies (Braun and Sievers, 1994, Eur J Cell Biol 63: 289-298), these results suggest that MTs have a stabilizing function in maintaining the polar cytoplasmic and cytoskeletal organization. The motile processes, however, are mediated by actin. In particular, the actin cytoskeleton appears to be involved in the structural and functional organization of the Spitzenkörper and thus is responsible for controlling cell shape and growth direction. Despite the similar structural arrangements of the actin cytoskeleton, major differences in the function of actin MFs have been observed in rhizoids and protonemata. Since actin MFs are more directly involved in the gravitropic response of protonemata than of rhizoids, the opposite gravitropsim in the two cell types seems to be based mainly on different properties and activities of the actin cytoskeleton.

New scheme for braiding Majorana fermions.

PubMed

Wu, Long-Hua; Liang, Qi-Feng; Hu, Xiao

2014-12-01

Non-Abelian statistics can be achieved by exchanging two vortices in topological superconductors with each grabbing a Majorana fermion (MF) as zero-energy quasi-particle at the cores. However, in experiments it is difficult to manipulate vortices. In the present work, we propose a way to braid MFs without moving vortices. The only operation required in the present scheme is to turn on and off local gate voltages, which liberates a MF from its original host vortex and transports it along the prepared track. We solve the time-dependent Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation numerically, and confirm that the MFs are protected provided the switching of gate voltages for exchanging MFs are adiabatic, which takes only several nano seconds given reasonable material parameters. By monitoring the time evolution of MF wave-functions, we show that non-Abelian statistics is achieved.

Bayesian Hierarchical Models to Augment the Mediterranean Forecast System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-30

In part 2 (Bonazzi et al., 2010), the impact of the ensemble forecast methodology based on MFS-Wind-BHM perturbations is documented. Forecast...absence of dt data stage inputs, the forecast impact of MFS-Error-BHM is neutral. Experiments are underway now to introduce dt back into the MFS-Error...BHM and quantify forecast impacts at MFS. MFS-SuperEnsemble-BHM We have assembled all needed datasets and completed algorithmic development

Influence of paravertebral muscles training on brain plasticity and postural control in chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Massé-Alarie, Hugo; Beaulieu, Louis-David; Preuss, Richard; Schneider, Cyril

2016-07-01

Isometric activation (ISOM) of deep multifidi muscles (MF) can influence postural adjustments and primary motor cortex (M1) function in chronic low back pain (CLBP). In order to better understand how ISOM impacts on CLBP condition, the present study contrasted ISOM after-effects on M1 function, MF postural activation and pain with another training, the global activation of paravertebral muscles (GLOB, hip extension). The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of ISOM and GLOB (3-week training each) on MF postural activation and M1 function in a CLBP population. Twenty-four people with CLBP were randomly allocated to ISOM and GLOB groups for a 3-week daily practice. Pre/post-training after-effects were assessed by the onset of superficial MF (MF-S) activation during ballistic limb movements (bilateral shoulder flexion in standing; unilateral hip extension in prine lying), MF-S corticomotor control tested by transcranial magnetic stimulation of M1, and assessment of pain, kinesiophobia and disability by standardized questionnaires. Both ISOM and GLOB improved pain and disability. However, only ISOM influenced M1 function (decreased corticospinal excitability and increased intracortical inhibition), fastened MF-S postural activation and decreased kinesiophobia. Changes of corticospinal excitability and of MF-S postural adjustments suggest that ISOM better influenced brain plasticity. Future studies should further test whether our novel findings relate to an influence of the exercises on the lumbopelvic control of different muscles and on cognitive function. Clinically, individual's evaluation remains warranted before prescribing one or the other of these two conventional exercises for reducing pain. This original study presents how motor control exercises can influence brain plasticity and postural control in chronic low back pain. This knowledge will impact on the decision of clinicians to prescribe specific exercises with a view of improving motor control in this musculoskeletal condition. Copyright © 2016 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The organization of the actin cytoskeleton in vertical and graviresponding primary roots of maize

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blancaflor, E. B.; Hasenstein, K. H.

1997-01-01

To determine whether actin microfilament (MF) organization is correlated with differential elongation, primary roots of Zea mays cv Merit maintained vertically or reoriented horizontally for 15 to 120 min were stained with rhodamine phalloidin and examined with a confocal microscope. Root curvature was measured with a computer-controlled video digitizer. In vertical roots bundles of MFs in the elongation and maturation zone were oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of cells. MFs in the vascular parenchyma cells were more abundant than in the cortex and epidermis. Epidermal and proendodermal cells in the meristematic region contained transverse cortical MFs. The organization of MFs of graviresponding roots was similar to that of vertical roots. Application of cytochalasin B or cytochalasin D resulted in extensive disruption of MFs in the cortex and epidermis, but only partially affected MFs in the stele. Despite the cytochalasin B-induced depolymerization of MFs, gravicurvature exceeded that of controls. In contrast, the auxin transport inhibitor N-1 naphthylphthalamic acid suppressed root curvature but had no observable effect on the integrity of the MFs. The data indicate that MFs may not be involved in the graviresponse of maize roots.

The Historical Origins of Spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Scott

The idea of spacetime investigated in this chapter, with a view toward understanding its immediate sources and development, is the one formulated and proposed by Hermann Minkowski in 1908. Until recently, the principle source used to form historical narratives of Minkowski's discovery of spacetime has been Minkowski's own discovery account, outlined in the lecture he delivered in Cologne, entitled Space and time [1]. Minkowski's lecture is usually considered as a bona fide first-person narrative of lived events. According to this received view, spacetime was a natural outgrowth of Felix Klein's successful project to promote the study of geometries via their characteristic groups of transformations. Or as Minkowski expressed the same basic thought himself, the theory of relativity discovered by physicists in 1905 could just as well have been proposed by some late-nineteenth-century mathematician, by simply reflecting upon the groups of transformations that left invariant the form of the equation of a propagating light wave. Minkowski's publications and research notes provide a contrasting picture of the discovery of spacetime, in which group theory plays no direct part. In order to relate the steps of Minkowski's discovery, we begin with an account of Poincaré's theory of gravitation, where Minkowski found some of the germs of spacetime. Poincaré's geometric interpretation of the Lorentz transformation is examined, along with his reasons for not pursuing a four-dimensional vector calculus. In the second section, Minkowski's discovery and presentation of the notion of a world line in spacetime is presented. In the third and final section, Poincaré's and Minkowski's diagrammatic interpretations of the Lorentz transformation are compared.

Electrophysiological evidence of cerebellar fiber system involvement in the Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed

Lo, Y L; Fook-Chong, S; Chan, L L; Ong, W Y; Ratnagopal, P

2010-01-15

In the Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), ataxia may be due involvement of Ia afferents and the cerebellum. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the cerebellum is known to interfere transiently with normal function. In this study, we utilized a previously described TMS protocol over the cerebellum in combination with ballistic movements to investigate cerebellar dysfunction in MFS patients. The agonist (biceps) reaction time in MFS patients during a motor cancellation task was not significantly reduced during the initial TMS study. However, during the repeat TMS study, significant reduction was seen for all patients, in tandem with clinical recovery. There was significant correlation between anti-GQ1b IgG titers and change in agonist reaction time between the initial and repeat TMS studies. TMS likely affected horizontally orientated parallel fibers in the cerebellar molecular layer. During disease onset, antibody binding may have interfered with facilitation of reaction time during motor cancellation tasks seen in normal subjects. Normalization of reaction time facilitation corresponded to resolution of antibody-mediated interference in the molecular layer. Our study has provided evidence suggesting parallel fiber involvement in MFS, and suggested a role of anti-GQ1b IgG antibody in these changes.

Autonomous Control of Fluids in a Wide Surface Tension Range in Microfluidics.

PubMed

Ge, Peng; Wang, Shuli; Liu, Yongshun; Liu, Wendong; Yu, Nianzuo; Zhang, Jianglei; Shen, Huaizhong; Zhang, Junhu; Yang, Bai

2017-07-25

In this paper, we report the preparation of anisotropic wetting surfaces that could control various wetting behaviors of liquids in a wide surface tension range (from water to oil), which could be employed as a platform for controlling the flow of liquids in microfluidics (MFs). The anisotropic wetting surfaces are chemistry-asymmetric "Janus" silicon cylinder arrays, which are fabricated via selecting and regulating the functional groups on the surface of each cylinder unit. Liquids (in a wide surface tension range) wet in a unidirectional manner along the direction that was modified by the group with large surface energy. Through introducing the Janus structure into a T-shaped pattern and integrating it with an identical T-shaped poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchannel, the as-prepared chips can be utilized to perform as a surface tension admeasuring apparatus or a one-way valve for liquids in a wide surface tension range, even oil. Furthermore, because of the excellent ability in controlling the flowing behavior of liquids in a wide surface tension range in an open system or a microchannel, the anisotropic wetting surfaces are potential candidates to be applied both in open MFs and conventional MFs, which would broaden the application fields of MFs.

Identification of fibrillin 1 gene mutations in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) without Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most frequent congenital heart disease with frequent involvement in thoracic aortic dilatation, aneurysm and dissection. Although BAV and Marfan syndrome (MFS) share some clinical features, and some MFS patients with BAV display mutations in FBN1, the gene encoding fibrillin-1, the genetic background of isolated BAV is poorly defined. Methods Ten consecutive BAV patients [8 men, age range 24–42 years] without MFS were clinically characterized. BAV phenotype and function, together with evaluation of aortic morphology, were comprehensively assessed by Doppler echocardiography. Direct sequencing of each FBN1 exon with flanking intron sequences was performed on eight patients. Results We detected three FBN1 mutations in two patients (aged 24 and 25 years) displaying aortic root aneurysm ≥50 mm and moderate aortic regurgitation. In particular, one patient had two mutations (p.Arg2726Trp and p.Arg636Gly) one of which has been previously associated with variable Marfanoid phenotypes. The other patient showed a pArg529Gln substitution reported to be associated with an incomplete MFS phenotype. Conclusions The present findings enlarge the clinical spectrum of isolated BAV to include patients with BAV without MFS who have involvement of FBN1 gene. These results underscore the importance of accurate phenotyping of BAV aortopathy and of clinical characterization of BAV patients, including investigation of systemic connective tissue manifestations and genetic testing. PMID:24564502

Minkowski Tensors in Two Dimensions: Probing the Morphology and Isotropy of the Matter and Galaxy Density Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appleby, Stephen; Chingangbam, Pravabati; Park, Changbom; Hong, Sungwook E.; Kim, Juhan; Ganesan, Vidhya

2018-05-01

We apply the Minkowski tensor statistics to two-dimensional slices of the three-dimensional matter density field. The Minkowski tensors are a set of functions that are sensitive to directionally dependent signals in the data and, furthermore, can be used to quantify the mean shape of density fields. We begin by reviewing the definition of Minkowski tensors and introducing a method of calculating them from a discretely sampled field. Focusing on the statistic {W}21,1—a 2 × 2 matrix—we calculate its value for both the entire excursion set and individual connected regions and holes within the set. To study the morphology of structures within the excursion set, we calculate the eigenvalues λ 1, λ 2 for the matrix {W}21,1 of each distinct connected region and hole and measure their mean shape using the ratio β \\equiv < {λ }2/{λ }1> . We compare both {W}21,1 and β for a Gaussian field and a smoothed density field generated from the latest Horizon Run 4 cosmological simulation to study the effect of gravitational collapse on these functions. The global statistic {W}21,1 is essentially independent of gravitational collapse, as the process maintains statistical isotropy. However, β is modified significantly, with overdensities becoming relatively more circular compared to underdensities at low redshifts. When applying the statistics to a redshift-space distorted density field, the matrix {W}21,1 is no longer proportional to the identity matrix, and measurements of its diagonal elements can be used to probe the large-scale velocity field.

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement in patients with Marfan syndrome enrolled in the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions.

PubMed

Song, Howard K; Preiss, Liliana R; Maslen, Cheryl L; Kroner, Barbara; Devereux, Richard B; Roman, Mary J; Holmes, Kathryn W; Tolunay, H Eser; Desvigne-Nickens, Patrice; Asch, Federico M; Milewski, Rita K; Bavaria, Joseph; LeMaire, Scott A

2014-05-01

The long-term outcomes of aortic valve-sparing (AVS) root replacement in Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients remain uncertain. The study aim was to determine the utilization and outcomes of AVS root replacement in MFS patients enrolled in the Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC). At the time of this analysis, 788 patients with MFS were enrolled in the GenTAC Registry, of whom 288 had undergone aortic root replacement. Patients who had undergone AVS procedures were compared to those who had undergone aortic valve replacement (AVR). AVS root replacement was performed in 43.5% of MFS patients, and the frequency of AVS was increased over the past five years. AVS patients were younger at the time of surgery (31.0 versus 36.3 years, p = 0.006) and more likely to have had elective rather than emergency surgery compared to AVR patients, in whom aortic valve dysfunction and aortic dissection was the more likely primary indication for surgery. After a mean follow up of 6.2 +/- 3.6 years, none of the 87 AVS patients had required reoperation; in contrast, after a mean follow up of 10.5 +/- 7.6 years, 11.5% of AVR patients required aortic root reoperation. Aortic valve function has been durable, with 95.8% of AVS patients having aortic insufficiency that was graded as mild or less. AVS root replacement is performed commonly among the MFS population, and the durability of the aortic repair and aortic valve function have been excellent to date. These results justify a continued use of the procedure in an elective setting. The GenTAC Registry will be a useful resource to assess the long-term durability of AVS root replacement in the future.

Effect of the Antioxidant Lipoic Acid in Aortic Phenotype in a Marfan Syndrome Mouse Model.

PubMed

Guido, Maria C; Debbas, Victor; Salemi, Vera M; Tavares, Elaine R; Meirelles, Thayna; Araujo, Thaís L S; Nolasco, Patricia; Ferreira-Filho, Julio C A; Takimura, Celso K; Pereira, Lygia V; Laurindo, Francisco R

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) cardiovascular manifestations such as aortic aneurysms and cardiomyopathy carry substantial morbidity/mortality. We investigated the effects of lipoic acid, an antioxidant, on ROS production and aortic remodeling in a MFS mgΔ loxPneo mouse model. MFS and WT (wild-type) 1-month-old mice were allocated to 3 groups: untreated, treated with losartan, and treated with lipoic acid. At 6 months old, echocardiography, ROS production, and morphological analysis of aortas were performed. Aortic ROS generation in 6-month-old MFS animals was higher at advanced stages of disease in MFS. An unprecedented finding in MFS mice analyzed by OCT was the occurrence of focal inhomogeneous regions in the aortic arch, either collagen-rich extremely thickened or collagen-poor hypotrophic regions. MFS animals treated with lipoic acid showed markedly reduced ROS production and lower ERK1/2 phosphorylation; meanwhile, aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown were unaltered. Of note, lipoic acid treatment associated with the absence of focal inhomogeneous regions in MFS animals. Losartan reduced aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown despite no change in ROS generation. In conclusion, oxidant generation by itself seems neutral with respect to aneurysm progression in MFS; however, lipoic acid-mediated reduction of inhomogeneous regions may potentially associate with less anisotropy and reduced chance of dissection/rupture.

Scalar field propagation in the ϕ 4 κ-Minkowski model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meljanac, S.; Samsarov, A.; Trampetić, J.; Wohlgenannt, M.

2011-12-01

In this article we use the noncommutative (NC) κ-Minkowski ϕ 4 model based on the κ-deformed star product, (★ h ). The action is modified by expanding up to linear order in the κ-deformation parameter a, producing an effective model on commutative spacetime. For the computation of the tadpole diagram contributions to the scalar field propagation/self-energy, we anticipate that statistics on the κ-Minkowski is specifically κ-deformed. Thus our prescription in fact represents hybrid approach between standard quantum field theory (QFT) and NCQFT on the κ-deformed Minkowski spacetime, resulting in a κ-effective model. The propagation is analyzed in the framework of the two-point Green's function for low, intermediate, and for the Planckian propagation energies, respectively. Semiclassical/hybrid behavior of the first order quantum correction do show up due to the κ-deformed momentum conservation law. For low energies, the dependence of the tadpole contribution on the deformation parameter a drops out completely, while for Planckian energies, it tends to a fixed finite value. The mass term of the scalar field is shifted and these shifts are very different at different propagation energies. At the Planck-ian energies we obtain the direction dependent κ-modified dispersion relations. Thus our κ-effective model for the massive scalar field shows a birefringence effect.

Development and testing of texture discriminators for the analysis of trabecular bone in proximal femur radiographs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huber, M. B.; Carballido-Gamio, J.; Fritscher, K.

2009-11-15

Purpose: Texture analysis of femur radiographs may serve as a potential low cost technique to predict osteoporotic fracture risk and has received considerable attention in the past years. A further application of this technique may be the measurement of the quality of specific bone compartments to provide useful information for treatment of bone fractures. Two challenges of texture analysis are the selection of the best suitable texture measure and reproducible placement of regions of interest (ROIs). The goal of this in vitro study was to automatically place ROIs in radiographs of proximal femur specimens and to calculate correlations between variousmore » different texture analysis methods and the femurs' anchorage strength. Methods: Radiographs were obtained from 14 femoral specimens and bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in the femoral neck. Biomechanical testing was performed to assess the anchorage strength in terms of failure load, breakaway torque, and number of cycles. Images were segmented using a framework that is based on the usage of level sets and statistical in-shape models. Five ROIs were automatically placed in the head, upper and lower neck, trochanteric, and shaft compartment in an atlas subject. All other subjects were registered rigidly, affinely, and nonlinearly, and the resulting transformation was used to map the five ROIs onto the individual femora. Results: In each ROI, texture features were extracted using gray level co-occurence matrices (GLCM), third-order GLCM, morphological gradients (MGs), Minkowski dimensions (MDs), Minkowski functionals (MFs), Gaussian Markov random fields, and scaling index method (SIM). Coefficients of determination for each texture feature with parameters of anchorage strength were computed. In a stepwise multiregression analysis, the most predictive parameters were identified in different models. Texture features were highly correlated with anchorage strength estimated by the failure load of up to R{sup 2}=0.61 (MF and MG features, p<0.01) and were partially independent of BMD. The correlations were dependent on the choice of the ROI and the texture measure. The best predictive multiregression model for failure load R{sub adj}{sup 2}=0.86 (p<0.001) included a set of recently developed texture methods (MF and SIM) but excluded bone mineral density and commonly used texture measures. Conclusions: The results suggest that texture information contained in trabecular bone structure visualized on radiographs may predict whether an implant anchorage can be used and may determine the local bone quality from preoperative radiographs.« less

Multistage Computerized Adaptive Testing with Uniform Item Exposure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Michael C.; Flora, David B.; Thissen, David

2012-01-01

This article describes a computerized adaptive test (CAT) based on the uniform item exposure multi-form structure (uMFS). The uMFS is a specialization of the multi-form structure (MFS) idea described by Armstrong, Jones, Berliner, and Pashley (1998). In an MFS CAT, the examinee first responds to a small fixed block of items. The items comprising…

Relativistic bound states in three space-time dimensions in Minkowski space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutierrez, C.; Gigante, V.; Frederico, T.; Tomio, Lauro

2016-01-01

With the aim to derive a workable framework for bound states in Minkowski space, we have investigated the Nakanishi perturbative integral representation of the Bethe-Salpeter (BS) amplitude in two-dimensions (2D) in space and time (2+1). The homogeneous BS amplitude, projected onto the light-front plane, is used to derive an equation for the Nakanishi weight function. The formal development is illustrated in detail and applied to the bound system composed by two scalar particles interacting through the exchange of a massive scalar. The explicit forms of the integral equations are obtained in ladder approximation.

Histopathology of aortic complications in bicuspid aortic valve versus Marfan syndrome: relevance for therapy?

PubMed

Grewal, Nimrat; Franken, Romy; Mulder, Barbara J M; Goumans, Marie-José; Lindeman, Johannes H N; Jongbloed, Monique R M; DeRuiter, Marco C; Klautz, Robert J M; Bogers, Ad J J C; Poelmann, Robert E; Groot, Adriana C Gittenberger-de

2016-05-01

Patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) are more prone to develop aortic dilation and dissection compared to persons with a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV). To elucidate potential common and distinct pathways of clinical relevance, we compared the histopathological substrates of aortopathy. Ascending aortic wall biopsies were divided in five groups: BAV (n = 36) and TAV (n = 23) without and with dilation and non-dilated MFS (n = 8). General histologic features, apoptosis, the expression of markers for vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) maturation, markers predictive for ascending aortic dilation in BAV, and expression of fibrillin-1 were investigated. Both MFS and BAV showed an altered distribution and decreased fibrillin-1 expression in the aorta and a significantly lower level of differentiated VSMC markers. Interestingly, markers predictive for aortic dilation in BAV were not expressed in the MFS aorta. The aorta in MFS was similar to the aorta in dilated TAV with regard to the presence of medial degeneration and apoptosis, while other markers for degeneration and aging like inflammation and progerin expression were low in MFS, comparable to BAV. Both MFS and BAV aortas have immature VSMCs, while MFS and TAV patients have a similar increased rate of medial degeneration. However, the mechanism leading to apoptosis is expected to be different, being fibrillin-1 mutation induced increased angiotensin-receptor-pathway signaling in MFS and cardiovascular aging and increased progerin in TAV. Our findings could explain why angiotensin inhibition is successful in MFS and less effective in TAV and BAV patients.

Work participation in adults with Marfan syndrome: Demographic characteristics, MFS related health symptoms, chronic pain, and fatigue.

PubMed

Velvin, Gry; Bathen, Trine; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Geirdal, Amy Østertun

2015-12-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a severe autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder that might influence peoples work ability. This cross sectional study aims to investigate work participation in adults with verified MFS diagnosis and to explore how the health related consequences of MFS and other factors might influence work participation. The prevalence of health problems in young adults compared to older adults with MFS was examined in association to work participation. A postal questionnaire including questions about work participation, demographic characteristics, MFS related health problems, chronic pain, and fatigue was sent to 117 adults with verified MFS (Ghent 1), and 62% answered. Fifty-nine percent were employed or students, significantly lower work participation than the General Norwegian Population (GNP), but higher than the Norwegian population of people with disability. Most young adults worked full-time despite extensive health problems, but the average age for leaving work was low. Few had received any work adaptations prior to retiring from work. In multiple logistic regression analysis, only age, lower educational level and severe fatigue were significantly associated with low work participation; not MFS related health problems or chronic pain. Fatigue appears to be the most challenging health problem to deal with in work, but the covariance is complex. Focus on vocational guidance early in life, more appropriate work adaptations, and psychosocial support might improve the possibility for sustaining in work for adults with MFS. More research about work challenges in adults with MFS is needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of spurious shear on cosmological parameter estimates from weak lensing observables

DOE PAGES

Petri, Andrea; May, Morgan; Haiman, Zoltán; ...

2014-12-30

We research, residual errors in shear measurements, after corrections for instrument systematics and atmospheric effects, can impact cosmological parameters derived from weak lensing observations. Here we combine convergence maps from our suite of ray-tracing simulations with random realizations of spurious shear. This allows us to quantify the errors and biases of the triplet (Ω m,w,σ 8) derived from the power spectrum (PS), as well as from three different sets of non-Gaussian statistics of the lensing convergence field: Minkowski functionals (MFs), low-order moments (LMs), and peak counts (PKs). Our main results are as follows: (i) We find an order of magnitudemore » smaller biases from the PS than in previous work. (ii) The PS and LM yield biases much smaller than the morphological statistics (MF, PK). (iii) For strictly Gaussian spurious shear with integrated amplitude as low as its current estimate of σ sys 2 ≈ 10 -7, biases from the PS and LM would be unimportant even for a survey with the statistical power of Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. However, we find that for surveys larger than ≈ 100 deg 2, non-Gaussianity in the noise (not included in our analysis) will likely be important and must be quantified to assess the biases. (iv) The morphological statistics (MF, PK) introduce important biases even for Gaussian noise, which must be corrected in large surveys. The biases are in different directions in (Ωm,w,σ8) parameter space, allowing self-calibration by combining multiple statistics. Our results warrant follow-up studies with more extensive lensing simulations and more accurate spurious shear estimates.« less

Effect of the Antioxidant Lipoic Acid in Aortic Phenotype in a Marfan Syndrome Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Debbas, Victor; Salemi, Vera M.; Tavares, Elaine R.; Meirelles, Thayna; Ferreira-Filho, Julio C. A.; Takimura, Celso K.; Pereira, Lygia V.; Laurindo, Francisco R.

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) cardiovascular manifestations such as aortic aneurysms and cardiomyopathy carry substantial morbidity/mortality. We investigated the effects of lipoic acid, an antioxidant, on ROS production and aortic remodeling in a MFS mgΔloxPneo mouse model. MFS and WT (wild-type) 1-month-old mice were allocated to 3 groups: untreated, treated with losartan, and treated with lipoic acid. At 6 months old, echocardiography, ROS production, and morphological analysis of aortas were performed. Aortic ROS generation in 6-month-old MFS animals was higher at advanced stages of disease in MFS. An unprecedented finding in MFS mice analyzed by OCT was the occurrence of focal inhomogeneous regions in the aortic arch, either collagen-rich extremely thickened or collagen-poor hypotrophic regions. MFS animals treated with lipoic acid showed markedly reduced ROS production and lower ERK1/2 phosphorylation; meanwhile, aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown were unaltered. Of note, lipoic acid treatment associated with the absence of focal inhomogeneous regions in MFS animals. Losartan reduced aortic dilation and elastic fiber breakdown despite no change in ROS generation. In conclusion, oxidant generation by itself seems neutral with respect to aneurysm progression in MFS; however, lipoic acid-mediated reduction of inhomogeneous regions may potentially associate with less anisotropy and reduced chance of dissection/rupture. PMID:29765495

Magnetic fields: how is plant growth and development impacted?

PubMed

da Silva, Jaime A Teixeira; Dobránszki, Judit

2016-03-01

This review provides detailed insight on the effects of magnetic fields on germination, growth, development, and yield of plants focusing on ex vitro growth and development and discussing the possible physiological and biochemical responses. The MFs considered in this review range from the nanoTesla (nT) to geomagnetic levels, up to very strong MFs greater than 15 Tesla (T) and also super-weak MFs (near 0 T). The theoretical bases of the action of MFs on plant growth, which are complex, are not discussed here and thus far, there is limited mathematical background about the action of MFs on plant growth. MFs can positively influence the morphogenesis of several plants which allows them to be used in practical situations. MFs have thus far been shown to modify seed germination and affect seedling growth and development in a wide range of plants, including field, fodder, and industrial crops; cereals and pseudo-cereals; grasses; herbs and medicinal plants; horticultural crops (vegetables, fruits, ornamentals); trees; and model crops. This is important since MFs may constitute a non-residual and non-toxic stimulus. In addition to presenting and summarizing the effects of MFs on plant growth and development, we also provide possible physiological and biochemical explanations for these responses including stress-related responses of plants, explanations based on dia-, para-, and ferromagnetism, oriented movements of substances, and cellular and molecular changes.

Corneal Curvature, Astigmatism, and Aberrations in Marfan Syndrome with Lens Subluxation: Evaluation by Pentacam HR System.

PubMed

Chen, Jiahui; Jing, Qinghe; Tang, Yating; Qian, Dongjin; Lu, Yi; Jiang, Yongxiang

2018-03-06

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with abnormalities of corneal biometric characteristics. We conducted a retrospective case-control study including 55 eyes of the MFS patients with lens subluxation and 53 normal eyes of the control subjects to evaluate the corneal curvature, astigmatism and aberrations using a rotating Scheimpflug camera (Pentacam HR). Compared with the control group, the anterior, posterior, and total corneal curvature were flatter in the MFS group. The anterior and total corneal astigmatism were higher in the MFS patients, whereas the posterior corneal astigmatism was not significantly different between the two groups. Regarding the total corneal aberrations, the root mean square (RMS) aberrations, RMS higher-order aberrations and RMS lower-order aberrations increased, whereas the spherical aberration decreased in the MFS patients. Corneal parameters had potential diagnostic values for MFS patients with lens subluxation and the more reasonable cutoffs were the values of corneal curvature <41.35 D, corneal astigmatism >0.85 D and spherical aberration <0.188 μm. Corneal biometric characteristics of MFS patients with lens subluxation include decreased corneal curvature, higher corneal astigmatism, larger corneal aberrations, and lower spherical aberration. Corneal curvature, corneal astigmatism, and spherical aberration are better diagnostic tools for suspicious MFS.

Observation of Majorana fermions in the vortex on topological insulator-superconductor heterostructure Bi2Te3/NbSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Jinfeng

Majorana fermion (MF) zero modes have been predicted in a wide variety of condensed matter systems and proposed as a potential building block for fault-tolerant quantum computer. Signatures of the MFs have been reported in the form of zero-energy conductance peak in various systems. As predicted, MFs appear as zero-energy vortex core modes with distinctive spatial profile in proximity-induced superconducting surface states of topological insulators. Furthermore, MFs can induce spin selective Andreev reflection (SSAR), a unique signature of MFs. We report the observation of all the three features for the MFs inside vortices in Bi2Te3/NbSe2 hetero-structure, in which proximity-induced superconducting gap on topological surface states was previously established. Especially, by using spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), we observed the spin dependent tunneling effect, and fully supported by theoretical analyses, which is a direct evidence for the SSAR from MFs. More importantly, all evidences are self-consistent. Our work provides definitive evidences of MFs and will stimulate the MFs research on their novel physical properties, hence a step towards their non-Abelian statistics and application in quantum computing.

Probing the non-locality of Majorana fermions via quantum correlations

PubMed Central

Li, Jun; Yu, Ting; Lin, Hai-Qing; You, J. Q.

2014-01-01

Majorana fermions (MFs) are exotic particles that are their own anti-particles. Recently, the search for the MFs occurring as quasi-particle excitations in solid-state systems has attracted widespread interest, because of their fundamental importance in fundamental physics and potential applications in topological quantum computation based on solid-state devices. Here we study the quantum correlations between two spatially separate quantum dots induced by a pair of MFs emerging at the two ends of a semiconductor nanowire, in order to develop a new method for probing the MFs. We find that without the tunnel coupling between these paired MFs, quantum entanglement cannot be induced from an unentangled (i.e., product) state, but quantum discord is observed due to the intrinsic nonlocal correlations of the paired MFs. This finding reveals that quantum discord can indeed demonstrate the intrinsic non-locality of the MFs formed in the nanowire. Also, quantum discord can be employed to discriminate the MFs from the regular fermions. Furthermore, we propose an experimental setup to measure the onset of quantum discord due to the nonlocal correlations. Our approach provides a new, and experimentally accessible, method to study the Majorana bound states by probing their intrinsic non-locality signature. PMID:24816484

Practice expenses in the MFS (Medicare fee schedule): the service-class approach.

PubMed

Latimer, E A; Kane, N M

1995-01-01

The practice expense component of the Medicare fee schedule (MFS), which is currently based on historical charges and rewards physician procedures at the expense of cognitive services, is due to be changed by January 1, 1998. The Physician Payment Review Commission (PPRC) and others have proposed microcosting direct costs and allocating all indirect costs on a common basis, such as physician time or work plus direct costs. Without altering the treatment of direct costs, the service-class approach disaggregates indirect costs into six practice function costs. The practice function costs are then allocated to classes of services using cost-accounting and statistical methods. This approach would make the practice expense component more resource-based than other proposed alternatives.

Aortopathy in a Mouse Model of Marfan Syndrome Is Not Mediated by Altered Transforming Growth Factor β Signaling.

PubMed

Wei, Hao; Hu, Jie Hong; Angelov, Stoyan N; Fox, Kate; Yan, James; Enstrom, Rachel; Smith, Alexandra; Dichek, David A

2017-01-24

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (FBN1); however, the mechanisms through which fibrillin-1 deficiency causes MFS-associated aortopathy are uncertain. Recently, attention was focused on the hypothesis that MFS-associated aortopathy is caused by increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling in aortic medial smooth muscle cells (SMC). However, there are many reasons to doubt that TGF-β signaling drives MFS-associated aortopathy. We used a mouse model to test whether SMC TGF-β signaling is perturbed by a fibrillin-1 variant that causes MFS and whether blockade of SMC TGF-β signaling prevents MFS-associated aortopathy. MFS mice (Fbn1 C1039G/+ genotype) were genetically modified to allow postnatal SMC-specific deletion of the type II TGF-β receptor (TBRII; essential for physiologic TGF-β signaling). In young MFS mice with and without superimposed deletion of SMC-TBRII, we measured aortic dimensions, histopathology, activation of aortic SMC TGF-β signaling pathways, and changes in aortic SMC gene expression. Young Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice had ascending aortic dilation and significant disruption of aortic medial architecture. Both aortic dilation and disrupted medial architecture were exacerbated by superimposed deletion of TBRII. TGF-β signaling was unaltered in aortic SMC of young MFS mice; however, SMC-specific deletion of TBRII in Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice significantly decreased activation of SMC TGF-β signaling pathways. In young Fbn1 C1039G/+ mice, aortopathy develops in the absence of detectable alterations in SMC TGF-β signaling. Loss of physiologic SMC TGF-β signaling exacerbates MFS-associated aortopathy. Our data support a protective role for SMC TGF-β signaling during early development of MFS-associated aortopathy. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Satisfaction with life in adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS): associations with health-related consequences of MFS, pain, fatigue, and demographic factors.

PubMed

Velvin, Gry; Bathen, Trine; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Geirdal, Amy Østertun

2016-07-01

The objective with this study was to explore satisfaction with life (SWL) among adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) compared to the general Norwegian population and other patient groups and further to examine the associations between SWL and demographic factors, contact with social and health services, MFS-related health problems, chronic pain, and fatigue. This is a cross-sectional study with postal questionnaire, including the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), questions on demographic factors, health-related aspects of MFS, and validated instruments measuring chronic pain (Standardized Nordic Questionnaire) and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). One hundred and seventeen adults with MFS were invited to participate, and 73 (62 %) participated. The SWLS mean score in adults with MFS was significantly lower than that reported for the general Norwegian population, but similar to or higher than that reported for other patient groups. Only fatigue, aortic dissection, and having regular contact with psychologist showed significant unique contribution to the SWLS score in the hierarchical multiple linear analyses. The total variance explained by the model was 45.2 % p ≤ 0.000, confirming that the combination of independent variables significantly predicted SWLS. The results reflect that MFS influences people's SWL and that particularly severe fatigue, aortic dissection, and psychological aspects are associated with lower SWL. This is important to take into account in the clinical work with people with MFS. Further investigation is needed, especially on larger sample groups. Studies with combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches are recommended to obtain more comprehensive and accurate knowledge about the consequences of MFS on satisfaction with life.

On supersymmetric anti-de Sitter, de Sitter and Minkowski flux backgrounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gran, U.; Gutowski, J. B.; Papadopoulos, G.

2018-03-01

We test the robustness of the conditions required for the existence of (supersymmetric) warped flux anti-de Sitter, de Sitter, and Minkowski backgrounds in supergravity theories using as examples suitable foliations of anti-de Sitter spaces. We find that there are supersymmetric de Sitter solutions in supergravity theories including maximally supersymmetric ones in 10- and 11-dimensional supergravities. Moreover, warped flux Minkowski backgrounds can admit Killing spinors which are not Killing on the Minkowski subspace and therefore cannot be put in a factorized form.

Rice SPX-Major Facility Superfamily3, a Vacuolar Phosphate Efflux Transporter, Is Involved in Maintaining Phosphate Homeostasis in Rice1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Ying, Yinghui; Wang, Shoudong; Secco, David; Liu, Yu; Whelan, James; Tyerman, Stephen D.; Shou, Huixia

2015-01-01

To maintain a stable cytosol phosphate (Pi) concentration, plant cells store Pi in their vacuoles. When the Pi concentration in the cytosol decreases, Pi is exported from the vacuole into the cytosol. This export is mediated by Pi transporters on the tonoplast. In this study, we demonstrate that SYG1, PHO81, and XPR1 (SPX)-Major Facility Superfamily (MFS) proteins have a similar structure with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) low-affinity Pi transporters Phosphatase87 (PHO87), PHO90, and PHO91. OsSPX-MFS1, OsSPX-MFS2, and OsSPX-MFS3 all localized on the tonoplast of rice (Oryza sativa) protoplasts, even in the absence of the SPX domain. At high external Pi concentration, OsSPX-MFS3 could partially complement the yeast mutant strain EY917 under pH 5.5, which lacks all five Pi transporters present in yeast. In oocytes, OsSPX-MFS3 was shown to facilitate Pi influx or efflux depending on the external pH and Pi concentrations. In contrast to tonoplast localization in plants cells, OsSPX-MFS3 was localized to the plasma membrane when expressed in both yeast and oocytes. Overexpression of OsSPX-MFS3 results in decreased Pi concentration in the vacuole of rice tissues. We conclude that OsSPX-MFS3 is a low-affinity Pi transporter that mediates Pi efflux from the vacuole into cytosol and is coupled to proton movement. PMID:26424157

Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Stratifying the Pre-Test Probability of Marfan Syndrome in Childhood

PubMed Central

Stark, Veronika C.; Arndt, Florian; Harring, Gesa; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Kozlik-Feldmann, Rainer; Mueller, Goetz C.; Steiner, Kristoffer J.; Mir, Thomas S.

2015-01-01

Due to age dependent organ manifestation, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a challenge, especially in childhood. It is important to identify children at risk of MFS as soon as possible to direct those to appropriate treatment but also to avoid stigmatization due to false diagnosis. We published the Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) in 2012 to stratify the pre-test probability of MFS in childhood. Hence we now evaluate the predictive performance of Kid-SMS in a new cohort of children. We prospectively investigated 106 patients who were suspected of having MFS. At baseline, children were examined according to Kid-SMS. At baseline and follow-up visit, diagnosis of MFS was established or rejected using standard current diagnostic criteria according to the revised Ghent Criteria (Ghent-2). At baseline 43 patients were identified with a risk of MFS according to Kid-SMS whereas 21 patients had Ghent-2 diagnosis of MFS. Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 77%, negative predictive value 100% and Likelihood ratio of Kid-SMS 4.3. During follow-up period, three other patients with a stratified risk for MFS were diagnosed according to Ghent-2. We confirm very good predictive performance of Kid-SMS with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value but restricted specificity. Kid-SMS avoids stigmatization due to diagnosis of MFS and thus restriction to quality of life. Especially outpatient pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists can use it for primary assessment. PMID:28943606

Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool for Stratifying the Pre-Test Probability of Marfan Syndrome in Childhood.

PubMed

Stark, Veronika C; Arndt, Florian; Harring, Gesa; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Kozlik-Feldmann, Rainer; Mueller, Goetz C; Steiner, Kristoffer J; Mir, Thomas S

2015-03-12

Due to age dependent organ manifestation, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a challenge, especially in childhood. It is important to identify children at risk of MFS as soon as possible to direct those to appropriate treatment but also to avoid stigmatization due to false diagnosis. We published the Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) in 2012 to stratify the pre-test probability of MFS in childhood. Hence we now evaluate the predictive performance of Kid-SMS in a new cohort of children. We prospectively investigated 106 patients who were suspected of having MFS. At baseline, children were examined according to Kid-SMS. At baseline and follow-up visit, diagnosis of MFS was established or rejected using standard current diagnostic criteria according to the revised Ghent Criteria (Ghent-2). At baseline 43 patients were identified with a risk of MFS according to Kid-SMS whereas 21 patients had Ghent-2 diagnosis of MFS. Sensitivity was 100%, specificity 77%, negative predictive value 100% and Likelihood ratio of Kid-SMS 4.3. During follow-up period, three other patients with a stratified risk for MFS were diagnosed according to Ghent-2. We confirm very good predictive performance of Kid-SMS with excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value but restricted specificity. Kid-SMS avoids stigmatization due to diagnosis of MFS and thus restriction to quality of life. Especially outpatient pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists can use it for primary assessment.

The association between maternal perception of her child weight and maternal feeding styles

PubMed

Flores-Peña, Yolanda; Acuña-Blanco, América; Cárdenas-Villarreal, Velia M; Amaro-Hinojosa, Marily D; Pérez-Campa, María E; Elenes-Rodríguez, Jesús R

2017-02-01

Introduction: Mothers do not recognize when their child is overweight or obese (OW-OB), and the evidence suggests a relationship between inadequate maternal perception of her child weight (MPCW), and maternal feeding style (MFS). Objectives: a) To assess the reliability of the Caregiver Feeding Style Questionnaire (CFSQ); b) to verify association between MPCW and child’ nutritional status; c) to describe the MFS; d) to verify differences between MPCW and child’s body mass index (BMI); e) and to verify the association between MPCW and MFS. Methods: 566 dyads participated (mother/preschool child). Mothers circle the image that more resembled their child (MPCW), and answered the CFSQ. Cronbach alpha coeffi cient was calculated. V Cramer, ANOVA and Chi-square were applied. Results: The internal consistency of CFSQ was 0.88. The 8.4% (n = 12) mothers of children are OW-OB had adequate MPCW (V = 0.26, p = 0.001). The most frequent MFS was authoritarian (34.5%, n = 195), MFS uninvolved presented the highest child’ BMI (F = 3.91, p < 0.05). When mothers perceive her child is OW-OB have a MFS uninvolved (χ2 = 15,384, df = 6, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Mothers of children with OW-OB have an inadequate MPCW and more frequently have a MFS authoritarian. When the mother perceive their child is OW-OB has MFS uninvolved. Interventions to help the mothers to recognize their child is OW-OB and teaching strategies that promote MFS authoritative are recommended.

Memory as persona non grata in the work of Eugène Minkowski: a historical approach.

PubMed

Vaz, João M

2016-09-01

Memory is both ubiquitous and persona non grata in the work of Eugène Minkowski. Despite the relevance of memory in the works of those who influenced him, in particular Bergson, Minkowski nonetheless repeatedly overlooked its importance in his writings. To the reader of his work this fact is as much evident as unaccounted for - both by prior research and by Minkowski himself. I shall try to prove that this disregard for memory was conditio sine qua non of Minkowski's first synthesis of Bleuler and Bergson in a 1921 article, which resulted in his famous concept of loss of vital contact with reality and which he equated with schizophrenia. Moreover, this historical approach will, on the one hand, explain the fragmentary use made by Minkowski of the philosophy of Bergson and, on the other, shed light on central aspects of his Le temps vécu of 1933 that an exclusively philosophical analysis cannot reveal. © The Author(s) 2016.

Tuning magnetofluidic spreading in microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Wang, Z. P.; Ramanujan, R. V.

2015-12-01

Magnetofluidic spreading (MFS) is a phenomenon in which a uniform magnetic field is used to induce spreading of a ferrofluid core cladded by diamagnetic fluidic streams in a three-stream channel. Applications of MFS include micromixing, cell sorting and novel microfluidic lab-on-a-chip design. However, the relative importance of the parameters which govern MFS is still unclear, leading to non-optimal control of MFS. Hence, in this work, the effect of various key parameters on MFS was experimentally and numerically studied. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analysis, showed excellent agreement between theory and experiment. It was found that spreading was mainly due to cross-sectional convection induced by magnetic forces, and can be enhanced by tuning various parameters. Smaller flow rate ratio, higher magnetic field, higher core stream or lower cladding stream dynamic viscosity, and larger magnetic particle size can increase MFS. These results can be used to tune magnetofluidic spreading in microchannels.

Age Differences in Axial Length, Corneal Curvature, and Corneal Astigmatism in Marfan Syndrome with Ectopia Lentis

PubMed Central

Jing, Qinghe; Tang, Yating; Qian, Dongjin

2018-01-01

Purpose To investigate the differences in axial length, corneal curvature, and corneal astigmatism with age in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and ectopia lentis. Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted. MFS patients with ectopia lentis were divided into groups according to age. Axial length, corneal curvature, and corneal astigmatism were measured. Results This study included 114 MFS patients (215 eyes) with a mean age of 19.0 ± 13.9 years. Axial length differed significantly across age groups in MFS patients (P < 0.001), whereas corneal curvature did not (P = 0.767). Corneal astigmatism was statistically significant throughout the MFS cohort (P = 0.009), but no significant difference was found in young MFS patients (P = 0.838). With increasing age, the orientation of the corneal astigmatism changed from with-the-rule astigmatism to against-the-rule or oblique astigmatism (P < 0.001). A linear correlation analysis showed weak correlations between age and axial length for both eyes and with corneal astigmatism for the left eye, but there was no correlation between age and corneal curvature. Conclusions In MFS, axial length varies with age, corneal curvature remains stable, and corneal astigmatism is higher in young patients and tends to shift toward against-the-rule or oblique astigmatism. Therefore, it is important to consider age when diagnosing MFS with ocular biometric data. PMID:29854424

Myxofibrosarcoma primary cultures: molecular and pharmacological profile

PubMed Central

De Vita, Alessandro; Recine, Federica; Mercatali, Laura; Miserocchi, Giacomo; Liverani, Chiara; Spadazzi, Chiara; Casadei, Roberto; Bongiovanni, Alberto; Pieri, Federica; Riva, Nada; Amadori, Dino; Ibrahim, Toni

2017-01-01

Background: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS), formerly considered as a myxoid variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, is the most common sarcoma of the extremities in adults and is characterized by a high frequency of local recurrence. The clinical behavior of MFS is unpredictable and the efficacy of chemotherapy is still not well documented. Furthermore, given the relatively recent recognition of MFS as a distinct pathologic entity its cellular and molecular biology has still not been extensively studied in patient-derived preclinical models. We examined the molecular biology and treatment outcomes of high-grade, patient-derived MFS primary cultures. Methods: A total of three patient-derived MFS primary cultures were analyzed. We evaluated the role of CD109 expression and also looked for a correlation between transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) expression and sensitivity of the primary cultures to different drugs. Results: CD109 was a promising marker for the identification of more aggressive high-grade MFS and a potential therapeutic target. The results also highlighted the potential role of TGF-β in chemoresistance. Pharmacological analysis confirmed the sensitivity of the cultures to chemotherapy. The most active treatments were epirubicin alone and epirubicin in combination with ifosfamide, the latter representing the current standard of care for soft tissue sarcomas (STSs), including MFS. Conclusions: Our results provide a starting point for further research aimed at improving the management of MFS patients undergoing chemotherapy. PMID:29449896

Using Anisotropic 3D Minkowski Functionals for Trabecular Bone Characterization and Biomechanical Strength Prediction in Proximal Femur Specimens

PubMed Central

Nagarajan, Mahesh B.; De, Titas; Lochmüller, Eva-Maria; Eckstein, Felix; Wismüller, Axel

2017-01-01

The ability of Anisotropic Minkowski Functionals (AMFs) to capture local anisotropy while evaluating topological properties of the underlying gray-level structures has been previously demonstrated. We evaluate the ability of this approach to characterize local structure properties of trabecular bone micro-architecture in ex vivo proximal femur specimens, as visualized on multi-detector CT, for purposes of biomechanical bone strength prediction. To this end, volumetric AMFs were computed locally for each voxel of volumes of interest (VOI) extracted from the femoral head of 146 specimens. The local anisotropy captured by such AMFs was quantified using a fractional anisotropy measure; the magnitude and direction of anisotropy at every pixel was stored in histograms that served as a feature vectors that characterized the VOIs. A linear multi-regression analysis algorithm was used to predict the failure load (FL) from the feature sets; the predicted FL was compared to the true FL determined through biomechanical testing. The prediction performance was measured by the root mean square error (RMSE) for each feature set. The best prediction performance was obtained from the fractional anisotropy histogram of AMF Euler Characteristic (RMSE = 1.01 ± 0.13), which was significantly better than MDCT-derived mean BMD (RMSE = 1.12 ± 0.16, p<0.05). We conclude that such anisotropic Minkowski Functionals can capture valuable information regarding regional trabecular bone quality and contribute to improved bone strength prediction, which is important for improving the clinical assessment of osteoporotic fracture risk. PMID:29170581

Modelling and numerical simulation of the in vivo mechanical response of the ascending aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

García-Herrera, Claudio M; Celentano, Diego J; Herrera, Emilio A

2017-03-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue, impairing cardiovascular structures and function, such as heart valves and aorta. Thus, patients with Marfan disease have a higher risk of developing circulatory problems associated with mitral and aortic valves prolapse, manifested as dilated aorta and aortic aneurysm. However, little is known about the biomechanical characteristics of these structures affected with MFS. This study presents the modelling and simulation of the mechanical response of human ascending aortic aneurysms in MFS under in vivo conditions with intraluminal pressures within normotensive and hypertensive ranges. We obtained ascending aortic segments from five adults with MFS subjected to a vascular prosthesis implantation replacing an aortic aneurysm. We characterised the arterial samples via ex vivo tensile test measurements that enable fitting the material parameters of a hyperelastic isotropic constitutive model. Then, these material parameters were used in a numerical simulation of an ascending aortic aneurysm subjected to in vivo normotensive and hypertensive conditions. In addition, we assessed different constraints related to the movement of the aortic root. Overall, our results provide not only a realistic description of the mechanical behaviour of the vessel, but also useful data about stress/stretch-based criteria to predict vascular rupture. This knowledge may be included in the clinical assessment to determine risk and indicate surgical intervention.

New Insights on the White Dwarf Luminosity and Mass Functions from the LSS-GAC Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebassa-Mansergas, Alberto; Liu, Xiaowei; Cojocaru, Ruxandra; Torres, Santiago; García–Berro, Enrique; Yuan, Haibo; Huang, Yang; Xiang, Maosheng

2015-06-01

The white dwarf (WD) population observed in magnitude-limited surveys can be used to derive the luminosity function (LF) and mass function (MF), once the corresponding volume corrections are employed. However, the WD samples from which the observational LFs and MFs are built are the result of complicated target selection algorithms. Thus, it is difficult to quantify the effects of the observational biases on the observed functions. The LAMOST (Large sky Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope) spectroscopic survey of the Galactic anti-center (LSS-GAC) has well-defined selection criteria. This is a noticeable advantage over previous surveys. Here we derive the WD LF and MF of the LSS-GAC, and use a Monte Carlo code to simulate the WD population in the Galactic anti-center. We apply the well-defined LSS-GAC selection criteria to the simulated populations, taking into account all observational biases, and perform the first meaningful comparison between the simulated WD LFs and MFs and the observed ones.

Cardiovascular outcomes of pregnancy in Marfan's syndrome patients: A literature review.

PubMed

Kim, So Yeon; Wolfe, Diana S; Taub, Cynthia C

2018-03-01

Pregnancy in patients with Marfan's syndrome (MFS) carries an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, resulting in increased maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Literature on MFS pregnant patients is relatively sparse, and there has yet to be a concrete consensus on the management of this unique patient population. The purpose of our paper is to provide a literature review of case reports and studies on MFS during pregnancy (published between 2005 and 2015) and to explore cardiovascular outcomes of patients with MFS. Of the 852 women in our review, there were 1112 pregnancies, with an aortic dissection rate of 7.9% and mortality of 1.2%. Data demonstrated a trend that patients whose aortic diameter ≥40 mm had a greater rate of dissection than MFS patients whose aortic diameter <40 mm (Fisher's exact test, P = .0504). Fetal outcome included a 5.6% mortality rate and 41% of births were cesarean deliveries and of those reported, 75% secondary to cardiac emergencies. Patients with MFS, especially those whose initial aortic diameters ≥40 mm, planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant should be carefully counseled about the maternal and fetal risks throughout pregnancy. MFS patients whose aortic diameters ≥40 mm should be advised to ideally await pregnancy until prophylactic aortic surgery. As MFS varies in its phenotypic expression, each patient's risk of adverse cardiac events should be assessed individually through a joint Maternal Fetal Medicine and Cardiology Center. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Water Quality and Biological Characteristics of the Middle Fork of the Saline River, Arkansas, 2003-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Galloway, Joel M.; Petersen, James C.; Shelby, Erica L.; Wise, Jim A.

2008-01-01

The Middle Fork of the Saline River has many qualities that have been recognized by State and Federal agencies. The Middle Fork provides habitat for several rare aquatic species and is part of a larger stream system (the Upper Saline River) that is known for relatively high levels of species richness and relatively high numbers of species of concern. Water-quality samples were collected and streamflow was measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at three sites in the Middle Fork Basin between October 2003 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality collected discrete synoptic water-quality samples from eight sites between January 2004 and October 2006. The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality also sampled fish (September-October 2003) and benthic macroinvertebrate communities (September 2003-December 2005) at five sites. Streamflow varied annually among the three streamflow sites from October 2003 to October 2006. The mean annual streamflow for Brushy Creek near Jessieville (MFS06) was 0.72 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork below Jessieville (MFS05) had a mean annual streamflow of 1.11 cubic meters per second for water years 2004-2006. The Middle Fork near Owensville (MFS02), the most downstream site, had a mean annual streamflow of 3.01 cubic meters per second. The greatest streamflows at the three sites generally occurred in the winter and spring and the least in the summer. Nutrient dynamics in the Middle Fork are controlled by activities in the basin and processes that occur in the stream. Point sources and nonpoint sources of nutrients occur in the Middle Fork Basin that could affect the water-quality. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations generally were greatest in Mill Creek (MFS04E) and in the Middle Fork immediately downstream from the confluence with Mill Creek (MFS04) with decreasing concentrations at sites farther downstream in Middle Fork. The site in Mill Creek is located downstream from a wastewater-treatment plant discharge and concentrations at sites farther downstream probably had lesser concentrations because of dilution effects and from algal uptake. Nutrient concentrations generally were significantly greater during high-flow conditions compared to base-flow conditions. Flow-weighted nutrient concentrations were computed for the three streamflow sites and were compared to 82 relatively undeveloped sites identified across the Nation, to the Alum Fork of the Saline River near Reform, Arkansas, and to the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, a site influenced by numerous point and nonpoint sources of nutrients. Annual flow-weighted nutrient concentrations for MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 were greater than relatively undeveloped sites, but were substantially less than the Illinois River south of Siloam Springs. Fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were slightly greater at MFS06 and MFS05 compared to concentrations at MFS02 for October 2003 to October 2006. MFS05 had the greatest E.coli concentrations and MFS06 had the greatest fecal coliform concentrations. Overall, fecal indicator bacteria concentrations were significantly greater for samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during low-flow conditions at all three sites. Suspended-sediment concentrations did not vary significantly among MFS06, MFS05, and MFS02 for all the samples collected from October 2003 to October 2006. Suspended-sediment concentrations were significantly greater in samples collected during high-flow conditions compared to samples collected during base-flow conditions. Synoptic samples indicated varied total suspended-solids distributions from upstream to downstream in the Middle Fork between January 2004 and October 2006. Overall, total suspended-solids values were the greatest at site MFS02 and decreased at sites upstream and downstream. Turbidity measured when water-quality samples were

A generalized rotationally symmetric case of the centroaffine Minkowski problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jian

2018-05-01

In this paper the centroaffine Minkowski problem, a critical case of the Lp-Minkowski problem in the n + 1 dimensional Euclidean space, is studied. By its variational structure and the method of blow-up analyses, we obtain two sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions, for a generalized rotationally symmetric case of the problem.

A membrane film sensor with encapsulated fluorescent dyes towards express freshness monitoring of packaged food.

PubMed

Kiryukhin, Maxim V; Lau, Hooi Hong; Goh, Seok Hong; Teh, Cathleen; Korzh, Vladimir; Sadovoy, Anton

2018-05-15

A new Membrane Film Sensor (MFS) has been developed to measure pH of fluids. MFS comprises a polyelectrolyte multilayer film with uniformly distributed compartments (microchambers) where a fluorescent sensing dye is encapsulated. Fabricated film is sealed onto a polyethylene film for a future use. MFS was applied to report changes in golden pomfret fillet upon its storage at 5 °C. MFS pH readings were correlated to bacteriological analysis of fish samples. A hike in pH of fish juices happens after 10 days of storage signaling bacterial spoilage of fish. The design of developed MFS allows easy integration with transparent packaging materials for future development of "SMART" packaging sensing food freshness. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a major facilitator superfamily transporter in Shiraia bambusicola.

PubMed

Deng, Huaxiang; Gao, Ruijie; Liao, Xiangru; Cai, Yujie

2017-09-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by photo-activated hypocrellin from Shiraia bambusicola are detrimental to cellular macromolecules. However, S. bambusicola can still maintain excellent morphology during continuous hypocrellin production, indicating an extraordinary autoresistance system that protects against the harmful ROS. In this study, a major facilitator superfamily transporter (MFS) was isolated from S. bambusicola and deleted using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat sequences (CRISPR)/Cas9 system. The ΔMFS mutant abolished hypocrellin production and was slightly sensitive to 40-μM hypocrellin, while the ΔMFS compliment strain restored hypocrellin production and resistance. Hypocrellin treatment also enhanced the relative expression of MFS in wild-type S. bambusicola. Subsequent pathogenicity assays showed that MFS deletion reduced damage to bamboo leaves. By contrast, restoration of hypocrellin production in the MFS compliment strain generated similar necrotic lesions on bamboo leaves to those observed with the wild-type strain. These results revealed that the identified MFS is involved in efflux of hypocrellin from cells, which reduces the hypocrellin toxicity. Furthermore, hypocrellin contributed to the virulence of S. bambusicola on bamboo leaves. These findings could help to reduce plant loss by disrupting hypocrellin biosynthesis in S. bambusicola, or overexpressing the associated resistance gene in transgenic plants. Copyright © 2017 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Scale-free crystallization of two-dimensional complex plasmas: Domain analysis using Minkowski tensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böbel, A.; Knapek, C. A.; Räth, C.

2018-05-01

Experiments of the recrystallization processes in two-dimensional complex plasmas are analyzed to rigorously test a recently developed scale-free phase transition theory. The "fractal-domain-structure" (FDS) theory is based on the kinetic theory of Frenkel. It assumes the formation of homogeneous domains, separated by defect lines, during crystallization and a fractal relationship between domain area and boundary length. For the defect number fraction and system energy a scale-free power-law relation is predicted. The long-range scaling behavior of the bond-order correlation function shows clearly that the complex plasma phase transitions are not of the Kosterlitz, Thouless, Halperin, Nelson, and Young type. Previous preliminary results obtained by counting the number of dislocations and applying a bond-order metric for structural analysis are reproduced. These findings are supplemented by extending the use of the bond-order metric to measure the defect number fraction and furthermore applying state-of-the-art analysis methods, allowing a systematic testing of the FDS theory with unprecedented scrutiny: A morphological analysis of lattice structure is performed via Minkowski tensor methods. Minkowski tensors form a complete family of additive, motion covariant and continuous morphological measures that are sensitive to nonlinear properties. The FDS theory is rigorously confirmed and predictions of the theory are reproduced extremely well. The predicted scale-free power-law relation between defect fraction number and system energy is verified for one more order of magnitude at high energies compared to the inherently discontinuous bond-order metric. It is found that the fractal relation between crystalline domain area and circumference is independent of the experiment, the particular Minkowski tensor method, and the particular choice of parameters. Thus, the fractal relationship seems to be inherent to two-dimensional phase transitions in complex plasmas. Minkowski tensor analysis turns out to be a powerful tool for investigations of crystallization processes. It is capable of revealing nonlinear local topological properties, however, still provides easily interpretable results founded on a solid mathematical framework.

Macrophages Modulate Migration and Invasion of Human Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Pirilä, Emma; Väyrynen, Otto; Sundquist, Elias; Päkkilä, Kaisa; Nyberg, Pia; Nurmenniemi, Sini; Pääkkönen, Virve; Pesonen, Paula; Dayan, Dan; Vered, Marilena; Uhlin-Hansen, Lars; Salo, Tuula

2015-01-01

Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has a high mortality rate and the incidence is rising worldwide. Despite advances in treatment, the disease lacks specific prognostic markers and treatment modality. The spreading of OTSCC is dependent on the tumor microenvironment and involves tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Although the presence of TAMs is associated with poor prognosis in OTSCC, the specific mechanisms underlying this are still unknown. The aim here was to investigate the effect of macrophages (Mfs) on HSC-3 tongue carcinoma cells and NF-kappaB activity. We polarized THP-1 cells to M1 (inflammatory), M2 (TAM-like) and R848 (imidazoquinoline-treated) type Mfs. We then investigated the effect of Mfs on HSC-3 cell migration and NF-kappaB activity, cytokine production and invasion using several different in vitro migration models, a human 3D tissue invasion model, antibody arrays, confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry and a mouse invasion model. We found that in co-culture studies all types of Mfs fused with HSC-3 cells, a process which was partially due to efferocytosis. HSC-3 cells induced expression of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta in co-cultures with M2 Mfs. Direct cell-cell contact between M2 Mfs and HSC-3 cells induced migration and invasion of HSC-3 cells while M1 Mfs reduced HSC-3 cell invasion. M2 Mfs had an excess of NF-kappaB p50 subunit and a lack of p65 subunits both in the presence and absence of HSC-3 cells, indicating dysregulation and pro-tumorigenic NF-kappaB activation. TAM-like cells were abundantly present in close vicinity to carcinoma cells in OTSCC patient samples. We conclude that M2 Mfs/TAMs have an important role in OTSCC regulating adhesion, migration, invasion and cytokine production of carcinoma cells favouring tumor growth. These results demonstrate that OTSCC patients could benefit from therapies targeting TAMs, polarizing TAM-like M2 Mfs to inflammatory macrophages and modulating NF-kappaB activity. PMID:25811194

Comparison and evaluation of mitotic figures in oral epithelial dysplasia using crystal violet and Feulgen stain.

PubMed

Rao, Roopa S; Patil, Shankargouda; Agarwal, Anveeta

2014-05-01

Routine staining procedures often pose a problem in differentiating a mitotic cell from an apoptotic cell, deteriorating the reliability of histology grading. Although various new methods have been recommended for identifying mitotic figures (MFs) in tissues, the time factor and cost makes them less feasible. Thus, an attempt was made to evaluate the efficacy of crystal violet and Feulgen reaction in identifying MFs and also to see for any variation in the number of MFs in various grades of Epithelial dysplasia. 1. Using crystal violet and Feulgen stain in the identification and counting of MFs on diagnosed cases of epithelial dysplasia and thereby to evaluate their efficacy. 2. To evaluate the variation in the number of MFs in various grades of epithelial dysplasia. The study sample includes retrieval of 30 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections diagnosed for different grades of epithelial dysplasia (WHO grading system, 2005) from the archives, Department of Oral Pathology, MSRDC, Bengaluru. Ten tissue sections each of mild, moderate and severe epithelial dysplasia were stained with H&E, Feulgen and 1% crystal violet stains and the number of MFs were counted. Five cases of cervical carcinoma were taken as control. Stained sections were compared, and data obtained was statistically analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. A significant increase in the number of MFs (p = 0.02) was observed in Feulgen stained sections as compared to H&E stain. Feulgen stain can be considered as a simple, reliable, cost-effective and reproducible method of staining MFs.

Effects of separation of resources on behaviour, physical condition and production of laying hens in furnished cages.

PubMed

Shimmura, T; Azuma, T; Eguchi, Y; Uetake, K; Tanaka, T

2009-01-01

1. Based on our previous studies, we designed a medium-sized furnished cage with a dust bath and nest box on both sides of the cage (MFS) and evaluated its usefulness. 2. We used 180 White Leghorn layers. At the age of 17 weeks, the birds were distributed at random into one of the 4 cage designs: conventional cages (CC; 6 cages and 5 hens per cage), small (SF; 6 cages and 5 hens per cage) and medium furnished cages (MFL; 6 cages and 10 hens per cage) with a 'localised' dust bath and nest box on one side of the cage, and MFS (6 cages and 10 hens per cage). The total allocation of resources per bird was similar for all furnished cage designs. Behaviour, physical condition and production were measured in each cage. 3. Moving was more frequent in MFS and MFL than in CC and SF. The proportion of hens performing aggressive pecking and severe feather pecking was higher in MFL than CC and SF. These aggressive interactions occurred frequently in the dust bath area in MFL; however, these tendencies were not found in MFS. Egg production and egg mass were lower in MFL than in SF, while the production in MFS was similar to those in CC and SF. MFS hens laid eggs on the cage floor more often than in MFL. 4. In conclusion, these results demonstrate the possible usefulness of MFS. However, some inconsistent results and ways of improving MFS design were also identified.

A Measurement Feedback System (MFS) Is Necessary to Improve Mental Health Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickman, Leonard

2008-01-01

The importance of measurement feedback system (MFS) for the improvement of mental health services for youths is discussed. As feedback obtained from clients and families is subject to distortions, a standardized MFS including clinical processes, contexts, outcomes, and feedback to clinicians and supervisors is necessary for improvement in quality…

Transcriptional and functional profiling defines human small intestinal macrophage subsets.

PubMed

Bujko, Anna; Atlasy, Nader; Landsverk, Ole J B; Richter, Lisa; Yaqub, Sheraz; Horneland, Rune; Øyen, Ole; Aandahl, Einar Martin; Aabakken, Lars; Stunnenberg, Hendrik G; Bækkevold, Espen S; Jahnsen, Frode L

2018-02-05

Macrophages (Mfs) are instrumental in maintaining immune homeostasis in the intestine, yet studies on the origin and heterogeneity of human intestinal Mfs are scarce. Here, we identified four distinct Mf subpopulations in human small intestine (SI). Assessment of their turnover in duodenal transplants revealed that all Mf subsets were completely replaced over time; Mf1 and Mf2, phenotypically similar to peripheral blood monocytes (PBMos), were largely replaced within 3 wk, whereas two subsets with features of mature Mfs, Mf3 and Mf4, exhibited significantly slower replacement. Mf3 and Mf4 localized differently in SI; Mf3 formed a dense network in mucosal lamina propria, whereas Mf4 was enriched in submucosa. Transcriptional analysis showed that all Mf subsets were markedly distinct from PBMos and dendritic cells. Compared with PBMos, Mf subpopulations showed reduced responsiveness to proinflammatory stimuli but were proficient at endocytosis of particulate and soluble material. These data provide a comprehensive analysis of human SI Mf population and suggest a precursor-progeny relationship with PBMos. © 2018 Bujko et al.

Proposal to probe quantum nonlocality of Majorana fermions in tunneling experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sau, Jay D.; Swingle, Brian; Tewari, Sumanta

2015-07-01

Topological Majorana fermion (MF) quasiparticles have been recently suggested to exist in semiconductor quantum wires with proximity induced superconductivity and a Zeeman field. Although the experimentally observed zero bias tunneling peak and a fractional ac-Josephson effect can be taken as necessary signatures of MFs, neither of them constitutes a sufficient "smoking gun" experiment. Since one pair of Majorana fermions share a single conventional fermionic degree of freedom, MFs are in a sense fractionalized excitations. Based on this fractionalization we propose a tunneling experiment that furnishes a nearly unique signature of end state MFs in semiconductor quantum wires. In particular, we show that a "teleportation"-like experiment is not enough to distinguish MFs from pairs of MFs, which are equivalent to conventional zero energy states, but our proposed tunneling experiment, in principle, can make this distinction.

Quantifying changes in the bone microarchitecture using Minkowski-functionals and scaling vectors: a comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raeth, Christoph W.; Mueller, Dirk; Link, Thomas M.; Boehm, Holger; Monetti, Roberto

2006-03-01

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease leading to de-mineralization and increased risk of fracture. The two major factors that determine the biomechanical competence of bone are the degree of mineralization and the micro-architectural integrity. Today, modern imaging modalities exist that allow to depict structural details of trabecular bone tissue. Recently, non-linear techniques in 2D and 3D based on the scaling vector method (SVM) and the Minkowski functionals (MF) have been introduced, which show excellent performance in predicting bone strength and fracture risk. However, little is known about the performance of the various parameters with respect to monitoring structural changes due to progression of osteoporosis or as a result of medical treatment. We test and compare the two methodologies using realistic two-dimensional simulations of bone structures, which model the effect of osteoblasts and osteoclasts on the local change of relative bone density. Different realizations with slightly varying control parameters are considered. Our results show that even small changes in the trabecular structures, which are induced by variation of a control parameter of the system, become discernible by applying both the MF and the locally adapted scaling vector method. The results obtained with SVM are superior to those obtained with the Minkowski functionals. An additive combination of both measures drastically increases the sensitivity to slight changes in bone structures. These findings may be especially important for monitoring the treatment of patients, where the early recognition of (drug-induced) changes in the trabecular structure is crucial.

Seasonal and clonal variation in cellulose microfibril orientation during cell wall formation of tracheids in Cryptomeria japonica.

PubMed

Jyske, Tuula; Fujiwara, Takeshi; Kuroda, Katsushi; Iki, Taiichi; Zhang, Chunhua; Jyske, Tuomas K; Abe, Hisashi

2014-08-01

To investigate the biological mechanism by which trees control the changes in microfibril (MF) orientation among secondary cell wall layers of conifer tracheids, we studied seasonal variation in the orientation of newly deposited MFs during tracheid cell wall development in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) trees growing in Central Japan (36°36'N, 140°39'E). Sample blocks were repeatedly collected from four 16-year-old clones of different origins during the growing season of 2010 to investigate the hypotheses that changes in cellulose MF orientation between wall layers exhibited seasonal and clonal differences. The progressive change in the orientation of newly deposited MFs on the primary and secondary cell wall layers of tracheids was detected by field-emission-scanning electron microscopy. Tracheid production and differentiation was studied by light microscopy. We observed a decreasing trend in the orientation of deposited MFs from earlywood to latewood in the S2 and S1 layers, where MFs appeared in a Z-helix. In contrast, no seasonal pattern in the orientation of the MFs in the S-helix was observed. Minor clonal variation was observed in the phenology of tracheid production and differentiation. We concluded that a seasonal decreasing trend in the orientation of the MFs in the Z-helix in S1 and S2 was present, whereas the MFs in other layers exhibited minor random variations. Thus, the orientation of the MFs in S2 was affected by seasonal factors, whereas the MFs in other layers were more intrinsically controlled. The within-ring variations in the MF orientation and thus the resulting average MF angle might also be related to genotypic differences in the tracheid production and differentiation rate. However, our results do not exclude other intrinsic and environmental regulations in the change in MF orientation, which remains a topic for future studies. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Accelerated partial breast irradiation for elderly women with early breast cancer: A compromise between whole breast irradiation and omission of radiotherapy.

PubMed

Sumodhee, Shakeel; Levy, Johan; Chamorey, Emmanuel; Lam Cham Kee, Daniel; Chand, Marie-Eve; Gautier, Mathieu; Peyrottes, Isabelle; Barranger, Emmanuel; Hannoun-Levi, Jean-Michel

Regarding adjuvant radiation therapy making decision for elderly women, Albert (2013) published a nomogram predicting the mastectomy-free survival (MFS) rate with or without adjuvant irradiation. Based on this approach, we proposed to investigate the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) vs. whole breast irradiation (WBI) or endocrine therapy alone in elderly low-risk breast cancer patients. For each elderly woman treated by conserving surgery and APBI (multicatheter interstitial high-dose-rate brachytherapy), 5- and 10-year MFS rates were calculated. For each treated patient, using the Albert nomogram, we calculated the estimated MFS rates at 5 and 10 years, with and without WBI. Then, we compared the estimated MFS rates after no irradiation and WBI vs. observed MFS rates after APBI. From 2005 to 2016, 79 patients were treated. Median followup was 96.8 months [68.6-104.9], median age was 77 years [66-89]. Expected 5- and 10-year mastectomy rates calculated with the Albert nomogram without WBI were 2.95% and 7.25%, respectively, leading to a 10-year MFS rate of 92.7%. Expected 5- and 10-year mastectomy rates after WBI were 1.41% and 3.66%, respectively, leading to a 10-year MFS rate of 96.3%. Regarding observed MFS rate, 1 pt (1.3%) experienced a salvage mastectomy. The 10-year MFS rate after APBI was 97.4% vs. 96.3% after WBI (p = 1) and 92.7% after no irradiation (p = 0.27). No toxicity Grade 3 or more was observed. APBI seems to be an attractive compromise between WBI and no irradiation for elderly women with early stage breast cancer as far as local control, quality of life and cost benefit is concerned. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quark Mass Functions and Pion Structure in the Covariant Spectator Theory

DOE PAGES

Biernat, Elmar P.; Gross, Franz; Pena, Teresa; ...

2018-05-24

The Covariant Spectator Theory is applied to the description of quarks and the pion. The dressed quark mass function is calculated dynamically in Minkowski space and used in the calculation of the pion electromagnetic form factor. The effects of the mass function on the pion form factor and the different quark-pole contributions to the triangle diagram then are analyzed.

Quark Mass Functions and Pion Structure in the Covariant Spectator Theory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biernat, Elmar P.; Gross, Franz; Pena, Teresa

The Covariant Spectator Theory is applied to the description of quarks and the pion. The dressed quark mass function is calculated dynamically in Minkowski space and used in the calculation of the pion electromagnetic form factor. The effects of the mass function on the pion form factor and the different quark-pole contributions to the triangle diagram then are analyzed.

Category-Selectivity in Human Visual Cortex Follows Cortical Topology: A Grouped icEEG Study

PubMed Central

Conner, Christopher Richard; Whaley, Meagan Lee; Baboyan, Vatche George; Tandon, Nitin

2016-01-01

Neuroimaging studies suggest that category-selective regions in higher-order visual cortex are topologically organized around specific anatomical landmarks: the mid-fusiform sulcus (MFS) in the ventral temporal cortex (VTC) and lateral occipital sulcus (LOS) in the lateral occipital cortex (LOC). To derive precise structure-function maps from direct neural signals, we collected intracranial EEG (icEEG) recordings in a large human cohort (n = 26) undergoing implantation of subdural electrodes. A surface-based approach to grouped icEEG analysis was used to overcome challenges from sparse electrode coverage within subjects and variable cortical anatomy across subjects. The topology of category-selectivity in bilateral VTC and LOC was assessed for five classes of visual stimuli—faces, animate non-face (animals/body-parts), places, tools, and words—using correlational and linear mixed effects analyses. In the LOC, selectivity for living (faces and animate non-face) and non-living (places and tools) classes was arranged in a ventral-to-dorsal axis along the LOS. In the VTC, selectivity for living and non-living stimuli was arranged in a latero-medial axis along the MFS. Written word-selectivity was reliably localized to the intersection of the left MFS and the occipito-temporal sulcus. These findings provide direct electrophysiological evidence for topological information structuring of functional representations within higher-order visual cortex. PMID:27272936

Does altered aortic flow in marfan syndrome relate to aortic root dilatation?

PubMed

Wang, Hung-Hsuan; Chiu, Hsin-Hui; Tseng, Wen-Yih Isaac; Peng, Hsu-Hsia

2016-08-01

To examine possible hemodynamic alterations in adolescent to adult Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients with aortic root dilatation. Four-dimensional flow MRI was performed in 20 MFS patients and 12 age-matched normal subjects with a 3T system. The cross-sectional areas of 10 planes along the aorta were segmented for calculating the axial and circumferential wall shear stress (WSSaxial , WSScirc ), oscillatory shear index (OSIaxial , OSIcirc ), and the nonroundness (NR), presenting the asymmetry of segmental WSS. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to present the correlations between the quantified indices and the body surface area (BSA), aortic root diameter (ARD), and Z score of the ARD. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Patients exhibited lower WSSaxial in the aortic root and the WSScirc in the arch (P < 0.05-0.001). MFS patients exhibited higher OSIaxial and OSIcirc in the sinotubular junction and arch, but lower OSIcirc in the descending aorta (all P < 0.05). The NR values were lower in patients (P < 0.05). The WSSaxial or WSScirc exhibited moderate to strong correlations with BSA, ARD, or Z score (R(2)  = 0.50-0.72) in MFS patients. The significant differences in the quantified indices, which were associated with BSA, ARD, or Z score, in MFS were opposite to previous reports for younger MFS patients, indicating that altered flows in MFS patients may depend on the disease progress. The possible time dependency of hemodynamic alterations in MFS patients strongly suggests that longitudinal follow-up of 4D Flow is needed to comprehend disease progress. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:500-508. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early Impairment of Lung Mechanics in a Murine Model of Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Uriarte, Juan J.; Meirelles, Thayna; Gorbenko del Blanco, Darya; Nonaka, Paula N.; Campillo, Noelia; Sarri, Elisabet; Navajas, Daniel; Egea, Gustavo; Farré, Ramon

2016-01-01

Early morbidity and mortality in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) -a connective tissue disease caused by mutations in fibrillin-1 gene- are mainly caused by aorta aneurysm and rupture. However, the increase in the life expectancy of MFS patients recently achieved by reparatory surgery promotes clinical manifestations in other organs. Although some studies have reported respiratory alterations in MFS, our knowledge of how this connective tissue disease modifies lung mechanics is scarce. Hence, we assessed whether the stiffness of the whole lung and of its extracellular matrix (ECM) is affected in a well-characterized MFS mouse model (FBN1C1039G/+). The stiffness of the whole lung and of its ECM were measured by conventional mechanical ventilation and atomic force microscopy, respectively. We studied 5-week and 9-month old mice, whose ages are representative of early and late stages of the disease. At both ages, the lungs of MFS mice were significantly more compliant than in wild type (WT) mice. By contrast, no significant differences were found in local lung ECM stiffness. Moreover, histopathological lung evaluation showed a clear emphysematous-like pattern in MFS mice since alveolar space enlargement was significantly increased compared with WT mice. These data suggest that the mechanism explaining the increased lung compliance in MFS is not a direct consequence of reduced ECM stiffness, but an emphysema-like alteration in the 3D structural organization of the lung. Since lung alterations in MFS are almost fully manifested at an early age, it is suggested that respiratory monitoring could provide early biomarkers for diagnosis and/or follow-up of patients with the Marfan syndrome. PMID:27003297

Distinct Immunoglobulin Class and Immunoglobulin G Subclass Patterns against Ganglioside GQ1b in Miller Fisher Syndrome following Different Types of Infection

PubMed Central

Schwerer, Beatrix; Neisser, Andrea; Bernheimer, Hanno

1999-01-01

We studied serum antibodies against gangliosides GQ1b and GM1 in 13 patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and in 18 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with cranial nerve involvement. Anti-GQ1b titers were elevated in all patients with MFS cases (immunoglobulin G [IgG] > IgA, IgM), and in 8 of the 18 with GBS. Lower frequencies of increased anti-GM1 titers were observed in MFS patients (3 of 13), as well as in GBS patients (5 of 18). During the course of MFS, anti-GQ1b titers of all Ig classes decreased within 3 weeks after onset. By contrast, anti-GM1 titers (mainly IgM) transiently increased during the course of MFS in five of six patients, suggesting a nonspecific secondary immune response. In patients with MFS following respiratory infections, IgG was the major anti-GQ1b Ig class (six of six patients) and IgG3 was the major subclass (five of six). In contrast, four of five patients with MFS following gastrointestinal infections showed predominance of anti-GQ1b IgA or IgM over IgG and predominance of the IgG2 subclass; anti-GQ1b IgG (IgG3) prevailed in one patient only. These distinct Ig patterns strongly suggest that different infections may trigger different mechanisms of anti-GQ1b production, such as via T-cell-dependent as opposed to T-cell-independent pathways. Thus, the origin of antibodies against GQ1b in MFS may be determined by the type of infectious agent that precipitates the disease. PMID:10225903

Does altered aortic flow in marfan syndrome relate to aortic root dilatation?

PubMed Central

Wang, Hung‐Hsuan; Chiu, Hsin‐Hui; Tseng, Wen‐Yih Isaac

2016-01-01

Purpose To examine possible hemodynamic alterations in adolescent to adult Marfan syndrome (MFS) patients with aortic root dilatation. Materials and Methods Four‐dimensional flow MRI was performed in 20 MFS patients and 12 age‐matched normal subjects with a 3T system. The cross‐sectional areas of 10 planes along the aorta were segmented for calculating the axial and circumferential wall shear stress (WSSaxial, WSScirc), oscillatory shear index (OSIaxial, OSIcirc), and the nonroundness (NR), presenting the asymmetry of segmental WSS. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to present the correlations between the quantified indices and the body surface area (BSA), aortic root diameter (ARD), and Z score of the ARD. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results Patients exhibited lower WSSaxial in the aortic root and the WSScirc in the arch (P < 0.05–0.001). MFS patients exhibited higher OSIaxial and OSIcirc in the sinotubular junction and arch, but lower OSIcirc in the descending aorta (all P < 0.05). The NR values were lower in patients (P < 0.05). The WSSaxial or WSScirc exhibited moderate to strong correlations with BSA, ARD, or Z score (R2 = 0.50–0.72) in MFS patients. Conclusion The significant differences in the quantified indices, which were associated with BSA, ARD, or Z score, in MFS were opposite to previous reports for younger MFS patients, indicating that altered flows in MFS patients may depend on the disease progress. The possible time dependency of hemodynamic alterations in MFS patients strongly suggests that longitudinal follow‐up of 4D Flow is needed to comprehend disease progress. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:500–508. PMID:26854646

Stationary organization of the actin cytoskeleton in Vallisneria: the role of stable microfilaments at the end walls.

PubMed

Ryu, J H; Takagi, S; Nagai, R

1995-04-01

In mesophyll cells of the aquatic angiosperm Vallisneria gigantea, bundles of microfilaments (MFs) serve as tracks for the rotational streaming of the cytoplasm, which occurs along the two longer side walls and the two shorter end walls. The stationary organization of these bundles has been shown to depend on the association of the bundles with the plasma membrane at the end walls. To identify the sites of such association, the effects of cytochalasin B (CB) on the configuration of the bundles of MFs were examined. In the case of the side walls, MFs were completely disrupted after treatment with CB at 100 micrograms/ml for 24 hours. By contrast, in the case of the end walls, a number of partially disrupted MFs remained even after 48 hours of treatment. After removal of CB, a completely normal arrangement of bundles of MFs was once again evident within 24 hours after a rather complicated process of reassembly. When reassembly had been completed, the direction of cytoplasmic streaming was reversed only in a small fraction of the treated cells, suggesting that bundles of MFs are anchored and stabilized at the end walls of each cell and that the polarity of reorganized bundles and, therefore, the direction of the cytoplasmic streaming is determined in a manner that depends on the original polarity of MFs that remained in spite of the disruptive action of CB. By contrast, the direction of reinitiated cytoplasmic streaming was reversed in 50% of cells in which the bundles of MFs had been completely disrupted by exogenously applied trypsin prior treatment with CB.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In vitro assessment of the immunity of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators to magnetic fields of 50/60 Hz.

PubMed

Katrib, J; Nadi, M; Kourtiche, D; Magne, I; Schmitt, P; Souques, M; Roth, P

2013-10-01

Public concern for the compatibility of electromagnetic (EM) sources with active implantable medical devices (AIMD) has prompted the development of new systems that can perform accurate exposure studies. EM field interference with active cardiac implants (e.g. implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs)) can be critical. This paper describes a magnetic field (MF) exposure system and the method developed for testing the immunity of ICD to continuous-wave MFs. The MFs were created by Helmholtz coils, housed in a Faraday cage. The coils were able to produce highly uniform MFs up to 4000 µT at 50 Hz and 3900 µT at 60 Hz, within the test space. Four ICDs were tested. No dysfunctions were found in the generated MFs. These results confirm that the tested ICDs were immune to low frequency MFs.

Topological superfluids with finite-momentum pairing and Majorana fermions.

PubMed

Qu, Chunlei; Zheng, Zhen; Gong, Ming; Xu, Yong; Mao, Li; Zou, Xubo; Guo, Guangcan; Zhang, Chuanwei

2013-01-01

Majorana fermions (MFs), quantum particles that are their own antiparticles, are not only of fundamental importance in elementary particle physics and dark matter, but also building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computation. Recently MFs have been intensively studied in solid state and cold atomic systems. These studies are generally based on superconducting pairing with zero total momentum. On the other hand, finite total momentum Cooper pairings, known as Fulde-Ferrell (FF) Larkin-Ovchinnikov (LO) states, were widely studied in many branches of physics. However, whether FF and LO superconductors can support MFs has not been explored. Here we show that MFs can exist in certain types of gapped FF states, yielding a new quantum matter: topological FF superfluids/superconductors. We demonstrate the existence of such topological FF superfluids and the associated MFs using spin-orbit-coupled degenerate Fermi gases and derive their parameter regions. The implementation of topological FF superconductors in semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures is also discussed.

Quick-Connect, Slow-Disconnect Bolt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weddendorf, Bruce

1995-01-01

Proposed bolt functions similarly to device described in article "Quick-Connect, Slow-Disconnect Nut" (MFS-28833). Bolt installed in standard threaded hole simply by pushing it into hole. Once inserted, bolt withdrawn only by turning it in conventional way.

Effects of subchronic extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field exposure on biochemical parameters in rats.

PubMed

Luo, Xue; Ma, Lingjuan; Gao, Peng; Zhang, Yanwen

2017-04-01

The objective of the present study was to systematically determine the effects of 50 Hertz (Hz) magnetic fields (MFs) on biochemical parameters in rats. Sixty-four adult (5 weeks old, 140-165 g) male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham, 20 µTesla (µT), 100 µT, and 500 µT 50 Hz MF ( n = 16 in each group). The rats in the MF groups were exposed for 2 h daily for up to 4 weeks. Under these experimental conditions, body weight, organ coefficients, biochemical parameters (blood lipids, myocardial enzymes, liver function, and renal function) were measured. We found that 50 Hz MFs had no significant effects on growth or on the majority of blood biochemical parameters, with the exception of creatinine and cholesterol. However, the changes in creatinine and cholesterol were relatively small and unlikely to be clinically relevant.

Minkowski momentum resulting from a vacuum-medium mapping procedure, and a brief review of Minkowski momentum experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Iver

2017-02-01

A discussion is given on the interpretation and physical importance of the Minkowski momentum in macroscopic electrodynamics (essential for the Abraham-Minkowski problem). We focus on the following two facets: (1) Adopting a simple dielectric model where the refractive index n is constant, we demonstrate by means of a mapping procedure how the electromagnetic field in a medium can be mapped into a corresponding field in vacuum. This mapping was presented many years ago (Brevik and Lautrup, 1970), but is apparently not well known. A characteristic property of this procedure is that it shows how naturally the Minkowski energy-momentum tensor fits into the canonical formalism. Especially the spacelike character of the electromagnetic total four-momentum for a radiation field (implying negative electromagnetic energy in some inertial frames), so strikingly demonstrated in the Cherenkov effect, is worth attention. (2) Our second objective is to give a critical analysis of some recent experiments on electromagnetic momentum. Care must here be taken in the interpretations: it is easy to be misled and conclude that an experiment is important for the energy-momentum problem, while what is demonstrated experimentally is merely the action of the Abraham-Minkowski force acting in surface layers or inhomogeneous regions. The Abraham-Minkowski force is common for the two energy-momentum tensors and carries no information about field momentum. As a final item, we propose an experiment that might show the existence of the Abraham force at high frequencies. This would eventually be a welcome optical analogue to the classic low-frequency 1975 Lahoz-Walker experiment.

Development and Initial Validation of the Medical Fear Survey-Short Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olatunji, Bunmi O.; Ebesutani, Chad; Sawchuk, Craig N.; McKay, Dean; Lohr, Jeffrey M.; Kleinknecht, Ronald A.

2012-01-01

The present investigation employs item response theory (IRT) to develop an abbreviated Medical Fear Survey (MFS). Application of IRT analyses in Study 1 (n = 931) to the original 50-item MFS resulted in a 25-item shortened version. Examination of the location parameters also resulted in a reduction of the Likert-type scaling of the MFS by removing…

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging detects mossy fiber sprouting in the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

PubMed Central

Malheiros, Jackeline M.; Polli, Roberson S.; Paiva, Fernando F.; Longo, Beatriz M.; Mello, Luiz E.; Silva, Afonso C.; Tannús, Alberto; Covolan, Luciene

2012-01-01

Summary Purpose Mossy fiber sprouting (MFS) is a frequent finding following status epilepticus (SE). The present study aimed to test the feasibility of using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) to detect MFS in the chronic phase of the well-established pilocarpine (Pilo) rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods To modulate MFS, cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, was co-administered with Pilo in a sub-group of animals. In vivo MEMRI was performed 3 months after induction of SE and compared to the neo-Timm histological labeling of zinc mossy fiber terminals in the dentate gyrus (DG). Key findings Chronically epileptic rats displaying MFS as detected by neo-Timm histology had a hyperintense MEMRI signal in the DG, while chronically epileptic animals that did not display MFS had minimal MEMRI signal enhancement compared to non-epileptic control animals. A strong correlation (r = 0.81, P<0.001) was found between MEMRI signal enhancement and MFS. Significance This study shows that MEMRI is an attractive non-invasive method to detect mossy fiber sprouting in vivo and can be used as an evaluation tool in testing therapeutic approaches to manage chronic epilepsy. PMID:22642664

Nitric oxide mediates aortic disease in mice deficient in the metalloprotease Adamts1 and in a mouse model of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Oller, Jorge; Méndez-Barbero, Nerea; Ruiz, E Josue; Villahoz, Silvia; Renard, Marjolijn; Canelas, Lizet I; Briones, Ana M; Alberca, Rut; Lozano-Vidal, Noelia; Hurlé, María A; Milewicz, Dianna; Evangelista, Arturo; Salaices, Mercedes; Nistal, J Francisco; Jiménez-Borreguero, Luis Jesús; De Backer, Julie; Campanero, Miguel R; Redondo, Juan Miguel

2017-02-01

Heritable thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD), including Marfan syndrome (MFS), currently lack a cure, and causative mutations have been identified for only a fraction of affected families. Here we identify the metalloproteinase ADAMTS1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) as therapeutic targets in individuals with TAAD. We show that Adamts1 is a major mediator of vascular homeostasis, given that genetic haploinsufficiency of Adamts1 in mice causes TAAD similar to MFS. Aortic nitric oxide and Nos2 levels were higher in Adamts1-deficient mice and in a mouse model of MFS (hereafter referred to as MFS mice), and Nos2 inactivation protected both types of mice from aortic pathology. Pharmacological inhibition of Nos2 rapidly reversed aortic dilation and medial degeneration in young Adamts1-deficient mice and in young or old MFS mice. Patients with MFS showed elevated NOS2 and decreased ADAMTS1 protein levels in the aorta. These findings uncover a possible causative role for the ADAMTS1-NOS2 axis in human TAAD and warrant evaluation of NOS2 inhibitors for therapy.

Puberty suppression and executive functioning: An fMRI-study in adolescents with gender dysphoria.

PubMed

Staphorsius, Annemieke S; Kreukels, Baudewijntje P C; Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Veltman, Dick J; Burke, Sarah M; Schagen, Sebastian E E; Wouters, Femke M; Delemarre-van de Waal, Henriëtte A; Bakker, Julie

2015-06-01

Adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) may be treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone analogs (GnRHa) to suppress puberty and, thus, the development of (unwanted) secondary sex characteristics. Since adolescence marks an important period for the development of executive functioning (EF), we determined whether the performance on the Tower of London task (ToL), a commonly used EF task, was altered in adolescents with GD when treated with GnRHa. Furthermore, since GD has been proposed to result from an atypical sexual differentiation of the brain, we determined whether untreated adolescents with GD showed sex-atypical brain activations during ToL performance. We found no significant effect of GnRHa on ToL performance scores (reaction times and accuracy) when comparing GnRHa treated male-to-females (suppressed MFs, n=8) with untreated MFs (n=10) or when comparing GnRHa treated female-to-males (suppressed FMs, n=12) with untreated FMs (n=10). However, the suppressed MFs had significantly lower accuracy scores than the control groups and the untreated FMs. Region-of-interest (ROI) analyses showed significantly greater activation in control boys (n=21) than control girls (n=24) during high task load ToL items in the bilateral precuneus and a trend (p<0.1) for greater activation in the right DLPFC. In contrast, untreated adolescents with GD did not show significant sex differences in task load-related activation and had intermediate activation levels compared to the two control groups. GnRHa treated adolescents with GD showed sex differences in neural activation similar to their natal sex control groups. Furthermore, activation in the other ROIs (left DLPFC and bilateral RLPFC) was also significantly greater in GnRHa treated MFs compared to GnRHa treated FMs. These findings suggest that (1) GnRHa treatment had no effect on ToL performance in adolescents with GD, and (2) pubertal hormones may induce sex-atypical brain activations during EF in adolescents with GD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duality of caustics in Minkowski billiards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artstein-Avidan, S.; Florentin, D. I.; Ostrover, Y.; Rosen, D.

2018-04-01

In this paper we study convex caustics in Minkowski billiards. We show that for the Euclidean billiard dynamics in a planar smooth, centrally symmetric, strictly convex body K, for every convex caustic which K possesses, the ‘dual’ billiard dynamics in which the table is the Euclidean unit ball and the geometry that governs the motion is induced by the body K, possesses a dual convex caustic. Such a pair of caustics are dual in a strong sense, and in particular they have the same perimeter, Lazutkin parameter (both measured with respect to the corresponding geometries), and rotation number. We show moreover that for general Minkowski billiards this phenomenon fails, and one can construct a smooth caustic in a Minkowski billiard table which possesses no dual convex caustic.

Difficulties in diagnosing Marfan syndrome using current FBN1 databases.

PubMed

Groth, Kristian A; Gaustadnes, Mette; Thorsen, Kasper; Østergaard, John R; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Gravholt, Claus H; Andersen, Niels H

2016-01-01

The diagnostic criteria of Marfan syndrome (MFS) highlight the importance of a FBN1 mutation test in diagnosing MFS. As genetic sequencing becomes better, cheaper, and more accessible, the expected increase in the number of genetic tests will become evident, resulting in numerous genetic variants that need to be evaluated for disease-causing effects based on database information. The aim of this study was to evaluate genetic variants in four databases and review the relevant literature. We assessed background data on 23 common variants registered in ESP6500 and classified as causing MFS in the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD). We evaluated data in four variant databases (HGMD, UMD-FBN1, ClinVar, and UniProt) according to the diagnostic criteria for MFS and compared the results with the classification of each variant in the four databases. None of the 23 variants was clearly associated with MFS, even though all classifications in the databases stated otherwise. A genetic diagnosis of MFS cannot reliably be based on current variant databases because they contain incorrectly interpreted conclusions on variants. Variants must be evaluated by time-consuming review of the background material in the databases and by combining these data with expert knowledge on MFS. This is a major problem because we expect even more genetic test results in the near future as a result of the reduced cost and process time for next-generation sequencing.Genet Med 18 1, 98-102.

Microparticle Flow Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Dennis R.

2005-01-01

The microparticle flow sensor (MFS) is a system for identifying and counting microscopic particles entrained in a flowing liquid. The MFS includes a transparent, optoelectronically instrumented laminar-flow chamber (see figure) and a computer for processing instrument-readout data. The MFS could be used to count microparticles (including micro-organisms) in diverse applications -- for example, production of microcapsules, treatment of wastewater, pumping of industrial chemicals, and identification of ownership of liquid products.

Pregnancy and Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Goland, Sorel

2017-01-01

Pregnancy in women with Marfan syndrome (MFS) presents challenges to the clinician and the patient due to the increased incidence of maternal complications and involvement of the fetus, and deserves special consideration. The leading cause of morbidity and mortality in MFS is aortic dissection. This article presents an extensive review of available clinical information and provides recommendations for the management of patients with MFS during pregnancy. PMID:29270376

Aortic microcalcification is associated with elastin fragmentation in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Wanga, Shaynah; Hibender, Stijntje; Ridwan, Yanto; van Roomen, Cindy; Vos, Mariska; van der Made, Ingeborg; van Vliet, Nicole; Franken, Romy; van Riel, Luigi Amjg; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Mulder, Barbara Jm; de Vries, Carlie Jm; Essers, Jeroen; de Waard, Vivian

2017-11-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder in which aortic rupture is the major cause of death. MFS patients with an aortic diameter below the advised limit for prophylactic surgery (<5 cm) may unexpectedly experience an aortic dissection or rupture, despite yearly monitoring. Hence, there is a clear need for improved prognostic markers to predict such aortic events. We hypothesize that elastin fragments play a causal role in aortic calcification in MFS, and that microcalcification serves as a marker for aortic disease severity. To address this hypothesis, we analysed MFS patient and mouse aortas. MFS patient aortic tissue showed enhanced microcalcification in areas with extensive elastic lamina fragmentation in the media. A causal relationship between medial injury and microcalcification was revealed by studies in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs); elastin peptides were shown to increase the activity of the calcification marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and reduce the expression of the calcification inhibitor matrix GLA protein in human SMCs. In murine Fbn1 C1039G/+ MFS aortic SMCs, Alpl mRNA and activity were upregulated as compared with wild-type SMCs. The elastin peptide-induced ALP activity was prevented by incubation with lactose or a neuraminidase inhibitor, which inhibit the elastin receptor complex, and a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1/2 inhibitor, indicating downstream involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. Histological analyses in MFS mice revealed macrocalcification in the aortic root, whereas the ascending aorta contained microcalcification, as identified with the near-infrared fluorescent bisphosphonate probe OsteoSense-800. Significantly, microcalcification correlated strongly with aortic diameter, distensibility, elastin breaks, and phosphorylated ERK1/2. In conclusion, microcalcification co-localizes with aortic elastin degradation in MFS aortas of humans and mice, where elastin-derived peptides induce a calcification process in SMCs via the elastin receptor complex and ERK1/2 activation. We propose microcalcification as a novel imaging marker to monitor local elastin degradation and thus predict aortic events in MFS patients. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Relation between exercise central haemodynamic response and resting cardiac structure and function in young healthy men.

PubMed

Babcock, Matthew C; Lefferts, Wesley K; Heffernan, Kevin S

2017-07-01

Left ventricular (LV) structure and function are predictors of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and are related to resting peripheral haemodynamic load in older adults. The central haemodynamic response to exercise may reveal associations with LV structure and function not detected by traditional peripheral (brachial) measures in a younger population. To examine correlations between acute exercise-induced changes in central artery stiffness and wave reflections and measures of resting LV structure and function. Sixteen healthy men (age 26 ± 6 year; BMI 25·3 ± 2·7 kg m -2 ) had measures of central haemodynamic load measured before/after a 30-s Wingate anaerobic test (WAT). Common carotid artery stiffness and reflected wave intensity were assessed via wave intensity analysis as a regional pulse wave velocity (PWV) and negative area (NA), respectively. Resting LV structure (LV mass) and function [midwall fractional shortening (mFS)] were assessed using M-mode echocardiography in the parasternal short-axis view. There was a significant association between mFS and WAT-mediated change in carotid systolic BP (r = -0·57, P = 0·011), logNA (r = -0·58, P = 0·009) and PWV (r = -0·44, P = 0·045). There were no significant associations between resting mFS and changes in brachial systolic BP (r = -0·26, P>0·05). There were no associations between resting LV mass and changes in any haemodynamic variable (P>0·05). Exercise-induced increases in central haemodynamic load reveal associations with lower resting LV function in young healthy men undetected by traditional peripheral haemodynamics. © 2015 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Role of the Euclidean signature in lattice calculations of quasidistributions and other nonlocal matrix elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briceño, Raúl A.; Hansen, Maxwell T.; Monahan, Christopher J.

2017-07-01

Lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) provides the only known systematic, nonperturbative method for first-principles calculations of nucleon structure. However, for quantities such as light-front parton distribution functions (PDFs) and generalized parton distributions (GPDs), the restriction to Euclidean time prevents direct calculation of the desired observable. Recently, progress has been made in relating these quantities to matrix elements of spatially nonlocal, zero-time operators, referred to as quasidistributions. Still, even for these time-independent matrix elements, potential subtleties have been identified in the role of the Euclidean signature. In this work, we investigate the analytic behavior of spatially nonlocal correlation functions and demonstrate that the matrix elements obtained from Euclidean lattice QCD are identical to those obtained using the Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann reduction formula in Minkowski space. After arguing the equivalence on general grounds, we also show that it holds in a perturbative calculation, where special care is needed to identify the lattice prediction. Finally we present a proof of the uniqueness of the matrix elements obtained from Minkowski and Euclidean correlation functions to all order in perturbation theory.

Role of the Euclidean signature in lattice calculations of quasidistributions and other nonlocal matrix elements

DOE PAGES

Briceno, Raul A.; Hansen, Maxwell T.; Monahan, Christopher J.

2017-07-11

Lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) provides the only known systematic, nonperturbative method for first-principles calculations of nucleon structure. However, for quantities such as light-front parton distribution functions (PDFs) and generalized parton distributions (GPDs), the restriction to Euclidean time prevents direct calculation of the desired observable. Recently, progress has been made in relating these quantities to matrix elements of spatially nonlocal, zero-time operators, referred to as quasidistributions. Still, even for these time-independent matrix elements, potential subtleties have been identified in the role of the Euclidean signature. In this work, we investigate the analytic behavior of spatially nonlocal correlation functions and demonstrate thatmore » the matrix elements obtained from Euclidean lattice QCD are identical to those obtained using the Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann reduction formula in Minkowski space. After arguing the equivalence on general grounds, we also show that it holds in a perturbative calculation, where special care is needed to identify the lattice prediction. Lastly, we present a proof of the uniqueness of the matrix elements obtained from Minkowski and Euclidean correlation functions to all order in perturbation theory.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Briceno, Raul A.; Hansen, Maxwell T.; Monahan, Christopher J.

Lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) provides the only known systematic, nonperturbative method for first-principles calculations of nucleon structure. However, for quantities such as light-front parton distribution functions (PDFs) and generalized parton distributions (GPDs), the restriction to Euclidean time prevents direct calculation of the desired observable. Recently, progress has been made in relating these quantities to matrix elements of spatially nonlocal, zero-time operators, referred to as quasidistributions. Still, even for these time-independent matrix elements, potential subtleties have been identified in the role of the Euclidean signature. In this work, we investigate the analytic behavior of spatially nonlocal correlation functions and demonstrate thatmore » the matrix elements obtained from Euclidean lattice QCD are identical to those obtained using the Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann reduction formula in Minkowski space. After arguing the equivalence on general grounds, we also show that it holds in a perturbative calculation, where special care is needed to identify the lattice prediction. Lastly, we present a proof of the uniqueness of the matrix elements obtained from Minkowski and Euclidean correlation functions to all order in perturbation theory.« less

Ponderomotive forces in electrodynamics of moving media: The Minkowski and Abraham approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nesterenko, V. V.; Nesterenko, A. V.

2016-09-01

In the general setting of the problem, the explicit compact formulae are derived for the ponderomotive forces in the macroscopic electrodynamics of moving media in the Minkowski and Abraham approaches. Taking account of the Minkowski constitutive relations and making use of a special representation for the Abraham energy-momentum tensor enable one to obtain a compact expression for the Abraham force in the case of arbitrary dependence of the medium velocity on spatial coordinates and the time and for nonstationary external electromagnetic field. We term the difference between the ponderomotive forces in the Abraham and Minkowski approaches as the Abraham force not only under consideration of media at rest but also in the case of moving media. The Lorentz force is found which is exerted by external electromagnetic field on the conduction current in a medium, the covariant Ohm law, and the constitutive Minkowski relations being taken into account. The physical argumentation is traced for the definition of the 4-vector of the ponderomotive force as the 4-divergence of the energy-momentum tensor of electromagnetic field in a medium.

Marfan Database (second edition): software and database for the analysis of mutations in the human FBN1 gene.

PubMed Central

Collod-Béroud, G; Béroud, C; Adès, L; Black, C; Boxer, M; Brock, D J; Godfrey, M; Hayward, C; Karttunen, L; Milewicz, D; Peltonen, L; Richards, R I; Wang, M; Junien, C; Boileau, C

1997-01-01

Fibrillin is the major component of extracellular microfibrils. Mutations in the fibrillin gene on chromosome 15 (FBN1) were described at first in the heritable connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome (MFS). More recently, FBN1 has also been shown to harbor mutations related to a spectrum of conditions phenotypically related to MFS. These mutations are private, essentially missense, generally non-recurrent and widely distributed throughout the gene. To date no clear genotype/phenotype relationship has been observed excepted for the localization of neonatal mutations in a cluster between exons 24 and 32. The second version of the computerized Marfan database contains 89 entries. The software has been modified to accomodate new functions and routines. PMID:9016526

Spreading of a ferrofluid core in three-stream micromixer channels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Ramanujan, R. V., E-mail: ramanujan@ntu.edu.sg

2015-05-15

Spreading of a water based ferrofluid core, cladded by a diamagnetic fluid, in three-stream micromixer channels was studied. This spreading, induced by an external magnetic field, is known as magnetofluidic spreading (MFS). MFS is useful for various novel applications where control of fluid-fluid interface is desired, such as micromixers or micro-chemical reactors. However, fundamental aspects of MFS are still unclear, and a model without correction factors is lacking. Hence, in this work, both experimental and numerical analyses were undertaken to study MFS. We show that MFS increased for higher applied magnetic fields, slower flow speed of both fluids, smaller flowmore » rate of ferrofluid relative to cladding, and higher initial magnetic particle concentration. Spreading, mainly due to connective diffusion, was observed mostly near the channel walls. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analyses, showed, for the first time, excellent agreement between theory and experiment. These results can be useful for lab-on-a-chip devices.« less

Spreading of a ferrofluid core in three-stream micromixer channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhaomeng; Varma, V. B.; Xia, Huan Ming; Wang, Z. P.; Ramanujan, R. V.

2015-05-01

Spreading of a water based ferrofluid core, cladded by a diamagnetic fluid, in three-stream micromixer channels was studied. This spreading, induced by an external magnetic field, is known as magnetofluidic spreading (MFS). MFS is useful for various novel applications where control of fluid-fluid interface is desired, such as micromixers or micro-chemical reactors. However, fundamental aspects of MFS are still unclear, and a model without correction factors is lacking. Hence, in this work, both experimental and numerical analyses were undertaken to study MFS. We show that MFS increased for higher applied magnetic fields, slower flow speed of both fluids, smaller flow rate of ferrofluid relative to cladding, and higher initial magnetic particle concentration. Spreading, mainly due to connective diffusion, was observed mostly near the channel walls. Our multi-physics model, which combines magnetic and fluidic analyses, showed, for the first time, excellent agreement between theory and experiment. These results can be useful for lab-on-a-chip devices.

The diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated alluvial valley in a poroelastic half-space modeled by MFS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhongxian; Liang, Jianwen; Wu, Chengqing

2016-06-01

Two dimensional diffraction of Rayleigh waves by a fluid-saturated poroelastic alluvial valley of arbitrary shape in a poroelastic half-space is investigated using the method of fundamental solutions (MFS). To satisfy the free surface boundary conditions exactly, Green's functions of compressional (PI and PII) and shear (SV) wave sources buried in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space are adopted. Next, the procedure for solving the scattering wave field is presented. It is verified that the MFS is of excellent accuracy and numerical stability. Numerical results illustrate that the dynamic response strongly depends on such factors as the incident frequency, the porosity of alluvium, the boundary drainage condition, and the valley shape. There is a significant difference between the diffraction of Rayleigh waves for the saturated soil case and for the corresponding dry soil case. The wave focusing effect both on the displacement and pore pressure can be observed inside the alluvial valley and the amplification effect seems most obvious in the case of higher porosity and lower frequency. Additionally, special attention should also be paid to the concentration of pore pressure, which is closely related to the site liquefaction in earthquakes.

Positional cloning of a gene responsible for the cts mutation of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Ito, Katsuhiko; Kidokoro, Kurako; Katsuma, Susumu; Shimada, Toru; Yamamoto, Kimiko; Mita, Kazuei; Kadono-Okuda, Keiko

2012-07-01

The larval head cuticle and anal plates of the silkworm mutant cheek and tail spot (cts) have chocolate-colored spots, unlike the entirely white appearance of the wild-type (WT) strain. We report the identification and characterization of the gene responsible for the cts mutation. Positional cloning revealed a cts candidate on chromosome 16, designated BmMFS, based on the high similarity of the deduced amino acid sequence between the candidate gene from the WT strain and the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein. BmMFS likely encodes a membrane protein with 11 putative transmembrane domains, while the putative structure deduced from the cts-type allele possesses only 10-pass transmembrane domains owing to a deletion in its coding region. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that BmMFS mRNA was strongly expressed in the integument of the head and tail, where the cts phenotype is observed; expression markedly increased at the molting and newly ecdysed stages. These results indicate that the novel BmMFS gene is cts and the membrane structure of its protein accounts for the cts phenotype. These expression profiles and the cts phenotype are quite similar to those of melanin-related genes, such as Bmyellow-e and Bm-iAANAT, suggesting that BmMFS is involved in the melanin synthesis pathway.

Genetic analysis of the contribution of LTBP-3 to thoracic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

Zilberberg, Lior; Phoon, Colin K. L.; Robertson, Ian; Dabovic, Branka; Ramirez, Francesco; Rifkin, Daniel B.

2015-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue, caused by mutations of the microfibrillar protein fibrillin-1, that predisposes affected individuals to aortic aneurysm and rupture and is associated with increased TGFβ signaling. TGFβ is secreted from cells as a latent complex consisting of TGFβ, the TGFβ propeptide, and a molecule of latent TGFβ binding protein (LTBP). Improper extracellular localization of the latent complex can alter active TGFβ levels, and has been hypothesized as an explanation for enhanced TGFβ signaling observed in MFS. We previously reported the absence of LTBP-3 in matrices lacking fibrillin-1, suggesting that perturbed TGFβ signaling in MFS might be due to defective interaction of latent TGFβ complexes containing LTBP-3 with mutant fibrillin-1 microfibrils. To test this hypothesis, we genetically suppressed Ltbp3 expression in a mouse model of progressively severe MFS. Here, we present evidence that MFS mice lacking LTBP-3 have improved survival, essentially no aneurysms, reduced disruption and fragmentation of medial elastic fibers, and decreased Smad2/3 and Erk1/2 activation in their aortas. These data suggest that, in MFS, improper localization of latent TGFβ complexes composed of LTBP-3 and TGFβ contributes to aortic disease progression. PMID:26494287

A pragmatic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of mixed features in adults with mood disorders.

PubMed

McIntyre, Roger S; Lee, Yena; Mansur, Rodrigo B

2016-12-01

Mixed features specifier (MFS) is a new nosological entity defined and operationalized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 5th Edition. The impetus to introduce the MFS and supplant mixed states was protean, including the lack of ecological validity, high rates of misdiagnosis, and guideline discordant treatment for mixed states. Mixed features specifier identifies a phenotype in psychiatry with greater illness burden, as evidenced by earlier age at onset, higher episode frequency and chronicity, psychiatric and medical comorbidity, suicidality, and suboptimal response to conventional antidepressants. Mixed features in psychiatry have historical, conceptual, and nosological relevance; MFS according to DSM-5, is inherently neo-Kraepelinian insofar as individuals with either Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Bipolar Disorder (BD) may be affected by MFS. Clinicians are encouraged to screen all patients presenting with a major depressive episode (or hypomanic episode) for MFS. Although "overlapping symptoms" were excluded from the diagnostic criteria (eg, agitation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia), clinicians are encouraged to probe for these nonspecific symptoms as a possible proxy of co-existing MFS. In addition to conventional antidepressants, second generation antipsychotics and/or conventional mood stabilizers (eg, lithium) may be considered as first-line therapies for individuals with a depressive episode as part of MDD or BD with mixed features.

Clinical classification of 103 Japanese patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

PubMed

Wakerley, Benjamin R; Kokubun, N; Funakoshi, K; Nagashima, T; Hirata, K; Yuki, N

2016-10-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the commonest cause of flaccid paralysis worldwide. Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a variant of GBS characterized by ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. Together GBS and MFS form a continuum of discrete and overlapping subtypes, the frequency of which remains unknown. We retrospectively analysed the clinical features (antecedent symptoms, pattern of neurological weakness or ataxia, presence of hypersomnolence) of 103 patients at a single hospital in Japan. Patients were then classified according to new diagnostic criteria (Wakerley et al., 2014). Laboratory data (neurophysiology and anti-ganglioside antibody profiles) were also analysed. According to the new diagnostic criteria, the 103 patients could be classified as follows: classic GBS 73 (71%), pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness 2 (2%), acute pharyngeal weakness 0 (0%), paraparetic GBS 1 (1%), bifacial weakness with paraesthesias 1 (1%), polyneuritis cranialis 0 (0%), classic MFS 18 (17%), acute ophthalmoparesis 1 (1%), acute ptosis 0 (0%), acute mydriasis 0 (0%), acute ataxic neuropathy 1 (1%), Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis 3 (3%), acute ataxic hypersomnolence 0 (0%), GBS and MFS overlap 1 (1%), GBS and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis overlap 1 (1%), MFS and pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness overlap 1 (1%). Application of the new clinical diagnostic criteria allowed accurate retrospective diagnosis and classification of GBS and MFS subtypes. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Conservation laws for waves on a string from isometries and conformal isometries of the Minkowski metric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Brandon; Menon, Balraj

Noether's theorems describe the interplay between variational symmetries (symmetries of the action functional) and local conservation laws admitted by a physical system. In Lagrangian field theories defined on a differentiable manifold  endowed with a metric g, the variational symmetries are intimately tied to the isometries of the metric g. We highlight this connection by relating the variational symmetries of waves on a string to the isometries and conformal isometries of the Minkowski metric. The associated local conservation laws and conserved quantities for this physical system are determined and their physical significance discussed. The geometric nature of these conservation laws are further elucidated by discussing their Poisson bracket formulation in the Hamiltonian framework. This work was partially supported by the UCA Robert Noyce Scholars Program.

Chronobiology of Acute Aortic Dissection in the Marfan Syndrome (from the National Registry of Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions and the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection).

PubMed

Siddiqi, Hasan K; Luminais, Steven N; Montgomery, Dan; Bossone, Eduardo; Dietz, Harry; Evangelista, Arturo; Isselbacher, Eric; LeMaire, Scott; Manfredini, Roberto; Milewicz, Dianna; Nienaber, Christoph A; Roman, Mary; Sechtem, Udo; Silberbach, Michael; Eagle, Kim A; Pyeritz, Reed E

2017-03-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disease associated with acute aortic dissection (AAD). We used 2 large registries that include patients with MFS to investigate possible trends in the chronobiology of AAD in MFS. We queried the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD) and the Genetically Triggered Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Cardiovascular Conditions (GenTAC) registry to extract data on all patients with MFS who had suffered an AAD. The group included 257 patients with MFS who suffered an AAD from 1980 to 2012. The chi-square tests were used for statistical testing. Mean subject age at time of AAD was 38 years, and 61% of subjects were men. AAD was more likely in the winter/spring season (November to April) than the other half of the year (57% vs 43%, p = 0.05). Dissections were significantly more likely to occur during the daytime hours, with 65% of dissections occurring from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. (p = 0.001). Men were more likely to dissect during the daytime hours (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) than women (74% vs 51%, p = 0.01). These insights offer a glimpse of the times of greatest vulnerability for patients with MFS who suffer from this catastrophic event. In conclusion, the chronobiology of AAD in MFS reflects that of AAD in the general population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vacuum quantum stress tensor fluctuations: A diagonalization approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiappacasse, Enrico D.; Fewster, Christopher J.; Ford, L. H.

2018-01-01

Large vacuum fluctuations of a quantum stress tensor can be described by the asymptotic behavior of its probability distribution. Here we focus on stress tensor operators which have been averaged with a sampling function in time. The Minkowski vacuum state is not an eigenstate of the time-averaged operator, but can be expanded in terms of its eigenstates. We calculate the probability distribution and the cumulative probability distribution for obtaining a given value in a measurement of the time-averaged operator taken in the vacuum state. In these calculations, we study a specific operator that contributes to the stress-energy tensor of a massless scalar field in Minkowski spacetime, namely, the normal ordered square of the time derivative of the field. We analyze the rate of decrease of the tail of the probability distribution for different temporal sampling functions, such as compactly supported functions and the Lorentzian function. We find that the tails decrease relatively slowly, as exponentials of fractional powers, in agreement with previous work using the moments of the distribution. Our results lend additional support to the conclusion that large vacuum stress tensor fluctuations are more probable than large thermal fluctuations, and may have observable effects.

The distance function effect on k-nearest neighbor classification for medical datasets.

PubMed

Hu, Li-Yu; Huang, Min-Wei; Ke, Shih-Wen; Tsai, Chih-Fong

2016-01-01

K-nearest neighbor (k-NN) classification is conventional non-parametric classifier, which has been used as the baseline classifier in many pattern classification problems. It is based on measuring the distances between the test data and each of the training data to decide the final classification output. Since the Euclidean distance function is the most widely used distance metric in k-NN, no study examines the classification performance of k-NN by different distance functions, especially for various medical domain problems. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to investigate whether the distance function can affect the k-NN performance over different medical datasets. Our experiments are based on three different types of medical datasets containing categorical, numerical, and mixed types of data and four different distance functions including Euclidean, cosine, Chi square, and Minkowsky are used during k-NN classification individually. The experimental results show that using the Chi square distance function is the best choice for the three different types of datasets. However, using the cosine and Euclidean (and Minkowsky) distance function perform the worst over the mixed type of datasets. In this paper, we demonstrate that the chosen distance function can affect the classification accuracy of the k-NN classifier. For the medical domain datasets including the categorical, numerical, and mixed types of data, K-NN based on the Chi square distance function performs the best.

Early onset marfan syndrome: Atypical clinical presentation of two cases

PubMed Central

Ozyurt, A; Baykan, A; Argun, M; Pamukcu, O; Halis, H; Korkut, S; Yuksel, Z; Gunes, T; Narin, N

2015-01-01

Early onset Marfan Syndrome (eoMFS) is a rare, severe form of Marfan Syndrome (MFS). The disease has a poor prognosis and most patients present with resistance to heart failure treatment during the newborn period. This report presents two cases of eoMFS with similar clinical features diagnosed in the newborn period and who died at an early age due to the complications related to the involvement of the cardiovascular system. PMID:26929908

Microfluidic Systems for Biosensing

PubMed Central

Liu, Kuo-Kang; Wu, Ren-Guei; Chuang, Yun-Ju; Khoo, Hwa Seng; Huang, Shih-Hao; Tseng, Fan-Gang

2010-01-01

In the past two decades, Micro Fluidic Systems (MFS) have emerged as a powerful tool for biosensing, particularly in enriching and purifying molecules and cells in biological samples. Compared with conventional sensing techniques, distinctive advantages of using MFS for biomedicine include ultra-high sensitivity, higher throughput, in-situ monitoring and lower cost. This review aims to summarize the recent advancements in two major types of micro fluidic systems, continuous and discrete MFS, as well as their biomedical applications. The state-of-the-art of active and passive mechanisms of fluid manipulation for mixing, separation, purification and concentration will also be elaborated. Future trends of using MFS in detection at molecular or cellular level, especially in stem cell therapy, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, are also prospected. PMID:22163570

Marfan Syndrome in an Iranian Family: A Case Series

PubMed Central

Davari, Mohammad Hossein; Kazemi, Toba

2014-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder which is inherited by autosomal dominant traits. In MFS, lens displacement and cardiovascular involvement are important causes of morbidity and mortality in the clinical course of the disease. In this case study, the ocular involvement in a family with severe penetration of MFS is reported. Twelve members of a family (father, two daughters, three sons, and six grandchildren) had MFS. Lens ectopia was the most common ophthalmic involvement among the family (100%). Other ocular involvements were as follows; Hypoplastic iris or ciliary’s muscle hypoplasia (50%), on gated eyeball (42%), flat cornea (30%), glaucoma and cataract (25%), retinal detachment (16%). Three members of the family underwent eye surgery including lens extraction, glaucoma surgery and retinal surgery. PMID:25031493

On polars of mixed projection bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chang-Jian; Leng, Gang-Song

2006-04-01

Recently, Lutwak established general Minkowski inequality, Brunn-Minkowski inequality and Aleksandrov-Fenchel inequality for mixed projection bodies. In this paper, following Lutwak, we established their polar forms. As applications, we prove some interrelated results.

Modified Minkowski Fractal Antenna for Wireless Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brar, Amandeep Singh; Sivia, Jagtar Singh

2018-06-01

A multiband Modified Minkowski Fractal Antenna which can operate at UHF, L, S, C and X band of IEEE standard is presented in this paper. The proposed antenna is simple and low cost. It can work on many bands starting from few hundred megahertz (500 MHz) frequency up to gigahertz (7.1 GHz) frequency. Structure of antenna has been designed by combining Minkowski curve with its inverted Minkowski curve. A maximum gain up to 20 dB, VSWR, radiation pattern and twenty resonant frequencies has been achieved using proposed antenna structure. Simulated results executed in HFSS software. Proposed antenna works on resonant frequencies of 496 MHz to 1.06 GHz (wide band), 1.45, 2.09, 2.38, 3.23, 3.79, 4.06, 4.35, 4.65, 4.82, 5.24, 5.62, 6.12 GHz etc.

Resveratrol Inhibits Aortic Root Dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ Marfan Mouse Model.

PubMed

Hibender, Stijntje; Franken, Romy; van Roomen, Cindy; Ter Braake, Anique; van der Made, Ingeborg; Schermer, Edith E; Gunst, Quinn; van den Hoff, Maurice J; Lutgens, Esther; Pinto, Yigal M; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Mulder, Barbara J M; de Vries, Carlie J M; de Waard, Vivian

2016-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene. Patients with MFS are at risk of aortic aneurysm formation and dissection. Usually, blood pressure-lowering drugs are used to reduce aortic events; however, this is not sufficient for most patients. In the aorta of smooth muscle cell-specific sirtuin-1-deficient mice, spontaneous aneurysm formation and senescence are observed. Resveratrol is known to enhance sirtuin-1 activity and to reduce senescence, which prompted us to investigate the effectiveness of resveratrol in inhibition of aortic dilatation in the Fbn1(C1039G/+) MFS mouse model. Aortic senescence strongly correlates with aortic root dilatation rate in MFS mice. However, although resveratrol inhibits aortic dilatation, it only shows a trend toward reduced aortic senescence. Resveratrol enhances nuclear localization of sirtuin-1 in the vessel wall and, in contrast to losartan, does not affect leukocyte infiltration nor activation of SMAD2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2). Interestingly, specific sirtuin-1 activation (SRT1720) or inhibition (sirtinol) in MFS mice does not affect aortic root dilatation rate, although senescence is changed. Resveratrol reduces aortic elastin breaks and decreases micro-RNA-29b expression coinciding with enhanced antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression and decreased number of terminal apoptotic cells. In cultured smooth muscle cells, the resveratrol effect on micro-RNA-29b downregulation is endothelial cell and nuclear factor κB-dependent. Resveratrol inhibits aortic root dilatation in MFS mice by promoting elastin integrity and smooth muscle cell survival, involving downregulation of the aneurysm-related micro-RNA-29b in the aorta. On the basis of these data, resveratrol holds promise as a novel intervention strategy for patients with MFS. © 2016 The Authors.

Resveratrol Inhibits Aortic Root Dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ Marfan Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Hibender, Stijntje; Franken, Romy; van Roomen, Cindy; ter Braake, Anique; van der Made, Ingeborg; Schermer, Edith E.; Gunst, Quinn; van den Hoff, Maurice J.; Lutgens, Esther; Pinto, Yigal M.; Groenink, Maarten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.; Mulder, Barbara J.M.; de Vries, Carlie J.M.

2016-01-01

Objective— Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene. Patients with MFS are at risk of aortic aneurysm formation and dissection. Usually, blood pressure–lowering drugs are used to reduce aortic events; however, this is not sufficient for most patients. In the aorta of smooth muscle cell–specific sirtuin-1–deficient mice, spontaneous aneurysm formation and senescence are observed. Resveratrol is known to enhance sirtuin-1 activity and to reduce senescence, which prompted us to investigate the effectiveness of resveratrol in inhibition of aortic dilatation in the Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS mouse model. Approach and Results— Aortic senescence strongly correlates with aortic root dilatation rate in MFS mice. However, although resveratrol inhibits aortic dilatation, it only shows a trend toward reduced aortic senescence. Resveratrol enhances nuclear localization of sirtuin-1 in the vessel wall and, in contrast to losartan, does not affect leukocyte infiltration nor activation of SMAD2 and extracellular signal–regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2). Interestingly, specific sirtuin-1 activation (SRT1720) or inhibition (sirtinol) in MFS mice does not affect aortic root dilatation rate, although senescence is changed. Resveratrol reduces aortic elastin breaks and decreases micro-RNA-29b expression coinciding with enhanced antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression and decreased number of terminal apoptotic cells. In cultured smooth muscle cells, the resveratrol effect on micro-RNA-29b downregulation is endothelial cell and nuclear factor κB-dependent. Conclusions— Resveratrol inhibits aortic root dilatation in MFS mice by promoting elastin integrity and smooth muscle cell survival, involving downregulation of the aneurysm-related micro-RNA-29b in the aorta. On the basis of these data, resveratrol holds promise as a novel intervention strategy for patients with MFS. PMID:27283746

Crystal violet stain as a selective stain for the assessment of mitotic figures in oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Jadhav, Kiran B; Ahmed Mujib, B R; Gupta, Nidhi

2012-01-01

Assessment of mitotic figures (MFs) is routinely practiced as prognostic indicator in oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but identification of MFs poses a problem in terms of staining characteristics. To evaluate effectiveness of crystal violet stain for staining of MFs and its comparison with hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stain. Study sample includes archival tissues embedded in paraffin blocks diagnosed as OED (n = 30) and OSCC (n = 30). The control group comprised of tissue specimen from oral mucosa of healthy volunteers (n = 30). Two serial sections of each tissue specimen were stained separately with H and E stain and 1% crystal violet stain. The stained sections were observed under microscope for identification and counting of MFs. Data obtained was statistically analyzed by using the Man-Whitney U test. A significant increase in number of MFs was observed in OED and OSCC in comparison with normal oral mucosa. There was a highly significant increase in number of MFs in crystal violet stained tissue sections when compared with H and E stain. Metaphase is the most commonly observed phase of mitosis in crystal violet stain when compared with H and E stain for all three groups. Crystal violet stain can be considered as selective stain for mitotic figures.

Neuritin reverses deficits in murine novel object associative recognition memory caused by exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields

PubMed Central

Zhao, Qian-Ru; Lu, Jun-Mei; Yao, Jin-Jing; Zhang, Zheng-Yu; Ling, Chen; Mei, Yan-Ai

2015-01-01

Animal studies have shown that electromagnetic field exposure may interfere with the activity of brain cells, thereby generating behavioral and cognitive disturbances. However, the underlying mechanisms and possible preventions are still unknown. In this study, we used a mouse model to examine the effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields (ELF MFs) on a recognition memory task and morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The data showed that ELF MFs exposure (1 mT, 12 h/day) induced a time-dependent deficit in novel object associative recognition memory and also decreased hippocampal dendritic spine density. This effect was observed without corresponding changes in spontaneous locomotor activity and was transient, which has only been seen after exposing mice to ELF MFs for 7-10 days. The over-expression of hippocampal neuritin, an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector significantly increased the neuritin level and dendritic spine density. This increase was paralleled with ELF MFs exposure-induced deficits in recognition memory and reductions of dendritic spine density. Collectively, our study provides evidence for the association between ELF MFs exposure, impairment of recognition memory, and resulting changes in hippocampal dendritic spine density. Neuritin prevented this ELF MFs-exposure-induced effect by increasing the hippocampal spine density. PMID:26138388

Neuritin reverses deficits in murine novel object associative recognition memory caused by exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields.

PubMed

Zhao, Qian-Ru; Lu, Jun-Mei; Yao, Jin-Jing; Zhang, Zheng-Yu; Ling, Chen; Mei, Yan-Ai

2015-07-03

Animal studies have shown that electromagnetic field exposure may interfere with the activity of brain cells, thereby generating behavioral and cognitive disturbances. However, the underlying mechanisms and possible preventions are still unknown. In this study, we used a mouse model to examine the effects of exposure to extremely low-frequency (50 Hz) electromagnetic fields (ELF MFs) on a recognition memory task and morphological changes of hippocampal neurons. The data showed that ELF MFs exposure (1 mT, 12 h/day) induced a time-dependent deficit in novel object associative recognition memory and also decreased hippocampal dendritic spine density. This effect was observed without corresponding changes in spontaneous locomotor activity and was transient, which has only been seen after exposing mice to ELF MFs for 7-10 days. The over-expression of hippocampal neuritin, an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector significantly increased the neuritin level and dendritic spine density. This increase was paralleled with ELF MFs exposure-induced deficits in recognition memory and reductions of dendritic spine density. Collectively, our study provides evidence for the association between ELF MFs exposure, impairment of recognition memory, and resulting changes in hippocampal dendritic spine density. Neuritin prevented this ELF MFs-exposure-induced effect by increasing the hippocampal spine density.

Isolation and functional analysis of Thmfs1, the first major facilitator superfamily transporter from the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum.

PubMed

Liu, Mu; Liu, Jun; Wang, Wei Min

2012-10-01

A novel major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter gene, Thmfs1, was isolated from Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum). A Thmfs1 over-expressing mutant displayed enhanced antifungal activity and fungicide tolerance, while the Thmfs1 disruption mutant showed the opposite trend. Trichodermin production in Thmfs1 disruption group (185 mg l(-1)) was decreased by less than 17 % compared to the parental strain, suggesting that Thmfs1 is not mainly responsible for trichodermin secretion. Real-time PCR showed that Thmfs1 transcript level could be induced by a certain range of trichodermin concentrations, while expression of Tri5, encoding a trichodiene synthase, was strongly inhibited under these conditions. To our knowledge, Thmfs1 is the first MFS transporter gene identified in T. harzianum.

High Molecular Weight Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 in the Human Heart Is a Potential Target for Prevention of Cardiac Remodeling

PubMed Central

Santiago, Jon-Jon; McNaughton, Leslie J.; Koleini, Navid; Ma, Xin; Bestvater, Brian; Nickel, Barbara E.; Fandrich, Robert R.; Wigle, Jeffrey T.; Freed, Darren H.; Arora, Rakesh C.; Kardami, Elissavet

2014-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a multifunctional protein synthesized as high (Hi-) and low (Lo-) molecular weight isoforms. Studies using rodent models showed that Hi- and Lo-FGF-2 exert distinct biological activities: after myocardial infarction, rat Lo-FGF-2, but not Hi-FGF-2, promoted sustained cardioprotection and angiogenesis, while Hi-FGF-2, but not Lo-FGF-2, promoted myocardial hypertrophy and reduced contractile function. Because there is no information regarding Hi-FGF-2 in human myocardium, we undertook to investigate expression, regulation, secretion and potential tissue remodeling-associated activities of human cardiac (atrial) Hi-FGF-2. Human patient-derived atrial tissue extracts, as well as pericardial fluid, contained Hi-FGF-2 isoforms, comprising, respectively, 53%(±20 SD) and 68% (±25 SD) of total FGF-2, assessed by western blotting. Human atrial tissue-derived primary myofibroblasts (hMFs) expressed and secreted predominantly Hi-FGF-2, at about 80% of total. Angiotensin II (Ang II) up-regulated Hi-FGF-2 in hMFs, via activation of both type 1 and type 2 Ang II receptors; the ERK pathway; and matrix metalloprotease-2. Treatment of hMFs with neutralizing antibodies selective for human Hi-FGF-2 (neu-AbHi-FGF-2) reduced accumulation of proteins associated with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast conversion and fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin, extra-domain A fibronectin, and procollagen. Stimulation of hMFs with recombinant human Hi-FGF-2 was significantly more potent than Lo-FGF-2 in upregulating inflammation-associated proteins such as pro-interleukin-1β and plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1. Culture media conditioned by hMFs promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, an effect that was prevented by neu-AbHi-FGF-2 in vitro. In conclusion, we have documented that Hi-FGF-2 represents a substantial fraction of FGF-2 in human cardiac (atrial) tissue and in pericardial fluid, and have shown that human Hi-FGF-2, unlike Lo-FGF-2, promotes deleterious (pro-fibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-hypertrophic) responses in vitro. Selective targeting of Hi-FGF-2 production may, therefore, reduce pathological remodelling in the human heart. PMID:24827991

Health Information Technologies-Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology: description and application to clinical feedback systems.

PubMed

Lyon, Aaron R; Lewis, Cara C; Melvin, Abigail; Boyd, Meredith; Nicodimos, Semret; Liu, Freda F; Jungbluth, Nathaniel

2016-09-22

Health information technologies (HIT) have become nearly ubiquitous in the contemporary healthcare landscape, but information about HIT development, functionality, and implementation readiness is frequently siloed. Theory-driven methods of compiling, evaluating, and integrating information from the academic and commercial sectors are necessary to guide stakeholder decision-making surrounding HIT adoption and to develop pragmatic HIT research agendas. This article presents the Health Information Technologies-Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology, a structured, theory-driven method for compiling and evaluating information from multiple sectors. As an example demonstration of the methodology, we apply HIT-ACE to mental and behavioral health measurement feedback systems (MFS). MFS are a specific class of HIT that support the implementation of routine outcome monitoring, an evidence-based practice. HIT-ACE is guided by theories and frameworks related to user-centered design and implementation science. The methodology involves four phases: (1) coding academic and commercial materials, (2) developer/purveyor interviews, (3) linking putative implementation mechanisms to hit capabilities, and (4) experimental testing of capabilities and mechanisms. In the current demonstration, phase 1 included a systematic process to identify MFS in mental and behavioral health using academic literature and commercial websites. Using user-centered design, implementation science, and feedback frameworks, the HIT-ACE coding system was developed, piloted, and used to review each identified system for the presence of 38 capabilities and 18 additional characteristics via a consensus coding process. Bibliometic data were also collected to examine the representation of the systems in the scientific literature. As an example, results are presented for the application of HIT-ACE phase 1 to MFS wherein 49 separate MFS were identified, reflecting a diverse array of characteristics and capabilities. Preliminary findings demonstrate the utility of HIT-ACE to represent the scope and diversity of a given class of HIT beyond what can be identified in the academic literature. Phase 2 data collection is expected to confirm and expand the information presented and phases 3 and 4 will provide more nuanced information about the impact of specific HIT capabilities. In all, HIT-ACE is expected to support adoption decisions and additional HIT development and implementation research.

High molecular weight fibroblast growth factor-2 in the human heart is a potential target for prevention of cardiac remodeling.

PubMed

Santiago, Jon-Jon; McNaughton, Leslie J; Koleini, Navid; Ma, Xin; Bestvater, Brian; Nickel, Barbara E; Fandrich, Robert R; Wigle, Jeffrey T; Freed, Darren H; Arora, Rakesh C; Kardami, Elissavet

2014-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is a multifunctional protein synthesized as high (Hi-) and low (Lo-) molecular weight isoforms. Studies using rodent models showed that Hi- and Lo-FGF-2 exert distinct biological activities: after myocardial infarction, rat Lo-FGF-2, but not Hi-FGF-2, promoted sustained cardioprotection and angiogenesis, while Hi-FGF-2, but not Lo-FGF-2, promoted myocardial hypertrophy and reduced contractile function. Because there is no information regarding Hi-FGF-2 in human myocardium, we undertook to investigate expression, regulation, secretion and potential tissue remodeling-associated activities of human cardiac (atrial) Hi-FGF-2. Human patient-derived atrial tissue extracts, as well as pericardial fluid, contained Hi-FGF-2 isoforms, comprising, respectively, 53%(±20 SD) and 68% (±25 SD) of total FGF-2, assessed by western blotting. Human atrial tissue-derived primary myofibroblasts (hMFs) expressed and secreted predominantly Hi-FGF-2, at about 80% of total. Angiotensin II (Ang II) up-regulated Hi-FGF-2 in hMFs, via activation of both type 1 and type 2 Ang II receptors; the ERK pathway; and matrix metalloprotease-2. Treatment of hMFs with neutralizing antibodies selective for human Hi-FGF-2 (neu-AbHi-FGF-2) reduced accumulation of proteins associated with fibroblast-to-myofibroblast conversion and fibrosis, including α-smooth muscle actin, extra-domain A fibronectin, and procollagen. Stimulation of hMFs with recombinant human Hi-FGF-2 was significantly more potent than Lo-FGF-2 in upregulating inflammation-associated proteins such as pro-interleukin-1β and plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1. Culture media conditioned by hMFs promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, an effect that was prevented by neu-AbHi-FGF-2 in vitro. In conclusion, we have documented that Hi-FGF-2 represents a substantial fraction of FGF-2 in human cardiac (atrial) tissue and in pericardial fluid, and have shown that human Hi-FGF-2, unlike Lo-FGF-2, promotes deleterious (pro-fibrotic, pro-inflammatory, and pro-hypertrophic) responses in vitro. Selective targeting of Hi-FGF-2 production may, therefore, reduce pathological remodelling in the human heart.

Neurologic outcome after thoracolumbar partial lateral corpectomy for intervertebral disc disease in 72 dogs.

PubMed

Salger, Florian; Ziegler, Luisa; Böttcher, Irene Christine; Oechtering, Gerhard; Böttcher, Peter; Flegel, Thomas

2014-07-01

To determine neurologic outcome and factors influencing outcome after thoracolumbar partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) in dogs with intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) causing ventral spinal cord compression. Retrospective case series. Dogs with IVDD (n = 72; 87 PLC). Dogs with IVDD between T9 and L5 were included if treated by at least 1 PLC. Exclusion criteria were: previous spinal surgery, combination of PLC with another surgical procedure. Neurologic outcome was assessed by: (1) modified Frankel score (MFS) based on neurologic examinations at 4 time points (before surgery, immediately after PLC, at discharge and 4 weeks after PLC); and (2) owner questionnaire. The association of the following factors with neurologic outcome was analyzed: age, body weight, duration of current neurologic dysfunction (acute, chronic), IVDD localization, breed (chondrodystrophic, nonchondrodystrophic), number of PLCs, degree of presurgical spinal cord compression and postsurgical decompression, slot depth, presurgical MFS. Presurgical spinal cord compression was determined by CT myelography (71 dogs) or MRI (1 dog), whereas postsurgical decompression and slot depth were determined on CT myelography (69 dogs). MFS was improved in 18.7%, 31.7%, and 64.2% of dogs at the 3 postsurgical assessments, whereas it was unchanged in 62.6%, 52.8%, and 32.0% at corresponding time points. Based on owner questionnaire, 91.4% of dogs were ambulatory 6 months postsurgically with 74.5% having a normal gait. Most improvement in neurologic function developed within 6 months after surgery. Presurgical MFS was the only variable significantly associated with several neurologic outcome measurements (P < .01). PLC is an option for decompression in ventrally compressing thoracolumbar IVDD. Prognosis is associated with presurgical neurologic condition. © Copyright 2014 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Landslide susceptibility mapping using a neuro-fuzzy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S.; Choi, J.; Oh, H.

2009-12-01

This paper develops and applied an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on a geographic information system (GIS) environment using landslide-related factors and location for landslide susceptibility mapping. A neuro-fuzzy system is based on a fuzzy system that is trained by a learning algorithm derived from the neural network theory. The learning procedure operates on local information, and causes only local modifications in the underlying fuzzy system. The study area, Boun, suffered much damage following heavy rain in 1998 and was selected as a suitable site for the evaluation of the frequency and distribution of landslides. Boun is located in the central part of Korea. Landslide-related factors such as slope, soil texture, wood type, lithology, and density of lineament were extracted from topographic, soil, forest, and lineament maps. Landslide locations were identified from interpretation of aerial photographs and field surveys. Landslide-susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS method and mapped using occurrence factors. In particular, we applied various membership functions (MFs) and analysis results were verified using the landslide location data. The predictive maps using triangular, trapezoidal, and polynomial MFs were the best individual MFs for modeling landslide susceptibility maps (84.96% accuracy), proving that ANFIS could be very effective in modeling landslide susceptibility mapping. Various MFs were used in this study, and after verification, the difference in accuracy according to the MFs was small, between 84.81% and 84.96%. The difference was just 0.15% and therefore the choice of MFs was not important in the study. Also, compared with the likelihood ratio model, which showed 84.94%, the accuracy was similar. Thus, the ANFIS could be applied to other study areas with different data and other study methods such as cross-validation. The developed ANFIS learns the if-then rules between landslide-related factors and landslide location for generalization and prediction. It is easy to understand and interpret, therefore it is a good choice for modeling landslide susceptibility mapping, which are also of great help for planners and engineers in selecting highly susceptible areas for further detail surveys and suitable locations to implement development. Although they may be less useful at the site-specific scale, where local geological and geographic heterogeneities may prevail, the results herein may be used as basic data to assist slope management and land use planning. For the method to be more generally applied, more landslide data are needed and more case studies should be conducted.

An unusual case of Miller Fisher syndrome presenting with proptosis and chemosis

PubMed Central

Waung, Maggie W.; Singer, Mike A.

2012-01-01

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a rare variant of Guillan-Barré syndrome, is characterized by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia. In addition to this classic triad, symptoms may include bulbar palsy, weakness, and sensory loss. The anti-GQ1b IgG antibody is a sensitive and specific marker for MFS; it is found in more than 90% of affected patients. We describe an unusual case of MFS that presented with dramatic bilateral proptosis and chemosis. PMID:22499110

Aortic dilatation in Marfan syndrome: role of arterial stiffness and fibrillin-1 variants.

PubMed

Salvi, Paolo; Grillo, Andrea; Marelli, Susan; Gao, Lan; Salvi, Lucia; Viecca, Maurizio; Di Blasio, Anna Maria; Carretta, Renzo; Pini, Alessandro; Parati, Gianfranco

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder characterized by aortic root dilation and dissection and an abnormal fibrillin-1 synthesis. In this observational study, we evaluated aortic stiffness in MFS and its association with ascending aorta diameters and fibrillin-1 genotype. A total of 116 Marfan adult patients without history of cardiovascular surgery, and 144 age, sex, blood pressure and heart rate matched controls were enrolled. All patients underwent arterial stiffness evaluation through carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and central blood pressure waveform analysis (PulsePen tonometer). Fibrillin-1 mutations were classified based on the effect on the protein, into 'dominant negative' and 'haploinsufficient' mutations. PWV and central pulse pressure were significantly higher in MFS patients than in controls [respectively 7.31 (6.81-7.44) vs. 6.69 (6.52-6.86) m/s, P = 0.0008; 41.3 (39.1-43.5) vs. 34.0 (32.7-35.3) mmHg, P < 0.0001], with a higher age-related increase of PWV in MFS (β 0.062 vs. 0.036). Pressure amplification was significantly reduced in MFS [18.2 (15.9-20.5) vs. 33.4 (31.6-35.2)%, P < 0.0001]. Central pressure profile was altered even in MFS patients without aortic dilatation. Multiple linear regression models showed that PWV independently predicted aortic diameters at the sinuses of Valsalva (ß = 0.243, P = 0.002) and at the sinotubular junction (ß = 0.186, P = 0.048). PWV was higher in 'dominant negative' than 'haploinsufficient' fibrillin-1 mutations [7.37 (7.04-7.70) vs. 6.60 (5.97-7.23) m/s, P = 0.035], although this difference was not significant after adjustment. Aortic stiffness is increased in MFS, independently from fibrillin-1 genotype and is associated with diameters of ascending aorta. Alterations in central hemodynamics are present even when aortic diameter is within normal limits. Our findings suggest an accelerated arterial aging in MFS.

Rationale and design of a trial evaluating the effects of losartan vs. nebivolol vs. the association of both on the progression of aortic root dilation in Marfan syndrome with FBN1 gene mutations.

PubMed

Gambarin, Fabiana I; Favalli, Valentina; Serio, Alessandra; Regazzi, Mario; Pasotti, Michele; Klersy, Catherine; Dore, Roberto; Mannarino, Savina; Viganò, Mario; Odero, Attilio; Amato, Simona; Tavazzi, Luigi; Arbustini, Eloisa

2009-04-01

The major clinical problem of Marfan syndrome (MFS) is the aortic root aneurysm, with risk of dissection when the root diameter approximates 5 cm. In MFS, a key molecule, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), normally bound to the extracellular matrix, is free and activated. In an experimental setting, TGF-beta blockade prevents the aortic root structural damage and dilatation. The angiotensin receptor 1 blockers (sartanics) exert an anti-TGF-beta effect; trials are now ongoing for evaluating the effect of losartan compared with atenolol in MFS. beta-Adrenergic blockers are the drugs most commonly used in MFS. The third-generation beta-adrenergic blocker nebivolol retains the beta-adrenergic blocker effects on heart rate and further exerts antistiffness effects, typically increased in MFS. The open-label phase III study will include 291 patients with MFS and proven FBN1 gene mutations, with aortic root dilation (z-score > or =2.5). The patients will be randomized to nebivolol, losartan and the combination of the two drugs. The primary end point is the comparative evaluation of the effects of losartan, nebivolol and the association of both on the progression of aortic root growth rate. Secondary end points include the pharmacokinetics of the two drugs, comparative evaluation of serum levels of total and active TGF-beta, quantitative assessment of the expression of the mutated gene (FBN1, both 5' and 3'), pharmacogenetic bases of drug responsiveness. The quality of life evaluation in the three groups will be assessed. Statistical evaluation includes an interim analysis at month 24 and conclusive analyses at month 48. The present study will add information about pharmacological therapy in MFS, supporting the new application of angiotensin receptor 1 blockers and finding beta-adrenergic blockers that may give more specific effects. Moreover, the study will further deepen understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms that are active in Marfan syndrome through the pharmacogenomic and transcriptomic mechanisms that may explain MFS phenotype variability.

Single microfilaments mediate the early steps of microtubule bundling during preprophase band formation in onion cotyledon epidermal cells

PubMed Central

Takeuchi, Miyuki; Karahara, Ichirou; Kajimura, Naoko; Takaoka, Akio; Murata, Kazuyoshi; Misaki, Kazuyo; Yonemura, Shigenobu; Staehelin, L. Andrew; Mineyuki, Yoshinobu

2016-01-01

The preprophase band (PPB) is a cytokinetic apparatus that determines the site of cell division in plants. It originates as a broad band of microtubules (MTs) in G2 and narrows to demarcate the future division site during late prophase. Studies with fluorescent probes have shown that PPBs contain F-actin during early stages of their development but become actin depleted in late prophase. Although this suggests that actins contribute to the early stages of PPB formation, how actins contribute to PPB-MT organization remains unsolved. To address this question, we used electron tomography to investigate the spatial relationship between microfilaments (MFs) and MTs at different stages of PPB assembly in onion cotyledon epidermal cells. We demonstrate that the PPB actins observed by fluorescence microscopy correspond to short, single MFs. A majority of the MFs are bound to MTs, with a subset forming MT-MF-MT bridging structures. During the later stages of PPB assembly, the MF-mediated links between MTs are displaced by MT-MT linkers as the PPB MT arrays mature into tightly packed MT bundles. On the basis of these observations, we propose that the primary function of actins during PPB formation is to mediate the initial bundling of the PPB MTs. PMID:27053663

Manifestation of a neuro-fuzzy model to produce landslide susceptibility map using remote sensing data derived parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, Biswajeet; Lee, Saro; Buchroithner, Manfred

Landslides are the most common natural hazards in Malaysia. Preparation of landslide suscep-tibility maps is important for engineering geologists and geomorphologists. However, due to complex nature of landslides, producing a reliable susceptibility map is not easy. In this study, a new attempt is tried to produce landslide susceptibility map of a part of Cameron Valley of Malaysia. This paper develops an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) based on a geographic information system (GIS) environment for landslide susceptibility mapping. To ob-tain the neuro-fuzzy relations for producing the landslide susceptibility map, landslide locations were identified from interpretation of aerial photographs and high resolution satellite images, field surveys and historical inventory reports. Landslide conditioning factors such as slope, plan curvature, distance to drainage lines, soil texture, lithology, and distance to lineament were extracted from topographic, soil, and lineament maps. Landslide susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS model and mapped using the conditioning factors. Furthermore, we applied various membership functions (MFs) and fuzzy relations to produce landslide suscep-tibility maps. The prediction performance of the susceptibility map is checked by considering actual landslides in the study area. Results show that, triangular, trapezoidal, and polynomial MFs were the best individual MFs for modelling landslide susceptibility maps (86

Improved inflammatory activity with peginterferon alfa-2b maintenance therapy in non-cirrhotic prior non-responders: a randomized study.

PubMed

Poynard, Thierry; Bruix, Jordi; Schiff, Eugene R; Diago, Moises; Berg, Thomas; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo; Lyra, Andre C; Carrilho, Flair; Griffel, Louis H; Boparai, Navdeep; Jiang, Ruiyun; Burroughs, Margaret; Brass, Clifford A; Albrecht, Janice K

2013-03-01

Therapeutic options for patients failing hepatitis C retreatment are limited. EPIC(3) included a prospective trial assessing long-term peginterferon alfa-2b (PegIFNα-2b) maintenance therapy in patients with METAVIR fibrosis scores (MFS) of F2 or F3 who previously failed hepatitis C retreatment. Patients with F2/F3 MFS who failed retreatment were randomized to PegIFNα-2b (0.5 μg/kg/week, n=270) or observation (n=270) for 36 months. Blinded liver biopsies obtained before retreatment and after maintenance therapy were evaluated using MFS and activity scores, and confirmatory testing was performed using FibroTest and ActiTest. In total, 348 patients had paired biopsies: 192 patients had missing post-treatment biopsies and were considered as having no change in fibrosis/activity scores. In total, 16% of patients receiving PegIFNα-2b and 11% of observation patients had improvement in MFS (p=0.32). More PegIFNα-2b than observation patients had improvement in activity score (20% vs. 9%; p <0.001). Among patients treated for >2.5 years, improvement in MFS or activity score was more common with PegIFNα-2b than observation (21% vs. 14%, p=0.08 and 26% vs. 10%, p <0.001). FibroTest and ActiTest evaluations indicated significant benefit associated with PegIFNα-2b in terms of reduced fibrosis progression and improved activity score. The safety profile of PegIFNα-2b was similar to previous studies. PegIFNα-2b did not significantly improve MFS estimated by biopsy compared with observation; however, activity scores were significantly improved and MFS trended toward increased improvement with treatment durations >2.5 years. Both FibroTest and ActiTest were significantly improved during maintenance therapy. Copyright © 2012 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Muscle and Bone Impairment in Children With Marfan Syndrome: Correlation With Age and FBN1 Genotype.

PubMed

Haine, Elsa; Salles, Jean-Pierre; Khau Van Kien, Philippe; Conte-Auriol, Françoise; Gennero, Isabelle; Plancke, Aurélie; Julia, Sophie; Dulac, Yves; Tauber, Maithé; Edouard, Thomas

2015-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare connective tissue disorder caused by mutation in the gene encoding the extracellular matrix protein fibrillin-1 (FBN1), leading to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling dysregulation. Although decreased axial and peripheral bone mineral density (BMD) has been reported in adults with MFS, data about the evolution of bone mass during childhood and adolescence are limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone and muscle characteristics in children, adolescents, and young adults with MFS. The study population included 48 children and young adults (22 girls) with MFS with a median age of 11.9 years (range 5.3 to 25.2 years). The axial skeleton was analyzed at the lumbar spine using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), whereas the appendicular skeleton (hand) was evaluated using the BoneXpert system (with the calculation of the Bone Health Index). Muscle mass was measured by DXA. Compared with healthy age-matched controls, bone mass at the axial and appendicular levels and muscle mass were decreased in children with MFS and worsened from childhood to adulthood. Vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L) was found in about a quarter of patients. Serum vitamin D levels were negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with lumbar spine areal and volumetric BMD. Lean body mass (LBM) Z-scores were positively associated with total body bone mineral content (TB-BMC) Z-scores, and LBM was an independent predictor of TB-BMC values, suggesting that muscle hypoplasia could explain at least in part the bone loss in MFS. Patients with a FBN1 premature termination codon mutation had a more severe musculoskeletal phenotype than patients with an inframe mutation, suggesting the involvement of TGF-β signaling dysregulation in the pathophysiologic mechanisms. In light of these results, we recommend that measurement of bone mineral status should be part of the longitudinal clinical investigation of MFS children. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Biometry Characteristics in Adults and Children With Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago.

PubMed

Kinori, Michael; Wehrli, Sarah; Kassem, Iris S; Azar, Nathalie F; Maumenee, Irene H; Mets, Marilyn B

2017-05-01

To report on the biometric findings of adults and children with Marfan syndrome (MFS) recruited from 2 annual National Marfan Foundation conferences (2012 and 2015). Cross-sectional study. Subjects diagnosed with MFS by Ghent 2 nosology were included for analysis. Subjects were divided into "adults" (≥16 years of age) and "children" (5-15 years of age). Biometric data included values for refractive error, axial length (AL), corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness. Of the 117 subjects evaluated, 74 (35 adults, 32 children, and 7 children <5 years of age) had a definite diagnosis of MFS and were included in the study. The AL was longer (25.25 ± 0.32 mm vs 24.24 ± 0.33 mm, P = .03) and the lens was thicker (3.94 ± 0.09 mm vs 3.62 ± 0.10 mm, P = .03) in adults. Both groups had flat corneas (average keratometry [K med ] of 41.59 ± 0.35 diopters [D] in adults vs 40.89 ± 0.36 D in children, P = .17). A negative correlation was found between AL and K med (-0.33, P < .001). The corneas of patients with MFS with ectopia lentis (EL) were significantly flatter and with higher degree of corneal astigmatism compared to patients without EL (K med of 40.68 ± 0.31 D vs 41.75 ± 0.28 D, P < .01 and corneal astigmatism of 1.68 ± 0.16 D vs 1.13 ± 0.14 D, P = .01). Children with established MFS have flat corneas at least to the same degree as adults. Corneas of patients with MFS with EL are flatter and have a higher degree of corneal astigmatism. We strongly suggest that corneal parameters should be measured if MFS is suspected, especially in children that may not yet have developed EL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biometry Characteristics in Adults and Children With Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago

PubMed Central

KINORI, MICHAEL; WEHRLI, SARAH; KASSEM, IRIS S.; AZAR, NATHALIE F.; MAUMENEE, IRENE H.; METS, MARILYN B.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE To report on the biometric findings of adults and children with Marfan syndrome (MFS) recruited from 2 annual National Marfan Foundation conferences (2012 and 2015). DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS Subjects diagnosed with MFS by Ghent 2 nosology were included for analysis. Subjects were divided into “adults” (≥16 years of age) and “children” (5–15 years of age). Biometric data included values for refractive error, axial length (AL), corneal curvature, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness. RESULTS Of the 117 subjects evaluated, 74 (35 adults, 32 children, and 7 children <5 years of age) had a definite diagnosis of MFS and were included in the study. The AL was longer (25.25 ± 0.32 mm vs 24.24 ± 0.33 mm, P [ .03) and the lens was thicker (3.94 ± 0.09 mm vs 3.62 ± 0.10 mm, P [ .03) in adults. Both groups had flat corneas (average keratometry [Kmed] of 41.59 ± 0.35 diopters [D] in adults vs 40.89 ± 0.36 D in children, P [ .17). A negative correlation was found between AL and Kmed (L0.33, P < .001). The corneas of patients with MFS with ectopia lentis (EL) were significantly flatter and with higher degree of corneal astigmatism compared to patients without EL (Kmed of 40.68 ± 0.31 D vs 41.75 ± 0.28 D, P < .01 and corneal astigmatism of 1.68 ± 0.16 D vs 1.13 ± 0.14 D, P =.01). CONCLUSIONS Children with established MFS have flat corneas at least to the same degree as adults. Corneas of patients with MFS with EL are flatter and have a higher degree of corneal astigmatism. We strongly suggest that corneal parameters should be measured if MFS is suspected, especially in children that may not yet have developed EL. PMID:28257833

Vacuum energy density fluctuations in Minkowski and Casimir states via smeared quantum fields and point separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, Nicholas G.; Hu, B. L.

2000-10-01

We present calculations of the variance of fluctuations and of the mean of the energy momentum tensor of a massless scalar field for the Minkowski and Casimir vacua as a function of an intrinsic scale defined by a smeared field or by point separation. We point out that, contrary to prior claims, the ratio of variance to mean-squared being of the order unity is not necessarily a good criterion for measuring the invalidity of semiclassical gravity. For the Casimir topology we obtain expressions for the variance to mean-squared ratio as a function of the intrinsic scale (defined by a smeared field) compared to the extrinsic scale (defined by the separation of the plates, or the periodicity of space). Our results make it possible to identify the spatial extent where negative energy density prevails which could be useful for studying quantum field effects in worm holes and baby universes, and for examining the design feasibility of real-life ``time machines.'' For the Minkowski vacuum we find that the ratio of the variance to the mean-squared, calculated from the coincidence limit, is identical to the value of the Casimir case at the same limit for spatial point separation while identical to the value of a hot flat space result with a temporal point separation. We analyze the origin of divergences in the fluctuations of the energy density and discuss choices in formulating a procedure for their removal, thus raising new questions about the uniqueness and even the very meaning of regularization of the energy momentum tensor for quantum fields in curved or even flat spacetimes when spacetime is viewed as having an extended structure.

Substrate-bound structure of the E. coli multidrug resistance transporter MdfA

PubMed Central

Heng, Jie; Zhao, Yan; Liu, Ming; Liu, Yue; Fan, Junping; Wang, Xianping; Zhao, Yongfang; Zhang, Xuejun C

2015-01-01

Multidrug resistance is a serious threat to public health. Proton motive force-driven antiporters from the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) constitute a major group of multidrug-resistance transporters. Currently, no reports on crystal structures of MFS antiporters in complex with their substrates exist. The E. coli MdfA transporter is a well-studied model system for biochemical analyses of multidrug-resistance MFS antiporters. Here, we report three crystal structures of MdfA-ligand complexes at resolutions up to 2.0 Å, all in the inward-facing conformation. The substrate-binding site sits proximal to the conserved acidic residue, D34. Our mutagenesis studies support the structural observations of the substrate-binding mode and the notion that D34 responds to substrate binding by adjusting its protonation status. Taken together, our data unveil the substrate-binding mode of MFS antiporters and suggest a mechanism of transport via this group of transporters. PMID:26238402

t-topology on the n-dimensional Minkowski space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Gunjan; Shrivastava, Sampada

2009-05-01

In this paper, a topological study of the n-dimensional Minkowski space, n >1, with t-topology, denoted by Mt, has been carried out. This topology, unlike the usual Euclidean one, is more physically appealing being defined by means of the Lorentzian metric. It shares many topological properties with similar candidate topologies and it has the advantage of being first countable. Compact sets of Mt and continuous maps into Mt are studied using the notion of Zeno sequences besides characterizing those sets that have the same subspace topologies induced from the Euclidean and t-topologies on n-dimensional Minkowski space. A necessary and sufficient condition for a compact set in the Euclidean n-space to be compact in Mt is obtained, thereby proving that the n-cube, n >1, as a subspace of Mt, is not compact, while a segment on a timelike line is compact in Mt. This study leads to the nonsimply connectedness of Mt, for n =2. Further, Minkowski space with s-topology has also been dealt with.

The Decompensated Monofixation Syndrome (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis)

PubMed Central

Siatkowski, R. Michael

2011-01-01

Purpose To describe the clinical features and response to treatment of patients with decompensated monofixation syndrome (MFS) and to propose a hypothesis for a decompensation mechanism in such patients. Methods Fourteen adults with MFS who had been symptomatically stable for a mean duration of 25 years developed diplopia in the absence of neurologic or orbital disease. After retrospective chart review, they underwent detailed orthoptic testing. Results from this cross-sectional analysis were compared with similar data from 16 control subjects with stable MFS. Results Compared to stable MFS patients, decompensated subjects had significantly poorer horizontal fusional amplitudes but greater torsional fusional amplitudes; they were also more likely to have a small vertical strabismus and to have received initial treatment later. Stable subjects, however, also had subnormal horizontal as well as torsional fusional amplitudes. There was no difference between groups with respect to refractive error, amblyopia, type or prior treatment of strabismus, stereoacuity, or angle of deviation. After treatment, all patients regained monofixational alignment, but up to one-third had continued diplopia. Symptoms recurred in two patients whose treatment was initially successful. Conclusions Patients with MFS lose fusional amplitudes over time. In some cases this results in development of sensory torsion with secondary decompensation and diplopia. The rate of decompensation averages 7% per year from ages 20 to 70. Treatment for decompensation offers excellent motor results, but sensory symptoms may persist and recurrent symptoms may develop. Monitoring and maintenance of fusional vergence amplitudes should be part of the routine care for patients with MFS. PMID:22253490

Mean-intercept anisotropy analysis of porous media. II. Conceptual shortcomings of the MIL tensor definition and Minkowski tensors as an alternative.

PubMed

Klatt, Michael A; Schröder-Turk, Gerd E; Mecke, Klaus

2017-07-01

Structure-property relations, which relate the shape of the microstructure to physical properties such as transport or mechanical properties, need sensitive measures of structure. What are suitable fabric tensors to quantify the shape of anisotropic heterogeneous materials? The mean intercept length is among the most commonly used characteristics of anisotropy in porous media, e.g., of trabecular bone in medical physics. Yet, in this series of two papers we demonstrate that it has conceptual shortcomings that limit the validity of its results. We test the validity of general assumptions regarding the properties of the mean-intercept length tensor using analytical formulas for the mean-intercept lengths in anisotropic Boolean models (derived in part I of this series), augmented by numerical simulations. We discuss in detail the functional form of the mean intercept length as a function of the test line orientations. As the most prominent result, we find that, at least for the example of overlapping grains modeling porous media, the polar plot of the mean intercept length is in general not an ellipse and hence not represented by a second-rank tensor. This is in stark contrast to the common understanding that for a large collection of grains the mean intercept length figure averages to an ellipse. The standard mean intercept length tensor defined by a least-square fit of an ellipse is based on a model mismatch, which causes an intrinsic lack of accuracy. Our analysis reveals several shortcomings of the mean intercept length tensor analysis that pose conceptual problems and limitations on the information content of this commonly used analysis method. We suggest the Minkowski tensors from integral geometry as alternative sensitive measures of anisotropy. The Minkowski tensors allow for a robust, comprehensive, and systematic approach to quantify various aspects of structural anisotropy. We show the Minkowski tensors to be more sensitive, in the sense, that they can quantify the remnant anisotropy of structures not captured by the mean intercept length analysis. If applied to porous tissue and microstructures, this improved structure characterization can yield new insights into the relationships between geometry and material properties. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Simultaneous Occurrence of Duane Retraction Syndrome with Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Kothari, Mihir; Manurung, Florence; Mithiya, Bhavesh

2011-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disorder of connective tissue, while Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is a congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder (CCDD) which can be transmitted as autosomal dominant disorder in 5–10% of patients. In this paper, we present an 8-year-old girl who presented with left eye DRS and bilateral subluxation of the lens associated with MFS in absence of familial involvement. To our knowledge this is the first case report of DRS with MFS. The occurrence of these syndromes together is very rare and appears to be coincidental. PMID:22606474

Identification and functional analysis of a new glyphosate resistance gene from a fungus cDNA library.

PubMed

Tao, Bo; Shao, Bai-Hui; Qiao, Yu-Xin; Wang, Xiao-Qin; Chang, Shu-Jun; Qiu, Li-Juan

2017-08-01

Glyphosate is a widely used broad spectrum herbicide; however, this limits its use once crops are planted. If glyphosate-resistant crops are grown, glyphosate can be used for weed control in crops. While several glyphosate resistance genes are used in commercial glyphosate tolerant crops, there is interest in identifying additional genes for glyphosate tolerance. This research constructed a high-quality cDNA library form the glyphosate-resistant fungus Aspergillus oryzae RIB40 to identify genes that may confer resistance to glyphosate. Using a medium containing glyphosate (120mM), we screened several clones from the library. Based on a nucleotide sequence analysis, we identified a gene of unknown function (GenBank accession number: XM_001826835.2) that encoded a hypothetical 344-amino acid protein. The gene was named MFS40. Its ORF was amplified to construct an expression vector, pGEX-4T-1-MFS40, to express the protein in Escherichia coli BL21. The gene conferred glyphosate tolerance to E. coli ER2799 cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gait analysis with cognitive-motor dual tasks to distinguish fallers from nonfallers among rehabilitating stroke patients.

PubMed

Baetens, Tina; De Kegel, Alexandra; Palmans, Tanneke; Oostra, Kristine; Vanderstraeten, Guy; Cambier, Dirk

2013-04-01

To evaluate fall risk in stroke patients based on single- and dual-task gait analyses, and to investigate the difference between 2 cognitive tasks in the dual-task paradigm. Prospective cohort study. Rehabilitation hospitals. Subacute stroke patients (N=32), able to walk without physical/manual help with or without walking aids, while performing a verbal task. Not applicable. Functional gait measures were Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) and use of a walking aid. Gait measures were evaluated by an electronic walkway system under single- and dual-task (DT) conditions. For the single-task, subjects were instructed to walk at their usual speed. One of the DTs was a verbal fluency dual task, whereby subjects had to walk while simultaneously enumerating as many different animals as possible. For the other DT (counting dual task), participants had to walk while performing serial subtractions. After inclusion, participants kept a 6-month falls diary. Eighteen (56.3%) of the 32 included patients fell. Ten (31.3%) were single fallers (SFs), and 8 (25%) were multiple fallers (MFs). Fallers (Fs) more frequently used a walking aid and more frequently needed an observatory person for walking safely (FAC score of 3) than nonfallers (NFs). Two gait decrement parameters in counting dual task could distinguish potential Fs from NFs: decrement in stride length percentage (P=.043) and nonparetic step length percentage (P=.047). Regarding the division in 3 groups (NFs, SFs, and MFs), only MFs had a significantly higher percentage of decrement for paretic step length (P=.023) than SFs. Examining the decrement of spatial gait characteristics (stride length and paretic and nonparetic step length) during a DT addressing working memory can identify fall-prone subacute stroke patients. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tunneling current in HfO2 and Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-based ferroelectric tunnel junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Zhipeng; Cao, Xi; Wu, Tong; Guo, Jing

2018-03-01

Ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) have been intensively explored for future low power data storage and information processing applications. Among various ferroelectric (FE) materials studied, HfO2 and H0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) have the advantage of CMOS process compatibility. The validity of the simple effective mass approximation, for describing the tunneling process in these materials, is examined by computing the complex band structure from ab initio simulations. The results show that the simple effective mass approximation is insufficient to describe the tunneling current in HfO2 and HZO materials, and quantitative accurate descriptions of the complex band structures are indispensable for calculation of the tunneling current. A compact k . p Hamiltonian is parameterized to and validated by ab initio complex band structures, which provides a method for efficiently and accurately computing the tunneling current in HfO2 and HZO. The device characteristics of a metal/FE/metal structure and a metal/FE/semiconductor (M-F-S) structure are investigated by using the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism with the parameterized effective Hamiltonian. The result shows that the M-F-S structure offers a larger resistance window due to an extra barrier in the semiconductor region at off-state. A FTJ utilizing M-F-S structure is beneficial for memory design.

Lack of myeloid Fatp1 increases atherosclerotic lesion size in Ldlr-/- mice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Altered metabolism is an important regulator of macrophage (MF) phenotype, which contributes to inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Broadly, pro-inflammatory, classically-activated MFs (CAM) are glycolytic while alternatively-activated MFs (AAM) oxidize fatty acids, although there is prof...

Proton-coupled sugar transport in the prototypical major facilitator superfamily protein XylE

PubMed Central

Wisedchaisri, Goragot; Park, Min-Sun; Iadanza, Matthew G.; Zheng, Hongjin; Gonen, Tamir

2014-01-01

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is the largest collection of structurally related membrane proteins that transport a wide array of substrates. The proton-coupled sugar transporter XylE is the first member of the MFS that has been structurally characterized in multiple transporting conformations, including both the outward and inward-facing states. Here we report the crystal structure of XylE in a new inward-facing open conformation, allowing us to visualize the rocker-switch movement of the N-domain against the C-domain during the transport cycle. Using molecular dynamics simulation, and functional transport assays, we describe the movement of XylE that facilitates sugar translocation across a lipid membrane and identify the likely candidate proton-coupling residues as the conserved Asp27 and Arg133. This study addresses the structural basis for proton-coupled substrate transport and release mechanism for the sugar porter family of proteins. PMID:25088546

An integrative computational analysis provides evidence for FBN1-associated network deregulation in trisomy 21.

PubMed

Vilardell, Mireia; Civit, Sergi; Herwig, Ralf

2013-08-15

Although approximately 50% of Down Syndrome (DS) patients have heart abnormalities, they exhibit an overprotection against cardiac abnormalities related with the connective tissue, for example a lower risk of coronary artery disease. A recent study reported a case of a person affected by DS who carried mutations in FBN1, the gene causative for a connective tissue disorder called Marfan Syndrome (MFS). The fact that the person did not have any cardiac alterations suggested compensation effects due to DS. This observation is supported by a previous DS meta-analysis at the molecular level where we have found an overall upregulation of FBN1 (which is usually downregulated in MFS). Additionally, that result was cross-validated with independent expression data from DS heart tissue. The aim of this work is to elucidate the role of FBN1 in DS and to establish a molecular link to MFS and MFS-related syndromes using a computational approach. To reach that, we conducted different analytical approaches over two DS studies (our previous meta-analysis and independent expression data from DS heart tissue) and revealed expression alterations in the FBN1 interaction network, in FBN1 co-expressed genes and FBN1-related pathways. After merging the significant results from different datasets with a Bayesian approach, we prioritized 85 genes that were able to distinguish control from DS cases. We further found evidence for several of these genes (47%), such as FBN1, DCN, and COL1A2, being dysregulated in MFS and MFS-related diseases. Consequently, we further encourage the scientific community to take into account FBN1 and its related network for the study of DS cardiovascular characteristics.

Personal resources and satisfaction with life in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic pathology and in abdominal aortic aneurysm patients.

PubMed

Stanišić, Michał-Goran; Rzepa, Teresa; Gawrońska, Alicja; Kubaszewski, Przemysław; Putowski, Maciej; Stefaniak, Sebastian; Perek, Bartłomiej

2018-03-01

Whether or not the source of aortic pathology is Marfan syndrome (MFS) or other processes leading to development of abdominal aorta aneurysms (AAA), the awareness of pathology may lead to an emotional upset and low assessment of satisfaction with life. To assess, in regard to MFS patients with aortic pathology and to abdominal aortic aneurysm patients: 1) whether or not self-efficacy (SE) and health locus of control (HLoC) affect the patients' satisfaction with life; 2) whether the two groups of patients differ in terms of mental dispositions. The study population consisted of 16 MFS patients with aortic pathology and 16 AAA patients, 9 men and 7 women in each group. The mean age of the MFS patients was 28.5 ±8.214, and of the AAA patients 64.25 ±7.019. The following scales were applied: Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Satisfaction With Life Scale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale. Abdominal aorta aneurysms patients compared to MFS patients gave a higher rating for SE ( MD = 33.94 and MD = 29.56), internal health locus of control ( MD = 25.00 and MD = 21.13), external personal HL o C ( MD = 24.50 and MD = 19.25), external impersonal HLoC ( MD = 23.06 and MD = 18.25), and satisfaction with life ( M = 22.06 and M = 20.13). Internal and external HL o C were significantly lower in MFS patients compared to AAA patients. In patients with aortic diseases, special attention must be paid to the state of personal resources (PR). Interactions made by medical professionals should focus on enhancing PR supporting the patients' self-knowledge on their SE. This will help to improve their satisfaction with life and form a positive attitude to the illness.

Possible extracardiac predictors of aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background According to previous studies, aortic diameter alone seems to be insufficient to predict the event of aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome (MFS). Determining the optimal schedule for preventive aortic root replacement (ARR) aortic growth rate is of importance, as well as family history, however, none of them appear to be decisive. Thus, the aim of this study was to search for potential predictors of aortic dissection in MFS. Methods A Marfan Biobank consisting of 79 MFS patients was established. Thirty-nine MFS patients who underwent ARR were assigned into three groups based on the indication for surgery (dissection, annuloaortic ectasia and prophylactic surgery). The prophylactic surgery group was excluded from the study. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) serum levels were measured by ELISA, relative expression of c-Fos, matrix metalloproteinase 3 and 9 (MMP-3 and −9) were assessed by RT-PCR. Clinical parameters, including anthropometric variables - based on the original Ghent criteria were also analyzed. Results Among patients with aortic dissection, TGF-β serum level was elevated (43.78 ± 6.51 vs. 31.64 ± 4.99 ng/l, p < 0.0001), MMP-3 was up-regulated (Ln2α = 1.87, p = 0.062) and striae atrophicae were more common (92% vs. 41% p = 0.027) compared to the annuloaortic ectasia group. Conclusions We found three easily measurable parameters (striae atrophicae, TGF-β serum level, MMP-3) that may help to predict the risk of aortic dissection in MFS. Based on these findings a new classification of MFS, that is benign or malignant is also proposed, which could be taken into consideration in determining the timing of prophylactic ARR. PMID:24720641

NADPH oxidase 4 attenuates cerebral artery changes during the progression of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Onetti, Yara; Meirelles, Thayna; Dantas, Ana P; Schröder, Katrin; Vila, Elisabet; Egea, Gustavo; Jiménez-Altayó, Francesc

2016-05-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder that is often associated with the fibrillin-1 (Fbn1) gene mutation and characterized by cardiovascular alterations, predominantly ascending aortic aneurysms. Although neurovascular complications are uncommon in MFS, the improvement in Marfan patients' life expectancy is revealing other secondary alterations, potentially including neurovascular disorders. However, little is known about small-vessel pathophysiology in MFS. MFS is associated with hyperactivated transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling, which among numerous other downstream effectors, induces the NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4) isoform of NADPH oxidase, a strong enzymatic source of H2O2 We hypothesized that MFS induces middle cerebral artery (MCA) alterations and that Nox4 contributes to them. MCA properties from 3-, 6-, or 9-mo-old Marfan (Fbn1(C1039G/+)) mice were compared with those from age/sex-matched wild-type littermates. At 6 mo, Marfan compared with wild-type mice developed higher MCA wall/lumen (wild-type: 0.081 ± 0.004; Marfan: 0.093 ± 0.002; 60 mmHg; P < 0.05), coupled with increased reactive oxygen species production, TGF-β, and Nox4 expression. However, wall stiffness and myogenic autoregulation did not change. To investigate the influence of Nox4 on cerebrovascular properties, we generated Marfan mice with Nox4 deficiency (Nox4(-/-)). Strikingly, Nox4 deletion in Marfan mice aggravated MCA wall thickening (cross-sectional area; Marfan: 6,660 ± 363 μm(2); Marfan Nox4(-/-): 8,795 ± 824 μm(2); 60 mmHg; P < 0.05), accompanied by decreased TGF-β expression and increased collagen deposition and Nox1 expression. These findings provide the first evidence that Nox4 mitigates cerebral artery structural changes in a murine model of MFS. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Numerical studies of the Bethe-Salpeter equation for a two-fermion bound state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Paula, W.; Frederico, T.; Salmè, G.; Viviani, M.

2018-03-01

Some recent advances on the solution of the Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) for a two-fermion bound system directly in Minkowski space are presented. The calculations are based on the expression of the Bethe-Salpeter amplitude in terms of the so-called Nakanishi integral representation and on the light-front projection (i.e. the integration of the light-front variable k - = k 0 - k 3). The latter technique allows for the analytically exact treatment of the singularities plaguing the two-fermion BSE in Minkowski space. The good agreement observed between our results and those obtained using other existing numerical methods, based on both Minkowski and Euclidean space techniques, fully corroborate our analytical treatment.

From Discrete Space-Time to Minkowski Space: Basic Mechanisms, Methods and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finster, Felix

This survey article reviews recent results on fermion systems in discrete space-time and corresponding systems in Minkowski space. After a basic introduction to the discrete setting, we explain a mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking which leads to the emergence of a discrete causal structure. As methods to study the transition between discrete space-time and Minkowski space, we describe a lattice model for a static and isotropic space-time, outline the analysis of regularization tails of vacuum Dirac sea configurations, and introduce a Lorentz invariant action for the masses of the Dirac seas. We mention the method of the continuum limit, which allows to analyze interacting systems. Open problems are discussed.

Everyday attention lapses and memory failures: the affective consequences of mindlessness.

PubMed

Carriere, Jonathan S A; Cheyne, J Allan; Smilek, Daniel

2008-09-01

We examined the affective consequences of everyday attention lapses and memory failures. Significant associations were found between self-report measures of attention lapses (MAAS-LO), attention-related cognitive errors (ARCES), and memory failures (MFS), on the one hand, and boredom (BPS) and depression (BDI-II), on the other. Regression analyses confirmed previous findings that the ARCES partially mediates the relation between the MAAS-LO and MFS. Further regression analyses also indicated that the association between the ARCES and BPS was entirely accounted for by the MAAS-LO and MFS, as was that between the ARCES and BDI-II. Structural modeling revealed the associations to be optimally explained by the MAAS-LO and MFS influencing the BPS and BDI-II, contrary to current conceptions of attention and memory problems as consequences of affective dysfunction. A lack of conscious awareness of one's actions, signaled by the propensity to experience brief lapses of attention and related memory failures, is thus seen as having significant consequences in terms of long-term affective well-being.

X-ray studies of neutron stars and their magnetic fields

PubMed Central

MAKISHIMA, Kazuo

2016-01-01

Utilizing results obtained over the past quarter century mainly with Japanese X-ray astronomy satellites, a review is given to some aspects of neutron stars (NSs), with a particular emphasis on the magnetic fields (MFs) of mass-accreting NSs and magnetars. Measurements of electron cyclotron resonance features in binary X-ray pulsars, using the Ginga and Suzaku observatories, clarified that their surface MFs are concentrated in a narrow range of (1–7) × 108 T. Extensive studies of magnetars with Suzaku reinforced their nature as neutron stars with truly strong MFs, and revealed several important clues to their formation, evolution, and physical states. Taking all these results into account, a discussion is made on the origin and evolution of these strong MFs. One possible scenario is that the MF of NSs is a manifestation of some fundamental physics, e.g., neutron spin alignment or chirality violation, and the MF makes transitions from strong to weak states. PMID:27169348

The effects of Bi4Ti3O12 interfacial ferroelectric layer on the dielectric properties of Au/n-Si structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gökçen, Muharrem; Yıldırım, Mert

2015-06-01

Au/n-Si metal-semiconductor (MS) and Au/Bi4Ti3O12/n-Si metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structures were fabricated and admittance measurements were held between 5 kHz and 1 MHz at room temperature so that dielectric properties of these structures could be investigated. The ferroelectric interfacial layer Bi4Ti3O12 decreased the polarization voltage by providing permanent dipoles at metal/semiconductor interface. Depending on different mechanisms, dispersion behavior was observed in dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent versus bias voltage plots of both MS and MFS structures. The real and imaginary parts of complex modulus of MFS structure take smaller values than those of MS structure, because permanent dipoles in ferroelectric layer cause a large spontaneous polarization mechanism. While the dispersion in AC conductivity versus frequency plots of MS structure was observed at high frequencies, for MFS structure it was observed at lower frequencies.

Communicating with Accelerated Observers in Minkowski Spacetime

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FLores, F. J.

2008-01-01

Our goal here is to determine the spatial and temporal constraints on communication between two observers at least one of which moves with constant proper acceleration in two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. We take as a simplified model of communication one observer bouncing a light signal off another observer. Our derivations use only elementary…

Minkowski spacetime and Lorentz invariance: The cart and the horse or two sides of a single coin?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acuña, Pablo

2016-08-01

Michel Janssen and Harvey Brown have driven a prominent recent debate concerning the direction of an alleged arrow of explanation between Minkowski spacetime and Lorentz invariance of dynamical laws in special relativity. In this article, I critically assess this controversy with the aim of clarifying the explanatory foundations of the theory. First, I show that two assumptions shared by the parties-that the dispute is independent of issues concerning spacetime ontology, and that there is an urgent need for a constructive interpretation of special relativity-are problematic and negatively affect the debate. Second, I argue that the whole discussion relies on a misleading conception of the link between Minkowski spacetime structure and Lorentz invariance, a misconception that in turn sheds more shadows than light on our understanding of the explanatory nature and power of Einstein's theory. I state that the arrow connecting Lorentz invariance and Minkowski spacetime is not explanatory and unidirectional, but analytic and bidirectional, and that this analytic arrow grounds the chronogeometric explanations of physical phenomena that special relativity offers.

Quantum description of a field in macroscopic electrodynamics and photon properties in transparent media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toptygin, I. N.

2017-12-01

Applying a quantum mechanical treatment to a high-frequency macroscopic electromagnetic field and radiative phenomena in a medium, we construct quantum operators for energy-momentum tensor components in dispersive media and find their eigenvalues, which are different in the Minkowski and Abraham representations. It is shown that the photon momentum in a medium resulting from the quantization of the vector potential differs from that defined from Abraham’s symmetric energy-momentum-tensor but is equal to the momentum defined from the Minkowski tensor. A similar result is obtained by calculating the intrinsic angular momentum (spin) of an electro-magnetic field in the medium. Only the Minkowski tensor leads to the experimentally confirmed spin values that are multiples of ħ, providing the grounds for choosing the Minkowski representation as the proper form for the momentum density of a transverse electromagnetic field in a transparent medium, in both classical and quantum descriptions of the field. The Abraham representation is unsuitable for this purpose and leads to contradictions. The conclusion drawn does not apply to quasistatic and static fields.

Tip-localized actin polymerization and remodeling, reflected by the localization of ADF, profilin and villin, are fundamental for gravity-sensing and polar growth in characean rhizoids.

PubMed

Braun, Markus; Hauslage, Jens; Czogalla, Aleksander; Limbach, Christoph

2004-07-01

Polar organization and gravity-oriented, polarized growth of characean rhizoids are dependent on the actin cytoskeleton. In this report, we demonstrate that the prominent center of the Spitzenkörper serves as the apical actin polymerization site in the extending tip. After cytochalasin D-induced disruption of the actin cytoskeleton, the regeneration of actin microfilaments (MFs) starts with the reappearance of a flat, brightly fluorescing actin array in the outermost tip. The actin array rounds up, produces actin MFs that radiate in all directions and is then relocated into its original central position in the center of the Spitzenkörper. The emerging actin MFs rearrange and cross-link to form the delicate, subapical meshwork, which then controls the statolith positioning, re-establishes the tip-high calcium gradient and mediates the reorganization of the Spitzenkörper with its central ER aggregate and the accumulation of secretory vesicles. Tip growth and gravitropic sensing, which includes control of statolith positioning and gravity-induced sedimentation, are not resumed until the original polar actin organization is completely restored. Immunolocalization of the actin-binding proteins, actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) and profilin, which both accumulate in the center of the Spitzenkörper, indicates high actin turnover and gives additional support for the actin-polymerizing function of this central, apical area. Association of villin immunofluorescence with two populations of thick undulating actin cables with uniform polarity underlying rotational cytoplasmic streaming in the basal region suggests that villin is the major actin-bundling protein in rhizoids. Our results provide evidence that the precise coordination of apical actin polymerization and dynamic remodeling of actin MFs by actin-binding proteins play a fundamental role in cell polarization, gravity sensing and gravity-oriented polarized growth of characean rhizoids.

Facilitators and Barriers of Implementing a Measurement Feedback System in Public Youth Mental Health.

PubMed

Kotte, Amelia; Hill, Kaitlin A; Mah, Albert C; Korathu-Larson, Priya A; Au, Janelle R; Izmirian, Sonia; Keir, Scott S; Nakamura, Brad J; Higa-McMillan, Charmaine K

2016-11-01

This study examines implementation facilitators and barriers of a statewide roll-out of a measurement feedback system (MFS) in a youth public mental health system. 76 % of all state care coordinators (N = 47) completed interviews, which were coded via content analysis until saturation. Facilitators (e.g., recognition of the MFS's clinical utility) and barriers (e.g., MFS's reliability and validity) emerged paralleling the Exploration, Adoption/Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment framework outlined by Aarons et al. (Adm Policy Mental Health Mental Health Serv Res, 38:4-23, 2011). Sustainment efforts may leverage innovation fit, individual adopter, and system related facilitators.

Magnetosheath Filamentary Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojas-Castillo, D. I.; Blanco-Cano, X.; Omidi, N.; Kajdic, P.

2014-12-01

The terrestrial magnetosheath is full of highly perturbed plasma. The inhomogeneity of this region leads to temperature anisotropies that can originate waves; e.g, mirror mode and ion cyclotron waves. Other structures like the magnetosheath filamentary structures (MFS) can also be present. These are structures reported from results of global hybrid simulations by Omidi et al. (2014) that are formed in the quasi-parallel region of the bow shock and they are convected into the magnetosheath. The MFS are characterized by field aligned enhancements of density and temperature that are anti-correlated. In this work we analyze magnetic field and plasma data from the THEMIS mission to explore the possible existence of MFS.

Detection of the effect of nanoparticles on myelin figures growth using a compact digital holographic microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahimi, Samira; Soltani, Peyman; Moradi, Ali-Reza; Tayebi, Lobat

2013-11-01

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is an effective and non-destructive technique for quantitative phase contrast imaging of biological samples and living organelles. In this paper, using a simple and stable common-path DHM setup we study lipid bilayer dynamics and detect their morphological changes. Stacks of lipid amphiphilic molecules in excess water and at the presence of an external stimulus, stress, or force have great capability for the formation of multilamellar cylindrical tubes that are called myelin figures(MFs). MFs can be found in various healthy and diseased living cells and their formation and dynamics in various conditions involve mysterious configurations that have been of high interest. We utilized nanoparticles solved in water with different concentrations as an external stimulus for MFs of POPC lipid. The nanoparticles are injected into the sample container via a microinjection pump in a constant rate and MFs growth rate and their volume changes are measured by a compact digital holographic system. The setup is based on a binocular conventional microscope making the setup very stable against vibrations and noises. The recorded holograms are then computationally reconstructed. The measurements and investigations are performed by analyzing the reconstruction process. We showed that nanoparticles increase the growth rate of MFs during the first few seconds. However, after few seconds, the growth rate does not alter significantly comparing to the absence of nanoparticles.

Infusion of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Modulates Oxidative Stress in Patients with Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Soto, María Elena; Zuñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra; Guarner Lans, Verónica; Duran-Hernández, Erendira Janet; Pérez-Torres, Israel

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic dilatation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can end up in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. Many studies have described that the organic acids from Hibiscus sabdariffa Linne (HSL) calyces increase cellular antioxidant capacity and decrease oxidative stress. Here we evaluate if the antioxidant properties of HSL infusion improve oxidative stress in MFS patients. Activities of extra cellular super oxide dismutase (ECSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ascorbic acid were determined in plasma from MFS patients. Values before and after 3 months of the treatment with 2% HSL infusion were compared in control and MFS subjects. After treatment, there was a significant decrease in ECSOD (p = 0.03), EGPx (p = 0.04), GST (p = 0.03), GSH (p = 0.01), and TAC and ascorbic acid (p = 0.02) but GSSG-R activity (p = 0.04) and LPO (p = 0.02) were increased in MFS patients in comparison to patients receiving the HSL treatment and C subjects. Therefore, the infusion of HSL calyces has antioxidant properties that allow an increase in antioxidant capacity of both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic systems, in the plasma of the MSF patients.

Transport behaviors of anionic azo dyes at interface between surfactant-modified flax shives and aqueous solution: Synchrotron infrared and adsorption studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenxia; Huang, Guohe; An, Chunjiang; Xin, Xiaying; Zhang, Yan; Liu, Xia

2017-05-01

From the viewpoint of sustainability, biomass adsorbent has a high potential in pollution control and there is an emerging interest to investigate the behaviors of pollutants at the interface between biomass adsorbent and solution. This study investigated the performance of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant-modified flax shives (MFS) for removal of anionic azo dyes from aqueous solution. The equilibrium and kinetic analysis for the adsorption of Acid Orange 7 (AO-7), Acid Red 18 (AR-18) and Acid Black 1 (AB-1) on MFS were conducted. The surface of MFS was characterized by synchrotron infrared and SEM analysis. The absorbed amount of three anionic azo dyes varied with the change of adsorbent dosage, pH and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherm data well fit to the Langmuir model. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the liquid film diffusion models. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption of three anionic azo dyes was spontaneous. The adsorption of AR-18 and AB-1 onto MFS was endothermic while the adsorption of AO-7 was exothermic. The results can help better understand the behaviors of organic pollutants at biomass adsorbent-water interface. They also present the potential of using MFS as a suitable adsorbent for the removal of anionic azo dyes from wastewater.

Infusion of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Modulates Oxidative Stress in Patients with Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Soto, María Elena; Zuñiga-Muñoz, Alejandra; Guarner Lans, Verónica; Duran-Hernández, Erendira Janet; Pérez-Torres, Israel

2016-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is associated with progressive aortic dilatation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress that contribute to the early acute dissection of the vessel and can end up in rupture of the aorta and sudden death. Many studies have described that the organic acids from Hibiscus sabdariffa Linne (HSL) calyces increase cellular antioxidant capacity and decrease oxidative stress. Here we evaluate if the antioxidant properties of HSL infusion improve oxidative stress in MFS patients. Activities of extra cellular super oxide dismutase (ECSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GSSG-R), glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation (LPO) index, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and ascorbic acid were determined in plasma from MFS patients. Values before and after 3 months of the treatment with 2% HSL infusion were compared in control and MFS subjects. After treatment, there was a significant decrease in ECSOD (p = 0.03), EGPx (p = 0.04), GST (p = 0.03), GSH (p = 0.01), and TAC and ascorbic acid (p = 0.02) but GSSG-R activity (p = 0.04) and LPO (p = 0.02) were increased in MFS patients in comparison to patients receiving the HSL treatment and C subjects. Therefore, the infusion of HSL calyces has antioxidant properties that allow an increase in antioxidant capacity of both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic systems, in the plasma of the MSF patients. PMID:27413258

Jet-induced star formation in 3C 285 and Minkowski's Object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salomé, Q.; Salomé, P.; Combes, F.

2015-02-01

How efficiently star formation proceeds in galaxies is still an open question. Recent studies suggest that active galactic nucleus (AGN) can regulate the gas accretion and thus slow down star formation (negative feedback). However, evidence of AGN positive feedback has also been observed in a few radio galaxies (e.g. Centaurus A, Minkowski's Object, 3C 285, and the higher redshift 4C 41.17). Here we present CO observations of 3C 285 and Minkowski's Object, which are examples of jet-induced star formation. A spot (named 3C 285/09.6 in the present paper) aligned with the 3C 285 radio jet at a projected distance of ~70 kpc from the galaxy centre shows star formation that is detected in optical emission. Minkowski's Object is located along the jet of NGC 541 and also shows star formation. Knowing the distribution of molecular gas along the jets is a way to study the physical processes at play in the AGN interaction with the intergalactic medium. We observed CO lines in 3C 285, NGC 541, 3C 285/09.6, and Minkowski's Object with the IRAM 30 m telescope. In the central galaxies, the spectra present a double-horn profile, typical of a rotation pattern, from which we are able to estimate the molecular gas density profile of the galaxy. The molecular gas appears to be in a compact reservoir, which could be evidence of an early phase of the gas accretion after a recent merger event in 3C 285. No kinematic signature of a molecular outflow is detected by the 30 m telescope. Interestingly, 3C 285/09.6 and Minkowski's Object are not detected in CO. The cold gas mass upper limits are consistent with a star formation induced by the compression of dense ambient material by the jet. The depletion time scales in 3C 285/09.6 and Minkowski's Object are of the order of and even shorter than what is found in 3C 285, NGC 541, and local spiral galaxies (109 yr). The upper limit of the molecular gas surface density in 3C 285/09.6 at least follows a Schmidt-Kennicutt law if the emitting region is very compact, as suggested by the Hα emission, while Minkowski's Object is found to have a much higher star formation efficiency lower limit (very short depletion time). Higher sensitivity is necessary to detect CO in the star-forming spots, and higher spatial resolution is required to map the emission in these jet-induced star-forming regions. Based on observations carried out with the IRAM 30 m telescope. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany), and IGN (Spain).

Safety of High Speed Guided Ground Transportation Systems - The Biological Effects of Maglev Magnetic Field Exposures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-08-01

This report describes selected biological effects on transformed human cell lines and on rats from exposure to simulated : maglev magnetic fields (MFs). Rats (n = 6 per group) were exposed at various times throughout the 24-h day to MFs : simulating ...

Role of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 genetic variants in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

De Cario, Rosina; Sticchi, Elena; Lucarini, Laura; Attanasio, Monica; Nistri, Stefano; Marcucci, Rossella; Pepe, Guglielmina; Giusti, Betti

2017-08-25

Genetic variants in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) receptors type 1 (TGFBR1) and type 2 (TGFBR2) genes have been associated with different hereditary connective tissue disorders sharing thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAA/D). Mutations in both TGFBR1/2 genes have been described in patients with TAA/D and Marfan syndrome (MFS), and they are associated consistently with Loeys-Dietz syndrome. The existing literature shows discordant data resulting from mutational screening of TGFBR1/2 genes in patients with MFS. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of TGFBR1/2 genetic variants in determining and/or modulating MFS clinical phenotype. We investigated 75 unrelated patients with MFS referred to the Center for Marfan Syndrome and Related Disorders (Careggi University Hospital, Florence) who were subjected to FBN1 and TGFBR1/2 Sanger mutational screening. Forty-seven patients with MFS (63%) carried a pathogenetic FBN1 mutation. No pathogenetic mutations were detected in TGFBR1/2 genes. Ten common polymorphisms were identified in TGFBR2 and 6 in TGFBR1. Their association with cardiovascular manifestations was evaluated. Carriers of the A allele of rs11466512, delA allele of c.383delA or delT allele of c.1256-15del1T polymorphisms had a trend toward or significantly reduced z-scores (median [interquartile range (IQR)], 2.2 [1.13-4.77]; 2.1 [1.72-3.48]; 2.5 [1.85-3.86]) with respect to homozygous patients with wild-type MFS (median [IQR], 4.20 [2.39-7.25]; 3.9 [2.19-7.00]; 3.9 [2.14-6.93]). Carriers of the A allele of the rs2276767 polymorphism showed a trend toward increased z-score (median [IQR], 4.9 [2.14-7.16]) with respect to patients with wild-type MFS (median [IQR], 3.3 [1.75-5.45]). The protective effect of TGFBR1/2 genetic score including all the 4 variants was also evaluated. Patients with MFS with two or more protective alleles included in the score had statistically significant reduced aortic z-scores (median [IQR], 2.20 [1.48-3.37]) with respect to patients with 1 or no protective alleles (median [IQR], 4.20 [2.48-7.12]; P = .007). Patients with severe aortic manifestations (aortic z-score ≥ 2 or aortic surgery) showed a significantly lower prevalence of subjects with two or more protective alleles included in the genetic score (29.7%) than patients with no or milder cardiovascular involvement (63.6%; P = .029). The genetic score protective effect on global aortic manifestations severity (aortic z-score ≥ 2 or aortic surgery) was also observed at the logistic regression analysis adjusted for the presence of FBN1 gene mutations (odds ratio, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05-0.84; P = .028). In conclusion, our data reappraise the role of TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 as major genes in patients with MFS, and suggest that TGFBR1/2 genetic variants (in particular when evaluated as a burden by score) might play a role in modulating the severity of cardiovascular manifestation in MFS. Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new approach for embedding causal sets into Minkowski space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, He; Reid, David D.

2018-06-01

This paper reports on recent work toward an approach for embedding causal sets into two-dimensional Minkowski space. The main new feature of the present scheme is its use of the spacelike distance measure to construct an ordering of causal set elements within anti-chains of a causal set as an aid to the embedding procedure.

The construction of space-like surfaces with k1k2 - m(k1 + k2) = 1 in Minkowski three-space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xi-Fang

2002-07-01

From solutions of the sinh-Laplace equation, we construct a family of space-like surfaces with k1k2 - m(k1 + k2) = 1 in Minkowski three-space, where k1 and k2 are principal curvatures and m is an arbitrary constant.

Electromagnetic Momentum in Magnetic Media and the Abraham-Minkowski Controversy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jimenez, J. L.; Campos, I.; Lopez-Marino, M. A.

2011-01-01

We explore the consequences of a force density, [image omitted], studied by some authors, for the device designed by Lai (1980 "Am. J. Phys. 48" 658) to analyse which definition of electromagnetic momentum density, either Minkowski's or Abraham's, is consistent with mechanical torques that arise from the change in time of a magnetic field, which…

Minimizing yagi-uda radiosonde receiver antenna size using minkowski curve fractal model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sani, Arman; Suherman

2018-03-01

This paper discusses Yagi-Uda antenna design for radiosonde earth station receiver. The design was performed by using Minkowski curve fractal model to reduce physical dimension. The antenna design should fulfil the following requirements: work on frequency of 433MHz, match to the 50 Ohm of radiosonde characteristic impedance, the expected gain is higher than 10 dBi, VSWR is smaller than 2 and the expected bandwidth is higher than 10 MHz. Antenna design and evaluation were conducted by using MMANA-GAL simulator. The evaluation of the designed antenna shows that the Yagi-Uda antenna designed by using Minkowski curve model successfully reduces antenna size up to 9.41% and reduces number of elements about 33%.

The algebraic-hyperbolic approach to the linearized gravitational constraints on a Minkowski background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winicour, Jeffrey

2017-08-01

An algebraic-hyperbolic method for solving the Hamiltonian and momentum constraints has recently been shown to be well posed for general nonlinear perturbations of the initial data for a Schwarzschild black hole. This is a new approach to solving the constraints of Einstein’s equations which does not involve elliptic equations and has potential importance for the construction of binary black hole data. In order to shed light on the underpinnings of this approach, we consider its application to obtain solutions of the constraints for linearized perturbations of Minkowski space. In that case, we find the surprising result that there are no suitable Cauchy hypersurfaces in Minkowski space for which the linearized algebraic-hyperbolic constraint problem is well posed.

Quantum Effects in Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saharian, A. A.

2016-09-01

We investigate the vacuum expectation value of the current density for a charged scalar field on a slice of anti-de Sitter (AdS) space with toroidally compact dimensions. Along the compact dimensions periodicity conditions are imposed on the field operator with general phases and the presence of a constant gauge field is assumed. The latter gives rise to Aharonov-Bohm-like effects on the vacuum currents. The current density along compact dimensions is a periodic function of the gauge field flux with the period equal to the flux quantum. It vanishes on the AdS boundary and, near the horizon, to the leading order, it is conformally related to the corresponding quantity in Minkowski bulk for a massless field. For large values of the length of the compact dimension compared with the AdS curvature radius, the vacuum current decays as power-law for both massless and massive fields. This behavior is essentially different from the corresponding one in Minkowski background, where the currents for a massive field are suppressed exponentially.

Eukaryotic major facilitator superfamily transporter modeling based on the prokaryotic GlpT crystal structure.

PubMed

Lemieux, M Joanne

2007-01-01

The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) of transporters represents the largest family of secondary active transporters and has a diverse range of substrates. With structural information for four MFS transporters, we can see a strong structural commonality suggesting, as predicted, a common architecture for MFS transporters. The rate for crystal structure determination of MFS transporters is slow, making modeling of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic transporters more enticing. In this review, models of eukaryotic transporters Glut1, G6PT, OCT1, OCT2 and Pho84, based on the crystal structures of the prokaryotic GlpT, based on the crystal structure of LacY are discussed. The techniques used to generate the different models are compared. In addition, the validity of these models and the strategy of using prokaryotic crystal structures to model eukaryotic proteins are discussed. For comparison, E. coli GlpT was modeled based on the E. coli LacY structure and compared to the crystal structure of GlpT demonstrating that experimental evidence is essential for accurate modeling of membrane proteins.

Serum antibodies against gangliosides and Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides in Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed Central

Neisser, A; Bernheimer, H; Berger, T; Moran, A P; Schwerer, B

1997-01-01

Seven patients with Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), six in the acute phase and one in the recovery phase, were investigated for serum antibodies against gangliosides and purified lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from different strains of Campylobacter jejuni, including the MFS-associated serotypes O:2 and O:23. Immunoglobulin G antibodies against gangliosides GT1a and GQ1b were found in five of six patients in the acute phase of disease. Three of these patients also displayed antibodies to ganglioside GD2, a finding not previously reported for MFS. All anti-GT1a- and anti-GQ1b-seropositive patients showed antibody binding to C. jejuni LPS, predominantly to O:2 and O:23 LPS. Antibody cross-reactivity between gangliosides GT1a and GQ1b and O:2 and O:23 LPS was demonstrated by adsorption studies. This cross-reactivity between gangliosides and C.jejuni LPS, which is obviously due to oligosaccharide homologies, may be an important pathogenetic factor in the development of MFS after C. jejuni infection. PMID:9317004

Actin dynamics involved in gravity perception in Arabidopsis inflorescense stem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasaka, Masao; Nakamura, Moritaka; Morita, Miyo T.

The amyloplasts sedimentation in the endodermal cells is important for gravity perception in Arabidopsis shoot. Our previous study suggests that SGR5(SHOOT GRAVITROPISM 5) and SGR9 are synergistically involved in regulation of amyloplast movement in these cells, and shows that sgr5 sgr9 double mutant completely loses gravitropic response. SGR5 encodes putative transcription factor and SGR9 encodes a ring finger containing protein, which surrounds amyloplasts. It has been reported that amyloplasts are surrounded by actin microfilaments (MFs), and that treatment with actin polymerization inhibitor enhances gravitropic organ curvature. However, not only the molecular link between amyolplasts and MFs, but also regulatory role of MFs in gravitropic response is still unclear. Here, we found that treatment with actin polymerization inhibitor restored gravitropic response of sgr5 sgr9 double mutant stems. The result suggests that abnormal amyloplasts movement in the double mutant could result from inhibition of MFs depolymerization, leading to abnormal gravitropism. We are investigating whether SGR5 and SGR9 are involved in amyloplasts movement by regulating actin remodeling in gravity perceptive cells.

Hidden momentum and the Abraham-Minkowski debate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saldanha, Pablo L.; Filho, J. S. Oliveira

2017-04-01

We use an extended version of electrodynamics, which admits the existence of magnetic charges and currents, to discuss how different models for electric and magnetic dipoles do or do not carry hidden momentum under the influence of external electromagnetic fields. Based on that, we discuss how the models adopted for the electric and magnetic dipoles from the particles that compose a material medium influence the expression for the electromagnetic part of the light momentum in the medium. We show that Abraham expression is compatible with electric dipoles formed by electric charges and magnetic dipoles formed by magnetic charges, while Minkowski expression is compatible with electric dipoles formed by magnetic currents and magnetic dipoles formed by electric currents. The expression ɛ0E ×B , on the other hand, is shown to be compatible with electric dipoles formed by electric charges and magnetic dipoles formed by electric currents, which are much more natural models. So this expression has an interesting interpretation in the Abraham-Minkowski debate about the momentum of light in a medium: It is the expression compatible with the nonexistence of magnetic charges. We also provide a simple justification of why Abraham and Minkowski momenta can be associated with the kinetic and canonical momentum of light, respectively.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of myofibroblast density in odontogenic cysts and tumors.

PubMed

Kouhsoltani, Maryam; Halimi, Monireh; Jabbari, Golchin

2016-01-01

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate myofibroblast (MF) density in a broad spectrum of odontogenic cysts and tumors and the relation between the density of MFs and the clinical behavior of these lesions. Methods. A total of 105 cases of odontogenic lesions, including unicystic ameloblastoma (UAM), solid ameloblastoma (SA), odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), dentigerous cyst (DC), radicular cyst (RC) (15 for each category), and odontogenic myxoma (OM), adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) (10 for each category), were immunohistochemically stained with anti-α-smooth muscle actin antibody. The mean percentage of positive cells in 10 high-power fields was considered as MF density for each case. Results. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean scores between the study groups (P < 0.001). The intensity of MFs was significantly higher in odontogenic tumors compared to odontogenic cysts (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between odontogenic tumors, except between UAM and OM (P = 0.041). The difference between OKC and odontogenic tumors was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The number of MFs was significantly higher in OKC and lower in COC compared to other odontogenic cysts (P = 0.007 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion. The results of the present study suggest a role for MFs in the aggressive behavior of odontogenic lesions. MFs may represent an important target of therapy, especially for aggressive odontogenic lesions. Our findings support the classification of OKC in the category of odontogenic tumors.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of myofibroblast density in odontogenic cysts and tumors

PubMed Central

Kouhsoltani, Maryam; Halimi, Monireh; Jabbari, Golchin

2016-01-01

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate myofibroblast (MF) density in a broad spectrum of odontogenic cysts and tumors and the relation between the density of MFs and the clinical behavior of these lesions. Methods. A total of 105 cases of odontogenic lesions, including unicystic ameloblastoma (UAM), solid ameloblastoma (SA), odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), dentigerous cyst (DC), radicular cyst (RC) (15 for each category), and odontogenic myxoma (OM), adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) (10 for each category), were immunohistochemically stained with anti-α-smooth muscle actin antibody. The mean percentage of positive cells in 10 high-power fields was considered as MF density for each case. Results. A statistically significant difference was observed in the mean scores between the study groups (P < 0.001). The intensity of MFs was significantly higher in odontogenic tumors compared to odontogenic cysts (P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between odontogenic tumors, except between UAM and OM (P = 0.041). The difference between OKC and odontogenic tumors was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The number of MFs was significantly higher in OKC and lower in COC compared to other odontogenic cysts (P = 0.007 and P = 0.045, respectively). Conclusion. The results of the present study suggest a role for MFs in the aggressive behavior of odontogenic lesions. MFs may represent an important target of therapy, especially for aggressive odontogenic lesions. Our findings support the classification of OKC in the category of odontogenic tumors. PMID:27092213

Substrate transport pathway inside outward open conformation of EmrD: a molecular dynamics simulation study.

PubMed

Xianwei, Tan; Diannan, Lu; Boxiong, Wang

2016-07-19

The EmrD transporter, which is a classical major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein, can extrude a range of drug molecules out of E. coil. The drug molecules transport through the channel of MFS in an outward open state, an important issue in research about bacterial drug resistance, which however, is still unknown. In this paper, we construct a starting outward-open model of the EmrD transporter using a state transition method. The starting model is refined by a conventional molecular dynamics simulation. Locally enhanced sampling simulation (LES) is used to validate the outward-open model of EmrD. In the locally enhanced sampling simulation, ten substrates are placed along the channel of the outward-open EmrD, and these substrates are sampled in the outward-open center cavity. It is found that the translocation pathway of these substrates from the inside to the outside of the cell through the EmrD transporter is composed of two sub-pathways, one sub-pathway, including H2, H4, and H5, and another sub-pathway, including H8, H10, and H11. The results give us have a further insight to the ways of substrate translocation of an MFS protein. The model method is based on common features of an MFS protein, so this modeling method can be used to construct various MFS protein models which have a desired state with other conformations not known in the alternating-access mechanism.

Losartan Attenuates Degradation of Aorta and Lung Tissue Micromechanics in a Mouse Model of Severe Marfan Syndrome.

PubMed

Lee, Jia-Jye; Galatioto, Josephine; Rao, Satish; Ramirez, Francesco; Costa, Kevin D

2016-10-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease of the connective tissue due to mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). This study aimed at characterizing microelastic properties of the ascending aortic wall and lung parenchyma tissues from wild type (WT) and age-matched Fbn1 hypomorphic mice (Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice) to identify tissue-specific biomechanical effects of aging and disease in MFS. Atomic force microscopy was used to indent lung parenchyma and aortic wall tissues, using Hybrid Eshelby Decomposition analysis to extract layer-specific properties of the intima and media. The intima stiffened with age and was not different between WT and Fbn1(mgR/mgR) tissues, whereas the media layer of MFS aortas showed progressive structural and mechanical degradation with a modulus that was 50% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Similarly, MFS mice displayed progressive structural and mechanical deterioration of lung tissue, which was over 85% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Chronic treatment with the angiotensin type I receptor antagonist, losartan, attenuated the aorta and lung tissue degradation, resulting in structural and mechanical properties not significantly different from age-matched WT controls. By revealing micromechanical softening of elastin-rich aorta and lung tissues with disease progression in fibrillin-1 deficient mice, our findings support the use of losartan as a prophylactic treatment that may abrogate the life-threatening symptoms of MFS.

The importance of genotype-phenotype correlation in the clinical management of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Becerra-Muñoz, Víctor Manuel; Gómez-Doblas, Juan José; Porras-Martín, Carlos; Such-Martínez, Miguel; Crespo-Leiro, María Generosa; Barriales-Villa, Roberto; de Teresa-Galván, Eduardo; Jiménez-Navarro, Manuel; Cabrera-Bueno, Fernando

2018-01-22

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of autosomal dominant inheritance, in which aortic root dilation is the main cause of morbidity and mortality. Fibrillin-1 (FBN-1) gene mutations are found in more than 90% of MFS cases. The aim of our study was to summarise variants in FBN-1 and establish the genotype-phenotype correlation, with particular interest in the onset of aortic events, in a broad population of patients with an initial clinical suspicion of MFS. This single centre prospective cohort study included all patients presenting variants in the FBN-1 gene who visited a Hereditary Aortopathy clinic between September 2010 and October 2016. The study included 90 patients with FBN-1 variants corresponding to 58 non-interrelated families. Of the 57 FBN-1 variants found, 25 (43.9%) had previously been described, 23 of which had been identified as associated with MFS, while the the remainder are described for the first time. For 84 patients (93.3%), it was possible to give a definite diagnosis of Marfan syndrome in accordance with Ghent criteria. 44 of them had missense mutations, 6 of whom had suffered an aortic event (with either prophylactic surgery for aneurysm or dissection), whereas 20 of the 35 patients with truncating mutations had suffered an event (13.6% vs. 57.1%, p < 0.001). These events tended to occur at earlier ages in patients with truncating compared to those with missense mutations, although not significantly (41.33 ± 3.77 vs. 37.5 ± 9.62 years, p = 0.162). Patients with MFS and truncating variants in FBN-1 presented a higher proportion of aortic events, compared to a more benign course in patients with missense mutations. Genetic findings could, therefore, have importance not only in the diagnosis, but also in risk stratification and clinical management of patients with suspected MFS.

Differences in manifestations of Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

PubMed

Meester, Josephina A N; Verstraeten, Aline; Schepers, Dorien; Alaerts, Maaike; Van Laer, Lut; Loeys, Bart L

2017-11-01

Many different heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTD) have been described over the past decades. These syndromes often affect the connective tissue of various organ systems, including heart, blood vessels, skin, joints, bone, eyes, and lungs. The discovery of these HCTD was followed by the identification of mutations in a wide range of genes encoding structural proteins, modifying enzymes, or components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. Three typical examples of HCTD are Marfan syndrome (MFS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). These syndromes show some degree of phenotypical overlap of cardiovascular, skeletal, and cutaneous features. MFS is typically characterized by cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal manifestations and is caused by heterozygous mutations in FBN1 , coding for the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein fibrillin-1. The most common cardiovascular phenotype involves aortic aneurysm and dissection at the sinuses of Valsalva. LDS is caused by mutations in TGBR1/2 , SMAD2/3 , or TGFB2/3 , all coding for components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. LDS can be distinguished from MFS by the unique presence of hypertelorism, bifid uvula or cleft palate, and widespread aortic and arterial aneurysm and tortuosity. Compared to MFS, LDS cardiovascular manifestations tend to be more severe. In contrast, no association is reported between LDS and the presence of ectopia lentis, a key distinguishing feature of MFS. Overlapping features between MFS and LDS include scoliosis, pes planus, anterior chest deformity, spontaneous pneumothorax, and dural ectasia. EDS refers to a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous connective tissue disorders and all subtypes are characterized by variable abnormalities of skin, ligaments and joints, blood vessels, and internal organs. Typical presenting features include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Up to one quarter of the EDS patients show aortic aneurysmal disease. The latest EDS nosology distinguishes 13 subtypes. Many phenotypic features show overlap between the different subtypes, which makes the clinical diagnosis rather difficult and highlights the importance of molecular diagnostic confirmation.

Differences in manifestations of Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome

PubMed Central

Meester, Josephina A. N.; Verstraeten, Aline; Schepers, Dorien; Alaerts, Maaike; Van Laer, Lut

2017-01-01

Many different heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTD) have been described over the past decades. These syndromes often affect the connective tissue of various organ systems, including heart, blood vessels, skin, joints, bone, eyes, and lungs. The discovery of these HCTD was followed by the identification of mutations in a wide range of genes encoding structural proteins, modifying enzymes, or components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. Three typical examples of HCTD are Marfan syndrome (MFS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), and Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS). These syndromes show some degree of phenotypical overlap of cardiovascular, skeletal, and cutaneous features. MFS is typically characterized by cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal manifestations and is caused by heterozygous mutations in FBN1, coding for the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein fibrillin-1. The most common cardiovascular phenotype involves aortic aneurysm and dissection at the sinuses of Valsalva. LDS is caused by mutations in TGBR1/2, SMAD2/3, or TGFB2/3, all coding for components of the TGFβ-signaling pathway. LDS can be distinguished from MFS by the unique presence of hypertelorism, bifid uvula or cleft palate, and widespread aortic and arterial aneurysm and tortuosity. Compared to MFS, LDS cardiovascular manifestations tend to be more severe. In contrast, no association is reported between LDS and the presence of ectopia lentis, a key distinguishing feature of MFS. Overlapping features between MFS and LDS include scoliosis, pes planus, anterior chest deformity, spontaneous pneumothorax, and dural ectasia. EDS refers to a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous connective tissue disorders and all subtypes are characterized by variable abnormalities of skin, ligaments and joints, blood vessels, and internal organs. Typical presenting features include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Up to one quarter of the EDS patients show aortic aneurysmal disease. The latest EDS nosology distinguishes 13 subtypes. Many phenotypic features show overlap between the different subtypes, which makes the clinical diagnosis rather difficult and highlights the importance of molecular diagnostic confirmation. PMID:29270370

Homozygous and compound heterozygous mutations in the FBN1 gene: unexpected findings in molecular diagnosis of Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Arnaud, Pauline; Hanna, Nadine; Aubart, Mélodie; Leheup, Bruno; Dupuis-Girod, Sophie; Naudion, Sophie; Lacombe, Didier; Milleron, Olivier; Odent, Sylvie; Faivre, Laurence; Bal, Laurence; Edouard, Thomas; Collod-Beroud, Gwenaëlle; Langeois, Maud; Spentchian, Myrtille; Gouya, Laurent; Jondeau, Guillaume; Boileau, Catherine

2017-02-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal-dominant connective tissue disorder usually associated with heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (FBN1). Homozygous and compound heterozygous cases are rare events and have been associated with a clinical severe presentation. Report unexpected findings of homozygosity and compound heterozygosity in the course of molecular diagnosis of heterozygous MFS and compare the findings with published cases. In the context of molecular diagnosis of heterozygous MFS, systematic sequencing of the FBN1 gene was performed in 2500 probands referred nationwide. 1400 probands carried a heterozygous mutation in this gene. Unexpectedly, among them four homozygous cases (0.29%) and five compound heterozygous cases (0.36%) were identified (total: 0.64%). Interestingly, none of these cases carried two premature termination codon mutations in the FBN1 gene. Clinical features for these carriers and their families were gathered and compared. There was a large spectrum of severity of the disease in probands carrying two mutated FBN1 alleles, but none of them presented extremely severe manifestations of MFS in any system compared with carriers of only one mutated FBN1 allele. This observation is not in line with the severe clinical features reported in the literature for four homozygous and three compound heterozygous probands. Homozygotes and compound heterozygotes were unexpectedly identified in the course of molecular diagnosis of MFS. Contrary to previous reports, the presence of two mutated alleles was not associated with severe forms of MFS. Although homozygosity and compound heterozygosity are rarely found in molecular diagnosis, they should not be overlooked, especially among consanguineous families. However, no predictive evaluation of severity should be provided. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Sex, pregnancy and aortic disease in Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Renard, Marjolijn; Muiño-Mosquera, Laura; Manalo, Elise C; Tufa, Sara; Carlson, Eric J; Keene, Douglas R; De Backer, Julie; Sakai, Lynn Y

2017-01-01

Sex-related differences as well as the adverse effect of pregnancy on aortic disease outcome are well-established phenomena in humans with Marfan syndrome (MFS). The underlying mechanisms of these observations are largely unknown. In an initial (pilot) step we aimed to confirm the differences between male and female MFS patients as well as between females with and without previous pregnancy. We then sought to evaluate whether these findings are recapitulated in a pre-clinical model and performed in-depth cardiovascular phenotyping of mutant male and both nulliparous and multiparous female Marfan mice. The effect of 17β-estradiol on fibrillin-1 protein synthesis was compared in vitro using human aortic smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts. Our small retrospective study of aortic dimensions in a cohort of 10 men and 20 women with MFS (10 pregnant and 10 non-pregnant) confirmed that aortic root growth was significantly increased in the pregnant group compared to the non-pregnant group (0.64mm/year vs. 0.12mm/year, p = 0.018). Male MFS patients had significantly larger aortic root diameters compared to the non-pregnant and pregnant females at baseline and follow-up (p = 0.002 and p = 0.007, respectively), but no significant increase in aortic root growth was observed compared to the females after follow-up (p = 0.559 and p = 0.352). In the GT-8/+ MFS mouse model, multiparous female Marfan mice showed increased aortic diameters when compared to nulliparous females. Aortic dilatation in multiparous females was comparable to Marfan male mice. Moreover, increased aortic diameters were associated with more severe fragmentation of the elastic lamellae. In addition, 17β-estradiol was found to promote fibrillin-1 production by human aortic smooth muscle cells. Pregnancy-related changes influence aortic disease severity in otherwise protected female MFS mice and patients. There may be a role for estrogen in the female sex protective effect.

Herpetofaunal diversity of Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyers, J.M.; Pike, D.A.

2006-01-01

In the past century, habitat alteration and fragmentation have increased dramatically, which increases the need for improving our understanding of how species and biological communities react to these modifications. A national strategy on biological diversity has focused attention on how these habitat modifications affect species, especially herpetofauna (i.e., changes in species richness, community evenness and similarity, and dominant/rare species). As part of this strategy, we surveyed Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, a coastal, mixed second-growth forested swamp (MFS) and pocosin wetland (PW), in North Carolina for amphibians and reptiles from September 2000 to August 2001. We randomly selected three sites (3 x 3 km) in two major habitat types (MFS, PW) and completed random surveys and trapping using transects, quadrats, nighttime aural road surveys, drift fences, canal transects, coverboards, incidental captures, and evening road surveys. We also collected herpetofauna opportunistically throughout the refuge to establish an updated species list. For analysis, we used Shannon-Weiner species diversity (H'), evenness (1'), species richness and species detectability (COMDYN4), and community percent similarity index to determine herpetofaunal community differences. We estimated 39 species in MFS and 32 species in PW (P < 0.10). Species detectability was similar between habitats (0.84 to 0.86). More reptilian species (+ 31 %) inhabited MFS than PW, but estimated amphibian species richness was identical (17 spp.). H' was higher (P < 0.000 I) for PW (2.6680) than for MFS (2.1535) because of lower J' in the latter (0.6214 vs. 0.8010). Dominance of three Rana species caused lower J' and H' in MFS. Similarity between the communities was 56.6%; we estimated 22-24 species in common for each habitat (95% CI = 18 to 31 spp.). We verified 49 of the 52 herpetofaunal species on the refuge that were known to exist in the area. Restoration of natural water flows may affect herpetofaunal diversity, which may be monitored during a restoration project. Currently, the refuge retains historical levels of herpetofaunal diversity for the region.

Dynamic evolution of nearby galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biernacka, M.; Flin, P.

2011-06-01

A study of the evolution of 377 rich ACO clusters with redshift z<0.2 is presented. The data concerning galaxies in the investigated clusters were obtained using FOCAS packages applied to Digital Sky Survey I. The 377 galaxy clusters constitute a statistically uniform sample to which visual galaxy/star reclassifications were applied. Cluster shape within 2.0 h-1 Mpc from the adopted cluster centre (the mean and the median of all galaxy coordinates, the position of the brightest and of the third brightest galaxy in the cluster) was determined through its ellipticity calculated using two methods: the covariance ellipse method (hereafter CEM) and the method based on Minkowski functionals (hereafter MFM). We investigated ellipticity dependence on the radius of circular annuli, in which ellipticity was calculated. This was realized by varying the radius from 0.5 to 2 Mpc in steps of 0.25 Mpc. By performing Monte Carlo simulations, we generated clusters to which the two ellipticity methods were applied. We found that the covariance ellipse method works better than the method based on Minkowski functionals. We also found that ellipticity distributions are different for different methods used. Using the ellipticity-redshift relation, we investigated the possibility of cluster evolution in the low-redshift Universe. The correlation of cluster ellipticities with redshifts is undoubtly an indicator of structural evolution. Using the t-Student statistics, we found a statistically significant correlation between ellipticity and redshift at the significance level of α = 0.95. In one of the two shape determination methods we found that ellipticity grew with redshift, while the other method gave opposite results. Monte Carlo simulations showed that only ellipticities calculated at the distance of 1.5 Mpc from cluster centre in the Minkowski functional method are robust enough to be taken into account, but for that radius we did not find any relation between e and z. Since CEM pointed towards the existence of the e(z) relation, we conclude that such an effect is real though rather weak. A detailed study of the e(z) relation showed that the observed relation is nonlinear, and the number of elongated structures grows rapidly for z>0.14.

Extended Rindler spacetime and a new multiverse structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araya, Ignacio J.; Bars, Itzhak

2018-04-01

This is the first of a series of papers in which we use analyticity properties of quantum fields propagating on a spacetime to uncover a new multiverse geometry when the classical geometry has horizons and/or singularities. The nature and origin of the "multiverse" idea presented in this paper, that is shared by the fields in the standard model coupled to gravity, are different from other notions of a multiverse. Via analyticity we are able to establish definite relations among the universes. In this paper we illustrate these properties for the extended Rindler space, while black hole spacetime and the cosmological geometry of mini-superspace (see Appendix B) will appear in later papers. In classical general relativity, extended Rindler space is equivalent to flat Minkowski space; it consists of the union of the four wedges in (u ,v ) light-cone coordinates as in Fig. 1. In quantum mechanics, the wavefunction is an analytic function of (u ,v ) that is sensitive to branch points at the horizons u =0 or v =0 , with branch cuts attached to them. The wave function is uniquely defined by analyticity on an infinite number of sheets in the cut analytic (u ,v ) spacetime. This structure is naturally interpreted as an infinite stack of identical Minkowski geometries, or "universes", connected to each other by analyticity across branch cuts, such that each sheet represents a different Minkowski universe when (u ,v ) are analytically continued to the real axis on any sheet. We show in this paper that, in the absence of interactions, information does not flow from one Rindler sheet to another. By contrast, for an eternal black hole spacetime, which may be viewed as a modification of Rindler that includes gravitational interactions, analyticity shows how information is "lost" due to a flow to other universes, enabled by an additional branch point and cut due to the black hole singularity.

Reexamination of the Abraham-Minkowski dilemma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silveirinha, Mário G.

2017-09-01

Here the Abraham-Minkowski controversy on the correct definition of the light momentum in a macroscopic medium is revisited with the purpose to highlight that an effective medium formalism necessarily restricts the available information on the internal state of a system, and that this is ultimately the reason why the dilemma has no universal solution. Despite these difficulties, it is demonstrated that in the limit of no material absorption and under steady-state conditions, the time-averaged light (kinetic) momentum may be unambiguously determined by the Abraham result, both for bodies at rest and for circulatory flows of matter. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of quantum optics of moving media, and we examine in detail the fundamental role of the Minkowski momentum in such a context.

Experimental demonstration of metamaterial "multiverse" in a ferrofluid.

PubMed

Smolyaninov, Igor I; Yost, Bradley; Bates, Evan; Smolyaninova, Vera N

2013-06-17

Extraordinary light rays propagating inside a hyperbolic metamaterial look similar to particle world lines in a 2 + 1 dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Magnetic nanoparticles in a ferrofluid are known to form nanocolumns aligned along the magnetic field, so that a hyperbolic metamaterial may be formed at large enough nanoparticle concentration nH. Here we investigate optical properties of such a metamaterial just below nH. While on average such a metamaterial is elliptical, thermal fluctuations of nanoparticle concentration lead to transient formation of hyperbolic regions (3D Minkowski spacetimes) inside this metamaterial. Thus, thermal fluctuations in a ferrofluid look similar to creation and disappearance of individual Minkowski spacetimes (universes) in the cosmological multiverse. This theoretical picture is supported by experimental measurements of polarization-dependent optical transmission of a cobalt based ferrofluid at 1500 nm.

Foot strike patterns of runners at the 15-km point during an elite-level half marathon.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Yamauchi, Takeshi; Kraemer, William J

2007-08-01

There are various recommendations by many coaches regarding foot landing techniques in distance running that are meant to improve running performance and prevent injuries. Several studies have investigated the kinematic and kinetic differences between rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), and forefoot strike (FFS) patterns at foot landing and their effects on running efficiency on a treadmill and over ground conditions. However, little is known about the actual condition of the foot strike pattern during an actual road race at the elite level of competition. The purpose of the present study was to document actual foot strike patterns during a half marathon in which elite international level runners, including Olympians, compete. Four hundred fifteen runners were filmed by 2 120-Hz video cameras in the height of 0.15 m placed at the 15.0-km point and obtained sagittal foot landing and taking off images for 283 runners. Rearfoot strike was observed in 74.9% of all analyzed runners, MFS in 23.7%, and FFS in 1.4%. The percentage of MFS was higher in the faster runners group, when all runners were ranked and divided into 50 runner groups at the 15.0-km point of the competition. In the top 50, which included up to the 69th place runner in actual order who passed the 15-km point at 45 minutes, 53 second (this speed represents 5.45 m x s(-1), or 15 minutes, 17 seconds per 5 km), RFS, MFS, and FFS were 62.0, 36.0, and 2.0%, respectively. Contact time (CT) clearly increased for the slower runners, or the placement order increased (r = 0.71, p < or = 0.05). The CT for RFS + FFS for every 50 runners group significantly increased with increase of the placement order. The CT for RFS was significantly longer than MFS + FFS (200.0 +/- 21.3 vs. 183.0 +/- 16 millisecond). Apparent inversion (INV) of the foot at the foot strike was observed in 42% of all runners. The percentage of INV for MFS was higher than for RFS and FFS (62.5, 32.0, and 50%, respectively). The CT with INV for MFS + FFS was significantly shorter than the CT with and without INV for RFS. Furthermore, the CT with INV was significantly shorter than push-off time without INV for RFS. The findings of this study indicate that foot strike patterns are related to running speed. The percentage of RFS increases with the decreasing of the running speed; conversely, the percentage of MFS increases as the running speed increases. A shorter contact time and a higher frequency of inversion at the foot contact might contribute to higher running economy.

Statistics of Smoothed Cosmic Fields in Perturbation Theory. I. Formulation and Useful Formulae in Second-Order Perturbation Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsubara, Takahiko

2003-02-01

We formulate a general method for perturbative evaluations of statistics of smoothed cosmic fields and provide useful formulae for application of the perturbation theory to various statistics. This formalism is an extensive generalization of the method used by Matsubara, who derived a weakly nonlinear formula of the genus statistic in a three-dimensional density field. After describing the general method, we apply the formalism to a series of statistics, including genus statistics, level-crossing statistics, Minkowski functionals, and a density extrema statistic, regardless of the dimensions in which each statistic is defined. The relation between the Minkowski functionals and other geometrical statistics is clarified. These statistics can be applied to several cosmic fields, including three-dimensional density field, three-dimensional velocity field, two-dimensional projected density field, and so forth. The results are detailed for second-order theory of the formalism. The effect of the bias is discussed. The statistics of smoothed cosmic fields as functions of rescaled threshold by volume fraction are discussed in the framework of second-order perturbation theory. In CDM-like models, their functional deviations from linear predictions plotted against the rescaled threshold are generally much smaller than that plotted against the direct threshold. There is still a slight meatball shift against rescaled threshold, which is characterized by asymmetry in depths of troughs in the genus curve. A theory-motivated asymmetry factor in the genus curve is proposed.

Self-Surveillance by Adolescents and Young Adults Transitioning to Self-Management of a Chronic Genetic Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giarelli, Ellen; Bernhardt, Barbara A.; Pyeritz, Reed E.

2010-01-01

Adolescents and young adults with Marfan syndrome (MFS) use information from self-surveillance to manage their disorder. Thirty-seven male and female adolescents with MFS aged 14 to 21 years were interviewed. They identified 58 distinct self-surveillance behaviors that fell into four categories and multiple subcategories (SCs): tracking phenotype…

Tapered fluorotellurite microstructured fibers for broadband supercontinuum generation.

PubMed

Wang, Fang; Wang, Kangkang; Yao, Chuanfei; Jia, Zhixu; Wang, Shunbin; Wu, Changfeng; Qin, Guanshi; Ohishi, Yasutake; Qin, Weiping

2016-02-01

Fluorotellurite microstructured fibers (MFs) based on TeO2-BaF2-Y2O3 glasses are fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. Tapered fluorotellurite MFs with varied transition region lengths are prepared by employing an elongation machine. By using a tapered fluorotellurite MF with a transition region length of ∼3.3  cm as the nonlinear medium and a 1560 nm femtosecond fiber laser as the pump source, broadband supercontinuum generation covering from 470 to 2770 nm is obtained. The effects of the transition region length of the tapered fluorotellurite MF on supercontinuum generation are also investigated. Our results show that tapered fluorotellurite MFs are promising nonlinear media for generating broadband supercontinuum light expanding from visible to mid-infrared spectral region.

Beyond cellular detoxification: a plethora of physiological roles for MDR transporter homologs in plants

PubMed Central

Remy, Estelle; Duque, Paula

2014-01-01

Higher plants possess a multitude of Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) transporter homologs that group into three distinct and ubiquitous families—the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) superfamily, the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), and the Multidrug And Toxic compound Extrusion (MATE) family. As in other organisms, such as fungi, mammals, and bacteria, MDR transporters make a primary contribution to cellular detoxification processes in plants, mainly through the extrusion of toxic compounds from the cell or their sequestration in the central vacuole. This review aims at summarizing the currently available information on the in vivo roles of MDR transporters in plant systems. Taken together, these data clearly indicate that the biological functions of ABC, MFS, and MATE carriers are not restricted to xenobiotic and metal detoxification. Importantly, the activity of plant MDR transporters also mediates biotic stress resistance and is instrumental in numerous physiological processes essential for optimal plant growth and development, including the regulation of ion homeostasis and polar transport of the phytohormone auxin. PMID:24910617

Walter Baade, Fritz Zwicky, and Rudolph Minkowski's Early Supernova Research, 1927 - 1973

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osterbrock, D. E.

1999-12-01

Long before he ``discovered" the two stellar populations, Walter Baade was a pioneer in research on supernovae and their remnants. In 1927, while still in Germany, Baade emphasized what he called ``Hauptnovae" (chief novae) as highly luminous, potential distance indicators. He joined the Mount Wilson staff in 1931, bringing the ``secret" of the Schmidt camera with him, and encouraged Fritz Zwicky to carry out a supernova search with one at Palomar. Baade and Zwicky used the term ``supernova" in their 1933 joint paper. Zwicky began a systematic search in 1936, and Baade followed up with the 100-in reflector to derive light curves. He confirmed that Tycho's ``nova" of 1572 and the Crab nebula had been supernovae in our Galaxy. Baade advised N. U. Mayall, at Lick, on his spectroscopic study of the Crab nebula. In 1933, after Hitler came to power, Rudolph Minkowski had to leave Germany. Baade managed to get him a Mount Wilson staff position. Minkowski then did the spectroscopic observations of supernovae, beginning in 1937. Within a few years he and Baade were able to distinguish type I and II supernovae. Baade's further work on supernovae included historical research in Latin, Italian, and German, as well as filter photography. He searched hard for a remnant of SN 1885 in M 31, but never succeeded in finding it. After World War II the Crab nebula was found to be a strong radio source, and Baade and Minkowski used the 200-in to identify other supernova remnants, beginning with Cas A. Baade collaborated closely with Jan Oort and his student, Lo Woltjer, in their studies of the Crab nebula. After Baade retired in 1958, Minkowski continued supernova research for more than a decade; one of his favorite objects was the expanding Cygnus Loop.

Minkowski spacetime does not apply to a homogeneously accelerating medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coleman, Brian

Home and comoving inertial frame parameters of an individual point of an idealized medium of launch length L uniformly co-accelerating between identical fixed-thrust rockets, are well known. This is not the case with the varying inter-rocket radar periods and related implications regarding a changing 'noninertial own-length' Λ which differs from a front rocket's retrospective separation L from the simultaneously relatively moving rear rocket. On the other hand, the nonhomogeneous acceleration case involving every comoving frame's unchanging perception of a contrived 'rigor mortis' medium (so-called 'rigid motion' traditionally associated with 'Rindler coordinates') whereby Λ = L = L , constitutes the sole extended accelerating medium scenario where the entrenched Minkowski metric is actually applicable. Paraphrasing Wolfgang Pauli, not only is Minkowski spacetime not correct [in the general sense], it is not even wrong [in the restricted sense].

Microfluctuations in accommodation: an update on their characteristics and possible role.

PubMed

Charman, W Neil; Heron, Gordon

2015-09-01

Following the recognition, some 80 years ago, that the accommodation of the eye is not stable but fluctuates over a range of about ±0.5 D, mainly at frequencies of up to a few Hz, there has been a continuing interest in the characteristics of these microfluctuations (MFs) and their possible role in the control of accommodation. This paper reviews relevant work carried out since 1988, when we previously reviewed the same topic (Charman WN, Heron G. Fluctuations in accommodation: a review. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 1988; 8: 153-164). Studies relating to the effects on the MFs of stimulus form, luminance and vergence are described, together with those of pupil diameter, age and ametropia. Important advances in the understanding of the links between the characteristics of the MFs and those of the cardiopulmonary system, higher-order aberrations and ocular depth-of-focus are outlined. Only limited progress has been made in understanding the role of MFs in accommodation control. While the dependence of the characteristics of the MFs in relation to observing conditions is now reasonably well understood, their involvement in accommodation control still needs clarification. The current consensus appears to be that any role is more likely to be concerned with maintaining an appropriate response, rather than in initiating responses to abrupt changes in stimulus vergence. Fluctuations at lower temporal frequencies (<0.6 Hz) are probably important to the control process, which may make use of the associated changes in the contrast and spatial frequency spectrum of the retinal image. © 2015 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2015 The College of Optometrists.

Influence of magnetic field strength and image registration strategy on voxel-based morphometry in a study of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Marchewka, Artur; Kherif, Ferath; Krueger, Gunnar; Grabowska, Anna; Frackowiak, Richard; Draganski, Bogdan

2014-05-01

Multi-centre data repositories like the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) offer a unique research platform, but pose questions concerning comparability of results when using a range of imaging protocols and data processing algorithms. The variability is mainly due to the non-quantitative character of the widely used structural T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. Although the stability of the main effect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on brain structure across platforms and field strength has been addressed in previous studies using multi-site MR images, there are only sparse empirically-based recommendations for processing and analysis of pooled multi-centre structural MR data acquired at different magnetic field strengths (MFS). Aiming to minimise potential systematic bias when using ADNI data we investigate the specific contributions of spatial registration strategies and the impact of MFS on voxel-based morphometry in AD. We perform a whole-brain analysis within the framework of Statistical Parametric Mapping, testing for main effects of various diffeomorphic spatial registration strategies, of MFS and their interaction with disease status. Beyond the confirmation of medial temporal lobe volume loss in AD, we detect a significant impact of spatial registration strategy on estimation of AD related atrophy. Additionally, we report a significant effect of MFS on the assessment of brain anatomy (i) in the cerebellum, (ii) the precentral gyrus and (iii) the thalamus bilaterally, showing no interaction with the disease status. We provide empirical evidence in support of pooling data in multi-centre VBM studies irrespective of disease status or MFS. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Classification of micro-CT images using 3D characterization of bone canal patterns in human osteogenesis imperfecta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Anas Z.; Jameson, John; Molthen, Robert; Wismüller, Axel

2017-03-01

Few studies have analyzed the microstructural properties of bone in cases of Osteogenenis Imperfecta (OI), or `brittle bone disease'. Current approaches mainly focus on bone mineral density measurements as an indirect indicator of bone strength and quality. It has been shown that bone strength would depend not only on composition but also structural organization. This study aims to characterize 3D structure of the cortical bone in high-resolution micro CT images. A total of 40 bone fragments from 28 subjects (13 with OI and 15 healthy controls) were imaged using micro tomography using a synchrotron light source (SRµCT). Minkowski functionals - volume, surface, curvature, and Euler characteristics - describing the topological organization of the bone were computed from the images. The features were used in a machine learning task to classify between healthy and OI bone. The best classification performance (mean AUC - 0.96) was achieved with a combined 4-dimensional feature of all Minkowski functionals. Individually, the best feature performance was seen using curvature (mean AUC - 0.85), which characterizes the edges within a binary object. These results show that quantitative analysis of cortical bone microstructure, in a computer-aided diagnostics framework, can be used to distinguish between healthy and OI bone with high accuracy.

RESOLVE and ECO: The Halo Mass-dependent Shape of Galaxy Stellar and Baryonic Mass Functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eckert, Kathleen D.; Kannappan, Sheila J.; Stark, David V.; Moffett, Amanda J.; Berlind, Andreas A.; Norris, Mark A.

2016-06-01

In this work, we present galaxy stellar and baryonic (stars plus cold gas) mass functions (SMF and BMF) and their halo mass dependence for two volume-limited data sets. The first, RESOLVE-B, coincides with the Stripe 82 footprint and is extremely complete down to baryonic mass M bary ˜ 109.1 M ⊙, probing the gas-rich dwarf regime below M bary ˜ 1010 M ⊙. The second, ECO, covers a ˜40× larger volume (containing RESOLVE-A) and is complete to M bary ˜ 109.4 M ⊙. To construct the SMF and BMF we implement a new “cross-bin sampling” technique with Monte Carlo sampling from the full likelihood distributions of stellar or baryonic mass. Our SMFs exhibit the “plateau” feature starting below M star ˜ 1010 M ⊙ that has been described in prior work. However, the BMF fills in this feature and rises as a straight power law below ˜1010 M ⊙, as gas-dominated galaxies become the majority of the population. Nonetheless, the low-mass slope of the BMF is not as steep as that of the theoretical dark matter halo MF. Moreover, we assign group halo masses by abundance matching, finding that the SMF and BMF, separated into four physically motivated halo mass regimes, reveal complex structure underlying the simple shape of the overall MFs. In particular, the satellite MFs are depressed below the central galaxy MF “humps” in groups with mass <1013.5 M ⊙ yet rise steeply in clusters. Our results suggest that satellite destruction and stripping are active from the point of nascent group formation. We show that the key role of groups in shaping MFs enables reconstruction of a given survey’s SMF or BMF based on its group halo mass distribution.

RESOLVE AND ECO: THE HALO MASS-DEPENDENT SHAPE OF GALAXY STELLAR AND BARYONIC MASS FUNCTIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eckert, Kathleen D.; Kannappan, Sheila J.; Stark, David V.

2016-06-20

In this work, we present galaxy stellar and baryonic (stars plus cold gas) mass functions (SMF and BMF) and their halo mass dependence for two volume-limited data sets. The first, RESOLVE-B, coincides with the Stripe 82 footprint and is extremely complete down to baryonic mass M {sub bary} ∼ 10{sup 9.1} M {sub ⊙}, probing the gas-rich dwarf regime below M {sub bary} ∼ 10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙}. The second, ECO, covers a ∼40× larger volume (containing RESOLVE-A) and is complete to M {sub bary} ∼ 10{sup 9.4} M {sub ⊙}. To construct the SMF and BMF we implementmore » a new “cross-bin sampling” technique with Monte Carlo sampling from the full likelihood distributions of stellar or baryonic mass. Our SMFs exhibit the “plateau” feature starting below M {sub star} ∼ 10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙} that has been described in prior work. However, the BMF fills in this feature and rises as a straight power law below ∼10{sup 10} M {sub ⊙}, as gas-dominated galaxies become the majority of the population. Nonetheless, the low-mass slope of the BMF is not as steep as that of the theoretical dark matter halo MF. Moreover, we assign group halo masses by abundance matching, finding that the SMF and BMF, separated into four physically motivated halo mass regimes, reveal complex structure underlying the simple shape of the overall MFs. In particular, the satellite MFs are depressed below the central galaxy MF “humps” in groups with mass <10{sup 13.5} M {sub ⊙} yet rise steeply in clusters. Our results suggest that satellite destruction and stripping are active from the point of nascent group formation. We show that the key role of groups in shaping MFs enables reconstruction of a given survey’s SMF or BMF based on its group halo mass distribution.« less

Evolution of upper limb kinematics four years after subacute robot-assisted rehabilitation in stroke patients.

PubMed

Pila, Ophélie; Duret, Christophe; Gracies, Jean-Michel; Francisco, Gerard E; Bayle, Nicolas; Hutin, Émilie

2018-04-25

To assess functional status and robot-based kinematic measures four years after subacute robot-assisted rehabilitation in hemiparesis. Twenty-two patients with stroke-induced hemiparesis underwent a ≥3-month upper limb combined program of robot-assisted and occupational therapy from two months post-stroke, and received community-based therapy after discharge. Four years later, 19 (86%) participated in this follow-up study. Assessments 2, 5 and 54 months post-stroke included Fugl-Meyer (FM), Modified Frenchay Scale (MFS, at Month 54) and robot-based kinematic measures of targeting tasks in three directions, north, paretic and non-paretic: distance covered, velocity, accuracy (root mean square (RMS) error from straight line) and smoothness (number of velocity peaks; upward changes in accuracy and smoothness represent worsening). Analysis was stratified by FM score at two months: ≥17 (Group 1) or <17 (Group 2). Correlation between impairment (FM) and function (MFS) was explored at 54 months. FM scores were stable from 5 to 54 months (+1[-2;4], median [1st; 3rd quartiles], ns). Kinematic changes (three directions pooled) were: distance -1[-17;2]% (ns); velocity, -8[-32;28]% (ns); accuracy, +6[-13;98]% (ns); smoothness, +44[-6;126]% (p < 0.05). Group 2 showed decline vs. Group 1 (p < 0.001) in FM (Group 1, +3[1;5], p < 0.01; Group 2, -7[-11;-1], ns) and accuracy (Group 1, -3[-27;38]%, ns; Group 2, +29[17;140]%, p < 0.001). At 54 months, FM and MFS were highly correlated (Pearson's rho = 0.89; p < 0.001). While impairment appeared stable four years after robot-assisted upper limb training during subacute post-stroke phase, movement kinematics deteriorated despite community-based therapy, especially in more severely impaired patients. EudraCT 2016-005121-36. Registration: 2016-12-20. Date of enrolment of the first participant to the trial: 2009-11-24.

(DARPA) Topologically Protected Quantum Information Processing In Spin-Orbit Compled Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-17

expression for the disorder suppression of the superconducting quasiparticle gap in the topological superconducting states carrying MFs. Our principle...assisted electron transfer amplitude (derived from the fractionalization property of the MFs) the quasiparticle tunneling from to through the...mesoscopic rings, the energy-level of such a quasiparticle excitation spectrum in the ring is expected to develop a periodic dependence on

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: Behaviors of magnetic fluids in a magnetic fluid seal.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Nakamura, Wataru; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

A magnetic fluid seal for rotary blood pumps: image and computational analyses of behaviors of magnetic fluids.

PubMed

Mitamura, Yoshinori; Yano, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Eiji

2013-01-01

A magnetic fluid (MF) seal has excellent durability. The performance of an MF seal, however, has been reported to decrease in liquids (several days). We have developed an MF seal that has a shield mechanism. The seal was perfect for 275 days in water. To investigate the effect of a shield, behaviors of MFs in a seal in water were studied both experimentally and computationally. (a) Two kinds of MF seals, one with a shield and one without a shield, were installed in a centrifugal pump. Behaviors of MFs in the seals in water were observed with a video camera and high-speed microscope. In the seal without a shield, the surface of the water in the seal waved and the turbulent flow affected behaviors of the MFs. In contrast, MFs rotated stably in the seal with a shield in water even at high rotational speeds. (b) Computational fluid dynamics analysis revealed that a stationary secondary flow pattern in the seal and small velocity difference between magnetic fluid and water at the interface. These MF behaviors prolonged the life of an MF seal in water.

Marfan syndrome and cardiovascular complications: results of a family investigation.

PubMed

Sarr, Simon Antoine; Djibrilla, Siddikatou; Aw, Fatou; Bodian, Malick; Babaka, Kana; Ngaidé, Aliou Alassane; Dioum, Momar; Ba, Serigne Abdou

2017-07-19

Cardiovascular complications in Marfan syndrome (MFS) make all its seriousness. Taking as a basis the Ghent criteria, we conducted a family screening from an index case. The objective was to describe the clinical characteristics of MFS anomalies and to detect cardiovascular complications in our patients. Six subjects were evaluated. Patients had to be in the same uterine siblings of the index case or be a descendant. The objective was to search for MFS based on the diagnostic criteria of Ghent and, subsequently, detecting cardiovascular damage. The average age was 24 years. The examination revealed three cases of sudden death in a context of chest pain. Five subjects had systemic involvement with a score ≥ 7 that allowed to the diagnosis of MFS. Two patients had simultaneously ectopia lentis and myopia. In terms of cardiovascular damage, there were three cases of dilatation of the aortic root, two cases of aortic dissection of Stanford's type A with severe aortic regurgitation in one case and moderate in the other. There were three patients with moderate mitral regurgitation with a case by valve prolapse. The family screening is crucial in Marfan syndrome. It revealed serious cardiovascular complications including sudden death and aortic dissection.

A pilot study on the reproductive risks of maternal exposure to magnetic fields from electronic article surveillance systems.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Waseem; Roivainen, Päivi; Herrala, Mikko; Tiikkaja, Maria; Sallmén, Markku; Hietanen, Maila; Juutilainen, Jukka

2018-02-26

We investigated the feasibility of a large-scale epidemiological study on reproductive effects of intermediate frequency (IF) magnetic field (MF) exposure among cashiers working near electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems. The study cohort included 4157 women who had worked as cashiers in supermarkets with EAS devices (considered as exposed) or grocery stores without EAS devices (considered as unexposed) between 2008 and 2015. 536 births and 38 miscarriages occurred among these women during the study period, based on information from nationwide health registries. Measurements were also performed to characterize the MF exposure of cashiers. Cashiers were found to be exposed to 8.2 MHz MFs only when passing by the gates at short distance. Static fields of about 0.1 mT were observed at cashier's seat. Extremely low frequency MFs were higher at stores without EAS devices. No differences on the risk of miscarriage, reduced birth weight or preterm birth were observed between cashiers in different store types. Any further studies should attempt to include study subjects working near EAS systems that produce stronger IF MFs at kHz frequencies. Exposure to ELF MFs should be assessed as a possible confounding factor.

Modeling of Glycerol-3-Phosphate Transporter Suggests a Potential ‘Tilt’ Mechanism involved in its Function

PubMed Central

Tsigelny, Igor F.; Greenberg, Jerry; Kouznetsova, Valentina; Nigam, Sanjay K.

2009-01-01

Many major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporters have similar 12-transmembrane α-helical topologies with two six-helix halves connected by a long loop. In humans, these transporters participate in key physiological processes and are also, as in the case of members of the organic anion transporter (OAT) family, of pharmaceutical interest. Recently, crystal structures of two bacterial representatives of the MFS family — the glycerol-3-phosphate transporter (GlpT) and lac-permease (LacY) — have been solved and, because of assumptions regarding the high structural conservation of this family, there is hope that the results can be applied to mammalian transporters as well. Based on crystallography, it has been suggested that a major conformational “switching” mechanism accounts for ligand transport by MFS proteins. This conformational switch would then allow periodic changes in the overall transporter configuration, resulting in its cyclic opening to the periplasm or cytoplasm. Following this lead, we have modeled a possible “switch” mechanism in GlpT, using the concept of rotation of protein domains as in the DynDom program17 and membranephilic constraints predicted by the MAPAS program.23 We found that the minima of energies of intersubunit interactions support two alternate positions consistent with their transport properties. Thus, for GlpT, a “tilt” of 9°–10° rotation had the most favorable energetics of electrostatic interaction between the two halves of the transporter; moreover, this confirmation was sufficient to suggest transport of the ligand across the membrane. We conducted steered molecular dynamics simulations of the GlpT-ligand system to explore how glycerol-3-phosphate would be handled by the “tilted” structure, and obtained results generally consistent with experimental mutagenesis data. While biochemical data remain most consistent with a single-site alternating access model, our results raise the possibility that, while the “rocker switch” may apply to certain MFS transporters, intermediate “tilted” states may exist under certain circumstances or as transitional structures. While wet lab experimental confirmation is required, our results suggest that transport mechanisms in this transporter family should probably not be assumed to be conserved simply based on standard structural homology considerations. Furthermore, steered molecular dynamics elucidating energetic interactions of ligands with amino acid residues in an appropriately modeled transporter may have predictive value in understanding the impact of mutations and/or polymorphisms on transporter function. PMID:18942157

The Association Between Length of Recovery Following Sport-Related Concussion and Generic and Specific Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescent Athletes: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Valovich McLeod, Tamara; Bay, R Curtis; Lam, Kenneth C; Snyder Valier, Alison R

2018-05-31

Our purpose was to determine the association between concussion recovery and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Secondary school athletic training facilities. Patients (N = 122) with a concussion. Prospective, longitudinal cohort. The Pediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory (PedsQL), PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS), and Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) were completed at preseason and days 3 (D3), 10 (D10), and 30 (D30) postconcussion. The independent variable was the recovery group. Interactions between group and time (P < .001) were noted for all PedsQL subscales, except Social Functioning (P = .75). Significantly lower scores were found among Prolonged than in Short on D3 (P < .05). Significant interactions (P < .001) were also noted for all MFS subscales. Pairwise comparisons for General and Sleep subscales revealed Prolonged had lower scores than Short and Moderate on D3 and D10. A group by time interaction was found for the HIT-6 (P < .001), with scores being higher (P < .01) in Prolonged than in Short on D3 and D10. Adolescents with a prolonged recovery demonstrated lower HRQOL in the immediate days postinjury, particularly in physical and school functioning, fatigue, and headache. There was a strong association between recovery length and school functioning. Additional research is needed to understand how to minimize the impact of concussion on HRQOL.

Noise kernels of stochastic gravity in conformally-flat spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, H. T.; Hu, B. L.

2015-03-01

The central object in the theory of semiclassical stochastic gravity is the noise kernel, which is the symmetric two point correlation function of the stress-energy tensor. Using the corresponding Wightman functions in Minkowski, Einstein and open Einstein spaces, we construct the noise kernels of a conformally coupled scalar field in these spacetimes. From them we show that the noise kernels in conformally-flat spacetimes, including the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universes, can be obtained in closed analytic forms by using a combination of conformal and coordinate transformations.

MetalS(3), a database-mining tool for the identification of structurally similar metal sites.

PubMed

Valasatava, Yana; Rosato, Antonio; Cavallaro, Gabriele; Andreini, Claudia

2014-08-01

We have developed a database search tool to identify metal sites having structural similarity to a query metal site structure within the MetalPDB database of minimal functional sites (MFSs) contained in metal-binding biological macromolecules. MFSs describe the local environment around the metal(s) independently of the larger context of the macromolecular structure. Such a local environment has a determinant role in tuning the chemical reactivity of the metal, ultimately contributing to the functional properties of the whole system. The database search tool, which we called MetalS(3) (Metal Sites Similarity Search), can be accessed through a Web interface at http://metalweb.cerm.unifi.it/tools/metals3/ . MetalS(3) uses a suitably adapted version of an algorithm that we previously developed to systematically compare the structure of the query metal site with each MFS in MetalPDB. For each MFS, the best superposition is kept. All these superpositions are then ranked according to the MetalS(3) scoring function and are presented to the user in tabular form. The user can interact with the output Web page to visualize the structural alignment or the sequence alignment derived from it. Options to filter the results are available. Test calculations show that the MetalS(3) output correlates well with expectations from protein homology considerations. Furthermore, we describe some usage scenarios that highlight the usefulness of MetalS(3) to obtain mechanistic and functional hints regardless of homology.

Genetic testing of the FBN1 gene in Chinese patients with Marfan/Marfan-like syndrome.

PubMed

Yang, Hang; Luo, Mingyao; Chen, Qianlong; Fu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Jing; Qian, Xiangyang; Sun, Xiaogang; Fan, Yuxin; Zhou, Zhou; Chang, Qian

2016-08-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder typically involving the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems, and aortic aneurysms/dissection mainly contributes to its mortality. Here, we performed genetic testing of the FBN1 gene in 39 Chinese probands with Marfan/Marfan-like syndrome and their related family members by Sanger sequencing. In total, 29 pathogenic/likely pathogenic FBN1 mutations, including 17 novel ones, were identified. In addition, most MFS patients with aortic disease (62%) had a truncating or splicing mutation. These results expand the FBN1 mutation spectrum and enrich our knowledge of genotype-phenotype correlations. Genetic testing for MFS and its related aortic diseases is increasingly important for early intervention and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

pH Regulation of Electrogenic Sugar/H+ Symport in MFS Sugar Permeases

PubMed Central

Bazzone, Andre; Madej, M. Gregor; Kaback, H. Ronald

2016-01-01

Bacterial sugar symporters in the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) use the H+ (and in a few cases Na+) electrochemical gradients to achieve active transport of sugar into the cell. Because a number of structures of MFS sugar symporters have been solved recently, molecular insight into the transport mechanism is possible from detailed functional analysis. We present here a comparative electrophysiological study of the lactose permease (LacY), the fucose permease (FucP) and the xylose permease (XylE), which reveals common mechanistic principles and differences. In all three symporters energetically downhill electrogenic sugar/H+ symport is observed. Comparison of the pH dependence of symport at symmetrical pH exhibits broad bell-shaped pH profiles extending over 3 to 6 pH units and a decrease at extremely alkaline pH ≥ 9.4 and at acidic to neutral pH = 4.6–7.5. The pH dependence can be described by an acidic to neutral apparent pK (pKapp) and an alkaline pKapp. Experimental evidence suggests that the alkaline pKapp is due to H+ depletion at the protonation site, while the acidic pKapp is due to inhibition of deprotonation. Since previous studies suggest that a single carboxyl group in LacY (Glu325) may be the only side chain directly involved in H+ translocation and a carboxyl side chain with similar properties has been identified in FucP (Asp46) and XylE (Asp27), the present results imply that the pK of this residue is switched during H+/sugar symport in all three symporters. PMID:27227677

Microenvironmental Regulation by Fibrillin-1

PubMed Central

Sengle, Gerhard; Tsutsui, Ko; Keene, Douglas R.; Tufa, Sara F.; Carlson, Eric J.; Charbonneau, Noe L.; Ono, Robert N.; Sasaki, Takako; Wirtz, Mary K.; Samples, John R.; Fessler, Liselotte I.; Fessler, John H.; Sekiguchi, Kiyotoshi; Hayflick, Susan J.; Sakai, Lynn Y.

2012-01-01

Fibrillin-1 is a ubiquitous extracellular matrix molecule that sequesters latent growth factor complexes. A role for fibrillin-1 in specifying tissue microenvironments has not been elucidated, even though the concept that fibrillin-1 provides extracellular control of growth factor signaling is currently appreciated. Mutations in FBN1 are mainly responsible for the Marfan syndrome (MFS), recognized by its pleiotropic clinical features including tall stature and arachnodactyly, aortic dilatation and dissection, and ectopia lentis. Each of the many different mutations in FBN1 known to cause MFS must lead to similar clinical features through common mechanisms, proceeding principally through the activation of TGFβ signaling. Here we show that a novel FBN1 mutation in a family with Weill-Marchesani syndrome (WMS) causes thick skin, short stature, and brachydactyly when replicated in mice. WMS mice confirm that this mutation does not cause MFS. The mutation deletes three domains in fibrillin-1, abolishing a binding site utilized by ADAMTSLIKE-2, -3, -6, and papilin. Our results place these ADAMTSLIKE proteins in a molecular pathway involving fibrillin-1 and ADAMTS-10. Investigations of microfibril ultrastructure in WMS humans and mice demonstrate that modulation of the fibrillin microfibril scaffold can influence local tissue microenvironments and link fibrillin-1 function to skin homeostasis and the regulation of dermal collagen production. Hence, pathogenetic mechanisms caused by dysregulated WMS microenvironments diverge from Marfan pathogenetic mechanisms, which lead to broad activation of TGFβ signaling in multiple tissues. We conclude that local tissue-specific microenvironments, affected in WMS, are maintained by a fibrillin-1 microfibril scaffold, modulated by ADAMTSLIKE proteins in concert with ADAMTS enzymes. PMID:22242013

Heterologous expression of a Tpo1 homolog from Arabidopsis thaliana confers resistance to the herbicide 2,4-D and other chemical stresses in yeast.

PubMed

Cabrito, Tânia R; Teixeira, Miguel C; Duarte, Alexandra A; Duque, Paula; Sá-Correia, Isabel

2009-10-01

The understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying acquired herbicide resistance is crucial in dealing with the emergence of resistant weeds. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used as a model system to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying resistance to the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The TPO1 gene, encoding a multidrug resistance (MDR) plasma membrane transporter of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS), was previously found to confer resistance to 2,4-D in yeast and to be transcriptionally activated in response to the herbicide. In this work, we demonstrate that Tpo1p is required to reduce the intracellular concentration of 2,4-D. ScTpo1p homologs encoding putative plasma membrane MFS transporters from the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana were analyzed for a possible role in 2,4-D resistance. At5g13750 was chosen for further analysis, as its transcript levels were found to increase in 2,4-D stressed plants. The functional heterologous expression of this plant open reading frame in yeast was found to confer increased resistance to the herbicide in Deltatpo1 and wild-type cells, through the reduction of the intracellular concentration of 2,4-D. Heterologous expression of At5g13750 in yeast also leads to increased resistance to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Al(3+) and Tl(3+). At5g13750 is the first plant putative MFS transporter to be suggested as possibly involved in MDR.

Singular boundary method for global gravity field modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunderlik, Robert

2014-05-01

The singular boundary method (SBM) and method of fundamental solutions (MFS) are meshless boundary collocation techniques that use the fundamental solution of a governing partial differential equation (e.g. the Laplace equation) as their basis functions. They have been developed to avoid singular numerical integration as well as mesh generation in the traditional boundary element method (BEM). SBM have been proposed to overcome a main drawback of MFS - its controversial fictitious boundary outside the domain. The key idea of SBM is to introduce a concept of the origin intensity factors that isolate singularities of the fundamental solution and its derivatives using some appropriate regularization techniques. Consequently, the source points can be placed directly on the real boundary and coincide with the collocation nodes. In this study we deal with SBM applied for high-resolution global gravity field modelling. The first numerical experiment presents a numerical solution to the fixed gravimetric boundary value problem. The achieved results are compared with the numerical solutions obtained by MFS or the direct BEM indicating efficiency of all methods. In the second numerical experiments, SBM is used to derive the geopotential and its first derivatives from the Tzz components of the gravity disturbing tensor observed by the GOCE satellite mission. A determination of the origin intensity factors allows to evaluate the disturbing potential and gravity disturbances directly on the Earth's surface where the source points are located. To achieve high-resolution numerical solutions, the large-scale parallel computations are performed on the cluster with 1TB of the distributed memory and an iterative elimination of far zones' contributions is applied.

Drop-Out in Schools in India: Minor Field Studies in Orissa 1990. Educational and Psychological Interactions. No. 112.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekstrand, Gudrun, Ed.

This document consists of a report on the Minor Field Studies (MFS) program of the Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) and contains two MFS papers by teacher trainees at the Malmo School of Education in Sweden. The papers presented are "Drop-outs in Orissa," by Elisabeth Rosen, and "Education in India: A Study of…

Regarding the influence of heating and the Soret effect on a magnetic fluid seal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krakov, M. S.; Nikiforov, I. V.

2017-06-01

The influence of a temperature gradient and the Soret effect on the distribution of particles in a magnetic fluid seal (MFS) is studied. The heating of the MFS is found to be an effective method of homogenizing the magnetic fluid in the seal; in addition, the influence of the Soret effect on this process is found to be essential.

Pretreatment subcutaneous adipose tissue predicts the outcomes of patients with head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiation and chemoradiation in Taiwan.

PubMed

Pai, Ping Ching; Chuang, Chi Cheng; Chuang, Wen Ching; Tsang, Ngan Ming; Tseng, Chen Kan; Chen, Kuan Hung; Yen, Tzu Chen; Lin, Chien Yu; Chang, Kai Ping; Lei, Kin Fong

2018-05-01

We aimed to determine whether body composition assessment before treatment can predict outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). All 881 patients with locoregional head and neck cancer treated with curative intent radiotherapy (RT) between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively investigated. Body composition was analyzed via pre-RT planning computed tomography (CT) images. Subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and skeletal muscle (SM) indices were measured cross-sectionally at the level of the third thoracic vertebra. Overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastasis-free survival (MFS) were analyzed by body composition index and body mass index (BMI). Survivors were followed up for a median of 4.68 years. The SAT indices in female patients were significantly higher than those in males (P < 0.001). The median SAT and muscle indices were 18.6 and 34.3 cm 2 /m 2 for women and 6.19 and 51.74 cm 2 /m 2 for men, respectively. The 5- and 10-year MFS, LRC, and OS rates were 83% and 82.1%, 73.4% and 71.4%, and 66.4 and 57.6%, respectively. Higher pretreatment SAT index was associated with MFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.65; P = 0.015), LRC (HR: 0.758; P = 0.047), and OS (HR: 0.604; P < 0.001). Higher pretreatment BMI was associated with MFS (HR: 0.642; P = 0.031) and OS (HR: 0.615; P < 0.001). The pretreatment SM index had no significant effect on MFS, LRC, and OS. Multivariate analysis revealed that T-stage, N-stage, lesion sites, age, and RT treatment days are independent factors associated with OS; T-stage, N-stage, and lesion sites are independent factors associated with MFS; and N-stage, smoking history, and betel quid chewing history are independent factors associated with LRC. A higher CT-assessed SAT index predicts superior MSF, LCR, and OS in patients with curative HNC, whereas SM does not predict survival or locoregional control. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Overexpression of GAP-43 reveals unexpected properties of hippocampal mossy fibers.

PubMed

Rekart, Jerome L; Routtenberg, Aryeh

2010-01-01

The mossy fiber (MF) system targets the apical dendrites of CA3 pyramidal cells in the stratum lucidum (SL). In mice overexpressing the growth-associated protein GAP-43 there is an apparent ectopic growth of these MFs into the stratum oriens (SO) targeting the basal dendrites of these same pyramidal cells (Aigner et al. (1995) Cell 83:269-278). This is the first evidence to our knowledge that links increased GAP-43 expression with growth of central axons. Here we studied the Aigner et al. transgenic mice but were unable to confirm such growth into SO. However, using quantitative methods we did observe enhanced growth within the regions normally targeted by MFs, for example, the SL in the CA3a region. These contrasting results led us to study MFs with double-immunostaining using an immunohistochemical marker for MFs, the zinc transporter, ZnT3, to visualize the colocalization of transgenic GAP-43 within MFs. Unexpectedly, using both fluorescence and confocal microscopy, we were unable to detect colocalization of GAP-43-positive axons with ZnT3-positive MF axons within the MF pathways, either in the region of the MF axons or in the SL, where MF terminals are abundant. In contrast, the plasma membrane-associated presynaptic marker SNAP-25 did colocalize with transgenic GAP-43-positive terminals in the SL. Synaptophysin, the vesicle-associated presynaptic terminal marker, colocalized with ZnT3 but did not appear to colocalize with GAP-43. The present findings raise important questions about the properties of granule cells and the MF mechanisms that differentially regulate axonal remodeling in the adult hippocampus: (1) Because there appears to be at least two populations of granule cells defined by their differential protein expression, this points to the existence of an intrinsic heterogeneity of granule cell expression beyond that contributed by adult neurogenesis; (2) Giventhe present evidence that growth is induced in mice overexpressing GAP-43 in adjacent non-GAP-43 containing MFs, the potential exists for a heretofore unexplored interaxonal communication mechanism. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Tensor Minkowski Functionals: first application to the CMB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganesan, Vidhya; Chingangbam, Pravabati

2017-06-01

Tensor Minkowski Functionals (TMFs) are tensor generalizations of the usual Minkowski Functionals which are scalar quantities. We introduce them here for use in cosmological analysis, in particular to analyze the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. They encapsulate information about the shapes of structures and the orientation of distributions of structures. We focus on one of the TMFs, namely W21,1, which is the (1,1) rank tensor generalization of the genus. The ratio of the eigenvalues of the average of W21,1 over all structures, α, encodes the net orientation of the structures; and the average of the ratios of the eigenvalues of W21,1 for each structure, β, encodes the net intrinsic anisotropy of the structures. We have developed a code that computes W21,1, and from it α and β, for a set of structures on the 2-dimensional Euclidean plane. We use it to compute α and β as functions of chosen threshold levels for simulated Gaussian and isotropic CMB temperature and E mode fields. We obtain the value of α to be one for both temperature and E mode, which means that we recover the statistical isotropy of density fluctuations that we input in the simulations. We find that the standard ΛCDM model predicts a charateristic shape of β for temperature and E mode as a function of the threshold, and the average over thresholds is β~ 0.62 for temperature and β~ 0.63 for E mode. Accurate measurements of α and β can be used to test the standard model of cosmology and to search for deviations from it. For this purpose we compute α and β for temperature and E mode data of various data sets from PLANCK mission. We compare the values measured from observed data with those obtained from simulations to which instrument beam and noise characteristics of the 44GHz frequency channel have been added (which are provided as part of the PLANCK data release). We find very good agreement of β and α between all PLANCK temperature data sets with ΛCDM expectations. E mode data show good agreement for β but α for all data sets deviate from ΛCDM predictions higher than 3-σ. It is most likely that the deviations are probing the anisotropy of the noise field and beam characteristics of the detector rather than the true E mode signal since for 44GHz the signal-to-noise ratio is well below one. This will be further investigated after the full PLANCK data becomes publicly available.

Higher derivative theories for interacting massless gravitons in Minkowski spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Dong; Xing, Yu-Hang

2018-07-01

We study a novel class of higher derivative theories for interacting massless gravitons in Minkowski spacetime. These theories were first discussed by Wald decades ago, and are characterized by scattering amplitudes essentially different from general relativity and many of its modifications. We discuss various aspects of these higher derivative theories, including the Lagrangian construction, violation of asymptotic causality, scattering amplitudes, non-renormalization, and possible implications in emergent gravitons from condensed matter systems.

Toward the classification of differential calculi on κ-Minkowski space and related field theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurić, Tajron; Meljanac, Stjepan; Pikutić, Danijel; Štrajn, Rina

2015-07-01

Classification of differential forms on κ-Minkowski space, particularly, the classification of all bicovariant differential calculi of classical dimension is presented. By imposing super-Jacobi identities we derive all possible differential algebras compatible with the κ-Minkowski algebra for time-like, space-like and light-like deformations. Embedding into the super-Heisenberg algebra is constructed using non-commutative (NC) coordinates and one-forms. Particularly, a class of differential calculi with an undeformed exterior derivative and one-forms is considered. Corresponding NC differential calculi are elaborated. Related class of new Drinfeld twists is proposed. It contains twist leading to κ-Poincaré Hopf algebra for light-like deformation. Corresponding super-algebra and deformed super-Hopf algebras, as well as the symmetries of differential algebras are presented and elaborated. Using the NC differential calculus, we analyze NC field theory, modified dispersion relations, and discuss further physical applications.

On thick domain walls in general relativity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goetz, Guenter; Noetzold, Dirk

1989-01-01

Planar scalar field configurations in general relativity differ considerably from those in flat space. It is shown that static domain walls of finite thickness in curved space-time do not possess a reflection symmetry. At infinity, the space-time tends to the Taub vacuum on one side of the wall and to the Minkowski vacuum (Rindler space-time) on the other. Massive test particles are always accelerated towards the Minkowski side, i.e., domain walls are attractive on the Taub side, but repulsive on the Minkowski side (Taub-vacuum cleaner). It is also proved that the pressure in all directions is always negative. Finally, a brief comment is made concerning the possibility of infinite, i.e., bigger than horizon size, domain walls in our universe. All of the results are independent of the form of the potential V(phi) greater than or equal to 0 of the scalar field phi.

On classical de Sitter and Minkowski solutions with intersecting branes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andriot, David

2018-03-01

Motivated by the connection of string theory to cosmology or particle physics, we study solutions of type II supergravities having a four-dimensional de Sitter or Minkowski space-time, with intersecting D p -branes and orientifold O p -planes. Only few such solutions are known, and we aim at a better characterisation. Modulo a few restrictions, we prove that there exists no classical de Sitter solution for any combination of D 3/ O 3 and D 7/ O 7, while we derive interesting constraints for intersecting D 5/ O 5 or D 6/ O 6, or combinations of D 4/ O 4 and D 8/ O 8. Concerning classical Minkowski solutions, we understand some typical features, and propose a solution ansatz. Overall, a central information appears to be the way intersecting D p / O p overlap each other, a point we focus on.

Self-force as a probe of global structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Karl; Poisson, Eric

2018-05-01

We calculate the self-force on an electric charge and electric dipole held at rest in a closed universe that results from joining two copies of Minkowski spacetime at a common boundary. Spacetime is strictly flat on each side of the boundary, but there is curvature at the surface layer required to join the two Minkowski spacetimes. We find that the self-force on the charge is always directed away from the surface layer. This is analogous to the case of an electric charge held at rest inside a spherical shell of matter, for which the self-force is also directed away from the shell. For the dipole, the direction of the self-force is a function of the dipole's position and orientation. Both self-forces become infinite when the charge or dipole is made to approach the surface layer. This study reveals that a self-force can arise even when the Riemann tensor vanishes at the position of the charge or dipole; in such cases the self-force is a manifestation of the global curvature of spacetime.

Recurrent Somatic PDGFRB Mutations in Sporadic Infantile/Solitary Adult Myofibromas But Not in Angioleiomyomas and Myopericytomas.

PubMed

Agaimy, Abbas; Bieg, Matthias; Michal, Michael; Geddert, Helene; Märkl, Bruno; Seitz, Jan; Moskalev, Evgeny A; Schlesner, Matthias; Metzler, Markus; Hartmann, Arndt; Wiemann, Stefan; Michal, Michal; Mentzel, Thomas; Haller, Florian

2017-02-01

Infantile myofibroma (MF) is an uncommon benign myofibroblastic tumor of infancy and childhood. Solitary adult MF shares similar features with infantile MF. The lesions occur in 3 clinicopathologic settings: solitary, multicentric, and generalized and can be either sporadic or familial. Traditionally, infantile MF has been included in the spectrum of infantile hemangiopericytoma. The recent World Health Organization classification listed MF, angioleiomyoma, and myopericytoma under the general heading of perivascular tumors in the sense of a morphologic spectrum of perivascular myoid cell neoplasms. Although activating germline PDGFRB mutations have recently been linked to familial infantile MF, the molecular pathogenesis of sporadic infantile and adult solitary MF remained unclear. In this study, we analyzed 25 solitary MFs without evidence of familial disease (9 infantile and 16 adult MFs) to address the question whether somatic PDGFRB mutations might be responsible for the sporadic form of the disease. Given the presumed histogenetic link of MF to myopericytoma and angioleiomyoma, we additionally analyzed a control group of 6 myopericytomas and 9 angioleiomyomas for PDGFRB mutations. We detected PDGFRB mutations in 6/8 (75%) analyzable infantile and in 11/16 (69%) adult MFs but in none of the angioleiomyomas or myopericytomas. In 2 infantile MFs, additional sequencing of the germline confirmed the somatic nature of PDGFRB mutations. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting apparently somatic recurrent PDGFRB mutations as molecular driver events in the majority of sporadic infantile and adult solitary MFs. Our results suggest molecular distinctness of MF as compared with angioleiomyoma/myopericytoma. Investigation of more cases including those with atypical and worrisome features, as well as other mimickers in the heterogenous morphologic spectrum of MF, is mandatory for validating the potential diagnostic value of PDGFRB mutation testing as a possible surrogate in difficult-to-classify lesions.

Periodontal conditions in patients with Marfan syndrome - a multicenter case control study.

PubMed

Staufenbiel, Ingmar; Hauschild, Christian; Kahl-Nieke, Bärbel; Vahle-Hinz, Eva; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Berner, Maike; Bauss, Oskar; Geurtsen, Werner; Rahman, Alexander

2013-10-28

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a disorder of the connective tissues. Alterations of the elastic fibers may manifest in different tissues especially in the skeletal, cardiovascular and ocular system. Oral manifestations like orthodontic or skeletal anomalies and fragility of the temporomandibular joint have been well described by various authors. However, no data are available regarding a possible periodontal involvement of MFS. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate for the first time if MFS may increase the susceptibility to periodontitis. A comprehensive periodontal examination including documentation of probing pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing was conducted in all patients. In addition, dental conditions were assessed by determining the Index for Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) and a self-administered questionnaire was filled out by patients. For statistical analysis, the unpaired t-Test was applied (level of significance: p < 0.05). Both groups were matched concerning well known periodontal risk factors like age, gender and smoking habits. 82 participants, 51 patients with MFS (30 female and 21 male, mean age: 40.20 ± 15.35 years) and 31 sound controls (17 female and 14 male, mean age: 40.29 ± 13.94 years), were examined. All assessed periodontal and dental parameters were not significantly different between groups. Based on our data, patients with MFS did not reveal a higher prevalence of periodontitis compared to the control group. However, Marfan patients showed a tendency to more inflammation signs, which can be explained by the crowded teeth. Therefore, a regular professional cleaning of the teeth is recommendable (i.e., 6 months intervals) in order to reduce the bacterial biofilm in the oral cavity and thus resulting in a decreased risk of systemic diseases, specifically endocarditis.

Whole exome sequencing is an efficient, sensitive and specific method of mutation detection in osteogenesis imperfecta and Marfan syndrome

PubMed Central

McInerney-Leo, Aideen M; Marshall, Mhairi S; Gardiner, Brooke; Coucke, Paul J; Van Laer, Lut; Loeys, Bart L; Summers, Kim M; Symoens, Sofie; West, Jennifer A; West, Malcolm J; Paul Wordsworth, B; Zankl, Andreas; Leo, Paul J; Brown, Matthew A; Duncan, Emma L

2013-01-01

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and Marfan syndrome (MFS) are common Mendelian disorders. Both conditions are usually diagnosed clinically, as genetic testing is expensive due to the size and number of potentially causative genes and mutations. However, genetic testing may benefit patients, at-risk family members and individuals with borderline phenotypes, as well as improving genetic counseling and allowing critical differential diagnoses. We assessed whether whole exome sequencing (WES) is a sensitive method for mutation detection in OI and MFS. WES was performed on genomic DNA from 13 participants with OI and 10 participants with MFS who had known mutations, with exome capture followed by massive parallel sequencing of multiplexed samples. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small indels were called using Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK) and annotated with ANNOVAR. CREST, exomeCopy and exomeDepth were used for large deletion detection. Results were compared with the previous data. Specificity was calculated by screening WES data from a control population of 487 individuals for mutations in COL1A1, COL1A2 and FBN1. The target capture of five exome capture platforms was compared. All 13 mutations in the OI cohort and 9/10 in the MFS cohort were detected (sensitivity=95.6%) including non-synonymous SNPs, small indels (<10 bp), and a large UTR5/exon 1 deletion. One mutation was not detected by GATK due to strand bias. Specificity was 99.5%. Capture platforms and analysis programs differed considerably in their ability to detect mutations. Consumable costs for WES were low. WES is an efficient, sensitive, specific and cost-effective method for mutation detection in patients with OI and MFS. Careful selection of platform and analysis programs is necessary to maximize success. PMID:24501682

Structure of the periplasmic adaptor protein from a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) multidrug efflux pump.

PubMed

Hinchliffe, Philip; Greene, Nicholas P; Paterson, Neil G; Crow, Allister; Hughes, Colin; Koronakis, Vassilis

2014-08-25

Periplasmic adaptor proteins are key components of bacterial tripartite efflux pumps. The 2.85 Å resolution structure of an MFS (major facilitator superfamily) pump adaptor, Aquifex aeolicus EmrA, shows linearly arranged α-helical coiled-coil, lipoyl, and β-barrel domains, but lacks the fourth membrane-proximal domain shown in other pumps to interact with the inner membrane transporter. The adaptor α-hairpin, which binds outer membrane TolC, is exceptionally long at 127 Å, and the β-barrel contains a conserved disordered loop. The structure extends the view of adaptors as flexible, modular components that mediate diverse pump assembly, and suggests that in MFS tripartite pumps a hexamer of adaptors could provide a periplasmic seal. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solution of Grad-Shafranov equation by the method of fundamental solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nath, D.; Kalra, M. S.; Kalra

2014-06-01

In this paper we have used the Method of Fundamental Solutions (MFS) to solve the Grad-Shafranov (GS) equation for the axisymmetric equilibria of tokamak plasmas with monomial sources. These monomials are the individual terms appearing on the right-hand side of the GS equation if one expands the nonlinear terms into polynomials. Unlike the Boundary Element Method (BEM), the MFS does not involve any singular integrals and is a meshless boundary-alone method. Its basic idea is to create a fictitious boundary around the actual physical boundary of the computational domain. This automatically removes the involvement of singular integrals. The results obtained by the MFS match well with the earlier results obtained using the BEM. The method is also applied to Solov'ev profiles and it is found that the results are in good agreement with analytical results.

Sharp magnetic structures from dynamos with density stratification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabbari, Sarah; Brandenburg, Axel; Kleeorin, Nathan; Rogachevskii, Igor

2017-05-01

Recent direct numerical simulations (DNS) of large-scale turbulent dynamos in strongly stratified layers have resulted in surprisingly sharp bipolar structures at the surface. Here, we present new DNS of helically and non-helically forced turbulence with and without rotation and compare with corresponding mean-field simulations (MFS) to show that these structures are a generic outcome of a broader class of dynamos in density-stratified layers. The MFS agree qualitatively with the DNS, but the period of oscillations tends to be longer in the DNS. In both DNS and MFS, the sharp structures are produced by converging flows at the surface and might be driven in non-linear stage of evolution by the Lorentz force associated with the large-scale dynamo-driven magnetic field if the dynamo number is at least 2.5 times supercritical.

Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton results in the promotion of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls of Arabidopsis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Kiss, John Z.

2002-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is hypothesized to play a major role in gravity perception and transduction mechanisms in roots of plants. To determine whether actin microfilaments (MFs) are involved in these processes in stem-like organs, we studied gravitropism in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Localization studies using Alexa Fluor-phalloidin in conjugation with confocal microscopy demonstrated a longitudinally and transversely oriented actin MF network in endodermal cells of stems and hypocotyls. Latrunculin B (Lat-B) treatment of hypocotyls caused depolymerization of actin MFs in endodermal cells and a significant reduction of hypocotyl growth rates. Actin MFs in Lat-B-treated inflorescence stems also were disrupted, but growth rates were not affected. Despite disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in these two organs, Lat-B-treated stems and hypocotyls exhibited a promotion of gravitropic curvature in response to reorientation. In contrast, Lat-B reduced gravitropic curvature in roots but also reduced the growth rate. Thus, in contrast to prevailing hypotheses, our results suggest that actin MFs are not a necessary component of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate a prominent actin MF network in endodermal cells in the putative gravity-perceiving cells in stems.

Disruption of the Actin Cytoskeleton Results in the Promotion of Gravitropism in Inflorescence Stems and Hypocotyls of Arabidopsis1

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Kazuyoshi; Kiss, John Z.

2002-01-01

The actin cytoskeleton is hypothesized to play a major role in gravity perception and transduction mechanisms in roots of plants. To determine whether actin microfilaments (MFs) are involved in these processes in stem-like organs, we studied gravitropism in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Localization studies using Alexa Fluor-phalloidin in conjugation with confocal microscopy demonstrated a longitudinally and transversely oriented actin MF network in endodermal cells of stems and hypocotyls. Latrunculin B (Lat-B) treatment of hypocotyls caused depolymerization of actin MFs in endodermal cells and a significant reduction of hypocotyl growth rates. Actin MFs in Lat-B-treated inflorescence stems also were disrupted, but growth rates were not affected. Despite disruption of the actin cytoskeleton in these two organs, Lat-B-treated stems and hypocotyls exhibited a promotion of gravitropic curvature in response to reorientation. In contrast, Lat-B reduced gravitropic curvature in roots but also reduced the growth rate. Thus, in contrast to prevailing hypotheses, our results suggest that actin MFs are not a necessary component of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls. Furthermore, this is the first study to demonstrate a prominent actin MF network in endodermal cells in the putative gravity-perceiving cells in stems. PMID:11842170

Block modeling of crustal deformation in Tierra del Fuego from GNSS velocities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, L.; Richter, A.; Fritsche, M.; Hormaechea, J. L.; Perdomo, R.; Dietrich, R.

2015-05-01

The Tierra del Fuego (TDF) main island is divided by a major transform boundary between the South America and Scotia tectonic plates. Using a block model, we infer slip rates, locking depths and inclinations of active faults in TDF from inversion of site velocities derived from Global Navigation Satellite System observations. We use interseismic velocities from 48 sites, obtained from field measurements spanning 20 years. Euler vectors consistent with a simple seismic cycle are estimated for each block. In addition, we introduce far-field information into the modeling by applying constraints on Euler vectors of major tectonic plates. The difference between model and observed surface deformation near the Magallanes Fagnano Fault System (MFS) is reduced by considering finite dip in the forward model. For this tectonic boundary global plate circuits models predict relative movements between 7 and 9 mm yr- 1, while our regional model indicates that a strike-slip rate of 5.9 ± 0.2 mm yr- 1 is accommodated across the MFS. Our results indicate faults dipping 66- 4+ 6° southward, locked to a depth of 11- 5+ 5 km, which are consistent with geological models for the MFS. However, normal slip also dominates the fault perpendicular motion throughout the eastern MFS, with a maximum rate along the Fagnano Lake.

The improvements of the ships of opportunity program in MFS-TEP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzella, G. M. R.; Reseghetti, F.; Coppini, G.; Borghini, M.; Cruzado, A.; Galli, C.; Gertman, I.; Gervais, T.; Hayes, D.; Millot, C.; Murashkovsky, A.; Özsoy, E.; Tziavos, C.; Velasquez, Z.; Zodiatis, G.

2007-05-01

The Ships Of Opportunity Program in the Mediterranean Sea was established at the end of 1999, in the framework of the Mediterranean Forecasting System - Pilot Project (MFS-PP). Many improvements have been made in data collection, transmission and management. Calibration of selected XBTs and a comparison of XBTs vs. CTDs during some research cruises have assured the quality of the data. Transmission now allows receiving data in full resolution by using GSM or satellite telecommunication services; management is offering access to high quality data and view services. The effects of technological and methodological improvements in the observing system are assessed in terms of capability to represent the most important circulation features. The improved methodologies have been tested during the Mediterranean Forecasting System - Toward Environmental Prediction (MFS-TEP) - Targeted Operational Period (MFS-TOP), lasting from September 2004 to February 2005. In spite of the short period of measurements, several important aspects of the Mediterranean Sea circulation have been verified, such as eddies and gyres in the various sub-basins, and dense water formation processes in some of them (vertical homogeneous profiles of about 13°C down to ~800 m in the Provençal, and of about 14.9°C down to ~300 m in the Levantine have allowed defining an index of dense water formation).

Demyelinating Guillain-Barré syndrome recurs more frequently than axonal subtypes.

PubMed

Notturno, Francesca; Kokubun, Norito; Sekiguki, Yukari; Nagashima, Takahide; De Lauretis, Angelo; Yuki, Nobuhiro; Kuwabara, Satoshi; Uncini, Antonino

2016-06-15

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is considered a monophasic disorder yet recurrences occur in up to 6% of patients. We retrospectively studied an Italian-Japanese population of 236 GBS and 73 Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) patients and searched for factors which may be associated with recurrence. A recurrent patient was defined as having at least two episodes that fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for GBS and MFS with an identifiable recovery after each episode and a minimum of 2months between episodes. Preceding Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) infection and antiganglioside antibodies were also assessed. Seven (3%) recurrent GBS and one (1.4%) recurrent MFS patients were identified. In the individual patient the clinical features during episodes were usually similar varying in severity whereas the preceding infection differed. None of the patients had GBS in one episode and MFS in the recurrence or vice versa. Recurrent GBS patients, compared with monophasic GBS, did not have preceding diarrhea at the first episode and considering the electrophysiological subtypes, acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies recurred more frequently than axonal GBS (6.5% vs 0.9%, p=0.04). In conclusion in a GBS population with a balanced number of demyelinating and axonal subtypes less frequent diarrhea and demyelination at electrophysiology were associated with recurrence. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Twistor encoding of Lienard--Wiechert fields in Minkowski space-time

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Porter, J.R.

1985-03-01

The twistor encoding of the anti-self-dual Lienard--Wiechert field on Minkowski space-time yields a considerably richer structure than that of the Coulomb field encoding due to the presence of a nonzero radiation field. The combination of advanced and retarded transverse fields together with the longitudinal field and the individual aspects of these fields provides this structure. Higher-order longitudinal moments can be incorporated so that general longitudinal fields can be given a twistor description.

Gauge fields and ghosts in Rindler space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhitnitsky, Ariel R.

2010-11-15

We consider a two-dimensional Maxwell system defined on the Rindler space with metric ds{sup 2}=exp(2a{xi}){center_dot}(d{eta}{sup 2}-d{xi}{sup 2}) with the goal to study the dynamics of the ghosts. We find an extra contribution to the vacuum energy in comparison with Minkowski space-time with metric ds{sup 2}=dt{sup 2}-dx{sup 2}. This extra contribution can be traced to the unphysical degrees of freedom (in Minkowski space). The technical reason for this effect to occur is the property of Bogolubov's coefficients which mix the positive- and negative-frequency modes. The corresponding mixture cannot be avoided because the projections to positive-frequency modes with respect to Minkowski timemore » t and positive-frequency modes with respect to the Rindler observer's proper time {eta} are not equivalent. The exact cancellation of unphysical degrees of freedom which is maintained in Minkowski space cannot hold in the Rindler space. In the Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) approach this effect manifests itself as the presence of BRST charge density in L and R parts. An inertial observer in Minkowski vacuum |0> observes a universe with no net BRST charge only as a result of cancellation between the two. However, the Rindler observers who do not ever have access to the entire space-time would see a net BRST charge. In this respect the effect resembles the Unruh effect. The effect is infrared (IR) in nature, and sensitive to the horizon and/or boundaries. We interpret the extra energy as the formation of the ''ghost condensate'' when the ghost degrees of freedom cannot propagate, but nevertheless do contribute to the vacuum energy. Exact computations in this simple two-dimensional model support the claim made in a previous paper [F. R. Urban and A. R. Zhitnitsky, Nucl. Phys. B835, 135 (2010).] that the ghost contribution might be responsible for the observed dark energy in a four-dimensional Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker universe.« less

The Adolescence of Relativity: Einstein, Minkowski, and the Philosophy of Space and Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieks, Dennis

An often repeated account of the genesis of special relativity tells us that relativity theory was to a considerable extent the fruit of an operationalist philosophy of science. Indeed, Einstein's 1905 paper stresses the importance of rods and clocks for giving concrete physical content to spatial and temporal notions. I argue, however, that it would be a mistake to read too much into this. Einstein's operationalist remarks should be seen as serving rhetoric purposes rather than as attempts to promulgate a particular philosophical position - in fact, Einstein never came close to operationalism in any of his philosophical writings. By focussing on what could actually be measured with rods and clocks Einstein shed doubt on the empirical status of a number of pre-relativistic concepts, with the intention to persuade his readers that the applicability of these concepts was not obvious. This rhetoric manoeuvre has not always been rightly appreciated in the philosophy of physics. Thus, the influence of operationalist misinterpretations, according to which associated operations strictly define what a concept means, can still be felt in present-day discussions about the conventionality of simultaneity.The standard story continues by pointing out that Minkowski in 1908 supplanted Einstein's approach with a realist spacetime account that has no room for a foundational role of rods and clocks: relativity theory became a description of a four-dimensional "absolute world." As it turns out, however, it is not at all clear that Minkowski was proposing a substantivalist position with respect to spacetime. On the contrary, it seems that from a philosophical point of view Minkowski's general position was not very unlike the one in the back of Einstein's mind. However, in Minkowski's formulation of special relativity it becomes more explicit that the content of spatiotemporal concepts relates to considerations about the form of physical laws. If accepted, this position has important consequences for the discussion about the conventionality of simultaneity.

Dynamic Singularity Spectrum Distribution of Sea Clutter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Gang; Yu, Wenxian; Zhang, Shuning

2015-12-01

The fractal and multifractal theory have provided new approaches for radar signal processing and target-detecting under the background of ocean. However, the related research mainly focuses on fractal dimension or multifractal spectrum (MFS) of sea clutter. In this paper, a new dynamic singularity analysis method of sea clutter using MFS distribution is developed, based on moving detrending analysis (DMA-MFSD). Theoretically, we introduce the time information by using cyclic auto-correlation of sea clutter. For transient correlation series, the instantaneous singularity spectrum based on multifractal detrending moving analysis (MF-DMA) algorithm is calculated, and the dynamic singularity spectrum distribution of sea clutter is acquired. In addition, we analyze the time-varying singularity exponent ranges and maximum position function in DMA-MFSD of sea clutter. For the real sea clutter data, we analyze the dynamic singularity spectrum distribution of real sea clutter in level III sea state, and conclude that the radar sea clutter has the non-stationary and time-varying scale characteristic and represents the time-varying singularity spectrum distribution based on the proposed DMA-MFSD method. The DMA-MFSD will also provide reference for nonlinear dynamics and multifractal signal processing.

Splanchnic preganglionic neurons in man. III. Morphometry of myelinated fibers of rami communicantes.

PubMed

Low, P A; Dyck, P J

1978-01-01

The myelinated fiber (MF) composition of T6-T8 Rami Communicantes were obtained in 9 healthy persons of various ages. The textbook picture that distal rami (DR) contain all of the myelinated fibers and therefore are white, while proximal rami (PR) contain none of them and therefore are grey must be modified. We found that DR usually contained abundant MFs and that PR concordance was found between segmental numbers of intermediolateral nuclei cytons, ventral root small myelinated fibers (SMFs), and rami total small MFs to suggest that both rami probably contain the distal myelinated axons of preganglionic autonomic fibers. Finally, there was an attrition of total MFs of rami with age, similar to what we had previously found for ILC cytons and for root SMFs. The decrease in number of pre-ganglionic autonomic neurons with age is thought to be of sufficient magnitude to account for the dysautonomia of the elderly.

Volumetric characterization of human patellar cartilage matrix on phase contrast x-ray computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Anas Z.; Nagarajan, Mahesh B.; Checefsky, Walter A.; Coan, Paola; Diemoz, Paul C.; Hobbs, Susan K.; Huber, Markus B.; Wismüller, Axel

2015-03-01

Phase contrast X-ray computed tomography (PCI-CT) has recently emerged as a novel imaging technique that allows visualization of cartilage soft tissue, subsequent examination of chondrocyte patterns, and their correlation to osteoarthritis. Previous studies have shown that 2D texture features are effective at distinguishing between healthy and osteoarthritic regions of interest annotated in the radial zone of cartilage matrix on PCI-CT images. In this study, we further extend the texture analysis to 3D and investigate the ability of volumetric texture features at characterizing chondrocyte patterns in the cartilage matrix for purposes of classification. Here, we extracted volumetric texture features derived from Minkowski Functionals and gray-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM) from 496 volumes of interest (VOI) annotated on PCI-CT images of human patellar cartilage specimens. The extracted features were then used in a machine-learning task involving support vector regression to classify ROIs as healthy or osteoarthritic. Classification performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The best classification performance was observed with GLCM features correlation (AUC = 0.83 +/- 0.06) and homogeneity (AUC = 0.82 +/- 0.07), which significantly outperformed all Minkowski Functionals (p < 0.05). These results suggest that such quantitative analysis of chondrocyte patterns in human patellar cartilage matrix involving GLCM-derived statistical features can distinguish between healthy and osteoarthritic tissue with high accuracy.

High MACC1 expression in combination with mutated KRAS G13 indicates poor survival of colorectal cancer patients.

PubMed

Ilm, Katharina; Kemmner, Wolfgang; Osterland, Marc; Burock, Susen; Koch, Gudrun; Herrmann, Pia; Schlag, Peter M; Stein, Ulrike

2015-02-14

The metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) gene has been identified as prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we aimed at the refinement of risk assessment by separate and combined survival analyses of MACC1 expression with any of the markers KRAS mutated in codon 12 (KRAS G12) or codon 13 (KRAS G13), BRAF V600 mutation and MSI status in a retrospective study of 99 CRC patients with tumors UICC staged I, II and III. We showed that only high MACC1 expression (HR: 6.09, 95% CI: 2.50-14.85, P < 0.001) and KRAS G13 mutation (HR: 5.19, 95% CI: 1.06-25.45, P = 0.042) were independent prognostic markers for shorter metastasis-free survival (MFS). Accordingly, Cox regression analysis revealed that patients with high MACC1 expression and KRAS G13 mutation exhibited the worst prognosis (HR: 14.48, 95% CI: 3.37-62.18, P < 0.001). Patients were classified based on their molecular characteristics into four clusters with significant differences in MFS (P = 0.003) by using the SPSS 2-step cluster function and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. According to our results, patients with high MACC1 expression and mutated KRAS G13 exhibited the highest risk for metachronous metastases formation. Moreover, we demonstrated that the "Traditional pathway" with an intermediate risk for metastasis formation can be further subdivided by assessing MACC1 expression into a low and high risk group with regard to MFS prognosis. This is the first report showing that identification of CRC patients at high risk for metastasis is possible by assessing MACC1 expression in combination with KRAS G13 mutation.

Management of Marfan Syndrome during pregnancy: A real world experience from a Joint Cardiac Obstetric Service.

PubMed

Lim, Joanna C E-S; Cauldwell, Matthew; Patel, Roshni R; Uebing, Anselm; Curry, Ruth A; Johnson, Mark R; Gatzoulis, Michael A; Swan, Lorna

2017-09-15

Pregnancy in Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is associated with increased maternal risk of cardiovascular events. Given the maternal and genetic risks, pre-conception counselling is essential to facilitate informed choices. Multidisciplinary antenatal care with regular imaging is mandatory and best delivered through a Joint Cardiac Obstetric Service (JCOS). The aim of this study was to compare the care delivered in a JCOS against recognised international standards (European Society of Cardiology (ESC)). Pregnancies in women with MFS from 2005 to 2015 were identified from our institutional database. Patient records were reviewed and practice assessed against pre-determined standards based on ESC guidelines. There were 23 pregnancies in 15 women with MFS. 13/23 (57%) occurred in women with aortic dilatation at baseline. There were 3 important maternal cardiac events (type A dissection; deterioration in left ventricular function; significant left ventricular and progressive aortic dilatation). Four women did not have access to expert pre-conception counselling. These women were all referred to the JCOS late in established pregnancy. Imaging was often delayed and only 7/23 cases (30%) met the standard for minimum frequency of echocardiographic surveillance. Only 12/23 (52%) had pre-conception imaging of the whole aorta with CT/MRI. Distal aortic dilatation was identified in 7/23 cases but none of these underwent further MRI evaluation during pregnancy. Despite having a dedicated JCOS, our data show that facilitating complete obstetric and cardiac care for this group remains challenging. Education of local care providers and timely referral for expert pre-conception counselling in a JCOS are key. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coastal ocean forecasting with an unstructured grid model in the southern Adriatic and northern Ionian seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Federico, Ivan; Pinardi, Nadia; Coppini, Giovanni; Oddo, Paolo; Lecci, Rita; Mossa, Michele

2017-01-01

SANIFS (Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian coastal Forecasting System) is a coastal-ocean operational system based on the unstructured grid finite-element three-dimensional hydrodynamic SHYFEM model, providing short-term forecasts. The operational chain is based on a downscaling approach starting from the large-scale system for the entire Mediterranean Basin (MFS, Mediterranean Forecasting System), which provides initial and boundary condition fields to the nested system. The model is configured to provide hydrodynamics and active tracer forecasts both in open ocean and coastal waters of southeastern Italy using a variable horizontal resolution from the open sea (3-4 km) to coastal areas (50-500 m). Given that the coastal fields are driven by a combination of both local (also known as coastal) and deep-ocean forcings propagating along the shelf, the performance of SANIFS was verified both in forecast and simulation mode, first (i) on the large and shelf-coastal scales by comparing with a large-scale survey CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) in the Gulf of Taranto and then (ii) on the coastal-harbour scale (Mar Grande of Taranto) by comparison with CTD, ADCP (acoustic doppler current profiler) and tide gauge data. Sensitivity tests were performed on initialization conditions (mainly focused on spin-up procedures) and on surface boundary conditions by assessing the reliability of two alternative datasets at different horizontal resolution (12.5 and 6.5 km). The SANIFS forecasts at a lead time of 1 day were compared with the MFS forecasts, highlighting that SANIFS is able to retain the large-scale dynamics of MFS. The large-scale dynamics of MFS are correctly propagated to the shelf-coastal scale, improving the forecast accuracy (+17 % for temperature and +6 % for salinity compared to MFS). Moreover, the added value of SANIFS was assessed on the coastal-harbour scale, which is not covered by the coarse resolution of MFS, where the fields forecasted by SANIFS reproduced the observations well (temperature RMSE equal to 0.11 °C). Furthermore, SANIFS simulations were compared with hourly time series of temperature, sea level and velocity measured on the coastal-harbour scale, showing a good agreement. Simulations in the Gulf of Taranto described a circulation mainly characterized by an anticyclonic gyre with the presence of cyclonic vortexes in shelf-coastal areas. A surface water inflow from the open sea to Mar Grande characterizes the coastal-harbour scale.

A review of multifunctional structure technology for aerospace applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sairajan, K. K.; Aglietti, G. S.; Mani, K. M.

2016-03-01

The emerging field of multifunctional structure (MFS) technologies enables the design of systems with reduced mass and volume, thereby improving their overall efficiency. It requires developments in different engineering disciplines and their integration into a single system without degrading their individual performances. MFS is particularly suitable for aerospace applications where mass and volume are critical to the cost of the mission. This article reviews the current state of the art of multifunctional structure technologies relevant to aerospace applications.

Effects of Wind Chill Factor, Temperature and Other Meteorological Parameters on the Incidence of Bell's Palsy: Results Based on a Retrospective, 7-Year Long, Greek Population Study.

PubMed

Kokotis, Panagiotis; Katsavos, Serafeim

2015-01-01

The etiology of Bell's palsy (BP), the most common type of dysfunction of the facial nerve, remains unclear despite vigorous research. Data concerning the effects of meteorological factors (MFs) on its appearance are inconclusive. The aim of our study was to examine the demographics of a convenience sample of patients with BP and to determine the effects of several MFs in the recorded number of cases per month (cpm). We retrospectively reviewed 568 files of BP patients and concomitant data of MFs during an 84-month observation period. Information collected included age, gender, diabetic status, number of cpm (months further categorized as winter or summer), mean daily and monthly temperatures and wind speeds and monthly values of wind chill factor (WCF), a measure dependent on both temperature and wind speed. Potential correlations were estimated by univariate analyses (p = 0.05). Demographics were in line with previous research regarding age and diabetic status, but indicative of slight male preponderance. Summer months and mean monthly temperatures showed significant negative correlations with cpm (p = 0.002 and <0.000, respectively) and strong positive correlation with WCF (p < 0.000). MFs can substantially influence the possibility for BP appearance. We propose WCF as a novel, reliable estimator of the overall MF-derived risk. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS) - an easy executable risk score for suspected paediatric patients with Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Mueller, Goetz C; Stark, Veronika; Steiner, Kristoffer; Weil, Jochen; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Mir, Thomas S

2013-02-01

Due to age-dependent manifestations, diagnosis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) in children and adolescents is sophisticated. Although revised Ghent criteria is a major step forward, its utility in children is still restricted due to expensive and technically advanced diagnostics. As early diagnosis submits long-term benefits concerning prognosis, the need of an appropriate diagnostic tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan is justified. Sixty paediatric patients with Marfan were subject to a standardized diagnostic programme. All clinical symptoms of the revised Ghent nosology were analysed concerning age at first clinical manifestation, prevalence and likelihood ratio for MFS. Symptoms with early onset, high prevalence and high positive likelihood ratio were identified and combined for a risk score called Kid-Short Marfan Score (Kid-SMS). Three risk categories for suspicion of Marfan syndrome were developed. Finally, the Kid-SMS was operated in 130 paediatric patients with suspected MFS. Kid-SMS identified significantly more suspected patients with Marfan compared with Ghent nosology, revised Ghent and genetics alone without oversensitivity. Whereas diagnosis of MFS in childhood is sophisticated, Kid-SMS is a useful tool for risk stratification of suspected paediatric patients with Marfan by easy executable diagnostics, especially for paediatricians and paediatric cardiologists. ©2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica ©2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Feasibility, Validity, and Reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Adults in Inpatients with Severe Obesity

PubMed Central

Manzoni, Gian Mauro; Rossi, Alessandro; Marazzi, Nicoletta; Agosti, Fiorenza; De Col, Alessandra; Pietrabissa, Giada; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Molinari, Enrico; Sartorio, Allessandro

2018-01-01

Objective This study was aimed to examine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS) for adult inpatients with severe obesity. Methods 200 inpatients (81% females) with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) completed the PedsQL MFS (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue and Cognitive Fatigue domains), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale immediately after admission to a 3-week residential body weight reduction program. A randomized subsample of 48 patients re-completed the PedsQL MFS after 3 days. Results Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a modified hierarchical model with two items moved from the Sleep/Rest Fatigue domain to the General Fatigue domain and a second-order latent factor best fitted the data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were acceptable to high in all scales, and small to high statistically significant correlations were found with all convergent measures, with the exception of BMI. Significant floor effects were found in two scales (Cognitive Fatigue and Sleep/Rest Fatigue). Conclusion The Italian modified PedsQL MFS for adults showed to be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of fatigue in inpatients with severe obesity. Future studies should assess its discriminant validity as well as its responsiveness to weight reduction. PMID:29402854

Recurrence of Marfan syndrome as a result of parental germ-line mosaicism for an FBN1 mutation.

PubMed Central

Rantamäki, T; Kaitila, I; Syvänen, A C; Lukka, M; Peltonen, L

1999-01-01

Mutations in the FBN1 gene cause Marfan syndrome (MFS), a dominantly inherited connective tissue disease. Almost all the identified FBN1mutations have been family specific, and the rate of new mutations is high. We report here a de novo FBN1mutation that was identified in two sisters with MFS born to clinically unaffected parents. The paternity and maternity were unequivocally confirmed by genotyping. Although one of the parents had to be an obligatory carrier for the mutation, we could not detect the mutation in the leukocyte DNA of either parent. To identify which parent was a mosaic for the mutation we analyzed several tissues from both parents, with a quantitative and sensitive solid-phase minisequencing method. The mutation was not, however, detectable in any of the analyzed tissues. Although the mutation could not be identified in a sperm sample from the father or in samples of multiple tissue from the mother, we concluded that the mother was the likely mosaic parent and that the mutation must have occurred during the early development of her germ-line cells. Mosaicism confined to germ-line cells has rarely been reported, and this report of mosaicism for the FBN1 mutation in MFS represents an important case, in light of the evaluation of the recurrence risk in genetic counseling of families with MFS. PMID:10090884

Lagrangian predictability characteristics of an Ocean Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacorata, Guglielmo; Palatella, Luigi; Santoleri, Rosalia

2014-11-01

The Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) Ocean Model, provided by INGV, has been chosen as case study to analyze Lagrangian trajectory predictability by means of a dynamical systems approach. To this regard, numerical trajectories are tested against a large amount of Mediterranean drifter data, used as sample of the actual tracer dynamics across the sea. The separation rate of a trajectory pair is measured by computing the Finite-Scale Lyapunov Exponent (FSLE) of first and second kind. An additional kinematic Lagrangian model (KLM), suitably treated to avoid "sweeping"-related problems, has been nested into the MFS in order to recover, in a statistical sense, the velocity field contributions to pair particle dispersion, at mesoscale level, smoothed out by finite resolution effects. Some of the results emerging from this work are: (a) drifter pair dispersion displays Richardson's turbulent diffusion inside the [10-100] km range, while numerical simulations of MFS alone (i.e., without subgrid model) indicate exponential separation; (b) adding the subgrid model, model pair dispersion gets very close to observed data, indicating that KLM is effective in filling the energy "mesoscale gap" present in MFS velocity fields; (c) there exists a threshold size beyond which pair dispersion becomes weakly sensitive to the difference between model and "real" dynamics; (d) the whole methodology here presented can be used to quantify model errors and validate numerical current fields, as far as forecasts of Lagrangian dispersion are concerned.

Model of Four-Dimensional Sub-Proton Euclidean Space with Real Time for Valence Quarks. Lagrangian Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kreymer, E. L.

2018-06-01

The model of Euclidean space with imaginary time used in sub-hadron physics uses only part of it since this part is isomorphic to Minkowski space and has the velocity limit 0 ≤ ||v Ei|| ≤ 1. The model of four-dimensional Euclidean space with real time (E space), in which 0 ≤ ||v E|| ≤ ∞ is investigated. The vectors of this space have E-invariants, equal or analogous to the invariants of Minkowski space. All relations between physical quantities in E-space, after they are mapped into Minkowski space, satisfy the principles of SRT and are Lorentz-invariant, and the velocity of light corresponds to infinite velocity. Results obtained in the model are different from the physical laws in Minkowski space. Thus, from the model of the Lagrangian mechanics of quarks in a centrally symmetric attractive potential it follows that the energy-mass of a quark decreases with increase of the velocity and is equal to zero for v = ∞. This made it possible to establish the conditions of emission and absorption of gluons by quarks. The effect of emission of gluons by high-energy quarks was discovered experimentally significantly earlier. The model describes for the first time the dynamic coupling of the masses of constituent and current quarks and reveals new possibilities in the study of intrahardon space. The classical trajectory of the oscillation of quarks in protons is described.

Bottle-feeding practices during early infancy and eating behaviors at 6 years of age.

PubMed

Li, Ruowei; Scanlon, Kelley S; May, Ashleigh; Rose, Chelsea; Birch, Leann

2014-09-01

Evidence suggests an association of breastfeeding with a maternal feeding style (MFS) that is less controlling than formula feeding, which, in turn, may improve a child's self-regulation of eating. This study examines associations of bottle-feeding practices during infancy with MFS and children's eating behavior (CEB) at 6 years old. We linked data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study II to the Year 6 Follow-Up, which include 8 MFS and CEB measures adapted from previous validated instruments. Bottle-feeding practices during the first 6 months estimated by using the Infant Feeding Practices Study II were bottle-feeding intensity (BFI), mother's encouragement of infant to finish milk in the bottle, and infant finishing all milk in the bottle. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for associations of bottle-feeding practices with MFS and CEB at 6 years old were calculated by using multivariable logistic regressions controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and other feeding practices (N = 1117). Frequent bottle emptying encouraged by mothers during infancy increased odds of mothers encouraging their child to eat all the food on their plate (aOR: 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65-3.41] and making sure their child eats enough (aOR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.14-2.31) and of children eating all the food on their plate at 6 years old (aOR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.05-3.83). High BFI during early infancy also increased the odds of mothers being especially careful to ensure their 6-year-old eats enough. Bottle-feeding practices during infancy may have long-term effects on MFS and CEB. Frequent bottle emptying encouraged by mothers and/or high BFI during early infancy increased the likelihood of mothers pressuring their 6-year-old child to eat and children's low satiety responsiveness. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Measuring underreporting and under-ascertainment in infectious disease datasets: a comparison of methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Efficient and reliable surveillance and notification systems are vital for monitoring public health and disease outbreaks. However, most surveillance and notification systems are affected by a degree of underestimation (UE) and therefore uncertainty surrounds the 'true’ incidence of disease affecting morbidity and mortality rates. Surveillance systems fail to capture cases at two distinct levels of the surveillance pyramid: from the community since not all cases seek healthcare (under-ascertainment), and at the healthcare-level, representing a failure to adequately report symptomatic cases that have sought medical advice (underreporting). There are several methods to estimate the extent of under-ascertainment and underreporting. Methods Within the context of the ECDC-funded Burden of Communicable Diseases in Europe (BCoDE)-project, an extensive literature review was conducted to identify studies that estimate ascertainment or reporting rates for salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis in European Union Member States (MS) plus European Free Trade Area (EFTA) countries Iceland, Norway and Switzerland and four other OECD countries (USA, Canada, Australia and Japan). Multiplication factors (MFs), a measure of the magnitude of underestimation, were taken directly from the literature or derived (where the proportion of underestimated, under-ascertained, or underreported cases was known) and compared for the two pathogens. Results MFs varied between and within diseases and countries, representing a need to carefully select the most appropriate MFs and methods for calculating them. The most appropriate MFs are often disease-, country-, age-, and sex-specific. Conclusions When routine data are used to make decisions on resource allocation or to estimate epidemiological parameters in populations, it becomes important to understand when, where and to what extent these data represent the true picture of disease, and in some instances (such as priority setting) it is necessary to adjust for underestimation. MFs can be used to adjust notification and surveillance data to provide more realistic estimates of incidence. PMID:24517715

Assessment and intercomparison of numerical simulations in the Western Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juza, Mélanie; Mourre, Baptiste; Renault, Lionel; Tintoré, Joaquin

2014-05-01

The Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB, www.socib.es) is developing high resolution numerical simulations (hindcasts and forecasts) in the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMOP). WMOP uses a regional configuration of the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS, Shchepetkin and McWilliams, 2005) with a high spatial resolution of 1/50º (1.5-2km). Thus, theses simulations are able to reproduce mesoscale and in some cases sub-mesoscale features that are key in the Mediterranean Sea since they interact and modify the basin and sub-basin circulation. These simulations are initialized from and nested in either the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS, 1/16º) or Mercator-Océan simulations (MERCATOR, 1/12º). A repeated glider section in the Ibiza Channel, operated by SOCIB, has revealed significant differences between two WMOP simulations using either MFS or MERCATOR (hereafter WMOP-MFS and WMOP-MERC). In this study, MFS, MERCATOR, WMOP-MFS and WMOP-MERC are compared and evaluated using available multi-platform observations such as satellite products (Sea Level Anomaly, Sea Surface Temperature) and in situ measurements (temperature and salinity profiles from Argo floats, CTD, XBT, fixed moorings and gliders; velocity fields from HF radar and currentmeters). A quantitative comparison is necessary to evaluate the capacity of the simulations to reproduce observed ocean features, and to quantify the possible simulations biases. This will in turn allow to improve the simulations, so as to produce better ocean forecast systems, to study and better understand ocean processes and to address climate studies. Therefore, various statistical diagnostics have been developed to assess and intercompare the simulations at various spatial and temporal scales, in different sub-regions (Alboran Sea, Western and Eastern Algerian sub-basins, Balearic Sea, Gulf of Lion), in different dynamical zones (coastal areas, shelves and "open" sea), along key sections (Ibiza and Mallorca Channels, Corsica Channel, ...) and during specific events.

Thermal field theory and generalized light front quantization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weldon, H. Arthur

2003-04-01

The dependence of thermal field theory on the surface of quantization and on the velocity of the heat bath is investigated by working in general coordinates that are arbitrary linear combinations of the Minkowski coordinates. In the general coordinates the metric tensor gμν¯ is nondiagonal. The Kubo-Martin-Schwinger condition requires periodicity in thermal correlation functions when the temporal variable changes by an amount -i/(T(g00¯)). Light-front quantization fails since g00¯=0; however, various related quantizations are possible.

Non-lightlike ruled surfaces with constant curvatures in Minkowski 3-space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Ahmad Tawfik

We study the non-lightlike ruled surfaces in Minkowski 3-space with non-lightlike base curve c(s) =∫(αt + βn + γb)ds, where t, n, b are the tangent, principal normal and binormal vectors of an arbitrary timelike curve Γ(s). Some important results of flat, minimal, II-minimal and II-flat non-lightlike ruled surfaces are studied. Finally, the following interesting theorem is proved: the only non-zero constant mean curvature (CMC) non-lightlike ruled surface is developable timelike ruled surface generated by binormal vector.

(1 +1 )D Calculation Provides Evidence that Quantum Entanglement Survives a Firewall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín-Martínez, Eduardo; Louko, Jorma

2015-07-01

We analyze how preexisting entanglement between two Unruh-DeWitt particle detectors evolves when one of the detectors falls through a Rindler firewall in (1 +1 )-dimensional Minkowski space. The firewall effect is minor and does not wash out the detector-detector entanglement, in some regimes even preserving the entanglement better than Minkowski vacuum. The absence of cataclysmic events should continue to hold for young black hole firewalls. A firewall's prospective ability to resolve the information paradox must hence hinge on its detailed gravitational structure, presently poorly understood.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: A disintegrating cosmic string

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffiths, J. B.; Docherty, P.

2002-06-01

We present a simple sandwich gravitational wave of the Robinson-Trautman family. This is interpreted as representing a shock wave with a spherical wavefront which propagates into a Minkowski background minus a wedge (i.e. the background contains a cosmic string). The deficit angle (the tension) of the string decreases through the gravitational wave, which then ceases. This leaves an expanding spherical region of Minkowski space behind it. The decay of the cosmic string over a finite interval of retarded time may be considered to generate the gravitational wave.

Convergence of quantum electrodynamics in a curved modification of Minkowski space.

PubMed Central

Segal, I E; Zhou, Z

1994-01-01

The interaction and total hamiltonians for quantum electrodynamics, in the interaction representation, are entirely regular self-adjoint operators in Hilbert space, in the universal covering manifold M of the conformal compactification of Minkowski space Mo. (M is conformally equivalent to the Einstein universe E, in which Mo may be canonically imbedded.) In a fixed Lorentz frame this may be expressed as convergence in a spherical space with suitable periodic boundary conditions in time. The traditional relativistic theory is the formal limit of the present variant as the space curvature vanishes. PMID:11607455

Three-Channeled Aortic Dissection in a Patient without Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Arita, Yoshie Inoue; Yamamoto, Takeshi; Hosokawa, Yusuke; Fujii, Masahiro; Nitta, Takashi; Shimizu, Wataru

2017-01-01

A 64-year-old man was admitted for evaluation of back pain. He did not have a Marfan syndrome (MFS)-like appearance, and had a history of a type B aortic dissection and total arch replacement. A connective tissue disorder had been suspected because of the histologic findings of the resected aortic wall. On admission, a computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a three-channeled aortic dissection (3ch-AD) measuring 63 mm in diameter. We planned to perform elective surgery during his hospitalization. On the fourth hospital day, he complained of severe back pain, and enhanced CT scan revealed an aortic rupture. The patients with 3ch-AD often have MFS. However, even if they do not have an MFS-like appearance, clinicians should consider fragility of the aortic wall in patients with 3ch-AD. If the aortic diameter is enlarged, early surgery is recommended. In particular, if a connective tissue disorder is obvious or suspected, emergent surgery is warranted. PMID:29187676

A Case of Fisher-Bickerstaff Syndrome Overlapped by Guillain-Barré Syndrome

PubMed Central

Fujii, Daiki; Manabe, Yasuhiro; Takahasi, Yosiaki; Narai, Hisashi; Omori, Nobuhiko; Kusunoki, Susumu; Abe, Koji

2012-01-01

We report a 72-year-old woman with overlapping Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE). She developed diplopia and unsteady gait a week after an upper respiratory infection on day 1. She had weakness of both upper limbs on day 3 and became drowsy, and her respiratory status worsened on day 5. Neurologic examination revealed ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, symmetrical weakness, areflexia, and consciousness disturbance. We diagnosed her with MFS on day 1, GBS on day 3 and overlapping BBE on day 5. She underwent immunoadsorption therapy and two courses of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. Ten months after onset, her symptoms had fully recovered. Anti-GM1 IgG, GD1a IgG, GQ1b IgG, and GT1a IgG antibodies were positive. Our case supports the notion that MFS, GBS, and BBE are all part of a continuous clinical spectrum, which is an antibody-mediated process. PMID:23275783

Retinal Disease in Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago.

PubMed

Rahmani, Safa; Lyon, Alice T; Fawzi, Amani A; Maumenee, Irene H; Mets, Marilyn B

2015-10-01

To study the prevalence of peripheral retinal disease in patients with Marfan Syndrome (MFS). In this observational, cross-sectional case series, patients with MFS were recruited by the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago during the National Marfan Foundation's annual conference. Patients underwent a fully dilated exam by vitreoretinal specialists in addition to ultra-widefield fundus photography using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (Optos 200Tx; Optos PLC, Dunfermline, Scotland, United Kingdom). Clinical examination revealed posterior segment pathology in 18% of eyes with increased incidence to 70% in patients with a subluxed lens. In six out of 10 subjects in whom the clinical exam was suboptimal (young age, small pupil, and limited cooperation), the Optos provided a superior view of the peripheral retina compared to clinical exam alone. Clinical exam of MFS patients revealed similar posterior segment pathology as noted in previous literature, with improved detection of peripheral retinal disease with the use of ultra-widefield imaging. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Magnetic Fluids Have Ability to Decrease Amyloid Aggregation Associated with Amyloid-Related Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antosova, Andrea; Koneracka, Martina; Siposova, Katarina; Zavisova, Vlasta; Daxnerova, Zuzana; Vavra, Ivo; Fabian, Martin; Kopcansky, Peter; Gazova, Zuzana

2010-12-01

At least twenty human proteins can fold abnormally to form pathological deposits that are associated with several amyloid-related diseases. We have investigated the effect of four magnetic fluids (MFs)—electrostatically stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MF1) and sterically stabilized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles by sodium oleate (MF2, MF3 and MF4) with adsorbed BSA (MF2) or dextran (MF4)—on amyloid aggregation of two proteins, human insulin and chicken egg lysozyme. The morphology, particle size and size distribution of the prepared magnetic fluids were characterized. We have found that MFs are able to decrease amyloid aggregation of both studied proteins and the extent of depolymerization depended on the MF properties. The most effective reduction was observed for MF4 as 90% decrease of amyloids was detected for insulin and lysozyme amyloid aggregates. Our findings indicate that MFs have potential to be used for treatment of amyloid diseases.

Application Prospects of Multilayer Film Shields for Space Research Instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyunt, P. W.; Vlasik, K. F.; Grachev, V. M.; Dmitrenko, V. V.; Novikov, A. S.; Petrenko, D. V.; Ulin, S. E.; Uteshev, Z. M.; Chernysheva, I. V.; Shustov, A. E.

We have studied the magnetic properties of multilayer film cylindrical configuration shields (MFS) based on NiFe / Cu. The studied samples were prepared by electrode position. MFS were constituted by alternating layers of NiFe and Cu, deposited on an aluminum cylinder with diameter of 4 cm, length of 13 cm and 0.5 cm thickness. The thickness of each ferromagnetic layer varied from 10 to 150 μm, and the thickness of Cu layers was 5 μm. Five-samples in which the number of ferromagnetic layers varied from 3 to 45 and copper - from 2 to 44 were tested. The best shielding efficiency was achieved at the maximum number of layers and comprised about 102. Permalloy multilayer foil shield at the same total thickness has several times less efficiency in comparison with MFS. The description of a prototype of the charged particles telescope for space application is presented. Results of its testing regarding sensitivity to the constant magnetic field are described.

Desired Accuracy Estimation of Noise Function from ECG Signal by Fuzzy Approach

PubMed Central

Vahabi, Zahra; Kermani, Saeed

2012-01-01

Unknown noise and artifacts present in medical signals with non-linear fuzzy filter will be estimated and then removed. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system which has a non-linear structure presented for the noise function prediction by before Samples. This paper is about a neuro-fuzzy method to estimate unknown noise of Electrocardiogram signal. Adaptive neural combined with Fuzzy System to construct a fuzzy Predictor. For this system setting parameters such as the number of Membership Functions for each input and output, training epochs, type of MFs for each input and output, learning algorithm and etc. is determined by learning data. At the end simulated experimental results are presented for proper validation. PMID:23717810

Initial foot contact and related kinematics affect impact loading rate in running.

PubMed

Breine, Bastiaan; Malcolm, Philippe; Van Caekenberghe, Ine; Fiers, Pieter; Frederick, Edward C; De Clercq, Dirk

2017-08-01

This study assessed kinematic differences between different foot strike patterns and their relationship with peak vertical instantaneous loading rate (VILR) of the ground reaction force (GRF). Fifty-two runners ran at 3.2 m · s -1 while we recorded GRF and lower limb kinematics and determined foot strike pattern: Typical or Atypical rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS) of forefoot strike (FFS). Typical RFS had longer contact times and a lower leg stiffness than Atypical RFS and MFS. Typical RFS showed a dorsiflexed ankle (7.2 ± 3.5°) and positive foot angle (20.4 ± 4.8°) at initial contact while MFS showed a plantar flexed ankle (-10.4 ± 6.3°) and more horizontal foot (1.6 ± 3.1°). Atypical RFS showed a plantar flexed ankle (-3.1 ± 4.4°) and a small foot angle (7.0 ± 5.1°) at initial contact and had the highest VILR. For the RFS (Typical and Atypical RFS), foot angle at initial contact showed the highest correlation with VILR (r = -0.68). The observed higher VILR in Atypical RFS could be related to both ankle and foot kinematics and global running style that indicate a limited use of known kinematic impact absorbing "strategies" such as initial ankle dorsiflexion in MFS or initial ankle plantar flexion in Typical RFS.

Feasibility, Validity, and Reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for Adults in Inpatients with Severe Obesity.

PubMed

Manzoni, Gian Mauro; Rossi, Alessandro; Marazzi, Nicoletta; Agosti, Fiorenza; De Col, Alessandra; Pietrabissa, Giada; Castelnuovo, Gianluca; Molinari, Enrico; Sartorio, Allessandro

2018-01-01

This study was aimed to examine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the Italian Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS) for adult inpatients with severe obesity. 200 inpatients (81% females) with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) completed the PedsQL MFS (General Fatigue, Sleep/Rest Fatigue and Cognitive Fatigue domains), the Fatigue Severity Scale, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale immediately after admission to a 3-week residential body weight reduction program. A randomized subsample of 48 patients re-completed the PedsQL MFS after 3 days. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a modified hierarchical model with two items moved from the Sleep/Rest Fatigue domain to the General Fatigue domain and a second-order latent factor best fitted the data. Internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities were acceptable to high in all scales, and small to high statistically significant correlations were found with all convergent measures, with the exception of BMI. Significant floor effects were found in two scales (Cognitive Fatigue and Sleep/Rest Fatigue). The Italian modified PedsQL MFS for adults showed to be a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of fatigue in inpatients with severe obesity. Future studies should assess its discriminant validity as well as its responsiveness to weight reduction. © 2018 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Factors related to fatigue after paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI).

PubMed

van Markus-Doornbosch, F; de Kloet, A J; Berger, M A M; Lambregts, S A M; Wolterbeek, R; Vliet Vlieland, T P M

2016-01-01

To assess the degree of fatigue in children and youth after traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury (TBI and NTBI) and related factors. Follow-up study including patients with a hospital-based diagnosis of acquired brain injury (ABI), aged 4-20 years at onset and their parents. Parents and children (dependent on age) completed the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (PedsQL™ MFS), which measures general fatigue (GF), sleep/rest fatigue (SRF) and cognitive fatigue (CF). Additional assessments included the Child & Family Follow-up Survey (CFFS) and PedsQL™ 4.0 General Core Scales and sociodemographic and disease characteristics. Eighty-eight parents completed the PedsQL™ MFS 24-30 months after diagnosis, with 49/88 patients (56%) completing the child version. The median age of the patients was 11 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 7). There were 69 patients with TBI (16% moderate/severe TBI) and 19 patients with NTBI (16% moderate/severe NTBI). The median parent-reported and child-reported PedsQL™ MFS Total Scale Scores were 76.5 (SD = 16.4) and 78.5 (12.9), respectively (Spearman r = 0.450, p = 0.001). Apart from NTBI, increasing age and a single-parent household were significantly associated with more fatigue according to the parent-reported PedsQL™ MFS Total Score (and/or one or more sub-scale scores). Two years after onset, in particular, the parent-reported fatigue after NTBI was considerable. Moreover, older children and children from a single-parent household were found to have higher fatigue levels.

Cluster-randomized xylitol toothpaste trial for early childhood caries prevention.

PubMed

Chi, Donald L; Tut, Ohnmar; Milgrom, Peter

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of supervised tooth-brushing with xylitol toothpaste to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) and reduce mutans streptococci. In this cluster-randomized efficacy trial, 196 four- to five-year-old children in four Head Start classrooms in the Marshall Islands were randomly assigned to supervised toothbrushing with 1,400 ppm/31 percent fluoride xylitol or 1,450 ppm fluoride sorbitol toothpaste. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in efficacy between the two types of toothpaste. The primary outcome was the surface-level primary molar caries increment (d(2-3)mfs) after six months. A single examiner was blinded to classroom assignments. Two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-xylitol group (85 children), and two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-sorbitol group (83 children). The child-level analyses accounted for clustering. There was no difference between the two groups in baseline or end-of-trial mean d(2-3)mfs. The mean d(2-3)mfs increment was greater in the fluoride-xylitol group compared to the fluoride-sorbitol group (2.5 and 1.4 d(2-3)mfs, respectively), but the difference was not significant (95% confidence interval: -0.17, 2.37; P=.07). No adverse effects were reported. After six months, brushing with a low-strength xylitol/fluoride tooth-paste is no more efficacious in reducing ECC than a fluoride-only toothpaste in a high caries-risk child population.

De Novo Paternal FBN1 Mutation Detected in Embryos Before Implantation.

PubMed

Wang, Shuling; Niu, Ziru; Wang, Hui; Ma, Minyue; Zhang, Wei; Fang Wang, Shu; Wang, Jun; Yan, Hong; Liu, Yifan; Duan, Na; Zhang, Xiandong; Yao, Yuanqing

2017-06-26

BACKGROUND Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the Fibrillin (FBN)1 gene and characterized by disorders in the cardiovascular, skeletal, and visual systems. The diversity of mutations and phenotypic heterogeneity of MFS make prenatal molecular diagnoses difficult. In this study, we used pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to identify the pathogenic mutation in a male patient with MFS and to determine whether his offspring would be free of the disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS The history and pedigree of the proband were analyzed. Mutation analysis was performed on the couple and immediate family members. The couple chose IVF treatment and 4 blastocysts were biopsied. PGD was carried out by targeted high-throughput sequencing of the FBN1 gene in the embryos, along with single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotyping. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the causative mutation. RESULTS c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) was identified as the de novo likely pathogenic mutation in the proband. Whole-genome amplification and sequencing of the 3 embryos revealed that they did not carry the mutation, and 1 blastocyst was transferred back to the uterus. The amniocentesis test result analyzed by Sanger sequencing confirmed the PGD. A premature but healthy infant free of heart malformations was born. CONCLUSIONS The de novo mutation c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) in FBN1 was identified in a Chinese patient with MFS. Embryos without the mutation were identified by PGD and resulted in a successful pregnancy.

Cluster-randomized xylitol toothpaste trial for early childhood caries prevention

PubMed Central

Chi, Donald L.; Tut, Ohnmar K.; Milgrom, Peter

2013-01-01

Purpose We assessed the efficacy of supervised toothbrushing with xylitol toothpaste to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) and to reduce mutans streptococci (MS). Methods In this cluster-randomized efficacy trial, 4 Head Start classrooms in the Marshall Islands were randomly assigned to supervised toothbrushing with 1,400ppm/31% fluoride-xylitol (Epic Dental, Provo, UT) or 1,450ppm fluoride-sorbitol toothpaste (Colgate-Palmolive, New York, NY) (N=196 children, ages 4–5 yrs). We hypothesized no difference in efficacy between the two types of toothpaste. The primary outcome was primary molar d2-3mfs increment after 6 mos. A single examiner was blinded to classroom assignments. Two classrooms were assigned to the fluoride-xylitol group (85 children) and 2 classrooms to the fluoride-sorbitol group (83 children). The child-level analyses accounted for clustering. Results There was no difference between the two groups in baseline or end-of-trial mean d2-3mfs. The mean d2-3mfs increment was greater in the fluoride-xylitol group compared to the fluoride-sorbitol group (2.5 and 1.4 d2-3mfs, respectively), but the difference was not significant (95% CI:−0.17, 2.37;P=0.07). No adverse effects were reported. Conclusion After 6 mos, brushing with a low strength xylitol/fluoride toothpaste is no more efficacious in reducing ECC than a fluoride only toothpaste in a high caries risk child population. PMID:24709430

Fifty hertz extremely low-frequency magnetic field exposure elicits redox and trophic response in rat-cortical neurons.

PubMed

Di Loreto, Silvia; Falone, Stefano; Caracciolo, Valentina; Sebastiani, Pierluigi; D'Alessandro, Antonella; Mirabilio, Alessandro; Zimmitti, Vincenzo; Amicarelli, Fernanda

2009-05-01

Large research activity has raised around the mechanisms of interaction between extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and biological systems. ELF-MFs may interfere with chemical reactions involving reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus facilitating oxidative damages in living cells. Cortical neurons are particularly susceptible to oxidative stressors and are also highly dependent on the specific factors and proteins governing neuronal development, activity and survival. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effects of exposures to two different 50 Hz sinusoidal ELF-MFs intensities (0.1 and 1 mT) in maturing rat cortical neurons' major anti-oxidative enzymatic and non-enzymatic cellular protection systems, membrane peroxidative damage, as well as growth factor, and cytokine expression pattern. Briefly, our results showed that ELF-MFs affected positively the cell viability and concomitantly reduced the levels of apoptotic death in rat neuronal primary cultures, with no significant effects on the main anti-oxidative defences. Interestingly, linear regression analysis suggested a positive correlation between reduced glutathione (GSH) and ROS levels in 1 mT MF-exposed cells. On this basis, our hypothesis is that GSH could play an important role in the antioxidant defence towards the ELF-MF-induced redox challenge. Moreover, the GSH-based cellular response was achieved together with a brain-derived neurotrophic factor over-expression as well as with the interleukin 1beta-dependent regulation of pro-survival signaling pathways after ELF-MF exposure.

Comparative study of the oral absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate and ferrous sulfate in humans.

PubMed

Contreras, Carlos; Barnuevo, María Dolores; Guillén, Isabel; Luque, Antonio; Lázaro, Elisabet; Espadaler, Jordi; López-Román, Javier; Villegas, José A

2014-01-01

Our objective was to compare the absorption of microencapsulated ferric saccharate (MFS) and ferrous sulfate (FS) in a fortified milk product, using a crossover design. Seventeen non-iron-deficient healthy adults from both sexes participated in the study. On each intervention day (days 1 and 8), after an overnight fast, the volunteers consumed one type of product (test or control) and blood sampling was carried out at different times. The interventions days were separated by 7-day washout periods. This study was double blinded, crossover and randomized for nature of the test meals. The primary outcomes of the study were total serum iron and transferrin saturation. No significant differences could be observed in serum iron concentration during the 6-h postprandial study due to the type of milk product consumed, and there was neither an effect of time nor an interaction between the type of milk product and time. Transferrin saturation significantly increased after the intake of both products (P < 0.005), reaching a peak value between hours 2 and 4. No significant differences were detected between MFS and FS, indicating that iron absorption from MFS is equivalent to absorption from FS. MFS is a new ingredient that allows the fortification of a wide range of food products, including heat-processed and non-acidic products with similar absorption to FS, designed to produce neither organoleptic changes nor off-color development during storage of fortified food.

Revisiting special relativity: a natural algebraic alternative to Minkowski spacetime.

PubMed

Chappell, James M; Iqbal, Azhar; Iannella, Nicolangelo; Abbott, Derek

2012-01-01

Minkowski famously introduced the concept of a space-time continuum in 1908, merging the three dimensions of space with an imaginary time dimension [Formula: see text], with the unit imaginary producing the correct spacetime distance [Formula: see text], and the results of Einstein's then recently developed theory of special relativity, thus providing an explanation for Einstein's theory in terms of the structure of space and time. As an alternative to a planar Minkowski space-time of two space dimensions and one time dimension, we replace the unit imaginary [Formula: see text], with the Clifford bivector [Formula: see text] for the plane that also squares to minus one, but which can be included without the addition of an extra dimension, as it is an integral part of the real Cartesian plane with the orthonormal basis [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We find that with this model of planar spacetime, using a two-dimensional Clifford multivector, the spacetime metric and the Lorentz transformations follow immediately as properties of the algebra. This also leads to momentum and energy being represented as components of a multivector and we give a new efficient derivation of Compton's scattering formula, and a simple formulation of Dirac's and Maxwell's equations. Based on the mathematical structure of the multivector, we produce a semi-classical model of massive particles, which can then be viewed as the origin of the Minkowski spacetime structure and thus a deeper explanation for relativistic effects. We also find a new perspective on the nature of time, which is now given a precise mathematical definition as the bivector of the plane.

Revisiting Special Relativity: A Natural Algebraic Alternative to Minkowski Spacetime

PubMed Central

Chappell, James M.; Iqbal, Azhar; Iannella, Nicolangelo; Abbott, Derek

2012-01-01

Minkowski famously introduced the concept of a space-time continuum in 1908, merging the three dimensions of space with an imaginary time dimension , with the unit imaginary producing the correct spacetime distance , and the results of Einstein’s then recently developed theory of special relativity, thus providing an explanation for Einstein’s theory in terms of the structure of space and time. As an alternative to a planar Minkowski space-time of two space dimensions and one time dimension, we replace the unit imaginary , with the Clifford bivector for the plane that also squares to minus one, but which can be included without the addition of an extra dimension, as it is an integral part of the real Cartesian plane with the orthonormal basis and . We find that with this model of planar spacetime, using a two-dimensional Clifford multivector, the spacetime metric and the Lorentz transformations follow immediately as properties of the algebra. This also leads to momentum and energy being represented as components of a multivector and we give a new efficient derivation of Compton’s scattering formula, and a simple formulation of Dirac’s and Maxwell’s equations. Based on the mathematical structure of the multivector, we produce a semi-classical model of massive particles, which can then be viewed as the origin of the Minkowski spacetime structure and thus a deeper explanation for relativistic effects. We also find a new perspective on the nature of time, which is now given a precise mathematical definition as the bivector of the plane. PMID:23300566

Phase contrast imaging X-ray computed tomography: quantitative characterization of human patellar cartilage matrix with topological and geometrical features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagarajan, Mahesh B.; Coan, Paola; Huber, Markus B.; Diemoz, Paul C.; Wismüller, Axel

2014-03-01

Current assessment of cartilage is primarily based on identification of indirect markers such as joint space narrowing and increased subchondral bone density on x-ray images. In this context, phase contrast CT imaging (PCI-CT) has recently emerged as a novel imaging technique that allows a direct examination of chondrocyte patterns and their correlation to osteoarthritis through visualization of cartilage soft tissue. This study investigates the use of topological and geometrical approaches for characterizing chondrocyte patterns in the radial zone of the knee cartilage matrix in the presence and absence of osteoarthritic damage. For this purpose, topological features derived from Minkowski Functionals and geometric features derived from the Scaling Index Method (SIM) were extracted from 842 regions of interest (ROI) annotated on PCI-CT images of healthy and osteoarthritic specimens of human patellar cartilage. The extracted features were then used in a machine learning task involving support vector regression to classify ROIs as healthy or osteoarthritic. Classification performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). The best classification performance was observed with high-dimensional geometrical feature vectors derived from SIM (0.95 ± 0.06) which outperformed all Minkowski Functionals (p < 0.001). These results suggest that such quantitative analysis of chondrocyte patterns in human patellar cartilage matrix involving SIM-derived geometrical features can distinguish between healthy and osteoarthritic tissue with high accuracy.

The imprint of f(R) gravity on weak gravitational lensing - II. Information content in cosmic shear statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirasaki, Masato; Nishimichi, Takahiro; Li, Baojiu; Higuchi, Yuichi

2017-04-01

We investigate the information content of various cosmic shear statistics on the theory of gravity. Focusing on the Hu-Sawicki-type f(R) model, we perform a set of ray-tracing simulations and measure the convergence bispectrum, peak counts and Minkowski functionals. We first show that while the convergence power spectrum does have sensitivity to the current value of extra scalar degree of freedom |fR0|, it is largely compensated by a change in the present density amplitude parameter σ8 and the matter density parameter Ωm0. With accurate covariance matrices obtained from 1000 lensing simulations, we then examine the constraining power of the three additional statistics. We find that these probes are indeed helpful to break the parameter degeneracy, which cannot be resolved from the power spectrum alone. We show that especially the peak counts and Minkowski functionals have the potential to rigorously (marginally) detect the signature of modified gravity with the parameter |fR0| as small as 10-5 (10-6) if we can properly model them on small (˜1 arcmin) scale in a future survey with a sky coverage of 1500 deg2. We also show that the signal level is similar among the additional three statistics and all of them provide complementary information to the power spectrum. These findings indicate the importance of combining multiple probes beyond the standard power spectrum analysis to detect possible modifications to general relativity.

Texture classification using non-Euclidean Minkowski dilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florindo, Joao B.; Bruno, Odemir M.

2018-03-01

This study presents a new method to extract meaningful descriptors of gray-scale texture images using Minkowski morphological dilation based on the Lp metric. The proposed approach is motivated by the success previously achieved by Bouligand-Minkowski fractal descriptors on texture classification. In essence, such descriptors are directly derived from the morphological dilation of a three-dimensional representation of the gray-level pixels using the classical Euclidean metric. In this way, we generalize the dilation for different values of p in the Lp metric (Euclidean is a particular case when p = 2) and obtain the descriptors from the cumulated distribution of the distance transform computed over the texture image. The proposed method is compared to other state-of-the-art approaches (such as local binary patterns and textons for example) in the classification of two benchmark data sets (UIUC and Outex). The proposed descriptors outperformed all the other approaches in terms of rate of images correctly classified. The interesting results suggest the potential of these descriptors in this type of task, with a wide range of possible applications to real-world problems.

Quantum heating as an alternative of reheating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhmedov, Emil T.; Bascone, Francesco

2018-02-01

To model a realistic situation for the beginning we consider massive real scalar ϕ4 theory in a (1 +1 )-dimensional asymptotically static Minkowski spacetime with an intermediate stage of expansion. To have an analytic headway we assume that scalars have a big mass. At past and future infinities of the background we have flat Minkowski regions which are joint by the inflationary expansion region. We use the tree-level Keldysh propagator in the theory in question to calculate the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor which is, thus, due to the excitations of the zero-point fluctuations. Then we show that even for large mass, if the de Sitter expansion stage is long enough, the quantum loop corrections to the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor are not negligible in comparison with the tree-level contribution. That is revealed itself via the excitation of the higher-point fluctuations of the exact modes: during the expansion stage a nonzero particle number density for the exact modes is generated. This density is not Planckian and serves as a quench which leads to a thermalization in the out Minkowski stage.

Spectral geometry of {kappa}-Minkowski space

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Andrea, Francesco

After recalling Snyder's idea [Phys. Rev. 71, 38 (1947)] of using vector fields over a smooth manifold as 'coordinates on a noncommutative space', we discuss a two-dimensional toy-model whose 'dual' noncommutative coordinates form a Lie algebra: this is the well-known {kappa}-Minkowski space [Phys. Lett. B 334, 348 (1994)]. We show how to improve Snyder's idea using the tools of quantum groups and noncommutative geometry. We find a natural representation of the coordinate algebra of {kappa}-Minkowski as linear operators on an Hilbert space (a major problem in the construction of a physical theory), study its 'spectral properties', and discuss how tomore » obtain a Dirac operator for this space. We describe two Dirac operators. The first is associated with a spectral triple. We prove that the cyclic integral of Dimitrijevic et al. [Eur. Phys. J. C 31, 129 (2003)] can be obtained as Dixmier trace associated to this triple. The second Dirac operator is equivariant for the action of the quantum Euclidean group, but it has unbounded commutators with the algebra.« less

Isolated Minkowski vacua, and stability analysis for an extended brane in the rugby ball

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Himmetoǧlu, Burak; Peloso, Marco

2007-06-01

We study a recently proposed model, where a codimension one brane is wrapped around the axis of symmetry of an internal two-dimensional space compactified by a flux. This construction is free from the problems which plague delta-like, codimension two branes, where only tension can be present. In contrast, arbitrary fields can be localized on this extended brane, and their gravitational interaction is standard 4d gravity at large distances. In the first part of this work, we study the de Sitter (dS) vacua of the model. The landscape of these vacua is characterized by discrete points labeled by two integer numbers, related to the flux responsible for the compactification and to the current of a brane field. A Minkowski external space emerges only for a special ratio between these two integers, and it is therefore (topologically) isolated from the nearby dS solutions. In the second part, we show that the Minkowski vacua are stable under the most generic axially-symmetric perturbations, and we argue that this is sufficient to ensure the overall stability.

Truncated C-terminus of fibrillin-1 induces Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy (MPL) syndrome in rabbit.

PubMed

Chen, Mao; Yao, Bing; Yang, Qiangbing; Deng, Jichao; Song, Yuning; Sui, Tingting; Zhou, Lina; Yao, HaoBing; Xu, Yuanyuan; Ouyang, Hongsheng; Pang, Daxin; Li, Zhanjun; Lai, Liangxue

2018-04-09

Various clinical differences have been observed between patients with the FBN1 gene mutation and those with the classical Marfan phenotype. Although FBN1 knockout (KO) or dominant-negative mutant mice are widely used as an animal model for Marfan syndrome (MFS), these mice cannot recapitulate the genotype/phenotype relationship of Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy (MPL) syndrome, which is caused by a mutation in the C-terminus of fibrillin-1, the penultimate exon of the FBN1 gene. Here, we describe the generation of a rabbit MPL model with C-terminal truncation of fibrillin-1 using a CRISPR/Cas9 system. FBN1 heterozygous ( FBN1 Het) rabbits faithfully recapitulated the phenotypes of MFS, including muscle wasting and impaired connective tissue, ocular syndrome and aortic dilation. Moreover, skin symptoms, lipodystrophy, growth retardation and dysglycemia were also seen in these FBN1 Het rabbits, and have not been reported in other animal models. In conclusion, this novel rabbit model mimics the histopathological changes and functional defects of MPL syndrome, and could become a valuable model for studies of pathogenesis and drug screening for MPL syndrome. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

MARSnet: Mission-aware Autonomous Radar Sensor Network for Future Combat Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-31

Deviation Consider the case of a Gaussian primary MF having a fixed mean, ml, and an uncertain standard deviation that takes on values in [ai, 2]’ i.e...fuzzy set, so thatR k --* AXk (k = 1,... ,p), the upper and lower MFs of Pkk merge into one MF, AXk (Xk), in which case Theorem 1 simplifies to: Corollary...the upper and lower MFs of A k(Xk) merge into one crisp value, namely 1, in which case Theorem 1 simplifies further to: Corollary 2 In a favor weak

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gelinck, G. H., E-mail: Gerwin.Gelinck@tno.nl; Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven; Breemen, A. J. J. M. van

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

Solution of second order supersymmetrical intertwining relations in Minkowski plane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ioffe, M. V., E-mail: m.ioffe@spbu.ru; Kolevatova, E. V., E-mail: e.v.kolev@yandex.ru; Nishnianidze, D. N., E-mail: cutaisi@yahoo.com

2016-08-15

Supersymmetrical (SUSY) intertwining relations are generalized to the case of quantum Hamiltonians in Minkowski space. For intertwining operators (supercharges) of second order in derivatives, the intertwined Hamiltonians correspond to completely integrable systems with the symmetry operators of fourth order in momenta. In terms of components, the intertwining relations correspond to the system of nonlinear differential equations which are solvable with the simplest—constant—ansatzes for the “metric” matrix in second order part of the supercharges. The corresponding potentials are built explicitly both for diagonalizable and nondiagonalizable form of “metric” matrices, and their properties are discussed.

Space-Time, Phenomenology, and the Picture Theory of Language

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grelland, Hans Herlof

To estimate Minkowski's introduction of space-time in relativity, the case is made for the view that abstract language and mathematics carries meaning not only by its connections with observation but as pictures of facts. This view is contrasted to the more traditional intuitionism of Hume, Mach, and Husserl. Einstein's attempt at a conceptual reconstruction of space and time as well as Husserl's analysis of the loss of meaning in science through increasing abstraction is analysed. Wittgenstein's picture theory of language is used to explain how meaning is conveyed by abstract expressions, with the Minkowski space as a case.

Entanglement of the vacuum between left, right, future, and past: The origin of entanglement-induced quantum radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Atsushi; Iso, Satoshi; Ueda, Kazushige; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro

2017-10-01

The Minkowski vacuum state is expressed as an entangled state between the left and right Rindler wedges when it is constructed on the Rindler vacuum. In this paper, we further examine the entanglement structure and extend the expression to the future (expanding) and past (shrinking) Kasner spacetimes. This clarifies the origin of the quantum radiation produced by an Unruh-DeWitt detector in uniformly accelerated motion in the four-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. We also investigate the two-dimensional massless case where the quantum radiation vanishes but the same entanglement structure exists.

Exhumation History of an Oblique Plate Boundary: Investigating Kaikoura Mountain-building within the Marlborough Fault System, NE South Island New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collett, C.; Duvall, A. R.; Flowers, R. M.; Tucker, G. E.

2015-12-01

The Kaikoura Mountains stand high as topographic anomalies in the oblique Pacific-Australian plate boundary zone known as the Marlborough Fault System (MFS), NE South Island New Zealand. The base of both the Inland and Seaward Kaikoura Ranges are bound on the SE by major, steeply NW-dipping, right lateral, active strike-slips (Clarence and Hope faults of the MFS, respectively). Previous geologic mapping, observations of predominantly horizontal fault slip at the surface from GPS and offset Quaternary deposits, and uplift of marine terraces, provide evidence for shortening and mountain-building via distributed deformation off of the main MFS strike-slip faults. However, quantitative estimates of the magnitude and spatial patterns of exhumation and of the timing of mountain-building in the Kaikouras are needed to understand more fully the nature of oblique deformation in the MFS. We present new apatite and zircon (U-Th)/He ages from opposite sides of the Hope and Clarence faults, spanning over 2 km of relief within the Kaikoura Mountains to identify spatial and temporal changes in exhumation rates in relation to the adjacent faults. Young (~3 Ma) apatite He ages and rapid (potentially > 1 mm/yr) exhumation rates from opposite sides of the faults are consistent with previously mentioned evidence of recent, regional, distributed deformation off of the main MFS faults. Moreover, early Miocene zircon He ages imply that parts of this region experienced an earlier phase of fault-related exhumation. Large changes in zircon He ages across the faults from ~20 Ma to > 100 Ma support hypotheses that portions of the Marlborough Faults may be re-activated, early Miocene thrusts. The zircon data are also consistent with the hypothesis of an early Miocene initiation of the oblique Pacific-Australian plate boundary in this region. Evidence for this comes from a change in sedimentation during this time from fine marine sediments to coarse, terrigenous conglomerates. Observing more than one phase of deformation in this active, oblique tectonic setting provides a new quantitative assessment of the evolution of the Pacific-Australian plate boundary in this region and how the accommodation of deformation may change over time.

Validation of Fall Risk Assessment Specific to the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Setting.

PubMed

Thomas, Dan; Pavic, Andrea; Bisaccia, Erin; Grotts, Jonathan

2016-09-01

To evaluate and compare the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and the Casa Colina Fall Risk Assessment Scale (CCFRA) for identification of patients at risk for falling in an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility. The primary objective of this study was to perform a retrospective validation study of the CCFRAS, specifically for use in the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) setting. Retrospective validation study. The study was approved under expedited review by the local Institutional Review Board. Data were collected on all patients admitted to Cottage Rehabiliation Hospital (CRH), a 38-bed acute inpatient rehabilitation hospital, from March 2012 to August 2013. Patients were excluded from the study if they had a length of stay less than 3 days or age less than 18. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and the diagnostic odds ratio were used to examine the differences between the MFS and CCFRAS. AUC between fall scales was compared using the DeLong Test. There were 931 patients included in the study with 62 (6.7%) patient falls. The average age of the population was 68.8 with 503 males (51.2%). The AUC was 0.595 and 0.713 for the MFS and CCFRAS, respectively (0.006). The diagnostic odds ratio of the MFS was 2.0 and 3.6 for the CCFRAS using the recommended cutoffs of 45 for the MFS and 80 for the CCFRAS. The CCFRAS appears to be a better tool in detecting fallers vs. nonfallers specific to the IRF setting. The assessment and identification of patients at high risk for falling is important to implement specific precautions and care for these patients to reduce their risk of falling. The CCFRAS is more clinically relevant in identifying patients at high risk for falling in the IRF setting compared to other fall risk assessments. Implementation of this scale may lead to a reduction in fall rate and injuries from falls as it more appropriately identifies patients at high risk for falling. © 2015 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Hyperboloidal evolution of test fields in three spatial dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zenginoǧlu, Anıl; Kidder, Lawrence E.

2010-06-01

We present the numerical implementation of a clean solution to the outer boundary and radiation extraction problems within the 3+1 formalism for hyperbolic partial differential equations on a given background. Our approach is based on compactification at null infinity in hyperboloidal scri fixing coordinates. We report numerical tests for the particular example of a scalar wave equation on Minkowski and Schwarzschild backgrounds. We address issues related to the implementation of the hyperboloidal approach for the Einstein equations, such as nonlinear source functions, matching, and evaluation of formally singular terms at null infinity.

Information processing in the hemisphere of the cerebellar cortex for control of wrist movement

PubMed Central

Tomatsu, Saeka; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Tsunoda, Yoshiaki; Lee, Jongho; Hoffman, Donna S.

2015-01-01

A region of cerebellar lobules V and VI makes strong loop connections with the primary motor (M1) and premotor (PM) cortical areas and is assumed to play essential roles in limb motor control. To examine its functional role, we compared the activities of its input, intermediate, and output elements, i.e., mossy fibers (MFs), Golgi cells (GoCs), and Purkinje cells (PCs), in three monkeys performing wrist movements in two different forearm postures. The results revealed distinct steps of information processing. First, MF activities displayed temporal and directional properties that were remarkably similar to those of M1/PM neurons, suggesting that MFs relay near copies of outputs from these motor areas. Second, all GoCs had a stereotyped pattern of activity independent of movement direction or forearm posture. Instead, GoC activity resembled an average of all MF activities. Therefore, inhibitory GoCs appear to provide a filtering function that passes only prominently modulated MF inputs to granule cells. Third, PCs displayed highly complex spatiotemporal patterns of activity, with coordinate frames distinct from those of MF inputs and directional tuning that changed abruptly before movement onset. The complexity of PC activities may reflect rapidly changing properties of the peripheral motor apparatus during movement. Overall, the cerebellar cortex appears to transform a representation of outputs from M1/PM into different movement representations in a posture-dependent manner and could work as part of a forward model that predicts the state of the peripheral motor apparatus. PMID:26467515

DC magnetic fields from the human body generally: a historical overview.

PubMed

Cohen, D

2004-11-30

A review is presented of the earliest dc magnetic field (dcMF) measurements, made between 1969 and 1983, due to natural currents in the body. The measurements were essentially a mapping over the whole body, except for the brain (dcMEG), which was omitted because of interfering non-neural sources in the head. This mapping can be useful today in interpreting new measurements over the body, especially dcMEG data, where the new authors assume only a neural source in the head; our mapping suggests that this assumption may be in error. Briefly, in our mapping, dcMFs were found over almost the entire body; they were larger over the limbs and head than over the torso proper except over the abdomen, where it was usually the largest in the body Some of the sources were: 1. A strong and complicated reflex in the abdomen due to drinking cold water, suggesting that other dcMF reflexes might be common in the body. 2. Long muscle fibers in the limbs, suggesting sources also in scalp muscles. 3. Hair follicles due to touching the scalp; these sources could also exist, unrecognized, in recent dcMEG whole-head measurements. 4. Injury currents from the ischemic human heart, suggesting dcMFs could arise from injured muscle in the body generally. One major mechanism for producing dcMFs appeared to be a change in the potassium ion concentration in the vicinity of long excitable fibers. Overall, we concluded that the dcMFs were complicated, and it may be difficult to identify each source, especially in the head.

Aortic events in a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort.

PubMed

Groth, Kristian A; Stochholm, Kirstine; Hove, Hanne; Kyhl, Kasper; Gregersen, Pernille A; Vejlstrup, Niels; Østergaard, John R; Gravholt, Claus H; Andersen, Niels H

2017-02-01

Marfan syndrome is associated with morbidity and mortality due to aortic dilatation and dissection. Preventive aortic root replacement has been the standard treatment in Marfan syndrome patients with aortic dilatation. In this study, we present aortic event data from a nationwide Marfan syndrome cohort. The nationwide cohort of Danish Marfan syndrome patients was established from the Danish National Patient Registry and the Cause of Death Register, where we retrieved information about aortic surgery and dissections. We associated aortic events with age, sex, and Marfan syndrome diagnosis prior or after the first aortic event. From the total cohort of 412 patients, 150 (36.4 %) had an aortic event. Fifty percent were event free at age 49.6. Eighty patients (53.3 %) had prophylactic surgery and seventy patients (46.7 %) a dissection. The yearly event rate was 0.02 events/year/patient in the period 1994-2014. Male patients had a significant higher risk of an aortic event at a younger age with a hazard ratio of 1.75 (CI 1.26-2.42, p = 0.001) compared with women. Fifty-three patients (12.9 %) were diagnosed with MFS after their first aortic event which primarily was aortic dissection [n = 44 (83.0 %)]. More than a third of MFS patients experienced an aortic event and male patients had significantly more aortic events than females. More than half of the total number of dissections was in patients undiagnosed with MFS at the time of their event. This emphasizes that diagnosing MFS is lifesaving and improves mortality risk by reducing the risk of aorta dissection.

Fatigue in adults with Marfan syndrome, occurrence and associations to pain and other factors.

PubMed

Bathen, Trine; Velvin, Gry; Rand-Hendriksen, Svend; Robinson, Hilde Stendal

2014-08-01

This study aims to investigate how fatigue affects adults with verified Marfan syndrome (MFS) in their daily lives, by examining fatigue levels and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and individuals with other comparable chronic conditions. We investigated associations between socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems, pain and fatigue. A cross-sectional study was conducted, using a postal questionnaire including the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and questions on socio-demographic characteristics, Marfan-related health problems and pain. One hundred seventeen persons with MFS were invited to participate, 73 answered (62%). Participants reported significantly higher FSS scores and prevalence of severe fatigue compared to the general Norwegian population and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but lower than for other chronic conditions. Participants with chronic pain reported higher fatigue scores than those without chronic pain. Participants on disability benefits reported higher fatigue scores than participants who were working or enrolled in higher education. Marfan-related health problems like aortic dissection and use of blood pressure medication were not significantly associated with fatigue. In multivariable regression analyses chronic pain and employment status were significantly associated with fatigue. The final multivariable model explained 24% of the variance in fatigue scores. Our results show that fatigue is common in MFS patients and that it interferes with their daily lives. Chronic pain and employment status show significant associations to fatigue. This implies that fatigue is important to address when meeting MFS patients in clinical practice. There is need for more research on fatigue in Marfan syndrome. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biosensing with Quantum Dots: A Microfluidic Approach

PubMed Central

Vannoy, Charles H.; Tavares, Anthony J.; Noor, M. Omair; Uddayasankar, Uvaraj; Krull, Ulrich J.

2011-01-01

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have served as the basis for signal development in a variety of biosensing technologies and in applications using bioprobes. The use of QDs as physical platforms to develop biosensors and bioprobes has attracted considerable interest. This is largely due to the unique optical properties of QDs that make them excellent choices as donors in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and well suited for optical multiplexing. The large majority of QD-based bioprobe and biosensing technologies that have been described operate in bulk solution environments, where selective binding events at the surface of QDs are often associated with relatively long periods to reach a steady-state signal. An alternative approach to the design of biosensor architectures may be provided by a microfluidic system (MFS). A MFS is able to integrate chemical and biological processes into a single platform and allows for manipulation of flow conditions to achieve, by sample transport and mixing, reaction rates that are not entirely diffusion controlled. Integrating assays in a MFS provides numerous additional advantages, which include the use of very small amounts of reagents and samples, possible sample processing before detection, ultra-high sensitivity, high throughput, short analysis time, and in situ monitoring. Herein, a comprehensive review is provided that addresses the key concepts and applications of QD-based microfluidic biosensors with an added emphasis on how this combination of technologies provides for innovations in bioassay designs. Examples from the literature are used to highlight the many advantages of biosensing in a MFS and illustrate the versatility that such a platform offers in the design strategy. PMID:22163723

Advanced morphological analysis of patterns of thin anodic porous alumina

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toccafondi, C.; Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Department of Nanostructures, Via Morego 30, Genova I 16163; Stępniowski, W.J.

2014-08-15

Different conditions of fabrication of thin anodic porous alumina on glass substrates have been explored, obtaining two sets of samples with varying pore density and porosity, respectively. The patterns of pores have been imaged by high resolution scanning electron microscopy and analyzed by innovative methods. The regularity ratio has been extracted from radial profiles of the fast Fourier transforms of the images. Additionally, the Minkowski measures have been calculated. It was first observed that the regularity ratio averaged across all directions is properly corrected by the coefficient previously determined in the literature. Furthermore, the angularly averaged regularity ratio for themore » thin porous alumina made during short single-step anodizations is lower than that of hexagonal patterns of pores as for thick porous alumina from aluminum electropolishing and two-step anodization. Therefore, the regularity ratio represents a reliable measure of pattern order. At the same time, the lower angular spread of the regularity ratio shows that disordered porous alumina is more isotropic. Within each set, when changing either pore density or porosity, both regularity and isotropy remain rather constant, showing consistent fabrication quality of the experimental patterns. Minor deviations are tentatively discussed with the aid of the Minkowski measures, and the slight decrease in both regularity and isotropy for the final data-points of the porosity set is ascribed to excess pore opening and consequent pore merging. - Highlights: • Thin porous alumina is partly self-ordered and pattern analysis is required. • Regularity ratio is often misused: we fix the averaging and consider its spread. • We also apply the mathematical tool of Minkowski measures, new in this field. • Regularity ratio shows pattern isotropy and Minkowski helps in assessment. • General agreement with perfect artificial patterns confirms the good manufacturing.« less

Identification of FBN1 gene mutations in patients with ectopia lentis and marfanoid habitus

PubMed Central

Comeglio, P; Evans, A L; Brice, G; Cooling, R J; Child, A H

2002-01-01

Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS), inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, typically affects the cardiovascular, skeletal, and ocular systems. Ectopia lentis (EL) is a clinical manifestation of MFS, with stretching or disruption of the lenticular zonular filaments, leading to displacement of the lenses. EL, with or without minor skeletal changes, exists as an independent autosomal dominant phenotype linked to the same FBN1 locus. Methods: A consecutive series of 11 patients, affected predominantly by EL, was analysed for FBN1 mutations using PCR, SSCA, and sequencing. Results: Six mutations were identified, of which three are novel and one is recurrent in two patients, thus establishing a mutation incidence in this group of 7/11 (63%). Conclusion: The FBN1 variants reported are clustered in the first 15 exons of the gene, while FBN1 mutations reported in the literature are distributed throughout the entire length of the gene. A different type of FBN1 mutation presents in this group of patients, compared with MFS, with arginine to cysteine substitutions appearing frequently. PMID:12446365

B-doped diamond field-effect transistor with ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene gate insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karaya, Ryota; Baba, Ikki; Mori, Yosuke; Matsumoto, Tsubasa; Nakajima, Takashi; Tokuda, Norio; Kawae, Takeshi

2017-10-01

A B-doped diamond field-effect transistor (FET) with a ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (VDF-TrFE) copolymer gate insulator was fabricated. The VDF-TrFE film deposited on the B-doped diamond showed good insulating and ferroelectric properties. Also, a Pt/VDF-TrFE/B-doped diamond layered structure showed ideal behavior as a metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) capacitor, and the memory window width was 11 V, when the gate voltage was swept from 20 to -20 V. The fabricated MFS-type FET structure showed the typical properties of a depletion-type p-channel FET and a maximum drain current density of 0.87 mA/mm at room temperature. The drain current versus gate voltage curves of the proposed FET showed a clockwise hysteresis loop owing to the ferroelectricity of the VDF-TrFE gate insulator. In addition, we demonstrated the logic inverter with the MFS-type diamond FET coupled with a load resistor, and obtained the inversion behavior of the input signal and a maximum gain of 18.4 for the present circuit.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pramanik, Souvik, E-mail: souvick.in@gmail.com; Ghosh, Subir, E-mail: subir_ghosh2@rediffmail.com; Pal, Probir, E-mail: probirkumarpal@rediffmail.com

In the present paper, dynamics of generalized charged particles are studied in the presence of external electromagnetic interactions. This particular extension of the free relativistic particle model lives in Non-Commutative κ-Minkowski space–time, compatible with Doubly Special Relativity, that is motivated to describe Quantum Gravity effects. Furthermore we have also considered the electromagnetic field to be dynamical and have derived the modified forms of Lienard–Wiechert like potentials for these extended charged particle models. In all the above cases we exploit the new and extended form of κ-Minkowski algebra where electromagnetic effects are incorporated in the lowest order, in the Dirac frameworkmore » of Hamiltonian constraint analysis.« less

Tuning the cosmological constant, broken scale invariance, unitarity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Förste, Stefan; Manz, Paul; Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn,Nussallee 12, 53115 Bonn

2016-06-10

We study gravity coupled to a cosmological constant and a scale but not conformally invariant sector. In Minkowski vacuum, scale invariance is spontaneously broken. We consider small fluctuations around the Minkowski vacuum. At the linearised level we find that the trace of metric perturbations receives a positive or negative mass squared contribution. However, only for the Fierz-Pauli combination the theory is free of ghosts. The mass term for the trace of metric perturbations can be cancelled by explicitly breaking scale invariance. This reintroduces fine-tuning. Models based on four form field strength show similarities with explicit scale symmetry breaking due tomore » quantisation conditions.« less

THE VMC SURVEY. XVIII. RADIAL DEPENDENCE OF THE LOW-MASS, 0.55–0.82 M{sub ⊙} STELLAR MASS FUNCTION IN THE GALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER 47 TUCANAE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Chaoli; Li, Chengyuan; De Grijs, Richard

2015-12-20

We use near-infrared observations obtained as part of the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) Survey of the Magellanic Clouds (VMC), as well as two complementary Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data sets, to study the luminosity and mass functions (MFs) as a function of clustercentric radius of the main-sequence stars in the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae. The HST observations indicate a relative deficit in the numbers of faint stars in the central region of the cluster compared with its periphery, for 18.75 ≤ m{sub F606W} ≤ 20.9 mag (corresponding to a stellar mass range of 0.55 < m{sub *}/M{sub ⊙} < 0.73). The stellar numbermore » counts at 6.′7 from the cluster core show a deficit for 17.62 ≤ m{sub F606W} ≤ 19.7 mag (i.e., 0.65 < m{sub *}/M{sub ⊙} < 0.82), which is consistent with expectations from mass segregation. The VMC-based stellar MFs exhibit power-law shapes for masses in the range 0.55 < m{sub *}/M{sub ⊙} < 0.82. These power laws are characterized by an almost constant slope, α. The radial distribution of the power-law slopes α thus shows evidence of the importance of both mass segregation and tidal stripping, for both the first- and second-generation stars in 47 Tuc.« less

Recurrent Miller Fisher syndrome.

PubMed

Madhavan, S; Geetha; Bhargavan, P V

2004-07-01

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a variant of Guillan Barre syndrome characterized by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia. Recurrences are exceptional with Miller Fisher syndrome. We are reporting a case with two episodes of MFS within two years. Initially he presented with partial ophthalmoplegia, ataxia. Second episode was characterized by full-blown presentation characterized by ataxia, areflexia and ophthalmoplegia. CSF analysis was typical during both episodes. Nerve conduction velocity study was fairly within normal limits. MRI of brain was within normal limits. He responded to symptomatic measures initially, then to steroids in the second episode. We are reporting the case due to its rarity.

Software and database for the analysis of mutations in the human FBN1 gene.

PubMed Central

Collod, G; Béroud, C; Soussi, T; Junien, C; Boileau, C

1996-01-01

Fibrillin is the major component of extracellular microfibrils. Mutations in the fibrillin gene on chromosome 15 (FBN1) were described at first in the heritable connective tissue disorder, Marfan syndrome (MFS). More recently, FBN1 has also been shown to harbor mutations related to a spectrum of conditions phenotypically related to MFS and many mutations will have to be accumulated before genotype/phenotype relationships emerge. To facilitate mutational analysis of the FBN1 gene, a software package along with a computerized database (currently listing 63 entries) have been created. PMID:8594563

Radiation forces and the Abraham-Minkowski problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brevik, Iver

2018-04-01

Recent years have witnessed a number of beautiful experiments in radiation optics. Our purpose with this paper is to highlight some developments of radiation pressure physics in general, and thereafter to focus on the importance of the mentioned experiments in regard to the classic Abraham-Minkowski problem. That means, what is the “correct” expression for electromagnetic momentum density in continuous matter. In our opinion, one often sees that authors over-interpret the importance of their experimental findings with respect to the momentum problem. Most of these experiments are actually unable to discriminate between these energy-momentum tensors at all, since they can be easily described in terms of force expressions that are common for Abraham and Minkowski. Moreover, we emphasize the inherent ambiguity in applying the formal conservation principles to the radiation field in a dielectric, the reason being that the electromagnetic field in matter is only a subsystem which has to be supplemented by the mechanical subsystem to be closed. Finally, we make some suggestions regarding the connection between macroscopic electrodynamics and the Casimir effect, suggesting that there is a limit for the magnitudes of the cutoff parameters in QFT related to surface tension in ordinary hydromechanics.

Adhesion kinetics of human primary monocytes, dendritic cells, and macrophages: Dynamic cell adhesion measurements with a label-free optical biosensor and their comparison with end-point assays.

PubMed

Orgovan, Norbert; Ungai-Salánki, Rita; Lukácsi, Szilvia; Sándor, Noémi; Bajtay, Zsuzsa; Erdei, Anna; Szabó, Bálint; Horvath, Robert

2016-09-01

Monocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), and macrophages (MFs) are closely related immune cells that differ in their main functions. These specific functions are, to a considerable degree, determined by the differences in the adhesion behavior of the cells. To study the inherently and essentially dynamic aspects of the adhesion of monocytes, DCs, and MFs, dynamic cell adhesion assays were performed with a high-throughput label-free optical biosensor [Epic BenchTop (BT)] on surfaces coated with either fibrinogen (Fgn) or the biomimetic copolymer PLL-g-PEG-RGD. Cell adhesion profiles typically reached their maximum at ∼60 min after cell seeding, which was followed by a monotonic signal decrease, indicating gradually weakening cell adhesion. According to the biosensor response, cell types could be ordered by increasing adherence as monocytes, MFs, and DCs. Notably, all three cell types induced a larger biosensor signal on Fgn than on PLL-g-PEG-RGD. To interpret this result, the molecular layers were characterized by further exploiting the potentials of the biosensor: by measuring the adsorption signal induced during the surface coating procedure, the authors could estimate the surface density of adsorbed molecules and, thus, the number of binding sites potentially presented for the adhesion receptors. Surfaces coated with PLL-g-PEG-RGD presented less RGD sites, but was less efficient in promoting cell spreading than those coated with Fgn; hence, other binding sites in Fgn played a more decisive role in determining cell adherence. To support the cell adhesion data obtained with the biosensor, cell adherence on Fgn-coated surfaces 30-60 min after cell seeding was measured with three complementary techniques, i.e., with (1) a fluorescence-based classical adherence assay, (2) a shear flow chamber applying hydrodynamic shear stress to wash cells away, and (3) an automated micropipette using vacuum-generated fluid flow to lift cells up. These techniques confirmed the results obtained with the high-temporal-resolution Epic BT, but could only provide end-point data. In contrast, complex, nonmonotonic cell adhesion kinetics measured by the high-throughput optical biosensor is expected to open a window on the hidden background of the immune cell-extracellular matrix interactions.

Characterization of healthy and osteoarthritic chondrocyte cell patterns on phase contrast CT images of the knee cartilage matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagarajan, Mahesh B.; Coan, Paola; Huber, Markus B.; Yang, Chien-Chun; Glaser, Christian; Reiser, Maximilian F.; Wismüller, Axel

2012-03-01

The current approach to evaluating cartilage degeneration at the knee joint requires visualization of the joint space on radiographic images where indirect cues such as joint space narrowing serve as markers for osteoarthritis. A recent novel approach to visualizing the knee cartilage matrix using phase contrast CT imaging (PCI-CT) was shown to allow direct examination of chondrocyte cell patterns and their subsequent correlation to osteoarthritis. This study aims to characterize chondrocyte cell patterns in the radial zone of the knee cartilage matrix in the presence and absence of osteoarthritic damage through both gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) derived texture features as well as Minkowski Functionals (MF). Thirteen GLCM and three MF texture features were extracted from 404 regions of interest (ROI) annotated on PCI images of healthy and osteoarthritic specimens of knee cartilage. These texture features were then used in a machine learning task to classify ROIs as healthy or osteoarthritic. A fuzzy k-nearest neighbor classifier was used and its performance was evaluated using the area under the ROC curve (AUC). The best classification performance was observed with the MF features 'perimeter' and 'Euler characteristic' and with GLCM correlation features (f3 and f13). With the experimental conditions used in this study, both Minkowski Functionals and GLCM achieved a high classification performance (AUC value of 0.97) in the task of distinguishing between health and osteoarthritic ROIs. These results show that such quantitative analysis of chondrocyte patterns in the knee cartilage matrix can distinguish between healthy and osteoarthritic tissue with high accuracy.

The role of Minkowski functionals in the thermodynamics of two-phase systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eder, Gerhard

2018-01-01

Within this work quite old concepts from integral geometry are applied to classical equilibrium thermodynamics of two-phase systems. In addition to the area as basic interfacial quantity the full geometric characterization of the interface is used, which includes the two remaining Minkowski functionals, the mean curvature integral and the Euler Poincaré characteristic. The basic energetic characteristic of the interface (i.e. the interfacial tension) is extended by two additional properties: edge force as (up to a factor 4/π) the work necessary to form a right-angled edge of unit length, and item energy as the work to form an additional item in the phase morphology. Both quantities are of increasing importance, when going to micro- and nano-scales. They are subsequently used for interfaces of arbitrary shape to derive a relationship extending the classical Young-Laplace equation. The supplementary contribution is proportional to the Gaussian curvature, with the edge force as proportionality constant. Furthermore, both edge force and item energy are shown to be applicable to the description of crystal nucleation in liquids (extending the classical Becker Döring theory). It turns out, that even above the thermodynamic melting temperature stable nuclei can be present in the liquid phase. They immediately are able to grow when quenched to a temperature below a characteristic temperature. This temperature of spontaneous homogeneous nucleation is simply connected to the edge force, whereas the number of stable clusters per unit volume is dominated by the item energy. Finally, the additional energetic interfacial properties are used in a similar way to characterize the stability of emulsions.

Impacts of Spontaneous Hot Flow Anomalies on the Magnetosheath and Magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omidi, N.; Berchem, J.; Sibeck, D.; Zhang, H.

2016-01-01

Spacecraft observations and global hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) simulations have demonstrated that ion dissipation processes at the quasi-parallel bow shock are associated with the formation of structures called spontaneous hot flow anomalies (SHFAs). Previous simulations and recent spacecraft observations have also established that SHFAs result in the formation of magnetosheath filamentary structures(MFS). In this paper we demonstrate that in addition to MFS, SHFAs also result in the formation of magnetos heath cavities that are associated with decreases in density, velocity, and magnetic field and enhancements in temperature. We use the results of a global MHD run to determine the change in the magnetosheath properties associated with cavities due to ion kinetic effects. The results also show the formation of regions of high flow speed called magnetosheath jets whose properties as a function of solar wind Mach number are described in this study. Comparing the properties of the simulated magnetosheath cavities and jets to past spacecraft observations provides good agreement in both cases. We also demonstrate that pressure variations associated with cavities and SHFAs in the sheath result in a continuous sunward and anti sunward magnetopause motion. This result is consistent with previous suggestions that SHFAs may be responsible for the generation of ion cyclotron waves and precipitation of ring current protons in the outer magnetosphere.

Accuracy enhancement for forecasting water levels of reservoirs and river streams using a multiple-input-pattern fuzzification approach.

PubMed

Valizadeh, Nariman; El-Shafie, Ahmed; Mirzaei, Majid; Galavi, Hadi; Mukhlisin, Muhammad; Jaafar, Othman

2014-01-01

Water level forecasting is an essential topic in water management affecting reservoir operations and decision making. Recently, modern methods utilizing artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, and combinations of these techniques have been used in hydrological applications because of their considerable ability to map an input-output pattern without requiring prior knowledge of the criteria influencing the forecasting procedure. The artificial neurofuzzy interface system (ANFIS) is one of the most accurate models used in water resource management. Because the membership functions (MFs) possess the characteristics of smoothness and mathematical components, each set of input data is able to yield the best result using a certain type of MF in the ANFIS models. The objective of this study is to define the different ANFIS model by applying different types of MFs for each type of input to forecast the water level in two case studies, the Klang Gates Dam and Rantau Panjang station on the Johor river in Malaysia, to compare the traditional ANFIS model with the new introduced one in two different situations, reservoir and stream, showing the new approach outweigh rather than the traditional one in both case studies. This objective is accomplished by evaluating the model fitness and performance in daily forecasting.

Spaceborne Processor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Schatzel, Donald V.; Whitaker, William D.; Sterling, Thomas

2008-01-01

A Spaceborne Processor Array in Multifunctional Structure (SPAMS) can lower the total mass of the electronic and structural overhead of spacecraft, resulting in reduced launch costs, while increasing the science return through dynamic onboard computing. SPAMS integrates the multifunctional structure (MFS) and the Gilgamesh Memory, Intelligence, and Network Device (MIND) multi-core in-memory computer architecture into a single-system super-architecture. This transforms every inch of a spacecraft into a sharable, interconnected, smart computing element to increase computing performance while simultaneously reducing mass. The MIND in-memory architecture provides a foundation for high-performance, low-power, and fault-tolerant computing. The MIND chip has an internal structure that includes memory, processing, and communication functionality. The Gilgamesh is a scalable system comprising multiple MIND chips interconnected to operate as a single, tightly coupled, parallel computer. The array of MIND components shares a global, virtual name space for program variables and tasks that are allocated at run time to the distributed physical memory and processing resources. Individual processor- memory nodes can be activated or powered down at run time to provide active power management and to configure around faults. A SPAMS system is comprised of a distributed Gilgamesh array built into MFS, interfaces into instrument and communication subsystems, a mass storage interface, and a radiation-hardened flight computer.

Accuracy Enhancement for Forecasting Water Levels of Reservoirs and River Streams Using a Multiple-Input-Pattern Fuzzification Approach

PubMed Central

Mirzaei, Majid; Jaafar, Othman

2014-01-01

Water level forecasting is an essential topic in water management affecting reservoir operations and decision making. Recently, modern methods utilizing artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, and combinations of these techniques have been used in hydrological applications because of their considerable ability to map an input-output pattern without requiring prior knowledge of the criteria influencing the forecasting procedure. The artificial neurofuzzy interface system (ANFIS) is one of the most accurate models used in water resource management. Because the membership functions (MFs) possess the characteristics of smoothness and mathematical components, each set of input data is able to yield the best result using a certain type of MF in the ANFIS models. The objective of this study is to define the different ANFIS model by applying different types of MFs for each type of input to forecast the water level in two case studies, the Klang Gates Dam and Rantau Panjang station on the Johor river in Malaysia, to compare the traditional ANFIS model with the new introduced one in two different situations, reservoir and stream, showing the new approach outweigh rather than the traditional one in both case studies. This objective is accomplished by evaluating the model fitness and performance in daily forecasting. PMID:24790567

Induction of myofibroblastic differentiation in vitro by covalently immobilized transforming growth factor-beta(1).

PubMed

Metzger, Wolfgang; Grenner, Nadine; Motsch, Sandra E; Strehlow, Rothin; Pohlemann, Tim; Oberringer, Martin

2007-11-01

Growth factors are an important tool in tissue engineering. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 and transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) are used to provide bioactivity to surgical implants and tissue substitute materials. Mostly growth factors are used in soluble or adsorbed form. However, simple adsorption of proteins to surfaces is always accompanied by reduced stability and undefined pharmacokinetics. This study aims to prove that TGF-beta(1) can be covalently immobilized to functionalized surfaces, maintaining its ability to induce myofibroblastic differentiation of normal human dermal fibroblasts. In vivo, fibroblasts differentiate to myofibroblasts (MFs) during soft tissue healing by the action of TGF-beta(1). As surfaces for our experiments, we used slides bearing aldehyde, epoxy, or amino groups. For our in vitro cell culture experiments, we used the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin as a marker for MFs after immunochemical staining. Using the aldehyde and the epoxy slides, we were able to demonstrate the activity of immobilized TGF-beta(1) through a significant increase in MF differentiation rate. A simple immunological test was established to detect TGF-beta(1) on the surfaces. This technology enables the creation of molecular "landscapes" consisting of several factors arranged in a distinct spatial pattern and immobilized on appropriate surfaces.

Prediction of Tensile Strength of Friction Stir Weld Joints with Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Neural Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dewan, Mohammad W.; Huggett, Daniel J.; Liao, T. Warren; Wahab, Muhammad A.; Okeil, Ayman M.

2015-01-01

Friction-stir-welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process where joint properties are dependent on welding process parameters. In the current study three critical process parameters including spindle speed (??), plunge force (????), and welding speed (??) are considered key factors in the determination of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of welded aluminum alloy joints. A total of 73 weld schedules were welded and tensile properties were subsequently obtained experimentally. It is observed that all three process parameters have direct influence on UTS of the welded joints. Utilizing experimental data, an optimized adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model has been developed to predict UTS of FSW joints. A total of 1200 models were developed by varying the number of membership functions (MFs), type of MFs, and combination of four input variables (??,??,????,??????) utilizing a MATLAB platform. Note EFI denotes an empirical force index derived from the three process parameters. For comparison, optimized artificial neural network (ANN) models were also developed to predict UTS from FSW process parameters. By comparing ANFIS and ANN predicted results, it was found that optimized ANFIS models provide better results than ANN. This newly developed best ANFIS model could be utilized for prediction of UTS of FSW joints.

Application of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system to ground subsidence hazard mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Inhye; Choi, Jaewon; Jin Lee, Moung; Lee, Saro

2012-11-01

We constructed hazard maps of ground subsidence around abandoned underground coal mines (AUCMs) in Samcheok City, Korea, using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and a geographical information system (GIS). To evaluate the factors related to ground subsidence, a spatial database was constructed from topographic, geologic, mine tunnel, land use, and ground subsidence maps. An attribute database was also constructed from field investigations and reports on existing ground subsidence areas at the study site. Five major factors causing ground subsidence were extracted: (1) depth of drift; (2) distance from drift; (3) slope gradient; (4) geology; and (5) land use. The adaptive ANFIS model with different types of membership functions (MFs) was then applied for ground subsidence hazard mapping in the study area. Two ground subsidence hazard maps were prepared using the different MFs. Finally, the resulting ground subsidence hazard maps were validated using the ground subsidence test data which were not used for training the ANFIS. The validation results showed 95.12% accuracy using the generalized bell-shaped MF model and 94.94% accuracy using the Sigmoidal2 MF model. These accuracy results show that an ANFIS can be an effective tool in ground subsidence hazard mapping. Analysis of ground subsidence with the ANFIS model suggests that quantitative analysis of ground subsidence near AUCMs is possible.

Impacts of spontaneous hot flow anomalies on the magnetosheath and magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omidi, N.; Berchem, J.; Sibeck, D.; Zhang, H.

2016-04-01

Spacecraft observations and global hybrid (kinetic ions and fluid electrons) simulations have demonstrated that ion dissipation processes at the quasi-parallel bow shock are associated with the formation of structures called spontaneous hot flow anomalies (SHFAs). Previous simulations and recent spacecraft observations have also established that SHFAs result in the formation of magnetosheath filamentary structures (MFS). In this paper we demonstrate that in addition to MFS, SHFAs also result in the formation of magnetosheath cavities that are associated with decreases in density, velocity, and magnetic field and enhancements in temperature. We use the results of a global MHD run to determine the change in the magnetosheath properties associated with cavities due to ion kinetic effects. The results also show the formation of regions of high flow speed called magnetosheath jets whose properties as a function of solar wind Mach number are described in this study. Comparing the properties of the simulated magnetosheath cavities and jets to past spacecraft observations provides good agreement in both cases. We also demonstrate that pressure variations associated with cavities and SHFAs in the sheath result in a continuous sunward and antisunward magnetopause motion. This result is consistent with previous suggestions that SHFAs may be responsible for the generation of ion cyclotron waves and precipitation of ring current protons in the outer magnetosphere.

Purification of a Multidrug Resistance Transporter for Crystallization Studies

PubMed Central

Alegre, Kamela O.; Law, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Crystallization of integral membrane proteins is a challenging field and much effort has been invested in optimizing the overexpression and purification steps needed to obtain milligram amounts of pure, stable, monodisperse protein sample for crystallography studies. Our current work involves the structural and functional characterization of the Escherichia coli multidrug resistance transporter MdtM, a member of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS). Here we present a protocol for isolation of MdtM to increase yields of recombinant protein to the milligram quantities necessary for pursuit of structural studies using X-ray crystallography. Purification of MdtM was enhanced by introduction of an elongated His-tag, followed by identification and subsequent removal of chaperonin contamination. For crystallization trials of MdtM, detergent screening using size exclusion chromatography determined that decylmaltoside (DM) was the shortest-chain detergent that maintained the protein in a stable, monodispersed state. Crystallization trials of MdtM performed using the hanging-drop diffusion method with commercially available crystallization screens yielded 3D protein crystals under several different conditions. We contend that the purification protocol described here may be employed for production of high-quality protein of other multidrug efflux members of the MFS, a ubiquitous, physiologically and clinically important class of membrane transporters. PMID:27025617

Survey of electromagnetic field exposure in bedrooms of residences in lower Austria.

PubMed

Tomitsch, Johannes; Dechant, Engelbert; Frank, Wilhelm

2010-04-01

Previous investigations of exposure to electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic fields (EMF) in households were either about electricity supply EMFs or radio frequency EMFs (RF-EMFs). We report results from spot measurements at the bedside that comprise electrostatic fields, extremely low-frequency electric fields (ELF-EFs), extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs), and RF-EMFs. Measurements were taken in 226 households throughout Lower Austria. In addition, effects of simple reduction measures (e.g., removal of clock radios or increasing their distance from the bed, turning off Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication (DECT) telephone base stations) were assessed. All measurements were well below International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guideline levels. Average night-time ELF-MFs (long-term measurement from 10 pm to 6 am, geometric mean over households) above 100 nT were obtained in 2.3%, and RF-EMFs above 1000 microW/m(2) in 7.1% of households. Highest ELF-EFs were primarily due to lamps beside the bed (max = 166 V/m), and highest ELF-MFs because of transformers of devices (max = 1030 nT) or high current of power lines (max = 380 nT). The highest values of RF-EMFs were caused by DECT telephone base stations (max = 28979 microW/m(2)) and mobile phone base stations (max = 4872 microW/m(2)). Simple reduction measures resulted in an average decrease of 23 nT for ELF-MFs, 23 V/m for ELF-EFs, and 246 microW/m(2) for RF-EMFs. A small but statistically significant correlation between ELF-MF exposure and overall RF-EMF levels of R = 0.16 (P = 0.008) was computed that was independent of type (flat, single family) and location (urban, rural) of houses. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

L-carnitine supplementation for the management of fatigue in patients with hypothyroidism on levothyroxine treatment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

An, Jee Hyun; Kim, Yoon Jung; Kim, Kyeong Jin; Kim, Sun Hwa; Kim, Nam Hoon; Kim, Hee Young; Kim, Nan Hee; Choi, Kyung Mook; Baik, Sei Hyun; Choi, Dong Seop; Kim, Sin Gon

2016-10-29

Hypothyroid patients experience fatigue-related symptoms despite adequate thyroid hormone replacement. Thyroid hormone plays an essential role in carnitine-dependent fatty acid import and oxidation. We investigated the effects of L-carnitine supplementation on fatigue in patients with hypothyroidism. In total, 60 patients (age 50.0 ± 9.2 years, 3 males, 57 females) who still experienced fatigue (fatigue severity scale [FSS] score ≥ 36) were given L-carnitine (n = 30, 990 mg L-carnitine twice daily) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, although neither the FSS score nor the physical fatigue score (PFS) changed significantly, the mental fatigue score (MFS) was significantly decreased by treatment with L-carnitine compared with placebo (from 4.5 ± 1.9 to 3.9 ± 1.5 vs. from 4.2 ± 1.8 to 4.6 ± 1.6, respectively; P < 0.01). In the L-carnitine group, 75.0%, 53.6%, and 50.0% of patients showed improvement in the FSS score, PFS, and MFS, respectively, but only 20.0%, 24.0%, and 24.0%, respectively, did so in the placebo group (all P < 0.05). Both the PFS and MFS were significantly improved in patients younger than 50 years and those with free T3 ≥ 4.0 pg/mL by treatment with L-carnitine compared with placebo. Additionally, the MFS was significantly improved in patients taking thyroid hormone after thyroid cancer surgery. These results suggest that L-carnitine supplementation may be useful in alleviating fatigue symptoms in hypothyroid patients, especially in those younger than 50 years and those who have hypothyroidism after thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01769157).

Predicting falls using two instruments (the Hendrich Fall Risk Model and the Morse Fall Scale) in an acute care setting in Lebanon.

PubMed

Nassar, Nada; Helou, Nancy; Madi, Chantal

2014-06-01

To assess the predictive value of two instruments (the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) and the Heindrich II Fall Risk Model (HFRM)] in a Middle Eastern country (Lebanon) and to evaluate the factors that are related to falls. A prospective observational cross-sectional design was used. Falls and fall-related injuries in the acute care settings contribute a substantial health and economic burden on patients and organisations. Preventing falls is a priority for most healthcare organisations. While the risk of falling cannot be eliminated, it can be significantly reduced through accurate assessment of patients' risk of falling. Data from 1815 inpatients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in Lebanon were evaluated using two instruments to predict falls: the MFS and the HFRM. The incidence of falls was 2·7% in one year. The results indicate that while the instruments were significantly correlated, the HFRM was more sensitive in predicting falls than the MFS. The internal consistency of both scales was moderate, but inter-rater reliability was high. Patients using antiepileptic drugs and assistance devises had higher odds of falling. Although both instruments were easy to use in a Middle Eastern country, the HFRM rather than the MFS is recommended for inpatients in an acute care setting as it had higher sensitivity and specificity. It is recommended that while the HFRM had adequate sensitivity, it is not seamless, and as such, nurses should not rely entirely on it. Rather, nurses should use their expert clinical judgement, their ethical obligations and cultural considerations to implement a safer environment of care for the patient. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clinical and mutation-type analysis from an international series of 198 probands with a pathogenic FBN1 exons 24–32 mutation

PubMed Central

Faivre, L; Collod-Beroud, G; Callewaert, B; Child, A; Binquet, C; Gautier, E; Loeys, B L; Arbustini, E; Mayer, K; Arslan-Kirchner, M; Stheneur, C; Kiotsekoglou, A; Comeglio, P; Marziliano, N; Wolf, J E; Bouchot, O; Khau-Van-Kien, P; Beroud, C; Claustres, M; Bonithon-Kopp, C; Robinson, P N; Adès, L; De Backer, J; Coucke, P; Francke, U; De Paepe, A; Jondeau, G; Boileau, C

2009-01-01

Mutations in the FBN1 gene cause Marfan syndrome (MFS) and a wide range of overlapping phenotypes. The severe end of the spectrum is represented by neonatal MFS, the vast majority of probands carrying a mutation within exons 24–32. We previously showed that a mutation in exons 24–32 is predictive of a severe cardiovascular phenotype even in non-neonatal cases, and that mutations leading to premature truncation codons are under-represented in this region. To describe patients carrying a mutation in this so-called ‘neonatal' region, we studied the clinical and molecular characteristics of 198 probands with a mutation in exons 24–32 from a series of 1013 probands with a FBN1 mutation (20%). When comparing patients with mutations leading to a premature termination codon (PTC) within exons 24–32 to patients with an in-frame mutation within the same region, a significantly higher probability of developing ectopia lentis and mitral insufficiency were found in the second group. Patients with a PTC within exons 24–32 rarely displayed a neonatal or severe MFS presentation. We also found a higher probability of neonatal presentations associated with exon 25 mutations, as well as a higher probability of cardiovascular manifestations. A high phenotypic heterogeneity could be described for recurrent mutations, ranging from neonatal to classical MFS phenotype. In conclusion, even if the exons 24–32 location appears as a major cause of the severity of the phenotype in patients with a mutation in this region, other factors such as the type of mutation or modifier genes might also be relevant. PMID:19002209

Ocular manifestation in Marfan syndrome: corneal biomechanical properties relate to increased systemic score points.

PubMed

Scheibenberger, Dido; Frings, Andreas; Steinberg, Johannes; Schüler, Helke; Druchkiv, Vasyl; Katz, Toam; von Kodolitsch, Yskert; Linke, Stephan

2018-06-01

To evaluate corneal deformation to an air puff as a new noninvasive tool to document disease status in Marfan syndrome (MFS) METHODS: Prospective observational cohort study. We included patients diagnosed with MFS who had their routine cardiovascular follow-up and applied the revised Ghent nosology to define two subgroups according to a high (≥ 7) and a low (< 7 points) systemic score. Dynamic Scheimpflug-based biomechanical analyses (CorvisST® [CST; Oculus GmbH]) were performed. The main outcome measure was the displacement of the corneal apex as given by the parameters highest concavity (HC; in ms), peak distance (PD; in mm), and highest concavity deformation amplitude (DA; mm). Forty-three eyes of 43 individuals (19 female, 24 male; mean age 42.0 ± 12.0 years, range 18-67 years) diagnosed with MFS were included. Applying the Ghent criteria, 21 patients had an advanced systemic score of ≥ 7, and 22 had score points < 7. There were no differences in age or sex between both groups. In contrast, HC was faster (P = 0.004), and PD (P < 0.001) was longer in those individuals with systemic score ≥ 7; maximum DA did not result in a statistically significant difference between the groups (P = 0.250). In vivo noninvasive biomechanical analyses with CST offer a new, non-invasive method to identify pathologic corneal deformation responses in adults with MFS. In the future, corneal deformation to an air puff could thus assist early identification of patients with high Ghent score as an adjunct to existing diagnostic tests.

Breast-Conserving Treatment in the Elderly: Long-Term Results of Adjuvant Hypofractionated and Normofractionated Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirova, Youlia M.; Campana, Francois; Savignoni, Alexia

2009-09-01

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term cause-specific survival (CSS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), and metastases-free survival (MFS) in elderly breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant normofractionated (NF) or hypofractionated (HF) radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: Between 1995 and 1999, 367 women aged {>=}70 years with nonmetastatic Stage T1 or T2 tumors were treated by breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant RT at the Institut Curie. They underwent wide tumor excision with or without lymph node dissection followed by RT. They received either a NF-RT schedule, which delivered a total dose of 50 Gy (25 fractions, 5 fractions weekly) to the whole breast, followed bymore » a boost to the tumor bed when indicated, or a HF-RT schedule, which delivered a total dose of 32.5 Gy (five fractions of 6.5 Gy, once weekly) with no subsequent boost. The HF-RT schedule was indicated for the more elderly patients. Results: A total of 317 patients were in the NF-RT group, with 50 in the HF-RT group. The median follow-up was 93 months (range, 9-140). The 5- and 7-year CSS, LRFS, and MFS rates were similar in both groups. The 5-year NF-RT and HF-RT rate was 96% and 95% for CSS, 95% and 94% for LRFS, and 94% and 95% for MFS, respectively. The 7-year NF-RT and HF-RT rate was 93% and 87% for CSS, 93% and 91% for LRFS, and 92% and 93% for MFS, respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings from this retrospective study, the HF-RT schedule is an acceptable alternative to NF-RT for elderly patients. However, large-scale prospective randomized trials are needed to confirm these results.« less

Lattice corrections to the quark quasidistribution at one loop

DOE PAGES

Carlson, Carl E.; Freid, Michael

2017-05-12

Here, we calculate radiative corrections to the quark quasidistribution in lattice perturbation theory at one loop to leading orders in the lattice spacing. We also consider one-loop corrections in continuum Euclidean space. We find that the infrared behavior of the corrections in Euclidean and Minkowski space are different. Furthermore, we explore features of momentum loop integrals and demonstrate why loop corrections from the lattice perturbation theory and Euclidean continuum do not correspond with their Minkowski brethren, and comment on a recent suggestion for transcending the differences in the results. Finally, we examine the role of the lattice spacing a andmore » of the r parameter in the Wilson action in these radiative corrections.« less

Lattice corrections to the quark quasidistribution at one loop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carlson, Carl E.; Freid, Michael

Here, we calculate radiative corrections to the quark quasidistribution in lattice perturbation theory at one loop to leading orders in the lattice spacing. We also consider one-loop corrections in continuum Euclidean space. We find that the infrared behavior of the corrections in Euclidean and Minkowski space are different. Furthermore, we explore features of momentum loop integrals and demonstrate why loop corrections from the lattice perturbation theory and Euclidean continuum do not correspond with their Minkowski brethren, and comment on a recent suggestion for transcending the differences in the results. Finally, we examine the role of the lattice spacing a andmore » of the r parameter in the Wilson action in these radiative corrections.« less

Axiomatic Geometrical Optics, Abraham-Minkowski Controversy, and Photon Properties Derived Classically

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L.Y. Dodin and N.J. Fisch

2012-06-18

By restating geometrical optics within the eld-theoretical approach, the classical concept of a photon in arbitrary dispersive medium is introduced, and photon properties are calculated unambiguously. In particular, the canonical and kinetic momenta carried by a photon, as well as the two corresponding energy-momentum tensors of a wave, are derived straightforwardly from rst principles of Lagrangian mechanics. The Abraham-Minkowski controversy pertaining to the de nitions of these quantities is thereby resolved for linear waves of arbitrary nature, and corrections to the traditional formulas for the photon kinetic quantities are found. An application of axiomatic geometrical optics to electromagnetic waves ismore » also presented as an example.« less

Procedure of Partitioning Data Into Number of Data Sets or Data Group - A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tai-Hoon

The goal of clustering is to decompose a dataset into similar groups based on a objective function. Some already well established clustering algorithms are there for data clustering. Objective of these data clustering algorithms are to divide the data points of the feature space into a number of groups (or classes) so that a predefined set of criteria are satisfied. The article considers the comparative study about the effectiveness and efficiency of traditional data clustering algorithms. For evaluating the performance of the clustering algorithms, Minkowski score is used here for different data sets.

Cranial Neuropathies and Neuromuscular Weakness: A Case of Mistaken Identity

PubMed Central

Adams, Daniel Z.; King, Andrew; Kaide, Colin

2017-01-01

We describe a case of wound botulism initially thought to represent Miller-Fisher variant Guillain-Barré syndrome (MFS). Botulism classically presents with the so-called “four D’s” (diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia, dry mouth) with symmetric, descending weakness. MFS presents with a triad of limb-ataxia, areflexia, and ophthalmoplegia, with variable cranial nerve and extremity involvement. The distinction can be difficult but is important as early initiation of botulinum antitoxin is associated with improved patient outcomes in cases of botulism. Furthermore, it is important to recognize intravenous drug use as a risk factor in the development of botulism, especially given an increase in injection drug use. PMID:29849352

Cranial Neuropathies and Neuromuscular Weakness: A Case of Mistaken Identity.

PubMed

Adams, Daniel Z; King, Andrew; Kaide, Colin

2017-08-01

We describe a case of wound botulism initially thought to represent Miller-Fisher variant Guillain-Barré syndrome (MFS). Botulism classically presents with the so-called "four D's" (diplopia, dysarthria, dysphagia, dry mouth) with symmetric, descending weakness. MFS presents with a triad of limb-ataxia, areflexia, and ophthalmoplegia, with variable cranial nerve and extremity involvement. The distinction can be difficult but is important as early initiation of botulinum antitoxin is associated with improved patient outcomes in cases of botulism. Furthermore, it is important to recognize intravenous drug use as a risk factor in the development of botulism, especially given an increase in injection drug use.

Magnetic field measurements near stand-alone transformer stations.

PubMed

Kandel, Shaiela; Hareuveny, Ronen; Yitzhak, Nir-Mordechay; Ruppin, Raphael

2013-12-01

Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) measurements around and above three stand-alone 22/0.4-kV transformer stations have been performed. The low-voltage (LV) cables between the transformer and the LV switchgear were found to be the major source of strong ELF MFs of limited spatial extent. The strong fields measured above the transformer stations support the assessment method, to be used in future epidemiological studies, of classifying apartments located right above the transformer stations as highly exposed to MFs. The results of the MF measurements above the ground around the transformer stations provide a basis for the assessment of the option of implementing precautionary procedures.

Marfan syndrome: An eyesight of syndrome☆

PubMed Central

Kumar, Ashok; Agarwal, Sarita

2014-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS), a relatively common autosomal dominant hereditary disorder of connective tissue with prominent manifestations in the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems, is caused by mutations in the glycoprotein gene fibrillin-1 (FBN1). Aortic root dilation and mitral valve prolapse are the main presentations among the cardiovascular malformations of MFS. The revised Ghent diagnostics nosology of Marfan syndrome is established in accordance with a combination of major and minor clinical manifestations in various organ systems and the family history. The pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome has not been fully elucidated. However, fibrillin-1 gene mutations are believed to exert a dominant negative effect. The treatment includes prophylactic β-blockers and angiotensin II-receptor blockers in order to slow down the dilation of the ascending aorta and prophylactic aortic surgery. Importantly, β-blocker therapy may reduce TGF-β activation, which has been recognized as a contributory factor in MFS. The identification of a mutation allows for early diagnosis, prognosis, genetic counseling, preventive management of carriers and reassurance for unaffected relatives. The importance of knowing in advance the location of the putative family mutation is highlighted by its straightforward application to prenatal and postnatal screening. The present article aims to provide an overview of this rare hereditary disorder. PMID:25606393

Utilization of response surface modeling to evaluate the effects of non-meat adjuncts and combinations of PSE and RFN pork on water holding capacity and cooked color in the production of boneless cured pork.

PubMed

Schilling, M W; Marriott, N G; Acton, J C; Anderson-Cook, C; Alvarado, C Z; Wang, H

2004-02-01

Boneless cured pork was produced from combinations of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) and red, firm, and non-exudative (RFN) semimembranosus muscle. Response Surface Methodology was utilized to determine the effects of soy protein concentrate (SPC), sodium caseinate (SC), and modified food starch (MFS) on the water holding capacity and cooked color in a chunked and formed product. Fifteen ingredient combinations were replicated three times for each PSE and RFN combination giving 75 treatments per replication. Utilization of SPC decreased (P<0.01) cooking loss and redness while increasing (P<0.01) yellowness. MFS decreased (P<0.01) expressible moisture, and both MFS and SC increased (P<0.05) cooked redness while decreasing (P<0.01) cooked lightness. Product formulations using these adjuncts demonstrate potential to improve the water-holding capacity and cooked color in PSE as well as RFN pork. This research also demonstrated that diluting RFN pork with no more than 25% PSE pork permits the formation of a high quality boneless deli ham roll.

Low-Grade Myxofibrosarcoma of the Rectus Abdominus Muscle Infiltrating into Abdominal Cavity: A Case Report.

PubMed

Nomura, Tadashi; Sakakibara, Shunsuke; Moriwaki, Aya; Kawamoto, Teruya; Suzuki, Satoshi; Ishimura, Takeshi; Hashikawa, Kazunobu; Terashi, Hiroto

2017-01-01

Objective: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is a relatively rare tumor that is histologically characterized by myxoid stroma and spindle cell proliferation. This tumor most commonly arises as a slow growing, enlarging painless mass in the extremities of elderly patients. Methods: We report a case of a primary, low-grade MFS in the rectus abdominis muscle infiltrating the abdominal cavity of a 75-year-old man. Results: The patient underwent a wide excision of the right abdominal wall mass with a 3-cm surgical margin from the scar due to a biopsy. The tumor infiltrated the urinary bladder, peritoneum, and external iliac vessels. Twenty-six months after the initial operation, he had recurrences in his abdominal wall, urinary bladder, and right iliac vessels. Conclusions: To our knowledge, primary MFS of the muscle in the abdomen has not been documented previously. Although this case was histopathologically classified as a low-grade tumor, it infiltrated the abdominal cavity. The tumor is suspected to have penetrated the abdominal cavity below the linea arcuata, which lacks the posterior sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle; from there, it could easily spread without being blocked by any biological barriers.

Trends in residential exposure to electromagnetic fields from 2006 to 2009.

PubMed

Tomitsch, J; Dechant, E

2012-05-01

After measuring extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (ELF-EFs, ELF-MFs) and radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) in 2006, a follow-up investigation was done in 2009. Overall, 130 measurements in bedrooms at identical and 83 at changed locations within the same or a neighbouring building were performed. The median of ELF-EFs decreased from 25.15 to 17.35 V m(-1) from 2006 to 2009. The median of all-night ELF-MFs from power supply decreased from 16.86 to 12.76 nT, whereas the arithmetic mean was almost unchanged (+0.1%). No difference in the medians of all-night ELF-MFs of railway current was observed. RF-EMFs increased from 41.35 to 59.56 µW m(-2). Increases primarily occurred in the frequency ranges of Global System for Mobile 900 MHz, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System and Wireless Local Area Network. Television changeover from analogue to digital resulted in a reduction within the Ultra-high Frequency-band from 0.47 to 0.35 µW m(-2). The base stations of the recently established terrestrial trunked radio system caused a median of 0.05 µW m(-2).

Chronic exposure to 50Hz magnetic fields causes a significant weakening of antioxidant defence systems in aged rat brain.

PubMed

Falone, Stefano; Mirabilio, Alessandro; Carbone, Maria Cristina; Zimmitti, Vincenzo; Di Loreto, Silvia; Mariggiò, Maria Addolorata; Mancinelli, Rosa; Di Ilio, Carmine; Amicarelli, Fernanda

2008-01-01

Several studies suggest that extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) may enhance the free radical endogenous production. It is also well known that one of the unavoidable consequences of ageing is an overall oxidative stress-based decline in several physiological functions and in the general resistance to stressors. On the basis of these assumptions, the aim of this study was to establish whether the ageing process can increase susceptibility towards widely present ELF-MF-mediated pro-oxidative challenges. To this end, female Sprague-Dawley rats were continuously exposed to a sinusoidal 50 Hz, 0.1 mT magnetic field for 10 days. Treatment-induced changes in the major antioxidant protection systems and in the neurotrophic support were investigated, as a function of the age of the subjects. All analyses were performed in brain cortices, due to the high susceptibility of neuronal cells to oxidative injury. Our results indicated that ELF-MF exposure significantly affects anti-oxidative capability, both in young and aged animals, although in opposite ways. Indeed, exposed young individuals enhanced their neurotrophic signalling and anti-oxidative enzymatic defence against a possible ELF-MF-mediated increase in oxygen radical species. In contrast, aged subjects were not capable of increasing their defences in response to ELF-MF treatment but, on the contrary, they underwent a significant decrease in the major antioxidant enzymatic activities. In conclusion, our data seem to suggest that the exposure to ELF-MFs may act as a risk factor for the occurrence of oxidative stress-based nervous system pathologies associated with ageing.

Radiation pressure of light pulses and conservation of linear momentum in dispersive media.

PubMed

Scalora, Michael; D'Aguanno, Giuseppe; Mattiucci, Nadia; Bloemer, Mark J; Centini, Marco; Sibilia, Concita; Haus, Joseph W

2006-05-01

We derive an expression for the Minkowski momentum under conditions of dispersive susceptibility and permeability, and compare it to the Abraham momentum in order to test the principle of conservation of linear momentum when matter is present. We investigate cases when an incident pulse interacts with a variety of structures, including thick substrates, resonant, free-standing, micron-sized multilayer stacks, and negative index materials. In general, we find that for media only a few wavelengths thick the Minkowski and Abraham momentum densities yield similar results. For more extended media, including substrates and Bragg mirrors embedded inside thick dielectric substrates, our calculations show dramatic differences between the Minkowski and Abraham momenta. Without exception, in all cases investigated the instantaneous Lorentz force exerted on the medium is consistent only with the rate of change of the Abraham momentum. As a practical example, we use our model to predict that electromagnetic momentum and energy buildup inside a multilayer stack can lead to widely tunable accelerations that may easily reach and exceed 10(10) m/s(2) for a mass of 10(-5) g. Our results suggest that the physics of the photonic band edge and other similar finite structures may be used as a testing ground for basic electromagnetic phenomena such as momentum transfer to macroscopic media.

Graviton mass or cosmological constant?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gabadadze, Gregory; Gruzinov, Andrei

2005-12-15

To describe a massive graviton in 4D Minkowski space-time one introduces a quadratic term in the Lagrangian. This term, however, can lead to a readjustment or instability of the background instead of describing a massive graviton on flat space. We show that for all local 4D Lorentz-invariant mass terms Minkowski space is unstable. The instability can develop in a time scale that is many orders of magnitude shorter than the inverse graviton mass. We start with the Pauli-Fierz (PF) term that is the only local mass term with no ghosts in the linearized approximation. We show that nonlinear completions ofmore » the PF Lagrangian give rise to instability of Minkowski space. We continue with the mass terms that are not of a PF type. Although these models are known to have ghosts in the linearized approximations, nonlinear interactions can lead to background change in which the ghosts are eliminated. In the latter case, however, the graviton perturbations on the new background are not massive. We argue that a consistent theory of a massive graviton on flat space can be formulated in theories with extra dimensions. They require an infinite number of fields or nonlocal description from a 4D point of view.« less

Information transport in classical statistical systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetterich, C.

2018-02-01

For "static memory materials" the bulk properties depend on boundary conditions. Such materials can be realized by classical statistical systems which admit no unique equilibrium state. We describe the propagation of information from the boundary to the bulk by classical wave functions. The dependence of wave functions on the location of hypersurfaces in the bulk is governed by a linear evolution equation that can be viewed as a generalized Schrödinger equation. Classical wave functions obey the superposition principle, with local probabilities realized as bilinears of wave functions. For static memory materials the evolution within a subsector is unitary, as characteristic for the time evolution in quantum mechanics. The space-dependence in static memory materials can be used as an analogue representation of the time evolution in quantum mechanics - such materials are "quantum simulators". For example, an asymmetric Ising model on a Euclidean two-dimensional lattice represents the time evolution of free relativistic fermions in two-dimensional Minkowski space.

Energy in first order 2 +1 gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corichi, Alejandro; Rubalcava-García, Iraís

2015-08-01

We consider Λ =0 three-dimensional gravity with asymptotically flat boundary conditions. This system was studied by Ashtekar and Varadarajan within the second-order formalism—with metric variables—who showed that the Regge-Teitelboim formalism yields a consistent Hamiltonian description where, surprisingly, the energy is bounded from below and from above. The energy of the spacetime is, however, determined up to an arbitrary constant. The natural choice was to fix that freedom such that Minkowski spacetime has zero energy. More recently, Marolf and Patiño started from the Einstein-Hilbert action supplemented with the Gibbons-Hawking term and showed that, in the (2 +1 ) decomposition of the theory, the energy is shifted from the Ashtekar-Varadarajan analysis in such a way that Minkowski spacetime possesses a negative energy. In this contribution we consider the first-order formalism, where the fundamental variables are a s o (2 ,1 ) connection waIJ and a triad eaI . We consider two actions. A natural extension to 3 dimensions of the consistent action in 4 D Palatini gravity is shown to be finite and differentiable. For this action, the (2 +1 ) decomposition (that we perform using two methods) yields a Hamiltonian boundary term that corresponds to energy. It assigns zero energy to Minkowski spacetime. We then put forward a totally gauge invariant action and show that it is also well defined and differentiable. Interestingly, it turns out to be related, on shell, to the 3D Palatini action by an additive constant in such a way that its associated energy is given by the Marolf-Patiño expression. Thus, we conclude that, from the perspective of the first-order formalism, Minkowski spacetime can consistently have either zero, or a negative energy equal to -1 /4 G , depending on the choice of consistent action employed as starting point.

Application of the Minkowski-functionals for automated pattern classification of breast parenchyma depicted by digital mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehm, Holger F.; Fischer, Tanja; Riosk, Dororthea; Britsch, Stefanie; Reiser, Maximilian

2008-03-01

With an estimated life-time-risk of about 10%, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in western societies. Extensive mammography-screening programs have been implemented for diagnosis of the disease at an early stage. Several algorithms for computer-aided detection (CAD) have been proposed to help radiologists manage the increasing number of mammographic image-data and identify new cases of cancer. However, a major issue with most CAD-solutions is the fact that performance strongly depends on the structure and density of the breast tissue. Prior information about the global tissue quality in a patient would be helpful for selecting the most effective CAD-approach in order to increase the sensitivity of lesion-detection. In our study, we propose an automated method for textural evaluation of digital mammograms using the Minkowski Functionals in 2D. 80 mammograms are consensus-classified by two experienced readers as fibrosis, involution/atrophy, or normal. For each case, the topology of graylevel distribution is evaluated within a retromamillary image-section of 512 x 512 pixels. In addition, we obtain parameters from the graylevel-histogram (20th percentile, median and mean graylevel intensity). As a result, correct classification of the mammograms based on the densitometic parameters is achieved in between 38 and 48%, whereas topological analysis increases the rate to 83%. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Compared to features obtained from graylevel histograms and comparable studies, we draw the conclusion that the presented method performs equally good or better. Our future work will be focused on the characterization of the mammographic tissue according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Moreover, other databases will be tested for an in-depth evaluation of the efficiency of our proposal.

Volumetric quantitative characterization of human patellar cartilage with topological and geometrical features on phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography.

PubMed

Nagarajan, Mahesh B; Coan, Paola; Huber, Markus B; Diemoz, Paul C; Wismüller, Axel

2015-11-01

Phase-contrast X-ray computed tomography (PCI-CT) has attracted significant interest in recent years for its ability to provide significantly improved image contrast in low absorbing materials such as soft biological tissue. In the research context of cartilage imaging, previous studies have demonstrated the ability of PCI-CT to visualize structural details of human patellar cartilage matrix and capture changes to chondrocyte organization induced by osteoarthritis. This study evaluates the use of geometrical and topological features for volumetric characterization of such chondrocyte patterns in the presence (or absence) of osteoarthritic damage. Geometrical features derived from the scaling index method (SIM) and topological features derived from Minkowski Functionals were extracted from 1392 volumes of interest (VOI) annotated on PCI-CT images of ex vivo human patellar cartilage specimens. These features were subsequently used in a machine learning task with support vector regression to classify VOIs as healthy or osteoarthritic; classification performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Our results show that the classification performance of SIM-derived geometrical features (AUC: 0.90 ± 0.09) is significantly better than Minkowski Functionals volume (AUC: 0.54 ± 0.02), surface (AUC: 0.72 ± 0.06), mean breadth (AUC: 0.74 ± 0.06) and Euler characteristic (AUC: 0.78 ± 0.04) (p < 10(-4)). These results suggest that such geometrical features can provide a detailed characterization of the chondrocyte organization in the cartilage matrix in an automated manner, while also enabling classification of cartilage as healthy or osteoarthritic with high accuracy. Such features could potentially serve as diagnostic imaging markers for evaluating osteoarthritis progression and its response to different therapeutic intervention strategies.

Topological properties of a curved spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Gunjan; Shrivastava, Sampada; Godani, Nisha; Sinha, Soami Pyari

2017-12-01

The present paper aims at the study of a topology on Lorentzian manifolds, defined by Göbel [4] using the ideas of Zeeman [16]. Observing that on the Minkowski space it is the same as Zeeman's time topology, it has been found that a Lorentzian manifold with this topology is path connected, nonfirst countable and nonsimply connected while the Minkowski space with time topology is, in addition nonregular and separable. Furthermore, using the notion of Zeno sequences it is obtained that a compact set does not contain a nonempty open set and that a set is compact if and only if each of its infinite subsets has a limit point if and only if each of its sequences has a convergent subsequence.

Dynamical system analysis of interacting models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carneiro, S.; Borges, H. A.

2018-01-01

We perform a dynamical system analysis of a cosmological model with linear dependence between the vacuum density and the Hubble parameter, with constant-rate creation of dark matter. We show that the de Sitter spacetime is an asymptotically stable critical point, future limit of any expanding solution. Our analysis also shows that the Minkowski spacetime is an unstable critical point, which eventually collapses to a singularity. In this way, such a prescription for the vacuum decay not only predicts the correct future de Sitter limit, but also forbids the existence of a stable Minkowski universe. We also study the effect of matter creation on the growth of structures and their peculiar velocities, showing that it is inside the current errors of redshift space distortions observations.

Allocating Practice Expense Under the Medicare Fee Schedule

PubMed Central

Pope, Gregory C.; Burge, Russel T.

1993-01-01

Currently, relative value units for practice expense are determined under the Medicare fee schedule (MFS) using historical physician charges. This seems inconsistent with the goal of a resource-based fee schedule. A specialty resource-based method of determining practice expense payments is presented and simulated here. The method assumes that, for each service, the payment for practice expense should be the same proportion of the total payment as actual physician practice expenses are of total practice revenues. A comparison with the approach developed by the Physician Payment Review Commission (PPRC) shows similar fees, but the specialty-based method proposed here requires no data beyond what is already employed in the MFS. PMID:10130574

Effect of magnetic field on the physical properties of water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Youkai; Wei, Huinan; Li, Zhuangwen

2018-03-01

In this study, the effect of magnetic field (MF) on the partial physical properties of water are reported, tap water (TW) and 4 types of magnetized water (MW) were measured in the same condition. It was found that the properties of TW were changed following the MF treatment, shown as the increase of evaporation amount, the decrease of specific heat and boiling point after magnetization, the changes depend on the magnetization effect. In addition, magnetic field strength (MFS) has a marked influence on the magnetization effect, the optimal magnetizing condition was determined as the MFS of 300 mT. The findings of this study offered a facile approach to improve cooling and power generation efficiency in industrial.

Ferroelectric switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) in metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor non-volatile memories with an amorphous oxide semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gelinck, G. H.; van Breemen, A. J. J. M.; Cobb, B.

2015-03-01

Ferroelectric polarization switching of poly(vinylidene difluoride-trifluoroethylene) is investigated in different thin-film device structures, ranging from simple capacitors to dual-gate thin-film transistors (TFT). Indium gallium zinc oxide, a high mobility amorphous oxide material, is used as semiconductor. We find that the ferroelectric can be polarized in both directions in the metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure and in the dual-gate TFT under certain biasing conditions, but not in the single-gate thin-film transistors. These results disprove the common belief that MFS structures serve as a good model system for ferroelectric polarization switching in thin-film transistors.

The method of fundamental solutions for computing acoustic interior transmission eigenvalues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleefeld, Andreas; Pieronek, Lukas

2018-03-01

We analyze the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) in two different versions with focus on the computation of approximate acoustic interior transmission eigenvalues in 2D for homogeneous media. Our approach is mesh- and integration free, but suffers in general from the ill-conditioning effects of the discretized eigenoperator, which we could then successfully balance using an approved stabilization scheme. Our numerical examples cover many of the common scattering objects and prove to be very competitive in accuracy with the standard methods for PDE-related eigenvalue problems. We finally give an approximation analysis for our framework and provide error estimates, which bound interior transmission eigenvalue deviations in terms of some generalized MFS output.

A Structured and Unstructured grid Relocatable ocean platform for Forecasting (SURF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trotta, Francesco; Fenu, Elisa; Pinardi, Nadia; Bruciaferri, Diego; Giacomelli, Luca; Federico, Ivan; Coppini, Giovanni

2016-11-01

We present a numerical platform named Structured and Unstructured grid Relocatable ocean platform for Forecasting (SURF). The platform is developed for short-time forecasts and is designed to be embedded in any region of the large-scale Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS) via downscaling. We employ CTD data collected during a campaign around the Elba island to calibrate and validate SURF. The model requires an initial spin up period of a few days in order to adapt the initial interpolated fields and the subsequent solutions to the higher-resolution nested grids adopted by SURF. Through a comparison with the CTD data, we quantify the improvement obtained by SURF model compared to the coarse-resolution MFS model.

Establishment of the Inducible Tet-On System for the Activation of the Silent Trichosetin Gene Cluster in Fusarium fujikuroi

PubMed Central

Janevska, Slavica; Arndt, Birgit; Baumann, Leonie; Apken, Lisa Helene; Mauriz Marques, Lucas Maciel; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich; Tudzynski, Bettina

2017-01-01

The PKS-NRPS-derived tetramic acid equisetin and its N-desmethyl derivative trichosetin exhibit remarkable biological activities against a variety of organisms, including plants and bacteria, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus. The equisetin biosynthetic gene cluster was first described in Fusarium heterosporum, a species distantly related to the notorious rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi. Here we present the activation and characterization of a homologous, but silent, gene cluster in F. fujikuroi. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that this cluster does not contain the equisetin N-methyltransferase gene eqxD and consequently, trichosetin was isolated as final product. The adaption of the inducible, tetracycline-dependent Tet-on promoter system from Aspergillus niger achieved a controlled overproduction of this toxic metabolite and a functional characterization of each cluster gene in F. fujikuroi. Overexpression of one of the two cluster-specific transcription factor (TF) genes, TF22, led to an activation of the three biosynthetic cluster genes, including the PKS-NRPS key gene. In contrast, overexpression of TF23, encoding a second Zn(II)2Cys6 TF, did not activate adjacent cluster genes. Instead, TF23 was induced by the final product trichosetin and was required for expression of the transporter-encoding gene MFS-T. TF23 and MFS-T likely act in consort and contribute to detoxification of trichosetin and therefore, self-protection of the producing fungus. PMID:28379186

Establishment of the Inducible Tet-On System for the Activation of the Silent Trichosetin Gene Cluster in Fusarium fujikuroi.

PubMed

Janevska, Slavica; Arndt, Birgit; Baumann, Leonie; Apken, Lisa Helene; Mauriz Marques, Lucas Maciel; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich; Tudzynski, Bettina

2017-04-05

The PKS-NRPS-derived tetramic acid equisetin and its N -desmethyl derivative trichosetin exhibit remarkable biological activities against a variety of organisms, including plants and bacteria, e.g., Staphylococcus aureus . The equisetin biosynthetic gene cluster was first described in Fusarium heterosporum , a species distantly related to the notorious rice pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi . Here we present the activation and characterization of a homologous, but silent, gene cluster in F. fujikuroi . Bioinformatic analysis revealed that this cluster does not contain the equisetin N -methyltransferase gene eqxD and consequently, trichosetin was isolated as final product. The adaption of the inducible, tetracycline-dependent Tet-on promoter system from Aspergillus niger achieved a controlled overproduction of this toxic metabolite and a functional characterization of each cluster gene in F. fujikuroi . Overexpression of one of the two cluster-specific transcription factor (TF) genes, TF22 , led to an activation of the three biosynthetic cluster genes, including the PKS-NRPS key gene. In contrast, overexpression of TF23 , encoding a second Zn(II)₂Cys₆ TF, did not activate adjacent cluster genes. Instead, TF23 was induced by the final product trichosetin and was required for expression of the transporter-encoding gene MFS-T . TF23 and MFS-T likely act in consort and contribute to detoxification of trichosetin and therefore, self-protection of the producing fungus.

Meshless Method with Operator Splitting Technique for Transient Nonlinear Bioheat Transfer in Two-Dimensional Skin Tissues

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ze-Wei; Wang, Hui; Qin, Qing-Hua

2015-01-01

A meshless numerical scheme combining the operator splitting method (OSM), the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation, and the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is developed for solving transient nonlinear bioheat problems in two-dimensional (2D) skin tissues. In the numerical scheme, the nonlinearity caused by linear and exponential relationships of temperature-dependent blood perfusion rate (TDBPR) is taken into consideration. In the analysis, the OSM is used first to separate the Laplacian operator and the nonlinear source term, and then the second-order time-stepping schemes are employed for approximating two splitting operators to convert the original governing equation into a linear nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation (NHGE) at each time step. Subsequently, the RBF interpolation and the MFS involving the fundamental solution of the Laplace equation are respectively employed to obtain approximated particular and homogeneous solutions of the nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation. Finally, the full fields consisting of the particular and homogeneous solutions are enforced to fit the NHGE at interpolation points and the boundary conditions at boundary collocations for determining unknowns at each time step. The proposed method is verified by comparison of other methods. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the coefficients in the cases of a linear and an exponential relationship of TDBPR is investigated to reveal their bioheat effect on the skin tissue. PMID:25603180

Meshless method with operator splitting technique for transient nonlinear bioheat transfer in two-dimensional skin tissues.

PubMed

Zhang, Ze-Wei; Wang, Hui; Qin, Qing-Hua

2015-01-16

A meshless numerical scheme combining the operator splitting method (OSM), the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation, and the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is developed for solving transient nonlinear bioheat problems in two-dimensional (2D) skin tissues. In the numerical scheme, the nonlinearity caused by linear and exponential relationships of temperature-dependent blood perfusion rate (TDBPR) is taken into consideration. In the analysis, the OSM is used first to separate the Laplacian operator and the nonlinear source term, and then the second-order time-stepping schemes are employed for approximating two splitting operators to convert the original governing equation into a linear nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation (NHGE) at each time step. Subsequently, the RBF interpolation and the MFS involving the fundamental solution of the Laplace equation are respectively employed to obtain approximated particular and homogeneous solutions of the nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation. Finally, the full fields consisting of the particular and homogeneous solutions are enforced to fit the NHGE at interpolation points and the boundary conditions at boundary collocations for determining unknowns at each time step. The proposed method is verified by comparison of other methods. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the coefficients in the cases of a linear and an exponential relationship of TDBPR is investigated to reveal their bioheat effect on the skin tissue.

Diversity of bacterial communities and dissolved organic matter in a temperate estuary.

PubMed

Osterholz, Helena; Kirchman, David L; Niggemann, Jutta; Dittmar, Thorsten

2018-06-14

Relationships between bacterial community and dissolved organic matter (DOM) include microbial uptake, transformation and secretion, all of which influence DOM composition. In this study, we explore diversity and similarity metrics of dissolved organic molecules (Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry) and bacterial communities (tag-sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) along the salinity gradient of the Delaware Estuary (USA). We found that even though mixing, discharge and seasonal changes explained most of the variation in DOM and bacterial communities, there was still a relationship, albeit weak, between the composition of DOM and bacterial communities in the estuary. Overall, many DOM molecular formulas (MFs) and bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) reoccurred over years and seasons while the frequency of MF-OTU correlations varied. Diversity based on MFs and OTUs was significantly correlated, decreasing towards the open ocean. However, while the diversity of bacterial OTUs dropped markedly with low salinity, MF diversity decreased strongly only at high salinities. We hypothesize that the different turnover times of DOM and bacteria lead to different abundance distributions of OTUs and MFs. A significant portion of the detected DOM is of a more refractory nature with lifetimes largely exceeding the mixing time of the estuary, while bacterial community turnover times in the Delaware Estuary are estimated at several days.

Occupational Exposure to Magnetic Fields and Breast Cancer Among Women Textile Workers in Shanghai, China

PubMed Central

Li, Wenjin; Ray, Roberta M.; Thomas, David B.; Yost, Michael; Davis, Scott; Breslow, Norman; Gao, Dao Li; Fitzgibbons, E. Dawn; Camp, Janice E.; Wong, Eva; Wernli, Karen J.; Checkoway, Harvey

2013-01-01

Exposure to magnetic fields (MFs) is hypothesized to increase the risk of breast cancer by reducing production of melatonin by the pineal gland. A nested case-cohort study was conducted to investigate the association between occupational exposure to MFs and the risk of breast cancer within a cohort of 267,400 female textile workers in Shanghai, China. The study included 1,687 incident breast cancer cases diagnosed from 1989 to 2000 and 4,702 noncases selected from the cohort. Subjects’ complete work histories were linked to a job–exposure matrix developed specifically for the present study to estimate cumulative MF exposure. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox proportional hazards modeling that was adapted for the case-cohort design. Hazard ratios were estimated in relation to cumulative exposure during a woman's entire working years. No association was observed between cumulative exposure to MFs and overall risk of breast cancer. The hazard ratio for the highest compared with the lowest quartile of cumulative exposure was 1.03 (95% confidence interval: 0.87, 1.21). Similar null findings were observed when exposures were lagged and stratified by age at breast cancer diagnosis. The findings do not support the hypothesis that MF exposure increases the risk of breast cancer. PMID:24043439

Fabrication of Smart Chemical Sensors Based on Transition-Doped-Semiconductor Nanostructure Materials with µ-Chips

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohammed M.; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Asiri, Abdullah M.

2014-01-01

Transition metal doped semiconductor nanostructure materials (Sb2O3 doped ZnO microflowers, MFs) are deposited onto tiny µ-chip (surface area, ∼0.02217 cm2) to fabricate a smart chemical sensor for toxic ethanol in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M PBS). The fabricated chemi-sensor is also exhibited higher sensitivity, large-dynamic concentration ranges, long-term stability, and improved electrochemical performances towards ethanol. The calibration plot is linear (r2 = 0.9989) over the large ethanol concentration ranges (0.17 mM to 0.85 M). The sensitivity and detection limit is ∼5.845 µAcm−2mM−1 and ∼0.11±0.02 mM (signal-to-noise ratio, at a SNR of 3) respectively. Here, doped MFs are prepared by a wet-chemical process using reducing agents in alkaline medium, which characterized by UV/vis., FT-IR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) etc. The fabricated ethanol chemical sensor using Sb2O3-ZnO MFs is simple, reliable, low-sample volume (<70.0 µL), easy of integration, high sensitivity, and excellent stability for the fabrication of efficient I–V sensors on μ-chips. PMID:24454785

Fabrication of smart chemical sensors based on transition-doped-semiconductor nanostructure materials with µ-chips.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohammed M; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Asiri, Abdullah M

2014-01-01

Transition metal doped semiconductor nanostructure materials (Sb2O3 doped ZnO microflowers, MFs) are deposited onto tiny µ-chip (surface area, ∼0.02217 cm(2)) to fabricate a smart chemical sensor for toxic ethanol in phosphate buffer solution (0.1 M PBS). The fabricated chemi-sensor is also exhibited higher sensitivity, large-dynamic concentration ranges, long-term stability, and improved electrochemical performances towards ethanol. The calibration plot is linear (r(2) = 0.9989) over the large ethanol concentration ranges (0.17 mM to 0.85 M). The sensitivity and detection limit is ∼5.845 µAcm(-2)mM(-1) and ∼0.11±0.02 mM (signal-to-noise ratio, at a SNR of 3) respectively. Here, doped MFs are prepared by a wet-chemical process using reducing agents in alkaline medium, which characterized by UV/vis., FT-IR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) etc. The fabricated ethanol chemical sensor using Sb2O3-ZnO MFs is simple, reliable, low-sample volume (<70.0 µL), easy of integration, high sensitivity, and excellent stability for the fabrication of efficient I-V sensors on μ-chips.

Inhibitory Effect of TNF-alpha Produced by Macrophages Stimulated with Grifola frondosa Extract (ME) on the Growth of Influenza A/Aichi/2/68 Virus in MDCK Cells.

PubMed

Obi, Nobuko; Hayashi, Katsumi; Miyahara, Tatsurou; Shimada, Yutaka; Terasawa, Katsutoshi; Watanabe, Masataka; Takeyama, Masahide; Obi, Ryosuke; Ochiai, Hiroshi

2008-01-01

We investigated the inhibitory effect of the conditioned medium (CM) from P338D1 (D1) cells, a murine macrophage cell line, stimulated for 10 hours with a fixed dose (100 mug/ml) of the extracts from the fruit bodies of Grifola frondosa (ME) or its ultra filtration-based fractions (MFs), on the growth of influenza A/Aichi/2/68 virus in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Direct addition of ME and 3 kinds of MFs (MF1, MF2 and MF3) to the infected cells had no obvious inhibitory effect. However, virus yields were reduced in the presence of CMs. Notably, the inhibitory effect of the CM prepared by using MF2 (molecular weight of 30 Kd to 100 Kd) was the strongest (28% reduction compared to the control). RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that the CMs could induce the expression of TNF-alpha mRNA in D1 cells leading to production of TNF-alpha, known as an antiviral cytokine. These findings suggest that ME and MFs (especially MF-2) might induce the production of certain factors, including TNF-alpha, which are responsible for the inhibition of viral growth in vitro.

Choice of tracks, microtubules and/or actin filaments for chloroplast photo-movement is differentially controlled by phytochrome and a blue light receptor.

PubMed

Sato, Y; Wada, M; Kadota, A

2001-01-01

Light induced chloroplast movement has been studied as a model system for photoreception and actin microfilament (MF)-based intracellular motilities in plants. Chloroplast photo-accumulation and -avoidance movement is mediated by phytochrome as well as blue light (BL) receptor in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Here we report the discovery of an involvement of a microtubule (MT)-based system in addition to an MF-based system in photorelocation of chloroplasts in this moss. In the dark, MTs provided tracks for rapid movement of chloroplasts in a longitudinal direction and MFs contributed the tracks for slow movement in any direction. We found that phytochrome responses utilized only the MT-based system, while BL responses had an alternative way of moving, either along MTs or MFs. MT-based systems were mediated by both photoreceptors, but chloroplasts showed movements with different velocity and pattern between them. No apparent difference in the behavior of chloroplast movement between the accumulation and avoidance movement was detected in phytochrome responses or BL responses, except for the direction of the movement. The results presented here demonstrate that chloroplasts use both MTs and MFs for motility and that phytochrome and a BL receptor control directional photo-movement of chloroplasts through the differential regulation of these motile systems.

The improvements of the Ships Of Opportunity Program in MFSTEP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manzella, G. M. R.; Reseghetti, F.; Coppini, G.; Borghini, M.; Crusado, A.; Galli, C.; Gertman, I.; Gervais, T.; Hayes, D.; Millot, C.; Özsoy, E.; Tziavos, C.; Velasquez, Z.; Zodiatis, G.

2006-10-01

The Ships Of Opportunity Program in the Mediterranean Sea was established at the end of 1999, in the framework of the Mediterranean Forecasting System - Pilot Project (MFS-PP). Many improvements have been made in data collection, transmission and management. Calibration of selected XBTs and a comparison of XBTs vs. CTDs during some research cruises have assured the quality of the data. Transmission now allows receiving data in full resolution by using GSM or satellite telecommunication services; management is offering access to high quality data and view services. The effects of technological and methodological improvements in the observing system are assessed in terms of capability to represent the most important circulation features. The improved methodologies have been tested during the Mediterranean Forecasting System - Toward Environmental Prediction (MFS-TEP) - Targeted Operational Period (MFS-TOP), lasting from September 2004 to February 2005. In spite of the short period of measurements, several important aspects of the Mediterranean Sea circulation have been verified, such as eddies and gyres in the various sub-basins, and dense water formation processes in some of them (vertical homogeneous profiles of about 13°C down to ~800 m in the Provencal, and of about 14.9°C down to ~300 m in the Levantine have allowed defining an index of dense water formation).

[Detection of pathogenic mutations in Marfan syndrome by targeted next-generation semiconductor sequencing].

PubMed

Lu, Chaoxia; Wu, Wei; Xiao, Jifang; Meng, Yan; Zhang, Shuyang; Zhang, Xue

2013-06-01

To detect pathogenic mutations in Marfan syndrome (MFS) using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM) and to validate the result of targeted next-generation semiconductor sequencing for the diagnosis of genetic disorders. Peripheral blood samples were collected from three MFS patients and a normal control with informed consent. Genomic DNA was isolated by standard method and then subjected to targeted sequencing using an Ion Ampliseq(TM) Inherited Disease Panel. Three multiplex PCR reactions were carried out to amplify the coding exons of 328 genes including FBN1, TGFBR1 and TGFBR2. DNA fragments from different samples were ligated with barcoded sequencing adaptors. Template preparation and emulsion PCR, and Ion Sphere Particles enrichment were carried out using an Ion One Touch system. The ion sphere particles were sequenced on a 318 chip using the PGM platform. Data from the PGM runs were processed using an Ion Torrent Suite 3.2 software to generate sequence reads. After sequence alignment and extraction of SNPs and indels, all the variants were filtered against dbSNP137. DNA sequences were visualized with an Integrated Genomics Viewer. The most likely disease-causing variants were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. The PGM sequencing has yielded an output of 855.80 Mb, with a > 100 × median sequencing depth and a coverage of > 98% for the targeted regions in all the four samples. After data analysis and database filtering, one known missense mutation (p.E1811K) and two novel premature termination mutations (p.E2264X and p.L871FfsX23) in the FBN1 gene were identified in the three MFS patients. All mutations were verified by conventional Sanger sequencing. Pathogenic FBN1 mutations have been identified in all patients with MFS, indicating that the targeted next-generation sequencing on the PGM sequencers can be applied for accurate and high-throughput testing of genetic disorders.

The effectiveness of xylitol in a school-based cluster-randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Lee, Wonik; Spiekerman, Charles; Heima, Masahiro; Eggertsson, Hafsteinn; Ferretti, Gerald; Milgrom, Peter; Nelson, Suchitra

2015-01-01

The purpose of this double-blind, cluster-randomized clinical trial was to examine the effects of xylitol gummy bear snacks on dental caries progression in primary and permanent teeth of inner-city school children. A total of 562 children aged 5-6 years were recruited from five elementary schools in East Cleveland, Ohio. Children were randomized by classroom to receive xylitol (7.8 g/day) or placebo (inulin fiber 20 g/day) gummy bears. Gummy bears were given three times per day for the 9-month kindergarten year within a supervised school environment. Children in both groups also received oral health education, toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste, topical fluoride varnish treatment and dental sealants. The numbers of new decayed, missing, and filled surfaces for primary teeth (dmfs) and permanent teeth (DMFS) from baseline to the middle of 2nd grade (exit exam) were compared between the treatment (xylitol/placebo) groups using an optimally-weighted permutation test for cluster-randomized data. The mean new d(3-6)mfs at the exit exam was 5.0 ± 7.6 and 4.0 ± 6.5 for the xylitol and placebo group, respectively. Similarly, the mean new D(3-6)MFS was 0.38 ± 0.88 and 0.48 ± 1.39 for the xylitol and placebo group, respectively. The adjusted mean difference between the two groups was not statistically significant: new d(3-6)mfs: mean 0.4, 95% CI -0.25, 0.8), and new D(3-6)MFS: mean 0.16, 95% CI -0.16, 0.43. Xylitol consumption did not have additional benefit beyond other preventive measures. Caries progression in the permanent teeth of both groups was minimal, suggesting that other simultaneous prevention modalities may have masked the possible beneficial effects of xylitol in this trial. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Dimorphic effects of transforming growth factor-β signaling during aortic aneurysm progression in mice suggest a combinatorial therapy for Marfan syndrome.

PubMed

Cook, Jason R; Clayton, Nicholas P; Carta, Luca; Galatioto, Josephine; Chiu, Emily; Smaldone, Silvia; Nelson, Carol A; Cheng, Seng H; Wentworth, Bruce M; Ramirez, Francesco

2015-04-01

Studies of mice with mild Marfan syndrome (MFS) have correlated the development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) with improper stimulation of noncanonical (Erk-mediated) TGFβ signaling by the angiotensin type I receptor (AT1r). This correlation was largely based on comparable TAA modifications by either systemic TGFβ neutralization or AT1r antagonism. However, subsequent investigations have called into question some key aspects of this mechanism of arterial disease in MFS. To resolve these controversial points, here we made a head-to-head comparison of the therapeutic benefits of TGFβ neutralization and AT1r antagonism in mice with progressively severe MFS (Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice). Aneurysm growth, media degeneration, aortic levels of phosphorylated Erk and Smad proteins and the average survival of Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice were compared after a ≈3-month-long treatment with placebo and either the AT1r antagonist losartan or the TGFβ-neutralizing antibody 1D11. In contrast to the beneficial effect of losartan, TGFβ neutralization either exacerbated or mitigated TAA formation depending on whether treatment was initiated before (postnatal day 16; P16) or after (P45) aneurysm formation, respectively. Biochemical evidence-related aneurysm growth with Erk-mediated AT1r signaling, and medial degeneration with TGFβ hyperactivity that was in part AT1r dependent. Importantly, P16-initiated treatment with losartan combined with P45-initiated administration of 1D11 prevented death of Fbn1(mgR/mgR) mice from ruptured TAA. By demonstrating that promiscuous AT1r and TGFβ drive partially overlapping processes of arterial disease in MFS mice, our study argues for a therapeutic strategy against TAA that targets both signaling pathways although sparing the early protective role of TGFβ. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Towards a coastal ocean forecasting system in Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian seas based on unstructured-grid model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Federico, Ivan; Oddo, Paolo; Pinardi, Nadia; Coppini, Giovanni

2014-05-01

The Southern Adriatic Northern Ionian Forecasting System (SANIFS) operational chain is based on a nesting approach. The large scale model for the entire Mediterranean basin (MFS, Mediterranean Forecasting system, operated by INGV, e.g. Tonani et al. 2008, Oddo et al. 2009) provides lateral open boundary conditions to the regional model for Adriatic and Ionian seas (AIFS, Adriatic Ionian Forecasting System) which provides the open-sea fields (initial conditions and lateral open boundary conditions) to SANIFS. The latter, here presented, is a coastal ocean model based on SHYFEM (Shallow HYdrodynamics Finite Element Model) code, which is an unstructured grid, finite element three-dimensional hydrodynamic model (e.g. Umgiesser et al., 2004, Ferrarin et al., 2013). The SANIFS hydrodynamic model component has been designed to provide accurate information of hydrodynamics and active tracer fields in the coastal waters of Southern Eastern Italy (Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria regions), where the model is characterized by a resolution of about of 200-500 m. The horizontal resolution is also accurate in open-sea areas, where the elements size is approximately 3 km. During the development phase the model has been initialized and forced at the lateral open boundaries through a full nesting strategy directly with the MFS fields. The heat fluxes has been computed by bulk formulae using as input data the operational analyses of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Short range pre-operational forecast tests have been performed in different seasons to evaluate the robustness of the implemented model in different oceanographic conditions. Model results are validated by means of comparison with MFS operational results and observations. The model is able to reproduce the large-scale oceanographic structures of the area (keeping similar structures of MFS in open sea), while in the coastal area significant improvements in terms of reproduced structures and dynamics are evident.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 2-A Predictor of Outcome for Patients Irradiated for Stage II-III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rades, Dirk, E-mail: Rades.Dirk@gmx.net; Setter, Cornelia; Dahl, Olav

2012-01-01

Purpose: The prognostic value of the tumor cell expression of the fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unclear. The present study investigated the effect of tumor cell expression of FGF-2 on the outcome of 60 patients irradiated for Stage II-III NSCLC. Methods and Materials: The effect of FGF-2 expression and 13 additional factors on locoregional control (LRC), metastasis-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS) were retrospectively evaluated. These additional factors included age, gender, Karnofsky performance status, histologic type, histologic grade, T and N category, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, surgery, chemotherapy, pack-years,more » smoking during radiotherapy, and hemoglobin during radiotherapy. Locoregional failure was identified by endoscopy or computed tomography. Univariate analyses were performed with the Kaplan-Meier method and the Wilcoxon test and multivariate analyses with the Cox proportional hazard model. Results: On univariate analysis, improved LRC was associated with surgery (p = .017), greater hemoglobin levels (p = .036), and FGF-2 negativity (p <.001). On multivariate analysis of LRC, surgery (relative risk [RR], 2.44; p = .037), and FGF-2 expression (RR, 5.06; p <.001) maintained significance. On univariate analysis, improved MFS was associated with squamous cell carcinoma (p = .020), greater hemoglobin levels (p = .007), and FGF-2 negativity (p = .001). On multivariate analysis of MFS, the hemoglobin levels (RR, 2.65; p = .019) and FGF-2 expression (RR, 3.05; p = .004) were significant. On univariate analysis, improved OS was associated with a lower N category (p = .048), greater hemoglobin levels (p <.001), and FGF-2 negativity (p <.001). On multivariate analysis of OS, greater hemoglobin levels (RR, 4.62; p = .002) and FGF-2 expression (RR, 3.25; p = .002) maintained significance. Conclusions: Tumor cell expression of FGF-2 appeared to be an independent negative predictor of LRC, MFS, and OS.« less

Fluctuation-dissipation relation in accelerated frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adhikari, Ananya; Bhattacharya, Krishnakanta; Chowdhury, Chandramouli; Majhi, Bibhas Ranjan

2018-02-01

A uniformly accelerated (Rindler) observer will detect particles in the Minkowski vacuum, known as the Unruh effect. The spectrum is thermal and the temperature is given by that of the Killing horizon, which is proportional to the acceleration. Considering that these particles are kept in a thermal bath with this temperature, we find that the correlation function of the random force due to radiation acting on the particles, as measured by the accelerated frame, shows the fluctuation-dissipation relation. It is observed that the correlations, in both (1 +1 ) spacetime and (1 +3 ) dimensional spacetimes, are of the Brownian type. We discuss the implications of this new observation.

Superluminality in dilatationally invariant generalized Galileon theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolevatov, R. S.

2015-12-01

We consider small perturbations about homogeneous backgrounds in dilatationally invariant Galileon models. The issues we address are stability (absence of ghosts and gradient instabilities) and superluminality. We show that in the Minkowski background, it is possible to construct the Lagrangian in such a way that any homogeneous Galileon background solution is stable and small perturbations about it are subluminal. On the other hand, in the case of Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) backgrounds, for any Lagrangian functions there exist homogeneous background solutions to the Galileon equation of motion and time dependence of the scale factor, such that the stability conditions are satisfied, but the Galileon perturbations propagate with superluminal speed.

Elliptic Integrals in the Minkowski Plane

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-09

factorial Pochhammer notation F(a + k) (a)k - (a) Let F(a, b , c denote the hypergeometric function. Assume c - a - b = d , where d is a positive...integer. Then in a neighborhood of C = 1 , ((d) F(a+ b+d) d-1 (a)n (b)n )n(22) F(a , b , a + b + d , () = E~ )rb+ 0-’)n( ) r(a +d) r(b +d) n =O0( ’d’ n...axes a , b and eccentriaty e = c where c = Ta2 - b2 . Let P denote one of the foci of the ellipse. Then (26) 1 1 1 2 and(26) ar+(K, P) 2 -er F(- 1

Evaluation of oxfendazole in the treatment of zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infection in dogs

PubMed Central

Colella, Vito; Maia, Carla; Pereira, André; Gonçalves, Nuno; Caruso, Marta; Martin, Coralie; Cardoso, Luís; Campino, Lenea; Scandale, Ivan

2018-01-01

The genus Onchocerca encompasses parasitic nematodes including Onchocerca volvulus, causative agent of river blindness in humans, and the zoonotic Onchocerca lupi infecting dogs and cats. In dogs, O. lupi adult worms cause ocular lesions of various degrees while humans may bear the brunt of zoonotic onchocercosis with patients requiring neurosurgical intervention because of central nervous system localization of nematodes. Though the zoonotic potential of O. lupi has been well recognized from human cases in Europe, the United States and the Middle East, a proper therapy for curing this parasitic infection in dogs is lacking. To evaluate the efficacy of oxfendazole, 11 out of the 21 client-owned dogs (21/123; 17.1%) positive for skin-dwelling O. lupi microfilariae (mfs), were enrolled in the efficacy study and were treated with oxfendazole (50 mg/kg) per OS once a day for 5 (G2) or 10 (G3) consecutive days or were left untreated (G1). The efficacy of oxfendazole in the reduction of O. lupi mfs was evaluated by microfilarial count and by assessing the percentage of mfs reduction and mean microfilaricidal efficacy, whereas the efficacy in the reduction of ocular lesions was evaluated by ultrasound imaging. All dogs where subjected to follow-ups at 30 (D30), 90 (D90) and 180 (D180) days post-treatment. The percentage of reduction of mfs was 78% for G2 and 12.5% for G3 at D180. The mean microfilaricidal efficacy of oxfendazole in the treatment of canine onchocercosis by O. lupi at D30, D90 and D180 was 41%, 81% and 90%, in G2 and 40%, 65% and 70%, in G3, respectively. Retrobulbar lesions did not reduce from D0 to D180 in control group (dogs in G1), whereas all treated dogs (in G2 and G3) had slightly decreased ocular lesions. Percentage of reduction of ocular lesions by ultrasound examination was 50% and 47.5% in G2 and G3 at D180, respectively. Despite the decrease in ocular lesions in all treated dogs (G2 and G3), oxfendazole was ineffective in reducing ocular lesions and skin-dwelling O. lupi mfs in treated dogs (G2 and G3) in a six-month follow-up period. Here we discuss the need for more reliable diagnostic techniques and efficient treatment protocols to better plan future intervention strategies. PMID:29377880

Guillain-Barré Syndrome, variants & forms fruste: Reclassification with new criteria.

PubMed

Hiew, Fu Liong; Ramlan, Rahmansah; Viswanathan, Shanthi; Puvanarajah, Santhi

2017-07-01

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of various distinctive classical and localised Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) subtypes. Clinical characteristics and electrophysiological data of sixty-one consecutive patients admitted between 2012 and 2015 were systematically analysed and reclassified according to the new GBS clinical classification. Neurophysiology was evaluated with Hadden et al.'s vs recently proposed Rajabally et al.'s criteria. Functional severity and clinical outcome of various GBS subtypes were ascertained. All patients initially identified as GBS or related disorders can be sub-classified into having classical GBS (41, 67%), classic Miller-Fisher Syndrome (MFS) (6, 10%), Pharyngeal-cervical-brachial (PCB) (3, 5%), paraparetic GBS (4, 7%), bifacial weakness with paresthesia (3, 5%), acute ophthalmoparesis (AO) (1, 2%) and overlap syndrome (3, 5%): one (2%) with GBS/Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis overlap and 2 (3%) with GBS/MFS overlap. Greater proportion of axonal classical GBS (67% vs 55%, p=0.372) seen with Rajabally et al.'s criteria and a predominantly axonal form of paraparetic variant (75%) independent of electrodiagnostic criteria were more representative of Asian GBS cohort. Classical GBS patients had lowest admission and discharge Medical Research Council Sum Score (MRCSS), greater functional disability and longest length of in-patient stay. Twenty (20/21, 95%) patients who needed mechanical ventilation had classical GBS. Patients required repeated dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (5/6, 3%) or plasma exchange (4/4, 100%) more frequently had axonal form of classical GBS. Phenotype recognition based on new GBS clinical classification, supported by electrodiagnostic study permits more precise clinical subtypes determination and outcome prognostication. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-minimal Particle Creation from Asymptotic-de Sitter Inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusofi, E.; Mohsenzadeh, M.

2018-06-01

A general form of quasi-de Sitter(dS) modes is used to study the creation of particle during the inflation. Actually, by considering the general form of inflaton field equation as a function of the Hankel function index and by using the Planck 2015 constraint on spectral index, we obtain the possible new constraints for the values of coupling constant in the era with asymptotic-dS space-time. Then, we explicitly calculate the general form of expectation value of the created particles in terms of the Hankel function index and the conformal time. The correction terms in the number of created particles are very tiny in the early time but can have the significant effects in the later universe. Our result is general and at the early time limit confirm the conventional special results for the Minkowski and dS background.

Left ventricular midwall mechanics at 24 weeks' gestation in high-risk normotensive pregnant women: relationship to placenta-related complications of pregnancy.

PubMed

Novelli, G P; Vasapollo, B; Gagliardi, G; Tiralongo, G M; Pisani, I; Manfellotto, D; Giannini, L; Valensise, H

2012-04-01

Most studies during pregnancy have assessed maternal left ventricular (LV) function by load-dependent indices, assessing only chamber function. The aim of this study was to assess afterload-adjusted LV myocardial and chamber systolic function at 24 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum in high-risk normotensive pregnant women. A group of 118 high-risk women with bilateral notching of the uterine arteries underwent an echocardiographic examination to evaluate midwall mechanics (midwall shortening (mFS%) and stress-corrected midwall shortening (SCmFS%)) of the LV at 24 weeks' gestation and 6 months postpartum. Patients were followed until delivery and pregnancies were classified retrospectively as uneventful (uncomplicated outcome) or complicated. A control group of 54 low-risk women with uneventful pregnancies without bilateral notching was also enrolled. The pregnancy was uneventful in 74 (62.7%) women, whereas 44 (37.3%) developed complications. At 24 weeks' gestation, mFS% and SCmFS% were greater in the uncomplicated-outcome compared with the complicated-outcome group (25.9 ± 4.8 vs 18.8 ± 5.0%, P < 0.001 and 107.9 ± 18.4 vs 77.9 ± 20.7%, P < 0.001, respectively). At 6 months postpartum, SCmFS% remained greater in the uncomplicated-outcome compared with the complicated-outcome group (100.4 ± 21.6 vs 87.8 ± 19.1, P < 0.05). In the uncomplicated-outcome group, SCmFS% was higher during pregnancy than it was postpartum, whereas in the complicated-outcome group, it was lower during pregnancy than it was postpartum (P < 0.05). Maternal cardiac midwall mechanics appear to be enhanced (SCmFS% increased compared with controls) during pregnancy compared with postpartum in high-risk patients with uncomplicated pregnancy, whereas midwall mechanics are depressed both during pregnancy and postpartum in patients with pregnancy complications. Copyright © 2012 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A toy Penrose inequality and its proof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bengtsson, Ingemar; Jakobsson, Emma

2016-12-01

We formulate and prove a toy version of the Penrose inequality. The formulation mimics the original Penrose inequality in which the scenario is the following: a shell of null dust collapses in Minkowski space and a marginally trapped surface forms on it. Through a series of arguments relying on established assumptions, an inequality relating the area of this surface to the total energy of the shell is formulated. Then a further reformulation turns the inequality into a statement relating the area and the outer null expansion of a class of surfaces in Minkowski space itself. The inequality has been proven to hold true in many special cases, but there is no proof in general. In the toy version here presented, an analogous inequality in (2 + 1)-dimensional anti-de Sitter space turns out to hold true.

Exploring the Tomlin-Varadarajan quantum constraints in U (1 )3 loop quantum gravity: Solutions and the Minkowski theorem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewandowski, Jerzy; Lin, Chun-Yen

2017-03-01

We explicitly solved the anomaly-free quantum constraints proposed by Tomlin and Varadarajan for the weak Euclidean model of canonical loop quantum gravity, in a large subspace of the model's kinematic Hilbert space, which is the space of the charge network states. In doing so, we first identified the subspace on which each of the constraints acts convergingly, and then by explicitly evaluating such actions we found the complete set of the solutions in the identified subspace. We showed that the space of solutions consists of two classes of states, with the first class having a property that involves the condition known from the Minkowski theorem on polyhedra, and the second class satisfying a weaker form of the spatial diffeomorphism invariance.

The Minkowski metric in non-inertial observer radar coordinates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minguzzi, E.

2005-12-01

We give a closed expression for the Minkowski (1+1)-dimensional metric in the radar coordinates of an arbitrary non-inertial observer O in terms of O's proper acceleration. Knowledge of the metric allows the non-inertial observer to perform experiments in spacetime without making reference to inertial frames. To clarify the relation between inertial and non-inertial observers the coordinate transformation between radar and inertial coordinates also is given. We show that every conformally flat coordinate system can be regarded as the radar coordinate system of a suitable observer for a suitable parametrization of the observer worldline. Therefore, the coordinate transformation between arbitrarily moving observers is a conformal transformation and conformally invariant (1+1)-dimensional theories lead to the same physics for all observers, independently of their relative motion.

Quantum corrections in thermal states of fermions on anti-de Sitter space-time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambruş, Victor E.; Winstanley, Elizabeth

2017-12-01

We study the energy density and pressure of a relativistic thermal gas of massless fermions on four-dimensional Minkowski and anti-de Sitter space-times using relativistic kinetic theory. The corresponding quantum field theory quantities are given by components of the renormalized expectation value of the stress-energy tensor operator acting on a thermal state. On Minkowski space-time, the renormalized vacuum expectation value of the stress-energy tensor is by definition zero, while on anti-de Sitter space-time the vacuum contribution to this expectation value is in general nonzero. We compare the properties of the vacuum and thermal expectation values of the energy density and pressure for massless fermions and discuss the circumstances in which the thermal contribution dominates over the vacuum one.

Evaluation of efficacy of 1% Crystal Violet & Nuclear Fast Red stain compared to Haematoxyline & Eosin stain for assessing mitotic figures in oral premalignant and malignant lesions.

PubMed

Motiwale, Gauri; Jaiswal, Shradha; Vikey, Ashok; Motiwale, Tejas; Bagulkar, Bhupesh; Bhat, Atul; Kapoor, Prakhar

2016-07-01

Various chromosomal arrangements in cells undergoing division are referred to as Mitotic figure (MF). The abnormal excess of mitotic figures is commonly seen in oral epithelial dysplasia (ED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In present study, we compared the number of mitotic figures in normal oral mucosa, epithelial dysplasia & OSCC sections with haematoxyline & eosine (H&E) and 1%Crystal Violet & Nuclear Fast Red (CV&NFR) stain, also the efficacy of the CV&NFR stain as compared to H & E stain. We investigated the correlation between the number of mitotic figures & grades of OSCC. Study sample comprised of two serial sections of archival blocks of normal oral mucosa & diagnosed cases of epithelial dysplasia & OSCC. One slide stained with H& E & the other one with 1% CV & NFR. Mitotic figures were counted with the grid eyepiece. There was significant increase in number of MFs in oral ED and OSCC in comparison with normal oral mucosa. There was a highly significant increase in number of MFs in CV&NFR stained tissue sections when compared with H & E stain. Metaphase is the most commonly observed phase of mitosis. In summary, our study proposes the use of Crystal violet & Nuclear fast red stain as a selective stain for better contrast & easy identification MFs. © 2016 Old City Publishing, Inc.

Comparison of Dynamical Behaviors Between Monofunctional and Bifunctional Two-Component Signaling Modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiyan; Wu, Yahao; Yuan, Zhanjiang

2015-06-01

Two-component signaling modules exist extensively in bacteria and microbes. These modules can be, based on their distinct network structures, divided into two types: the monofunctional system (denoted by MFS) where the sensor kinase (SK) modulates only phosphorylation of the response regulator (RR), and the bifunctional system (denoted by BFS) where the SK catalyzes both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the RR. Here, we analyze dynamical behaviors of these two systems based on stability theory, focusing on differences between them. The analysis of the deterministic behavior indicates that there is no difference between the two modules, that is, each system has the unique stable steady state. However, there are significant differences in stochastic behavior between them. Specifically, if the mean phosphorylated SK level is kept the same for the two modules, then the variance and the Fano factor for the phosphorylated RR in the BFS are always no less than those in the MFS, indicating that bifunctionality always enhances fluctuations. The correlation between the phosphorylated SK and the phosphorylated RR in the BFS is always positive mainly due to competition between system components, but this correlation in the MFS may be positive, almost zero, or negative, depending on the ratio between two rate constants. Our overall analysis indicates that differences between dynamical behaviors of monofunctional and bifunctional signaling modules are mainly in the stochastic rather than deterministic aspect.

Euclidean supergravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Wit, Bernard; Reys, Valentin

2017-12-01

Supergravity with eight supercharges in a four-dimensional Euclidean space is constructed at the full non-linear level by performing an off-shell time-like reduction of five-dimensional supergravity. The resulting four-dimensional theory is realized off-shell with the Weyl, vector and tensor supermultiplets and a corresponding multiplet calculus. Hypermultiplets are included as well, but they are themselves only realized with on-shell supersymmetry. We also briefly discuss the non-linear supermultiplet. The off-shell reduction leads to a full understanding of the Euclidean theory. A complete multiplet calculus is presented along the lines of the Minkowskian theory. Unlike in Minkowski space, chiral and anti-chiral multiplets are real and supersymmetric actions are generally unbounded from below. Precisely as in the Minkowski case, where one has different formulations of Poincaré supergravity upon introducing different compensating supermultiplets, one can also obtain different versions of Euclidean supergravity.

General analytic results on averaging Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sussman, Roberto A.

2010-12-01

An effective acceleration, which mimics the effect of dark energy, may arise in the context of Buchert's scalar averaging formalism. We examine the conditions for such an acceleration to occur in the asymptotic radial range in generic spherically symmetric Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) dust models. By looking at the behavior of covariant scalars along space slices orthogonal to the 4-velocity, we show that this effective acceleration occurs in a class of models with negative spatial curvature that are asymptotically convergent to sections of Minkowski spacetime. As a consequence, the boundary conditions that favor LTB models with an effective acceleration are not a void inhomogeneity embedded in a homogeneous FLRW background (Swiss cheese models), but a local void or clump embedded in a large cosmic void region represented by asymptotically Minkowski conditions.

Observables and dispersion relations in κ-Minkowski spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschieri, Paolo; Borowiec, Andrzej; Pachoł, Anna

2017-10-01

We revisit the notion of quantum Lie algebra of symmetries of a noncommutative spacetime, its elements are shown to be the generators of infinitesimal transformations and are naturally identified with physical observables. Wave equations on noncommutative spaces are derived from a quantum Hodge star operator. This general noncommutative geometry construction is then exemplified in the case of κ-Minkowski spacetime. The corresponding quantum Poincaré-Weyl Lie algebra of in-finitesimal translations, rotations and dilatations is obtained. The d'Alembert wave operator coincides with the quadratic Casimir of quantum translations and it is deformed as in Deformed Special Relativity theories. Also momenta (infinitesimal quantum translations) are deformed, and correspondingly the Einstein-Planck relation and the de Broglie one. The energy-momentum relations (dispersion relations) are consequently deduced. These results complement those of the phenomenological literature on the subject.

Relaxation of vacuum energy in q-theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klinkhamer, F. R.; Savelainen, M.; Volovik, G. E.

2017-08-01

The q-theory formalism aims to describe the thermodynamics and dynamics of the deep quantum vacuum. The thermodynamics leads to an exact cancellation of the quantum-field zero-point-energies in equilibrium, which partly solves the main cosmological constant problem. But, with reversible dynamics, the spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe asymptotically approaches the Minkowski vacuum only if the Big Bang already started out in an initial equilibrium state. Here, we extend q-theory by introducing dissipation from irreversible processes. Neglecting the possible instability of a de-Sitter vacuum, we obtain different scenarios with either a de-Sitter asymptote or collapse to a final singularity. The Minkowski asymptote still requires fine-tuning of the initial conditions. This suggests that, within the q-theory approach, the decay of the de-Sitter vacuum is a necessary condition for the dynamical solution of the cosmological constant problem.

A Dream of Yukawa — Non-Local Fields out of Non-Commutative Spacetime —

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naka, Shigefumi; Toyoda, Haruki; Takanashi, Takahiro; Umezawa, Eizo

The coordinates of κ-Minkowski spacetime form Lie algebraic elements, in which time and space coordinates do not commute in spite of that space coordinates commute each other. The non-commutativity is realized by a Planck-length-scale constant κ - 1( ne 0), which is a universal constant other than the light velocity under the κ-Poincare transformation. Such a non-commutative structure can be realized by SO(1,4) generators in dS4 spacetime. In this work, we try to construct a κ-Minkowski like spacetime with commutative 4-dimensional spacetime based on Adsn+1 spacetime. Another aim of this work is to study invariant wave equations in this spacetime from the viewpoint of non-local field theory by H. Yukawa, who expected to realize elementary particle theories without divergence according to this viewpoint.

a Novel 3d Intelligent Fuzzy Algorithm Based on Minkowski-Clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toori, S.; Esmaeily, A.

2017-09-01

Assessing and monitoring the state of the earth surface is a key requirement for global change research. In this paper, we propose a new consensus fuzzy clustering algorithm that is based on the Minkowski distance. This research concentrates on Tehran's vegetation mass and its changes during 29 years using remote sensing technology. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate the changes in vegetation mass using a new process by combination of intelligent NDVI fuzzy clustering and Minkowski distance operation. The dataset includes the images of Landsat8 and Landsat TM, from 1989 to 2016. For each year three images of three continuous days were used to identify vegetation impact and recovery. The result was a 3D NDVI image, with one dimension for each day NDVI. The next step was the classification procedure which is a complicated process of categorizing pixels into a finite number of separate classes, based on their data values. If a pixel satisfies a certain set of standards, the pixel is allocated to the class that corresponds to those criteria. This method is less sensitive to noise and can integrate solutions from multiple samples of data or attributes for processing data in the processing industry. The result was a fuzzy one dimensional image. This image was also computed for the next 28 years. The classification was done in both specified urban and natural park areas of Tehran. Experiments showed that our method worked better in classifying image pixels in comparison with the standard classification methods.

Holographic entanglement entropies for Schwarzschild and Reisner-Nordström black holes in asymptotically Minkowski spacetimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yuan; Zhao, Liu

2017-04-01

Holographic entanglement entropies (HEE) associated with four-dimensional Schwarzschild and Reisner-Nordström (RN) black holes in asymptotically Minkowski spacetimes are investigated. Unlike the cases of asymptotically AdS spacetimes for which the boundaries are always taken at (timelike) conformal infinities, we take the boundaries at either large but finite radial coordinates (far boundary) or very close to the black hole event horizons (near horizon boundary). The reason for such choices is that such boundaries are similar to the conformal infinity of AdS spacetime in that they are all timelike, so that there may be some hope to define dual systems with ordinary time evolution on such boundaries. Our results indicate that, in the case of far boundaries, the leading-order contribution to HEEs comes from the background Minkowski spacetime; however, the next-to-leading-order contribution which arises from the presence of the black holes is always proportional to the black hole mass, which constitutes a version of the first law of HEE for asymptotically flat spacetimes, and the higher-order contributions are always negligibly small. In the case of near horizon boundaries, the leading-order contribution to HEE is always proportional to the area of the black hole event horizon, and the case of extremal RN black holes is distinguished from the cases of nonextremal black holes in that the minimal surface defining HEE is completely immersed inside the boundary up to the second order in the perturbative expansion.

Unruh effect for general trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obadia, N.; Milgrom, M.

2007-03-01

We consider two-level detectors coupled to a scalar field and moving on arbitrary trajectories in Minkowski space-time. We first derive a generic expression for the response function using a (novel) regularization procedure based on the Feynman prescription that is explicitly causal, and we compare it to other expressions used in the literature. We then use this expression to study, analytically and numerically, the time dependence of the response function in various nonstationarity situations. We show that, generically, the response function decreases like a power in the detector’s level spacing, E, for high E. It is only for stationary worldlines that the response function decays faster than any power law, in keeping with the known exponential behavior for some stationary cases. Under some conditions the (time-dependent) response function for a nonstationary worldline is well approximated by the value of the response function for a stationary worldline having the same instantaneous acceleration, torsion, and hypertorsion. While we cannot offer general conditions for this to apply, we discuss special cases; in particular, the low-energy limit for linear space trajectories.

Outcome Determining Factors for displaced Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures treated operatively

PubMed Central

Chan, KL; Idham, HM; Izani, IM; Nahulan, T

2015-01-01

Introduction: Calcaneal fractures are caused by high energy trauma and mostly are intra-articular fractures. Nondisplaced intra-articular calcaneal fracture (IACF) can be treated non-operatively. However, displaced intra-articular need to be reduced and fixed anatomically to facilitate early ankle rehabilitation and minimize functional impairment. This study was done to find out the outcome of the IACF patients who underwent operative treatment. Methods: 62 patients with IACF were selected in this study and had been followed up from June 2009 to May 2013. They were placed into two groups; the operative treated and non-operative treated groups. Bilateral ankle lateral view plain radiographs were taken for comparison of the Bohler and Gissane angles. Both groups of patients were assessed by the Maryland Foot Score (MFS) and the SF-36v2 general health survey questionnaire. The ability of the patients to perform activity of daily living (ADL) and /or return to work (RTW) was assessed as well. Results: The operative treatment group of displaced IACF patients achieved no significant better scores in the mean MFS and SF-36v2 mean scores as compared to non operated cases. There was no difference in RTW between the 2 groups, but earlier ADL was recorded in the operated group. However, this study had found 5 associated factors which causes major effect to the patients’ outcome to treatment. Conclusions: The patient’s compliance with post-operative rehabilitation regimen were found to be significantly related with the outcomes. PMID:28611903

A novel quantitative methodology for age evaluation of the human corneal endothelium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rannou, Klervi; Thuret, Gilles; Gain, Philippe; Pinoli, Jean-Charles; Gavet, Yann

2017-03-01

The human corneal endothelium regulates the cornea transparency. Its cells, that cannot regenerate after birth, form a tesselated mosaic with almost perfect hexagonal cells during childhood, becoming progressively bigger and less ordered during aging. This study included 50 patients (in 10 decades groups) and 10 specular microscopy observations per patient. Five different criteria were measured on the manually segmented cells: area and perimeter of the cells as well as reduced Minkowski functionals. All these criteria were used to assess the probability of age group membership. We demonstrated that the age evaluation is near the reality, although a high variability was observed for patients between 30 and 70 years old.

Hyperasymptotics and quark-hadron duality violations in QCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boito, Diogo; Caprini, Irinel; Golterman, Maarten; Maltman, Kim; Peris, Santiago

2018-03-01

We investigate the origin of the quark-hadron duality-violating terms in the expansion of the QCD two-point vector correlation function at large energies in the complex q2 plane. Starting from the dispersive representation for the associated polarization, the analytic continuation of the operator product expansion from the Euclidean to the Minkowski region is performed by means of a generalized Borel-Laplace transform, borrowing techniques from hyperasymptotics. We establish a connection between singularities in the Borel plane and quark-hadron duality-violating contributions. Starting with the assumption that for QCD at Nc=∞ the spectrum approaches a Regge trajectory at large energy, we obtain an expression for quark-hadron duality violations at large, but finite Nc.

Wormholes, baby universes, and causality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Visser, Matt

1990-02-01

In this paper wormholes defined on a Minkowski signature manifold are considered, both at the classical and quantum levels. It is argued that causality in quantum gravity may best be imposed by restricting the functional integral to include only causal Lorentzian spacetimes. Subject to this assumption, one can put very tight constraints on the quantum behavior of wormholes, their cousins the baby universes, and topology-changing processes in general. Even though topology-changing processes are tightly constrained, this still allows very interesting geometrical (rather than topological) effects. In particular, the laboratory construction of baby universes is not prohibited provided that the ``umbilical cord'' is never cut. Methods for relaxing these causality constraints are also discussed.

Bosonic Loop Diagrams as Perturbative Solutions of the Classical Field Equations in ϕ4-Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finster, Felix; Tolksdorf, Jürgen

2012-05-01

Solutions of the classical ϕ4-theory in Minkowski space-time are analyzed in a perturbation expansion in the nonlinearity. Using the language of Feynman diagrams, the solution of the Cauchy problem is expressed in terms of tree diagrams which involve the retarded Green's function and have one outgoing leg. In order to obtain general tree diagrams, we set up a "classical measurement process" in which a virtual observer of a scattering experiment modifies the field and detects suitable energy differences. By adding a classical stochastic background field, we even obtain all loop diagrams. The expansions are compared with the standard Feynman diagrams of the corresponding quantum field theory.

Dengue in Thailand and Cambodia: An Assessment of the Degree of Underrecognized Disease Burden Based on Reported Cases

PubMed Central

Wichmann, Ole; Yoon, In-Kyu; Vong, Sirenda; Limkittikul, Kriengsak; Gibbons, Robert V.; Mammen, Mammen P.; Ly, Sowath; Buchy, Philippe; Sirivichayakul, Chukiat; Buathong, Rome; Huy, Rekol; Letson, G. William; Sabchareon, Arunee

2011-01-01

Background Disease incidence data are needed to guide decision-making for public health interventions. Although dengue is a reportable disease in Thailand and Cambodia, the degree that reported incidence underrecognizes true disease burden is unknown. We utilized dengue incidence calculated from laboratory-confirmed outpatient and inpatient cases in prospective cohort studies to estimate the magnitude of dengue underrecognition and to establish more accurate disease burden estimates for these countries. Methods and Findings Cohort studies were conducted among children aged <15 years by members of a dengue field site consortium over at least 2 dengue seasons. Age-group specific multiplication factors (MFs) were computed by comparing data from three cohort studies to national surveillance data in the same province and year. In Thailand, 14,627 person-years of prospective cohort data were obtained in two provinces and 14,493 person-years from one province in Cambodia. Average annual incidence of laboratory-confirmed dengue was 23/1,000 and 25/1,000 in Thailand, and 41/1,000 in Cambodia. Calculated MFs in these provinces varied by age-group and year (range 0.4–29). Average age-group specific MFs were then applied to country-level reporting data and indicated that in Thailand a median 229,886 (range 210,612–331,236) dengue cases occurred annually during 2003–2007 and a median 111,178 (range 80,452–357,135) cases occurred in Cambodia in children <15 years of age. Average underrecognition of total and inpatient dengue cases was 8.7 and 2.6-fold in Thailand, and 9.1 and 1.4-fold in Cambodia, respectively. During the high-incidence year 2007, >95,000 children in Thailand and >58,000 children in Cambodia were estimated to be hospitalized due to dengue. Conclusion Calculating MFs by comparing prospective cohort study data to locally-reported national surveillance data is one approach to more accurately assess disease burden. These data indicate that although dengue is regularly reported in many countries, national surveillance data significantly underrecognize the true burden of disease. PMID:21468308

The Mediterranean Forecasting System: recent developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonani, Marina; Oddo, Paolo; Korres, Gerasimos; Clementi, Emanuela; Dobricic, Srdjan; Drudi, Massimiliano; Pistoia, Jenny; Guarnieri, Antonio; Romaniello, Vito; Girardi, Giacomo; Grandi, Alessandro; Bonaduce, Antonio; Pinardi, Nadia

2014-05-01

Recent developments of the Mediterranean Monitoring and Forecasting Centre of the EU-Copernicus marine service, the Mediterranean Forecasting System (MFS), are presented. MFS provides forecast, analysis and reanalysis for the physical and biogeochemical parameters of the Mediterranean Sea. The different components of the system are continuously updated in order to provide to the users the best available product. This work is focus on the physical component of the system. The physical core of MFS is composed by an ocean general circulation model (NEMO) coupled with a spectral wave model (Wave Watch-III). The NEMO model provides to WW-III surface currents and SST fields, while WW-III returns back to NEMO the neutral component of the surface drag coefficient. Satellite Sea Level Anomaly observations and in-situ T & S vertical profiles are assimilated into this system using a variational assimilation scheme based on 3DVAR (Dobricic, 2008) . Sensitive experiments have been performed in order to assess the impact of the assimilation of the latest available SLA missions, Altika and Cryosat together with the long term available mission of Jason2. The results show a significant improvement of the MFS skill due to the multi-mission along track assimilation. The primitive equations module has been recently upgraded with the introduction of the atmospheric pressure term and a new, explicit, numerical scheme has been adopted to solve the barotropic component of the equations of motion. The SLA satellite observations for data assimilation have been consequently modified in order to account for the new atmospheric pressure term introduced in the equations. This new system has been evaluated using tide gauge coastal buoys and the satellite along track data. The quality of the SSH has improved significantly while a minor impact has been observed on the other state variables (temperature, salinity and currents). Experiments with a higher resolution NWP (numerical weather prediction) forcing provided by the COSMO-MED system (provided by the Italian Meteorological Office), have been performed and a pre-operational 3-day forecast production system has been developed. The comparison between this system and the official one forced by the ECMWF NWP data will be discussed.

75 FR 28663 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-21

... Crack Arresting Barrier. NASA Case No. MFS-32605-1-CIP: Neutron Guides and Methods of Fabrication. NASA...-32697-1: Friction Modifier Using Adherent Metallic Multilayered or Mixed Element Layer Conversion...

Linearized gravity in terms of differential forms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baykal, Ahmet; Dereli, Tekin

2017-01-01

A technique to linearize gravitational field equations is developed in which the perturbation metric coefficients are treated as second rank, symmetric, 1-form fields belonging to the Minkowski background spacetime by using the exterior algebra of differential forms.

An ellipsoidal calculus based on propagation and fusion.

PubMed

Ros, L; Sabater, A; Thomas, F

2002-01-01

Presents an ellipsoidal calculus based solely on two basic operations: propagation and fusion. Propagation refers to the problem of obtaining an ellipsoid that must satisfy an affine relation with another ellipsoid, and fusion to that of computing the ellipsoid that tightly bounds the intersection of two given ellipsoids. These two operations supersede the Minkowski sum and difference, affine transformation and intersection tight bounding of ellipsoids on which other ellipsoidal calculi are based. Actually, a Minkowski operation can be seen as a fusion followed by a propagation and an affine transformation as a particular case of propagation. Moreover, the presented formulation is numerically stable in the sense that it is immune to degeneracies of the involved ellipsoids and/or affine relations. Examples arising when manipulating uncertain geometric information in the context of the spatial interpretation of line drawings are extensively used as a testbed for the presented calculus.

Singular spectrum decomposition of Bouligand-Minkowski fractal descriptors: an application to the classification of texture Images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florindo, João. Batista

2018-04-01

This work proposes the use of Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) for the classification of texture images, more specifically, to enhance the performance of the Bouligand-Minkowski fractal descriptors in this task. Fractal descriptors are known to be a powerful approach to model and particularly identify complex patterns in natural images. Nevertheless, the multiscale analysis involved in those descriptors makes them highly correlated. Although other attempts to address this point was proposed in the literature, none of them investigated the relation between the fractal correlation and the well-established analysis employed in time series. And SSA is one of the most powerful techniques for this purpose. The proposed method was employed for the classification of benchmark texture images and the results were compared with other state-of-the-art classifiers, confirming the potential of this analysis in image classification.

Visualizing curved spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonsson, Rickard M.

2005-03-01

I present a way to visualize the concept of curved spacetime. The result is a curved surface with local coordinate systems (Minkowski systems) living on it, giving the local directions of space and time. Relative to these systems, special relativity holds. The method can be used to visualize gravitational time dilation, the horizon of black holes, and cosmological models. The idea underlying the illustrations is first to specify a field of timelike four-velocities uμ. Then, at every point, one performs a coordinate transformation to a local Minkowski system comoving with the given four-velocity. In the local system, the sign of the spatial part of the metric is flipped to create a new metric of Euclidean signature. The new positive definite metric, called the absolute metric, can be covariantly related to the original Lorentzian metric. For the special case of a two-dimensional original metric, the absolute metric may be embedded in three-dimensional Euclidean space as a curved surface.

Electromagnetic energy momentum in dispersive media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Philbin, T. G.

2011-01-15

The standard derivations of electromagnetic energy and momentum in media take Maxwell's equations as the starting point. It is well known that for dispersive media this approach does not directly yield exact expressions for the energy and momentum densities. Although Maxwell's equations fully describe electromagnetic fields, the general approach to conserved quantities in field theory is not based on the field equations, but rather on the action. Here an action principle for macroscopic electromagnetism in dispersive, lossless media is used to derive the exact conserved energy-momentum tensor. The time-averaged energy density reduces to Brillouin's simple formula when the fields aremore » monochromatic. The time-averaged momentum density for monochromatic fields corresponds to the familiar Minkowski expression DxB, but for general fields in dispersive media the momentum density does not have the Minkowski value. The results are unaffected by the debate over momentum balance in light-matter interactions.« less

On Gravitational Effects in the Schrödinger Equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollock, M. D.

2014-04-01

The Schrödinger equation for a particle of rest mass and electrical charge interacting with a four-vector potential can be derived as the non-relativistic limit of the Klein-Gordon equation for the wave function , where and , or equivalently from the one-dimensional action for the corresponding point particle in the semi-classical approximation , both methods yielding the equation in Minkowski space-time , where and . We show that these two methods generally yield equations that differ in a curved background space-time , although they coincide when if is replaced by the effective mass in both the Klein-Gordon action and , allowing for non-minimal coupling to the gravitational field, where is the Ricci scalar and is a constant. In this case , where and , the correctness of the gravitational contribution to the potential having been verified to linear order in the thermal-neutron beam interferometry experiment due to Colella et al. Setting and regarding as the quasi-particle wave function, or order parameter, we obtain the generalization of the fundamental macroscopic Ginzburg-Landau equation of superconductivity to curved space-time. Conservation of probability and electrical current requires both electromagnetic gauge and space-time coordinate conditions to be imposed, which exemplifies the gravito-electromagnetic analogy, particularly in the stationary case, when div, where and . The quantum-cosmological Schrödinger (Wheeler-DeWitt) equation is also discussed in the -dimensional mini-superspace idealization, with particular regard to the vacuum potential and the characteristics of the ground state, assuming a gravitational Lagrangian which contains higher-derivative terms up to order . For the heterotic superstring theory , consists of an infinite series in , where is the Regge slope parameter, and in the perturbative approximation , is positive semi-definite for . The maximally symmetric ground state satisfying the field equations is Minkowski space for and anti-de Sitter space for.

Performance of linear and nonlinear texture measures in 2D and 3D for monitoring architectural changes in osteoporosis using computer-generated models of trabecular bone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boehm, Holger F.; Link, Thomas M.; Monetti, Roberto A.; Mueller, Dirk; Rummeny, Ernst J.; Raeth, Christoph W.

2005-04-01

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disease leading to de-mineralization and increased risk of fracture. The two major factors that determine the biomechanical competence of bone are the degree of mineralization and the micro-architectural integrity. Today, modern imaging modalities (high resolution MRI, micro-CT) are capable of depicting structural details of trabecular bone tissue. From the image data, structural properties obtained by quantitative measures are analysed with respect to the presence of osteoporotic fractures of the spine (in-vivo) or correlated with biomechanical strength as derived from destructive testing (in-vitro). Fairly well established are linear structural measures in 2D that are originally adopted from standard histo-morphometry. Recently, non-linear techniques in 2D and 3D based on the scaling index method (SIM), the standard Hough transform (SHT), and the Minkowski Functionals (MF) have been introduced, which show excellent performance in predicting bone strength and fracture risk. However, little is known about the performance of the various parameters with respect to monitoring structural changes due to progression of osteoporosis or as a result of medical treatment. In this contribution, we generate models of trabecular bone with pre-defined structural properties which are exposed to simulated osteoclastic activity. We apply linear and non-linear texture measures to the models and analyse their performance with respect to detecting architectural changes. This study demonstrates, that the texture measures are capable of monitoring structural changes of complex model data. The diagnostic potential varies for the different parameters and is found to depend on the topological composition of the model and initial "bone density". In our models, non-linear texture measures tend to react more sensitively to small structural changes than linear measures. Best performance is observed for the 3rd and 4th Minkowski Functionals and for the scaling index method.

78 FR 19743 - Government-Owned Inventions, Available for Licensing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-02

... Eddy Current Minimization for Metering, Mixing, and Conditioning; NASA Case No.: MFS-32761-1-CON: Multi-Channel Flow Plug with Eddy Current Minimization for Meeting, Mixing, and Conditioning. Sumara M. Thompson...

Derivation of the physical parameters for strong and weak flares from the Hα line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semeida, M. A.; Rashed, M. G.

2016-06-01

The two flares of 19 and 30 July 1999 were observed in the Hα line using the multichannel flare spectrograph (MFS) at the Astronomical Institute in Ondřejov, Czech Republic. We use a modified cloud method to fit the Hα line profiles which avoids using the background profile. We obtain the four parameters of the two flares: the source function, the optical thickness at line center, the line-of-sight velocity and the Doppler width. The observed asymmetry profiles have been reproduced by the theoretical ones based on our model. A discussion is made about the results of strong and weak flares using the present method.

Casimir effect for parallel plates in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezerra de Mello, E. R.; Saharian, A. A.; Setare, M. R.

2017-03-01

We evaluate the Hadamard function, the vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of the field squared and the energy-momentum tensor for a massive scalar field with a general curvature coupling parameter in the geometry of two parallel plates on a spatially flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker background with a general scale factor. On the plates, the field operator obeys the Robin boundary conditions with the coefficients depending on the scale factor. In all the spatial regions, the VEVs are decomposed into the boundary-free and boundary-induced contributions. Unlike the problem with the Minkowski bulk, in the region between the plates, the normal stress is not homogeneous and does not vanish in the geometry of a single plate. Near the plates, it has different signs for accelerated and decelerated expansions of the Universe. The VEV of the energy-momentum tensor, in addition to the diagonal components, has a nonzero off-diagonal component describing an energy flux along the direction normal to the boundaries. Expressions are derived for the Casimir forces acting on the plates. Depending on the Robin coefficients and on the vacuum state, these forces can be either attractive or repulsive. An important difference from the corresponding result in the Minkowski bulk is that the forces on the separate plates, in general, are different if the corresponding Robin coefficients differ. We give the applications of general results for the class of α vacua in the de Sitter bulk. It is shown that, compared with the Bunch-Davies vacuum state, the Casimir forces for a given α vacuum may change the sign.

Polarization and interface charge coupling in ferroelectric/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Min; Kong, Yuechan; Zhou, Jianjun; Xue, Fangshi; Li, Liang; Jiang, Wenhai; Hao, Lanzhong; Luo, Wenbo; Zeng, Huizhong

2012-03-01

Asymmetrical shift behaviors of capacitance-voltage (C-V) curve with opposite direction are observed in two AlGaN/GaN metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) heterostructures with Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and LiNbO3 gate dielectrics. By incorporating the switchable polar nature of the ferroelectric into a self-consistent calculation, the coupling effect between the ferroelectric and the interface charges is disclosed. The opposite initial orientation of ferroelectric dipoles determined by the interface charges is essentially responsible for the different C-V characteristics. A critical fixed charge density of -1.27 × 1013cm-2 is obtained, which plays a key role in the dependence of the C-V characteristic on the ferroelectric polarization. The results pave the way for design of memory devices based on MFS structure with heteropolar interface.

Piecewise mass flows within a solar prominence observed by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongbo; Liu, Yu; Tam, Kuan Vai; Zhao, Mingyu; Zhang, Xuefei

2018-06-01

The material of solar prominences is often observed in a state of flowing. These mass flows (MF) are important and useful for us to understand the internal structure and dynamics of prominences. In this paper, we present a high resolution Hα observation of MFs within a quiescent solar prominence. From the observation, we find that the plasma primarily has a circular motion and a downward motion separately in the middle section and legs of the prominence, which creates a piecewise mass flow along the observed prominence. Moreover, the observation also shows a clear displacement of MF's velocity peaks in the middle section of the prominence. All of these provide us with a detailed record of MFs within a solar prominence and show a new approach to detecting the physical properties of prominence.

Contrasting Holocene sedimentary geologies of lower Daly River, northern Australia, and lower Sepik-Ramu, Papua New Guinea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chappell, John

1993-03-01

The estuarine plain of the macrotidal Daly River, in monsoonal northern Australia, is underlain by extensive mid-Holocene mangrove swamp sediments which accumulated during the last stages of Post-glacial sea-level rise. Sediment yield from the catchment is too low to account for the volume which accumulated during sea-level rise, and onshore transport is invoked. This is supported by radiocarbon ages and facies analysis of the transgressive sediment tract beneath the maximum flooding surface (MFS), and of the tract of vertical sedimentation which extends from the MFS to the surface of estuarine/fluvial transition (the EFT). The EFT occurred about 5000 to 6000 BP throughout the estuarine plain. A contrasting situation exists in the lowland Holocene basin of the microtidal Sepik and Ramu rivers in Papua New Guinea, which derive sediment from highly tectonic catchments. A tectonic basin, which was a shallow brackish inland sea after Post-glacial transgression, is separated by a low divide from a deltaic plain. Progradation of the deltaic plain commenced about 3500 BP after regressive sedimentation eclipsed the inland sea in the tectonic basin. Contrasting organic facies, mangrove in the Daly and freshwater swamp deposits in the Sepik-Ramu, highlight differences between facies models of the two systems. Differences between fluvio-tidal regimes are reflected by the EFT, which is synchronous in the Daly and diachronous in the Sepik-Ramu, and possibly by the MFS which is diachronous in the Daly and may be synchronous in the Sepik-Ramu.

Medical Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms in Marfan Syndrome and other Heritable Conditions

PubMed Central

Jost, Christine H. Attenhofer; Greutmann, Matthias; Connolly, Heidi M.; Weber, Roland; Rohrbach, Marianne; Oxenius, Angela; Kretschmar, Oliver; Luscher, Thomas F.; Matyas, Gabor

2014-01-01

Thoracic aortic aneurysms can be triggered by genetic disorders such as Marfan syndrome (MFS) and related aortic diseases as well as by inflammatory disorders such as giant cell arteritis or atherosclerosis. In all these conditions, cardiovascular risk factors, such as systemic arterial hypertension, may contribute to faster rate of aneurysm progression. Optimal medical management to prevent progressive aortic dilatation and aortic dissection is unknown. β-blockers have been the mainstay of medical treatment for many years despite limited evidence of beneficial effects. Recently, losartan, an angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist (ARB), has shown promising results in a mouse model of MFS and subsequently in humans with MFS and hence is increasingly used. Several ongoing trials comparing losartan to β-blockers and/or placebo will better define the role of ARBs in the near future. In addition, other medications, such as statins and tetracyclines have demonstrated potential benefit in experimental aortic aneurysm studies. Given the advances in our understanding of molecular mechanisms triggering aortic dilatation and dissection, individualized management tailored to the underlying genetic defect may be on the horizon of individualized medicine. We anticipate that ongoing research will address the question whether such genotype/pathogenesis-driven treatments can replace current phenotype/syndrome-driven strategies and whether other forms of aortopathies should be treated similarly. In this work, we review currently used and promising medical treatment options for patients with heritable aortic aneurysmal disorders. PMID:24527681

Retardation of Listeria monocytogenes growth in mozzarella cheese using antimicrobial sachets containing rosemary oil and thyme oil.

PubMed

Han, Jung H; Patel, Dhaval; Kim, Jung Eun; Min, Sea C

2014-11-01

An antimicrobial sachet containing microcellular foam starch (MFS) with embedded rosemary oil and thyme oil was developed to reduce bacterial growth in shredded mozzarella cheese. The efficacy of the volatiles of oils at various concentrations in reducing Listeria monocytogenes as well as the release of the oils from the MFS have been also determined in this study. The cheese, inoculated with a cocktail of 5 strains of L. monocytogenes (approximately 3 log CFU/g), was packaged in a Nylon/EVOH/PE bag. A paper sachet containing MFS embedded with rosemary oil and thyme oil, separately or together, was inserted into the bag. Rosemary and thyme oil volatiles released from the sachet restricted the growth of L. monocytogenes, resulting in a 2.5 log CFU/g reduction on day 9 at 10 °C. The volatile oils also showed inhibitory effects on the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and total aerobic bacteria (TAB). After 15 d at 10 °C, the numbers of LAB and TAB in the samples containing the sachet with both oils experienced a 1.2 and 1.4 log CFU/g reduction, respectively, compared to untreated samples. Nonetheless, the sachet treatment produced a distinct odor, unfavorably received by the panelists. The results suggest the potential for application of the sachet system for the reduction of growth of L. monocytogenes, LAB, and TAB in food products. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Exposure of Surgeons to Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields During Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeries

PubMed Central

Park, Jee Soo; Chung, Jai Won; Kim, Nam Kyu; Cho, Min Soo; Kang, Chang Moo; Choi, Soo Beom; Kim, Deok Won

2015-01-01

Abstract The development of new medical electronic devices and equipment has increased the use of electrical apparatuses in surgery. Many studies have reported the association of long-term exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) with diseases or cancer. Robotic surgery has emerged as an alternative tool to overcome the disadvantages of conventional laparoscopic surgery. However, there has been no report regarding how much ELF-MF surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. In this observational study, we aimed to measure and compare the ELF-MFs that surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgery. The intensities of the ELF-MFs surgeons are exposed to were measured every 4 seconds for 20 cases of laparoscopic surgery and 20 cases of robotic surgery using portable ELF-MF measuring devices with logging capability. The mean ELF-MF exposures were 0.6 ± 0.1 mG for laparoscopic surgeries and 0.3 ± 0.0 mG for robotic surgeries (significantly lower with P < 0.001 by Mann–Whitney U test). Our results show that the ELF-MF exposure levels of surgeons in both robotic and conventional laparoscopic surgery were lower than 2 mG, which is the most stringent level considered safe in many studies. However, we should not overlook the effects of long-term ELF-MF exposure during many surgeries in the course of a surgeon's career. PMID:25674758

Losartan Attenuates Degradation of Aorta and Lung Tissue Micromechanics in a Mouse Model of Severe Marfan Syndrome

PubMed Central

Lee, Jia-Jye; Galatioto, Josephine; Rao, Satish; Ramirez, Francesco; Costa, Kevin D.

2018-01-01

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease of the connective tissue due to mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). This study aimed at characterizing microelastic properties of the ascending aorta wall and lung parenchyma tissues from wild type (WT) and age-matched Fbn1 hypomorphic mice (Fbn1mgR/mgR mice) to identify tissue-specific biomechanical effects of aging and disease in MFS. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to indent lung parenchyma and aortic wall tissues, using Hybrid Eshelby Decomposition analysis to extract layer-specific properties of the intima and media. The intima stiffened with age and was not different between WT and Fbn1mgR/mgR tissues, whereas the media layer of mutant aortas showed progressive structural and mechanical degradation with a modulus that was 50% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Similarly, mutant mice displayed progressive structural and mechanical deterioration of lung tissue, which was over 85% softer than WT by 3.5 months of age. Chronic treatment with the angiotensin type I receptor antagonist, losartan, attenuated the aorta and lung tissue degradation, resulting in structural and mechanical properties not significantly different from age-matched WT controls. By revealing micromechanical softening of elastin-rich aorta and lung tissues with disease progression in fibrillin-1 deficient mice, our findings support the use of losartan as a prophylactic treatment that may abrogate the life-threatening symptoms of MFS. PMID:27090893

Prediction of Multidimensional Fatigue After Childhood Brain Injury.

PubMed

Crichton, Alison J; Babl, Franz; Oakley, Ed; Greenham, Mardee; Hearps, Stephen; Delzoppo, Carmel; Hutchison, Jamie; Beauchamp, Miriam; Anderson, Vicki A

To determine (1) the presence of fatigue symptoms and predictors of fatigue after childhood brain injury and examine (2) the feasibility, reliability, and validity of a multidimensional fatigue measure (PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale [MFS]) obtained from parent and child perspectives. Emergency and intensive care units of a hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Thirty-five families (34 parent-proxies and 32 children) aged 8 to 18 years (mean child age = 13.29 years) with traumatic brain injury (TBI) of all severities (27 mild, 5 moderate, and 3 severe) admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital. Longitudinal prospective study. Fatigue data collected at 6-week follow-up (mean = 6.9 weeks). Postinjury child- and parent-rated fatigue (PedsQL MFS), mood, sleep, and pain based on questionnaire report: TBI severity (mild vs moderate/severe TBI). A score greater than 2 standard deviations below healthy control data indicated the presence of abnormal fatigue, rates of which were higher compared with normative data for both parent and child reports (47% and 29%). Fatigue was predicted by postinjury depression and sleep disturbance for parent, but not child ratings. Fatigue, as rated by children, was not significantly predicted by TBI severity or other symptoms. The PedsQL MFS demonstrated acceptable measurement properties in child TBI participants, evidenced by good feasibility and reliability (Cronbach α values >0.90). Interrater reliability between parent and child reports was poor to moderate. Results underscore the need to assess fatigue and associated sleep-wake disturbance and depression after child TBI from both parent and child perspectives.

Understanding the Role of the Master Regulator XYR1 in Trichoderma reesei by Global Transcriptional Analysis

PubMed Central

dos Santos Castro, Lilian; de Paula, Renato G.; Antoniêto, Amanda C. C.; Persinoti, Gabriela F.; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Silva, Roberto N.

2016-01-01

We defined the role of the transcriptional factor—XYR1—in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei during cellulosic material degradation. In this regard, we performed a global transcriptome analysis using RNA-Seq of the Δxyr1 mutant strain of T. reesei compared with the parental strain QM9414 grown in the presence of cellulose, sophorose, and glucose as sole carbon sources. We found that 5885 genes were expressed differentially under the three tested carbon sources. Of these, 322 genes were upregulated in the presence of cellulose, while 367 and 188 were upregulated in sophorose and glucose, respectively. With respect to genes under the direct regulation of XYR1, 30 and 33 are exclusive to cellulose and sophorose, respectively. The most modulated genes in the Δxyr1 belong to Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), transcription factors, and transporters families. Moreover, we highlight the downregulation of transporters belonging to the MFS and ABC transporter families. Of these, MFS members were mostly downregulated in the presence of cellulose. In sophorose and glucose, the expression of these transporters was mainly upregulated. Our results revealed that MFS and ABC transporters could be new players in cellulose degradation and their role was shown to be carbon source-dependent. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of XYR1 to control cellulase gene expression in T. reesei in the presence of cellulosic material, thereby potentially enhancing its application in several biotechnology fields. PMID:26909077

Understanding the Role of the Master Regulator XYR1 in Trichoderma reesei by Global Transcriptional Analysis.

PubMed

Dos Santos Castro, Lilian; de Paula, Renato G; Antoniêto, Amanda C C; Persinoti, Gabriela F; Silva-Rocha, Rafael; Silva, Roberto N

2016-01-01

We defined the role of the transcriptional factor-XYR1-in the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei during cellulosic material degradation. In this regard, we performed a global transcriptome analysis using RNA-Seq of the Δxyr1 mutant strain of T. reesei compared with the parental strain QM9414 grown in the presence of cellulose, sophorose, and glucose as sole carbon sources. We found that 5885 genes were expressed differentially under the three tested carbon sources. Of these, 322 genes were upregulated in the presence of cellulose, while 367 and 188 were upregulated in sophorose and glucose, respectively. With respect to genes under the direct regulation of XYR1, 30 and 33 are exclusive to cellulose and sophorose, respectively. The most modulated genes in the Δxyr1 belong to Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes), transcription factors, and transporters families. Moreover, we highlight the downregulation of transporters belonging to the MFS and ABC transporter families. Of these, MFS members were mostly downregulated in the presence of cellulose. In sophorose and glucose, the expression of these transporters was mainly upregulated. Our results revealed that MFS and ABC transporters could be new players in cellulose degradation and their role was shown to be carbon source-dependent. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of XYR1 to control cellulase gene expression in T. reesei in the presence of cellulosic material, thereby potentially enhancing its application in several biotechnology fields.

Intensity inhomogeneity correction of SD-OCT data using macular flatspace.

PubMed

Lang, Andrew; Carass, Aaron; Jedynak, Bruno M; Solomon, Sharon D; Calabresi, Peter A; Prince, Jerry L

2018-01-01

Images of the retina acquired using optical coherence tomography (OCT) often suffer from intensity inhomogeneity problems that degrade both the quality of the images and the performance of automated algorithms utilized to measure structural changes. This intensity variation has many causes, including off-axis acquisition, signal attenuation, multi-frame averaging, and vignetting, making it difficult to correct the data in a fundamental way. This paper presents a method for inhomogeneity correction by acting to reduce the variability of intensities within each layer. In particular, the N3 algorithm, which is popular in neuroimage analysis, is adapted to work for OCT data. N3 works by sharpening the intensity histogram, which reduces the variation of intensities within different classes. To apply it here, the data are first converted to a standardized space called macular flat space (MFS). MFS allows the intensities within each layer to be more easily normalized by removing the natural curvature of the retina. N3 is then run on the MFS data using a modified smoothing model, which improves the efficiency of the original algorithm. We show that our method more accurately corrects gain fields on synthetic OCT data when compared to running N3 on non-flattened data. It also reduces the overall variability of the intensities within each layer, without sacrificing contrast between layers, and improves the performance of registration between OCT images. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motor impairment predicts falls in specialized Alzheimer care units.

PubMed

Camicioli, Richard; Licis, Lisa

2004-01-01

We sought to identify clinical risk factors for falls in people with advanced Alzheimer disease (AD) in a prospective longitudinal observational study set in specialized AD care units. Forty-two patients with probable or possible AD were recruited. Age, sex, Mini-Mental Status Examination, Clinical Dementia Rating Scale, Neuropsychiatric Inventory/Nursing Home, Morse Fall Scale (MFS), modified Unified Parkinson's Rating Scale (mUPDRS), and gait parameters using a GAITRite Gold Walkway System with and without dual-task performance were examined. Time to a first fall was the primary outcome measure, and independent risk factors were identified. Participating subjects were old (non-fallers age, 82.3 +/- 6.7 years; fallers: 83.1 +/- 9.6 years; p = 0.76) and predominantly women (36 female/6 male). Fallers did not differ from non-fallers on any parameter except the MFS (non-fallers: 35.6 +/- 26.1; fallers: 54.4 +/- 29.8; p = 0.04), the UPDRS (non-fallers: 4.75 +/- 3.98; fallers: 7.61 +/- 4.3, p = 0.03) and cadence (steps per minute: non-fallers: 102.3 +/- 12.3; fallers: 91.7 +/- 16, p = 0.02). Fallers and non-fallers were equally affected by dual-task performance. The hazard ratios for MFS, UPDRS, and cadence were not affected by adjusting for age, sex, MMSE, or NPI scores. In conclusion, falls in advanced AD can be predicted using simple clinical measures of motor impairment or cadence. These measures may be useful for targeting interventions.

Incremental slip rate and paleoseismic data from the eastern Hope fault, New Zealand: the Hossack and Green Burn sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatem, A. E.; Dolan, J. F.; Langridge, R.; Zinke, R. W.; McGuire, C. P.; Rhodes, E.; Van Dissen, R. J.

2016-12-01

We present incremental slip rate and paleo-earthquake data from the Conway segment of the eastern Hope fault, within the Marlborough Fault System (MFS) in the northern South Island of New Zealand. Our incremental slip rate site at Hossack Station is located near the western boundary of the Conway segment (near the Hanmer pull-apart basin), and preserves four offsets of the Hossack Stream channel that range in size from c. 11 to 190 m. Channel cut and fill deposits were exposed in several fault-parallel (channel perpendicular) trenches, and the initiation and abandonment of these offset channels are constrained by >60 radiocarbon ages, yielding four incremental slip rates spanning the Holocene. Our paleoseismologic trench at Green Burn, at the eastern end of the Conway segment near Kaikoura, was excavated across the 5-m-high fault scarp into the adjacent bog deposits. This fault-perpendicular trench revealed evidence for at least four paleo-earthquakes with age constraints provided by >40 radiocarbon dates. These results add to a growing body of slip rate and paleo-earthquake age and displacement data from all four main strike-slip faults that comprise the MFS. Collectively, these observations from the Hope fault are beginning to reveal the detailed system-level behavior of the four main faults in the MFS, with fundamental implications for, among other things, earthquake occurrence and behavior, as well as seismic hazard assessment.

Physician Risk Tolerance and Head Computed Tomography Use for Patients with Isolated Headaches.

PubMed

Huang, Yi-Syun; Syue, Yuan-Jhen; Yen, Yung-Lin; Wu, Chien-Hung; Ho, Yu-Ni; Cheng, Fu-Jen

2016-11-01

Headaches are one of the most common afflictions in adults and reasons for emergency department (ED) visits. We sought to determine the association between physician risk tolerance and head computed tomography (CT) use in patients with headaches in the ED. We performed a retrospective study of patients with nontraumatic isolated headaches in the ED and then administered two instruments (Risk-Taking subscale [RTS] of the Jackson Personality Index and a Malpractice Fear Scale [MFS]) to attending physicians who had evaluated these patients and made decisions regarding head CT scans. Outcomes were head CT use during ED evaluation and hospital admission. A hierarchical logistic regression was used to determine the effect of risk scales on head CT use. Of the 1328 patients with headaches, 521 (39.2%) received brain CTs and 83 (6.9%) were admitted; 33 (2.5%) patients received a final diagnosis that the central nervous system was the origin of the disease. Among the 17 emergency physicians (EPs), the median of the MFS and RTS was 23 (interquartile range [IQR] 19-25) and 21 (IQR 20-23), respectively. EPs who were relatively risk-averse and those who possessed a higher level of malpractice fear were not more likely to order brain CTs for patients with isolated headaches. Individual EP risk tolerance, as measured by RTS, and malpractice concerns, measured by MFS, were not predictive of CT use in patients with isolated headaches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SLE as a Mating of Trees in Euclidean Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holden, Nina; Sun, Xin

2018-05-01

The mating of trees approach to Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) in the random geometry of Liouville quantum gravity (LQG) has been recently developed by Duplantier et al. (Liouville quantum gravity as a mating of trees, 2014. arXiv:1409.7055). In this paper we consider the mating of trees approach to SLE in Euclidean geometry. Let {η} be a whole-plane space-filling SLE with parameter {κ > 4} , parameterized by Lebesgue measure. The main observable in the mating of trees approach is the contour function, a two-dimensional continuous process describing the evolution of the Minkowski content of the left and right frontier of {η} . We prove regularity properties of the contour function and show that (as in the LQG case) it encodes all the information about the curve {η} . We also prove that the uniform spanning tree on {Z^2} converges to SLE8 in the natural topology associated with the mating of trees approach.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sevast'yanov, E A; Sadekova, E Kh

The Bulgarian mathematicians Sendov, Popov, and Boyanov have well-known results on the asymptotic behaviour of the least deviations of 2{pi}-periodic functions in the classes H{sup {omega}} from trigonometric polynomials in the Hausdorff metric. However, the asymptotics they give are not adequate to detect a difference in, for example, the rate of approximation of functions f whose moduli of continuity {omega}(f;{delta}) differ by factors of the form (log(1/{delta})){sup {beta}}. Furthermore, a more detailed determination of the asymptotic behaviour by traditional methods becomes very difficult. This paper develops an approach based on using trigonometric snakes as approximating polynomials. The snakes of ordermore » n inscribed in the Minkowski {delta}-neighbourhood of the graph of the approximated function f provide, in a number of cases, the best approximation for f (for the appropriate choice of {delta}). The choice of {delta} depends on n and f and is based on constructing polynomial kernels adjusted to the Hausdorff metric and polynomials with special oscillatory properties. Bibliography: 19 titles.« less

Sommerfeld's influence on Einstein's evaluation of Minkowski, 1908 to 1916

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Felix T.

2016-03-01

Einstein (E.), who had begun entirely hostile to Minkowski's (M.'s) space-time view of relativity in 1908, completely reversed himself by March 1916, saying in the second sentence of his major article on General Relativity (G.R.) in Ann. d. Phys.: ``The generalization of the theory of relativity was greatly facilitated through the form that the special theory of relativity was given by Minkowski, the mathematician who first made clear the formal equivalence of the spatial coordinates and the time coordinate and made it practically useable for the construction of the theory.'' Two major steps in this evolution exhibit E.'s respect for Sommerfeld's (S.'s) knowledge and judgment. At a meeting in Salzburg, Sept., 1909, they discussed and disagreed strongly about the value of M.'s contributions, but by the Feb., 1910, Part 2 of a survey paper E. had come to follow S. in accepting fully M.'s space-time and its coordinate x4 = ict . Step 2 followed S.'s June, 1915, publication of a 1907 lecture on relativity by M., doctoring it slightly to influence E. Unknown is whatever else S. communicated to E. at that time, but S.'s unrivalled knowledge of the implications of M.'s 4-vector algebra and analysis were at E.'s disposal. There soon followed both a paper by E. in Feb., 1916, adapting to the needs of G.R. a covariant form of Maxwell's equations discovered by M., and then E.'s handsome acknowledgement in March. The importance of early personality issues between M. and E. and of S.'s later diplomatic interventions will be explored.

Asymptotic symmetries, holography and topological hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rashmish K.; Sundrum, Raman

2018-01-01

Asymptotic symmetries of AdS4 quantum gravity and gauge theory are derived by coupling the holographically dual CFT3 to Chern-Simons gauge theory and 3D gravity in a "probe" (large-level) limit. Despite the fact that the three-dimensional AdS4 boundary as a whole is consistent with only finite-dimensional asymptotic symmetries, given by AdS isometries, infinite-dimensional symmetries are shown to arise in circumstances where one is restricted to boundary subspaces with effectively two-dimensional geometry. A canonical example of such a restriction occurs within the 4D subregion described by a Wheeler-DeWitt wavefunctional of AdS4 quantum gravity. An AdS4 analog of Minkowski "super-rotation" asymptotic symmetry is probed by 3D Einstein gravity, yielding CFT2 structure (in a large central charge limit), via AdS3 foliation of AdS4 and the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence. The maximal asymptotic symmetry is however probed by 3D conformal gravity. Both 3D gravities have Chern-Simons formulation, manifesting their topological character. Chern-Simons structure is also shown to be emergent in the Poincare patch of AdS4, as soft/boundary limits of 4D gauge theory, rather than "put in by hand" as an external probe. This results in a finite effective Chern-Simons level. Several of the considerations of asymptotic symmetry structure are found to be simpler for AdS4 than for Mink4, such as non-zero 4D particle masses, 4D non-perturbative "hard" effects, and consistency with unitarity. The last of these in particular is greatly simplified because in some set-ups the time dimension is explicitly shared by each level of description: Lorentzian AdS4, CFT3 and CFT2. Relatedly, the CFT2 structure clarifies the sense in which the infinite asymptotic charges constitute a useful form of "hair" for black holes and other complex 4D states. An AdS4 analog of Minkowski "memory" effects is derived, but with late-time memory of earlier events being replaced by (holographic) "shadow" effects. Lessons from AdS4 provide hints for better understanding Minkowski asymptotic symmetries, the 3D structure of its soft limits, and Minkowski holography.

76 FR 65751 - Notice of intent to grant exclusive license

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... the invention described and claimed in MFS-32870-1 ``Greener Electro-Mechanical Slide Valve'' to QM Power, Inc, having its principal place of business in Lee's Summit, MO. The intellectual property rights...

Smashing a Jet into a Cloud to Form Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2017-12-01

What happens when the highly energetic jet from the center of an active galaxy rams into surrounding clouds of gas and dust? A new study explores whether this might be a way to form stars.The authors simulations at an intermediate (top) and final (bottom) stage show the compression in the gas cloud as a jet (red) enters from the left. Undisturbed cloud material is shown in blue, whereas green corresponds to cold, compressed gas actively forming stars. [Fragile et al. 2017]Impacts of FeedbackCorrelation between properties of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies suggest that there is some means of communication between them. For this reason, we suspect that feedback from an active galactic nucleus (AGN) in the form of jets, for instance controls the size of the galaxy by influencing star formation. But how does this process work?AGN feedback can be either negative or positive. In negative feedback, the gas necessary for forming stars is heated or dispersed by the jet, curbing or halting star formation. In positive feedback, jets propagate through the surrounding gas with energies high enough to create compression in the gas, but not so high that they heat it. The increased density can cause the gas to collapse, thereby triggering star formation.In a recent study, a team of scientists led by Chris Fragile (College of Charleston) modeled what happens when an enormous AGN jet slams into a dwarf-galaxy-sized, inactive cloud of gas. In particular, the team explored the possibility of star-forming positive feedback with the goal of reproducing recent observations of something called Minkowskis Object, a stellar nursery located at the endpoint of a radio jet emitted from the active galaxy NGC 541.The star formation rate in the simulated cloud increases dramatically as a result of the jets impact, reaching the rate currently observed for Minkowskis Objects within 20 million years. [Fragile et al. 2017]Triggering Stellar BirthFragile and collaborators used a computational astrophysics code called Cosmos++ to produce three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of an AGN jet colliding with a spherical intergalactic cloud. They show that the collision triggers a series shocks that move through and around the cloud, condensing the gas and triggering runaway cooling instabilities that can lead to cloud clumps collapsing to form stars.The authors are able to find a model in which the dramatic increase in the star formation rate matches that measured for Minkowskis Object very well. In particular, the increased star formation occurs upstream of the bulk of the available H I gas, which is consistent with observations of Minkowskis Object and implicates the jets interaction with the cloud as the cause.The spatial distribution of particles tracing stars that formed as a result of the jet entering from the left, after 40 million years. Color tracks the particle age (in Myr) in the top panel and particle velocity (in km/s) inthe bottom. [Adapted from Fragile et al. 2017]An intriguing result of the authors simulations is a look at the spatial distribution of the velocities of stars that form when triggered by the jet. Because the propagation speed of the star-formation front gradually slows, the fastest-moving stars are those that were formed first, and they are found furthest downstream. This provides an interesting testable prediction we can look to see if a similar distribution is visible in Minkowskis Object.Fragile and collaborators plan further refinements to their simulations, but they argue that the success of their model to reproduce observations of Minkowskis Object are very promising. Positive feedback from AGN jets indeed appears to have an important impact on the surrounding environment.CitationP. Chris Fragile et al 2017 ApJ 850 171. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa95c6

Tests for Gaussianity of the MAXIMA-1 cosmic microwave background map.

PubMed

Wu, J H; Balbi, A; Borrill, J; Ferreira, P G; Hanany, S; Jaffe, A H; Lee, A T; Rabii, B; Richards, P L; Smoot, G F; Stompor, R; Winant, C D

2001-12-17

Gaussianity of the cosmological perturbations is one of the key predictions of standard inflation, but it is violated by other models of structure formation such as cosmic defects. We present the first test of the Gaussianity of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) on subdegree angular scales, where deviations from Gaussianity are most likely to occur. We apply the methods of moments, cumulants, the Kolmogorov test, the chi(2) test, and Minkowski functionals in eigen, real, Wiener-filtered, and signal-whitened spaces, to the MAXIMA-1 CMB anisotropy data. We find that the data, which probe angular scales between 10 arcmin and 5 deg, are consistent with Gaussianity. These results show consistency with the standard inflation and place constraints on the existence of cosmic defects.

Functional assignment to JEV proteins using SVM.

PubMed

Sahoo, Ganesh Chandra; Dikhit, Manas Ranjan; Das, Pradeep

2008-01-01

Identification of different protein functions facilitates a mechanistic understanding of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection and opens novel means for drug development. Support vector machines (SVM), useful for predicting the functional class of distantly related proteins, is employed to ascribe a possible functional class to Japanese encephalitis virus protein. Our study from SVMProt and available JE virus sequences suggests that structural and nonstructural proteins of JEV genome possibly belong to diverse protein functions, are expected to occur in the life cycle of JE virus. Protein functions common to both structural and non-structural proteins are iron-binding, metal-binding, lipid-binding, copper-binding, transmembrane, outer membrane, channels/Pores - Pore-forming toxins (proteins and peptides) group of proteins. Non-structural proteins perform functions like actin binding, zinc-binding, calcium-binding, hydrolases, Carbon-Oxygen Lyases, P-type ATPase, proteins belonging to major facilitator family (MFS), secreting main terminal branch (MTB) family, phosphotransfer-driven group translocators and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family group of proteins. Whereas structural proteins besides belonging to same structural group of proteins (capsid, structural, envelope), they also perform functions like nuclear receptor, antibiotic resistance, RNA-binding, DNA-binding, magnesium-binding, isomerase (intra-molecular), oxidoreductase and participate in type II (general) secretory pathway (IISP).

Functional assignment to JEV proteins using SVM

PubMed Central

Sahoo, Ganesh Chandra; Dikhit, Manas Ranjan; Das, Pradeep

2008-01-01

Identification of different protein functions facilitates a mechanistic understanding of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection and opens novel means for drug development. Support vector machines (SVM), useful for predicting the functional class of distantly related proteins, is employed to ascribe a possible functional class to Japanese encephalitis virus protein. Our study from SVMProt and available JE virus sequences suggests that structural and nonstructural proteins of JEV genome possibly belong to diverse protein functions, are expected to occur in the life cycle of JE virus. Protein functions common to both structural and non-structural proteins are iron-binding, metal-binding, lipid-binding, copper-binding, transmembrane, outer membrane, channels/Pores - Pore-forming toxins (proteins and peptides) group of proteins. Non-structural proteins perform functions like actin binding, zinc-binding, calcium-binding, hydrolases, Carbon-Oxygen Lyases, P-type ATPase, proteins belonging to major facilitator family (MFS), secreting main terminal branch (MTB) family, phosphotransfer-driven group translocators and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family group of proteins. Whereas structural proteins besides belonging to same structural group of proteins (capsid, structural, envelope), they also perform functions like nuclear receptor, antibiotic resistance, RNA-binding, DNA-binding, magnesium-binding, isomerase (intra-molecular), oxidoreductase and participate in type II (general) secretory pathway (IISP). PMID:19052658

Cardiovascular and Musculoskeletal Assessment of Elite US Volleyball Players.

PubMed

Davis, Christopher K; Dyar, Dan A; Vargas, Lisa A; Grossfeld, Paul D

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems of elite volleyball players, including aortic dimensions. Previous studies have shown that the upper limit of normal aortic sinus diameter for male and female athletes is 4 and 3.4 cm, respectively. Cross-sectional analysis. United States Olympic Volleyball Training Facility and Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. Seventy (37 male) members of the US national volleyball team. Athletes underwent evaluation that included medical and family histories, targeted physical examinations specifically focusing on abnormalities present in Marfan syndrome (MFS), and transthoracic echocardiograms. Cardiac chamber and great artery size, valve function, and coronary artery origins were assessed. Three male athletes (8%) had an aortic sinus diameter ≥4 cm, one of whom also had an ascending aorta >4 cm. Two female athletes (6%) had aortic sinus diameter ≥3.4 cm, and another had an ascending aorta of 3.4 cm. There were no other intracardiac or arterial abnormalities. Individual musculoskeletal characteristics of MFS were common among the athletes but not more frequent or numerous in those with aortic dilation. The prevalence of aortic root dilation in this population of athletes was higher than what has previously been reported in other similar populations. Further study is needed to determine whether these represent pathological changes or normal variations in tall athletes. This study adds to the existing knowledge base of athlete's heart, with specific attention to aortic dimensions in elite volleyball players. The data are relevant to similar athletes' medical care and to preparticipation cardiac screening in general.

A Major Facilitator Superfamily Transporter Plays a Dual Role in Polar Auxin Transport and Drought Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis[W

PubMed Central

Remy, Estelle; Cabrito, Tânia R.; Baster, Pawel; Batista, Rita A.; Teixeira, Miguel C.; Friml, Jiri; Sá-Correia, Isabel; Duque, Paula

2013-01-01

Many key aspects of plant development are regulated by the polarized transport of the phytohormone auxin. Cellular auxin efflux, the rate-limiting step in this process, has been shown to rely on the coordinated action of PIN-formed (PIN) and B-type ATP binding cassette (ABCB) carriers. Here, we report that polar auxin transport in the Arabidopsis thaliana root also requires the action of a Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter, Zinc-Induced Facilitator-Like 1 (ZIFL1). Sequencing, promoter-reporter, and fluorescent protein fusion experiments indicate that the full-length ZIFL1.1 protein and a truncated splice isoform, ZIFL1.3, localize to the tonoplast of root cells and the plasma membrane of leaf stomatal guard cells, respectively. Using reverse genetics, we show that the ZIFL1.1 transporter regulates various root auxin-related processes, while the ZIFL1.3 isoform mediates drought tolerance by regulating stomatal closure. Auxin transport and immunolocalization assays demonstrate that ZIFL1.1 indirectly modulates cellular auxin efflux during shootward auxin transport at the root tip, likely by regulating plasma membrane PIN2 abundance. Finally, heterologous expression in yeast revealed that ZIFL1.1 and ZIFL1.3 share H+-coupled K+ transport activity. Thus, by determining the subcellular and tissue distribution of two isoforms, alternative splicing dictates a dual function for the ZIFL1 transporter. We propose that this MFS carrier regulates stomatal movements and polar auxin transport by modulating potassium and proton fluxes in Arabidopsis cells. PMID:23524662

Application of a neuro-fuzzy model to landslide-susceptibility mapping for shallow landslides in a tropical hilly area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyun-Joo; Pradhan, Biswajeet

2011-09-01

This paper presents landslide-susceptibility mapping using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) using a geographic information system (GIS) environment. In the first stage, landslide locations from the study area were identified by interpreting aerial photographs and supported by an extensive field survey. In the second stage, landslide-related conditioning factors such as altitude, slope angle, plan curvature, distance to drainage, distance to road, soil texture and stream power index (SPI) were extracted from the topographic and soil maps. Then, landslide-susceptible areas were analyzed by the ANFIS approach and mapped using landslide-conditioning factors. In particular, various membership functions (MFs) were applied for the landslide-susceptibility mapping and their results were compared with the field-verified landslide locations. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for all landslide susceptibility maps were drawn and the areas under curve values were calculated. The ROC curve technique is based on the plotting of model sensitivity — true positive fraction values calculated for different threshold values, versus model specificity — true negative fraction values, on a graph. Landslide test locations that were not used during the ANFIS modeling purpose were used to validate the landslide susceptibility maps. The validation results revealed that the susceptibility maps constructed by the ANFIS predictive models using triangular, trapezoidal, generalized bell and polynomial MFs produced reasonable results (84.39%), which can be used for preliminary land-use planning. Finally, the authors concluded that ANFIS is a very useful and an effective tool in regional landslide susceptibility assessment.

Building bridges: formin1 of Arabidopsis forms a connection between the cell wall and the actin cytoskeleton.

PubMed

Martinière, Alexandre; Gayral, Philippe; Hawes, Chris; Runions, John

2011-04-01

Actin microfilament (MF) organization and remodelling is critical to cell function. The formin family of actin binding proteins are involved in nucleating MFs in Arabidopsis thaliana. They all contain formin homology domains in the intracellular, C-terminal half of the protein that interacts with MFs. Formins in class I are usually targeted to the plasma membrane and this is true of Formin1 (AtFH1) of A. thaliana. In this study, we have investigated the extracellular domain of AtFH1 and we demonstrate that AtFH1 forms a bridge from the actin cytoskeleton, across the plasma membrane and is anchored within the cell wall. AtFH1 has a large, extracellular domain that is maintained by purifying selection and that contains four conserved regions, one of which is responsible for immobilising the protein. Protein anchoring within the cell wall is reduced in constructs that express truncations of the extracellular domain and in experiments in protoplasts without primary cell walls. The 18 amino acid proline-rich extracellular domain that is responsible for AtFH1 anchoring has homology with cell-wall extensins. We also have shown that anchoring of AtFH1 in the cell wall promotes actin bundling within the cell and that overexpression of AtFH1 has an inhibitory effect on organelle actin-dependant dynamics. Thus, the AtFH1 bridge provides stable anchor points for the actin cytoskeleton and is probably a crucial component of the signalling response and actin-remodelling mechanisms. © 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Discovering Novel Bile Protection Systems in Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 through Functional Genomics

PubMed Central

Ruiz, Lorena; Zomer, Aldert; O'Connell-Motherway, Mary; van Sinderen, Douwe

2012-01-01

Tolerance of gut commensals to bile salt exposure is an important feature for their survival in and colonization of the intestinal environment. A transcriptomic approach was employed to study the response of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 to bile, allowing the identification of a number of bile-induced genes with a range of predicted functions. The potential roles of a selection of these bile-inducible genes in bile protection were analyzed following heterologous expression in Lactococcus lactis. Genes encoding three transport systems belonging to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS), Bbr_0838, Bbr_0832, and Bbr_1756, and three ABC-type transporters, Bbr_0406-0407, Bbr_1804-1805, and Bbr_1826-1827, were thus investigated and shown to provide enhanced resistance and survival to bile exposure. This work significantly improves our understanding as to how bifidobacteria respond to and survive bile exposure. PMID:22156415

Improved real-time dynamics from imaginary frequency lattice simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawlowski, Jan M.; Rothkopf, Alexander

2018-03-01

The computation of real-time properties, such as transport coefficients or bound state spectra of strongly interacting quantum fields in thermal equilibrium is a pressing matter. Since the sign problem prevents a direct evaluation of these quantities, lattice data needs to be analytically continued from the Euclidean domain of the simulation to Minkowski time, in general an ill-posed inverse problem. Here we report on a novel approach to improve the determination of real-time information in the form of spectral functions by setting up a simulation prescription in imaginary frequencies. By carefully distinguishing between initial conditions and quantum dynamics one obtains access to correlation functions also outside the conventional Matsubara frequencies. In particular the range between ω0 and ω1 = 2πT, which is most relevant for the inverse problem may be more highly resolved. In combination with the fact that in imaginary frequencies the kernel of the inverse problem is not an exponential but only a rational function we observe significant improvements in the reconstruction of spectral functions, demonstrated in a simple 0+1 dimensional scalar field theory toy model.

Multi-loop positivity of the planar $$ \\mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM six-point amplitude

DOE PAGES

Dixon, Lance J.; von Hippel, Matt; McLeod, Andrew J.; ...

2017-02-22

We study the six-point NMHV ratio function in planarmore » $$ \\mathcal{N} $$ = 4 SYM theory in the context of positive geometry. The Amplituhedron construction of the integrand for the amplitudes provides a kinematical region in which the integrand was observed to be positive. It is natural to conjecture that this property survives integration, i.e. that the final result for the ratio function is also positive in this region. Establishing such a result would imply that preserving positivity is a surprising property of the Minkowski contour of integration and it might indicate some deeper underlying structure. We find that the ratio function is positive everywhere we have tested it, including analytic results for special kinematical regions at one and two loops, as well as robust numerical evidence through five loops. There is also evidence for not just positivity, but monotonicity in a “radial” direction. We also investigate positivity of the MHV six-gluon amplitude. While the remainder function ceases to be positive at four loops, the BDS-like normalized MHV amplitude appears to be positive through five loops.« less

How to use retarded Green's functions in de Sitter spacetime

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higuchi, Atsushi; Cheong, Lee Yen

2008-10-15

We demonstrate in examples that the covariant retarded Green's functions in electromagnetism and linearized gravity work as expected in de Sitter spacetime. We first clarify how retarded Green's functions should be used in spacetimes with spacelike past infinity such as de Sitter spacetime. In particular, we remind the reader of a general formula which gives the field for given initial data on a Cauchy surface and a given source (a charge or stress-energy tensor distribution) in its future. We then apply this formula to three examples: (i) electromagnetism in the future of a Cauchy surface in Minkowski spacetime, (ii) electromagnetismmore » in de Sitter spacetime, and (iii) linearized gravity in de Sitter spacetime. In each example the field is reproduced correctly as predicted by the general argument. In the third example we construct a linearized gravitational field from two equal point masses located at the 'North and South Poles' which is nonsingular on the cosmological horizon and satisfies a covariant gauge condition and show that this field is reproduced by the retarded Green's function with corresponding gauge parameters.« less

75 FR 68829 - Notice of Intent To Grant Partially Exclusive License

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... Strength Aluminum Alloy for High Temperature Applications, NASA Case No. MFS-31828-1, to Allied Metal... manufacture of aluminum alloy ingots. The patent rights in this invention have been assigned to the United...

Ferroelectric polarization-controlled two-dimensional electron gas in ferroelectric/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Y. C.; Xue, F. S.; Zhou, J. J.; Li, L.; Chen, C.; Li, Y. R.

2009-06-01

The control effect of the ferroelectric polarization on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in a ferroelectric/AlGaN/GaN metal-ferroelectric-semiconductor (MFS) structure is theoretically analyzed by a self-consistent approach. With incorporating the hysteresis nature of the ferroelectric into calculation, the nature of the control effect is disclosed, where the 2DEG density is depleted/restored after poling/depoling operation on the MFS structure. The orientation of the ferroelectric polarization is clarified to be parallel to that of the AlGaN barrier, which, based on an electrostatics analysis, is attributed to the pinning effect of the underlying polarization. Reducing the thickness of the AlGaN barrier from 25 nm to 20 nm leads to an improved control modulation of the 2DEG density from 36.7% to 54.1%.

Development and Piloting of a Classroom-focused Measurement Feedback System

PubMed Central

Nadeem, Erum; Cappella, Elise; Holland, Sibyl; Coccaro, Candace; Crisonino, Gerard

2015-01-01

The present study used a community partnered research method to develop and pilot a classroom-focused measurement feedback system (MFS) for school mental health providers to support teachers’ use of effective universal and target classroom practices related to student emotional and behavioral issues. School personnel from seven urban elementary and middle school classrooms participated. Phase I involved development and refinement of the system through a baseline needs assessment and rapid-cycle feedback. Phase II involved detailed case study analysis of pre-to-post quantitative and implementation process data. Results suggest that teachers who used the dashboard along with consultation showed improvement in observed classroom organization and emotional support. Results also suggest that MFS use was tied closely to consultation dose, and that broader support at the school level was critical. Classroom-focused MFSs are a promising tool to support classroom improvement, and warrant future research focused on their effectiveness and broad applicability. PMID:25894312

Implementing for Sustainability: Promoting Use of a Measurement Feedback System for Innovation and Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Douglas, Susan; Button, Suzanne; Casey, Susan E

2016-05-01

Measurement feedback systems (MFSs) are increasingly recognized as evidence-based treatments for improving mental health outcomes, in addition to being a useful administrative tool for service planning and reporting. Promising research findings have driven practice administrators and policymakers to emphasize the incorporation of outcomes monitoring into electronic health systems. To promote MFS integrity and protect against potentially negative outcomes, it is vital that adoption and implementation be guided by scientifically rigorous yet practical principles. In this point of view, the authors discuss and provide examples of three user-centered and theory-based principles: emphasizing integration with clinical values and workflow, promoting administrative leadership with the 'golden thread' of data-informed decision-making, and facilitating sustainability by encouraging innovation. In our experience, enacting these principles serves to promote sustainable implementation of MFSs in the community while also allowing innovation to occur, which can inform improvements to guide future MFS research.

Connective Tissue Disorders and Cardiovascular Complications: The indomitable role of Transforming Growth Factor-beta signaling

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Jason B.; Ikonomidis, John S.; Jones, Jeffrey A.

2015-01-01

Marfan Syndrome (MFS) and Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) represent heritable connective tissue disorders that cosegregate with a similar pattern of cardiovascular defects (thoracic aortic aneurysm, mitral valve prolapse/regurgitation, and aortic dilatation with regurgitation). This pattern of cardiovascular defects appears to be expressed along a spectrum of severity in many heritable connective tissue disorders and raises suspicion of a relationship between the normal development of connective tissues and the cardiovascular system. Given the evidence of increased transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling in MFS and LDS, this signaling pathway may represent the common link in this relationship. To further explore this hypothetical link, this chapter will review the TGF-β signaling pathway, heritable connective tissue syndromes related to TGF-β receptor (TGFBR) mutations, and discuss the pathogenic contribution of TGF-β to these syndromes with a primary focus on the cardiovascular system. PMID:24443024

Effect of Stemming to Burden Ratio and Powder Factor on Blast Induced Rock Fragmentation- A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Sandeep; Choudhary, B. S.; Mishra, A. K.

2017-08-01

Rock fragmentation size is very important parameters for economical point of view in any surface mining. Rock fragment size direct effects on the costs of drilling, blasting, loading, secondary blasting and crushing. The main purpose of this study is to investigate effect of blast design parameters such as burden, blast hole length, stemming length, and powder factor on rock fragmentation. The fragment sizes (MFS, K50, m), and maximum fragment size (K95, m) of rock were determined by using the computer software. For every blast, after blasting operation, the images of whole muck pile are captured and there images were used for fragmentation analysis by using the Fragalyst software. It was observed that the optimal fragment size (MFS, K50, m and maximum fragment size, K95, m) of rock depends strongly on the blast design parameters and explosive parameters.