A flippon related singlet at the LHC II

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

Li, Tianjun; Maxin, James A.; Mayes, Van E.

2016-06-28

Here, we consider the 750 GeV diphoton resonance at the 13 TeV LHC in the ℱ-SU(5) model with a Standard Model (SM) singlet field which couples to TeV-scale vector-like particles, dubbed flippons. This singlet field assumes the role of the 750 GeV resonance, with production via gluon fusion and subsequent decay to a diphoton via the vector-like particle loops. We present a numerical analysis showing that the observed 8 TeV and 13 TeV diphoton production cross-sections can be generated in the model space with realistic electric charges and Yukawa couplings for light vector-like masses. We further discuss the experimental viabilitymore » of light vector-like masses in a General No-Scale ℱ-SU(5) model, offering a few benchmark scenarios in this consistent GUT that can satisfy all experimental constraints imposed by the LHC and other essential experiments.« less

Achievement of needle-like focus by engineering radial-variant vector fields.

PubMed

Gu, Bing; Wu, Jia-Lu; Pan, Yang; Cui, Yiping

2013-12-16

We present and demonstrate a novel method for engineering the radial-variant polarization on the incident field to achieve a needle of transversally polarized field without any pupil filters. We generate a new kind of localized linearly-polarized vector fields with distributions of states of polarization (SoPs) describing by the radius to the power p and explore its tight focusing, nonparaxial focusing, and paraxial focusing properties. By tuning the power p, we obtain the needle-like focal field with hybrid SoPs and give the formula for describing the length of the needle. Experimentally, we systematically investigate both the intensity distributions and the polarization evolution of the optical needle by paraxial focusing the generated vector field. Such an optical needle, which enhances the light-matter interaction, has intriguing applications in optical microma-chining and nonlinear optics.

Radiation of sound from unflanged cylindrical ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartharan, S. L.; Bayliss, A.

1983-01-01

Calculations of sound radiated from unflanged cylindrical ducts are presented. The numerical simulation models the problem of an aero-engine inlet. The time dependent linearized Euler equations are solved from a state of rest until a harmonic solution is attained. A fourth order accurate finite difference scheme is used and solutions are obtained from a fully vectorized Cyber-203 computer program. Cases of both plane waves and spin modes are treated. Spin modes model the sound generated by a turbofan engine. Boundary conditions for both plane waves and spin modes are treated. Solutions obtained are compared with experiments conducted at NASA Langley Research Center.

Tailless Vectored Fighters Theory. Laboratory and Flight Tests, Including Vectorable Inlets/Nozzles and Tailless Flying Models vs. Pilot’s Tolerances Affecting Maximum Post-Stall Vectoring Agility.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-01

nose bodyj Top view of velocity probe PropllerRotating shaft ’V Generator Aerodynamic shape like a small elevator RPV’s attitude Irrespctiveduring...28 Part It: Maximizing Thrust-Vectoring Control Power and Agility Metrics ............ 29 Laboratory & Flight...8217Ideal Standards’ - Ba- ror maximizing PST-TV-aglilty/rIlght-control power , iI - Extracting new TV-potentials to further reduce any righter’s optical

Generation of vector beams using a double-wedge depolarizer: Non-quantum entanglement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samlan, C. T.; Viswanathan, Nirmal K.

2016-07-01

Propagation of horizontally polarized Gaussian beam through a double-wedge depolarizer generates vector beams with spatially varying state of polarization. Jones calculus is used to show that such beams are maximally nonseparable on the basis of even (Gaussian)-odd (Hermite-Gaussian) mode parity and horizontal-vertical polarization state. The maximum nonseparability in the two degrees of freedom of the vector beam at the double wedge depolarizer output is verified experimentally using a modified Sagnac interferometer and linear analyser projected interferograms to measure the concurrence 0.94±0.002 and violation of Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt form of Bell-like inequality 2.704±0.024. The investigation is carried out in the context of the use of vector beams for metrological applications.

Effects of Homology Length in the Repeat Region on Minus-Strand DNA Transfer and Retroviral Replication

PubMed Central

Dang, Que; Hu, Wei-Shau

2001-01-01

Homology between the two repeat (R) regions in the retroviral genome mediates minus-strand DNA transfer during reverse transcription. We sought to define the effects of R homology lengths on minus-strand DNA transfer. We generated five murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors that contained identical sequences but different lengths of the 3′ R (3, 6, 12, 24 and 69 nucleotides [nt]); 69 nt is the full-length MLV R. After one round of replication, viral titers from the vector with a full-length downstream R were compared with viral titers generated from the other four vectors with reduced R lengths. Viral titers generated from vectors with R lengths reduced to one-third (24 nt) or one-sixth (12 nt) that of the wild type were not significantly affected; however, viral titers generated from vectors with only 3- or 6-nt homology in the R region were significantly lower. Because expression and packaging of the RNA were similar among all the vectors, the differences in the viral titers most likely reflected the impact of the homology lengths on the efficiency of minus-strand DNA transfer. The molecular nature of minus-strand DNA transfer was characterized in 63 proviruses. Precise R-to-R transfer was observed in most proviruses generated from vectors with 12-, 24-, or 69-nt homology in R, whereas aberrant transfers were predominantly used to generate proviruses from vectors with 3- or 6-nt homology. Reverse transcription using RNA transcribed from an upstream promoter, termed read-in RNA transcripts, resulted in most of the aberrant transfers. These data demonstrate that minus-strand DNA transfer is homology driven and a minimum homology length is required for accurate and efficient minus-strand DNA transfer. PMID:11134294

Documentation of the GLAS fourth order general circulation model. Volume 2: Scalar code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalnay, E.; Balgovind, R.; Chao, W.; Edelmann, D.; Pfaendtner, J.; Takacs, L.; Takano, K.

1983-01-01

Volume 2, of a 3 volume technical memoranda contains a detailed documentation of the GLAS fourth order general circulation model. Volume 2 contains the CYBER 205 scalar and vector codes of the model, list of variables, and cross references. A variable name dictionary for the scalar code, and code listings are outlined.

Fourth High Alpha Conference, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The goal of the Fourth High Alpha Conference was to focus on the flight validation of high angle-of-attack technologies and provide an in-depth review of the latest high angle-of-attack activities. Areas that were covered include: high angle-of-attack aerodynamics, propulsion and inlet dynamics, thrust vectoring, control laws and handling qualities, tactical utility, and forebody controls.

Rapid Assembly of Customized TALENs into Multiple Delivery Systems

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhengxing; Zhang, Siliang; Huang, Xin; Orwig, Kyle E.; Sheng, Yi

2013-01-01

Transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) have become a powerful tool for genome editing. Here we present an efficient TALEN assembly approach in which TALENs are assembled by direct Golden Gate ligation into Gateway® Entry vectors from a repeat variable di-residue (RVD) plasmid array. We constructed TALEN pairs targeted to mouse Ddx3 subfamily genes, and demonstrated that our modified TALEN assembly approach efficiently generates accurate TALEN moieties that effectively introduce mutations into target genes. We generated “user friendly” TALEN Entry vectors containing TALEN expression cassettes with fluorescent reporter genes that can be efficiently transferred via Gateway (LR) recombination into different delivery systems. We demonstrated that the TALEN Entry vectors can be easily transferred to an adenoviral delivery system to expand application to cells that are difficult to transfect. Since TALENs work in pairs, we also generated a TALEN Entry vector set that combines a TALEN pair into one PiggyBac transposon-based destination vector. The approach described here can also be modified for construction of TALE transcriptional activators, repressors or other functional domains. PMID:24244669

Immunogenic Subviral Particles Displaying Domain III of Dengue 2 Envelope Protein Vectored by Measles Virus

PubMed Central

Harahap-Carrillo, Indira S.; Ceballos-Olvera, Ivonne; Reyes-del Valle, Jorge

2015-01-01

Vaccines against dengue virus (DV) are commercially nonexistent. A subunit vaccination strategy may be of value, especially if a safe viral vector acts as biologically active adjuvant. In this paper, we focus on an immunoglobulin-like, independently folded domain III (DIII) from DV 2 envelope protein (E), which contains epitopes that elicits highly specific neutralizing antibodies. We modified the hepatitis B small surface antigen (HBsAg, S) in order to display DV 2 DIII on a virus-like particle (VLP), thus generating the hybrid antigen DIII-S. Two varieties of measles virus (MV) vectors were developed to express DIII-S. The first expresses the hybrid antigen from an additional transcription unit (ATU) and the second additionally expresses HBsAg from a separate ATU. We found that this second MV vectoring the hybrid VLPs displaying DIII-S on an unmodified HBsAg scaffold were immunogenic in MV-susceptible mice (HuCD46Ge-IFNarko), eliciting robust neutralizing responses (averages) against MV (1:1280 NT90), hepatitis B virus (787 mIU/mL), and DV2 (1:160 NT50) in all of the tested animals. Conversely, the MV vector expressing only DIII-S induced immunity against MV alone. In summary, DV2 neutralizing responses can be generated by displaying E DIII on a scaffold of HBsAg-based VLPs, vectored by MV. PMID:26350592

Dynamic tailoring of surface plasmon polaritons through incident angle modulation.

PubMed

Qiu, Peizhen; Zhang, Dawei; Jing, Ming; Lu, Taiguo; Yu, Binbin; Zhan, Qiwen; Zhuang, Songlin

2018-04-16

Dynamic tailoring of the propagating surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) through incident angle modulation is proposed and numerically demonstrated. The generation and tailoring mechanism of the SPPs are discussed. The relationship formula between the incident angle and the generated SPP wave vector direction is theoretically derived. The correctness of the formula is verified with three different approaches using finite difference time domain method. Using this formula, the generated SPP wave vector direction can be precisely modulated by changing the incident angle. The precise modulation results of two dimensional Bessel-like SPP beam and SPP bottle beam array are given. The results can deepen the understanding of the generation and modulation mechanism of the SPPs.

Spiking Neural P Systems With Rules on Synapses Working in Maximum Spiking Strategy.

PubMed

Tao Song; Linqiang Pan

2015-06-01

Spiking neural P systems (called SN P systems for short) are a class of parallel and distributed neural-like computation models inspired by the way the neurons process information and communicate with each other by means of impulses or spikes. In this work, we introduce a new variant of SN P systems, called SN P systems with rules on synapses working in maximum spiking strategy, and investigate the computation power of the systems as both number and vector generators. Specifically, we prove that i) if no limit is imposed on the number of spikes in any neuron during any computation, such systems can generate the sets of Turing computable natural numbers and the sets of vectors of positive integers computed by k-output register machine; ii) if an upper bound is imposed on the number of spikes in each neuron during any computation, such systems can characterize semi-linear sets of natural numbers as number generating devices; as vector generating devices, such systems can only characterize the family of sets of vectors computed by sequential monotonic counter machine, which is strictly included in family of semi-linear sets of vectors. This gives a positive answer to the problem formulated in Song et al., Theor. Comput. Sci., vol. 529, pp. 82-95, 2014.

A Software Package for Neural Network Applications Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baran, Robert H.

1993-01-01

Original Backprop (Version 1.2) is an MS-DOS package of four stand-alone C-language programs that enable users to develop neural network solutions to a variety of practical problems. Original Backprop generates three-layer, feed-forward (series-coupled) networks which map fixed-length input vectors into fixed length output vectors through an intermediate (hidden) layer of binary threshold units. Version 1.2 can handle up to 200 input vectors at a time, each having up to 128 real-valued components. The first subprogram, TSET, appends a number (up to 16) of classification bits to each input, thus creating a training set of input output pairs. The second subprogram, BACKPROP, creates a trilayer network to do the prescribed mapping and modifies the weights of its connections incrementally until the training set is leaned. The learning algorithm is the 'back-propagating error correction procedures first described by F. Rosenblatt in 1961. The third subprogram, VIEWNET, lets the trained network be examined, tested, and 'pruned' (by the deletion of unnecessary hidden units). The fourth subprogram, DONET, makes a TSR routine by which the finished product of the neural net design-and-training exercise can be consulted under other MS-DOS applications.

Performance Evaluation of an Intel Haswell- and Ivy Bridge-Based Supercomputer Using Scientific and Engineering Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saini, Subhash; Hood, Robert T.; Chang, Johnny; Baron, John

2016-01-01

We present a performance evaluation conducted on a production supercomputer of the Intel Xeon Processor E5- 2680v3, a twelve-core implementation of the fourth-generation Haswell architecture, and compare it with Intel Xeon Processor E5-2680v2, an Ivy Bridge implementation of the third-generation Sandy Bridge architecture. Several new architectural features have been incorporated in Haswell including improvements in all levels of the memory hierarchy as well as improvements to vector instructions and power management. We critically evaluate these new features of Haswell and compare with Ivy Bridge using several low-level benchmarks including subset of HPCC, HPCG and four full-scale scientific and engineering applications. We also present a model to predict the performance of HPCG and Cart3D within 5%, and Overflow within 10% accuracy.

Systems Prototyping with Fourth Generation Tools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sholtys, Phyllis

1983-01-01

The development of information systems using an engineering approach that uses both traditional programing techniques and fourth generation software tools is described. Fourth generation applications tools are used to quickly develop a prototype system that is revised as the user clarifies requirements. (MLW)

First record of Stegomyia albopicta in Turkey determined by active ovitrap surveillance and DNA barcoding.

PubMed

Oter, Kerem; Gunay, Filiz; Tuzer, Erkut; Linton, Yvonne-Marie; Bellini, Romeo; Alten, Bulent

2013-10-01

Despite its confirmed establishment in neighboring Greece and Bulgaria, the presence of the Oriental invasive species Stegomyia albopicta (Skuse) (=Aedes albopictus) has never been confirmed in Turkey. Active surveillance for this container-breeding species was carried out using oviposition traps at 15 discrete sites in the towns of Ipsala (n=8 sites), Kesan (n=5) (Edirne District), and Malkara (n=2) (Tekirdag District) in the Thrace region of northwestern Turkey, from May 23 through November 10, 2011. Eggs collected were reared to the fourth larval instar and adult stages where possible to facilitate integrated morphological and molecular species identification. DNA barcodes (658 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I [COI] gene) were compared with all four potentially invasive Stegomyia species: St. aegypti, St. albopicta, St. cretina, and St. japonica. Sequences generated for samples collected in Thrace Region were herein confirmed as St. albopicta, the first record of this vector species in Turkey. Eggs of St. albopicta were detected in two discrete localities: (1) In the grounds of a restaurant in Kesan (in week 36), and (2) in the customs area of the Turkish-Greek border at Ipsala (in weeks 32 and 38). Multiple detection of St. albopicta eggs indicates the possible establishment of the species in northwestern Turkey. Finding this important disease vector has implications for public health and requires the implementation of active vector monitoring programs and targeted vector suppression strategies to limit the spread of this invasive vector species in Turkey.

Fourth High Alpha Conference, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The goal of the Fourth High Alpha Conference, held at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center on July 12-14, 1994, was to focus on the flight validation of high angle of attack technologies and provide an in-depth review of the latest high angle of attack activities. Areas that were covered include high angle of attack aerodynamics, propulsion and inlet dynamics, thrust vectoring, control laws and handling qualities, and tactical utility.

Einstein-aether theory with a Maxwell field: General formalism

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

Balakin, Alexander B., E-mail: Alexander.Balakin@kpfu.ru; Lemos, José P.S., E-mail: joselemos@ist.utl.pt

We extend the Einstein-aether theory to include the Maxwell field in a nontrivial manner by taking into account its interaction with the time-like unit vector field characterizing the aether. We also include a generic matter term. We present a model with a Lagrangian that includes cross-terms linear and quadratic in the Maxwell tensor, linear and quadratic in the covariant derivative of the aether velocity four-vector, linear in its second covariant derivative and in the Riemann tensor. We decompose these terms with respect to the irreducible parts of the covariant derivative of the aether velocity, namely, the acceleration four-vector, the shearmore » and vorticity tensors, and the expansion scalar. Furthermore, we discuss the influence of an aether non-uniform motion on the polarization and magnetization of the matter in such an aether environment, as well as on its dielectric and magnetic properties. The total self-consistent system of equations for the electromagnetic and the gravitational fields, and the dynamic equations for the unit vector aether field are obtained. Possible applications of this system are discussed. Based on the principles of effective field theories, we display in an appendix all the terms up to fourth order in derivative operators that can be considered in a Lagrangian that includes the metric, the electromagnetic and the aether fields.« less

Molecular and biological characterisation of two novel pomo-like viruses associated with potato (Solanum tuberosum) fields in Colombia.

PubMed

Gil, Jose Fernando; Adams, Ian; Boonham, Neil; Nielsen, Steen Lykke; Nicolaisen, Mogens

2016-06-01

Potato is the fourth most important crop worldwide that is used as a staple food, after rice, wheat and maize. The crop can be affected by a large number of pathogens, including fungi, oomycetes, bacteria and viruses. Diseases caused by viruses are among the most important factors contributing to reduced quality and yield of the crop. Potato mop-top virus (genus Pomovirus) induces necrotic flecks in the tuber flesh and skin of potato in temperate countries. Spongospora subterranea is the vector of PMTV. Both the virus and its vector cause disease in potato. In Colombia, PMTV has been detected throughout the country together with a novel pomo-like virus in the centre (Cundinamarca and Boyacá) and south west (Nariño) of the country. We studied the molecular and biological characteristics of this novel virus. Its genome resembles those of members of the genus Pomovirus, and it is closely related to PMTV. It induces mild systemic symptoms in Nicotiana benthamiana (mosaic, branch curling), but no symptoms in N. tabacum, N. debneyi and Chenopodium amaranticolor. The proposed name for the virus is "Colombian potato soil-borne virus" (CPSbV). Additionally, another pomo-like virus was identified in Nariño. This virus induces severe systemic stem declining and mild mosaic in N. benthamiana. The tentative name "soil-borne virus 2" (SbV2) is proposed for this virus. No vectors have been identified for these viruses despite several attempts. This work focused on the characterisation of CPSbV. The risk posed by these viruses if they are introduced into new territories is discussed.

pH responsiveness of dendrimer-like poly(ethylene oxide)s.

PubMed

Feng, Xiaoshuang; Taton, Daniel; Borsali, Redouane; Chaikof, Elliot L; Gnanou, Yves

2006-09-06

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), two polymers known to form pH-sensitive aggregates through noncovalent interactions, were assembled in purposely designed architecture -a dendrimer-like PEO scaffold carrying short inner PAA chains-to produce unimolecular systems that exhibit pH responsiveness. Because of the particular placement of the PAA chains within the dendrimer-like structure, intermolecular complexation between acrylic acid (AA) and ethylene oxide (EO) units-and thus macroscopic aggregation or even mesoscopic micellization-could be avoided in favor of the sole intramolecular complexation. The sensitivity of such interactions to pH was exploited to generate dendrimer-like PEOs that reversibly shrink and expand with the pH. Such PAA-carrying dendrimer-like PEOs were synthesized in two main steps. First, a fifth-generation dendrimer-like PEO was obtained by combining anionic ring-opening polymerization (AROP) of ethylene oxide from a tris-hydroxylated core and selective branching reactions of PEO chain ends. To this end, an AB(2)C-type branching agent was designed: the latter includes a chloromethyl (A) group for its covalent attachment to the arm ends, two geminal hydroxyls (B(2)) protected in the form of a ketal ring for the growth of subsequent PEO generations by AROP, and a vinylic (C) double bonds for further functionalization of the interior of dendrimer-like PEOs. Reiteration of AROP and derivatization of PEO branches allowed us to prepare a dendrimer-like PEO of fourth generation with a total molar mass of 52,000 g x mol(-1), containing 24 external hydroxyl functions and 21 inner vinylic groups in the interior. A fifth generation of PEO chains was generated from this parent dendrimer-like PEO of fourth generation using a "conventional" AB(2)-type branching agent, and 48 PEO branches could be grown by AROP. The 48 outer hydroxy-end groups of the fifth-generation dendrimer-like PEO obtained were subsequently quantitatively converted into inert benzylic groups using benzyl bromide. The 21 internal vinylic groups carried by the PEO scaffold were then chemically modified in a two-step sequence into bromoester groups. The latter which are atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiating sites thus served to grow poly(tert-butylacrylate) chains. After a final step of hydrolysis of the tert-butyl ester groups, double, hydrophilic, dendrimer-like PEOs comprising 21 internal junction-attached poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) blocks could be obtained. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine the size of these dendrimer-like species in water and to investigate their response to pH variation: in particular, how the pH-sensitive complexation of EO and AA units affects their overall behavior.

Generation of localized patterns in anharmonic lattices with cubic-quintic nonlinearities and fourth-order dispersion via a variational approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wamba, Etienne; Tchakoutio Nguetcho, Aurélien S.

2018-05-01

We use the time-dependent variational method to examine the formation of localized patterns in dynamically unstable anharmonic lattices with cubic-quintic nonlinearities and fourth-order dispersion. The governing equation is an extended nonlinear Schrödinger equation known for modified Frankel-Kontorova models of atomic lattices and here derived from an extended Bose-Hubbard model of bosonic lattices with local three-body interactions. In presence of modulated waves, we derive and investigate the ordinary differential equations for the time evolution of the amplitude and phase of dynamical perturbation. Through an effective potential, we find the modulationally unstable domains of the lattice and discuss the effect of the fourth-order dispersion in the dynamics. Direct numerical simulations are performed to support our analytical results, and a good agreement is found. Various types of localized patterns, including breathers and solitonic chirped-like pulses, form in the system as a result of interplay between the cubic-quintic nonlinearities and the second- and fourth-order dispersions.

Improved Production Efficiency of Virus-Like Particles by the Baculovirus Expression Vector System

PubMed Central

Bárcena, Juan; Nuñez, Maria del Carmen; Martínez-Alonso, Diego; Dudognon, Benoit; Guijarro, Eva; Escribano, José M.

2015-01-01

Vaccines based on virus-like particles (VLPs) have proven effective in humans and animals. In this regard, the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is one of the technologies of choice to generate such highly immunogenic vaccines. The extended use of these vaccines for human and animal populations is constrained because of high production costs, therefore a significant improvement in productivity is crucial to ensure their commercial viability. Here we describe the use of the previously described baculovirus expression cassette, called TB, to model the production of two VLP-forming vaccine antigens in insect cells. Capsid proteins from porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2 Cap) and from the calicivirus that causes rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHDV VP60) were expressed in insect cells using baculoviruses genetically engineered with the TB expression cassette. Productivity was compared to that obtained using standard counterpart vectors expressing the same proteins under the control of the polyhedrin promoter. Our results demonstrate that the use of the TB expression cassette increased the production yields of these vaccine antigens by around 300% with respect to the standard vectors. The recombinant proteins produced by TB-modified vectors were fully functional, forming VLPs identical in size and shape to those generated by the standard baculoviruses, as determined by electron microscopy analysis. The use of the TB expression cassette implies a simple modification of the baculovirus vectors that significantly improves the cost efficiency of VLP-based vaccine production, thereby facilitating the commercial viability and broad application of these vaccines for human and animal health. PMID:26458221

Improved Production Efficiency of Virus-Like Particles by the Baculovirus Expression Vector System.

PubMed

López-Vidal, Javier; Gómez-Sebastián, Silvia; Bárcena, Juan; Nuñez, Maria del Carmen; Martínez-Alonso, Diego; Dudognon, Benoit; Guijarro, Eva; Escribano, José M

2015-01-01

Vaccines based on virus-like particles (VLPs) have proven effective in humans and animals. In this regard, the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is one of the technologies of choice to generate such highly immunogenic vaccines. The extended use of these vaccines for human and animal populations is constrained because of high production costs, therefore a significant improvement in productivity is crucial to ensure their commercial viability. Here we describe the use of the previously described baculovirus expression cassette, called TB, to model the production of two VLP-forming vaccine antigens in insect cells. Capsid proteins from porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2 Cap) and from the calicivirus that causes rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHDV VP60) were expressed in insect cells using baculoviruses genetically engineered with the TB expression cassette. Productivity was compared to that obtained using standard counterpart vectors expressing the same proteins under the control of the polyhedrin promoter. Our results demonstrate that the use of the TB expression cassette increased the production yields of these vaccine antigens by around 300% with respect to the standard vectors. The recombinant proteins produced by TB-modified vectors were fully functional, forming VLPs identical in size and shape to those generated by the standard baculoviruses, as determined by electron microscopy analysis. The use of the TB expression cassette implies a simple modification of the baculovirus vectors that significantly improves the cost efficiency of VLP-based vaccine production, thereby facilitating the commercial viability and broad application of these vaccines for human and animal health.

Defeating the United States with Radiological Weapons in Fourth Generation Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-01

wearing their hats. First graders tend to lose things like hats, and the statistics show that is likely that in the first two days, half the...only those who still have hats. Statistics then predict that in the next two days, half of these 16 will lose their hats, and only 8 will still...the number of “hits” on human tissue. It is theoretically possible, although statistically unfathomable; that a person could sleep inside the

Alphavirus Replicon DNA Vectors Expressing Ebola GP and VP40 Antigens Induce Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice

PubMed Central

Ren, Shoufeng; Wei, Qimei; Cai, Liya; Yang, Xuejing; Xing, Cuicui; Tan, Feng; Leavenworth, Jianmei W.; Liang, Shaohui; Liu, Wenquan

2018-01-01

Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans, and no approved therapeutics or vaccine is currently available. Glycoprotein (GP) is the major protective antigen of EBOV, and can generate virus-like particles (VLPs) by co-expression with matrix protein (VP40). In this study, we constructed a recombinant Alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon vector DREP to express EBOV GP and matrix viral protein (VP40). EBOV VLPs were successfully generated and achieved budding from 293 cells after co-transfection with DREP-based GP and VP40 vectors (DREP-GP+DREP-VP40). Vaccination of BALB/c mice with DREP-GP, DREP-VP40, or DREP-GP+DREP-VP40 vectors, followed by immediate electroporation resulted in a mixed IgG subclass production, which recognized EBOV GP and/or VP40 proteins. This vaccination regimen also led to the generation of both Th1 and Th2 cellular immune responses in mice. Notably, vaccination with DREP-GP and DREP-VP40, which produces both GP and VP40 antigens, induced a significantly higher level of anti-GP IgG2a antibody and increased IFN-γ secreting CD8+ T-cell responses relative to vaccination with DREP-GP or DREP-VP40 vector alone. Our study indicates that co-expression of GP and VP40 antigens based on the SFV replicon vector generates EBOV VLPs in vitro, and vaccination with recombinant DREP vectors containing GP and VP40 antigens induces Ebola antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice. This novel approach provides a simple and efficient vaccine platform for Ebola disease prevention. PMID:29375526

Effective delivery of large genes to the retina by dual AAV vectors

PubMed Central

Trapani, Ivana; Colella, Pasqualina; Sommella, Andrea; Iodice, Carolina; Cesi, Giulia; de Simone, Sonia; Marrocco, Elena; Rossi, Settimio; Giunti, Massimo; Palfi, Arpad; Farrar, Gwyneth J; Polishchuk, Roman; Auricchio, Alberto

2014-01-01

Retinal gene therapy with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors is safe and effective in humans. However, AAV's limited cargo capacity prevents its application to therapies of inherited retinal diseases due to mutations of genes over 5 kb, like Stargardt's disease (STGD) and Usher syndrome type IB (USH1B). Previous methods based on ‘forced’ packaging of large genes into AAV capsids may not be easily translated to the clinic due to the generation of genomes of heterogeneous size which raise safety concerns. Taking advantage of AAV's ability to concatemerize, we generated dual AAV vectors which reconstitute a large gene by either splicing (trans-splicing), homologous recombination (overlapping), or a combination of the two (hybrid). We found that dual trans-splicing and hybrid vectors transduce efficiently mouse and pig photoreceptors to levels that, albeit lower than those achieved with a single AAV, resulted in significant improvement of the retinal phenotype of mouse models of STGD and USH1B. Thus, dual AAV trans-splicing or hybrid vectors are an attractive strategy for gene therapy of retinal diseases that require delivery of large genes. PMID:24150896

Direct In Vivo Reprogramming with Sendai Virus Vectors Improves Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction.

PubMed

Miyamoto, Kazutaka; Akiyama, Mizuha; Tamura, Fumiya; Isomi, Mari; Yamakawa, Hiroyuki; Sadahiro, Taketaro; Muraoka, Naoto; Kojima, Hidenori; Haginiwa, Sho; Kurotsu, Shota; Tani, Hidenori; Wang, Li; Qian, Li; Inoue, Makoto; Ide, Yoshinori; Kurokawa, Junko; Yamamoto, Tsunehisa; Seki, Tomohisa; Aeba, Ryo; Yamagishi, Hiroyuki; Fukuda, Keiichi; Ieda, Masaki

2018-01-04

Direct cardiac reprogramming holds great promise for regenerative medicine. We previously generated directly reprogrammed induced cardiomyocyte-like cells (iCMs) by overexpression of Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (GMT) using retrovirus vectors. However, integrating vectors pose risks associated with insertional mutagenesis and disruption of gene expression and are inefficient. Here, we show that Sendai virus (SeV) vectors expressing cardiac reprogramming factors efficiently and rapidly reprogram both mouse and human fibroblasts into integration-free iCMs via robust transgene expression. SeV-GMT generated 100-fold more beating iCMs than retroviral-GMT and shortened the duration to induce beating cells from 30 to 10 days in mouse fibroblasts. In vivo lineage tracing revealed that the gene transfer of SeV-GMT was more efficient than retroviral-GMT in reprogramming resident cardiac fibroblasts into iCMs in mouse infarct hearts. Moreover, SeV-GMT improved cardiac function and reduced fibrosis after myocardial infarction. Thus, efficient, non-integrating SeV vectors may serve as a powerful system for cardiac regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-cycle adenovirus vectors in the current vaccine landscape.

PubMed

Barry, Michael

2018-02-01

Traditional inactivated and protein vaccines generate strong antibodies, but struggle to generate T cell responses. Attenuated pathogen vaccines generate both, but risk causing the disease they aim to prevent. Newer gene-based vaccines drive both responses and avoid the risk of infection. While these replication-defective (RD) vaccines work well in small animals, they can be weak in humans because they do not replicate antigen genes like more potent replication-competent (RC) vaccines. RC vaccines generate substantially stronger immune responses, but also risk causing their own infections. To circumvent these problems, we developed single-cycle adenovirus (SC-Ad) vectors that amplify vaccine genes, but that avoid the risk of infection. This review will discuss these vectors and their prospects for use as vaccines. Areas covered: This review provides a background of different types of vaccines. The benefits of gene-based vaccines and their ability to replicate antigen genes are described. Adenovirus vectors are discussed and compared to other vaccine types. Replication-defective, single-cycle, and replication-competent Ad vaccines are compared. Expert commentary: The potential utility of these vaccines are discussed when used against infectious diseases and as cancer vaccines. We propose a move away from replication-defective vaccines towards more robust replication-competent or single-cycle vaccines.

Typhus-like Fevers of Unknown Ætiology, with Special Reference to the Malay States

PubMed Central

Fletcher, William

1930-01-01

Typhus exanthematicus, Rocky Mountain fever, and the tsutsugamushi disease have been classified in the “typhus group” by Megaw, as louse-typhus, tick-typhus, and mite-typhus. He has added a fourth-class, comprising typhus-like fevers, with unknown vectors. It is the diseases of this class with which this paper is concerned. Endemic typhus (Brill's disease) is very closely related to typhus fever; the Weil-Felix reaction is positive, typhus-like vascular lesions are present, and there is cross-immunity with typhus. In the exanthematic fever of Marseilles the relationship is more superficial; there is neither cross-immunity nor vascular lesion, and the Weil-Felix reaction is negative. Some, e.g., the scrub-typhus of Malaya (vector probably a mite), are more nearly related to tsutsugamushi than to typhus; others, e.g., Indian “tick-typhus” (vector probably a tick), to Rocky Mountain fever. All are non-contagious, non-epidemic, warm-weather diseases. They are unassociated with dirt, squalor, or lice, and are restricted to definite foci. Probably rodents or other animals are the reservoirs of the virus. On the question of identity with typhus, health authorities decide that notification is unnecessary; typhus introduced into America spreads, Brill's disease does not. These typhus-like diseases are not the same in all the countries where they occur. There are two main groups: (1) an urban group, more closely related to typhus, in which the Weil-Felix reaction is positive; (2) a rural group, more closely related to tsutsugamushi and Rocky Mountain fever, in which the Weil-Felix reaction is negative. There is a special non-indologenic strain of B. proteus, which is agglutinated in some of the fevers belonging to the second group. Tropical typhus in the Malay States: (1) urban form, or “shop-typhus,” resembling Brill's disease; (2) rural form or “scrub-typhus.” Peculiar association with oil-palms and coarse grass. PMID:19987538

A Bacterial Parasite Effector Mediates Insect Vector Attraction in Host Plants Independently of Developmental Changes

PubMed Central

Orlovskis, Zigmunds; Hogenhout, Saskia A.

2016-01-01

Parasites can take over their hosts and trigger dramatic changes in host appearance and behavior that are typically interpreted as extended phenotypes that promote parasite survival and fitness. For example, Toxoplasma gondii is thought to manipulate the behaviors of infected rodents to aid transmission to cats and parasitic trematodes of the genus Ribeiroia alter limb development in their amphibian hosts to facilitate predation of the latter by birds. Plant parasites and pathogens also reprogram host development and morphology. However, whereas some parasite-induced morphological alterations may have a direct benefit to the fitness of the parasite and may therefore be adaptive, other host alterations may be side effects of parasite infections having no adaptive effects on parasite fitness. Phytoplasma parasites of plants often induce the development of leaf-like flowers (phyllody) in their host plants, and we previously found that the phytoplasma effector SAP54 generates these leaf-like flowers via the degradation of plant MADS-box transcription factors (MTFs), which regulate all major aspects of development in plants. Leafhoppers prefer to reproduce on phytoplasma-infected and SAP54-trangenic plants leading to the hypothesis that leafhopper vectors are attracted to plants with leaf-like flowers. Surprisingly, here we show that leafhopper attraction occurs independently of the presence of leaf-like flowers. First, the leafhoppers were also attracted to SAP54 transgenic plants without leaf-like flowers and to single leaves of these plants. Moreover, leafhoppers were not attracted to leaf-like flowers of MTF-mutant plants without the presence of SAP54. Thus, the primary role of SAP54 is to attract leafhopper vectors, which spread the phytoplasmas, and the generation of leaf-like flowers may be secondary or a side effect of the SAP54-mediated degradation of MTFs. PMID:27446117

Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles conjugated Clausena dentata plant leaf extract and their insecticidal potential against mosquito vectors.

PubMed

Sowndarya, P; Ramkumar, G; Shivakumar, M S

2017-12-01

Mosquitoes are major vectors for the transmission of many diseases like chikungunya, malaria, dengue, zika, etc. worldwide. In the present study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized from Clausena dentata and were tested for their larvicidal efficacy against the fourth-instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Aedes Aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Radiation (FTIR) spectroscopy, EDaX, and SEM. The results recorded from UV-Vis spectroscopy show the peak absorption spectrum at 420 nm. In FTIR, the maximum peak value is 2922.25 cm -1 assigned to N-H group (amide group). In EDaX analysis shows peak around 72.64 which confirm the binding intensity of selenium. In SEM analysis, the synthesized SeNPs sizes were ranging from 46.32 nm to 78.88 nm. The synthesized SeNPs produced high mortality with very low concentration (LC 50 ) were 240.714 mg/L; 104.13 mg/L, and 99.602 mg/L for A. stephensi, A. Aegypti, and C. quinquefasciatus, respectively. These results suggest that the C. dentata leaf extract-mediated biosynthesis of SeNPs has the potential to be used as an ideal ecofriendly approach toward the control of mosquito vectors at early stages.

Toward a fourth-generation x-ray source.

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

Monction, D. E.

1999-05-19

The field of synchrotron radiation research has grown rapidly over the last 25 years due to both the push of the accelerator and magnet technology that produces the x-ray beams and the pull of the extraordinary scientific research that is possible with them. Three successive generations of synchrotrons radiation facilities have resulted in beam brilliances 11 to 12 orders of magnitude greater than the standard laboratory x-ray tube. However, greater advances can be easily imagined given the fact that x-ray beams from present-day facilities do not exhibit the coherence or time structure so familiar with the optical laser. Theoretical workmore » over the last ten years or so has pointed to the possibility of generating hard x-ray beams with laser-like characteristics. The concept is based on self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) in flee-electron lasers. A major facility of this type based upon a superconducting linac could produce a cost-effective facility that spans wave-lengths from the ultraviolet to the hard x-ray regime, simultaneously servicing large numbers experimenters from a wide range of disciplines. As with each past generation of synchrotrons facilities, immense new scientific opportunities would result from fourth-generation sources.« less

Searches for vector-like quarks at future colliders and implications for composite Higgs models with dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chala, Mikael; Gröber, Ramona; Spannowsky, Michael

2018-03-01

Many composite Higgs models predict the existence of vector-like quarks with masses outside the reach of the LHC, e.g. m Q ≳ 2 TeV, in particular if these models contain a dark matter candidate. In such models the mass of the new resonances is bounded from above to satisfy the constraint from the observed relic density. We therefore develop new strategies to search for vector-like quarks at a future 100 TeV collider and evaluate what masses and interactions can be probed. We find that masses as large as ˜ 6.4 (˜9) TeV can be tested if the fermionic resonances decay into Standard Model (dark matter) particles. We also discuss the complementarity of dark matter searches, showing that most of the parameter space can be closed. On balance, this study motivates further the consideration of a higher-energy hadron collider for a next generation of facilities.

Circular zig-zag scan video format

DOEpatents

Peterson, C. Glen; Simmons, Charles M.

1992-01-01

A circular, ziz-zag scan for use with vidicon tubes. A sine wave is generated, rectified and its fourth root extracted. The fourth root, and its inverse, are used to generate horizontal ramp and sync signals. The fourth root is also used to generate a vertical sync signal, and the vertical sync signal, along with the horizontal sync signal, are used to generate the vertical ramp signal. Cathode blanking and preamplifier clamp signals are also obtained from the vertical sync signal.

PMP-1 Report: the Fourth Winter of PMP-1, 1981 - 1982: a Winter with Several Interesting Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labitzke, K.

1982-01-01

A synoptic description is given for the fourth winter of pre-MAP project 1 (PMP-1), 1981/82. The main characteristics of this winter are a Canadian warming in the beginning of December, a very strong minor warming in January, and an early final warming in mid-March. The eddy momentum budget, calculated from the daily height and temperature charts, is discussed in terms of the divergence of the Eliassen-Palm-vector.

Circular zig-zag scan video format

DOEpatents

Peterson, C.G.; Simmons, C.M.

1992-06-09

A circular, ziz-zag scan for use with vidicon tubes is disclosed. A sine wave is generated, rectified and its fourth root extracted. The fourth root, and its inverse, are used to generate horizontal ramp and sync signals. The fourth root is also used to generate a vertical sync signal, and the vertical sync signal, along with the horizontal sync signal, are used to generate the vertical ramp signal. Cathode blanking and preamplifier clamp signals are also obtained from the vertical sync signal. 10 figs.

Repeat Transduction in the Mouse Lung by Using Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors with Different Serotypes

PubMed Central

Halbert, Christine L.; Rutledge, Elizabeth A.; Allen, James M.; Russell, David W.; Miller, A. Dusty

2000-01-01

Vectors derived from adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) promote gene transfer and expression in the lung; however, we have found that while gene expression can persist for at least 8 months in mice, it was reduced dramatically in rabbits over a period of 2 months. The efficiency and persistence of AAV2-mediated gene expression in the human lung have yet to be determined, but it seems likely that readministration will be necessary over the lifetime of an individual. Unfortunately, we have found that transduction by a second administration of an AAV2 vector is blocked, presumably due to neutralizing antibodies generated in response to the primary vector exposure. Here, we have explored the use of AAV2 vectors pseudotyped with capsid proteins from AAV serotypes 2, 3, and 6 for readministration in the mouse lung. We found that an AAV6 vector transduced airway epithelial and alveolar cells in the lung at rates that were at least as high as those of AAV2 pseudotype vectors, while transduction rates mediated by AAV3 were much lower. AAV6 pseudotype vector transduction was unaffected by prior administration of an AAV2 or AAV3 vector, and transduction by an AAV2 pseudotype vector was unaffected by prior AAV6 vector administration, showing that cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against AAV2 and AAV6 are not generated in mice. Interestingly, while prior administration of an AAV2 vector completely blocked transduction by a second AAV2 pseudotype vector, prior administration of an AAV6 vector only partially inhibited transduction by a second administration of an AAV6 pseudotype vector. Analysis of sera obtained from mice and humans showed that AAV6 is less immunogenic than AAV2, which helps explain this finding. These results support the development of AAV6 vectors for lung gene therapy both alone and in combination with AAV2 vectors. PMID:10627564

A New Clade of African Body and Head Lice Infected by Bartonella quintana and Yersinia pestis-Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PubMed

Drali, Rezak; Shako, Jean-Christophe; Davoust, Bernard; Diatta, Georges; Raoult, Didier

2015-11-01

The human body louse is known as a vector for the transmission of three serious diseases-specifically, epidemic typhus, trench fever, and relapsing fever caused by Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis, respectively-that have killed millions of people. It is also suspected in the transmission of a fourth pathogen, Yersinia pestis, which is the etiologic agent of plague. To date, human lice belonging to the genus Pediculus have been classified into three mitochondrial clades: A, B, and C. Here, we describe a fourth mitochondrial clade, Clade D, comprising head and body lice. Clade D may be a vector of B. quintana and Y. pestis, which is prevalent in a highly plague-endemic area near the Rethy Health District, Orientale Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Practical Integration-Free Episomal Methods for Generating Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

Kime, Cody; Rand, Tim A; Ivey, Kathryn N; Srivastava, Deepak; Yamanaka, Shinya; Tomoda, Kiichiro

2015-10-06

The advent of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology has revolutionized biomedicine and basic research by yielding cells with embryonic stem (ES) cell-like properties. The use of iPS-derived cells for cell-based therapies and modeling of human disease holds great potential. While the initial description of iPS cells involved overexpression of four transcription factors via viral vectors that integrated within genomic DNA, advances in recent years by our group and others have led to safer and higher quality iPS cells with greater efficiency. Here, we describe commonly practiced methods for non-integrating induced pluripotent stem cell generation using nucleofection of episomal reprogramming plasmids. These methods are adapted from recent studies that demonstrate increased hiPS cell reprogramming efficacy with the application of three powerful episomal hiPS cell reprogramming factor vectors and the inclusion of an accessory vector expressing EBNA1. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Vector Dark Matter through a radiative Higgs portal

DOE PAGES

DiFranzo, Anthony; Fox, Patrick J.; Tait, Tim M. P.

2016-04-21

We study a model of spin-1 dark matter which interacts with the Standard Model predominantly via exchange of Higgs bosons. We propose an alternative UV completion to the usual Vector Dark Matter Higgs Portal, in which vector-like fermions charged under SU(2)more » $$_W \\times$$ U(1)$$_Y$$ and under the dark gauge group, U(1)$$^\\prime$$, generate an effective interaction between the Higgs and the dark matter at one loop. Furthermore, we explore the resulting phenomenology and show that this dark matter candidate is a viable thermal relic and satisfies Higgs invisible width constraints as well as direct detection bounds.« less

Flavor changing neutral currents involving heavy quarks with four generations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arhrib, Abdesslam; Hou, Wei-Shu

2006-07-01

We study various flavor changing neutral currents (FCNC) involving heavy quarks in the Standard Model (SM) with a sequential fourth generation. After imposing B→Xsγ, B→Xsl+l- and Z→bbar b constraints, we find Script B(Z→sbar b+bar sb) can be enhanced by an order of magnitude to 10-7, while t→cZ,cH decays can reach 10-6, which are orders of magnitude higher than three generation SM. However, these rates are still not observable for the near future. With the era of Large Hadron Collider approaching, we focus on FCNC decays involving fourth generation b' and t' quarks. We calculate the rates for loop induced FCNC decays b'→bZ, bH, bg, bγ, as well as t'→tZ, tH, tg, tγ. If |Vcb'| is of order |Vcb| simeq 0.04, tree level b'→cW decay would dominate, posing a challenge since b-tagging is less effective. For |Vcb'| << |Vcb|, b'→tW would tend to dominate, while b'→t'W* could also open for heavier b', leading to the possibility of quadruple-W signals via b'bar b'→bbar bW+W-W+W-. The FCNC b'→bZ,bH decays could still dominate if mb' is just above 200 GeV. For the case of t', in general t'→bW would be dominant, hence it behaves like a heavy top. For both b' and t', except for the intriguing light b' case, FCNC decays are typically in the 10-4-10-2 range, and are quite detectable at the LHC. For a possible future International Linear Collider, we find the associated production of FCNC e+e-→bbar s, tbar c are below sensitivity, while e+e-→b'bar b and t'bar t can be better probed. Tevatron Run-II can still probe the lighter b' or t' scenario. LHC would either discover the fourth generation and measure the FCNC rates, or rule out the fourth generation conclusively. If discovered, the ILC can study the b' or t' decay modes in detail.

Feynman-like rules for calculating n-point correlators of the primordial curvature perturbation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenzuela-Toledo, César A.; Rodríguez, Yeinzon; Beltrán Almeida, Juan P.

2011-10-01

A diagrammatic approach to calculate n-point correlators of the primordial curvature perturbation ζ was developed a few years ago following the spirit of the Feynman rules in Quantum Field Theory. The methodology is very useful and time-saving, as it is for the case of the Feynman rules in the particle physics context, but, unfortunately, is not very well known by the cosmology community. In the present work, we extend such an approach in order to include not only scalar field perturbations as the generators of ζ, but also vector field perturbations. The purpose is twofold: first, we would like the diagrammatic approach (which we would call the Feynman-like rules) to become widespread among the cosmology community; second, we intend to give an easy tool to formulate any correlator of ζ for those cases that involve vector field perturbations and that, therefore, may generate prolonged stages of anisotropic expansion and/or important levels of statistical anisotropy. Indeed, the usual way of formulating such correlators, using the Wick's theorem, may become very clutter and time-consuming.

Display of HIV-1 Envelope Protein on Lambda Phage Scaffold as a Vaccine Platform.

PubMed

Mattiacio, Jonelle L; Brewer, Matt; Dewhurst, Stephen

2017-01-01

The generation of a strong antibody response to target antigens is a major goal for vaccine development. Here we describe the display of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope spike protein (Env) on a virus-like scaffold provided by the lambda phage capsid. Phage vectors, in general, have advantages over mammalian virus vectors due to their genetic tractability, inexpensive production, suitability for scale-up, as well as their physical stability, making them an attractive vaccine platform.

Higgs data does not rule out a sequential fourth generation with an extended scalar sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Dipankar; Kundu, Anirban; Saha, Ipsita

2018-01-01

Contrary to common perception, we show that the current Higgs data does not eliminate the possibility of a sequential fourth generation that get their masses through the same Higgs mechanism as the first three generations. The inability to fix the sign of the bottom-quark Yukawa coupling from the available data plays a crucial role in accommodating a chiral fourth generation which is consistent with the bounds on the Higgs signal strengths. We show that effects of such a fourth generation can remain completely hidden not only in the production of the Higgs boson through gluon fusion but also to its subsequent decay to γ γ and Z γ . This, however, is feasible only if the scalar sector of the standard model is extended. We also provide a practical example illustrating how our general prescription can be embedded in a realistic model.

Detection of potential mosquito breeding sites based on community sourced geotagged images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Ankit; Chaudhuri, Usashi; Chaudhuri, Subhasis; Seetharaman, Guna

2014-06-01

Various initiatives have been taken all over the world to involve the citizens in the collection and reporting of data to make better and informed data-driven decisions. Our work shows how the geotagged images collected through the general population can be used to combat Malaria and Dengue by identifying and visualizing localities that contain potential mosquito breeding sites. Our method first employs image quality assessment on the client side to reject the images with distortions like blur and artifacts. Each geotagged image received on the server is converted into a feature vector using the bag of visual words model. We train an SVM classifier on a histogram-based feature vector obtained after the vector quantization of SIFT features to discriminate images containing either a small stagnant water body like puddle, or open containers and tires, bushes etc. from those that contain flowing water, manicured lawns, tires attached to a vehicle etc. A geographical heat map is generated by assigning a specific location a probability value of it being a potential mosquito breeding ground of mosquito using feature level fusion or the max approach presented in the paper. The heat map thus generated can be used by concerned health authorities to take appropriate action and to promote civic awareness.

A novel system for the production of high levels of functional human therapeutic proteins in stable cells with a Semliki Forest virus noncytopathic vector.

PubMed

Casales, Erkuden; Aranda, Alejandro; Quetglas, Jose I; Ruiz-Guillen, Marta; Rodriguez-Madoz, Juan R; Prieto, Jesus; Smerdou, Cristian

2010-05-31

Semliki Forest virus (SFV) vectors lead to high protein expression in mammalian cells, but expression is transient due to vector cytopathic effects, inhibition of host cell proteins and RNA-based expression. We have used a noncytopathic SFV mutant (ncSFV) RNA vector to generate stable cell lines expressing two human therapeutic proteins: insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1). Therapeutic genes were fused at the carboxy-terminal end of Puromycin N-acetyl-transferase gene by using as a linker the sequence coding for foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) 2A autoprotease. These cassettes were cloned into the ncSFV vector. Recombinant ncSFV vectors allowed rapid and efficient selection of stable BHK cell lines with puromycin. These cells expressed IGF-I and CT-1 in supernatants at levels reaching 1.4 and 8.6 microg/10(6)cells/24 hours, respectively. Two cell lines generated with each vector were passaged ten times during 30 days, showing constant levels of protein expression. Recombinant proteins expressed at different passages were functional by in vitro signaling assays. Stability at RNA level was unexpectedly high, showing a very low mutation rate in the CT-1 sequence, which did not increase at high passages. CT-1 was efficiently purified from supernatants of ncSFV cell lines, obtaining a yield of approximately 2mg/L/24 hours. These results indicate that the ncSFV vector has a great potential for the production of recombinant proteins in mammalian cells. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A freestream-preserving fourth-order finite-volume method in mapped coordinates with adaptive-mesh refinement

DOE PAGES

Guzik, Stephen M.; Gao, Xinfeng; Owen, Landon D.; ...

2015-12-20

We present a fourth-order accurate finite-volume method for solving time-dependent hyperbolic systems of conservation laws on mapped grids that are adaptively refined in space and time. Some novel considerations for formulating the semi-discrete system of equations in computational space are combined with detailed mechanisms for accommodating the adapting grids. Furthermore, these considerations ensure that conservation is maintained and that the divergence of a constant vector field is always zero (freestream-preservation property). The solution in time is advanced with a fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. A series of tests verifies that the expected accuracy is achieved in smooth flows and the solution ofmore » a Mach reflection problem demonstrates the effectiveness of the algorithm in resolving strong discontinuities.« less

Higgs mass and unified gauge coupling in the NMSSM with vector matter

DOE PAGES

Barbieri, Riccardo; Buttazzo, Dario; Hall, Lawrence J.; ...

2016-07-13

Here, we consider the NMSSM extended to include one vector-like family of quarks and leptons. If (some of) these vector-like matter particles, as the Higgs doublets, have Yukawa couplings to the singlet S that exceed unity at about the same scale Λ ≲ 10 3 TeV, this gives the order 40% enhancement of the tree level Higgs boson mass required in the MSSM to reach 125 GeV. It is conceivable that the Yukawa couplings to the singlet S, although naively blowing up close to Λ, will not spoil gauge coupling unification. In such a case the unified coupling α Xmore » could be interestingly led to a value not far from unity, thus providing a possible explanation for the number of generations. Also, the characteristic signal is an enhanced resonant production of neutral spin zero particles at LHC, that could even explain the putative diphoton resonance hinted by the recent LHC data at 750 GeV.« less

Comparison of HIV- and EIAV-based vectors on their efficiency in transducing murine and human hematopoietic repopulating cells.

PubMed

Siapati, Elena K; Bigger, Brian W; Miskin, James; Chipchase, Daniel; Parsley, Kathryn L; Mitrophanous, Kyriacos; Themis, Mike; Thrasher, Adrian J; Bonnet, Dominique

2005-09-01

The use of lentiviral vectors for gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells has raised considerable interest as these vectors can permanently integrate their genome into quiescent cells. Vectors based on alternative lentiviruses would theoretically be safer than HIV-1-based vectors and could also be used in HIV-positive patients, minimizing the risk of generating replication-competent virus. Here we report the use of third-generation equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)- and HIV-1-based vectors with minimal viral sequences and absence of accessory proteins. We have compared their efficiency in transducing mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells both in vitro and in vivo to that of a previously documented second-generation HIV-1 vector. The third-generation EIAV- and HIV-based vectors gave comparable levels of transduction and transgene expression in both mouse and human NOD/SCID repopulating cells but were less efficient than the second-generation HIV-1 vector in human HSCs. For the EIAV vector this is possibly a reflection of the lower protein expression levels achieved in human cells, as vector copy number analysis revealed that this vector exhibited a trend to integrate equally efficiently compared to the third-generation HIV-1 vector in both mouse and human HSCs. Interestingly, the presence or absence of Tat in viral preparations did not influence the transduction efficiency of HIV-1 vectors in human HSCs.

Using supercomputers for the time history analysis of old gravity dams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouve, G.; Peters, A.

Some of the old masonry dams that were built in Germany at the beginning of this century are a matter of concern today. In the course of time certain deterioration caused or amplified by aging has appeared and raised questions about the safety of these old dams. The Finite Element Method, which in the past two decades has found a widespread application, offers a suitable tool to re-evaluate the safety of these old gravity dams. The reliability of the results, however, strongly depends on the knowledge of the material parameters. Using historical records and observations a numerical back-analysis models has been developed to simulate the behaviour of these old masonry structures and to estimate their material properties by calibration. Only an implementation on a fourth generation vector computer made the application of this large model possible in practice.

Gender Differences in Inference Generation by Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clinton, Virginia; Seipel, Ben; Broek, Paul; McMaster, Kristen L.; Kendeou, Panayiota; Carlson, Sarah E.; Rapp, David N.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are gender differences among elementary school-aged students in regard to the inferences they generate during reading. Fourth-grade students (130 females; 126 males) completed think-aloud tasks while reading one practice and one experimental narrative text. Females generated a larger number and a…

[The fourth horseman: The yellow fever].

PubMed

Vallejos-Parás, Alfonso; Cabrera-Gaytán, David Alejandro

2017-01-01

Dengue virus three, Chikunguya and Zika have entered the national territory through the south of the country. Cases and outbreaks of yellow fever have now been identified in the Americas where it threatens to expand. Although Mexico has a robust epidemiological surveillance system for vector-borne diseases, our country must be alert in case of its possible introduction into the national territory. This paper presents theoretical assumptions based on factual data on the behavior of yellow fever in the Americas, as well as reflections on the epidemiological surveillance of vector-borne diseases.

New signals for vector-like down-type quark in U(1) of E_6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Kasinath; Li, Tianjun; Nandi, S.; Rai, Santosh Kumar

2018-01-01

We consider the pair production of vector-like down-type quarks in an E_6 motivated model, where each of the produced down-type vector-like quark decays into an ordinary Standard Model light quark and a singlet scalar. Both the vector-like quark and the singlet scalar appear naturally in the E_6 model with masses at the TeV scale with a favorable choice of symmetry breaking pattern. We focus on the non-standard decay of the vector-like quark and the new scalar which decays to two photons or two gluons. We analyze the signal for the vector-like quark production in the 2γ +≥ 2j channel and show how the scalar and vector-like quark masses can be determined at the Large Hadron Collider.

A Novel Recommendation System to Match College Events and Groups to Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qazanfari, K.; Youssef, A.; Keane, K.; Nelson, J.

2017-10-01

With the recent increase in data online, discovering meaningful opportunities can be time-consuming and complicated for many individuals. To overcome this data overload challenge, we present a novel text-content-based recommender system as a valuable tool to predict user interests. To that end, we develop a specific procedure to create user models and item feature-vectors, where items are described in free text. The user model is generated by soliciting from a user a few keywords and expanding those keywords into a list of weighted near-synonyms. The item feature-vectors are generated from the textual descriptions of the items, using modified tf-idf values of the users’ keywords and their near-synonyms. Once the users are modeled and the items are abstracted into feature vectors, the system returns the maximum-similarity items as recommendations to that user. Our experimental evaluation shows that our method of creating the user models and item feature-vectors resulted in higher precision and accuracy in comparison to well-known feature-vector-generating methods like Glove and Word2Vec. It also shows that stemming and the use of a modified version of tf-idf increase the accuracy and precision by 2% and 3%, respectively, compared to non-stemming and the standard tf-idf definition. Moreover, the evaluation results show that updating the user model from usage histories improves the precision and accuracy of the system. This recommender system has been developed as part of the Agnes application, which runs on iOS and Android platforms and is accessible through the Agnes website.

Antitumor HPV E7-specific CTL activity elicited by in vivo engineered exosomes produced through DNA inoculation.

PubMed

Di Bonito, Paola; Chiozzini, Chiara; Arenaccio, Claudia; Anticoli, Simona; Manfredi, Francesco; Olivetta, Eleonora; Ferrantelli, Flavia; Falcone, Emiliana; Ruggieri, Anna; Federico, Maurizio

2017-01-01

We recently proved that exosomes engineered in vitro to deliver high amounts of HPV E7 upon fusion with the Nef mut exosome-anchoring protein elicit an efficient anti-E7 cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune response. However, in view of a potential clinic application of this finding, our exosome-based immunization strategy was faced with possible technical difficulties including industrial manufacturing, cost of production, and storage. To overcome these hurdles, we designed an as yet unproven exosome-based immunization strategy relying on delivery by intramuscular inoculation of a DNA vector expressing Nef mut fused with HPV E7. In this way, we predicted that the expression of the Nef mut /E7 vector in muscle cells would result in a continuous source of endogenous (ie, produced by the inoculated host) engineered exosomes able to induce an E7-specific immune response. To assess this hypothesis, we first demonstrated that the injection of a Nef mut /green fluorescent protein-expressing vector led to the release of fluorescent exosomes, as detected in plasma of inoculated mice. Then, we observed that mice inoculated intramuscularly with a vector expressing Nef mut /E7 developed a CD8 + T-cell immune response against both Nef and E7. Conversely, no CD8 + T-cell responses were detected upon injection of vectors expressing either the wild-type Nef isoform of E7 alone, most likely a consequence of their inefficient exosome incorporation. The production of immunogenic exosomes in the DNA-injected mice was formally demonstrated by the E7-specific CD8 + T-cell immune response we detected in mice inoculated with exosomes isolated from plasma of mice inoculated with the Nef mut /E7 vector. Finally, we provide evidence that the injection of Nef mut /E7 DNA led to the generation of effective antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes whose activity was likely part of the potent, therapeutic antitumor effect we observed in mice implanted with TC-1 tumor cells. In summary, we established a novel method to generate immunogenic exosomes in vivo by the intramuscular inoculation of DNA vectors expressing the exosome-anchoring protein Nef mut and its derivatives.

Vector semirational rogue waves and modulation instability for the coupled higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equations in the birefringent optical fibers.

PubMed

Sun, Wen-Rong; Liu, De-Yin; Xie, Xi-Yang

2017-04-01

We report the existence and properties of vector breather and semirational rogue-wave solutions for the coupled higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equations, which describe the propagation of ultrashort optical pulses in birefringent optical fibers. Analytic vector breather and semirational rogue-wave solutions are obtained with Darboux dressing transformation. We observe that the superposition of the dark and bright contributions in each of the two wave components can give rise to complicated breather and semirational rogue-wave dynamics. We show that the bright-dark type vector solitons (or breather-like vector solitons) with nonconstant speed interplay with Akhmediev breathers, Kuznetsov-Ma solitons, and rogue waves. By adjusting parameters, we note that the rogue wave and bright-dark soliton merge, generating the boomeron-type bright-dark solitons. We prove that the rogue wave can be excited in the baseband modulation instability regime. These results may provide evidence of the collision between the mixed ultrashort soliton and rogue wave.

Parity partners in the baryon resonance spectrum

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ya; Chen, Chen; Roberts, Craig D.; ...

2017-07-28

Here, we describe a calculation of the spectrum of flavor-SU(3) octet and decuplet baryons, their parity partners, and the radial excitations of these systems, made using a symmetry-preserving treatment of a vector x vector contact interaction as the foundation for the relevant few-body equations. Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking generates nonpointlike diquarks within these baryons and hence, using the contact interaction, flavor-antitriplet scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, and flavor-sextet axial-vector quark-quark correlations can all play active roles. The model yields reasonable masses for all systems studied and Faddeev amplitudes for ground states and associated parity partners that sketch a realistic picture of theirmore » internal structure: ground-state, even-parity baryons are constituted, almost exclusively, from like-parity diquark correlations, but orbital angular momentum plays an important role in the rest-frame wave functions of odd-parity baryons, whose Faddeev amplitudes are dominated by odd-parity diquarks.« less

Parity partners in the baryon resonance spectrum

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

Lu, Ya; Chen, Chen; Roberts, Craig D.

Here, we describe a calculation of the spectrum of flavor-SU(3) octet and decuplet baryons, their parity partners, and the radial excitations of these systems, made using a symmetry-preserving treatment of a vector x vector contact interaction as the foundation for the relevant few-body equations. Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking generates nonpointlike diquarks within these baryons and hence, using the contact interaction, flavor-antitriplet scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, and flavor-sextet axial-vector quark-quark correlations can all play active roles. The model yields reasonable masses for all systems studied and Faddeev amplitudes for ground states and associated parity partners that sketch a realistic picture of theirmore » internal structure: ground-state, even-parity baryons are constituted, almost exclusively, from like-parity diquark correlations, but orbital angular momentum plays an important role in the rest-frame wave functions of odd-parity baryons, whose Faddeev amplitudes are dominated by odd-parity diquarks.« less

SO(32) heterotic line bundle models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Hajime

2018-05-01

We search for the three-generation standard-like and/or Pati-Salam models from the SO(32) heterotic string theory on smooth, quotient complete intersection Calabi-Yau threefolds with multiple line bundles, each with structure group U(1). These models are S- and T-dual to intersecting D-brane models in type IIA string theory. We find that the stable line bundles and Wilson lines lead to the standard model gauge group with an extra U(1) B-L via a Pati-Salam-like symmetry and the obtained spectrum consists of three chiral generations of quarks and leptons, and vector-like particles. Green-Schwarz anomalous U(1) symmetries control not only the Yukawa couplings of the quarks and leptons but also the higher-dimensional operators causing the proton decay.

Disease Vector Ecology Profile: Somalia. Fourth Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-15

excrement, decaying plant material and other debris). Eggs hatch in 1-3 weeks. Larval stage 4-6 weeks. Often associated with termite mounds . Biting...lengths of up to 14 feet. It occurs primarily in the forest and open bush country of northern Somalia, where it is found in tree stumps, termite mounds

Mosquitocidal Activity and Mode of Action of the Isoxazoline Fluralaner

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, are important vectors of human diseases. Fluralaner, a recently introduced parasiticide, was evaluated as a mosquitocide in this study.On Ae. aegypti and An. gambiae fourth-instar larvae, fluralaner had 24-h LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% ...

Mosquitocidal activity and mode of action of the isoxazoline fluralaner

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae, are important vectors of human diseases. Fluralaner, a recently introduced parasiticide, was evaluated as a mosquitocide in this study.On Ae. aegypti and An. gambiae fourth-instar larvae, fluralaner had 24-h LC50 (lethal concentration for 50% ...

Detector for flow abnormalities in gaseous diffusion plant compressors

DOEpatents

Smith, Stephen F.; Castleberry, Kim N.

1998-01-01

A detector detects a flow abnormality in a plant compressor which outputs a motor current signal. The detector includes a demodulator/lowpass filter demodulating and filtering the motor current signal producing a demodulated signal, and first, second, third and fourth bandpass filters connected to the demodulator/lowpass filter, and filtering the demodulated signal in accordance with first, second, third and fourth bandpass frequencies generating first, second, third and fourth filtered signals having first, second, third and fourth amplitudes. The detector also includes first, second, third and fourth amplitude detectors connected to the first, second, third and fourth bandpass filters respectively, and detecting the first, second, third and fourth amplitudes, and first and second adders connected to the first and fourth amplitude detectors and the second and third amplitude detectors respectively, and adding the first and fourth amplitudes and the second and third amplitudes respectively generating first and second added signals. Finally, the detector includes a comparator, connected to the first and second adders, and comparing the first and second added signals and detecting the abnormal condition in the plant compressor when the second added signal exceeds the first added signal by a predetermined value.

Detector for flow abnormalities in gaseous diffusion plant compressors

DOEpatents

Smith, S.F.; Castleberry, K.N.

1998-06-16

A detector detects a flow abnormality in a plant compressor which outputs a motor current signal. The detector includes a demodulator/lowpass filter demodulating and filtering the motor current signal producing a demodulated signal, and first, second, third and fourth bandpass filters connected to the demodulator/lowpass filter, and filtering the demodulated signal in accordance with first, second, third and fourth bandpass frequencies generating first, second, third and fourth filtered signals having first, second, third and fourth amplitudes. The detector also includes first, second, third and fourth amplitude detectors connected to the first, second, third and fourth bandpass filters respectively, and detecting the first, second, third and fourth amplitudes, and first and second adders connected to the first and fourth amplitude detectors and the second and third amplitude detectors respectively, and adding the first and fourth amplitudes and the second and third amplitudes respectively generating first and second added signals. Finally, the detector includes a comparator, connected to the first and second adders, and comparing the first and second added signals and detecting the abnormal condition in the plant compressor when the second added signal exceeds the first added signal by a predetermined value. 6 figs.

Impact of Terminalia chebula Retz. against Aedes aegypti L. and non-target aquatic predatory insects.

PubMed

Thanigaivel, Annamalai; Vasantha-Srinivasan, Prabhakaran; Senthil-Nathan, Sengottayan; Edwin, Edward-Sam; Ponsankar, Athirstam; Chellappandian, Muthiah; Selin-Rani, Selvaraj; Lija-Escaline, Jalasteen; Kalaivani, Kandaswamy

2017-03-01

Aedes aegypti Linn is one of the most important mosquito species. The vectors are responsible for causing deadly diseases like dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever. Several chemical pesticides used to control these dengue vectors caused severe toxic significances on human health and other non-target beneficial insects. Therefore the current investigation has been made to access the bio-efficacy of the crude seed extracts of T. chebula against the dengue vector Ae. aegypti. The GC-MS analysis of crude seed extracts of T. chebula identified nine chemical compounds with major peak area in the 1,2,3-Benzenetriol (61.96%), followed by Tridecanoic acid (09.55%). Ae. aegypti larvae showed dose dependent mortality rate was observed between the treatments. Prominent protection rate at greater concentrations of 100ppm and moderate protection at 75 and 50ppm was observed in the repellent assay. Lethal concentration (LC 50 and LC 90 ) of fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti was observed in 138 and 220ppm concentration respectively. Similarly, the seed extracts showed 100% adulticidal activity at the concentration of 400ppm at 30min of exposure time. Phytochemicals present in the seed extracts of T. chebula significantly affects the major portions of the midgut tissues of Ae. aegypti at the concentration of 100ppm. The toxicological evaluation of seed extracts also proved non-toxic towards the A. bouvieri and Tx. splendens aquatic predatory insects. Hence, the present result suggest that bio-rational plant derived T. chebula could be incorporated in the dengue vector control and have no adverse effects on non-target beneficial insects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A novel two T-DNA binary vector allows efficient generation of marker-free transgenic plants in three elite cultivars of rice (Oryza sativa L.).

PubMed

Breitler, Jean-Christophe; Meynard, Donaldo; Van Boxtel, Jos; Royer, Monique; Bonnot, François; Cambillau, Laurence; Guiderdoni, Emmanuel

2004-06-01

A pilot binary vector was constructed to assess the potential of the 2 T-DNA system for generating selectable marker-free progeny plants in three elite rice cultivars (ZhongZuo321, Ariete and Khao Dawk Mali 105) known to exhibit contrasting amenabilities to transformation. The first T-DNA of the vector, delimited by Agrobacterium tumefaciens borders, contains the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) selectable gene and the green fluorescent protein (gfp) reporter gene while the second T-DNA, delimited by Agrobacterium rhizogenes borders, bears the phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (bar) gene, featuring the gene of interest. 82-90% of the hygromycin-resistant primary transformants exhibited tolerance to ammonium glufosinate mediated by the bar gene suggesting very high co-transformation frequency in the three cultivars. All of the regenerated plants were analyzed by Southern blot which confirmed co-integration of the T-DNAs at frequencies consistent with those of co-expression and allowed determination of copy number for each gene as well as detection of two different vector backbone fragments extending between the two T-DNAs. Hygromycin susceptible, ammonium glufosinate tolerant phenotypes represented 14.4, 17.4 and 14.3% of the plants in T1 progenies of ZZ321, Ariete and KDML105 primary transformants, respectively. We developed a statistical model for deducing from the observed copy number of each T-DNA in T0 plants and phenotypic segregations in T1 progenies the most likely constitution and linkage of the T-DNA integration locus. Statistical analysis identified in 40 out of 42 lines a most likely linkage configuration theoretically allowing genetic separation of the two T-DNA types and out segregation of the T-DNA bearing the bar gene. Overall, though improvements of the technology would be beneficial, the 2 T-DNA system appeared to be a useful approach to generate selectable marker-free rice plants with a consistent frequency among cultivars.

Neem cake as a promising larvicide and adulticide against the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies (Diptera: Culicidae): a HPTLC fingerprinting approach.

PubMed

Benelli, Giovanni; Chandramohan, Balamurugan; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Kovendan, Kalimuthu; Panneerselvam, Chellasamy; Dinesh, Devakumar; Govindarajan, Marimuthu; Higuchi, Akon; Toniolo, Chiara; Canale, Angelo; Nicoletti, Marcello

2017-05-01

Mosquitoes are insects of huge public health importance, since they act as vectors for important pathogens and parasites. Here, we focused on the possibility of using the neem cake in the fight against mosquito vectors. The neem cake chemical composition significantly changes among producers, as evidenced by our HPTLC (High performance thin layer chromatography) analyses of different marketed products. Neem cake extracts were tested to evaluate the ovicidal, larvicidal and adulticidal activity against the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies. Ovicidal activity of both types of extracts was statistically significant, and 150 ppm completely inhibited egg hatching. LC 50 values were extremely low against fourth instar larvae, ranging from 1.321 (NM1) to 1.818 ppm (NA2). Adulticidal activity was also high, with LC 50 ranging from 3.015 (NM1) to 3.637 ppm (NM2). This study pointed out the utility of neem cake as a source of eco-friendly mosquitocides in Anopheline vector control programmes.

Accuracy and trending ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo System™ in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.

PubMed

Maeda, Takuma; Hattori, Kohshi; Sumiyoshi, Miho; Kanazawa, Hiroko; Ohnishi, Yoshihiko

2018-06-01

The fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ improved its algorithm to follow changes in systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI). This revision may improve the accuracy and trending ability of CI even in patients who undergo abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery which cause drastic change of SVRI by aortic clamping. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the accuracy and trending ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ in patients with AAA surgery by comparing the FloTrac/Vigileo™-derived CI (CI FT ) with that measured by three-dimensional echocardiography (CI 3D ). Twenty-six patients undergoing elective AAA surgery were included in this study. CI FT and CI3 D were determined simultaneously in eight points including before and after aortic clamp. We used CI 3D as the reference method. In the Bland-Altman analysis, CI FT had a wide limit of agreement with CI 3D showing a percentage error of 46.7%. Subgroup analysis showed that the percentage error between CO 3D and CO FT was 56.3% in patients with cardiac index < 2.5 L/min/m 2 and 28.4% in patients with cardiac index ≥ 2.5 L/min/m 2 . SVRI was significantly higher in patients with cardiac index < 2.5 L/min/m 2 (1703 ± 330 vs. 2757 ± 798; p < 0.001). The tracking ability of fourth generation of FloTrac/Vigileo™ after aortic clamp was not clinically acceptable (26.9%). The degree of accuracy of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ in patients with AAA surgery was not acceptable. The tracking ability of the fourth-generation FloTrac/Vigileo™ after aortic clamp was below the acceptable limit.

In situ reprogramming to transdifferentiate fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes using adenoviral vectors: Implications for clinical myocardial regeneration.

PubMed

Mathison, Megumi; Singh, Vivek P; Chiuchiolo, Maria J; Sanagasetti, Deepthi; Mao, Yun; Patel, Vivekkumar B; Yang, Jianchang; Kaminsky, Stephen M; Crystal, Ronald G; Rosengart, Todd K

2017-02-01

The reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocyte-like cells improves ventricular function in myocardial infarction models. Only integrating persistent expression vectors have thus far been used to induce reprogramming, potentially limiting its clinical applicability. We therefore tested the reprogramming potential of nonintegrating, acute expression adenoviral (Ad) vectors. Ad or lentivirus vectors encoding Gata4 (G), Mef2c (M), and Tbx5 (T) were validated in vitro. Sprague-Dawley rats then underwent coronary ligation and Ad-mediated administration of vascular endothelial growth factor to generate infarct prevascularization. Three weeks later, animals received Ad or lentivirus encoding G, M, or T (AdGMT or LentiGMT) or an equivalent dose of a null vector (n = 11, 10, and 10, respectively). Outcomes were analyzed by echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and histology. Ad and lentivirus vectors provided equivalent G, M, and T expression in vitro. AdGMT and LentiGMT both likewise induced expression of the cardiomyocyte marker cardiac troponin T in approximately 6% of cardiac fibroblasts versus <1% cardiac troponin T expression in AdNull (adenoviral vector that does not encode a transgene)-treated cells. Infarcted myocardium that had been treated with AdGMT likewise demonstrated greater density of cells expressing the cardiomyocyte marker beta myosin heavy chain 7 compared with AdNull-treated animals. Echocardiography demonstrated that AdGMT and LentiGMT both increased ejection fraction compared with AdNull (AdGMT: 21% ± 3%, LentiGMT: 14% ± 5%, AdNull: -0.4% ± 2%; P < .05). Ad vectors are at least as effective as lentiviral vectors in inducing cardiac fibroblast transdifferentiation into induced cardiomyocyte-like cells and improving cardiac function in postinfarct rat hearts. Short-term expression Ad vectors may represent an important means to induce cardiac cellular reprogramming in humans. Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exotic Leptons. Higgs, Flavor and Collider Phenomenology

DOE PAGES

Altmannshofer, Wolfgang; Bauer, Martin; Carena, Marcela

2014-01-15

We study extensions of the standard model by one generation of vector-like leptons with non-standard hypercharges, which allow for a sizable modification of the h → γγ decay rate for new lepton masses in the 300 GeV-1 TeV range. We also analyze vacuum stability implications for different hypercharges. Effects in h → Zγ are typically much smaller than in h → γγ, but distinct among the considered hypercharge assignments. Non-standard hypercharges constrain or entirely forbid possible mixing operators with standard model leptons. As a consequence, the leading contributions to the experimentally strongly constrained electric dipole moments of standard model fermionsmore » are only generated at the two loop level by the new CP violating sources of the considered setups. Furthermore, we derive the bounds from dipole moments, electro-weak precision observables and lepton flavor violating processes, and discuss their implications. Finally, we examine the production and decay channels of the vector-like leptons at the LHC, and find that signatures with multiple light leptons or taus are already probing interesting regions of parameter space.« less

Installing an Integrated System and a Fourth-Generation Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridenour, David; Ferguson, Linda

1987-01-01

In the spring of 1986 Indiana State University converted to the Series Z software of Information Associates, an IBM mainframe, and Information Builders' FOCUS fourth-generation language. The beginning of the planning stage to product selection, training, and implementation is described. (Author/MLW)

Site-specific integration of Streptomyces PhiC31 integrase-based vectors in the chromosome of Rhodococcus equi.

PubMed

Hong, Yang; Hondalus, Mary K

2008-10-01

Streptomyces PhiC31-based site-specific integration was used to transform the facultative intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi. The transformation efficiency of vectors incorporating the PhiC31 integrase and attP sites was comparable to that of replication plasmids using the same electroporation procedure. A single attB integration site was identified within an ORF encoding a pirin-like protein, which deviates slightly from the consensus sequence of Streptomyces attB sites. Vector integration was stably maintained in the R. equi chromosome for as many as 100 generations during unselected passage in vitro. In addition, integration does not appear to affect the replication of bacteria inside macrophages. Finally, this integration system was also used to successfully complement an R. equi mutant.

In vitro transdifferentiation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to photoreceptor-like cells

PubMed Central

Komuta, Yukari; Ishii, Toshiyuki; Kaneda, Makoto; Ueda, Yasuji; Miyamoto, Kiyoko; Toyoda, Masashi; Umezawa, Akihiro

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Direct reprogramming is a promising, simple and low-cost approach to generate target cells from somatic cells without using induced pluripotent stem cells. Recently, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) have attracted considerable attention as a somatic cell source for reprogramming. As a cell source, PBMCs have an advantage over dermal fibroblasts with respect to the ease of collecting tissues. Based on our studies involving generation of photosensitive photoreceptor cells from human iris cells and human dermal fibroblasts by transduction of photoreceptor-related transcription factors via retrovirus vectors, we transduced these transcription factors into PBMCs via Sendai virus vectors. We found that retinal disease-related genes were efficiently detected in CRX-transduced cells, most of which are crucial to photoreceptor functions. In functional studies, a light-induced inward current was detected in some CRX-transduced cells. Moreover, by modification of the culture conditions including additional transduction of RAX1 and NEUROD1, we found a greater variety of retinal disease-related genes than that observed in CRX-transduced PBMCs. These data suggest that CRX acts as a master control gene for reprogramming PBMCs into photoreceptor-like cells and that our induced photoreceptor-like cells might contribute to individualized drug screening and disease modeling of inherited retinal degeneration. PMID:27170256

2b-RAD genotyping for population genomic studies of Chagas disease vectors: Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in Ecuador.

PubMed

Hernandez-Castro, Luis E; Paterno, Marta; Villacís, Anita G; Andersson, Björn; Costales, Jaime A; De Noia, Michele; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Yumiseva, Cesar A; Grijalva, Mario J; Llewellyn, Martin S

2017-07-01

Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is the main triatomine vector of Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, in Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru. Genomic approaches and next generation sequencing technologies have become powerful tools for investigating population diversity and structure which is a key consideration for vector control. Here we assess the effectiveness of three different 2b restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD) genotyping strategies in R. ecuadoriensis to provide sufficient genomic resolution to tease apart microevolutionary processes and undertake some pilot population genomic analyses. The 2b-RAD protocol was carried out in-house at a non-specialized laboratory using 20 R. ecuadoriensis adults collected from the central coast and southern Andean region of Ecuador, from June 2006 to July 2013. 2b-RAD sequencing data was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument and analyzed with the STACKS de novo pipeline for loci assembly and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) discovery. Preliminary population genomic analyses (global AMOVA and Bayesian clustering) were implemented. Our results showed that the 2b-RAD genotyping protocol is effective for R. ecuadoriensis and likely for other triatomine species. However, only BcgI and CspCI restriction enzymes provided a number of markers suitable for population genomic analysis at the read depth we generated. Our preliminary genomic analyses detected a signal of genetic structuring across the study area. Our findings suggest that 2b-RAD genotyping is both a cost effective and methodologically simple approach for generating high resolution genomic data for Chagas disease vectors with the power to distinguish between different vector populations at epidemiologically relevant scales. As such, 2b-RAD represents a powerful tool in the hands of medical entomologists with limited access to specialized molecular biological equipment.

2b-RAD genotyping for population genomic studies of Chagas disease vectors: Rhodnius ecuadoriensis in Ecuador

PubMed Central

Villacís, Anita G.; Andersson, Björn; Costales, Jaime A.; De Noia, Michele; Ocaña-Mayorga, Sofía; Yumiseva, Cesar A.; Grijalva, Mario J.; Llewellyn, Martin S.

2017-01-01

Background Rhodnius ecuadoriensis is the main triatomine vector of Chagas disease, American trypanosomiasis, in Southern Ecuador and Northern Peru. Genomic approaches and next generation sequencing technologies have become powerful tools for investigating population diversity and structure which is a key consideration for vector control. Here we assess the effectiveness of three different 2b restriction site-associated DNA (2b-RAD) genotyping strategies in R. ecuadoriensis to provide sufficient genomic resolution to tease apart microevolutionary processes and undertake some pilot population genomic analyses. Methodology/Principal findings The 2b-RAD protocol was carried out in-house at a non-specialized laboratory using 20 R. ecuadoriensis adults collected from the central coast and southern Andean region of Ecuador, from June 2006 to July 2013. 2b-RAD sequencing data was performed on an Illumina MiSeq instrument and analyzed with the STACKS de novo pipeline for loci assembly and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) discovery. Preliminary population genomic analyses (global AMOVA and Bayesian clustering) were implemented. Our results showed that the 2b-RAD genotyping protocol is effective for R. ecuadoriensis and likely for other triatomine species. However, only BcgI and CspCI restriction enzymes provided a number of markers suitable for population genomic analysis at the read depth we generated. Our preliminary genomic analyses detected a signal of genetic structuring across the study area. Conclusions/Significance Our findings suggest that 2b-RAD genotyping is both a cost effective and methodologically simple approach for generating high resolution genomic data for Chagas disease vectors with the power to distinguish between different vector populations at epidemiologically relevant scales. As such, 2b-RAD represents a powerful tool in the hands of medical entomologists with limited access to specialized molecular biological equipment. PMID:28723901

Anisotropic power spectrum and bispectrum in the f(Φ)F² mechanism

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

Bartolo, Nicola; Matarrese, Sabino; Peloso, Marco

2013-01-04

A suitable coupling of the inflaton φ to a vector kinetic term F² gives frozen and scale invariant vector perturbations. We compute the cosmological perturbations ζ that result from such coupling by taking into account the classical vector field that unavoidably gets generated at large scales during inflation. This generically results in a too-anisotropic power spectrum of ζ. Specifically, the anisotropy exceeds the 1% level (10% level) if inflation lasts ~5 e-folds (~50 e-folds) more than the minimal amount required to produce the cosmic microwave background modes. This conclusion applies, among others, to the application of this mechanism for magnetogenesis,more » for anisotropic inflation, and for the generation of anisotropic perturbations at the end of inflation through a waterfall field coupled to the vector (in this case, the unavoidable contribution that we obtain is effective all throughout inflation, and it is independent of the waterfall field). For a tuned duration of inflation, a 1% (10%) anisotropy in the power spectrum corresponds to an anisotropic bispectrum which is enhanced like the local one in the squeezed limit, and with an effective local f NL~3(~30). More in general, a significant anisotropy of the perturbations may be a natural outcome of all models that sustain higher than 0 spin fields during inflation.« less

Anisotropic power spectrum and bispectrum in the f(ϕ)F2 mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartolo, Nicola; Matarrese, Sabino; Peloso, Marco; Ricciardone, Angelo

2013-01-01

A suitable coupling of the inflaton φ to a vector kinetic term F2 gives frozen and scale invariant vector perturbations. We compute the cosmological perturbations ζ that result from such coupling by taking into account the classical vector field that unavoidably gets generated at large scales during inflation. This generically results in a too-anisotropic power spectrum of ζ. Specifically, the anisotropy exceeds the 1% level (10% level) if inflation lasts ˜5 e-folds (˜50 e-folds) more than the minimal amount required to produce the cosmic microwave background modes. This conclusion applies, among others, to the application of this mechanism for magnetogenesis, for anisotropic inflation, and for the generation of anisotropic perturbations at the end of inflation through a waterfall field coupled to the vector (in this case, the unavoidable contribution that we obtain is effective all throughout inflation, and it is independent of the waterfall field). For a tuned duration of inflation, a 1% (10%) anisotropy in the power spectrum corresponds to an anisotropic bispectrum which is enhanced like the local one in the squeezed limit, and with an effective local fNL˜3(˜30). More in general, a significant anisotropy of the perturbations may be a natural outcome of all models that sustain higher than 0 spin fields during inflation.

Video Vectorization via Tetrahedral Remeshing.

PubMed

Wang, Chuan; Zhu, Jie; Guo, Yanwen; Wang, Wenping

2017-02-09

We present a video vectorization method that generates a video in vector representation from an input video in raster representation. A vector-based video representation offers the benefits of vector graphics, such as compactness and scalability. The vector video we generate is represented by a simplified tetrahedral control mesh over the spatial-temporal video volume, with color attributes defined at the mesh vertices. We present novel techniques for simplification and subdivision of a tetrahedral mesh to achieve high simplification ratio while preserving features and ensuring color fidelity. From an input raster video, our method is capable of generating a compact video in vector representation that allows a faithful reconstruction with low reconstruction errors.

Dendritic cell–targeted lentiviral vector immunization uses pseudotransduction and DNA-mediated STING and cGAS activation

PubMed Central

Kim, Jocelyn T.; Liu, Yarong; Kulkarni, Rajan P.; Lee, Kevin K.; Dai, Bingbing; Lovely, Geoffrey; Ouyang, Yong; Wang, Pin; Yang, Lili; Baltimore, David

2018-01-01

Dendritic cell (DC) activation and antigen presentation are critical for efficient priming of T cell responses. Here, we study how lentiviral vectors (LVs) deliver antigen and activate DCs to generate T cell immunization in vivo. We report that antigenic proteins delivered in vector particles via pseudotransduction were sufficient to stimulate an antigen-specific immune response. The delivery of the viral genome encoding the antigen increased the magnitude of this response in vivo but was irrelevant in vitro. Activation of DCs by LVs was independent of MyD88, TRIF, and MAVS, ruling out an involvement of Toll-like receptor or RIG-I–like receptor signaling. Cellular DNA packaged in LV preparations induced DC activation by the host STING (stimulator of interferon genes) and cGAS (cyclic guanosine monophosphate–adenosine monophosphate synthase) pathway. Envelope-mediated viral fusion also activated DCs in a phosphoinositide 3-kinase–dependent but STING-independent process. Pseudotransduction, transduction, viral fusion, and delivery of cellular DNA collaborate to make the DC-targeted LV preparation an effective immunogen. PMID:28733470

Role of geospatial technology in identifying natural habitat of malarial vectors in South Andaman, India.

PubMed

Shankar, Shiva; Agrawal, Deepak Kumar

2016-03-01

Malaria is a serious disease which has repeatedly threatened Andaman, an island territory of India. Uncharted dense vegetation and inaccessibility are the salient features of the area and the major areas are covered by remotely sensed data to identify the malaria vector's natural habitat. The present investigation appraises the role of geospatial technologies in identifying the natural habitat of malarial vectors. The base map was prepared from Survey of India's toposheets, the landuse map was prepared from indices techniques like normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalised difference water index (NDWI), modified normalised difference water index (MNDWI), normalised difference pond index (NDPI), and normalized difference turbidity index (NDTI) in conjugation with visual interpretation. The soil moisture content map was reproduced from the soil atlas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands followed by generation of an aspect profile from ASTER-GDEM satellite data. Both the landuse map and aspect profile were validated for accuracy in the field. A weighted overlay analysis of the classes like landuse, soil moisture and aspect profile of the study area resulted in identification of the potential natural habitat map of malaria vector surrounding the areas of Tushnabad, Garacharma, Manglutan, Chouldari, Ferrargunj and Wimberlygunj hamlets. The natural habitat of malaria vector indicated that Tushnabad, Garacharma, Manglutan, Chouldari, Ferrargunj and Wimberlygunj hamlets are within the proximity of 2.5 km from the prime habitat location with more number of malaria positive cases. Also these hamlets are surrounded by dense evergreen forest and the land surface is draped by clay loam and clay soil texture exhibiting high soil moisture content warranting high rates of survival and proliferation of the vector ensuring resurgence of malaria every year. It is thus concluded that application of geospatial technologies plays an important role in identifying the natural habitat of malaria vector.

Vaccine Efficacy against Malaria by the Combination of Porcine Parvovirus-Like Particles and Vaccinia Virus Vectors Expressing CS of Plasmodium

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Dolores; González-Aseguinolaza, Gloria; Rodríguez, Juan R.; Vijayan, Aneesh; Gherardi, Magdalena; Rueda, Paloma; Casal, J. Ignacio; Esteban, Mariano

2012-01-01

With the aim to develop an efficient and cost-effective approach to control malaria, we have generated porcine parvovirus-like particles (PPV-VLPs) carrying the CD8+ T cell epitope (SYVPSAEQI) of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein from Plasmodium yoelii fused to the PPV VP2 capsid protein (PPV-PYCS), and tested in prime/boost protocols with poxvirus vectors for efficacy in a rodent malaria model. As a proof-of concept, we have characterized the anti-CS CD8+ T cell response elicited by these hybrid PPV-VLPs in BALB/c mice after immunizations with the protein PPV-PYCS administered alone or in combination with recombinant vaccinia virus (VACV) vectors from the Western Reserve (WR) and modified virus Ankara (MVA) strains expressing the entire P. yoelii CS protein. The results of different immunization protocols showed that the combination of PPV-PYCS prime/poxvirus boost was highly immunogenic, inducing specific CD8+ T cell responses to CS resulting in 95% reduction in liver stage parasites two days following sporozoite challenge. In contrast, neither the administration of PPV-PYCS alone nor the immunization with the vectors given in the order poxvirus/VLPs was as effective. The immune profile induced by VLPs/MVA boost was associated with polyfunctional and effector memory CD8+ T cell responses. These findings highlight the use of recombinant parvovirus PPV-PYCS particles as priming agents and poxvirus vectors, like MVA, as booster to enhance specific CD8+ T cell responses to Plasmodium antigens and to control infection. These observations are relevant in the design of T cell-inducing vaccines against malaria. PMID:22529915

Vaccine efficacy against malaria by the combination of porcine parvovirus-like particles and vaccinia virus vectors expressing CS of Plasmodium.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Dolores; González-Aseguinolaza, Gloria; Rodríguez, Juan R; Vijayan, Aneesh; Gherardi, Magdalena; Rueda, Paloma; Casal, J Ignacio; Esteban, Mariano

2012-01-01

With the aim to develop an efficient and cost-effective approach to control malaria, we have generated porcine parvovirus-like particles (PPV-VLPs) carrying the CD8(+) T cell epitope (SYVPSAEQI) of the circumsporozoite (CS) protein from Plasmodium yoelii fused to the PPV VP2 capsid protein (PPV-PYCS), and tested in prime/boost protocols with poxvirus vectors for efficacy in a rodent malaria model. As a proof-of concept, we have characterized the anti-CS CD8(+) T cell response elicited by these hybrid PPV-VLPs in BALB/c mice after immunizations with the protein PPV-PYCS administered alone or in combination with recombinant vaccinia virus (VACV) vectors from the Western Reserve (WR) and modified virus Ankara (MVA) strains expressing the entire P. yoelii CS protein. The results of different immunization protocols showed that the combination of PPV-PYCS prime/poxvirus boost was highly immunogenic, inducing specific CD8+ T cell responses to CS resulting in 95% reduction in liver stage parasites two days following sporozoite challenge. In contrast, neither the administration of PPV-PYCS alone nor the immunization with the vectors given in the order poxvirus/VLPs was as effective. The immune profile induced by VLPs/MVA boost was associated with polyfunctional and effector memory CD8+ T cell responses. These findings highlight the use of recombinant parvovirus PPV-PYCS particles as priming agents and poxvirus vectors, like MVA, as booster to enhance specific CD8+ T cell responses to Plasmodium antigens and to control infection. These observations are relevant in the design of T cell-inducing vaccines against malaria.

Exactly solvable relativistic model with the anomalous interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferraro, Elena; Messina, Antonino; Nikitin, A. G.

2010-04-01

A special class of Dirac-Pauli equations with time-like vector potentials of an external field is investigated. An exactly solvable relativistic model describing the anomalous interaction of a neutral Dirac fermion with a cylindrically symmetric external electromagnetic field is presented. The related external field is a superposition of the electric field generated by a charged infinite filament and the magnetic field generated by a straight line current. In the nonrelativistic approximation the considered model is reduced to the integrable Pron’ko-Stroganov model.

Painting with polygons: a procedural watercolor engine.

PubMed

DiVerdi, Stephen; Krishnaswamy, Aravind; Měch, Radomír; Ito, Daichi

2013-05-01

Existing natural media painting simulations have produced high-quality results, but have required powerful compute hardware and have been limited to screen resolutions. Digital artists would like to be able to use watercolor-like painting tools, but at print resolutions and on lower end hardware such as laptops or even slates. We present a procedural algorithm for generating watercolor-like dynamic paint behaviors in a lightweight manner. Our goal is not to exactly duplicate watercolor painting, but to create a range of dynamic behaviors that allow users to achieve a similar style of process and result, while at the same time having a unique character of its own. Our stroke representation is vector based, allowing for rendering at arbitrary resolutions, and our procedural pigment advection algorithm is fast enough to support painting on slate devices. We demonstrate our technique in a commercially available slate application used by professional artists. Finally, we present a detailed analysis of the different vector-rendering technologies available.

Determination of HIV Status in African Adults With Discordant HIV Rapid Tests.

PubMed

Fogel, Jessica M; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Donohue, Kelsey; Cummings, Vanessa; Marzinke, Mark A; Clarke, William; Breaud, Autumn; Fiamma, Agnès; Donnell, Deborah; Kulich, Michal; Mbwambo, Jessie K K; Richter, Linda; Gray, Glenda; Sweat, Michael; Coates, Thomas J; Eshleman, Susan H

2015-08-01

In resource-limited settings, HIV infection is often diagnosed using 2 rapid tests. If the results are discordant, a third tie-breaker test is often used to determine HIV status. This study characterized samples with discordant rapid tests and compared different testing strategies for determining HIV status in these cases. Samples were previously collected from 173 African adults in a population-based survey who had discordant rapid test results. Samples were classified as HIV positive or HIV negative using a rigorous testing algorithm that included two fourth-generation tests, a discriminatory test, and 2 HIV RNA tests. Tie-breaker tests were evaluated, including rapid tests (1 performed in-country), a third-generation enzyme immunoassay, and two fourth-generation tests. Selected samples were further characterized using additional assays. Twenty-nine samples (16.8%) were classified as HIV positive and 24 of those samples (82.8%) had undetectable HIV RNA. Antiretroviral drugs were detected in 1 sample. Sensitivity was 8.3%-43% for the rapid tests; 24.1% for the third-generation enzyme immunoassay; 95.8% and 96.6% for the fourth-generation tests. Specificity was lower for the fourth-generation tests than the other tests. Accuracy ranged from 79.5% to 91.3%. In this population-based survey, most HIV-infected adults with discordant rapid tests were virally suppressed without antiretroviral drugs. Use of individual assays as tie-breaker tests was not a reliable method for determining HIV status in these individuals. More extensive testing algorithms that use a fourth-generation screening test with a discriminatory test and HIV RNA test are preferable for determining HIV status in these cases.

Applying Fourth Generation Management to Access Services: Reinventing Customer Service and Process Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasty, Douglas F.

2004-01-01

Are librarians doing all they can to ensure that customer services are delivered with the customer in mind? Librarians are great at helping, but we sometimes need help with identifying customers, defining their needs, developing services, and reviewing the processes behind the services. Fourth Generation Management provides new insight for…

Thinking beyond Measurement, Description and Judgment: Fourth Generation Evaluation in Family-Centered Pediatric Healthcare Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreau, Katherine Ann; Clarkin, Chantalle Louise

2012-01-01

Background: Although pediatric healthcare organizations have widely implemented the philosophy of family-centered care (FCC), evaluators and health professionals have not explored how to preserve the philosophy of FCC in evaluation processes. Purpose: To illustrate how fourth generation evaluation, in theory, could facilitate collaboration between…

Vector generator scan converter

DOEpatents

Moore, James M.; Leighton, James F.

1990-01-01

High printing speeds for graphics data are achieved with a laser printer by transmitting compressed graphics data from a main processor over an I/O (input/output) channel to a vector generator scan converter which reconstructs a full graphics image for input to the laser printer through a raster data input port. The vector generator scan converter includes a microprocessor with associated microcode memory containing a microcode instruction set, a working memory for storing compressed data, vector generator hardward for drawing a full graphic image from vector parameters calculated by the microprocessor, image buffer memory for storing the reconstructed graphics image and an output scanner for reading the graphics image data and inputting the data to the printer. The vector generator scan converter eliminates the bottleneck created by the I/O channel for transmitting graphics data from the main processor to the laser printer, and increases printer speed up to thirty fold.

Vector generator scan converter

DOEpatents

Moore, J.M.; Leighton, J.F.

1988-02-05

High printing speeds for graphics data are achieved with a laser printer by transmitting compressed graphics data from a main processor over an I/O channel to a vector generator scan converter which reconstructs a full graphics image for input to the laser printer through a raster data input port. The vector generator scan converter includes a microprocessor with associated microcode memory containing a microcode instruction set, a working memory for storing compressed data, vector generator hardware for drawing a full graphic image from vector parameters calculated by the microprocessor, image buffer memory for storing the reconstructed graphics image and an output scanner for reading the graphics image data and inputting the data to the printer. The vector generator scan converter eliminates the bottleneck created by the I/O channel for transmitting graphics data from the main processor to the laser printer, and increases printer speed up to thirty fold. 7 figs.

A Novel Strategy for landslide displacement and its direction monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.-W.; Yuan, Q.-Y.; Liu, D.-Y.; Liu, B.; Liu, J.-C.; Luo, H.

2013-12-01

Landslide monitoring is important in predicting the behavior of landslides, thereby ensuring environmental, life, and property safety. On the basis of our previous studies, we conducted the double shear test by using a third-generation optical fiber transducer that uses expandable polystyrene (EPS) as base material. However, the third-generation transducer has poor performance when cohesive force is present between the grout and capillary stainless steel pipe of the transducer. Thus, the fourth-generation optical fiber transducer was invented. Similar to the third-generation transducer, the fourth-generation transducer also used EPS as its base material. Single shear test was conducted on the fourth-generation transducer after being grouted with cement mortar (1:1 mix ratio). The micro-bend loss mechanism of the optical fiber was considered, and the optical time domain reflectometry instrument was used. The fact that the loss sequence of optical fibers subjected to loading is different at various locations is found. The relationship of the loading-point displacement VS. optical fiber sliding distance and optical loss were measured. Results show that the maximum initial measurement precision of the newly proposed device is 1mm, the corresponding sliding distance is 21 mm, and the dynamic range is 0-20 mm. The fourth-generation transducer can measure the movement direction of loadings, thus making this transducer applicable for landslide monitoring.

New improvement of the combined optical fiber transducer for landslide monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.-W.; Yuan, Q.-Y.; Liu, D.-Y.; Liu, B.; Liu, J.-C.; Luo, H.

2014-08-01

Landslide monitoring is important in predicting the behavior of landslides, thereby ensuring environmental, life, and property safety. On the basis of our previous studies, we conducted the double shear test by using a third-generation optical fiber transducer that uses expandable polystyrene (EPS) as base material. However, the third-generation transducer has poor performance when cohesive force is present between the grout and capillary stainless steel pipe of the transducer. Thus, the fourth-generation optical fiber transducer was invented. Similar to the third-generation transducer, the fourth-generation transducer also used EPS as its base material. Single shear test was conducted on the fourth-generation transducer after being grouted with cement mortar (1 : 1 mix ratio). The micro-bend loss mechanism of the optical fiber was considered, and the optical time domain reflectometry instrument was used. The fact that the loss sequence of optical fibers subjected to loading is different at various locations is found. The relationship of the loading-point displacement vs. optical fiber sliding distance and optical loss were measured. Results show that the maximum initial measurement precision of the newly proposed device is 1 mm, the corresponding sliding distance is 21 mm, and the dynamic range is 0-20 mm. The fourth-generation transducer can measure the movement direction of loadings, thus making this transducer applicable for landslide monitoring.

Versatile generation of optical vector fields and vector beams using a non-interferometric approach.

PubMed

Tripathi, Santosh; Toussaint, Kimani C

2012-05-07

We present a versatile, non-interferometric method for generating vector fields and vector beams which can produce all the states of polarization represented on a higher-order Poincaré sphere. The versatility and non-interferometric nature of this method is expected to enable exploration of various exotic properties of vector fields and vector beams. To illustrate this, we study the propagation properties of some vector fields and find that, in general, propagation alters both their intensity and polarization distribution, and more interestingly, converts some vector fields into vector beams. In the article, we also suggest a modified Jones vector formalism to represent vector fields and vector beams.

Reduced Order Model Basis Vector Generation: Generates Basis Vectors fro ROMs

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

Arrighi, Bill

2016-03-03

libROM is a library that implements order reduction via singular value decomposition (SVD) of sampled state vectors. It implements 2 parallel, incremental SVD algorithms and one serial, non-incremental algorithm. It also provides a mechanism for adaptive sampling of basis vectors.

A review of football injuries on third and fourth generation artificial turfs compared with natural turf.

PubMed

Williams, Sean; Hume, Patria A; Kara, Stephen

2011-11-01

Football codes (rugby union, soccer, American football) train and play matches on natural and artificial turfs. A review of injuries on different turfs was needed to inform practitioners and sporting bodies on turf-related injury mechanisms and risk factors. Therefore, the aim of this review was to compare the incidence, nature and mechanisms of injuries sustained on newer generation artificial turfs and natural turfs. Electronic databases were searched using the keywords 'artificial turf', 'natural turf', 'grass' and 'inj*'. Delimitation of 120 articles sourced to those addressing injuries in football codes and those using third and fourth generation artificial turfs or natural turfs resulted in 11 experimental papers. These 11 papers provided 20 cohorts that could be assessed using magnitude-based inferences for injury incidence rate ratio calculations pertaining to differences between surfaces. Analysis showed that 16 of the 20 cohorts showed trivial effects for overall incidence rate ratios between surfaces. There was increased risk of ankle injury playing on artificial turf in eight cohorts, with incidence rate ratios from 0.7 to 5.2. Evidence concerning risk of knee injuries on the two surfaces was inconsistent, with incidence rate ratios from 0.4 to 2.8. Two cohorts showed beneficial inferences over the 90% likelihood value for effects of artificial surface on muscle injuries for soccer players; however, there were also two harmful, four unclear and five trivial inferences across the three football codes. Inferences relating to injury severity were inconsistent, with the exception that artificial turf was very likely to have harmful effects for minor injuries in rugby union training and severe injuries in young female soccer players. No clear differences between surfaces were evident in relation to training versus match injuries. Potential mechanisms for differing injury patterns on artificial turf compared with natural turf include increased peak torque and rotational stiffness properties of shoe-surface interfaces, decreased impact attenuation properties of surfaces, differing foot loading patterns and detrimental physiological responses. Changing between surfaces may be a precursor for injury in soccer. In conclusion, studies have provided strong evidence for comparable rates of injury between new generation artificial turfs and natural turfs. An exception is the likely increased risk of ankle injury on third and fourth generation artificial turfs. Therefore, ankle injury prevention strategies must be a priority for athletes who play on artificial turf regularly. Clarification of effects of artificial surfaces on muscle and knee injuries are required given inconsistencies in incidence rate ratios depending on the football code, athlete, gender or match versus training.

Relevance of Assembly-Activating Protein for Adeno-associated Virus Vector Production and Capsid Protein Stability in Mammalian and Insect Cells.

PubMed

Grosse, Stefanie; Penaud-Budloo, Magalie; Herrmann, Anne-Kathrin; Börner, Kathleen; Fakhiri, Julia; Laketa, Vibor; Krämer, Chiara; Wiedtke, Ellen; Gunkel, Manuel; Ménard, Lucie; Ayuso, Eduard; Grimm, Dirk

2017-10-15

The discovery that adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) encodes an eighth protein, called assembly-activating protein (AAP), transformed our understanding of wild-type AAV biology. Concurrently, it raised questions about the role of AAP during production of recombinant vectors based on natural or molecularly engineered AAV capsids. Here, we show that AAP is indeed essential for generation of functional recombinant AAV2 vectors in both mammalian and insect cell-based vector production systems. Surprisingly, we observed that AAV2 capsid proteins VP1 to -3 are unstable in the absence of AAP2, likely due to rapid proteasomal degradation. Inhibition of the proteasome led to an increase of intracellular VP1 to -3 but neither triggered assembly of functional capsids nor promoted nuclear localization of the capsid proteins. Together, this underscores the crucial and unique role of AAP in the AAV life cycle, where it rapidly chaperones capsid assembly, thus preventing degradation of free capsid proteins. An expanded analysis comprising nine alternative AAV serotypes (1, 3 to 9, and rh10) showed that vector production always depends on the presence of AAP, with the exceptions of AAV4 and AAV5, which exhibited AAP-independent, albeit low-level, particle assembly. Interestingly, AAPs from all 10 serotypes could cross-complement AAP-depleted helper plasmids during vector production, despite there being distinct intracellular AAP localization patterns. These were most pronounced for AAP4 and AAP5, congruent with their inability to rescue an AAV2/AAP2 knockout. We conclude that AAP is key for assembly of genuine capsids from at least 10 different AAV serotypes, which has implications for vectors derived from wild-type or synthetic AAV capsids. IMPORTANCE Assembly of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) is regulated by the assembly-activating protein (AAP), whose open reading frame overlaps with that of the viral capsid proteins. As the majority of evidence was obtained using virus-like particles composed solely of the major capsid protein VP3, AAP's role in and relevance for assembly of genuine AAV capsids have remained largely unclear. Thus, we established a trans -complementation assay permitting assessment of AAP functionality during production of recombinant vectors based on complete AAV capsids and derived from any serotype. We find that AAP is indeed a critical factor not only for AAV2, but also for generation of vectors derived from nine other AAV serotypes. Moreover, we identify a new role of AAP in maintaining capsid protein stability in mammalian and insect cells. Thereby, our study expands our current understanding of AAV/AAP biology, and it concomitantly provides insights into the importance of AAP for AAV vector production. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Relevance of Assembly-Activating Protein for Adeno-associated Virus Vector Production and Capsid Protein Stability in Mammalian and Insect Cells

PubMed Central

Grosse, Stefanie; Penaud-Budloo, Magalie; Herrmann, Anne-Kathrin; Börner, Kathleen; Fakhiri, Julia; Laketa, Vibor; Krämer, Chiara; Wiedtke, Ellen; Gunkel, Manuel; Ménard, Lucie; Ayuso, Eduard

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The discovery that adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) encodes an eighth protein, called assembly-activating protein (AAP), transformed our understanding of wild-type AAV biology. Concurrently, it raised questions about the role of AAP during production of recombinant vectors based on natural or molecularly engineered AAV capsids. Here, we show that AAP is indeed essential for generation of functional recombinant AAV2 vectors in both mammalian and insect cell-based vector production systems. Surprisingly, we observed that AAV2 capsid proteins VP1 to -3 are unstable in the absence of AAP2, likely due to rapid proteasomal degradation. Inhibition of the proteasome led to an increase of intracellular VP1 to -3 but neither triggered assembly of functional capsids nor promoted nuclear localization of the capsid proteins. Together, this underscores the crucial and unique role of AAP in the AAV life cycle, where it rapidly chaperones capsid assembly, thus preventing degradation of free capsid proteins. An expanded analysis comprising nine alternative AAV serotypes (1, 3 to 9, and rh10) showed that vector production always depends on the presence of AAP, with the exceptions of AAV4 and AAV5, which exhibited AAP-independent, albeit low-level, particle assembly. Interestingly, AAPs from all 10 serotypes could cross-complement AAP-depleted helper plasmids during vector production, despite there being distinct intracellular AAP localization patterns. These were most pronounced for AAP4 and AAP5, congruent with their inability to rescue an AAV2/AAP2 knockout. We conclude that AAP is key for assembly of genuine capsids from at least 10 different AAV serotypes, which has implications for vectors derived from wild-type or synthetic AAV capsids. IMPORTANCE Assembly of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) is regulated by the assembly-activating protein (AAP), whose open reading frame overlaps with that of the viral capsid proteins. As the majority of evidence was obtained using virus-like particles composed solely of the major capsid protein VP3, AAP's role in and relevance for assembly of genuine AAV capsids have remained largely unclear. Thus, we established a trans-complementation assay permitting assessment of AAP functionality during production of recombinant vectors based on complete AAV capsids and derived from any serotype. We find that AAP is indeed a critical factor not only for AAV2, but also for generation of vectors derived from nine other AAV serotypes. Moreover, we identify a new role of AAP in maintaining capsid protein stability in mammalian and insect cells. Thereby, our study expands our current understanding of AAV/AAP biology, and it concomitantly provides insights into the importance of AAP for AAV vector production. PMID:28768875

Construction of a New Phage Integration Vector pFIV-Val for Use in Different Francisella Species

PubMed Central

Tlapák, Hana; Köppen, Kristin; Rydzewski, Kerstin; Grunow, Roland; Heuner, Klaus

2018-01-01

We recently identified and described a putative prophage on the genomic island FhaGI-1 located within the genome of Francisella hispaniensis AS02-814 (F. tularensis subsp. novicida-like 3523). In this study, we constructed two variants of a Francisella phage integration vector, called pFIV1-Val and pFIV2-Val (Francisella Integration Vector-tRNAVal-specific), using the attL/R-sites and the site-specific integrase (FN3523_1033) of FhaGI-1, a chloramphenicol resistance cassette and a sacB gene for counter selection of transformants against the vector backbone. We inserted the respective sites and genes into vector pUC57-Kana to allow for propagation in Escherichia coli. The constructs generated a circular episomal form in E. coli which could be used to transform Francisella spp. where FIV-Val stably integrated site specifically into the tRNAVal gene of the genome, whereas pUC57-Kana is lost due to counter selection. Functionality of the new vector was demonstrated by the successfully complementation of a Francisella mutant strain. The vectors were stable in vitro and during host-cell infection without selective pressure. Thus, the vectors can be applied as a further genetic tool in Francisella research, expanding the present genetic tools by an integrative element. This new element is suitable to perform long-term experiments with different Francisella species. PMID:29594068

Construction of a New Phage Integration Vector pFIV-Val for Use in Different Francisella Species.

PubMed

Tlapák, Hana; Köppen, Kristin; Rydzewski, Kerstin; Grunow, Roland; Heuner, Klaus

2018-01-01

We recently identified and described a putative prophage on the genomic island FhaGI-1 located within the genome of Francisella hispaniensis AS02-814 ( F. tularensis subsp. novicida -like 3523). In this study, we constructed two variants of a Francisella phage integration vector, called pFIV1-Val and pFIV2-Val ( Francisella Integration Vector-tRNA Val -specific), using the attL/R- sites and the site-specific integrase (FN3523_1033) of FhaGI-1, a chloramphenicol resistance cassette and a sacB gene for counter selection of transformants against the vector backbone. We inserted the respective sites and genes into vector pUC57-Kana to allow for propagation in Escherichia coli . The constructs generated a circular episomal form in E. coli which could be used to transform Francisella spp . where FIV-Val stably integrated site specifically into the tRNA Val gene of the genome, whereas pUC57-Kana is lost due to counter selection. Functionality of the new vector was demonstrated by the successfully complementation of a Francisella mutant strain. The vectors were stable in vitro and during host-cell infection without selective pressure. Thus, the vectors can be applied as a further genetic tool in Francisella research, expanding the present genetic tools by an integrative element. This new element is suitable to perform long-term experiments with different Francisella species.

Lexicon generation methods, lexicon generation devices, and lexicon generation articles of manufacture

DOEpatents

Carter, Richard J [Richland, WA; McCall, Jonathon D [West Richland, WA; Whitney, Paul D [Richland, WA; Gregory, Michelle L [Richland, WA; Turner, Alan E [Kennewick, WA; Hetzler, Elizabeth G [Kennewick, WA; White, Amanda M [Kennewick, WA; Posse, Christian [Seattle, WA; Nakamura, Grant C [Kennewick, WA

2010-10-26

Lexicon generation methods, computer implemented lexicon editing methods, lexicon generation devices, lexicon editors, and articles of manufacture are described according to some aspects. In one aspect, a lexicon generation method includes providing a seed vector indicative of occurrences of a plurality of seed terms within a plurality of text items, providing a plurality of content vectors indicative of occurrences of respective ones of a plurality of content terms within the text items, comparing individual ones of the content vectors with respect to the seed vector, and responsive to the comparing, selecting at least one of the content terms as a term of a lexicon usable in sentiment analysis of text.

Systems Prototyping with Fourth Generation Tools: One Answer to the Productivity Puzzle? AIR 1983 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sholtys, Phyllis A.

The development of information systems using an engineering approach employing both traditional programming techniques and nonprocedural languages is described. A fourth generation application tool is used to develop a prototype system that is revised and expanded as the user clarifies individual requirements. When fully defined, a combination of…

Marginally outer trapped surfaces and symmetries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrasco, Alberto; Mars, Marc

2009-05-01

We study properties of outermost marginally outer trapped surfaces in slices of space-times possessing certain symmetries, like isometries, homotheties or conformal Killings. In particular, we find restrictions on these surfaces for the vector field generating the symmetry. As an application we give a result of non-existence of outermost marginally outer trapped surfaces in accelerated Friedmann-Lemaître-Roberson-Walker spacetimes.

Naturally light Dirac neutrino in Left-Right Symmetric Model

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

Borah, Debasish; Dasgupta, Arnab, E-mail: dborah@iitg.ernet.in, E-mail: arnab.d@iopb.res.in

We study the possibility of generating tiny Dirac masses of neutrinos in Left-Right Symmetric Model (LRSM) without requiring the existence of any additional symmetries. The charged fermions acquire masses through a universal seesaw mechanism due to the presence of additional vector like fermions. The neutrinos acquire a one-loop Dirac mass from the same additional vector like charged leptons without requiring any additional discrete symmetries. The model can also be extended by an additional Z {sub 2} symmetry in order to have a scotogenic version of this scenario predicting a stable dark matter candidate. We show that the latest Planck uppermore » bound on the effective number of relativistic degrees of freedom N {sub eff}=3.15 ± 0.23 tightly constrains the right sector gauge boson masses to be heavier than 3.548 TeV . This bound on gauge boson mass also affects the allowed values of right scalar doublet dark matter mass from the requirement of satisfying the Planck bound on dark matter relic abundance. We also discuss the possible implications of such a scenario in charged lepton flavour violation and generating observable electric dipole moment of leptons.« less

Alterations to the orientation of the ground reaction force vector affect sprint acceleration performance in team sports athletes.

PubMed

Bezodis, Neil E; North, Jamie S; Razavet, Jane L

2017-09-01

A more horizontally oriented ground reaction force vector is related to higher levels of sprint acceleration performance across a range of athletes. However, the effects of acute experimental alterations to the force vector orientation within athletes are unknown. Fifteen male team sports athletes completed maximal effort 10-m accelerations in three conditions following different verbal instructions intended to manipulate the force vector orientation. Ground reaction forces (GRFs) were collected from the step nearest 5-m and stance leg kinematics at touchdown were also analysed to understand specific kinematic features of touchdown technique which may influence the consequent force vector orientation. Magnitude-based inferences were used to compare findings between conditions. There was a likely more horizontally oriented ground reaction force vector and a likely lower peak vertical force in the control condition compared with the experimental conditions. 10-m sprint time was very likely quickest in the control condition which confirmed the importance of force vector orientation for acceleration performance on a within-athlete basis. The stance leg kinematics revealed that a more horizontally oriented force vector during stance was preceded at touchdown by a likely more dorsiflexed ankle, a likely more flexed knee, and a possibly or likely greater hip extension velocity.

Pre-coding assisted generation of a frequency quadrupled optical vector D-band millimeter wave with one Mach-Zehnder modulator.

PubMed

Zhou, Wen; Li, Xinying; Yu, Jianjun

2017-10-30

We propose QPSK millimeter-wave (mm-wave) vector signal generation for D-band based on balanced precoding-assisted photonic frequency quadrupling technology employing a single intensity modulator without an optical filter. The intensity MZM is driven by a balanced pre-coding 37-GHz QPSK RF signal. The modulated optical subcarriers are directly sent into the single ended photodiode to generate 148-GHz QPSK vector signal. We experimentally demonstrate 1-Gbaud 148-GHz QPSK mm-wave vector signal generation, and investigate the bit-error-rate (BER) performance of the vector signals at 148-GHz. The experimental results show that the BER value can be achieved as low as 1.448 × 10 -3 when the optical power into photodiode is 8.8dBm. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to realize the frequency-quadrupling vector mm-wave signal generation at D-band based on only one MZM without an optical filter.

Efficient generation of transgene-free human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by temperature-sensitive Sendai virus vectors

PubMed Central

Ban, Hiroshi; Nishishita, Naoki; Fusaki, Noemi; Tabata, Toshiaki; Saeki, Koichi; Shikamura, Masayuki; Takada, Nozomi; Inoue, Makoto; Hasegawa, Mamoru; Kawamata, Shin; Nishikawa, Shin-Ichi

2011-01-01

After the first report of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), considerable efforts have been made to develop more efficient methods for generating iPSCs without foreign gene insertions. Here we show that Sendai virus vector, an RNA virus vector that carries no risk of integrating into the host genome, is a practical solution for the efficient generation of safer iPSCs. We improved the Sendai virus vectors by introducing temperature-sensitive mutations so that the vectors could be easily removed at nonpermissive temperatures. Using these vectors enabled the efficient production of viral/factor-free iPSCs from both human fibroblasts and CD34+ cord blood cells. Temperature-shift treatment was more effective in eliminating remaining viral vector-related genes. The resulting iPSCs expressed human embryonic stem cell markers and exhibited pluripotency. We suggest that generation of transgene-free iPSCs from cord blood cells should be an important step in providing allogeneic iPSC-derived therapy in the future. PMID:21821793

Immune Recognition of Gene Transfer Vectors: Focus on Adenovirus as a Paradigm

PubMed Central

Aldhamen, Yasser Ali; Seregin, Sergey S.; Amalfitano, Andrea

2011-01-01

Recombinant Adenovirus (Ad) based vectors have been utilized extensively as a gene transfer platform in multiple pre-clinical and clinical applications. These applications are numerous, and inclusive of both gene therapy and vaccine based approaches to human or animal diseases. The widespread utilization of these vectors in both animal models, as well as numerous human clinical trials (Ad-based vectors surpass all other gene transfer vectors relative to numbers of patients treated, as well as number of clinical trials overall), has shed light on how this virus vector interacts with both the innate and adaptive immune systems. The ability to generate and administer large amounts of this vector likely contributes not only to their ability to allow for highly efficient gene transfer, but also their elicitation of host immune responses to the vector and/or the transgene the vector expresses in vivo. These facts, coupled with utilization of several models that allow for full detection of these responses has predicted several observations made in human trials, an important point as lack of similar capabilities by other vector systems may prevent detection of such responses until only after human trials are initiated. Finally, induction of innate or adaptive immune responses by Ad vectors may be detrimental in one setting (i.e., gene therapy) and be entirely beneficial in another (i.e., prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine based applications). Herein, we review the current understanding of innate and adaptive immune responses to Ad vectors, as well some recent advances that attempt to capitalize on this understanding so as to further broaden the safe and efficient use of Ad-based gene transfer therapies in general. PMID:22566830

Fourth High Alpha Conference, volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Thie goal of this conference was to focus on the flight validation of high-angle-of-attack technologies and provide an in-depth review of the latest high-angle-of-attack activities. Areas covered include: (1) high-angle-of-attack aerodynamics; (2) propulsion and inlet dynamics; (3) thrust vectoring; (4) control laws and handling qualities; (5) tactical utility; and (6) forebody controls.

Characteristics of Minimally Oversized Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors Encoding Human Factor VIII Generated Using Producer Cell Lines and Triple Transfection.

PubMed

Nambiar, Bindu; Cornell Sookdeo, Cathleen; Berthelette, Patricia; Jackson, Robert; Piraino, Susan; Burnham, Brenda; Nass, Shelley; Souza, David; O'Riordan, Catherine R; Vincent, Karen A; Cheng, Seng H; Armentano, Donna; Kyostio-Moore, Sirkka

2017-02-01

Several ongoing clinical studies are evaluating recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors as gene delivery vehicles for a variety of diseases. However, the production of vectors with genomes >4.7 kb is challenging, with vector preparations frequently containing truncated genomes. To determine whether the generation of oversized rAAVs can be improved using a producer cell-line (PCL) process, HeLaS3-cell lines harboring either a 5.1 or 5.4 kb rAAV vector genome encoding codon-optimized cDNA for human B-domain deleted Factor VIII (FVIII) were isolated. High-producing "masterwells" (MWs), defined as producing >50,000 vg/cell, were identified for each oversized vector. These MWs provided stable vector production for >20 passages. The quality and potency of the AAVrh8R/FVIII-5.1 and AAVrh8R/FVIII-5.4 vectors generated by the PCL method were then compared to those prepared via transient transfection (TXN). Southern and dot blot analyses demonstrated that both production methods resulted in packaging of heterogeneously sized genomes. However, the PCL-derived rAAV vector preparations contained some genomes >4.7 kb, whereas the majority of genomes generated by the TXN method were ≤4.7 kb. The PCL process reduced packaging of non-vector DNA for both the AAVrh8R/FVIII-5.1 and the AAVrh8R/FVIII-5.4 kb vector preparations. Furthermore, more DNA-containing viral particles were obtained for the AAVrh8R/FVIII-5.1 vector. In a mouse model of hemophilia A, animals administered a PCL-derived rAAV vector exhibited twofold higher plasma FVIII activity and increased levels of vector genomes in the liver than mice treated with vector produced via TXN did. Hence, the quality of oversized vectors prepared using the PCL method is greater than that of vectors generated using the TXN process, and importantly this improvement translates to enhanced performance in vivo.

Interaction of upgoing auroral H(+) and O(+) beams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufmann, R. L.; Ludlow, G. R.; Collin, H. L.; Peterson, W. K.; Burch, J. L.

1986-01-01

Data from the S3-3 and DE 1 satellites are analyzed to study the interaction between H(+) and O(+) ions in upgoing auroral beams. Every data set analyzed showed some evidence of an interaction. The measured plasma was found to be unstable to a low-frequency electrostatic wave that propagates at an oblique angle to vector-B(0). A second wave, which can propagate parallel to vector-B(0), is weakly damped in the plasma studied in most detail. It is likely that the upgoing ion beams generate this parallel wave at lower altitudes. The resulting wave-particle interactions qualitatively can explain most of the features observed in ion distribution functions.

Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector for arbitrary spin

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

Nikitin, A. G.

2013-12-15

A countable set of superintegrable quantum mechanical systems is presented which admit the dynamical symmetry with respect to algebra so(4). This algebra is generated by the Laplace-Runge-Lenz vector generalized to the case of arbitrary spin. The presented systems describe neutral particles with non-trivial multipole momenta. Their spectra can be found algebraically like in the case of hydrogen atom. Solutions for the systems with spins 1/2 and 1 are presented explicitly, solutions for spin 3/2 can be expressed via solutions of an ordinary differential equation of first order. A more extended version of this paper including detailed calculations is published asmore » an e-print arXiv:1308.4279.« less

750 GeV diphotons: implications for supersymmetric unification II

DOE PAGES

Hall, Lawrence J.; Harigaya, Keisuke; Nomura, Yasunori

2016-07-29

Perturbative supersymmetric gauge coupling unification is possible in six theories where complete SU (5) TeV-scale multiplets of vector matter account for the size of the reported 750 GeV diphoton resonance, interpreted as a singlet multiplet S=(s+ia)/√2. One of these has a full generation of vector matter and a unified gauge coupling αG ~ 1. The diphoton signal rate is enhanced by loops of vector squarks and sleptons, especially when the trilinear A couplings are large. If the SH uH d coupling is absent, both s and a can contribute to the resonance, which may then have a large apparent widthmore » if the mass splitting from s and a arises from loops of vector matter. The width depends sensitively on A parameters and phases of the vector squark and slepton masses. Vector quarks and/or squarks are expected to be in reach of the LHC. If the SH uH d coupling is present, a leads to a narrow diphoton resonance, while a second resonance with decays s → hh, W +W – , ZZ is likely to be discovered at future LHC runs. In some of the theories a non-standard origin or running of the soft parameters is required, for example involving conformal hidden sector interactions.« less

Quantum detectors of vector potential and their modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulian, Armen; Melkonyan, Gurgen; Gulian, Ellen

Proportionality of current to vector potential is a feature not allowed in classical physics, but is one of the pillars in quantum theory. For superconductors, in particular, it allows us to describe the Meissner effect. Since the phase of the quantum wave function couples with the vector-potential, the related expressions are gauge-invariant. Is it possible to measure this gauge-invariant quantity locally? The answer is definitely ``yes'', as soon as the current is involved. Indeed, the electric current generates a magnetic field which can be measured straightforwardly. However, one can consider situations like the Aharonov-Bohm effect where the classical magnetic field is locally absent in the area occupied by the quantum object (i.e., superconductor in our case). Despite the local absence of the magnetic field, current is, nevertheless, building up. From what source is it acquiring its energy? Locally, only a vector potential is present. Is the current formation a result of a truly non-local quantum action, or does the local action of the vector potential have experimental consequences on the quantum system, which then can be considered as a detector of the vector potential? We discuss possible experimental schemes on the level of COMSOL modeling. This research is supported in part by the ONR Grant N000141612269.

Fourth Generation Governance -- Sheikh Tamimi defends the Islamic State of Iraq

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-23

governmental  amoeba , constantly shifting its zone of  control across Iraq’s western expanses as ISI forces redeploy.  It never controls all  of the...well.  Inside Iraq, the ISI is a flexible  amoeba ‐like state institution  that implements shariah and fights the Iraqi government.  Outside Iraq, the ISI

Efficient 2(nd) and 4(th) harmonic generation of a single-frequency, continuous-wave fiber amplifier.

PubMed

Sudmeyer, Thomas; Imai, Yutaka; Masuda, Hisashi; Eguchi, Naoya; Saito, Masaki; Kubota, Shigeo

2008-02-04

We demonstrate efficient cavity-enhanced second and fourth harmonic generation of an air-cooled, continuous-wave (cw), single-frequency 1064 nm fiber-amplifier system. The second harmonic generator achieves up to 88% total external conversion efficiency, generating more than 20-W power at 532 nm wavelength in a diffraction-limited beam (M(2) < 1.05). The nonlinear medium is a critically phase-matched, 20-mm long, anti-reflection (AR) coated LBO crystal operated at 25 degrees C. The fourth harmonic generator is based on an AR-coated, Czochralski-grown beta-BaB(2)O(4) (BBO) crystal optimized for low loss and high damage threshold. Up to 12.2 W of 266-nm deep-UV (DUV) output is obtained using a 6-mm long critically phase-matched BBO operated at 40 degrees C. This power level is more than two times higher than previously reported for cw 266-nm generation. The total external conversion efficiency from the fundamental at 1064 nm to the fourth harmonic at 266 nm is >50%.

A new implementation of the CMRH method for solving dense linear systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heyouni, M.; Sadok, H.

2008-04-01

The CMRH method [H. Sadok, Methodes de projections pour les systemes lineaires et non lineaires, Habilitation thesis, University of Lille1, Lille, France, 1994; H. Sadok, CMRH: A new method for solving nonsymmetric linear systems based on the Hessenberg reduction algorithm, Numer. Algorithms 20 (1999) 303-321] is an algorithm for solving nonsymmetric linear systems in which the Arnoldi component of GMRES is replaced by the Hessenberg process, which generates Krylov basis vectors which are orthogonal to standard unit basis vectors rather than mutually orthogonal. The iterate is formed from these vectors by solving a small least squares problem involving a Hessenberg matrix. Like GMRES, this method requires one matrix-vector product per iteration. However, it can be implemented to require half as much arithmetic work and less storage. Moreover, numerical experiments show that this method performs accurately and reduces the residual about as fast as GMRES. With this new implementation, we show that the CMRH method is the only method with long-term recurrence which requires not storing at the same time the entire Krylov vectors basis and the original matrix as in the GMRES algorithmE A comparison with Gaussian elimination is provided.

Zoom in at African country level: potential climate induced changes in areas of suitability for survival of malaria vectors.

PubMed

Tonnang, Henri E Z; Tchouassi, David P; Juarez, Henry S; Igweta, Lilian K; Djouaka, Rousseau F

2014-05-07

Predicting anopheles vectors' population densities and boundary shifts is crucial in preparing for malaria risks and unanticipated outbreaks. Although shifts in the distribution and boundaries of the major malaria vectors (Anopheles gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis) across Africa have been predicted, quantified areas of absolute change in zone of suitability for their survival have not been defined. In this study, we have quantified areas of absolute change conducive for the establishment and survival of these vectors, per African country, under two climate change scenarios and based on our findings, highlight practical measures for effective malaria control in the face of changing climatic patterns. We developed a model using CLIMEX simulation platform to estimate the potential geographical distribution and seasonal abundance of these malaria vectors in relation to climatic factors (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity). The model yielded an eco-climatic index (EI) describing the total favourable geographical locations for the species. The EI values were classified and exported to a GIS package. Using ArcGIS, the EI shape points were clipped to the extent of Africa and then converted to a raster layer using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. Generated maps were then transformed into polygon-based geo-referenced data set and their areas computed and expressed in square kilometers (km(2)). Five classes of EI were derived indicating the level of survivorship of these malaria vectors. The proportion of areas increasing or decreasing in level of survival of these malaria vectors will be more pronounced in eastern and southern African countries than those in western Africa. Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia appear most likely to be affected in terms of absolute change of malaria vectors suitability zones under the selected climate change scenarios. The potential shifts of these malaria vectors have implications for human exposure to malaria, as recrudescence of the disease is likely to be recorded in several new areas and regions. Therefore, the need to develop, compile and share malaria preventive measures, which can be adapted to different climatic scenarios, remains crucial.

Effective Numerical Methods for Solving Elliptical Problems in Strengthened Sobolev Spaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'yakonov, Eugene G.

1996-01-01

Fourth-order elliptic boundary value problems in the plane can be reduced to operator equations in Hilbert spaces G that are certain subspaces of the Sobolev space W(sub 2)(exp 2)(Omega) is identical with G(sup (2)). Appearance of asymptotically optimal algorithms for Stokes type problems made it natural to focus on an approach that considers rot w is identical with (D(sub 2)w - D(sub 1)w) is identical with vector of u as a new unknown vector-function, which automatically satisfies the condition div vector of u = 0. In this work, we show that this approach can also be developed for an important class of problems from the theory of plates and shells with stiffeners. The main mathematical problem was to show that the well-known inf-sup condition (normal solvability of the divergence operator) holds for special Hilbert spaces. This result is also essential for certain hydrodynamics problems.

Multi-indexed Meixner and little q-Jacobi (Laguerre) polynomials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odake, Satoru; Sasaki, Ryu

2017-04-01

As the fourth stage of the project multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials, we present the multi-indexed Meixner and little q-Jacobi (Laguerre) polynomials in the framework of ‘discrete quantum mechanics’ with real shifts defined on the semi-infinite lattice in one dimension. They are obtained, in a similar way to the multi-indexed Laguerre and Jacobi polynomials reported earlier, from the quantum mechanical systems corresponding to the original orthogonal polynomials by multiple application of the discrete analogue of the Darboux transformations or the Crum-Krein-Adler deletion of virtual state vectors. The virtual state vectors are the solutions of the matrix Schrödinger equation on all the lattice points having negative energies and infinite norm. This is in good contrast to the (q-)Racah systems defined on a finite lattice, in which the ‘virtual state’ vectors satisfy the matrix Schrödinger equation except for one of the two boundary points.

DEC/SOL: solution of dense systems of linear algebraic equations. [In Fortran IV and compass for CDC 7600; DECST and SOLST for CDC STAR

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

Hindmarsh, A.C.; Sloan, L.J.; Dubois, P.F.

1978-12-01

This report supersedes the original version, dated June 1976. It describes four versions of a pair of subroutines for solving N x N systems of linear algebraic equations. In each case, the first routine, DEC, performs an LU decomposition of the matrix with partial pivoting, and the second, SOL, computes the solution vector by back-substitution. The first version is in Fortran IV, and is derived from routines DECOMP and SOLVE written by C.B. Moler. The second is a version for the CDC 7600 computer using STACKLIB. The third is a hand-coded (Compass) version for the 7600. The fourth is amore » vectorized version for the CDC STAR, renamed DECST and SOLST. Comparative tests on these routines are also described. The Compass version is faster than the others on the 7600 by factors of up to 5. The major revisions to the original report, and to the subroutines described, are an updated description of the availability of each version of DEC/SOL; correction of some errors in the Compass version, as altered so as to be compatible with FTN; and a new STAR version, which runs much faster than the earlier one. The standard Fortran version, the Fortran/STACKLIB version, and the object code generated from the Compass version and available in STACKLIB have not been changed.« less

Administration of helper-dependent adenoviral vectors and sequential delivery of different vector serotype for long-term liver-directed gene transfer in baboons

PubMed Central

Morral, Núria; O’Neal, Wanda; Rice, Karen; Leland, Michele; Kaplan, Johanne; Piedra, Pedro A.; Zhou, Heshan; Parks, Robin J.; Velji, Rizwan; Aguilar-Córdova, Estuardo; Wadsworth, Samuel; Graham, Frank L.; Kochanek, Stefan; Carey, K. Dee; Beaudet, Arthur L.

1999-01-01

The efficiency of first-generation adenoviral vectors as gene delivery tools is often limited by the short duration of transgene expression, which can be related to immune responses and to toxic effects of viral proteins. In addition, readministration is usually ineffective unless the animals are immunocompromised or a different adenovirus serotype is used. Recently, adenoviral vectors devoid of all viral coding sequences (helper-dependent or gutless vectors) have been developed to avoid expression of viral proteins. In mice, liver-directed gene transfer with AdSTK109, a helper-dependent adenoviral (Ad) vector containing the human α1-antitrypsin (hAAT) gene, resulted in sustained expression for longer than 10 months with negligible toxicity to the liver. In the present report, we have examined the duration of expression of AdSTK109 in the liver of baboons and compared it to first-generation vectors expressing hAAT. Transgene expression was limited to approximately 3–5 months with the first-generation vectors. In contrast, administration of AdSTK109 resulted in transgene expression for longer than a year in two of three baboons. We have also investigated the feasibility of circumventing the humoral response to the virus by sequential administration of vectors of different serotypes. We found that the ineffectiveness of readministration due to the humoral response to an Ad5 first-generation vector was overcome by use of an Ad2-based vector expressing hAAT. These data suggest that long-term expression of transgenes should be possible by combining the reduced immunogenicity and toxicity of helper-dependent vectors with sequential delivery of vectors of different serotypes. PMID:10536005

Bioefficacy of larvicdial and pupicidal properties of Carica papaya (Caricaceae) leaf extract and bacterial insecticide, spinosad, against chikungunya vector, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Kovendan, Kalimuthu; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Naresh Kumar, Arjunan; Vincent, Savariar; Hwang, Jiang-Shiou

2012-02-01

The present study was carried out to establish the properties of Carica papaya leaf extract and bacterial insecticide, spinosad on larvicidal and pupicidal activity against the chikungunya vector, Aedes aegypti. The medicinal plants were collected from the area around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India. C. papaya leaf was washed with tap water and shade-dried at room temperature. An electrical blender powdered the dried plant materials (leaves). The powder (500 g) of the leaf was extracted with 1.5 l of organic solvents of methanol for 8 h using a Soxhlet apparatus and then filtered. The crude leaf extracts were evaporated to dryness in a rotary vacuum evaporator. The plant extract showed larvicidal and pupicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval and pupal mortality was found in the leaf extract of methanol C. papaya against the first- to fourth-instar larvae and pupae of values LC(50) = I instar was 51.76 ppm, II instar was 61.87 ppm, III instar was 74.07 ppm, and IV instar was 82.18 ppm, and pupae was 440.65 ppm, respectively, and bacterial insecticide, spinosad against the first to fourth instar larvae and pupae of values LC(50) = I instar was 51.76 ppm, II instar was 61.87 ppm, III instar was 74.07 ppm, and IV instar was 82.18 ppm, and pupae was 93.44 ppm, respectively. Moreover, combined treatment of values of LC(50) = I instar was 55.77 ppm, II instar was 65.77 ppm, III instar was 76.36 ppm, and IV instar was 92.78 ppm, and pupae was 107.62 ppm, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control. The results that the leaves extract of C. papaya and bacterial insecticide, Spinosad is promising as good larvicidal and pupicidal properties of against chikungunya vector, A. aegypti. This is an ideal eco-friendly approach for the control of chikungunya vector, A. aegypti as target species of vector control programs.

Spacetime encodings. IV. The relationship between Weyl curvature and Killing tensors in stationary axisymmetric vacuum spacetimes

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

Brink, Jeandrew

The problem of obtaining an explicit representation for the fourth invariant of geodesic motion (generalized Carter constant) of an arbitrary stationary axisymmetric vacuum spacetime generated from an Ernst potential is considered. The coupling between the nonlocal curvature content of the spacetime as encoded in the Weyl tensor, and the existence of a Killing tensor is explored and a constructive, algebraic test for a fourth-order Killing tensor suggested. The approach used exploits the variables defined for the Baecklund transformations to clarify the relationship between Weyl curvature, constants of geodesic motion, expressed as Killing tensors, and the solution-generation techniques. A new symmetricmore » noncovariant formulation of the Killing equations is given. This formulation transforms the problem of looking for fourth-order Killing tensors in 4D into one of looking for four interlocking two-manifolds admitting fourth-order Killing tensors in 2D.« less

The Characterization of the Phlebotomus papatasi Transcriptome

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

Computational identification of novel chitinase-like proteins in the Drosophila melanogaster genome . Bioinformatics. 2004; 20, no. 2:161–169. [PubMed: 14734306...discovery in organisms where sequencing the whole genome is not possible (Lindlof 2003), or in addition to genome information for more accurate gene...biology of these important vectors, and generate essential data for annotation of the newly sequenced phlebotomine sand fly genomes (McDowell et al

QCD next-to-leading-order predictions matched to parton showers for vector-like quark models.

PubMed

Fuks, Benjamin; Shao, Hua-Sheng

2017-01-01

Vector-like quarks are featured by a wealth of beyond the Standard Model theories and are consequently an important goal of many LHC searches for new physics. Those searches, as well as most related phenomenological studies, however, rely on predictions evaluated at the leading-order accuracy in QCD and consider well-defined simplified benchmark scenarios. Adopting an effective bottom-up approach, we compute next-to-leading-order predictions for vector-like-quark pair production and single production in association with jets, with a weak or with a Higgs boson in a general new physics setup. We additionally compute vector-like-quark contributions to the production of a pair of Standard Model bosons at the same level of accuracy. For all processes under consideration, we focus both on total cross sections and on differential distributions, most these calculations being performed for the first time in our field. As a result, our work paves the way to precise extraction of experimental limits on vector-like quarks thanks to an accurate control of the shapes of the relevant observables and emphasise the extra handles that could be provided by novel vector-like-quark probes never envisaged so far.

A Discriminant Distance Based Composite Vector Selection Method for Odor Classification

PubMed Central

Choi, Sang-Il; Jeong, Gu-Min

2014-01-01

We present a composite vector selection method for an effective electronic nose system that performs well even in noisy environments. Each composite vector generated from a electronic nose data sample is evaluated by computing the discriminant distance. By quantitatively measuring the amount of discriminative information in each composite vector, composite vectors containing informative variables can be distinguished and the final composite features for odor classification are extracted using the selected composite vectors. Using the only informative composite vectors can be also helpful to extract better composite features instead of using all the generated composite vectors. Experimental results with different volatile organic compound data show that the proposed system has good classification performance even in a noisy environment compared to other methods. PMID:24747735

Searches for transverse momentum dependent flow vector fluctuations in Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acharya, S.; Adamová, D.; Adolfsson, J.; Aggarwal, M. M.; Aglieri Rinella, G.; Agnello, M.; Agrawal, N.; Ahammed, Z.; Ahmad, N.; Ahn, S. U.; Aiola, S.; Akindinov, A.; Alam, S. N.; Alba, J. L. B.; Albuquerque, D. S. D.; Aleksandrov, D.; Alessandro, B.; Alfaro Molina, R.; Alici, A.; Alkin, A.; Alme, J.; Alt, T.; Altenkamper, L.; Altsybeev, I.; Alves Garcia Prado, C.; Andrei, C.; Andreou, D.; Andrews, H. A.; Andronic, A.; Anguelov, V.; Anson, C.; Antičić, T.; Antinori, F.; Antonioli, P.; Anwar, R.; Aphecetche, L.; Appelshäuser, H.; Arcelli, S.; Arnaldi, R.; Arnold, O. W.; Arsene, I. C.; Arslandok, M.; Audurier, B.; Augustinus, A.; Averbeck, R.; Azmi, M. D.; Badalà, A.; Baek, Y. W.; Bagnasco, S.; Bailhache, R.; Bala, R.; Baldisseri, A.; Ball, M.; Baral, R. C.; Barbano, A. M.; Barbera, R.; Barile, F.; Barioglio, L.; Barnaföldi, G. G.; Barnby, L. S.; Barret, V.; Bartalini, P.; Barth, K.; Bartsch, E.; Basile, M.; Bastid, N.; Basu, S.; Bathen, B.; Batigne, G.; Batyunya, B.; Batzing, P. C.; Bearden, I. G.; Beck, H.; Bedda, C.; Behera, N. K.; Belikov, I.; Bellini, F.; Bello Martinez, H.; Bellwied, R.; Beltran, L. G. E.; Belyaev, V.; Bencedi, G.; Beole, S.; Bercuci, A.; Berdnikov, Y.; Berenyi, D.; Bertens, R. A.; Berzano, D.; Betev, L.; Bhasin, A.; Bhat, I. R.; Bhati, A. K.; Bhattacharjee, B.; Bhom, J.; Bianchi, L.; Bianchi, N.; Bianchin, C.; Bielčík, J.; Bielčíková, J.; Bilandzic, A.; Biro, G.; Biswas, R.; Biswas, S.; Blair, J. T.; Blau, D.; Blume, C.; Boca, G.; Bock, F.; Bogdanov, A.; Boldizsár, L.; Bombara, M.; Bonomi, G.; Bonora, M.; Book, J.; Borel, H.; Borissov, A.; Borri, M.; Botta, E.; Bourjau, C.; Bratrud, L.; Braun-Munzinger, P.; Bregant, M.; Broker, T. A.; Broz, M.; Brucken, E. J.; Bruna, E.; Bruno, G. E.; Budnikov, D.; Buesching, H.; Bufalino, S.; Buhler, P.; Buncic, P.; Busch, O.; Buthelezi, Z.; Butt, J. B.; Buxton, J. T.; Cabala, J.; Caffarri, D.; Caines, H.; Caliva, A.; Calvo Villar, E.; Camerini, P.; Capon, A. A.; Carena, F.; Carena, W.; Carnesecchi, F.; Castillo Castellanos, J.; Castro, A. J.; Casula, E. A. R.; Ceballos Sanchez, C.; Cerello, P.; Chandra, S.; Chang, B.; Chapeland, S.; Chartier, M.; Charvet, J. L.; Chattopadhyay, S.; Chattopadhyay, S.; Chauvin, A.; Cherney, M.; Cheshkov, C.; Cheynis, B.; Chibante Barroso, V.; Chinellato, D. D.; Cho, S.; Chochula, P.; Choi, K.; Chojnacki, M.; Choudhury, S.; Chowdhury, T.; Christakoglou, P.; Christensen, C. H.; Christiansen, P.; Chujo, T.; Chung, S. U.; Cicalo, C.; Cifarelli, L.; Cindolo, F.; Cleymans, J.; Colamaria, F.; Colella, D.; Collu, A.; Colocci, M.; Concas, M.; Conesa Balbastre, G.; Conesa del Valle, Z.; Connors, M. E.; Contreras, J. G.; Cormier, T. M.; Corrales Morales, Y.; Cortés Maldonado, I.; Cortese, P.; Cosentino, M. R.; Costa, F.; Costanza, S.; Crkovská, J.; Crochet, P.; Cuautle, E.; Cunqueiro, L.; Dahms, T.; Dainese, A.; Danisch, M. C.; Danu, A.; Das, D.; Das, I.; Das, S.; Dash, A.; Dash, S.; De, S.; De Caro, A.; de Cataldo, G.; de Conti, C.; de Cuveland, J.; De Falco, A.; De Gruttola, D.; De Marco, N.; De Pasquale, S.; De Souza, R. D.; Degenhardt, H. F.; Deisting, A.; Deloff, A.; Deplano, C.; Dhankher, P.; Di Bari, D.; Di Mauro, A.; Di Nezza, P.; Di Ruzza, B.; Diaz Corchero, M. A.; Dietel, T.; Dillenseger, P.; Divià, R.; Djuvsland, Ø.; Dobrin, A.; Domenicis Gimenez, D.; Dönigus, B.; Dordic, O.; Doremalen, L. V. V.; Drozhzhova, T.; Dubey, A. K.; Dubla, A.; Ducroux, L.; Duggal, A. K.; Dupieux, P.; Ehlers, R. J.; Elia, D.; Endress, E.; Engel, H.; Epple, E.; Erazmus, B.; Erhardt, F.; Espagnon, B.; Esumi, S.; Eulisse, G.; Eum, J.; Evans, D.; Evdokimov, S.; Fabbietti, L.; Faivre, J.; Fantoni, A.; Fasel, M.; Feldkamp, L.; Feliciello, A.; Feofilov, G.; Ferencei, J.; Fernández Téllez, A.; Ferreiro, E. G.; Ferretti, A.; Festanti, A.; Feuillard, V. J. G.; Figiel, J.; Figueredo, M. A. S.; Filchagin, S.; Finogeev, D.; Fionda, F. M.; Fiore, E. M.; Floris, M.; Foertsch, S.; Foka, P.; Fokin, S.; Fragiacomo, E.; Francescon, A.; Francisco, A.; Frankenfeld, U.; Fronze, G. G.; Fuchs, U.; Furget, C.; Furs, A.; Fusco Girard, M.; Gaardhøje, J. J.; Gagliardi, M.; Gago, A. M.; Gajdosova, K.; Gallio, M.; Galvan, C. D.; Ganoti, P.; Gao, C.; Garabatos, C.; Garcia-Solis, E.; Garg, K.; Garg, P.; Gargiulo, C.; Gasik, P.; Gauger, E. F.; Gay Ducati, M. B.; Germain, M.; Ghosh, J.; Ghosh, P.; Ghosh, S. K.; Gianotti, P.; Giubellino, P.; Giubilato, P.; Gladysz-Dziadus, E.; Glässel, P.; Goméz Coral, D. M.; Gomez Ramirez, A.; Gonzalez, A. S.; Gonzalez, V.; González-Zamora, P.; Gorbunov, S.; Görlich, L.; Gotovac, S.; Grabski, V.; Graczykowski, L. K.; Graham, K. L.; Greiner, L.; Grelli, A.; Grigoras, C.; Grigoriev, V.; Grigoryan, A.; Grigoryan, S.; Grion, N.; Gronefeld, J. M.; Grosa, F.; Grosse-Oetringhaus, J. F.; Grosso, R.; Gruber, L.; Guber, F.; Guernane, R.; Guerzoni, B.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gunji, T.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, R.; Guzman, I. B.; Haake, R.; Hadjidakis, C.; Hamagaki, H.; Hamar, G.; Hamon, J. C.; Haque, M. R.; Harris, J. W.; Harton, A.; Hassan, H.; Hatzifotiadou, D.; Hayashi, S.; Heckel, S. T.; Hellbär, E.; Helstrup, H.; Herghelegiu, A.; Herrera Corral, G.; Herrmann, F.; Hess, B. A.; Hetland, K. F.; Hillemanns, H.; Hills, C.; Hippolyte, B.; Hladky, J.; Hohlweger, B.; Horak, D.; Hornung, S.; Hosokawa, R.; Hristov, P.; Hughes, C.; Humanic, T. J.; Hussain, N.; Hussain, T.; Hutter, D.; Hwang, D. S.; Iga Buitron, S. A.; Ilkaev, R.; Inaba, M.; Ippolitov, M.; Irfan, M.; Isakov, V.; Ivanov, M.; Ivanov, V.; Izucheev, V.; Jacak, B.; Jacazio, N.; Jacobs, P. M.; Jadhav, M. B.; Jadlovska, S.; Jadlovsky, J.; Jaelani, S.; Jahnke, C.; Jakubowska, M. J.; Janik, M. A.; Jayarathna, P. H. S. Y.; Jena, C.; Jena, S.; Jercic, M.; Jimenez Bustamante, R. T.; Jones, P. G.; Jusko, A.; Kalinak, P.; Kalweit, A.; Kang, J. H.; Kaplin, V.; Kar, S.; Karasu Uysal, A.; Karavichev, O.; Karavicheva, T.; Karayan, L.; Karczmarczyk, P.; Karpechev, E.; Kebschull, U.; Keidel, R.; Keijdener, D. L. D.; Keil, M.; Ketzer, B.; Khabanova, Z.; Khan, P.; Khan, S. A.; Khanzadeev, A.; Kharlov, Y.; Khatun, A.; Khuntia, A.; Kielbowicz, M. M.; Kileng, B.; Kim, B.; Kim, D.; Kim, D. W.; Kim, D. J.; Kim, H.; Kim, J. S.; Kim, J.; Kim, M.; Kim, M.; Kim, S.; Kim, T.; Kirsch, S.; Kisel, I.; Kiselev, S.; Kisiel, A.; Kiss, G.; Klay, J. L.; Klein, C.; Klein, J.; Klein-Bösing, C.; Klewin, S.; Kluge, A.; Knichel, M. L.; Knospe, A. G.; Kobdaj, C.; Kofarago, M.; Kollegger, T.; Kolojvari, A.; Kondratiev, V.; Kondratyeva, N.; Kondratyuk, E.; Konevskikh, A.; Konyushikhin, M.; Kopcik, M.; Kour, M.; Kouzinopoulos, C.; Kovalenko, O.; Kovalenko, V.; Kowalski, M.; Koyithatta Meethaleveedu, G.; Králik, I.; Kravčáková, A.; Krivda, M.; Krizek, F.; Kryshen, E.; Krzewicki, M.; Kubera, A. M.; Kučera, V.; Kuhn, C.; Kuijer, P. G.; Kumar, A.; Kumar, J.; Kumar, L.; Kumar, S.; Kundu, S.; Kurashvili, P.; Kurepin, A.; Kurepin, A. B.; Kuryakin, A.; Kushpil, S.; Kweon, M. J.; Kwon, Y.; La Pointe, S. L.; La Rocca, P.; Lagana Fernandes, C.; Lai, Y. S.; Lakomov, I.; Langoy, R.; Lapidus, K.; Lara, C.; Lardeux, A.; Lattuca, A.; Laudi, E.; Lavicka, R.; Lazaridis, L.; Lea, R.; Leardini, L.; Lee, S.; Lehas, F.; Lehner, S.; Lehrbach, J.; Lemmon, R. C.; Lenti, V.; Leogrande, E.; León Monzón, I.; Lévai, P.; Li, S.; Li, X.; Lien, J.; Lietava, R.; Lim, B.; Lindal, S.; Lindenstruth, V.; Lindsay, S. W.; Lippmann, C.; Lisa, M. A.; Litichevskyi, V.; Ljunggren, H. M.; Llope, W. J.; Lodato, D. F.; Loenne, P. I.; Loginov, V.; Loizides, C.; Loncar, P.; Lopez, X.; López Torres, E.; Lowe, A.; Luettig, P.; Lunardon, M.; Luparello, G.; Lupi, M.; Lutz, T. H.; Maevskaya, A.; Mager, M.; Mahajan, S.; Mahmood, S. M.; Maire, A.; Majka, R. D.; Malaev, M.; Malinina, L.; Mal'Kevich, D.; Malzacher, P.; Mamonov, A.; Manko, V.; Manso, F.; Manzari, V.; Mao, Y.; Marchisone, M.; Mareš, J.; Margagliotti, G. V.; Margotti, A.; Margutti, J.; Marín, A.; Markert, C.; Marquard, M.; Martin, N. A.; Martinengo, P.; Martinez, J. A. L.; Martínez, M. I.; Martínez García, G.; Martinez Pedreira, M.; Mas, A.; Masciocchi, S.; Masera, M.; Masoni, A.; Masson, E.; Mastroserio, A.; Mathis, A. M.; Matyja, A.; Mayer, C.; Mazer, J.; Mazzilli, M.; Mazzoni, M. A.; Meddi, F.; Melikyan, Y.; Menchaca-Rocha, A.; Meninno, E.; Mercado Pérez, J.; Meres, M.; Mhlanga, S.; Miake, Y.; Mieskolainen, M. M.; Mihaylov, D.; Mihaylov, D. L.; Mikhaylov, K.; Milano, L.; Milosevic, J.; Mischke, A.; Mishra, A. N.; Miskowiec, D.; Mitra, J.; Mitu, C. M.; Mohammadi, N.; Mohanty, B.; Khan, M. Mohisin; Montes, E.; Moreira De Godoy, D. A.; Moreno, L. A. P.; Moretto, S.; Morreale, A.; Morsch, A.; Muccifora, V.; Mudnic, E.; Mühlheim, D.; Muhuri, S.; Mukherjee, M.; Mulligan, J. D.; Munhoz, M. G.; Münning, K.; Munzer, R. H.; Murakami, H.; Murray, S.; Musa, L.; Musinsky, J.; Myers, C. J.; Myrcha, J. W.; Naik, B.; Nair, R.; Nandi, B. K.; Nania, R.; Nappi, E.; Narayan, A.; Naru, M. U.; Natal da Luz, H.; Nattrass, C.; Navarro, S. R.; Nayak, K.; Nayak, R.; Nayak, T. K.; Nazarenko, S.; Nedosekin, A.; Negrao De Oliveira, R. A.; Nellen, L.; Nesbo, S. V.; Ng, F.; Nicassio, M.; Niculescu, M.; Niedziela, J.; Nielsen, B. S.; Nikolaev, S.; Nikulin, S.; Nikulin, V.; Nobuhiro, A.; Noferini, F.; Nomokonov, P.; Nooren, G.; Noris, J. C. C.; Norman, J.; Nyanin, A.; Nystrand, J.; Oeschler, H.; Oh, S.; Ohlson, A.; Okubo, T.; Olah, L.; Oleniacz, J.; Oliveira Da Silva, A. C.; Oliver, M. H.; Onderwaater, J.; Oppedisano, C.; Orava, R.; Oravec, M.; Ortiz Velasquez, A.; Oskarsson, A.; Otwinowski, J.; Oyama, K.; Pachmayer, Y.; Pacik, V.; Pagano, D.; Pagano, P.; Paić, G.; Palni, P.; Pan, J.; Pandey, A. K.; Panebianco, S.; Papikyan, V.; Pappalardo, G. S.; Pareek, P.; Park, J.; Parmar, S.; Passfeld, A.; Pathak, S. P.; Paticchio, V.; Patra, R. N.; Paul, B.; Pei, H.; Peitzmann, T.; Peng, X.; Pereira, L. G.; Pereira Da Costa, H.; Peresunko, D.; Perez Lezama, E.; Peskov, V.; Pestov, Y.; Petráček, V.; Petrov, V.; Petrovici, M.; Petta, C.; Pezzi, R. P.; Piano, S.; Pikna, M.; Pillot, P.; Pimentel, L. O. D. L.; Pinazza, O.; Pinsky, L.; Piyarathna, D. B.; Ploskon, M.; Planinic, M.; Pliquett, F.; Pluta, J.; Pochybova, S.; Podesta-Lerma, P. L. M.; Poghosyan, M. G.; Polichtchouk, B.; Poljak, N.; Poonsawat, W.; Pop, A.; Poppenborg, H.; Porteboeuf-Houssais, S.; Porter, J.; Pozdniakov, V.; Prasad, S. K.; Preghenella, R.; Prino, F.; Pruneau, C. A.; Pshenichnov, I.; Puccio, M.; Puddu, G.; Pujahari, P.; Punin, V.; Putschke, J.; Rachevski, A.; Raha, S.; Rajput, S.; Rak, J.; Rakotozafindrabe, A.; Ramello, L.; Rami, F.; Rana, D. B.; Raniwala, R.; Raniwala, S.; Räsänen, S. S.; Rascanu, B. T.; Rathee, D.; Ratza, V.; Ravasenga, I.; Read, K. F.; Redlich, K.; Rehman, A.; Reichelt, P.; Reidt, F.; Ren, X.; Renfordt, R.; Reolon, A. R.; Reshetin, A.; Reygers, K.; Riabov, V.; Ricci, R. A.; Richert, T.; Richter, M.; Riedler, P.; Riegler, W.; Riggi, F.; Ristea, C.; Rodríguez Cahuantzi, M.; Røed, K.; Rogochaya, E.; Rohr, D.; Röhrich, D.; Rokita, P. S.; Ronchetti, F.; Rosas, E. D.; Rosnet, P.; Rossi, A.; Rotondi, A.; Roukoutakis, F.; Roy, A.; Roy, C.; Roy, P.; Rubio Montero, A. J.; Rueda, O. V.; Rui, R.; Rumyantsev, B.; Rustamov, A.; Ryabinkin, E.; Ryabov, Y.; Rybicki, A.; Saarinen, S.; Sadhu, S.; Sadovsky, S.; Šafařík, K.; Saha, S. K.; Sahlmuller, B.; Sahoo, B.; Sahoo, P.; Sahoo, R.; Sahoo, S.; Sahu, P. K.; Saini, J.; Sakai, S.; Saleh, M. A.; Salzwedel, J.; Sambyal, S.; Samsonov, V.; Sandoval, A.; Sarkar, D.; Sarkar, N.; Sarma, P.; Sas, M. H. P.; Scapparone, E.; Scarlassara, F.; Scharenberg, R. P.; Scheid, H. S.; Schiaua, C.; Schicker, R.; Schmidt, C.; Schmidt, H. R.; Schmidt, M. O.; Schmidt, M.; Schuchmann, S.; Schukraft, J.; Schutz, Y.; Schwarz, K.; Schweda, K.; Scioli, G.; Scomparin, E.; Scott, R.; Šefčík, M.; Seger, J. E.; Sekiguchi, Y.; Sekihata, D.; Selyuzhenkov, I.; Senosi, K.; Senyukov, S.; Serradilla, E.; Sett, P.; Sevcenco, A.; Shabanov, A.; Shabetai, A.; Shahoyan, R.; Shaikh, W.; Shangaraev, A.; Sharma, A.; Sharma, A.; Sharma, M.; Sharma, M.; Sharma, N.; Sheikh, A. I.; Shigaki, K.; Shou, Q.; Shtejer, K.; Sibiriak, Y.; Siddhanta, S.; Sielewicz, K. M.; Siemiarczuk, T.; Silvermyr, D.; Silvestre, C.; Simatovic, G.; Simonetti, G.; Singaraju, R.; Singh, R.; Singhal, V.; Sinha, T.; Sitar, B.; Sitta, M.; Skaali, T. B.; Slupecki, M.; Smirnov, N.; Snellings, R. J. M.; Snellman, T. W.; Song, J.; Song, M.; Soramel, F.; Sorensen, S.; Sozzi, F.; Spiriti, E.; Sputowska, I.; Srivastava, B. K.; Stachel, J.; Stan, I.; Stankus, P.; Stenlund, E.; Stocco, D.; Strmen, P.; Suaide, A. A. P.; Sugitate, T.; Suire, C.; Suleymanov, M.; Suljic, M.; Sultanov, R.; Šumbera, M.; Sumowidagdo, S.; Suzuki, K.; Swain, S.; Szabo, A.; Szarka, I.; Tabassam, U.; Takahashi, J.; Tambave, G. J.; Tanaka, N.; Tarhini, M.; Tariq, M.; Tarzila, M. G.; Tauro, A.; Tejeda Muñoz, G.; Telesca, A.; Terasaki, K.; Terrevoli, C.; Teyssier, B.; Thakur, D.; Thakur, S.; Thomas, D.; Thoresen, F.; Tieulent, R.; Tikhonov, A.; Timmins, A. R.; Toia, A.; Tripathy, S.; Trogolo, S.; Trombetta, G.; Tropp, L.; Trubnikov, V.; Trzaska, W. H.; Trzeciak, B. A.; Tsuji, T.; Tumkin, A.; Turrisi, R.; Tveter, T. S.; Ullaland, K.; Umaka, E. N.; Uras, A.; Usai, G. L.; Utrobicic, A.; Vala, M.; Van Der Maarel, J.; Van Hoorne, J. W.; van Leeuwen, M.; Vanat, T.; Vande Vyvre, P.; Varga, D.; Vargas, A.; Vargyas, M.; Varma, R.; Vasileiou, M.; Vasiliev, A.; Vauthier, A.; Vázquez Doce, O.; Vechernin, V.; Veen, A. M.; Velure, A.; Vercellin, E.; Vergara Limón, S.; Vernet, R.; Vértesi, R.; Vickovic, L.; Vigolo, S.; Viinikainen, J.; Vilakazi, Z.; Villalobos Baillie, O.; Villatoro Tello, A.; Vinogradov, A.; Vinogradov, L.; Virgili, T.; Vislavicius, V.; Vodopyanov, A.; Völkl, M. A.; Voloshin, K.; Voloshin, S. A.; Volpe, G.; von Haller, B.; Vorobyev, I.; Voscek, D.; Vranic, D.; Vrláková, J.; Wagner, B.; Wang, H.; Wang, M.; Watanabe, D.; Watanabe, Y.; Weber, M.; Weber, S. G.; Weiser, D. F.; Wenzel, S. C.; Wessels, J. P.; Westerhoff, U.; Whitehead, A. M.; Wiechula, J.; Wikne, J.; Wilk, G.; Wilkinson, J.; Willems, G. A.; Williams, M. C. S.; Willsher, E.; Windelband, B.; Witt, W. E.; Yalcin, S.; Yamakawa, K.; Yang, P.; Yano, S.; Yin, Z.; Yokoyama, H.; Yoo, I.-K.; Yoon, J. H.; Yurchenko, V.; Zaccolo, V.; Zaman, A.; Zampolli, C.; Zanoli, H. J. C.; Zardoshti, N.; Zarochentsev, A.; Závada, P.; Zaviyalov, N.; Zbroszczyk, H.; Zhalov, M.; Zhang, H.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, Z.; Zhao, C.; Zhigareva, N.; Zhou, D.; Zhou, Y.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, H.; Zhu, J.; Zhu, X.; Zichichi, A.; Zimmermann, A.; Zimmermann, M. B.; Zinovjev, G.; Zmeskal, J.; Zou, S.

2017-09-01

The measurement of azimuthal correlations of charged particles is presented for Pb-Pb collisions at √{s_{NN}}=2.76 TeV and p-Pb collisions at √{s_{NN}}=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. These correlations are measured for the second, third and fourth order flow vector in the pseudorapidity region | η| < 0 .8 as a function of centrality and transverse momentum p T using two observables, to search for evidence of p T-dependent flow vector fluctuations. For Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV, the measurements indicate that p T-dependent fluctuations are only present for the second order flow vector. Similar results have been found for p-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV. These measurements are compared to hydrodynamic model calculations with event-by-event geometry fluctuations in the initial state to constrain the initial conditions and transport properties of the matter created in Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Searches for transverse momentum dependent flow vector fluctuations in Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions at the LHC

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

Acharya, S.; Adamová, D.; Adolfsson, J.

We present the measurement of azimuthal correlations of charged particles for Pb-Pb collisions at √ s NN =2.76 TeV and p-Pb collisions at √ s NN =5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. These correlations are then measured for the second, third and fourth order flow vector in the pseudorapidity region |η| < 0.8 as a function of centrality and transverse momentum p T using two observables, to search for evidence of p T -dependent flow vector fluctuations. For Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV, the measurements indicate that p T -dependent fluctuations are only presentmore » for the second order flow vector. Similar results have been found for p-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV. Our measurements are compared to hydrodynamic model calculations with event-by-event geometry fluctuations in the initial state to constrain the initial conditions and transport properties of the matter created in Pb–Pb and p–Pb collisions.« less

Searches for transverse momentum dependent flow vector fluctuations in Pb-Pb and p-Pb collisions at the LHC

DOE PAGES

Acharya, S.; Adamová, D.; Adolfsson, J.; ...

2017-09-01

We present the measurement of azimuthal correlations of charged particles for Pb-Pb collisions at √ s NN =2.76 TeV and p-Pb collisions at √ s NN =5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. These correlations are then measured for the second, third and fourth order flow vector in the pseudorapidity region |η| < 0.8 as a function of centrality and transverse momentum p T using two observables, to search for evidence of p T -dependent flow vector fluctuations. For Pb-Pb collisions at 2.76 TeV, the measurements indicate that p T -dependent fluctuations are only presentmore » for the second order flow vector. Similar results have been found for p-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV. Our measurements are compared to hydrodynamic model calculations with event-by-event geometry fluctuations in the initial state to constrain the initial conditions and transport properties of the matter created in Pb–Pb and p–Pb collisions.« less

Search for heavy vector-like quarks coupling to light quarks in proton–proton collisions at s = 7   TeV with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.; Abbott, B.; Abdallah, J.; ...

2012-05-01

This Letter presents a search for singly produced vector-like quarks, Q, coupling to light quarks, q. The search is sensitive to both charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) processes, pp→Qq→Wqq' and pp→Qq→Zqq' with a leptonic decay of the vector gauge boson. In 1.04fb -1 of data taken in 2011 by the ATLAS experiment at a center-of-mass energy √s=7TeV, no evidence of such heavy vector-like quarks is observed above the expected Standard Model background. Limits on the heavy vector-like quark production cross section times branching ratio as a function of mass m Q are obtained. For a coupling κ qQ=v/mmore » Q, where v is the Higgs vacuum expectation value, 95% C.L. lower limits on the mass of a vector-like quark are set at 900 GeV and 760 GeV from CC and NC processes, respectively.« less

Classification of standard-like heterotic-string vacua

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraggi, Alon E.; Rizos, John; Sonmez, Hasan

2018-02-01

We extend the free fermionic classification methodology to the class of standard-like heterotic-string vacua, in which the SO (10) GUT symmetry is broken at the string level to SU (3) × SU (2) × U(1) 2. The space of GGSO free phase configurations in this case is vastly enlarged compared to the corresponding SO (6) × SO (4) and SU (5) × U (1) vacua. Extracting substantial numbers of phenomenologically viable models therefore requires a modification of the classification methods. This is achieved by identifying conditions on the GGSO projection coefficients, which are satisfied at the SO (10) level by random phase configurations, and that lead to three generation models with the SO (10) symmetry broken to the SU (3) × SU (2) × U(1) 2 subgroup. Around each of these fertile SO (10) configurations, we perform a complete classification of standard-like models, by adding the SO (10) symmetry breaking basis vectors, and scanning all the associated GGSO phases. Following this methodology we are able to generate some 107 three generation Standard-like Models. We present the results of the classification and one exemplary model with distinct phenomenological properties, compared to previous SLM constructions.

Zoom in at African country level: potential climate induced changes in areas of suitability for survival of malaria vectors

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Predicting anopheles vectors’ population densities and boundary shifts is crucial in preparing for malaria risks and unanticipated outbreaks. Although shifts in the distribution and boundaries of the major malaria vectors (Anopheles gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis) across Africa have been predicted, quantified areas of absolute change in zone of suitability for their survival have not been defined. In this study, we have quantified areas of absolute change conducive for the establishment and survival of these vectors, per African country, under two climate change scenarios and based on our findings, highlight practical measures for effective malaria control in the face of changing climatic patterns. Methods We developed a model using CLIMEX simulation platform to estimate the potential geographical distribution and seasonal abundance of these malaria vectors in relation to climatic factors (temperature, rainfall and relative humidity). The model yielded an eco-climatic index (EI) describing the total favourable geographical locations for the species. The EI values were classified and exported to a GIS package. Using ArcGIS, the EI shape points were clipped to the extent of Africa and then converted to a raster layer using Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation method. Generated maps were then transformed into polygon-based geo-referenced data set and their areas computed and expressed in square kilometers (km2). Results Five classes of EI were derived indicating the level of survivorship of these malaria vectors. The proportion of areas increasing or decreasing in level of survival of these malaria vectors will be more pronounced in eastern and southern African countries than those in western Africa. Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia appear most likely to be affected in terms of absolute change of malaria vectors suitability zones under the selected climate change scenarios. Conclusion The potential shifts of these malaria vectors have implications for human exposure to malaria, as recrudescence of the disease is likely to be recorded in several new areas and regions. Therefore, the need to develop, compile and share malaria preventive measures, which can be adapted to different climatic scenarios, remains crucial. PMID:24885061

Towards a "fourth generation" of approaches to HIV/AIDS management: creating contexts for effective community mobilisation.

PubMed

Campbell, Catherine; Cornish, Flora

2010-01-01

Many biomedical and behavioural HIV/AIDS programmes aimed at prevention, care and treatment have disappointing outcomes because of a lack of effective community mobilisation. But community mobilisation is notoriously difficult to bring about. We present a conceptual framework that maps out those dimensions of social context that are likely to support or undermine community mobilisation efforts, proposing that attention should be given to three dimensions of social context: the material, symbolic and relational. This paper has four parts. We begin by outlining why community mobilisation is regarded as a core dimension of effective HIV/AIDS management: it increases the "reach" and sustainability of programmes; it is a vital component of the wider "task shifting" agenda given the scarcity of health professionals in many HIV/AIDS-vulnerable contexts. Most importantly it facilitates those social psychological processes that we argue are vital preconditions for effective prevention, care and treatment. Secondly we map out three generations of approaches to behaviour change within the HIV/AIDS field: HIV-awareness, peer education and community mobilisation. We critically evaluate each approach's underlying assumptions about the drivers of behaviour change, to frame our understandings of the pathways between mobilisation and health, drawing on the concepts of social capital, dialogue and empowerment. Thirdly we refer to two well-documented case studies of community mobilisation in India and South Africa to illustrate our claim that community mobilisation is unlikely to succeed in the absence of supportive material, symbolic and relational contexts. Fourthly we provide a brief overview of how the papers in this special issue help us flesh out our conceptualisation of the "health enabling social environment". We conclude by arguing for the urgent need for a 'fourth generation' of approaches in the theory and practice of HIV/AIDS management, one which pays far greater attention to the wider contextual influences on programme success.

A novel framework for the local extraction of extra-axial cerebrospinal fluid from MR brain images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostapha, Mahmoud; Shen, Mark D.; Kim, SunHyung; Swanson, Meghan; Collins, D. Louis; Fonov, Vladimir; Gerig, Guido; Piven, Joseph; Styner, Martin A.

2018-03-01

The quantification of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the human brain has shown to play an important role in early postnatal brain developmental. Extr a-axial fluid (EA-CSF), which is characterized by the CSF in the subarachnoid space, is promising in the early detection of children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Currently, though, there is no tool to extract local EA-CSF measurements in a way that is suitable for localized analysis. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for the localized, cortical surface based analysis of EA-CSF. In our proposed processing, we combine probabilistic brain tissue segmentation, cortical surface reconstruction as well as streamline based local EA-CSF quantification. For streamline computation, we employ the vector field generated by solving a Laplacian partial differential equation (PDE) between the cortical surface and the outer CSF hull. To achieve sub-voxel accuracy while minimizing numerical errors, fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) integration was used to generate the streamlines. Finally, the local EA-CSF is computed by integrating the CSF probability along the generated streamlines. The proposed local EA-CSF extraction tool was used to study the early postnatal brain development in typically developing infants. The results show that the proposed localized EA-CSF extraction pipeline can produce statistically significant regions that are not observed in previous global approach.

An efficient indexing scheme for binary feature based biometric database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, P.; Sana, A.; Mehrotra, H.; Hwang, C. Jinshong

2007-04-01

The paper proposes an efficient indexing scheme for binary feature template using B+ tree. In this scheme the input image is decomposed into approximation, vertical, horizontal and diagonal coefficients using the discrete wavelet transform. The binarized approximation coefficient at second level is divided into four quadrants of equal size and Hamming distance (HD) for each quadrant with respect to sample template of all ones is measured. This HD value of each quadrant is used to generate upper and lower range values which are inserted into B+ tree. The nodes of tree at first level contain the lower and upper range values generated from HD of first quadrant. Similarly, lower and upper range values for the three quadrants are stored in the second, third and fourth level respectively. Finally leaf node contains the set of identifiers. At the time of identification, the test image is used to generate HD for four quadrants. Then the B+ tree is traversed based on the value of HD at every node and terminates to leaf nodes with set of identifiers. The feature vector for each identifier is retrieved from the particular bin of secondary memory and matched with test feature template to get top matches. The proposed scheme is implemented on ear biometric database collected at IIT Kanpur. The system is giving an overall accuracy of 95.8% at penetration rate of 34%.

KSC-06pd2079

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Commander Brent Jett dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Jett is making his fourth shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd2076

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-08

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Joseph Tanner dons his launch and re-entry suit before heading to the launch pad. Tanner is making his fourth shuttle flight on this mission to the International Space Station aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. On its second attempt for launch, Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT today from Launch Pad 39B. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

On the evolution of reproductive restraint in malaria

PubMed Central

Mideo, Nicole; Day, Troy

2008-01-01

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death among infectious diseases in the world, claiming over one million lives every year. By these standards, this highly complex parasite is extremely successful at generating new infections. Somewhat surprisingly, however, many malaria species seem to invest relatively little in gametocytes, converting only a small percentage of circulating asexual parasite forms into this transmissible form. In this article, we use mathematical models to explore three of the hypotheses that have been proposed to explain this apparent ‘reproductive restraint’ and develop a novel, fourth hypothesis. We find that only one of the previous three hypotheses we explore can explain such low gametocyte conversion rates, and this hypothesis involves a very specific form of density-dependent transmission-blocking immunity. Our fourth hypothesis also provides a potential explanation and is based on the occurrence of multiple infections and the resultant within-host competition between malaria strains that this entails. Further experimental work is needed to determine which of these two hypotheses provides the most likely explanation. PMID:18303001

Arbitrarily exhaustive hypergraph generation of 4-, 6-, 8-, 16-, and 32-dimensional quantum contextual sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavičić, Mladen

2017-06-01

Quantum contextuality turns out to be a necessary resource for universal quantum computation and important in the field of quantum information processing. It is therefore of interest both for theoretical considerations and for experimental implementation to find new types and instances of contextual sets and develop methods of their optimal generation. We present an arbitrarily exhaustive hypergraph-based generation of the most explored contextual sets [Kochen-Specker (KS) ones] in 4, 6, 8, 16, and 32 dimensions. We consider and analyze 12 KS classes and obtain numerous properties of theirs, which we then compare with the results previously obtained in the literature. We generate several thousand additional types and instances of KS sets, including all KS sets in three of the classes and the upper part of a fourth set. We make use of the McKay-Megill-Pavičić (MMP) hypergraph language, algorithms, and programs to generate KS sets strictly following their definition from the Kochen-Specker theorem. This approach proves to be particularly advantageous over the parity-proof-based ones (which prevail in the literature) since it turns out that only a very few KS sets have a parity proof (in six KS classes <0.01% and in one of them 0%). MMP hypergraph formalism enables a translation of an exponentially complex task of solving systems of nonlinear equations, describing KS vector orthogonalities, into a statistically linearly complex task of evaluating vertex states of hypergraph edges, thus exponentially speeding up the generation of KS sets and enabling us to generate billions of novel instances of them. The MMP hypergraph notation also enables us to graphically represent KS sets and to visually discern their features.

On scalar and vector fields coupled to the energy-momentum tensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez, Jose Beltrán; Cembranos, Jose A. R.; Sánchez Velázquez, Jose M.

2018-05-01

We consider theories for scalar and vector fields coupled to the energy-momentum tensor. Since these fields also carry a non-trivial energy-momentum tensor, the coupling prescription generates self-interactions. In analogy with gravity theories, we build the action by means of an iterative process that leads to an infinite series, which can be resumed as the solution of a set of differential equations. We show that, in some particular cases, the equations become algebraic and that is also possible to find solutions in the form of polynomials. We briefly review the case of the scalar field that has already been studied in the literature and extend the analysis to the case of derivative (disformal) couplings. We then explore theories with vector fields, distinguishing between gauge-and non-gauge-invariant couplings. Interactions with matter are also considered, taking a scalar field as a proxy for the matter sector. We also discuss the ambiguity introduced by superpotential (boundary) terms in the definition of the energy-momentum tensor and use them to show that it is also possible to generate Galileon-like interactions with this procedure. We finally use collider and astrophysical observations to set constraints on the dimensionful coupling which characterises the phenomenology of these models.

American Military History and its Insights into Fourth Generation Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

8William S . Lind, Colonel Keith Nightengale (USA), Captain John F. Schmitt (USMC), Colonel Joseph W. Sutton (USA), and Lieutenant Colonel Gary I. Wilson...Lind, William S ., Colonel Keith Nightengale (USA), Captain John F. Schmitt (USMC), Colonel Joseph W. Sutton (USA), and Lieutenant Colonel Gary I...military history and its insights into fourth generation warfare. 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S

Characteristic classes of gauge systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyakhovich, S. L.; Sharapov, A. A.

2004-12-01

We define and study invariants which can be uniformly constructed for any gauge system. By a gauge system we understand an (anti-)Poisson supermanifold provided with an odd Hamiltonian self-commuting vector field called a homological vector field. This definition encompasses all the cases usually included into the notion of a gauge theory in physics as well as some other similar (but different) structures like Lie or Courant algebroids. For Lagrangian gauge theories or Hamiltonian first class constrained systems, the homological vector field is identified with the classical BRST transformation operator. We define characteristic classes of a gauge system as universal cohomology classes of the homological vector field, which are uniformly constructed in terms of this vector field itself. Not striving to exhaustively classify all the characteristic classes in this work, we compute those invariants which are built up in terms of the first derivatives of the homological vector field. We also consider the cohomological operations in the space of all the characteristic classes. In particular, we show that the (anti-)Poisson bracket becomes trivial when applied to the space of all the characteristic classes, instead the latter space can be endowed with another Lie bracket operation. Making use of this Lie bracket one can generate new characteristic classes involving higher derivatives of the homological vector field. The simplest characteristic classes are illustrated by the examples relating them to anomalies in the traditional BV or BFV-BRST theory and to characteristic classes of (singular) foliations.

Methods, systems and apparatus for controlling third harmonic voltage when operating a multi-space machine in an overmodulation region

DOEpatents

Perisic, Milun; Kinoshita, Michael H; Ranson, Ray M; Gallegos-Lopez, Gabriel

2014-06-03

Methods, system and apparatus are provided for controlling third harmonic voltages when operating a multi-phase machine in an overmodulation region. The multi-phase machine can be, for example, a five-phase machine in a vector controlled motor drive system that includes a five-phase PWM controlled inverter module that drives the five-phase machine. Techniques for overmodulating a reference voltage vector are provided. For example, when the reference voltage vector is determined to be within the overmodulation region, an angle of the reference voltage vector can be modified to generate a reference voltage overmodulation control angle, and a magnitude of the reference voltage vector can be modified, based on the reference voltage overmodulation control angle, to generate a modified magnitude of the reference voltage vector. By modifying the reference voltage vector, voltage command signals that control a five-phase inverter module can be optimized to increase output voltages generated by the five-phase inverter module.

The Maxwell and Navier-Stokes equations that follow from Einstein equation in a spacetime containing a Killing vector field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, Fabio Grangeiro; Rodrigues, Waldyr Alves, Jr.; da Rocha, Roldão

2012-10-01

In this paper we are concerned to reveal that any spacetime structure , which is a model of a gravitational field in General Relativity generated by an energy-momentum tensor T - and which contains at least one nontrivial Killing vector field A - is such that the 2-form field F = dA (where A = g(A,)) satisfies a Maxwell like equation - with a well determined current that contains a term of the superconducting type- which follows directly from Einstein equation. Moreover, we show that the resulting Maxwell like equations, under an additional condition imposed to the Killing vector field, may be written as a Navier-Stokes like equation as well. As a result, we have a set consisting of Einstein, Maxwell and Navier-Stokes equations, that follows sequentially from the first one under precise mathematical conditions and once some identifications about field variables are evinced, as explained in details throughout the text. We compare and emulate our results with others on the same subject appearing in the literature. In Appendix A we fix our notation and recall some necessary material concerning the theory of differential forms, Lie derivatives and the Clifford bundle formalism used in this paper. Moreover, we comment in Appendix B on some analogies (and main differences) between our results to the ones obtained long ago by Bergmann and Kommar which are reviewed and briefly criticized.

Initiating malaria control programs in the third world: directives for short- and long-term solutions.

PubMed

Basu, Sanjay

2002-01-01

Although malaria is a growing problem affecting several hundred million people each year, many malarial countries lack successful disease control programs. Worldwide malaria incidence rates are dramatically increasing, generating fear among many people who are witnessing malaria control initiatives fail. In this paper, we explore two options for malaria control in poor countries: (1) the production and distribution of a malaria vaccine and (2) the control of mosquitoes that harbor the malaria parasite. We first demonstrate that the development of a malaria vaccine is indeed likely, although it will take several years to produce because of both biological obstacles and insufficient research support. The distribution of such a vaccine, as suggested by some economists, will require that wealthy states promise a market to pharmaceutical companies who have traditionally failed to investigate diseases affecting the poorest of nations. But prior to the development of a malaria vaccine, we recommend the implementation of vector control pro- grams, such as those using Bti toxin, in regions with low vector capacity. Our analysis indicates that both endogenous programs in malarial regions and molecular approaches to parasite control will provide pragmatic solutions to the malaria problem. But the successful control of malaria will require sustained support from wealthy nations, without whom vaccine development and vector control programs will likely fail.

Knots in electromagnetism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrayás, M.; Bouwmeester, D.; Trueba, J. L.

2017-01-01

Maxwell equations in vacuum allow for solutions with a non-trivial topology in the electric and magnetic field line configurations at any given moment in time. One example is a space filling congruence of electric and magnetic field lines forming circles lying on the surfaces of nested tori. In this example the electric, magnetic and Poynting vector fields are orthogonal everywhere. As time evolves the electric and magnetic fields expand and deform without changing the topology and energy, while the Poynting vector structure remains unchanged while propagating with the speed of light. The topology is characterized by the concept of helicity of the field configuration. Helicity is an important fundamental concept and for massless fields it is a conserved quantity under conformal transformations. We will review several methods by which linked and knotted electromagnetic (spin-1) fields can be derived. A first method, introduced by A. Rañada, uses the formulation of the Maxwell equations in terms of differential forms combined with the Hopf map from the three-sphere S3 to the two-sphere S2. A second method is based on spinor and twistor theory developed by R. Penrose in which elementary twistor functions correspond to the family of electromagnetic torus knots. A third method uses the Bateman construction of generating null solutions from complex Euler potentials. And a fourth method uses special conformal transformations, in particular conformal inversion, to generate new linked and knotted field configurations from existing ones. This fourth method is often accompanied by shifting singularities in the field to complex space-time points. Of course the various methods must be closely related to one another although they have been developed largely independently and they suggest different directions in which to expand the study of topologically non-trivial field configurations. It will be shown how the twistor formulation allows for a direct extension to massless fields of other spin values, such as spin-2 fields satisfying the linearized Einstein vacuum equation, and how the formulation by A. Rañada can be extended to fields for which the electric and magnetic fields are not orthogonal everywhere. Underlying the various methods is the fact that electric and magnetic field lines can be described as the level curves of complex functions. Compactification of R3 naturally leads to finite energy solutions because the fields at infinity in all directions should all converge towards zero. An intriguing question that is raised by the finite energy is whether there is a connection to the quantization of the classical electromagnetic field. We will review some issues related to this question. Another interesting question is why the general formulation of topologically non-trivial solutions uses the electric and magnetic fields instead of the electromagnetic vector potentials. This leads to a discussion of the Clebsch representation of the electromagnetic field strength 2-form. Finally, a topic of great interest is the possibility of experimentally generating and investigating linked and knotted field configurations. Since the non-trivial topological field solutions exploit the special conformal symmetry of the underlying vacuum wave-equations it will only be possible to approximate the solutions in an experiment, which necessarily introduces material objects that will break the special conformal symmetry. We will review the research on plasma configurations in which the magnetic field-line configuration approximates plasma torus knots leading to the prediction of topological solitons in plasma.

Naval Medical Research and Development News. Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines . Vietnam has set a 2030 malaria elimination goal and NAMRU-2 is partnering to identify malaria...conducting active surveillance of dengue and malaria; extending training opportunities to the local military, and identifying new pathogens and vectors...enhance regional security, stability and cooperation,” said Gutierrez. “Over the last year, Soto Cano was activated as the fourth site to take

Syngeneic AAV pseudo-vectors potentiates full vector transduction

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An excessive amount of empty capsids are generated during regular AAV vector production process. These pseudo-vectors often remain in final vectors used for animal studies or clinical trials. The potential effects of these pseudo-vectors on AAV transduction have been a major concern. In the current ...

Child health in Syria: recognising the lasting effects of warfare on health.

PubMed

Devakumar, Delan; Birch, Marion; Rubenstein, Leonard S; Osrin, David; Sondorp, Egbert; Wells, Jonathan C K

2015-01-01

The war in Syria, now in its fourth year, is one of the bloodiest in recent times. The legacy of war includes damage to the health of children that can last for decades and affect future generations. In this article we discuss the effects of the war on Syria's children, highlighting the less documented longer-term effects. In addition to their present suffering, these children, and their own children, are likely to face further challenges as a result of the current conflict. This is essential to understand both for effective interventions and for ethical reasons.

New vector-like fermions and flavor physics

DOE PAGES

Ishiwata, Koji; Ligeti, Zoltan; Wise, Mark B.

2015-10-06

We study renormalizable extensions of the standard model that contain vector-like fermions in a (single) complex representation of the standard model gauge group. There are 11 models where the vector-like fermions Yukawa couple to the standard model fermions via the Higgs field. These models do not introduce additional fine-tunings. They can lead to, and are constrained by, a number of different flavor-changing processes involving leptons and quarks, as well as direct searches. An interesting feature of the models with strongly interacting vector-like fermions is that constraints from neutral meson mixings (apart from CP violation inmore » $$ {K}^0-{\\overline{K}}^0 $$ mixing) are not sensitive to higher scales than other flavor-changing neutral-current processes. We identify order 1/(4πM) 2 (where M is the vector-like fermion mass) one-loop contributions to the coefficients of the four-quark operators for meson mixing, that are not suppressed by standard model quark masses and/or mixing angles.« less

Quaternion normalization in additive EKF for spacecraft attitude determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bar-Itzhack, I. Y.; Deutschmann, J.; Markley, F. L.

1991-01-01

This work introduces, examines, and compares several quaternion normalization algorithms, which are shown to be an effective stage in the application of the additive extended Kalman filter (EKF) to spacecraft attitude determination, which is based on vector measurements. Two new normalization schemes are introduced. They are compared with one another and with the known brute force normalization scheme, and their efficiency is examined. Simulated satellite data are used to demonstrate the performance of all three schemes. A fourth scheme is suggested for future research. Although the schemes were tested for spacecraft attitude determination, the conclusions are general and hold for attitude determination of any three dimensional body when based on vector measurements, and use an additive EKF for estimation, and the quaternion for specifying the attitude.

Optimized AAV rh.10 Vectors That Partially Evade Neutralizing Antibodies during Hepatic Gene Transfer

PubMed Central

Selot, Ruchita; Arumugam, Sathyathithan; Mary, Bertin; Cheemadan, Sabna; Jayandharan, Giridhara R.

2017-01-01

Of the 12 common serotypes used for gene delivery applications, Adeno-associated virus (AAV)rh.10 serotype has shown sustained hepatic transduction and has the lowest seropositivity in humans. We have evaluated if further modifications to AAVrh.10 at its phosphodegron like regions or predicted immunogenic epitopes could improve its hepatic gene transfer and immune evasion potential. Mutant AAVrh.10 vectors were generated by site directed mutagenesis of the predicted targets. These mutant vectors were first tested for their transduction efficiency in HeLa and HEK293T cells. The optimal vector was further evaluated for their cellular uptake, entry, and intracellular trafficking by quantitative PCR and time-lapse confocal microscopy. To evaluate their potential during hepatic gene therapy, C57BL/6 mice were administered with wild-type or optimal mutant AAVrh.10 and the luciferase transgene expression was documented by serial bioluminescence imaging at 14, 30, 45, and 72 days post-gene transfer. Their hepatic transduction was further verified by a quantitative PCR analysis of AAV copy number in the liver tissue. The optimal AAVrh.10 vector was further evaluated for their immune escape potential, in animals pre-immunized with human intravenous immunoglobulin. Our results demonstrate that a modified AAVrh.10 S671A vector had enhanced cellular entry (3.6 fold), migrate rapidly to the perinuclear region (1 vs. >2 h for wild type vectors) in vitro, which further translates to modest increase in hepatic gene transfer efficiency in vivo. More importantly, the mutant AAVrh.10 vector was able to partially evade neutralizing antibodies (~27–64 fold) in pre-immunized animals. The development of an AAV vector system that can escape the circulating neutralizing antibodies in the host will substantially widen the scope of gene therapy applications in humans. PMID:28769791

Higgs-like boson at 750 GeV and genesis of baryons

DOE PAGES

Davoudiasl, Hooman; Giardino, Pier Paolo; Zhang, Cen

2016-07-06

Here, we propose that the diphoton excess at 750 GeV reported by ATLAS and CMS is due to the decay of an exo-Higgs scalar η associated with the breaking of a new SU(2) e symmetry, dubbed exo-spin. New fermions, exo-quarks and exo-leptons, get TeV-scale masses through Yukawa couplings with η and generate its couplings to gluons and photons at one loop. Furthermore, the matter content of our model yields a B-L anomaly under SU(2) e, whose breaking we assume entails a first-order phase transition. A nontrivial B-L asymmetry may therefore be generated in the early Universe, potentially providing a baryogenesismore » mechanism through the Standard Model (SM) sphaleron processes. The spontaneous breaking of SU(2) e can, in principle, directly lead to electroweak symmetry breaking, thereby accounting for the proximity of the mass scales of the SM Higgs and the exo-Higgs. This model can be distinguished from those comprising a singlet scalar and vector fermions by the discovery of TeV scale exo-vector bosons, corresponding to the broken SU(2) e generators, at the LHC.« less

Higgs-like boson at 750 GeV and genesis of baryons

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

Davoudiasl, Hooman; Giardino, Pier Paolo; Zhang, Cen

Here, we propose that the diphoton excess at 750 GeV reported by ATLAS and CMS is due to the decay of an exo-Higgs scalar η associated with the breaking of a new SU(2) e symmetry, dubbed exo-spin. New fermions, exo-quarks and exo-leptons, get TeV-scale masses through Yukawa couplings with η and generate its couplings to gluons and photons at one loop. Furthermore, the matter content of our model yields a B-L anomaly under SU(2) e, whose breaking we assume entails a first-order phase transition. A nontrivial B-L asymmetry may therefore be generated in the early Universe, potentially providing a baryogenesismore » mechanism through the Standard Model (SM) sphaleron processes. The spontaneous breaking of SU(2) e can, in principle, directly lead to electroweak symmetry breaking, thereby accounting for the proximity of the mass scales of the SM Higgs and the exo-Higgs. This model can be distinguished from those comprising a singlet scalar and vector fermions by the discovery of TeV scale exo-vector bosons, corresponding to the broken SU(2) e generators, at the LHC.« less

Development of a novel mouse glioma model using lentiviral vectors

PubMed Central

Marumoto, Tomotoshi; Tashiro, Ayumu; Friedmann-Morvinski, Dinorah; Scadeng, Miriam; Soda, Yasushi; Gage, Fred H; Verma, Inder M

2009-01-01

We report the development of a new method to induce glioblastoma multiforme in adult immunocompetent mice by injecting Cre-loxP–controlled lentiviral vectors expressing oncogenes. Cell type- or region-specific expression of activated forms of the oncoproteins Harvey-Ras and AKT in fewer than 60 glial fibrillary acidic protein–positive cells in the hippocampus, subventricular zone or cortex of mice heterozygous for the gene encoding the tumor suppressor Tp53 were tested. Mice developed glioblastoma multiforme when transduced either in the subventricular zone or the hippocampus. However, tumors were rarely detected when the mice were transduced in the cortex. Transplantation of brain tumor cells into naive recipient mouse brain resulted in the formation of glioblastoma multiforme–like tumors, which contained CD133+ cells, formed tumorspheres and could differentiate into neurons and astrocytes. We suggest that the use of Cre-loxP–controlled lentiviral vectors is a novel way to generate a mouse glioblastoma multiforme model in a region- and cell type-specific manner in adult mice. PMID:19122659

Introduction to the ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction technique.

PubMed

Walton, Chad B; Anderson, Cynthia D; Boulay, Rachel; Shohet, Ralph V

2011-06-12

In UTMD, bioactive molecules, such as negatively charged plasmid DNA vectors encoding a gene of interest, are added to the cationic shells of lipid microbubble contrast agents. In mice these vector-carrying microbubbles can be administered intravenously or directly to the left ventricle of the heart. In larger animals they can also be infused through an intracoronary catheter. The subsequent delivery from the circulation to a target organ occurs by acoustic cavitation at a resonant frequency of the microbubbles. It seems likely that the mechanical energy generated by the microbubble destruction results in transient pore formation in or between the endothelial cells of the microvasculature of the targeted region. As a result of this sonoporation effect, the transfection efficiency into and across the endothelial cells is enhanced, and transgene-encoding vectors are deposited into the surrounding tissue. Plasmid DNA remaining in the circulation is rapidly degraded by nucleases in the blood, which further reduces the likelihood of delivery to non-sonicated tissues and leads to highly specific target-organ transfection.

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

Graham, Peter W.; Ismail, Ahmed; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept.

We present a simple solution to the little hierarchy problem in the minimal supersymmetric standard model: a vectorlike fourth generation. With O(1) Yukawa couplings for the new quarks, the Higgs mass can naturally be above 114 GeV. Unlike a chiral fourth generation, a vectorlike generation can solve the little hierarchy problem while remaining consistent with precision electroweak and direct production constraints, and maintaining the success of the grand unified framework. The new quarks are predicted to lie between 300-600 GeV and will thus be discovered or ruled out at the LHC. This scenario suggests exploration of several novel collider signatures.

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

Graham, Peter W.; Ismail, Ahmed; Saraswat, Prashant

We present a simple solution to the little hierarchy problem in the minimal supersymmetric standard model: a vectorlike fourth generation. With O(1) Yukawa couplings for the new quarks, the Higgs mass can naturally be above 114 GeV. Unlike a chiral fourth generation, a vectorlike generation can solve the little hierarchy problem while remaining consistent with precision electroweak and direct production constraints, and maintaining the success of the grand unified framework. The new quarks are predicted to lie between {approx}300-600 GeV and will thus be discovered or ruled out at the LHC. This scenario suggests exploration of several novel collider signatures.

Vector Potential Generation for Numerical Relativity Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silberman, Zachary; Faber, Joshua; Adams, Thomas; Etienne, Zachariah; Ruchlin, Ian

2017-01-01

Many different numerical codes are employed in studies of highly relativistic magnetized accretion flows around black holes. Based on the formalisms each uses, some codes evolve the magnetic field vector B, while others evolve the magnetic vector potential A, the two being related by the curl: B=curl(A). Here, we discuss how to generate vector potentials corresponding to specified magnetic fields on staggered grids, a surprisingly difficult task on finite cubic domains. The code we have developed solves this problem in two ways: a brute-force method, whose scaling is nearly linear in the number of grid cells, and a direct linear algebra approach. We discuss the success both algorithms have in generating smooth vector potential configurations and how both may be extended to more complicated cases involving multiple mesh-refinement levels. NSF ACI-1550436

Canine leishmaniosis in three consecutive generations of dogs in Czech Republic.

PubMed

Svobodova, Vlasta; Svoboda, Miroslav; Friedlaenderova, Lucia; Drahotsky, Petr; Bohacova, Eva; Baneth, Gad

2017-04-15

Transmission of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is described in three consecutive generations of female Boxers living in a non-endemic environment in the Czech Republic. Infection of the first generation female likely occurred during a breeding visit to Italy and the dog died with typical clinical signs of the disease but without definitive laboratory diagnosis. The second and third generation offsprings never left the Czech Republic, suffered from clinical CanL confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and serology, and were apparently infected by transplacental transmission. Persistence of CanL in the Czech Republic over 7 years with a suspected origin in an endemic region and progression of infection through subsequent generations in a non-endemic country exemplifies that this disease may establish itself also in areas where no obvious vectors are present. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Conformal completion of the standard model with a fourth generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Chiu Man; Hung, Pham Q.; Kephart, Thomas W.

2012-06-01

We study dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking with a fourth generation within the Z n orbifolded AdS 5 ⊗ S 5 framework. A realistic Z 7 example is discussed. The initial theory reduces dynamically, due to the induced condensates, to a four-family trinification near a TeV-scale conformal fixed point where the gauge hierarchy problem does not exist. We predict new gauge bosons and bifundamental fermions and scalars accessible by the LHC.

A Novel System for Simultaneous or Sequential Integration of Multiple Gene-Loading Vectors into a Defined Site of a Human Artificial Chromosome

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Teruhiko; Kazuki, Yasuhiro; Oshimura, Mitsuo; Hara, Takahiko

2014-01-01

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) are gene-delivery vectors suitable for introducing large DNA fragments into mammalian cells. Although a HAC theoretically incorporates multiple gene expression cassettes of unlimited DNA size, its application has been limited because the conventional gene-loading system accepts only one gene-loading vector (GLV) into a HAC. We report a novel method for the simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple GLVs into a HAC vector (designated as the SIM system) via combined usage of Cre, FLP, Bxb1, and φC31 recombinase/integrase. As a proof of principle, we first attempted simultaneous integration of three GLVs encoding EGFP, Venus, and TdTomato into a gene-loading site of a HAC in CHO cells. These cells successfully expressed all three fluorescent proteins. Furthermore, microcell-mediated transfer of HACs enabled the expression of those fluorescent proteins in recipient cells. We next demonstrated that GLVs could be introduced into a HAC one-by-one via reciprocal usage of recombinase/integrase. Lastly, we introduced a fourth GLV into a HAC after simultaneous integration of three GLVs by FLP-mediated DNA recombination. The SIM system expands the applicability of HAC vectors and is useful for various biomedical studies, including cell reprogramming. PMID:25303219

A novel system for simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple gene-loading vectors into a defined site of a human artificial chromosome.

PubMed

Suzuki, Teruhiko; Kazuki, Yasuhiro; Oshimura, Mitsuo; Hara, Takahiko

2014-01-01

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) are gene-delivery vectors suitable for introducing large DNA fragments into mammalian cells. Although a HAC theoretically incorporates multiple gene expression cassettes of unlimited DNA size, its application has been limited because the conventional gene-loading system accepts only one gene-loading vector (GLV) into a HAC. We report a novel method for the simultaneous or sequential integration of multiple GLVs into a HAC vector (designated as the SIM system) via combined usage of Cre, FLP, Bxb1, and φC31 recombinase/integrase. As a proof of principle, we first attempted simultaneous integration of three GLVs encoding EGFP, Venus, and TdTomato into a gene-loading site of a HAC in CHO cells. These cells successfully expressed all three fluorescent proteins. Furthermore, microcell-mediated transfer of HACs enabled the expression of those fluorescent proteins in recipient cells. We next demonstrated that GLVs could be introduced into a HAC one-by-one via reciprocal usage of recombinase/integrase. Lastly, we introduced a fourth GLV into a HAC after simultaneous integration of three GLVs by FLP-mediated DNA recombination. The SIM system expands the applicability of HAC vectors and is useful for various biomedical studies, including cell reprogramming.

The origins of informatics.

PubMed Central

Collen, M F

1994-01-01

This article summarizes the origins of informatics, which is based on the science, engineering, and technology of computer hardware, software, and communications. In just four decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s, computer technology has progressed from slow, first-generation vacuum tubes, through the invention of the transistor and its incorporation into microprocessor chips, and ultimately, to fast, fourth-generation very-large-scale-integrated silicon chips. Programming has undergone a parallel transformation, from cumbersome, first-generation, machine languages to efficient, fourth-generation application-oriented languages. Communication has evolved from simple copper wires to complex fiberoptic cables in computer-linked networks. The digital computer has profound implications for the development and practice of clinical medicine. PMID:7719803

VISA--Vector Integration Site Analysis server: a web-based server to rapidly identify retroviral integration sites from next-generation sequencing.

PubMed

Hocum, Jonah D; Battrell, Logan R; Maynard, Ryan; Adair, Jennifer E; Beard, Brian C; Rawlings, David J; Kiem, Hans-Peter; Miller, Daniel G; Trobridge, Grant D

2015-07-07

Analyzing the integration profile of retroviral vectors is a vital step in determining their potential genotoxic effects and developing safer vectors for therapeutic use. Identifying retroviral vector integration sites is also important for retroviral mutagenesis screens. We developed VISA, a vector integration site analysis server, to analyze next-generation sequencing data for retroviral vector integration sites. Sequence reads that contain a provirus are mapped to the human genome, sequence reads that cannot be localized to a unique location in the genome are filtered out, and then unique retroviral vector integration sites are determined based on the alignment scores of the remaining sequence reads. VISA offers a simple web interface to upload sequence files and results are returned in a concise tabular format to allow rapid analysis of retroviral vector integration sites.

Microchip solid-state cylindrical vector lasers with orthogonally polarized dual laser-diode end pumping.

PubMed

Otsuka, Kenju; Chu, Shu-Chun

2013-05-01

We report a simple method for generating cylindrical vector beams directly from laser-diode (LD)-pumped microchip solid-state lasers by using dual end-pumping beams. Radially as well as azimuthally polarized vector field emissions have been generated from the common c-cut Nd:GdVO4 laser cavity merely by controlling the focus positions of orthogonally polarized LD off-axis pump beams. Hyperbolically polarized vector fields have also been observed, in which the cylindrical symmetry of vector fields is broken. Experimental results have been well reproduced by numerical simulations.

The ecological foundations of transmission potential and vector-borne disease in urban landscapes.

PubMed

LaDeau, Shannon L; Allan, Brian F; Leisnham, Paul T; Levy, Michael Z

2015-07-01

Urban transmission of arthropod-vectored disease has increased in recent decades. Understanding and managing transmission potential in urban landscapes requires integration of sociological and ecological processes that regulate vector population dynamics, feeding behavior, and vector-pathogen interactions in these unique ecosystems. Vectorial capacity is a key metric for generating predictive understanding about transmission potential in systems with obligate vector transmission. This review evaluates how urban conditions, specifically habitat suitability and local temperature regimes, and the heterogeneity of urban landscapes can influence the biologically-relevant parameters that define vectorial capacity: vector density, survivorship, biting rate, extrinsic incubation period, and vector competence.Urban landscapes represent unique mosaics of habitat. Incidence of vector-borne disease in urban host populations is rarely, if ever, evenly distributed across an urban area. The persistence and quality of vector habitat can vary significantly across socio-economic boundaries to influence vector species composition and abundance, often generating socio-economically distinct gradients of transmission potential across neighborhoods.Urban regions often experience unique temperature regimes, broadly termed urban heat islands (UHI). Arthropod vectors are ectothermic organisms and their growth, survival, and behavior are highly sensitive to environmental temperatures. Vector response to UHI conditions is dependent on regional temperature profiles relative to the vector's thermal performance range. In temperate climates UHI can facilitate increased vector development rates while having countervailing influence on survival and feeding behavior. Understanding how urban heat island (UHI) conditions alter thermal and moisture constraints across the vector life cycle to influence transmission processes is an important direction for both empirical and modeling research.There remain persistent gaps in understanding of vital rates and drivers in mosquito-vectored disease systems, and vast holes in understanding for other arthropod vectored diseases. Empirical studies are needed to better understand the physiological constraints and socio-ecological processes that generate heterogeneity in critical transmission parameters, including vector survival and fitness. Likewise, laboratory experiments and transmission models must evaluate vector response to realistic field conditions, including variability in sociological and environmental conditions.

Generation of HIV-1 based bi-cistronic lentiviral vectors for stable gene expression and live cell imaging.

PubMed

Sehgal, Lalit; Budnar, Srikanth; Bhatt, Khyati; Sansare, Sneha; Mukhopadhaya, Amitabha; Kalraiya, Rajiv D; Dalal, Sorab N

2012-10-01

The study of protein-protein interactions, protein localization, protein organization into higher order structures and organelle dynamics in live cells, has greatly enhanced the understanding of various cellular processes. Live cell imaging experiments employ plasmid or viral vectors to express the protein/proteins of interest fused to a fluorescent protein. Unlike plasmid vectors, lentiviral vectors can be introduced into both dividing and non dividing cells, can be pseudotyped to infect a broad or narrow range of cells, and can be used to generate transgenic animals. However, the currently available lentiviral vectors are limited by the choice of fluorescent protein tag, choice of restriction enzyme sites in the Multiple Cloning Sites (MCS) and promoter choice for gene expression. In this report, HIV-1 based bi-cistronic lentiviral vectors have been generated that drive the expression of multiple fluorescent tags (EGFP, mCherry, ECFP, EYFP and dsRed), using two different promoters. The presence of a unique MCS with multiple restriction sites allows the generation of fusion proteins with the fluorescent tag of choice, allowing analysis of multiple fusion proteins in live cell imaging experiments. These novel lentiviral vectors are improved delivery vehicles for gene transfer applications and are important tools for live cell imaging in vivo.

Larvicidal and irritant activities of hexane leaf extracts of Citrus sinensis against dengue vector Aedes aegypti L.

PubMed

Warikoo, Radhika; Ray, Ankita; Sandhu, Jasdeep Kaur; Samal, Roopa; Wahab, Naim; Kumar, Sarita

2012-02-01

To assess the larvicidal and irritant activities of the hexane extracts of leaves of Citrus sinensis (C. sinensis) against the early fourth instars and female adults of Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti). The larvicidal potential of the prepared leaf extract was evaluated against early fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti using WHO protocol. The mortality counts were made after 24 h and LC50 and LC90 values were calculated. The efficacy of extract as mosquito irritant was assessed by contact irritancy assays. Extract-impregnated paper was placed on a glass plate over which a perspex funnel with a hole on the top was kept inverted. Single female adult, 3-day old unfed/blood-fed, was released inside the funnel. After 3 min of acclimatization time, the time taken for the first take-off and total number of flights undertaken during 15 min were scored. The citrus leaf extracts from hexane possessed moderate larvicidal efficiency against dengue vector. The bioassays resulted in an LC50 and LC90 value of 446.84 and 1 370.96 ppm, respectively after 24 h of exposure. However, the extracts were proved to be remarkable irritant against adults Ae. aegypti, more pronounced effects being observed on blood-fed females than unfed females. The extract-impregnated paper was thus proved to be 7-11 times more irritable as compared with the control paper. The hexane extracts from C. sinensis leaves are proved to be reasonably larvicidal but remarkably irritant against dengue vector. Further studies are needed to identify the possible role of extract as adulticide, oviposition deterrent and ovicidal agent. The isolation of active ingredient from the extract could help in formulating strategies for mosquito control.

Larvicidal and irritant activities of hexane leaf extracts of Citrus sinensis against dengue vector Aedes aegypti L.

PubMed Central

Warikoo, Radhika; Ray, Ankita; Sandhu, Jasdeep Kaur; Samal, Roopa; Wahab, Naim; Kumar, Sarita

2012-01-01

Objective To assess the larvicidal and irritant activities of the hexane extracts of leaves of Citrus sinensis (C. sinensis) against the early fourth instars and female adults of Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti). Methods The larvicidal potential of the prepared leaf extract was evaluated against early fourth instar larvae of Ae. aegypti using WHO protocol. The mortality counts were made after 24 h and LC50 and LC90 values were calculated. The efficacy of extract as mosquito irritant was assessed by contact irritancy assays. Extract-impregnated paper was placed on a glass plate over which a perspex funnel with a hole on the top was kept inverted. Single female adult, 3-day old unfed/blood-fed, was released inside the funnel. After 3 min of acclimatization time, the time taken for the first take-off and total number of flights undertaken during 15 min were scored. Results The citrus leaf extracts from hexane possessed moderate larvicidal efficiency against dengue vector. The bioassays resulted in an LC50 and LC90 value of 446.84 and 1 370.96 ppm, respectively after 24 h of exposure. However, the extracts were proved to be remarkable irritant against adults Ae. aegypti, more pronounced effects being observed on blood-fed females than unfed females. The extract-impregnated paper was thus proved to be 7–11 times more irritable as compared with the control paper. Conclusions The hexane extracts from C. sinensis leaves are proved to be reasonably larvicidal but remarkably irritant against dengue vector. Further studies are needed to identify the possible role of extract as adulticide, oviposition deterrent and ovicidal agent. The isolation of active ingredient from the extract could help in formulating strategies for mosquito control. PMID:23569887

Larvicidal and repellent potential of Moringa oleifera against malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae)

PubMed Central

Prabhu, K; Murugan, K; Nareshkumar, A; Ramasubramanian, N; Bragadeeswaran, S

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate the larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the methanolic extracts from Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) plant seeds against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (A. stephensi) mosquitoes at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm). Methods M. oleifera was collected from the area of around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. The dried plant materials were powdered by an electrical blender. From each sample, 100 g of the plant material were extracted with 300 mL of methanol for 8 h in a Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were evaporated to dryness in rotary vacuum evaporator to yield 122 mg and 110 mg of dark greenish material (residue) from Arcang amara and Ocimum basilicum, respectively. One gram of the each plant residue was dissolved separately in 100 mL of acetone (stock solution) from which different concentrations, i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm were prepared. Results Larvicidal activity of M. oleifera exhibited in the first to fourth instar larvae of the A. stephensi, and the LC50 and LC90 values were 57.79 ppm and 125.93 ppm for the first instar, 63.90 ppm and 133.07 ppm for the second instar, 72.45 ppm and 139.82 ppm for the third instar, 78.93 ppm and 143.20 ppm for the fourth instar, respectively. During the pupal stage the methanolic extract of M. oleifera showed that the LC50 and LC90 values were 67.77 ppm and 141.00 ppm, respectively. Conclusions The present study indicates that the phytochemicals derived from M. oleifera seeds extracts are effective mosquito vector control agents and the plant extracts may be used for further integrated pest management programs. PMID:23569741

Larvicidal and repellent potential of Moringa oleifera against malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Prabhu, K; Murugan, K; Nareshkumar, A; Ramasubramanian, N; Bragadeeswaran, S

2011-04-01

To evaluate the larvicidal and pupicidal potential of the methanolic extracts from Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) plant seeds against malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (A. stephensi) mosquitoes at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm). M. oleifera was collected from the area of around Bharathiar University, Coimbatore. The dried plant materials were powdered by an electrical blender. From each sample, 100 g of the plant material were extracted with 300 mL of methanol for 8 h in a Soxhlet apparatus. The extracts were evaporated to dryness in rotary vacuum evaporator to yield 122 mg and 110 mg of dark greenish material (residue) from Arcang amara and Ocimum basilicum, respectively. One gram of the each plant residue was dissolved separately in 100 mL of acetone (stock solution) from which different concentrations, i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 ppm were prepared. Larvicidal activity of M. oleifera exhibited in the first to fourth instar larvae of the A. stephensi, and the LC50 and LC90 values were 57.79 ppm and 125.93 ppm for the first instar, 63.90 ppm and 133.07 ppm for the second instar, 72.45 ppm and 139.82 ppm for the third instar, 78.93 ppm and 143.20 ppm for the fourth instar, respectively. During the pupal stage the methanolic extract of M. oleifera showed that the LC50 and LC90 values were 67.77 ppm and 141.00 ppm, respectively. The present study indicates that the phytochemicals derived from M. oleifera seeds extracts are effective mosquito vector control agents and the plant extracts may be used for further integrated pest management programs.

Generation of arbitrary vector beams with liquid crystal polarization converters and vector-photoaligned q-plates

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

Chen, Peng; Ji, Wei; Wei, Bing-Yan

Arbitrary vector beams (VBs) are realized by the designed polarization converters and corresponding vector-photoaligned q-plates. The polarization converter is a specific twisted nematic cell with one substrate homogeneously aligned and the other space-variantly aligned. By combining a polarization-sensitive alignment agent with a dynamic micro-lithography system, various categories of liquid crystal polarization converters are demonstrated. Besides, traditional radially/azimuthally polarized light, high-order and multi-ringed VBs, and a VB array with different orders are generated. The obtained converters are further utilized as polarization masks to implement vector-photoaligning. The technique facilitates both the volume duplication of these converters and the generation of another promisingmore » optical element, the q-plate, which is suitable for the generation of VBs for coherent lasers. The combination of proposed polarization converters and correspondingly fabricated q-plates would drastically enhance the capability of polarization control and may bring more possibilities for the design of photonic devices.« less

A novel packaging system for the generation of helper-free oncolytic MVM vector stocks.

PubMed

Brandenburger, A; Russell, S

1996-10-01

MVM-based autonomous parvoviral vectors have been shown to target the expression of heterologous genes in neoplastic cells and are therefore of interest for cancer gene therapy. The traditional method for production of parvoviral vectors requires the cotransfection of vector and helper plasmids into MVM-permissive cell lines, but recombination between the cotransfected plasmids invariably gives rise to vector stocks that are heavily contaminated with wild-type MVM. Therefore, to minimise recombination between the vector and helper genomes we have utilised a cell line in which the MVM helper functions are expressed inducibly from a modified MVM genome that is stably integrated into the host cell chromosome. Using this MVM packaging cell line, we could reproducibly generate MVM vector stocks that contained no detectable helper virus.

The Kritzel System for handwriting interpretation

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

Qian, G.

We present a new system for recognizing on-line cursive handwriting. The system, which is called the Kritzel System, has four features. First, the system characterizes handwriting as a sequence of feature vectors. Second, the system adapts to a particular writing style itself through a learning process. Third, the reasoning of the system is formulated in propositional logic with likelihoods. Fourth, the system can be readily linked with other English processing systems for lexical and contextual checking.

Quark-lepton flavor democracy and the nonexistence of the fourth generation

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

Cvetic, G.; Kim, C.S.

1995-01-01

In the standard model with two Higgs doublets (type II), which has a consistent trend to a flavor gauge theory and its related flavor democracy in the quark and the leptonic sectors (unlike the minimal standard model) when the energy of the probes increases, we impose the mixed quark-lepton flavor democracy at high transition'' energy and assume the usual seesaw mechanism, and consequently find out that the existence of the fourth generation of fermions in this framework is practically ruled out.

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

It is predicted that by the year 2040, there will be no distinction between a commercial airliner and a commercial launch vehicle. Fourth Generation Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) will be so safe and reliable that no crew escape system will be necessary. Every year there will be in excess of 10,000 flights and the turn-around time between flights will be just hours. The onboard crew will be able to accomplish a launch without any assistance from the ground. Provided is an artist's concept of these fourth generation space vehicles.

Scrutinizing a di-photon resonance at the LHC through Moscow zero

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

Arcadi, Giorgio; Ghosh, Pradipta; Centre de Physique Théorique, École Polytechnique, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay,Palaiseau, 91128

The ATLAS and CMS collaborations have recently released their new analyses of the diphoton searches. We look in detail the consequences of their results deriving strong constraints on models where a scalar resonance s decays into two light pseudoscalars which in turn decay into two pairs of collimated photons, mis-identified with two real photons. In our construction, all mass terms are generated dynamically, and only one pair of vector-like fermions generate couplings which will be probed using the upcoming LHC data. Moreover, we show that a stable dark matter candidate, respecting the cosmological constraints, is naturally affordable in the model.

repRNA: a web server for generating various feature vectors of RNA sequences.

PubMed

Liu, Bin; Liu, Fule; Fang, Longyun; Wang, Xiaolong; Chou, Kuo-Chen

2016-02-01

With the rapid growth of RNA sequences generated in the postgenomic age, it is highly desired to develop a flexible method that can generate various kinds of vectors to represent these sequences by focusing on their different features. This is because nearly all the existing machine-learning methods, such as SVM (support vector machine) and KNN (k-nearest neighbor), can only handle vectors but not sequences. To meet the increasing demands and speed up the genome analyses, we have developed a new web server, called "representations of RNA sequences" (repRNA). Compared with the existing methods, repRNA is much more comprehensive, flexible and powerful, as reflected by the following facts: (1) it can generate 11 different modes of feature vectors for users to choose according to their investigation purposes; (2) it allows users to select the features from 22 built-in physicochemical properties and even those defined by users' own; (3) the resultant feature vectors and the secondary structures of the corresponding RNA sequences can be visualized. The repRNA web server is freely accessible to the public at http://bioinformatics.hitsz.edu.cn/repRNA/ .

Germline incorporation of a replication-defective adenoviral vector in mice does not alter immune responses to adenoviral vectors.

PubMed

Camargo, F D; Huey-Louie, D A; Finn, A V; Sassani, A B; Cozen, A E; Moriwaki, H; Schneider, D B; Agah, R; Dichek, D A

2000-11-01

The utility of adenoviral vectors is limited by immune responses to adenoviral antigens. We sought to develop immune-competent mice in which the immune response to adenoviral antigens was selectively absent. To do so, we generated mice that were transgenic for a replication-defective vector. Adenoviral antigens might be seen as self-antigens by these mice, and the mice could exhibit immunologic tolerance after postnatal exposure to adenoviral vectors. In addition, characterization of these mice could reveal potential consequences of germline transmission of an adenoviral vector, as might occur in a gene therapy trial. Injection of a "null" (not containing a transgene) E1, E3-deleted vector genome into mouse zygotes yielded five founders that were capable of transmitting the vector genome. Among offspring of these mice, transgenic pups were significantly underrepresented: 108 of 255 pups (42%) were transgenic (P<0.02 versus expected frequency of 50%). Postnatal transgenic mice, however, had no apparent abnormalities. Persistence of an adenoviral vector after intravenous injection was equivalent in livers of transgenic mice and their nontransgenic littermates. Transgenic and nontransgenic mice also had equivalent humoral and cellular immune responses to adenoviral vector injection. Mice that are transgenic for an E1, E3-deleted adenoviral genome can be easily generated; however, they are not tolerant of adenovirus. Moreover, germline transmission of an adenoviral vector genome does not prevent generation of a robust immune response after exposure to adenoviral antigens.

Including gauge-group parameters into the theory of interactions: an alternative mass-generating mechanism for gauge fields

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

Aldaya, V.; Lopez-Ruiz, F. F.; Sanchez-Sastre, E.

2006-11-03

We reformulate the gauge theory of interactions by introducing the gauge group parameters into the model. The dynamics of the new 'Goldstone-like' bosons is accomplished through a non-linear {sigma}-model Lagrangian. They are minimally coupled according to a proper prescription which provides mass terms to the intermediate vector bosons without spoiling gauge invariance. The present formalism is explicitly applied to the Standard Model of electroweak interactions.

Automated image segmentation using support vector machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Stephanie; Magnotta, Vincent A.; Andreasen, Nancy C.

2007-03-01

Neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases demonstrate problems associated with brain maturation and aging. Automated methods to delineate brain structures of interest are required to analyze large amounts of imaging data like that being collected in several on going multi-center studies. We have previously reported on using artificial neural networks (ANN) to define subcortical brain structures including the thalamus (0.88), caudate (0.85) and the putamen (0.81). In this work, apriori probability information was generated using Thirion's demons registration algorithm. The input vector consisted of apriori probability, spherical coordinates, and an iris of surrounding signal intensity values. We have applied the support vector machine (SVM) machine learning algorithm to automatically segment subcortical and cerebellar regions using the same input vector information. SVM architecture was derived from the ANN framework. Training was completed using a radial-basis function kernel with gamma equal to 5.5. Training was performed using 15,000 vectors collected from 15 training images in approximately 10 minutes. The resulting support vectors were applied to delineate 10 images not part of the training set. Relative overlap calculated for the subcortical structures was 0.87 for the thalamus, 0.84 for the caudate, 0.84 for the putamen, and 0.72 for the hippocampus. Relative overlap for the cerebellar lobes ranged from 0.76 to 0.86. The reliability of the SVM based algorithm was similar to the inter-rater reliability between manual raters and can be achieved without rater intervention.

Abundance and distribution of sylvatic dengue virus vectors in three different land cover types in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

PubMed

Young, Katherine I; Mundis, Stephanie; Widen, Steven G; Wood, Thomas G; Tesh, Robert B; Cardosa, Jane; Vasilakis, Nikos; Perera, David; Hanley, Kathryn A

2017-08-31

Mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV) is maintained in a sylvatic, enzootic cycle of transmission between canopy-dwelling non-human primates and Aedes mosquitoes in Borneo. Sylvatic DENV can spill over into humans living in proximity to forest foci of transmission, in some cases resulting in severe dengue disease. The most likely vectors of such spillover (bridge vectors) in Borneo are Ae. albopictus and Ae. niveus. Borneo is currently experiencing extensive forest clearance. To gauge the effect of this change in forest cover on the likelihood of sylvatic DENV spillover, it is first necessary to characterize the distribution of bridge vectors in different land cover types. In the current study, we hypothesized that Ae. niveus and Ae. albopictus would show significantly different distributions in different land cover types; specifically, we predicted that Ae. niveus would be most abundant in forests whereas Ae. albopictus would have a more even distribution in the landscape. Mosquitoes were collected from a total of 15 sites using gravid traps and a backpack aspirator around Kampong Puruh Karu, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, where sylvatic DENV spillover has been documented. A total of 2447 mosquitoes comprising 10 genera and 4 species of Aedes, were collected over the three years, 2013, 2014 and 2016, in the three major land cover types in the area, homestead, agriculture and forest. Mosquitoes were identified morphologically, pooled by species and gender, homogenized, and subject to DNA barcoding of each Aedes species and to arbovirus screening. As predicted, Ae. niveus was found almost exclusively in forests whereas Ae. albopictus was collected in all land cover types. Aedes albopictus was significantly (P = 0.04) more abundant in agricultural fields than forests. Sylvatic DENV was not detected in any Aedes mosquito pools, however genomes of 14 viruses were detected using next generation sequencing. Land cover type affects the abundance and distribution of the most likely bridge vectors of sylvatic DENV in Malaysia Borneo. Conversion of forests to agriculture will likely decrease the range and abundance of Ae. niveus but enhance the abundance of Ae. albopictus.

Decentralized Dimensionality Reduction for Distributed Tensor Data Across Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Liang, Junli; Yu, Guoyang; Chen, Badong; Zhao, Minghua

2016-11-01

This paper develops a novel decentralized dimensionality reduction algorithm for the distributed tensor data across sensor networks. The main contributions of this paper are as follows. First, conventional centralized methods, which utilize entire data to simultaneously determine all the vectors of the projection matrix along each tensor mode, are not suitable for the network environment. Here, we relax the simultaneous processing manner into the one-vector-by-one-vector (OVBOV) manner, i.e., determining the projection vectors (PVs) related to each tensor mode one by one. Second, we prove that in the OVBOV manner each PV can be determined without modifying any tensor data, which simplifies corresponding computations. Third, we cast the decentralized PV determination problem as a set of subproblems with consensus constraints, so that it can be solved in the network environment only by local computations and information communications among neighboring nodes. Fourth, we introduce the null space and transform the PV determination problem with complex orthogonality constraints into an equivalent hidden convex one without any orthogonality constraint, which can be solved by the Lagrange multiplier method. Finally, experimental results are given to show that the proposed algorithm is an effective dimensionality reduction scheme for the distributed tensor data across the sensor networks.

Model-based VQ for image data archival, retrieval and distribution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manohar, Mareboyana; Tilton, James C.

1995-01-01

An ideal image compression technique for image data archival, retrieval and distribution would be one with the asymmetrical computational requirements of Vector Quantization (VQ), but without the complications arising from VQ codebooks. Codebook generation and maintenance are stumbling blocks which have limited the use of VQ as a practical image compression algorithm. Model-based VQ (MVQ), a variant of VQ described here, has the computational properties of VQ but does not require explicit codebooks. The codebooks are internally generated using mean removed error and Human Visual System (HVS) models. The error model assumed is the Laplacian distribution with mean, lambda-computed from a sample of the input image. A Laplacian distribution with mean, lambda, is generated with uniform random number generator. These random numbers are grouped into vectors. These vectors are further conditioned to make them perceptually meaningful by filtering the DCT coefficients from each vector. The DCT coefficients are filtered by multiplying by a weight matrix that is found to be optimal for human perception. The inverse DCT is performed to produce the conditioned vectors for the codebook. The only image dependent parameter used in the generation of codebook is the mean, lambda, that is included in the coded file to repeat the codebook generation process for decoding.

Pronominal Reference Skills of Second and Fourth Grade Children with Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finestack, Lizbeth H.; Fey, Marc E.; Catts, Hugh W.

2006-01-01

Pronominal referencing was evaluated in a sample of 569 children comprising four diagnostic subgroups: typical language (TL), specific language impairment (SLI), nonspecific language impairment (NLI), and typical language with low nonverbal IQ (LNIQ). Participants generated oral narratives in second grade and again in fourth grade. The narratives…

Fourth Graders Make Inventions Using SCAMPER and Animal Adaptation Ideas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussain, Mahjabeen; Carignan, Anastasia

2016-01-01

This study explores to what extent the SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Rearrange) technique combined with animal adaptation ideas learned through form and function analogy activities can help fourth graders generate creative ideas while augmenting their inventiveness. The sample consisted of 24…

Generation of arbitrary vector fields based on a pair of orthogonal elliptically polarized base vectors.

PubMed

Xu, Danfeng; Gu, Bing; Rui, Guanghao; Zhan, Qiwen; Cui, Yiping

2016-02-22

We present an arbitrary vector field with hybrid polarization based on the combination of a pair of orthogonal elliptically polarized base vectors on the Poincaré sphere. It is shown that the created vector field is only dependent on the latitude angle 2χ but is independent on the longitude angle 2ψ on the Poincaré sphere. By adjusting the latitude angle 2χ, which is related to two identical waveplates in a common path interferometric arrangement, one could obtain arbitrary type of vector fields. Experimentally, we demonstrate the generation of such kind of vector fields and confirm the distribution of state of polarization by the measurement of Stokes parameters. Besides, we investigate the tight focusing properties of these vector fields. It is found that the additional degree of freedom 2χ provided by arbitrary vector field with hybrid polarization allows one to control the spatial structure of polarization and to engineer the focusing field.

SVPWM Technique with Varying DC-Link Voltage for Common Mode Voltage Reduction in a Matrix Converter and Analytical Estimation of its Output Voltage Distortion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padhee, Varsha

Common Mode Voltage (CMV) in any power converter has been the major contributor to premature motor failures, bearing deterioration, shaft voltage build up and electromagnetic interference. Intelligent control methods like Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation (SVPWM) techniques provide immense potential and flexibility to reduce CMV, thereby targeting all the afore mentioned problems. Other solutions like passive filters, shielded cables and EMI filters add to the volume and cost metrics of the entire system. Smart SVPWM techniques therefore, come with a very important advantage of being an economical solution. This thesis discusses a modified space vector technique applied to an Indirect Matrix Converter (IMC) which results in the reduction of common mode voltages and other advanced features. The conventional indirect space vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM) method of controlling matrix converters involves the usage of two adjacent active vectors and one zero vector for both rectifying and inverting stages of the converter. By suitable selection of space vectors, the rectifying stage of the matrix converter can generate different levels of virtual DC-link voltage. This capability can be exploited for operation of the converter in different ranges of modulation indices for varying machine speeds. This results in lower common mode voltage and improves the harmonic spectrum of the output voltage, without increasing the number of switching transitions as compared to conventional modulation. To summarize it can be said that the responsibility of formulating output voltages with a particular magnitude and frequency has been transferred solely to the rectifying stage of the IMC. Estimation of degree of distortion in the three phase output voltage is another facet discussed in this thesis. An understanding of the SVPWM technique and the switching sequence of the space vectors in detail gives the potential to estimate the RMS value of the switched output voltage of any converter. This conceivably aids the sizing and design of output passive filters. An analytical estimation method has been presented to achieve this purpose for am IMC. Knowledge of the fundamental component in output voltage can be utilized to calculate its Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). The effectiveness of the proposed SVPWM algorithms and the analytical estimation technique is substantiated by simulations in MATLAB / Simulink and experiments on a laboratory prototype of the IMC. Proper comparison plots have been provided to contrast the performance of the proposed methods with the conventional SVPWM method. The behavior of output voltage distortion and CMV with variation in operating parameters like modulation index and output frequency has also been analyzed.

Search for pair production of vector-like T and B quarks in single-lepton final states using boosted jet substructure in proton-proton collisions at $$ \\sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV

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

Sirunyan, A. M.; Tumasyan, A.; Adam, W.

A search for pair production of massive vector-like T and B quarks in proton-proton collisions at s√=13 TeV is presented. The data set was collected in 2015 by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of up to 2.6 fb –1. The T and B quarks are assumed to decay through three possible channels into a heavy boson (either a W, Z or Higgs boson) and a third generation quark. This search is performed in final states with one charged lepton and several jets, exploiting techniques to identify W or Higgs bosons decaying hadronically withmore » large transverse momenta. No excess over the predicted standard model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the T quark pair production cross section are set that exclude T quark masses below 860 GeV in the singlet, and below 830 GeV in the doublet branching fraction scenario. For other branching fraction combinations with B(T → tH) + B(T → bW) ≥ 0.4, lower limits on the T quark range from 790 to 940 GeV. Limits are also set on pair production of singlet vector-like B quarks, which can be excluded up to a mass of 730 GeV. The techniques showcased here for understanding highly-boosted final states are important as the sensitivity to new particles is extended to higher masses.« less

Search for pair production of vector-like T and B quarks in single-lepton final states using boosted jet substructure in proton-proton collisions at $$ \\sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV

DOE PAGES

Sirunyan, A. M.; Tumasyan, A.; Adam, W.; ...

2017-11-15

A search for pair production of massive vector-like T and B quarks in proton-proton collisions at s√=13 TeV is presented. The data set was collected in 2015 by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of up to 2.6 fb –1. The T and B quarks are assumed to decay through three possible channels into a heavy boson (either a W, Z or Higgs boson) and a third generation quark. This search is performed in final states with one charged lepton and several jets, exploiting techniques to identify W or Higgs bosons decaying hadronically withmore » large transverse momenta. No excess over the predicted standard model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the T quark pair production cross section are set that exclude T quark masses below 860 GeV in the singlet, and below 830 GeV in the doublet branching fraction scenario. For other branching fraction combinations with B(T → tH) + B(T → bW) ≥ 0.4, lower limits on the T quark range from 790 to 940 GeV. Limits are also set on pair production of singlet vector-like B quarks, which can be excluded up to a mass of 730 GeV. The techniques showcased here for understanding highly-boosted final states are important as the sensitivity to new particles is extended to higher masses.« less

Search for pair production of vector-like T and B quarks in single-lepton final states using boosted jet substructure in proton-proton collisions at √{s}=13 TeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sirunyan, A. M.; Tumasyan, A.; Adam, W.; Ambrogi, F.; Asilar, E.; Bergauer, T.; Brandstetter, J.; Brondolin, E.; Dragicevic, M.; Erö, J.; Flechl, M.; Friedl, M.; Frühwirth, R.; Ghete, V. M.; Grossmann, J.; Hrubec, J.; Jeitler, M.; König, A.; Krammer, N.; Krätschmer, I.; Liko, D.; Madlener, T.; Mikulec, I.; Pree, E.; Rabady, D.; Rad, N.; Rohringer, H.; Schieck, J.; Schöfbeck, R.; Spanring, M.; Spitzbart, D.; Strauss, J.; Waltenberger, W.; Wittmann, J.; Wulz, C.-E.; Zarucki, M.; Chekhovsky, V.; Mossolov, V.; Suarez Gonzalez, J.; De Wolf, E. A.; Di Croce, D.; Janssen, X.; Lauwers, J.; Van De Klundert, M.; Van Haevermaet, H.; Van Mechelen, P.; Van Remortel, N.; Van Spilbeeck, A.; Abu Zeid, S.; Blekman, F.; D'Hondt, J.; De Bruyn, I.; De Clercq, J.; Deroover, K.; Flouris, G.; Lontkovskyi, D.; Lowette, S.; Moortgat, S.; Moreels, L.; Olbrechts, A.; Python, Q.; Skovpen, K.; Tavernier, S.; Van Doninck, W.; Van Mulders, P.; Van Parijs, I.; Brun, H.; Clerbaux, B.; De Lentdecker, G.; Delannoy, H.; Fasanella, G.; Favart, L.; Goldouzian, R.; Grebenyuk, A.; Karapostoli, G.; Lenzi, T.; Luetic, J.; Maerschalk, T.; Marinov, A.; Randle-conde, A.; Seva, T.; Vander Velde, C.; Vanlaer, P.; Vannerom, D.; Yonamine, R.; Zenoni, F.; Zhang, F.; Cimmino, A.; Cornelis, T.; Dobur, D.; Fagot, A.; Gul, M.; Khvastunov, I.; Poyraz, D.; Roskas, C.; Salva, S.; Tytgat, M.; Verbeke, W.; Zaganidis, N.; Bakhshiansohi, H.; Bondu, O.; Brochet, S.; Bruno, G.; Caudron, A.; De Visscher, S.; Delaere, C.; Delcourt, M.; Francois, B.; Giammanco, A.; Jafari, A.; Komm, M.; Krintiras, G.; Lemaitre, V.; Magitteri, A.; Mertens, A.; Musich, M.; Piotrzkowski, K.; Quertenmont, L.; Vidal Marono, M.; Wertz, S.; Beliy, N.; Aldá Júnior, W. L.; Alves, F. L.; Alves, G. A.; Brito, L.; Correa Martins Junior, M.; Hensel, C.; Moraes, A.; Pol, M. E.; Rebello Teles, P.; Belchior Batista Das Chagas, E.; Carvalho, W.; Chinellato, J.; Custódio, A.; Da Costa, E. M.; Da Silveira, G. G.; De Jesus Damiao, D.; Fonseca De Souza, S.; Huertas Guativa, L. M.; Malbouisson, H.; Melo De Almeida, M.; Mora Herrera, C.; Mundim, L.; Nogima, H.; Santoro, A.; Sznajder, A.; Tonelli Manganote, E. J.; Torres Da Silva De Araujo, F.; Vilela Pereira, A.; Ahuja, S.; Bernardes, C. A.; Fernandez Perez Tomei, T. R.; Gregores, E. M.; Mercadante, P. G.; Moon, C. S.; Novaes, S. F.; Padula, Sandra S.; Romero Abad, D.; Ruiz Vargas, J. C.; Aleksandrov, A.; Hadjiiska, R.; Iaydjiev, P.; Misheva, M.; Rodozov, M.; Shopova, M.; Stoykova, S.; Sultanov, G.; Dimitrov, A.; Glushkov, I.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Fang, W.; Gao, X.; Ahmad, M.; Bian, J. G.; Chen, G. M.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, M.; Chen, Y.; Jiang, C. H.; Leggat, D.; Liu, Z.; Romeo, F.; Shaheen, S. M.; Spiezia, A.; Tao, J.; Wang, C.; Wang, Z.; Yazgan, E.; Zhang, H.; Zhao, J.; Ban, Y.; Chen, G.; Li, Q.; Liu, S.; Mao, Y.; Qian, S. J.; Wang, D.; Xu, Z.; Avila, C.; Cabrera, A.; Chaparro Sierra, L. F.; Florez, C.; González Hernández, C. F.; Ruiz Alvarez, J. D.; Courbon, B.; Godinovic, N.; Lelas, D.; Puljak, I.; Ribeiro Cipriano, P. M.; Sculac, T.; Antunovic, Z.; Kovac, M.; Brigljevic, V.; Ferencek, D.; Kadija, K.; Mesic, B.; Susa, T.; Ather, M. W.; Attikis, A.; Mavromanolakis, G.; Mousa, J.; Nicolaou, C.; Ptochos, F.; Razis, P. A.; Rykaczewski, H.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Carrera Jarrin, E.; Abdelalim, A. A.; Mohammed, Y.; Salama, E.; Dewanjee, R. K.; Kadastik, M.; Perrini, L.; Raidal, M.; Tiko, A.; Veelken, C.; Eerola, P.; Pekkanen, J.; Voutilainen, M.; Härkönen, J.; Järvinen, T.; Karimäki, V.; Kinnunen, R.; Lampén, T.; Lassila-Perini, K.; Lehti, S.; Lindén, T.; Luukka, P.; Tuominen, E.; Tuominiemi, J.; Tuovinen, E.; Talvitie, J.; Tuuva, T.; Besancon, M.; Couderc, F.; Dejardin, M.; Denegri, D.; Faure, J. L.; Ferri, F.; Ganjour, S.; Ghosh, S.; Givernaud, A.; Gras, P.; Hamel de Monchenault, G.; Jarry, P.; Kucher, I.; Locci, E.; Machet, M.; Malcles, J.; Negro, G.; Rander, J.; Rosowsky, A.; Sahin, M. Ö.; Titov, M.; Abdulsalam, A.; Antropov, I.; Baffioni, S.; Beaudette, F.; Busson, P.; Cadamuro, L.; Charlot, C.; Davignon, O.; Granier de Cassagnac, R.; Jo, M.; Lisniak, S.; Lobanov, A.; Martin Blanco, J.; Nguyen, M.; Ochando, C.; Ortona, G.; Paganini, P.; Pigard, P.; Regnard, S.; Salerno, R.; Sauvan, J. B.; Sirois, Y.; Stahl Leiton, A. G.; Strebler, T.; Yilmaz, Y.; Zabi, A.; Zghiche, A.; Agram, J.-L.; Andrea, J.; Bloch, D.; Brom, J.-M.; Buttignol, M.; Chabert, E. C.; Chanon, N.; Collard, C.; Conte, E.; Coubez, X.; Fontaine, J.-C.; Gelé, D.; Goerlach, U.; Jansová, M.; Le Bihan, A.-C.; Van Hove, P.; Gadrat, S.; Beauceron, S.; Bernet, C.; Boudoul, G.; Chierici, R.; Contardo, D.; Depasse, P.; El Mamouni, H.; Fay, J.; Finco, L.; Gascon, S.; Gouzevitch, M.; Grenier, G.; Ille, B.; Lagarde, F.; Laktineh, I. B.; Lethuillier, M.; Mirabito, L.; Pequegnot, A. L.; Perries, S.; Popov, A.; Sordini, V.; Vander Donckt, M.; Viret, S.; Khvedelidze, A.; Bagaturia, I.; Autermann, C.; Beranek, S.; Feld, L.; Kiesel, M. K.; Klein, K.; Lipinski, M.; Preuten, M.; Schomakers, C.; Schulz, J.; Verlage, T.; Albert, A.; Brodski, M.; Dietz-Laursonn, E.; Duchardt, D.; Endres, M.; Erdmann, M.; Erdweg, S.; Esch, T.; Fischer, R.; Güth, A.; Hamer, M.; Hebbeker, T.; Heidemann, C.; Hoepfner, K.; Knutzen, S.; Merschmeyer, M.; Meyer, A.; Millet, P.; Mukherjee, S.; Olschewski, M.; Padeken, K.; Pook, T.; Radziej, M.; Reithler, H.; Rieger, M.; Scheuch, F.; Teyssier, D.; Thüer, S.; Flügge, G.; Kargoll, B.; Kress, T.; Künsken, A.; Lingemann, J.; Müller, T.; Nehrkorn, A.; Nowack, A.; Pistone, C.; Pooth, O.; Stahl, A.; Aldaya Martin, M.; Arndt, T.; Asawatangtrakuldee, C.; Beernaert, K.; Behnke, O.; Behrens, U.; Bin Anuar, A. A.; Borras, K.; Botta, V.; Campbell, A.; Connor, P.; Contreras-Campana, C.; Costanza, F.; Diez Pardos, C.; Eckerlin, G.; Eckstein, D.; Eichhorn, T.; Eren, E.; Gallo, E.; Garay Garcia, J.; Geiser, A.; Gizhko, A.; Grados Luyando, J. M.; Grohsjean, A.; Gunnellini, P.; Harb, A.; Hauk, J.; Hempel, M.; Jung, H.; Kalogeropoulos, A.; Kasemann, M.; Keaveney, J.; Kleinwort, C.; Korol, I.; Krücker, D.; Lange, W.; Lelek, A.; Lenz, T.; Leonard, J.; Lipka, K.; Lohmann, W.; Mankel, R.; Melzer-Pellmann, I.-A.; Meyer, A. B.; Mittag, G.; Mnich, J.; Mussgiller, A.; Ntomari, E.; Pitzl, D.; Placakyte, R.; Raspereza, A.; Roland, B.; Savitskyi, M.; Saxena, P.; Shevchenko, R.; Spannagel, S.; Stefaniuk, N.; Van Onsem, G. P.; Walsh, R.; Wen, Y.; Wichmann, K.; Wissing, C.; Zenaiev, O.; Bein, S.; Blobel, V.; Centis Vignali, M.; Draeger, A. R.; Dreyer, T.; Garutti, E.; Gonzalez, D.; Haller, J.; Hoffmann, M.; Junkes, A.; Karavdina, A.; Klanner, R.; Kogler, R.; Kovalchuk, N.; Kurz, S.; Lapsien, T.; Marchesini, I.; Marconi, D.; Meyer, M.; Niedziela, M.; Nowatschin, D.; Pantaleo, F.; Peiffer, T.; Perieanu, A.; Scharf, C.; Schleper, P.; Schmidt, A.; Schumann, S.; Schwandt, J.; Sonneveld, J.; Stadie, H.; Steinbrück, G.; Stober, F. M.; Stöver, M.; Tholen, H.; Troendle, D.; Usai, E.; Vanelderen, L.; Vanhoefer, A.; Vormwald, B.; Akbiyik, M.; Barth, C.; Baur, S.; Butz, E.; Caspart, R.; Chwalek, T.; Colombo, F.; De Boer, W.; Dierlamm, A.; Freund, B.; Friese, R.; Giffels, M.; Gilbert, A.; Haitz, D.; Hartmann, F.; Heindl, S. M.; Husemann, U.; Kassel, F.; Kudella, S.; Mildner, H.; Mozer, M. U.; Müller, Th.; Plagge, M.; Quast, G.; Rabbertz, K.; Schröder, M.; Shvetsov, I.; Sieber, G.; Simonis, H. J.; Ulrich, R.; Wayand, S.; Weber, M.; Weiler, T.; Williamson, S.; Wöhrmann, C.; Wolf, R.; Anagnostou, G.; Daskalakis, G.; Geralis, T.; Giakoumopoulou, V. A.; Kyriakis, A.; Loukas, D.; Topsis-Giotis, I.; Kesisoglou, S.; Panagiotou, A.; Saoulidou, N.; Evangelou, I.; Foudas, C.; Kokkas, P.; Manthos, N.; Papadopoulos, I.; Paradas, E.; Strologas, J.; Triantis, F. A.; Csanad, M.; Filipovic, N.; Pasztor, G.; Bencze, G.; Hajdu, C.; Horvath, D.; Hunyadi, Á.; Sikler, F.; Veszpremi, V.; Vesztergombi, G.; Zsigmond, A. J.; Beni, N.; Czellar, S.; Karancsi, J.; Makovec, A.; Molnar, J.; Szillasi, Z.; Bartók, M.; Raics, P.; Trocsanyi, Z. L.; Ujvari, B.; Choudhury, S.; Komaragiri, J. R.; Bahinipati, S.; Bhowmik, S.; Mal, P.; Mandal, K.; Nayak, A.; Sahoo, D. K.; Sahoo, N.; Swain, S. K.; Bansal, S.; Beri, S. B.; Bhatnagar, V.; Bhawandeep, U.; Chawla, R.; Dhingra, N.; Kalsi, A. K.; Kaur, A.; Kaur, M.; Kumar, R.; Kumari, P.; Mehta, A.; Singh, J. B.; Walia, G.; Kumar, Ashok; Shah, Aashaq; Bhardwaj, A.; Chauhan, S.; Choudhary, B. C.; Garg, R. B.; Keshri, S.; Kumar, A.; Malhotra, S.; Naimuddin, M.; Ranjan, K.; Sharma, R.; Sharma, V.; Bhardwaj, R.; Bhattacharya, R.; Bhattacharya, S.; Dey, S.; Dutt, S.; Dutta, S.; Ghosh, S.; Majumdar, N.; Modak, A.; Mondal, K.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Nandan, S.; Purohit, A.; Roy, A.; Roy, D.; Roy Chowdhury, S.; Sarkar, S.; Sharan, M.; Thakur, S.; Behera, P. K.; Chudasama, R.; Dutta, D.; Jha, V.; Kumar, V.; Mohanty, A. K.; Netrakanti, P. K.; Pant, L. M.; Shukla, P.; Topkar, A.; Aziz, T.; Dugad, S.; Mahakud, B.; Mitra, S.; Mohanty, G. B.; Parida, B.; Sur, N.; Sutar, B.; Banerjee, S.; Bhattacharya, S.; Chatterjee, S.; Das, P.; Guchait, M.; Jain, Sa.; Kumar, S.; Maity, M.; Majumder, G.; Mazumdar, K.; Sarkar, T.; Wickramage, N.; Chauhan, S.; Dube, S.; Hegde, V.; Kapoor, A.; Kothekar, K.; Pandey, S.; Rane, A.; Sharma, S.; Chenarani, S.; Eskandari Tadavani, E.; Etesami, S. M.; Khakzad, M.; Mohammadi Najafabadi, M.; Naseri, M.; Paktinat Mehdiabadi, S.; Rezaei Hosseinabadi, F.; Safarzadeh, B.; Zeinali, M.; Felcini, M.; Grunewald, M.; Abbrescia, M.; Calabria, C.; Caputo, C.; Colaleo, A.; Creanza, D.; Cristella, L.; De Filippis, N.; De Palma, M.; Errico, F.; Fiore, L.; Iaselli, G.; Maggi, G.; Maggi, M.; Miniello, G.; My, S.; Nuzzo, S.; Pompili, A.; Pugliese, G.; Radogna, R.; Ranieri, A.; Selvaggi, G.; Sharma, A.; Silvestris, L.; Venditti, R.; Verwilligen, P.; Abbiendi, G.; Battilana, C.; Bonacorsi, D.; Braibant-Giacomelli, S.; Brigliadori, L.; Campanini, R.; Capiluppi, P.; Castro, A.; Cavallo, F. R.; Chhibra, S. S.; Codispoti, G.; Cuffiani, M.; Dallavalle, G. M.; Fabbri, F.; Fanfani, A.; Fasanella, D.; Giacomelli, P.; Guiducci, L.; Marcellini, S.; Masetti, G.; Navarria, F. L.; Perrotta, A.; Rossi, A. M.; Rovelli, T.; Siroli, G. P.; Tosi, N.; Albergo, S.; Costa, S.; Di Mattia, A.; Giordano, F.; Potenza, R.; Tricomi, A.; Tuve, C.; Barbagli, G.; Chatterjee, K.; Ciulli, V.; Civinini, C.; D'Alessandro, R.; Focardi, E.; Lenzi, P.; Meschini, M.; Paoletti, S.; Russo, L.; Sguazzoni, G.; Strom, D.; Viliani, L.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Fabbri, F.; Piccolo, D.; Primavera, F.; Calvelli, V.; Ferro, F.; Robutti, E.; Tosi, S.; Brianza, L.; Brivio, F.; Ciriolo, V.; Dinardo, M. E.; Fiorendi, S.; Gennai, S.; Ghezzi, A.; Govoni, P.; Malberti, M.; Malvezzi, S.; Manzoni, R. A.; Menasce, D.; Moroni, L.; Paganoni, M.; Pauwels, K.; Pedrini, D.; Pigazzini, S.; Ragazzi, S.; Tabarelli de Fatis, T.; Buontempo, S.; Cavallo, N.; Di Guida, S.; Fabozzi, F.; Fienga, F.; Iorio, A. O. M.; Khan, W. A.; Lista, L.; Meola, S.; Paolucci, P.; Sciacca, C.; Thyssen, F.; Azzi, P.; Bacchetta, N.; Benato, L.; Boletti, A.; Carlin, R.; Carvalho Antunes De Oliveira, A.; Checchia, P.; Dall'Osso, M.; De Castro Manzano, P.; Dorigo, T.; Dosselli, U.; Gasparini, U.; Gozzelino, A.; Lacaprara, S.; Margoni, M.; Meneguzzo, A. T.; Pozzobon, N.; Ronchese, P.; Rossin, R.; Sgaravatto, M.; Simonetto, F.; Torassa, E.; Ventura, S.; Zanetti, M.; Zotto, P.; Zumerle, G.; Braghieri, A.; Fallavollita, F.; Magnani, A.; Montagna, P.; Ratti, S. P.; Re, V.; Ressegotti, M.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vai, I.; Vitulo, P.; Alunni Solestizi, L.; Bilei, G. M.; Ciangottini, D.; Fanò, L.; Lariccia, P.; Leonardi, R.; Mantovani, G.; Mariani, V.; Menichelli, M.; Saha, A.; Santocchia, A.; Spiga, D.; Androsov, K.; Azzurri, P.; Bagliesi, G.; Bernardini, J.; Boccali, T.; Borrello, L.; Castaldi, R.; Ciocci, M. A.; Dell'Orso, R.; Fedi, G.; Giannini, L.; Giassi, A.; Grippo, M. T.; Ligabue, F.; Lomtadze, T.; Manca, E.; Mandorli, G.; Martini, L.; Messineo, A.; Palla, F.; Rizzi, A.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Spagnolo, P.; Tenchini, R.; Tonelli, G.; Venturi, A.; Verdini, P. G.; Barone, L.; Cavallari, F.; Cipriani, M.; Del Re, D.; Diemoz, M.; Gelli, S.; Longo, E.; Margaroli, F.; Marzocchi, B.; Meridiani, P.; Organtini, G.; Paramatti, R.; Preiato, F.; Rahatlou, S.; Rovelli, C.; Santanastasio, F.; Amapane, N.; Arcidiacono, R.; Argiro, S.; Arneodo, M.; Bartosik, N.; Bellan, R.; Biino, C.; Cartiglia, N.; Cenna, F.; Costa, M.; Covarelli, R.; Degano, A.; Demaria, N.; Kiani, B.; Mariotti, C.; Maselli, S.; Migliore, E.; Monaco, V.; Monteil, E.; Monteno, M.; Obertino, M. M.; Pacher, L.; Pastrone, N.; Pelliccioni, M.; Pinna Angioni, G. L.; Ravera, F.; Romero, A.; Ruspa, M.; Sacchi, R.; Shchelina, K.; Sola, V.; Solano, A.; Staiano, A.; Traczyk, P.; Belforte, S.; Casarsa, M.; Cossutti, F.; Della Ricca, G.; Zanetti, A.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, G. N.; Kim, M. S.; Lee, J.; Lee, S.; Lee, S. W.; Oh, Y. D.; Sekmen, S.; Son, D. C.; Yang, Y. C.; Lee, A.; Kim, H.; Moon, D. H.; Oh, G.; Brochero Cifuentes, J. A.; Goh, J.; Kim, T. J.; Cho, S.; Choi, S.; Go, Y.; Gyun, D.; Ha, S.; Hong, B.; Jo, Y.; Kim, Y.; Lee, K.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, S.; Lim, J.; Park, S. K.; Roh, Y.; Almond, J.; Kim, J.; Kim, J. S.; Lee, H.; Lee, K.; Nam, K.; Oh, S. B.; Radburn-Smith, B. C.; Seo, S. h.; Yang, U. K.; Yoo, H. D.; Yu, G. B.; Choi, M.; Kim, H.; Kim, J. H.; Lee, J. S. H.; Park, I. C.; Ryu, G.; Choi, Y.; Hwang, C.; Lee, J.; Yu, I.; Dudenas, V.; Juodagalvis, A.; Vaitkus, J.; Ahmed, I.; Ibrahim, Z. A.; Md Ali, M. A. B.; Mohamad Idris, F.; Wan Abdullah, W. A. T.; Yusli, M. N.; Zolkapli, Z.; Castilla-Valdez, H.; De La Cruz-Burelo, E.; Heredia-De La Cruz, I.; Lopez-Fernandez, R.; Mejia Guisao, J.; Sanchez-Hernandez, A.; Carrillo Moreno, S.; Oropeza Barrera, C.; Vazquez Valencia, F.; Pedraza, I.; Salazar Ibarguen, H. A.; Uribe Estrada, C.; Morelos Pineda, A.; Krofcheck, D.; Butler, P. H.; Ahmad, A.; Ahmad, M.; Hassan, Q.; Hoorani, H. R.; Saddique, A.; Shah, M. A.; Shoaib, M.; Waqas, M.; Bialkowska, H.; Bluj, M.; Boimska, B.; Frueboes, T.; Górski, M.; Kazana, M.; Nawrocki, K.; Romanowska-Rybinska, K.; Szleper, M.; Zalewski, P.; Bunkowski, K.; Byszuk, A.; Doroba, K.; Kalinowski, A.; Konecki, M.; Krolikowski, J.; Misiura, M.; Olszewski, M.; Pyskir, A.; Walczak, M.; Bargassa, P.; Beirão Da Cruz E Silva, C.; Calpas, B.; Di Francesco, A.; Faccioli, P.; Gallinaro, M.; Hollar, J.; Leonardo, N.; Lloret Iglesias, L.; Nemallapudi, M. 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R.; Faulkner, J.; Gurpinar, E.; Kunori, S.; Lamichhane, K.; Lee, S. W.; Libeiro, T.; Peltola, T.; Undleeb, S.; Volobouev, I.; Wang, Z.; Greene, S.; Gurrola, A.; Janjam, R.; Johns, W.; Maguire, C.; Melo, A.; Ni, H.; Sheldon, P.; Tuo, S.; Velkovska, J.; Xu, Q.; Arenton, M. W.; Barria, P.; Cox, B.; Hirosky, R.; Ledovskoy, A.; Li, H.; Neu, C.; Sinthuprasith, T.; Sun, X.; Wang, Y.; Wolfe, E.; Xia, F.; Clarke, C.; Harr, R.; Karchin, P. E.; Sturdy, J.; Zaleski, S.; Buchanan, J.; Caillol, C.; Dasu, S.; Dodd, L.; Duric, S.; Gomber, B.; Grothe, M.; Herndon, M.; Hervé, A.; Hussain, U.; Klabbers, P.; Lanaro, A.; Levine, A.; Long, K.; Loveless, R.; Pierro, G. A.; Polese, G.; Ruggles, T.; Savin, A.; Smith, N.; Smith, W. H.; Taylor, D.; Woods, N.

2017-11-01

A search for pair production of massive vector-like T and B quarks in proton-proton collisions at √{s}=13 TeV is presented. The data set was collected in 2015 by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of up to 2.6 fb-1. The T and B quarks are assumed to decay through three possible channels into a heavy boson (either a W, Z or Higgs boson) and a third generation quark. This search is performed in final states with one charged lepton and several jets, exploiting techniques to identify W or Higgs bosons decaying hadronically with large transverse momenta. No excess over the predicted standard model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on the T quark pair production cross section are set that exclude T quark masses below 860 GeV in the singlet, and below 830 GeV in the doublet branching fraction scenario. For other branching fraction combinations with ℬ(T → tH) + ℬ(T → bW) ≥ 0.4, lower limits on the T quark range from 790 to 940 GeV. Limits are also set on pair production of singlet vector-like B quarks, which can be excluded up to a mass of 730 GeV. The techniques showcased here for understanding highly-boosted final states are important as the sensitivity to new particles is extended to higher masses. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Versatile approach for functional analysis of human proteins and efficient stable cell line generation using FLP-mediated recombination system

PubMed Central

Szczesny, Roman J.; Kowalska, Katarzyna; Klosowska-Kosicka, Kamila; Chlebowski, Aleksander; Owczarek, Ewelina P.; Warkocki, Zbigniew; Kulinski, Tomasz M.; Adamska, Dorota; Affek, Kamila; Jedroszkowiak, Agata; Kotrys, Anna V.; Tomecki, Rafal; Krawczyk, Pawel S.; Borowski, Lukasz S.; Dziembowski, Andrzej

2018-01-01

Deciphering a function of a given protein requires investigating various biological aspects. Usually, the protein of interest is expressed with a fusion tag that aids or allows subsequent analyses. Additionally, downregulation or inactivation of the studied gene enables functional studies. Development of the CRISPR/Cas9 methodology opened many possibilities but in many cases it is restricted to non-essential genes. Recombinase-dependent gene integration methods, like the Flp-In system, are very good alternatives. The system is widely used in different research areas, which calls for the existence of compatible vectors and efficient protocols that ensure straightforward DNA cloning and generation of stable cell lines. We have created and validated a robust series of 52 vectors for streamlined generation of stable mammalian cell lines using the FLP recombinase-based methodology. Using the sequence-independent DNA cloning method all constructs for a given coding-sequence can be made with just three universal PCR primers. Our collection allows tetracycline-inducible expression of proteins with various tags suitable for protein localization, FRET, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), protein dynamics studies (FRAP), co-immunoprecipitation, the RNA tethering assay and cell sorting. Some of the vectors contain a bidirectional promoter for concomitant expression of miRNA and mRNA, so that a gene can be silenced and its product replaced by a mutated miRNA-insensitive version. Our toolkit and protocols have allowed us to create more than 500 constructs with ease. We demonstrate the efficacy of our vectors by creating stable cell lines with various tagged proteins (numatrin, fibrillarin, coilin, centrin, THOC5, PCNA). We have analysed transgene expression over time to provide a guideline for future experiments and compared the effectiveness of commonly used inducers for tetracycline-responsive promoters. As proof of concept we examined the role of the exoribonuclease XRN2 in transcription termination by RNAseq. PMID:29590189

Vector vortex beam generation with dolphin-shaped cell meta-surface.

PubMed

Yang, Zhuo; Kuang, Deng-Feng; Cheng, Fang

2017-09-18

We present a dolphin-shaped cell meta-surface, which is a combination of dolphin-shaped metallic cells and dielectric substrate, for vector vortex beam generation with the illumination of linearly polarized light. Surface plasmon polaritons are excited at the boundary of the metallic cells, then guided by the metallic structures, and finally squeezed to the tips to form highly localized strong electromagnetic fields, which generate the intensity of vector vortex beams at z component. Synchronously, the abrupt phase change produced by the meta-surface is utilized to explain the vortex phase generated by elements. The new kind of structure can be utilized for communication, bioscience, and materiality.

Plectin-1 Targeted AAV Vector for the Molecular Imaging of Pancreatic Cancer

PubMed Central

Konkalmatt, Prasad R.; Deng, Defeng; Thomas, Stephanie; Wu, Michael T.; Logsdon, Craig D.; French, Brent A.; Kelly, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is highly malignant disease that is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the US. Gene therapy using AAV vectors to selectively deliver genes to PDAC cells is an attractive treatment option for pancreatic cancer. However, most AAV serotypes display a broad spectrum of tissue tropism and none of the existing serotypes specifically target PDAC cells. This study tests the hypothesis that AAV2 can be genetically re-engineered to specifically target PDAC cells by modifying the capsid surface to display a peptide that has previously been shown to bind plectin-1. Toward this end, a Plectin-1 Targeting Peptide (PTP) was inserted into the loop IV region of the AAV2 capsid, and the resulting capsid (AAV-PTP) was used in a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro, AAV-PTP was found to target all five human PDAC cell lines tested (PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, HPAC, MPanc-96, and BxPC-3) preferentially over two non-neoplastic human pancreatic cell lines (human pancreatic ductal epithelial and human pancreatic stellate cells). In vivo, mice bearing subcutaneous tumor xenografts were generated using the PANC-1 cell line. Once tumors reached a size of ∼1–2 mm in diameter, the mice were injected intravenously with luciferase reporter vectors packaged in the either AAV-PTP or wild type AAV2 capsids. Luciferase expression was then monitored by bioluminescence imaging on days 3, 7, and 14 after vector injection. The results indicate that the AAV-PTP capsid displays a 37-fold preference for PANC-1 tumor xenographs over liver and other tissues; whereas the wild type AAV2 capsid displays a complementary preference for liver over tumors and other tissues. Together, these results establish proof-of-principle for the ability of PTP-modified AAV capsids to selectively target gene delivery to PDAC cells in vivo, which opens promising new avenues for the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic cancer. PMID:23616947

Generating a Simulated Fluid Flow Over an Aircraft Surface Using Anisotropic Diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, David L. (Inventor); Sturdza, Peter (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A fluid-flow simulation over a computer-generated aircraft surface is generated using a diffusion technique. The surface is comprised of a surface mesh of polygons. A boundary-layer fluid property is obtained for a subset of the polygons of the surface mesh. A pressure-gradient vector is determined for a selected polygon, the selected polygon belonging to the surface mesh but not one of the subset of polygons. A maximum and minimum diffusion rate is determined along directions determined using a pressure gradient vector corresponding to the selected polygon. A diffusion-path vector is defined between a point in the selected polygon and a neighboring point in a neighboring polygon. An updated fluid property is determined for the selected polygon using a variable diffusion rate, the variable diffusion rate based on the minimum diffusion rate, maximum diffusion rate, and angular difference between the diffusion-path vector and the pressure-gradient vector.

Vector representation of user's view using self-organizing map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ae, Tadashi; Yamaguchi, Tomohisa; Monden, Eri; Kawabata, Shunji; Kamitani, Motoki

2004-05-01

There exist various objects, such as pictures, music, texts, etc., around our environment. We have a view for these objects by looking, reading or listening. Our view is concerned with our behaviors deeply, and is very important to understand our behaviors. Therefore, we propose a method which acquires a view as a vector, and apply the vector to sequence generation. We focus on sequences of the data of which a user selects from a multimedia database containing pictures, music, movie, etc.. These data cannot be stereotyped because user's view for them changes by each user. Therefore, we represent the structure of the multimedia database as the vector representing user's view and the stereotyped vector, and acquire sequences containing the structure as elements. We demonstrate a city-sequence generation system which reflects user's intension as an application of sequence generation containing user's view. We apply the self-organizing map to this system to represent user's view.

Advances in Time Estimation Methods for Molecular Data.

PubMed

Kumar, Sudhir; Hedges, S Blair

2016-04-01

Molecular dating has become central to placing a temporal dimension on the tree of life. Methods for estimating divergence times have been developed for over 50 years, beginning with the proposal of molecular clock in 1962. We categorize the chronological development of these methods into four generations based on the timing of their origin. In the first generation approaches (1960s-1980s), a strict molecular clock was assumed to date divergences. In the second generation approaches (1990s), the equality of evolutionary rates between species was first tested and then a strict molecular clock applied to estimate divergence times. The third generation approaches (since ∼2000) account for differences in evolutionary rates across the tree by using a statistical model, obviating the need to assume a clock or to test the equality of evolutionary rates among species. Bayesian methods in the third generation require a specific or uniform prior on the speciation-process and enable the inclusion of uncertainty in clock calibrations. The fourth generation approaches (since 2012) allow rates to vary from branch to branch, but do not need prior selection of a statistical model to describe the rate variation or the specification of speciation model. With high accuracy, comparable to Bayesian approaches, and speeds that are orders of magnitude faster, fourth generation methods are able to produce reliable timetrees of thousands of species using genome scale data. We found that early time estimates from second generation studies are similar to those of third and fourth generation studies, indicating that methodological advances have not fundamentally altered the timetree of life, but rather have facilitated time estimation by enabling the inclusion of more species. Nonetheless, we feel an urgent need for testing the accuracy and precision of third and fourth generation methods, including their robustness to misspecification of priors in the analysis of large phylogenies and data sets. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Little composite dark matter.

PubMed

Balkin, Reuven; Perez, Gilad; Weiler, Andreas

2018-01-01

We examine the dark matter phenomenology of a composite electroweak singlet state. This singlet belongs to the Goldstone sector of a well-motivated extension of the Littlest Higgs with T -parity. A viable parameter space, consistent with the observed dark matter relic abundance as well as with the various collider, electroweak precision and dark matter direct detection experimental constraints is found for this scenario. T -parity implies a rich LHC phenomenology, which forms an interesting interplay between conventional natural SUSY type of signals involving third generation quarks and missing energy, from stop-like particle production and decay, and composite Higgs type of signals involving third generation quarks associated with Higgs and electroweak gauge boson, from vector-like top-partners production and decay. The composite features of the dark matter phenomenology allows the composite singlet to produce the correct relic abundance while interacting weakly with the Higgs via the usual Higgs portal coupling [Formula: see text], thus evading direct detection.

Little composite dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balkin, Reuven; Perez, Gilad; Weiler, Andreas

2018-02-01

We examine the dark matter phenomenology of a composite electroweak singlet state. This singlet belongs to the Goldstone sector of a well-motivated extension of the Littlest Higgs with T-parity. A viable parameter space, consistent with the observed dark matter relic abundance as well as with the various collider, electroweak precision and dark matter direct detection experimental constraints is found for this scenario. T-parity implies a rich LHC phenomenology, which forms an interesting interplay between conventional natural SUSY type of signals involving third generation quarks and missing energy, from stop-like particle production and decay, and composite Higgs type of signals involving third generation quarks associated with Higgs and electroweak gauge boson, from vector-like top-partners production and decay. The composite features of the dark matter phenomenology allows the composite singlet to produce the correct relic abundance while interacting weakly with the Higgs via the usual Higgs portal coupling λ _{ {DM}}˜ O(1%), thus evading direct detection.

Robust production of virus-like particles and monoclonal antibodies with geminiviral replicon vectors in lettuce

PubMed Central

Lai, Huafang; He, Junyun; Engle, Michael; Diamond, Michael S.; Chen, Qiang

2011-01-01

Summary Pharmaceutical protein production in plants has been greatly promoted by the development of viral-based vectors and transient expression systems. Tobacco and related Nicotiana species are currently the most common host plants for generation of plant-made pharmaceutical proteins (PMPs). Downstream processing of target PMPs from these plants, however, is hindered by potential technical and regulatory difficulties due to the presence of high levels of phenolics and toxic alkaloids. Here, we explored the use of lettuce, which grows quickly yet produces low levels of secondary metabolites, and viral vector-based transient expression systems to develop a robust PMP production platform. Our results showed that a geminiviral replicon system based on the bean yellow dwarf virus permits high-level expression in lettuce of virus-like particles (VLP) derived from the Norwalk virus capsid protein and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Ebola and West Nile viruses. These vaccine and therapeutic candidates can be readily purified from lettuce leaves with scalable processing methods while fully retaining functional activity. Furthermore, this study also demonstrated the feasibility of using commercially produced lettuce for high-level PMP production. This allows our production system to have access to unlimited quantities of inexpensive plant material for large-scale production. These results establish a new production platform for biological pharmaceutical agents that is effective, safe, low-cost, and amenable to large-scale manufacturing. PMID:21883868

Generation of cylindrically polarized vector vortex beams with digital micromirror device

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

Gong, Lei; Liu, Weiwei; Wang, Meng

We propose a novel technique to directly transform a linearly polarized Gaussian beam into vector-vortex beams with various spatial patterns. Full high-quality control of amplitude and phase is implemented via a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) binary holography for generating Laguerre-Gaussian, Bessel-Gaussian, and helical Mathieu–Gaussian modes, while a radial polarization converter (S-waveplate) is employed to effectively convert the optical vortices into cylindrically polarized vortex beams. Additionally, the generated vector-vortex beams maintain their polarization symmetry after arbitrary polarization manipulation. Due to the high frame rates of DMD, rapid switching among a series of vector modes carrying different orbital angular momenta paves themore » way for optical microscopy, trapping, and communication.« less

Efficient construction of producer cell lines for a SIN lentiviral vector for SCID-X1 gene therapy by concatemeric array transfection

PubMed Central

Throm, Robert E.; Ouma, Annastasia A.; Zhou, Sheng; Chandrasekaran, Anantharaman; Lockey, Timothy; Greene, Michael; De Ravin, Suk See; Moayeri, Morvarid; Malech, Harry L.; Sorrentino, Brian P.

2009-01-01

Retroviral vectors containing internal promoters, chromatin insulators, and self-inactivating (SIN) long terminal repeats (LTRs) may have significantly reduced genotoxicity relative to the conventional retroviral vectors used in recent, otherwise successful clinical trials. Large-scale production of such vectors is problematic, however, as the introduction of SIN vectors into packaging cells cannot be accomplished with the traditional method of viral transduction. We have derived a set of packaging cell lines for HIV-based lentiviral vectors and developed a novel concatemeric array transfection technique for the introduction of SIN vector genomes devoid of enhancer and promoter sequences in the LTR. We used this method to derive a producer cell clone for a SIN lentiviral vector expressing green fluorescent protein, which when grown in a bioreactor generated more than 20 L of supernatant with titers above 107 transducing units (TU) per milliliter. Further refinement of our technique enabled the rapid generation of whole populations of stably transformed cells that produced similar titers. Finally, we describe the construction of an insulated, SIN lentiviral vector encoding the human interleukin 2 receptor common γ chain (IL2RG) gene and the efficient derivation of cloned producer cells that generate supernatants with titers greater than 5 × 107 TU/mL and that are suitable for use in a clinical trial for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1). PMID:19286997

Detection of osteoclastic cell-cell fusion through retroviral vector packaging.

PubMed

Kondo, Takako; Ikeda, Kyoji; Matsuo, Koichi

2004-11-01

Cell-cell fusion generates multinucleated cells such as osteoclasts in bone, myotubes in muscle, and trophoblasts in placenta. Molecular details governing these fusion processes are still largely unknown. As a step toward identification of fusogenic genes, we tested the concept that retroviral vectors can be packaged as a result of cell-cell fusion. First, we introduced replication-deficient retroviral vectors expressing mCAT-1, which mediates fusogenic interaction with the retroviral envelope protein Env, into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells to generate vector cells. Plasmids expressing virion proteins Gag, Pol, and Env were introduced into a separate culture of CHO cells to generate packaging cells. Co-culturing vector and packaging cells resulted in production of infectious retroviruses carrying the mCAT-1 gene as a consequence of cell-cell fusion. Second, we introduced a retroviral vector into primary osteoclast precursors and co-cultured them with established osteoclast precursor RAW264.7 cells, which turned out to harbor packaging activity. Packaged retroviral vector was detected in culture supernatants only where the osteoclast differentiation factor receptor activator for NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) induced fusion between these two cell types. These data suggest that retrovirus production can occur as a result of cell-cell fusion. This provides a novel approach for isolating and characterizing fusogenic genes using retroviral expression vectors.

Design of 2D time-varying vector fields.

PubMed

Chen, Guoning; Kwatra, Vivek; Wei, Li-Yi; Hansen, Charles D; Zhang, Eugene

2012-10-01

Design of time-varying vector fields, i.e., vector fields that can change over time, has a wide variety of important applications in computer graphics. Existing vector field design techniques do not address time-varying vector fields. In this paper, we present a framework for the design of time-varying vector fields, both for planar domains as well as manifold surfaces. Our system supports the creation and modification of various time-varying vector fields with desired spatial and temporal characteristics through several design metaphors, including streamlines, pathlines, singularity paths, and bifurcations. These design metaphors are integrated into an element-based design to generate the time-varying vector fields via a sequence of basis field summations or spatial constrained optimizations at the sampled times. The key-frame design and field deformation are also introduced to support other user design scenarios. Accordingly, a spatial-temporal constrained optimization and the time-varying transformation are employed to generate the desired fields for these two design scenarios, respectively. We apply the time-varying vector fields generated using our design system to a number of important computer graphics applications that require controllable dynamic effects, such as evolving surface appearance, dynamic scene design, steerable crowd movement, and painterly animation. Many of these are difficult or impossible to achieve via prior simulation-based methods. In these applications, the time-varying vector fields have been applied as either orientation fields or advection fields to control the instantaneous appearance or evolving trajectories of the dynamic effects.

Analytic calculation of finite-population reproductive numbers for direct- and vector-transmitted diseases with homogeneous mixing.

PubMed

Keegan, Lindsay; Dushoff, Jonathan

2014-05-01

The basic reproductive number, R0, provides a foundation for evaluating how various factors affect the incidence of infectious diseases. Recently, it has been suggested that, particularly for vector-transmitted diseases, R0 should be modified to account for the effects of finite host population within a single disease transmission generation. Here, we use a transmission factor approach to calculate such "finite-population reproductive numbers," under the assumption of homogeneous mixing, for both vector-borne and directly transmitted diseases. In the case of vector-borne diseases, we estimate finite-population reproductive numbers for both host-to-host and vector-to-vector generations, assuming that the vector population is effectively infinite. We find simple, interpretable formulas for all three of these quantities. In the direct case, we find that finite-population reproductive numbers diverge from R0 before R0 reaches half of the population size. In the vector-transmitted case, we find that the host-to-host number diverges at even lower values of R0, while the vector-to-vector number diverges very little over realistic parameter ranges.

Search for single production of vector-like top partners at the Large Hadron Electron Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yao-Bei

2017-10-01

The new vector-like top partners with charge 2/3 are a typical feature of many new physics models beyond the Standard Model (SM). We propose a search strategy for single production of top partners T focusing on both the T → Wb and T → th decay channels at the Large Hadron Electron Collider (LHeC). Our analysis is based on a simplified model in which the top partner is an SU (2) singlet, with couplings only to the third generation of SM quarks. We study the observability of the single T through the processes e+ p → T (→ bW+)νbare → bℓ+ + E̸Tmiss and e+ p → T (→ th)νbare → t (→ jj‧ b) h (→ b b bar) E̸Tmiss at the LHeC with the proposed 140 GeV electron beam (with 80% polarization) and 7 TeV proton beam. For three typical T-quark masses (800, 900 and 1000 GeV), the 3σ exclusion limits on the TWb coupling are respectively presented for various values of the integrated luminosity.

SCALS: a fourth-generation study of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context

PubMed Central

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Shaw, Sara; Wherton, Joe; Hughes, Gemma; Lynch, Jenni; A'Court, Christine; Hinder, Sue; Fahy, Nick; Byrne, Emma; Finlayson, Alexander; Sorell, Tom; Procter, Rob; Stones, Rob

2016-01-01

Introduction Research to date into assisted living technologies broadly consists of 3 generations: technical design, experimental trials and qualitative studies of the patient experience. We describe a fourth-generation paradigm: studies of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context. Fourth-generation studies are necessarily organic and emergent; they view technology as part of a dynamic, networked and potentially unstable system. They use co-design methods to generate and stabilise local solutions, taking account of context. Methods and analysis SCALS (Studies in Co-creating Assisted Living Solutions) consists (currently) of 5 organisational case studies, each an English health or social care organisation striving to introduce technology-supported services to support independent living in people with health and/or social care needs. Treating these cases as complex systems, we seek to explore interdependencies, emergence and conflict. We employ a co-design approach informed by the principles of action research to help participating organisations establish, refine and evaluate their service. To that end, we are conducting in-depth ethnographic studies of people's experience of assisted living technologies (micro level), embedded in evolving organisational case studies that use interviews, ethnography and document analysis (meso level), and exploring the wider national and international context for assisted living technologies and policy (macro level). Data will be analysed using a sociotechnical framework developed from structuration theory. Ethics and dissemination Research ethics approval for the first 4 case studies has been granted. An important outcome will be lessons learned from individual co-design case studies. We will document the studies’ credibility and rigour, and assess the transferability of findings to other settings while also recognising unique aspects of the contexts in which they were generated. Academic outputs will include a cross-case analysis and progress in theory and method of fourth-generation assisted living technology research. We will produce practical guidance for organisations, policymakers, designers and service users. PMID:26880671

Endemic Scrub Typhus-like Illness, Chile

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

from Asia. The primary hosts for Rickettsia species are arthropods that can also act as disease vectors for humans and other vertebrates. Ticks...are vectors for most rickettsioses caused by spotted fever group rickettsiae . Alternative vectors for rickettsiae are well known, including fl eas as...sample recovered from a paraffi n- embedded sample for electron microscopy, showed round and oval rickettsia -like microorganisms, maximum diameter

Use of the piggyBac transposon to create stable packaging cell lines for the production of clinical-grade self-inactivating γ-retroviral vectors.

PubMed

Feldman, Steven A; Xu, Hui; Black, Mary A; Park, Tristen S; Robbins, Paul F; Kochenderfer, James N; Morgan, Richard A; Rosenberg, Steven A

2014-08-01

Efforts to improve the biosafety of γ-retroviral-mediated gene therapy have resulted in a shift toward the use of self-inactivating (SIN) γ-retroviral vectors. However, scale-up and manufacturing of such vectors requires significant optimization of transient transfection-based processes or development of novel platforms for the generation of stable producer cell clones. To that end, we describe the use of the piggybac transposon to generate stable producer cell clones for the production of SIN γ-retroviral vectors. The piggybac transposon is a universal tool allowing for the stable integration of SIN γ-retroviral constructs into murine (PG13) and human 293-based Phoenix (GALV and RD114, respectively) packaging cell lines without reverse transcription. Following transposition, a high-titer clone is selected for manufacture of a master cell bank and subsequent γ-retroviral vector supernatant production. Packaging cell clones created using the piggybac transposon have comparable titers to non-SIN vectors generated via conventional methods. We describe herein the use of the piggybac transposon for the production of stable packaging cell clones for the manufacture of clinical-grade SIN γ-retroviral vectors for ex vivo gene therapy clinical trials.

Comparing the effects of the second-and third-generation oral contraceptives on sexual functioning.

PubMed

Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Bayatipayan, Somaye; Khalili, Azizeh Farshbaf; Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh Ranjbar; Jafarabadi, Mohammad Asghari; Banoi, Kamala Gaza; Nahaee, Jila

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the second- and third-generation oral contraceptives on women's reproductive sexual function. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 82 married women of reproductive age in Tehran. Samples were randomized into the groups receiving second- and third-generation oral contraceptive pills. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) tool was used before the intervention and 2 and 4 months after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA) within repeated measures and P < 0.05 were considered significant. There was a statistically significant difference in the positive and negative moods between the experimental and control groups before the intervention in the second and fourth months. The second-generation pills caused a decrease in sexual function in the second month and an increase in sexual function in the fourth month, but the third-generation pills led to an increase in sexual function in the second and fourth months. The increase in sexual function that resulted from using the third-generation pills was significantly higher than that resulted on using the second-generation pills. According to the results of this study, sexual functioning decreased in the second month of using the second-generation pills and sexual performance was significantly more on using the third-generation pills compared to second-generation pills. The most common type of oral contraceptive used in Iran is the second-generation oral contraceptive LD™ (low-dose estrogen), which is freely distributed in health centers. Therefore, it is necessary for women who wish to use these contraceptive methods to be educated and consulted before they start using them. The third-generation contraceptive pills can be recommended to women who wish to use oral contraceptives.

A Real-Time Phase Vector Display for EEG Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finger, Herbert J.; Anliker, James E.; Rimmer, Tamara

1973-01-01

A real-time, computer-based, phase vector display system has been developed which will output a vector whose phase is equal to the delay between a trigger and the peak of a function which is quasi-coherent with respect to the trigger. The system also contains a sliding averager which enables the operator to average successive trials before calculating the phase vector. Data collection, averaging and display generation are performed on a LINC-8 computer. Output displays appear on several X-Y CRT display units and on a kymograph camera/oscilloscope unit which is used to generate photographs of time-varying phase vectors or contourograms of time-varying averages of input functions.

Probability of a false-negative HIV antibody test result during the window period: a tool for pre- and post-test counselling.

PubMed

Taylor, Darlene; Durigon, Monica; Davis, Heather; Archibald, Chris; Konrad, Bernhard; Coombs, Daniel; Gilbert, Mark; Cook, Darrel; Krajden, Mel; Wong, Tom; Ogilvie, Gina

2015-03-01

Failure to understand the risk of false-negative HIV test results during the window period results in anxiety. Patients typically want accurate test results as soon as possible while clinicians prefer to wait until the probability of a false-negative is virtually nil. This review summarizes the median window periods for third-generation antibody and fourth-generation HIV tests and provides the probability of a false-negative result for various days post-exposure. Data were extracted from published seroconversion panels. A 10-day eclipse period was used to estimate days from infection to first detection of HIV RNA. Median (interquartile range) days to seroconversion were calculated and probabilities of a false-negative result at various time periods post-exposure are reported. The median (interquartile range) window period for third-generation tests was 22 days (19-25) and 18 days (16-24) for fourth-generation tests. The probability of a false-negative result is 0.01 at 80 days' post-exposure for third-generation tests and at 42 days for fourth-generation tests. The table of probabilities of falsely-negative HIV test results may be useful during pre- and post-test HIV counselling to inform co-decision making regarding the ideal time to test for HIV. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Production of Enterocin P, an Antilisterial Pediocin-Like Bacteriocin from Enterococcus faecium P13, in Pichia pastoris

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, Jorge; Criado, Raquel; Martín, María; Herranz, Carmen; Cintas, Luis M.; Hernández, Pablo E.

2005-01-01

The gene encoding mature enterocin P (EntP), an antimicrobial peptide from Enterococcus faecium P13, was cloned into the pPICZαA expression vector to generate plasmid pJC31. This plasmid was integrated into the genome of P. pastoris X-33, and EntP was heterologously secreted from the recombinant P. pastoris X-33t1 derivative at a higher production and antagonistic activity than from E. faecium P13. PMID:15980385

A low-cost municipal sewage treatment system with a combination of UASB and the "fourth-generation" downflow hanging sponge reactors.

PubMed

Tandukar, M; Uemura, S; Machdar, I; Ohashi, A; Harada, H

2005-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of the process performance of a pilot-scale "fourth generation" downflow hanging sponge (DHS) post-treatment system combined with a UASB pretreatment unit treating municipal wastewater. After the successful operation of the second- and third-generation DHS reactors, the fourth-generation DHS reactor was developed to overcome a few shortcomings of its predecessors. This reactor was designed to further enhance the treatment efficiency and simplify the construction process in real scale, especially for the application in developing countries. Configuration of the reactor was modified to enhance the dissolution of air into the wastewater and to avert the possible clogging of the reactor especially during sudden washout from the UASB reactor. The whole system was operated at a total hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 8 h (UASB: 6 h and DHS: 2 h) for a period of over 600 days. The combined system was able to remove 96% of unfiltered BOD with only 9 mg/L remaining in the final effluent. Likewise, F. coli were removed by 3.45 log with the final count of 10(3) to 10(4) MPN/100 ml. Nutrient removal by the system was also satisfactory.

Intra-instar larval cannibalism in Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) and Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Porretta, Daniele; Mastrantonio, Valentina; Crasta, Graziano; Bellini, Romeo; Comandatore, Francesco; Rossi, Paolo; Favia, Guido; Bandi, Claudio; Urbanelli, Sandra

2016-11-02

Cannibalism has been observed in a wide range of animal taxa and its importance in persistence and stability of populations has been documented. In anopheline malaria vectors the inter-instar cannibalism between fourth- and first-instar larvae (L4-L1) has been shown in several species, while intra-instar cannibalism remains poorly investigated. In this study we tested the occurrence of intra-instar cannibalism within larvae of second-, third- and fourth-instar (L2, L3 and L4) of Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) and An. stephensi. Experiments were set up under laboratory conditions and the effects of larval density, duration of the contact period among larvae and the presence of an older larva (i.e. a potential cannibal of bigger size) on cannibalism rate were analysed. Cannibalism was assessed by computing the number of missing larvae after 24 and 48 h from the beginning of the experiments and further documented by records with a GoPro videocamera. Intra-instar cannibalism was observed in all larval instars of both species with higher frequency in An. gambiae (s.s.) than in An. stephensi. In both species the total number of cannibalistic events increased from 0-24 to 0-48 h. The density affected the cannibalism rate, but its effect was related to the larval instar and to the presence of older larvae. Interestingly, the lower cannibalism rate between L4 larvae was observed at the highest density and the cannibalism rate between L3 larvae decreased when one L4 was added. The present study provides experimental evidence of intra-instar cannibalism in the malaria vectors An. gambiae (s.s.) and An. stephensi and highlights the possible occurrence of complex interactions between all larval instars potentially present in the breeding sites. We hypothesize that the high density and the presence of a potential cannibal of bigger size could affect the readiness to attack conspecifics, resulting into low risk larval behavior and lower cannibalism rate. The understanding of cannibalistic behavior and the factors affecting it is of utmost importance for malaria vectors, as nutrition during larval development can strongly affect the fitness of adult female mosquitoes and ultimately their vector ability.

Production and purification of lentiviral vectors generated in 293T suspension cells with baculoviral vectors.

PubMed

Lesch, H P; Laitinen, A; Peixoto, C; Vicente, T; Makkonen, K-E; Laitinen, L; Pikkarainen, J T; Samaranayake, H; Alves, P M; Carrondo, M J T; Ylä-Herttuala, S; Airenne, K J

2011-06-01

Lentivirus can be engineered to be a highly potent vector for gene therapy applications. However, generation of clinical grade vectors in enough quantities for therapeutic use is still troublesome and limits the preclinical and clinical experiments. As a first step to solve this unmet need we recently introduced a baculovirus-based production system for lentiviral vector (LV) production using adherent cells. Herein, we have adapted and optimized the production of these vectors to a suspension cell culture system using recombinant baculoviruses delivering all elements required for a safe latest generation LV preparation. High-titer LV stocks were achieved in 293T cells grown in suspension. Produced viruses were accurately characterized and the functionality was also tested in vivo. Produced viruses were compared with viruses produced by calcium phosphate transfection method in adherent cells and polyethylenimine transfection method in suspension cells. Furthermore, a scalable and cost-effective capture purification step was developed based on a diethylaminoethyl monolithic column capable of removing most of the baculoviruses from the LV pool with 65% recovery.

Search for vector-like quark production in the lepton+jets and dilepton+jets final states using 5.4 fb -1 of Run II data

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

Caughron, Seth

2011-01-01

The Standard Model of particle physics provides an excellent description of particle interactions at energies up to ~1 TeV, but it is expected to fail above that scale. Multiple models developed to describe phenomena above the TeV scale predict the existence of very massive, vector-like quarks. A search for single electroweak production of such particles in pmore » $$\\bar{p}$$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV is performed in the W+jets and Z+jets channels. The data were collected by the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb -1. Events consistent with a heavy object decaying to a vector boson and a jet are selected. We observe no significant excess in comparison to the background prediction and set 95% confidence level upper limits on production cross sections for vector-like quarks decaying to W+jet and Z+jet. Assuming a vector-like quark -- standard model quark coupling parameter $$\\tilde{κ}$$ qQ of unity, we exclude vector-like quarks with mass below 693 GeV for decays to W+jet and mass below 449 GeV for decays to Z+jet. These represent the most sensitive limits to date.« less

Rapid adaptation of invertebrate pests to climatic stress?

PubMed

Hoffmann, Ary A

2017-06-01

There is surprisingly little information on adaptive responses of pests and disease vectors to climatic stresses even though the short generation times and large population sizes associated with pests make rapid adaptation likely. Most evidence of adaptive differentiation has been obtained from geographic comparisons and these can directly or indirectly indicate rates of adaptation where historical data on invasions are available. There is very little information on adaptive shifts in pests detected through molecular comparisons even though the genomes of many pests are now available and can help to identify markers underlying adaptation. While the limited evidence available points to frequent rapid adaptation that can affect pest and disease vector control, constraints to adaptation are also evident and a predictive framework around the likelihood and limits of rapid adaptation is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communication systems, transceivers, and methods for generating data based on channel characteristics

DOEpatents

Forman, Michael A; Young, Derek

2012-09-18

Examples of methods for generating data based on a communications channel are described. In one such example, a processing unit may generate a first vector representation based in part on at least two characteristics of a communications channel. A constellation having at least two dimensions may be addressed with the first vector representation to identify a first symbol associated with the first vector representation. The constellation represents a plurality of regions, each region associated with a respective symbol. The symbol may be used to generate data, which may stored in an electronic storage medium and used as a cryptographic key or a spreading code or hopping sequence in a modulation technique.

Preclinical development of BCG.HIVA2auxo.int, harboring an integrative expression vector, for a HIV-TB Pediatric vaccine. Enhancement of stability and specific HIV-1 T-cell immunity.

PubMed

Mahant, Aakash; Saubi, Narcís; Eto, Yoshiki; Guitart, Núria; Gatell, Josep Ma; Hanke, Tomáš; Joseph, Joan

2017-08-03

One of the critical issues that should be addressed in the development of a BCG-based HIV vaccine is genetic plasmid stability. Therefore, to address this issue we have considered using integrative vectors and the auxotrophic mutant of BCG complemented with a plasmid carrying a wild-type complementing gene. In this study, we have constructed an integrative E. coli-mycobacterial shuttle plasmid, p2auxo.HIVA int , expressing the HIV-1 clade A immunogen HIVA. This shuttle vector uses an antibiotic resistance-free mechanism for plasmid selection and maintenance. It was first transformed into a glycine auxotrophic E. coli strain and subsequently transformed into a lysine auxotrophic Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain to generate the vaccine BCG.HIVA 2auxo.int . Presence of the HIVA gene sequence and protein expression was confirmed. We demonstrated that the in vitro stability of the integrative plasmid p2auxo.HIVA int was increased 4-fold, as compared with the BCG strain harboring the episomal plasmid, and was genetically and phenotypically characterized. The BCG.HIVA 2auxo.int vaccine in combination with modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA).HIVA was found to be safe and induced HIV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific interferon-γ-producing T-cell responses in adult BALB/c mice. We have engineered a more stable and immunogenic BCG-vectored vaccine using the prototype immunogen HIVA. Thus, the use of integrative expression vectors and the antibiotic-free plasmid selection system based on "double" auxotrophic complementation are likely to improve the mycobacterial vaccine stability in vivo and immunogenicity to develop not only recombinant BCG-based vaccines expressing second generation of HIV-1 immunogens but also other major pediatric pathogens to prime protective responses shortly following birth.

The vector-like twin Higgs

DOE PAGES

Craig, Nathaniel; Knapen, Simon; Longhi, Pietro; ...

2016-07-01

Here, we present a version of the twin Higgs mechanism with vector-like top partners. In this setup all gauge anomalies automatically cancel, even without twin leptons. The matter content of the most minimal twin sector is therefore just two twin tops and one twin bottom. The LHC phenomenology, illustrated with two example models, is dominated by twin glueball decays, possibly in association with Higgs bosons. We further construct an explicit four-dimensional UV completion and discuss a variety of UV completions relevant for both vector-like and fraternal twin Higgs models.

Decomposition of group-velocity-locked-vector-dissipative solitons and formation of the high-order soliton structure by the product of their recombination.

PubMed

Wang, Xuan; Li, Lei; Geng, Ying; Wang, Hanxiao; Su, Lei; Zhao, Luming

2018-02-01

By using a polarization manipulation and projection system, we numerically decomposed the group-velocity-locked-vector-dissipative solitons (GVLVDSs) from a normal dispersion fiber laser and studied the combination of the projections of the phase-modulated components of the GVLVDS through a polarization beam splitter. Pulses with a structure similar to a high-order vector soliton could be obtained, which could be considered as a pseudo-high-order GVLVDS. It is found that, although GVLVDSs are intrinsically different from group-velocity-locked-vector solitons generated in fiber lasers operated in the anomalous dispersion regime, similar characteristics for the generation of pseudo-high-order GVLVDS are obtained. However, pulse chirp plays a significant role on the generation of pseudo-high-order GVLVDS.

Climate, environmental and socio-economic change: weighing up the balance in vector-borne disease transmission.

PubMed

Parham, Paul E; Waldock, Joanna; Christophides, George K; Hemming, Deborah; Agusto, Folashade; Evans, Katherine J; Fefferman, Nina; Gaff, Holly; Gumel, Abba; LaDeau, Shannon; Lenhart, Suzanne; Mickens, Ronald E; Naumova, Elena N; Ostfeld, Richard S; Ready, Paul D; Thomas, Matthew B; Velasco-Hernandez, Jorge; Michael, Edwin

2015-04-05

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is owing not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but also, perhaps most crucially, to the multitude of epidemiological, ecological and socio-economic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the past 10-15 years. In this review, we seek to elucidate current knowledge around this topic, identify key themes and uncertainties, evaluate ongoing challenges and open research questions and, crucially, offer some solutions for the field. Although many of these challenges are ubiquitous across multiple VBDs, more specific issues also arise in different vector-pathogen systems. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of a dry, pulsating microburst at Denver Stapleton Airport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proctor, Fred H.

1994-01-01

This study examines the influence of ambient vertical wind shear on microburst intensity, asymmetry, and translation. Results show that microburst asymmetry is influenced by the magnitude of the low-level ambient vertical shear. The microburst outflow elongates in the direction of the shear vector (which is not necessarily in the direction of translation), and generates the greatest hazard (for commercial jet transports) along paths orthogonal to the shear vector. The model results also show that the asymmetry increases with increasing shear magnitude. One implication of these results concerns the detection of a microburst by a ground-based doppler systems. These systems may underestimate the hazard for landing and departing aircraft that are on trajectories orthogonal to both the sensor beam and shear vector, especially if the magnitude of the shear is large. Another implication is that microburst are more likely to be asymmetrical in regions (seasons) where there is climatologically a significant low-level shear. The model results also show that the rotor microbursts and severe wind damage can be a product of the microburst interaction with strong ambient wind shear.

Identification of Essential Genetic Baculoviral Elements for Recombinant Protein Expression by Transactivation in Sf21 Insect Cells.

PubMed

Bleckmann, Maren; Schürig, Margitta; Chen, Fang-Fang; Yen, Zen-Zen; Lindemann, Nils; Meyer, Steffen; Spehr, Johannes; van den Heuvel, Joop

2016-01-01

The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) is widely used to produce high amounts of recombinant proteins. Nevertheless, generating recombinant baculovirus in high quality is rather time-consuming and labor-intensive. Alternatively, virus-free expression in insect cells did not achieve similar expression levels for most proteins so far. The transactivation method is a promising approach for protein expression in Sf21 cells. It combines advantages of BEVS and plasmid-based expression by activating strong virus-dependent promoters on a transfected plasmid by baculoviral coinfection. Here, we identified expression elements required for transactivation. Therefore, we designed several vectors comprising different viral promoters or promoter combinations and tested them for eGFP expression using the automated BioLector microcultivation system. Remarkably, only the combination of the very late promoter p10 together with the homologous region 5 (hr5) could boost expression during transactivation. Other elements, like p10 alone or the late viral promoter polH, did not respond to transactivation. A new combination of hr5 and p10 with the strongest immediate early OpMNPV viral promoter OpIE2 improved the yield of eGFP by ~25% in comparison to the previous applied hr5-IE1-p10 expression cassette. Furthermore, we observed a strong influence of the transcription termination sequence and vector backbone on the level of expression. Finally, the expression levels for transactivation, BEVS and solely plasmid-based expression were compared for the marker protein eGFP, underlining the potential of transactivation for fast recombinant protein expression in Sf21 cells. In conclusion, essential elements for transactivation could be identified. The optimal elements were applied to generate an improved vector applicable in virus-free plasmid-based expression, transactivation and BEVS.

Ferrotoroidial propertiesof Non-Crystallographic Pointgroups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sireesha, G.; Devi, S. Uma; Yamini Sankar, CH.

2017-08-01

Primary ferroic crystals are the crystals with domain states that are distinguished by properties like spontaneous magnetization, strain, or polarisation. Secondary ferroic crystals are the crystals with domain states that are distinguished by piezoelectric tensor and they are named as Ferromagnetotoroidic (eV2), Ferromagnetoelastic (aeV [V2]) crystals respectively. Here “e” denotes zero rank tensor that changes under spatial inversion, “a” denotes zero rank tensor that changes under time inversion, and “V” denotes a polar vector. Recent observations (Van Aken et al., 2007) identified the fourth type of primary ferroic crystals, a ferrotoroidic crystal with domains distinguished by a toroidial moment. The number of independent constants of quasi crystals is theoretically derived by Wenge Yang et al., (1995). He also formulated the number of independent components of any physical property tensor of quasi crystals using group representation theory. This paper accounts the effect of symmetry on some ferrotoroidial properties of quasi Crystals with 5-fold, 8-fold, 10-fold and 12-fold symmetries using group theoretical methods. Also the number of independent constants is calculated and tabulated that helps in describing the ferrotoroidial properties.

Climate change and infectious diseases in North America: the road ahead.

PubMed

Greer, Amy; Ng, Victoria; Fisman, David

2008-03-11

Global climate change is inevitable--the combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in a buildup of greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, causing unprecedented changes to the earth's climate. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that North America will experience marked changes in weather patterns in coming decades, including warmer temperatures and increased rainfall, summertime droughts and extreme weather events (e.g., tornadoes and hurricanes). Although these events may have direct consequences for health (e.g., injuries and displacement of populations due to thermal stress), they are also likely to cause important changes in the incidence and distribution of infectious diseases, including vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, water-and food-borne diseases and diseases with environmental reservoirs (e.g., endemic fungal diseases). Changes in weather patterns and ecosystems, and health consequences of climate change will probably be most severe in far northern regions (e.g., the Arctic). We provide an overview of the expected nature and direction of such changes, which pose current and future challenges to health care providers and public health agencies.

Climate change and infectious diseases in North America: the road ahead

PubMed Central

Greer, Amy; Ng, Victoria; Fisman, David

2008-01-01

Global climate change is inevitable — the combustion of fossil fuels has resulted in a buildup of greenhouse gases within the atmosphere, causing unprecedented changes to the earth's climate. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that North America will experience marked changes in weather patterns in coming decades, including warmer temperatures and increased rainfall, summertime droughts and extreme weather events (e.g., tornadoes and hurricanes). Although these events may have direct consequences for health (e.g., injuries and displacement of populations due to thermal stress), they are also likely to cause important changes in the incidence and distribution of infectious diseases, including vector-borne and zoonotic diseases, water-and food-borne diseases and diseases with environmental reservoirs (e.g., endemic fungal diseases). Changes in weather patterns and ecosystems, and health consequences of climate change will probably be most severe in far northern regions (e.g., the Arctic). We provide an overview of the expected nature and direction of such changes, which pose current and future challenges to health care providers and public health agencies. PMID:18332386

Descriptions of the Immature Stages of Lutzomyia (Tricholateralis) cruciata (Coquillett) (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae).

PubMed

Montes de Oca-Aguilar, A C; Rebollar-Téllez, E A; Piermarini, P M; Ibáñez-Bernal, S

2017-02-01

The present study presents morphological and chaetotaxic descriptions of the immature stages of Lutzomyia (Tricholateralis) cruciata (Coquillett), a probable vector of leishmaniasis in Mexico. The egg exochorion is consistent with the species already known as Lu. (Tricholaterialis), but different from the Lu. cruciata egg of Chiapas, Mexico. The fourth instar larva of Lu. (Tricholateralis) cruciata possesses a novel antenna, combining morphological characteristics of categories 2 and 3 for neotropical sandflies. Differences between the chaetotaxy of first and fourth instar larvae of Lu. cruciata with those of Lu. (Lutzomyia) and Lu. (Tricholaterlis) are compared and discussed. This is the first time in which the chaetotaxy and morphology of pupa of a species belonging to Lutzomyia (Tricholateralis) sensu Galati have been described, and we recorded for the first time the anterior prothorax setae, which was previously only considered for Old World species.

Construction of Various γ34.5 Deleted Fluorescent-Expressing Oncolytic herpes Simplex type 1 (oHSV) for Generation and Isolation of HSV-Based Vectors

PubMed

Abdoli, Shahriyar; Roohvand, Farzin; Teimoori-Toolabi, Ladan; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Bahrololoumi, Mina; Azadmanesh, Kayhan

2017-07-01

Oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV)-based vectors lacking γ34.5 gene, are considered as ideal templates to construct efficient vectors for (targeted) cancer gene therapy. Herein, we reported the construction of three single/dually-flourescence labeled and γ34.5-deleted, recombinant HSV-1 vectors for rapid generation and easy selection/isolation of different HSV-Based vectors. Generation of recombinant viruses was performed with conventional homologous recombination methods using green fluorescent protein (GFP) and BleCherry harboring shuttle vectors. Viruses were isolated by direct fluorescence observation and standard plaque purifying methods and confirmed by PCR and sequencing and flow cytometry. XTT and plaque assay titration were performed on Vero, U87MG, and T98 GBM cell lines. We generated three recombinant viruses, HSV-GFP, HSV-GR (Green-Red), and HSV-Red. The HSV-GFP showed two log higher titer (1010 PFU) than wild type (108 PFU). In contrast, HSV-GR and HSV-Red showed one log lower titer (107 PFU) than parental HSV. Cytotoxicity analysis showed that HSV-GR and HSV-Red can lyse target tumor cells at multiplicity of infection of 10 and 1 (P<0.001). Moreover, HSV-GFP showed higher infection potency (98%) in comparison with HSV-GR (82%). Our oHSVs provide a simple and an efficient platform for construction and rapid isolation of 2nd and 3rd generation oHSVs by replacing the inserted dyes with transgenes and also for rapid identification via fluorescence activated cell sorting. These vectors can also be used for tracing the efficacy of therapeutic agents on target cells, imaging of neural or tumoral cells in vitro/in vivo and as oncolytic agents in cancer therapy.

Current status of genome editing in vector mosquitoes: A review.

PubMed

Reegan, Appadurai Daniel; Ceasar, Stanislaus Antony; Paulraj, Michael Gabriel; Ignacimuthu, Savarimuthu; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah

2017-01-16

Mosquitoes pose a major threat to human health as they spread many deadly diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, Japanese encephalitis and Zika. Identification and use of novel molecular tools are essential to combat the spread of vector borne diseases. Genome editing tools have been used for the precise alterations of the gene of interest for producing the desirable trait in mosquitoes. Deletion of functional genes or insertion of toxic genes in vector mosquitoes will produce either knock-out or knock-in mutants that will check the spread of vector-borne diseases. Presently, three types of genome editing tools viz., zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) and clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR associated protein 9 (Cas9) are widely used for the editing of the genomes of diverse organisms. These tools are also applied in vector mosquitoes to control the spread of vector-borne diseases. A few studies have been carried out on genome editing to control the diseases spread by vector mosquitoes and more studies need to be performed with the utilization of more recently invented tools like CRISPR/Cas9 to combat the spread of deadly diseases by vector mosquitoes. The high specificity and flexibility of CRISPR/Cas9 system may offer possibilities for novel genome editing for the control of important diseases spread by vector mosquitoes. In this review, we present the current status of genome editing research on vector mosquitoes and also discuss the future applications of vector mosquito genome editing to control the spread of vectorborne diseases.

Progressive Classification Using Support Vector Machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagstaff, Kiri; Kocurek, Michael

2009-01-01

An algorithm for progressive classification of data, analogous to progressive rendering of images, makes it possible to compromise between speed and accuracy. This algorithm uses support vector machines (SVMs) to classify data. An SVM is a machine learning algorithm that builds a mathematical model of the desired classification concept by identifying the critical data points, called support vectors. Coarse approximations to the concept require only a few support vectors, while precise, highly accurate models require far more support vectors. Once the model has been constructed, the SVM can be applied to new observations. The cost of classifying a new observation is proportional to the number of support vectors in the model. When computational resources are limited, an SVM of the appropriate complexity can be produced. However, if the constraints are not known when the model is constructed, or if they can change over time, a method for adaptively responding to the current resource constraints is required. This capability is particularly relevant for spacecraft (or any other real-time systems) that perform onboard data analysis. The new algorithm enables the fast, interactive application of an SVM classifier to a new set of data. The classification process achieved by this algorithm is characterized as progressive because a coarse approximation to the true classification is generated rapidly and thereafter iteratively refined. The algorithm uses two SVMs: (1) a fast, approximate one and (2) slow, highly accurate one. New data are initially classified by the fast SVM, producing a baseline approximate classification. For each classified data point, the algorithm calculates a confidence index that indicates the likelihood that it was classified correctly in the first pass. Next, the data points are sorted by their confidence indices and progressively reclassified by the slower, more accurate SVM, starting with the items most likely to be incorrectly classified. The user can halt this reclassification process at any point, thereby obtaining the best possible result for a given amount of computation time. Alternatively, the results can be displayed as they are generated, providing the user with real-time feedback about the current accuracy of classification.

Energy theorem for (2+1)-dimensional gravity.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menotti, P.; Seminara, D.

1995-05-01

We prove a positive energy theorem in (2+1)-dimensional gravity for open universes and any matter energy-momentum tensor satisfying the dominant energy condition. We consider on the space-like initial value surface a family of widening Wilson loops and show that the energy-momentum of the enclosed subsystem is a future directed time-like vector whose mass is an increasing function of the loop, until it reaches the value 1/4G corresponding to a deficit angle of 2π. At this point the energy-momentum of the system evolves, depending on the nature of a zero norm vector appearing in the evolution equations, either into a time-like vector of a universe which closes kinematically or into a Gott-like universe whose energy momentum vector, as first recognized by Deser, Jackiw, and 't Hooft (1984) is space-like. This treatment generalizes results obtained by Carroll, Fahri, Guth, and Olum (1994) for a system of point-like spinless particle, to the most general form of matter whose energy-momentum tensor satisfies the dominant energy condition. The treatment is also given for the anti-de Sitter (2+1)-dimensional gravity.

Diverse Array of New Viral Sequences Identified in Worldwide Populations of the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) Using Viral Metagenomics

PubMed Central

Nouri, Shahideh; Salem, Nidá; Nigg, Jared C.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is the natural vector of the causal agent of Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease. Together; HLB and D. citri represent a major threat to world citrus production. As there is no cure for HLB, insect vector management is considered one strategy to help control the disease, and D. citri viruses might be useful. In this study, we used a metagenomic approach to analyze viral sequences associated with the global population of D. citri. By sequencing small RNAs and the transcriptome coupled with bioinformatics analysis, we showed that the virus-like sequences of D. citri are diverse. We identified novel viral sequences belonging to the picornavirus superfamily, the Reoviridae, Parvoviridae, and Bunyaviridae families, and an unclassified positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. Moreover, a Wolbachia prophage-related sequence was identified. This is the first comprehensive survey to assess the viral community from worldwide populations of an agricultural insect pest. Our results provide valuable information on new putative viruses, some of which may have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents. IMPORTANCE Insects have the most species of all animals, and are hosts to, and vectors of, a great variety of known and unknown viruses. Some of these most likely have the potential to be important fundamental and/or practical resources. In this study, we used high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and bioinformatics analysis to identify putative viruses associated with Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus psyllid. D. citri is the vector of the bacterium causing Huanglongbing (HLB), currently the most serious threat to citrus worldwide. Here, we report several novel viral sequences associated with D. citri. PMID:26676774

Diverse Array of New Viral Sequences Identified in Worldwide Populations of the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) Using Viral Metagenomics.

PubMed

Nouri, Shahideh; Salem, Nidá; Nigg, Jared C; Falk, Bryce W

2015-12-16

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is the natural vector of the causal agent of Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening disease. Together; HLB and D. citri represent a major threat to world citrus production. As there is no cure for HLB, insect vector management is considered one strategy to help control the disease, and D. citri viruses might be useful. In this study, we used a metagenomic approach to analyze viral sequences associated with the global population of D. citri. By sequencing small RNAs and the transcriptome coupled with bioinformatics analysis, we showed that the virus-like sequences of D. citri are diverse. We identified novel viral sequences belonging to the picornavirus superfamily, the Reoviridae, Parvoviridae, and Bunyaviridae families, and an unclassified positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. Moreover, a Wolbachia prophage-related sequence was identified. This is the first comprehensive survey to assess the viral community from worldwide populations of an agricultural insect pest. Our results provide valuable information on new putative viruses, some of which may have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents. Insects have the most species of all animals, and are hosts to, and vectors of, a great variety of known and unknown viruses. Some of these most likely have the potential to be important fundamental and/or practical resources. In this study, we used high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology and bioinformatics analysis to identify putative viruses associated with Diaphorina citri, the Asian citrus psyllid. D. citri is the vector of the bacterium causing Huanglongbing (HLB), currently the most serious threat to citrus worldwide. Here, we report several novel viral sequences associated with D. citri. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Chimaera and its modern virus-like descendants.

PubMed

Ulrich, R; Gerlich, W H; Krüger, D H

1996-01-01

Chimaera was a monster in ancient Greek mythology combining elements from different animal species in its body. Modern molecular biology enabled the generation of harmless but useful chimaeras consisting of elements from different nonrelated viruses. The objective is that the resulting chimaeras form highly immunogenic virus-like particles (VLPs). Such chimaeric VLPs can be used as highly efficient carriers for sequential and conformational B cell epitopes and T cell epitopes. Most VLPs are readily produced in heterologous hosts and are easy to purify. This article deals with various systems of VLPs described in this topical issue of Intervirology and makes comparisons with chimaeric replication-competent viruses, recombinant virus vectors expressing foreign proteins, and DNA vaccines.

Development of novel types of plastid transformation vectors and evaluation of factors controlling expression.

PubMed

Herz, Stefan; Füssl, Monika; Steiger, Sandra; Koop, Hans-Ulrich

2005-12-01

Two new vector types for plastid transformation were developed and uidA reporter gene expression was compared to standard transformation vectors. The first vector type does not contain any plastid promoter, instead it relies on extension of existing plastid operons and was therefore named "operon-extension" vector. When a strongly expressed plastid operon like psbA was extended by the reporter gene with this vector type, the expression level was superior to that of a standard vector under control of the 16S rRNA promoter. Different insertion sites, promoters and 5'-UTRs were analysed for their effect on reporter gene expression with standard and operon-extension vectors. The 5'-UTR of phage 7 gene 10 in combination with a modified N-terminus was found to yield the highest expression levels. Expression levels were also strongly dependent on external factors like plant or leaf age or light intensity. In the second vector type, named "split" plastid transformation vector, modules of the expression cassette were distributed on two separate vectors. Upon co-transformation of plastids with these vectors, the complete expression cassette became inserted into the plastome. This result can be explained by successive co-integration of the split vectors and final loop-out recombination of the duplicated sequences. The split vector concept was validated with different vector pairs.

Naturally occurring minichromosome platforms in chromosome engineering: an overview.

PubMed

Raimondi, Elena

2011-01-01

Artificially modified chromosome vectors are non-integrating gene delivery platforms that can shuttle very large DNA fragments in various recipient cells: theoretically, no size limit exists for the chromosome segments that an engineered minichromosome can accommodate. Therefore, genetically manipulated chromosomes might be potentially ideal vector systems, especially when the complexity of higher eukaryotic genes is concerned. This review focuses on those chromosome vectors generated using spontaneously occurring small markers as starting material. The definition and manipulation of the centromere domain is one of the main obstacles in chromosome engineering: naturally occurring minichromosomes, due to their inherent small size, were helpful in defining some aspects of centromere function. In addition, several distinctive features of small marker chromosomes, like their appearance as supernumerary elements in otherwise normal karyotypes, have been successfully exploited to use them as gene delivery vectors. The key technologies employed for minichromosome engineering are: size reduction, gene targeting, and vector delivery in various recipient cells. In spite of the significant advances that have been recently achieved in all these fields, several unsolved problems limit the potential of artificially modified chromosomes. Still, these vector systems have been exploited in a number of applications where the investigation of the controlled expression of large DNA segments is needed. A typical example is the analysis of genes whose expression strictly depends on the chromosomal environment in which they are positioned, where engineered chromosomes can be envisaged as epigenetically regulated expression systems. A novel and exciting advance concerns the use of engineered minichromosomes to study the organization and dynamics of local chromatin structures.

Explicit and implicit compact high-resolution shock-capturing methods for multidimensional Euler equations 1: Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, H. C.

1995-01-01

Two classes of explicit compact high-resolution shock-capturing methods for the multidimensional compressible Euler equations for fluid dynamics are constructed. Some of these schemes can be fourth-order accurate away from discontinuities. For the semi-discrete case their shock-capturing properties are of the total variation diminishing (TVD), total variation bounded (TVB), total variation diminishing in the mean (TVDM), essentially nonoscillatory (ENO), or positive type of scheme for 1-D scalar hyperbolic conservation laws and are positive schemes in more than one dimension. These fourth-order schemes require the same grid stencil as their second-order non-compact cousins. One class does not require the standard matrix inversion or a special numerical boundary condition treatment associated with typical compact schemes. Due to the construction, these schemes can be viewed as approximations to genuinely multidimensional schemes in the sense that they might produce less distortion in spherical type shocks and are more accurate in vortex type flows than schemes based purely on one-dimensional extensions. However, one class has a more desirable high-resolution shock-capturing property and a smaller operation count in 3-D than the other class. The extension of these schemes to coupled nonlinear systems can be accomplished using the Roe approximate Riemann solver, the generalized Steger and Warming flux-vector splitting or the van Leer type flux-vector splitting. Modification to existing high-resolution second- or third-order non-compact shock-capturing computer codes is minimal. High-resolution shock-capturing properties can also be achieved via a variant of the second-order Lax-Friedrichs numerical flux without the use of Riemann solvers for coupled nonlinear systems with comparable operations count to their classical shock-capturing counterparts. The simplest extension to viscous flows can be achieved by using the standard fourth-order compact or non-compact formula for the viscous terms.

Phenolic acid esterases, coding sequences and methods

DOEpatents

Blum, David L.; Kataeva, Irina; Li, Xin-Liang; Ljungdahl, Lars G.

2002-01-01

Described herein are four phenolic acid esterases, three of which correspond to domains of previously unknown function within bacterial xylanases, from XynY and XynZ of Clostridium thermocellum and from a xylanase of Ruminococcus. The fourth specifically exemplified xylanase is a protein encoded within the genome of Orpinomyces PC-2. The amino acids of these polypeptides and nucleotide sequences encoding them are provided. Recombinant host cells, expression vectors and methods for the recombinant production of phenolic acid esterases are also provided.

Dynamics, Analysis and Implementation of a Multiscroll Memristor-Based Chaotic Circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alombah, N. Henry; Fotsin, Hilaire; Ngouonkadi, E. B. Megam; Nguazon, Tekou

This article introduces a novel four-dimensional autonomous multiscroll chaotic circuit which is derived from the actual simplest memristor-based chaotic circuit. A fourth circuit element — another inductor — is introduced to generate the complex behavior observed. A systematic study of the chaotic behavior is performed with the help of some nonlinear tools such as Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, and bifurcation diagrams. Multiple scroll attractors are observed in Matlab, Pspice environments and also experimentally. We also observe the phenomenon of antimonotonicity, periodic and chaotic bubbles, multiple periodic-doubling bifurcations, Hopf bifurcations, crises and the phenomenon of intermittency. The chaotic dynamics of this circuit is realized by laboratory experiments, Pspice simulations, numerical and analytical investigations. It is observed that the results from the three environments agree to a great extent. This topology is likely convenient to be used to intentionally generate chaos in memristor-based chaotic circuit applications, given the fact that multiscroll chaotic systems have found important applications as broadband signal generators, pseudorandom number generators for communication engineering and also in biometric authentication.

Crisis-like behavior in China's stock market and its interpretation.

PubMed

Fan, Fangli; Gao, Jianbo; Liang, Shuhong

2015-01-01

In order for China to play a bigger, more positive role in the world, it is important for China to have a healthy capital market. This perception motivates us to examine the health of China's capital market, especially the severity of the overall loss of the listed companies in China and the effects of accounting irregularities on the losses. We show the overall loss of the listed companies was very severe, in particular, crisis-like behavior emerged in the fourth quarter of 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2008. We further observe that loss in the fourth quarter was much greater than the average loss of the first three quarters in the same year. The most straightforward interpretation of this loss pattern is that companies underreported losses in the first three quarters, to boost their stock values in most time of the year. However, in the fourth quarter, accounting balance of the whole year dictated that the reported loss in the fourth quarter had to be much greater than the actual loss. Fortunately, such irregularity has been greatly reduced, thanks to the accounting reforms in China in 2007.

Crisis-Like Behavior in China's Stock Market and Its Interpretation

PubMed Central

Fan, Fangli; Gao, Jianbo; Liang, Shuhong

2015-01-01

In order for China to play a bigger, more positive role in the world, it is important for China to have a healthy capital market. This perception motivates us to examine the health of China's capital market, especially the severity of the overall loss of the listed companies in China and the effects of accounting irregularities on the losses. We show the overall loss of the listed companies was very severe, in particular, crisis-like behavior emerged in the fourth quarter of 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2008. We further observe that loss in the fourth quarter was much greater than the average loss of the first three quarters in the same year. The most straightforward interpretation of this loss pattern is that companies underreported losses in the first three quarters, to boost their stock values in most time of the year. However, in the fourth quarter, accounting balance of the whole year dictated that the reported loss in the fourth quarter had to be much greater than the actual loss. Fortunately, such irregularity has been greatly reduced, thanks to the accounting reforms in China in 2007. PMID:25658454

High-performance computing — an overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marksteiner, Peter

1996-08-01

An overview of high-performance computing (HPC) is given. Different types of computer architectures used in HPC are discussed: vector supercomputers, high-performance RISC processors, various parallel computers like symmetric multiprocessors, workstation clusters, massively parallel processors. Software tools and programming techniques used in HPC are reviewed: vectorizing compilers, optimization and vector tuning, optimization for RISC processors; parallel programming techniques like shared-memory parallelism, message passing and data parallelism; and numerical libraries.

Efficient generation of rat induced pluripotent stem cells using a non-viral inducible vector.

PubMed

Merkl, Claudia; Saalfrank, Anja; Riesen, Nathalie; Kühn, Ralf; Pertek, Anna; Eser, Stefan; Hardt, Markus Sebastian; Kind, Alexander; Saur, Dieter; Wurst, Wolfgang; Iglesias, Antonio; Schnieke, Angelika

2013-01-01

Current methods of generating rat induced pluripotent stem cells are based on viral transduction of pluripotency inducing genes (Oct4, Sox2, c-myc and Klf4) into somatic cells. These activate endogenous pluripotency genes and reprogram the identity of the cell to an undifferentiated state. Epigenetic silencing of exogenous genes has to occur to allow normal iPS cell differentiation. To gain more control over the expression of exogenous reprogramming factors, we used a novel doxycycline-inducible plasmid vector encoding Oct4, Sox2, c-Myc and Klf4. To ensure efficient and controlled generation of iPS cells by plasmid transfection we equipped the reprogramming vector with a bacteriophage φC31 attB site and used a φC31 integrase expression vector to enhance vector integration. A series of doxycycline-independent rat iPS cell lines were established. These were characterized by immunocytochemical detection of Oct4, SSEA1 and SSEA4, alkaline phosphatase staining, methylation analysis of the endogenous Oct4 promoter and RT-PCR analysis of endogenous rat pluripotency genes. We also determined the number of vector integrations and the extent to which reprogramming factor gene expression was controlled. Protocols were developed to generate embryoid bodies and rat iPS cells demonstrated as pluripotent by generating derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers in vitro, and teratoma formation in vivo. All data suggest that our rat iPS cells, generated by plasmid based reprogramming, are similar to rat ES cells. Methods of DNA transfection, protein transduction and feeder-free monolayer culture of rat iPS cells were established to enable future applications.

A quick and efficient method to generate mammalian stable cell lines based on a novel inducible alphavirus DNA/RNA layered system.

PubMed

Aranda, Alejandro; Bezunartea, Jaione; Casales, Erkuden; Rodriguez-Madoz, Juan R; Larrea, Esther; Prieto, Jesus; Smerdou, Cristian

2014-12-01

We report a new method to generate high-expressing mammalian cell lines in a quick and efficient way. For that purpose, we developed a master cell line (MCL) containing an inducible alphavirus vector expressing GFP integrated into the genome. In the MCL, recombinant RNA levels increased >4,600-fold after induction, due to a doxycycline-dependent RNA amplification loop. The MCL maintained inducibility and expression during 50 passages, being more efficient for protein expression than a conventional cell line. To generate new cell lines, mutant LoxP sites were inserted into the MCL, allowing transgene and selection gene exchange by Cre-directed recombination, leading to quick generation of inducible cell lines expressing proteins of therapeutic interest, like human cardiotrophin-1 and oncostatin-M at several mg/l/24 h. These proteins contained posttranslational modifications, showed bioactivity, and were efficiently purified. Remarkably, this system allowed production of toxic proteins, like oncostatin-M, since cells able to express it could be grown to the desired amount before induction. These cell lines were easily adapted to growth in suspension, making this methodology very attractive for therapeutic protein production.

Emergent Understandings: Multilingual Fourth Grade Students Generating Close Readings and Multimodal Responses to Global and Informational Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasty, Michelle Medlin; Fain, Jeanne Gilliam

2014-01-01

In this paper, the authors present findings from a yearlong ethnographic research study that examines the development of critical literacy within two urban fourth grade classrooms in Tennessee. This study examines how young second language learners in English-dominant classrooms learn to read critically, write, and construct multimodal…

Predicting protein amidation sites by orchestrating amino acid sequence features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Shuqiu; Yu, Hua; Gong, Xiujun

2017-08-01

Amidation is the fourth major category of post-translational modifications, which plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes. Identifying amidation sites can help us understanding the amidation and recognizing the original reason of many kinds of diseases. But the traditional experimental methods for predicting amidation sites are often time-consuming and expensive. In this study, we propose a computational method for predicting amidation sites by orchestrating amino acid sequence features. Three kinds of feature extraction methods are used to build a feature vector enabling to capture not only the physicochemical properties but also position related information of the amino acids. An extremely randomized trees algorithm is applied to choose the optimal features to remove redundancy and dependence among components of the feature vector by a supervised fashion. Finally the support vector machine classifier is used to label the amidation sites. When tested on an independent data set, it shows that the proposed method performs better than all the previous ones with the prediction accuracy of 0.962 at the Matthew's correlation coefficient of 0.89 and area under curve of 0.964.

Magnetic state selected by magnetic dipole interaction in the kagome antiferromagnet NaBa2Mn3F11

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashida, Shohei; Ishikawa, Hajime; Okamoto, Yoshihiko; Okubo, Tsuyoshi; Hiroi, Zenji; Avdeev, Maxim; Manuel, Pascal; Hagihala, Masato; Soda, Minoru; Masuda, Takatsugu

2018-02-01

We haved studied the ground state of the classical kagome antiferromagnet NaBa2Mn3F11 . Strong magnetic Bragg peaks observed for d spacings shorter than 6.0 Å were indexed by the propagation vector of k0=(0 ,0 ,0 ) . Additional peaks with weak intensities in the d -spacing range above 8.0 Å were indexed by the incommensurate vector of k1=[0.3209 (2 ) ,0.3209 (2 ) ,0 ] and k2=[0.3338 (4 ) ,0.3338 (4 ) ,0 ] . Magnetic structure analysis unveils a 120∘ structure with the tail-chase geometry having k0 modulated by the incommensurate vector. A classical calculation of the Heisenberg kagome antiferromagnet with antiferromagnetic second-neighbor interaction, for which the ground state a k0120∘ degenerated structure, reveals that the magnetic dipole-dipole (MDD) interaction including up to the fourth neighbor terms selects the tail-chase structure. The observed modulation of the tail-chase structure is attributed to a small perturbation such as the long-range MDD interaction or the interlayer interaction.

KGFR as a possible therapeutic target in middle ear cholesteatoma.

PubMed

Yamamoto-Fukuda, Tomomi; Akiyama, Naotaro; Shibata, Yasuaki; Takahashi, Haruo; Ikeda, Tohru; Kohno, Michiaki; Koji, Takehiko

2014-11-01

We demonstrated that repression of keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) receptor (KGFR) could be a potentially useful strategy in the conservative treatment of middle ear cholesteatoma. Recently, the use of a selective inhibitor of the KGFR, SU5402, in an in vitro experiment resulted in the inhibition of the differentiation and proliferation of epithelial cells through KGF secretion by fibroblasts isolated from the cholesteatoma. In this study, we investigated the effects of the KGFR inhibitor during middle ear cholesteatoma formation in vivo. Based on the role of KGF in the development of cholesteatoma, Flag-hKGF cDNA driven by CMV14 promoter was transfected through electroporation into the external auditory canal of rats five times on every fourth day. Ears transfected with empty vector were used as controls. KGFR selective inhibitor (SU5402) or MEK inhibitor (PD0325901) was administered in the right ear of five rats after vector transfection. In the control, 2% DMSO in PBS was administered in the other ears after vector transfection. The use of a selective KGFR inhibitor, SU5402, completely prevented middle ear cholesteatoma formation in the rats.

High order accurate solutions of viscous problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayder, M. Ehtesham; Turkel, Eli

1993-01-01

We consider a fourth order extension to MacCormack's scheme. The original extension was fourth order only for the inviscid terms but was second order for the viscous terms. We show how to modify the viscous terms so that the scheme is uniformly fourth order in the spatial derivatives. Applications are given to some boundary layer flows. In addition, for applications to shear flows the effect of the outflow boundary conditions are very important. We compare the accuracy of several of these different boundary conditions for both boundary layer and shear flows. Stretching at the outflow usually increases the oscillations in the numerical solution but the addition of a filtered sponge layer (with or without stretching) reduces such oscillations. The oscillations are generated by insufficient resolution of the shear layer. When the shear layer is sufficiently resolved then oscillations are not generated and there is less of a need for a nonreflecting boundary condition.

Simultaneous generation of 40, 80 and 120 GHz optical millimeter-wave from one Mach-Zehnder modulator and demonstration of millimeter-wave transmission and down-conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wen; Qin, Chaoyi

2017-09-01

We demonstrate multi-frequency QPSK millimeter-wave (mm-wave) vector signal generation enabled by MZM-based optical carrier suppression (OCS) modulation and in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) modulation. We numerically simulate the generation of 40-, 80- and 120-GHz vector signal. Here, the three different signals carry the same QPSK modulation information. We also experimentally realize 11Gbaud/s QPSK vector signal transmission over 20 km fiber, and the generation of the vector signals at 40-GHz, 80-GHz and 120-GHz. The experimental results show that the bit-error-rate (BER) for all the three different signals can reach the forward-error-correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8×10-3. The advantage of the proposed system is that provide high-speed, high-bandwidth and high-capacity seamless access of TDM and wireless network. These features indicate the important application prospect in wireless access networks for WiMax, Wi-Fi and 5G/LTE.

An improved Red/ET recombineering system and mouse ES cells culture conditions for the generation of targeted mutant mice.

PubMed

Kumagai, Katsuyoshi; Takanashi, Masakatsu; Ohno, Shin-Ichiro; Kuroda, Masahiko; Sudo, Katsuko

2017-05-03

Targeted mutant mice generated on a C57BL/6 background are powerful tools for analysis of the biological functions of genes, and gene targeting technologies using mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells have been used to generate such mice. Recently, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) recombineering system was established for the construction of targeting vectors. However, gene retrieval from BACs for the generation of gene targeting vectors using this system remains difficult. Even when construction of a gene targeting vector is successful, the efficiency of production of targeted mutant mice from ES cells derived from C57BL/6 mice are poor. Therefore, in this study, we first improved the strategy for the retrieval of genes from BACs and their transfer into a DT-A plasmid, for the generation of gene targeting vectors using the BAC recombineering system. Then, we attempted to generate targeted mutant mice from ES cell lines derived from C57BL/6 mice, by culturing in serum-free medium. In conclusion, we established an improved strategy for the efficient generation of targeted mutant mice on a C57BL/6 background, which are useful for the in vivo analysis of gene functions and regulation.

Generating a Simulated Fluid Flow over a Surface Using Anisotropic Diffusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, David L. (Inventor); Sturdza, Peter (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A fluid-flow simulation over a computer-generated surface is generated using a diffusion technique. The surface is comprised of a surface mesh of polygons. A boundary-layer fluid property is obtained for a subset of the polygons of the surface mesh. A gradient vector is determined for a selected polygon, the selected polygon belonging to the surface mesh but not one of the subset of polygons. A maximum and minimum diffusion rate is determined along directions determined using the gradient vector corresponding to the selected polygon. A diffusion-path vector is defined between a point in the selected polygon and a neighboring point in a neighboring polygon. An updated fluid property is determined for the selected polygon using a variable diffusion rate, the variable diffusion rate based on the minimum diffusion rate, maximum diffusion rate, and the gradient vector.

Modeling and Identification for Vector Propulsion of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle: Three Degrees of Freedom Model and Response Model.

PubMed

Mu, Dongdong; Wang, Guofeng; Fan, Yunsheng; Sun, Xiaojie; Qiu, Bingbing

2018-06-08

This paper presents a complete scheme for research on the three degrees of freedom model and response model of the vector propulsion of an unmanned surface vehicle. The object of this paper is “Lanxin”, an unmanned surface vehicle (7.02 m × 2.6 m), which is equipped with a single vector propulsion device. First, the “Lanxin” unmanned surface vehicle and the related field experiments (turning test and zig-zag test) are introduced and experimental data are collected through various sensors. Then, the thrust of the vector thruster is estimated by the empirical formula method. Third, using the hypothesis and simplification, the three degrees of freedom model and the response model of USV are deduced and established, respectively. Fourth, the parameters of the models (three degrees of freedom model, response model and thruster servo model) are obtained by system identification, and we compare the simulated turning test and zig-zag test with the actual data to verify the accuracy of the identification results. Finally, the biggest advantage of this paper is that it combines theory with practice. Based on identified response model, simulation and practical course keeping experiments are carried out to further verify feasibility and correctness of modeling and identification.

Adult oligodendrocyte progenitor cells - multifaceted regulators of the CNS in health and disease

PubMed Central

Fernandez-Castaneda, Anthony; Gaultier, Alban

2016-01-01

Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are the often-overlooked fourth glial cell type in the central nervous system (CNS), comprising about 5% of the CNS. For a long time, our vision of OPC function was limited to the generation of mature oligodendrocytes. However, new studies have highlighted the multifaceted nature of the OPCs. During homeostatic and pathological conditions, OPCs are the most proliferative cell type in the CNS, a property not consistent with the need to generate new oligodendrocytes. Indeed, OPCs modulate neuronal activity and OPC depletion in the brain can trigger depressive-like behavior. More importantly, OPCs are actively recruited to injury sites, where they orchestrate glial scar formation and contribute to the immune response. The following is a comprehensive analysis of the literature on OPC function beyond myelination, in the context of the healthy and diseased adult CNS. PMID:26796621

Vector-like quarks and leptons, SU(5) ⊗ SU(5) grand unification, and proton decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang-Hun; Mohapatra, Rabindra N.

2017-02-01

SU(5) ⊗ SU(5) provides a minimal grand unification scheme for fermions and gauge forces if there are vector-like quarks and leptons in nature. We explore the gauge coupling unification in a non-supersymmetric model of this type, and study its implications for proton decay. The properties of vector-like quarks and intermediate scales that emerge from coupling unification play a central role in suppressing proton decay. We find that in this model, the familiar decay mode p → e +π0 may have a partial lifetime within the reach of currently planned experiments.

Text, photo, and line extraction in scanned documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erkilinc, M. Sezer; Jaber, Mustafa; Saber, Eli; Bauer, Peter; Depalov, Dejan

2012-07-01

We propose a page layout analysis algorithm to classify a scanned document into different regions such as text, photo, or strong lines. The proposed scheme consists of five modules. The first module performs several image preprocessing techniques such as image scaling, filtering, color space conversion, and gamma correction to enhance the scanned image quality and reduce the computation time in later stages. Text detection is applied in the second module wherein wavelet transform and run-length encoding are employed to generate and validate text regions, respectively. The third module uses a Markov random field based block-wise segmentation that employs a basis vector projection technique with maximum a posteriori probability optimization to detect photo regions. In the fourth module, methods for edge detection, edge linking, line-segment fitting, and Hough transform are utilized to detect strong edges and lines. In the last module, the resultant text, photo, and edge maps are combined to generate a page layout map using K-Means clustering. The proposed algorithm has been tested on several hundred documents that contain simple and complex page layout structures and contents such as articles, magazines, business cards, dictionaries, and newsletters, and compared against state-of-the-art page-segmentation techniques with benchmark performance. The results indicate that our methodology achieves an average of ˜89% classification accuracy in text, photo, and background regions.

Bismuth ferrite dielectric nanoparticles excited at telecom wavelengths as multicolor sources by second, third, and fourth harmonic generation.

PubMed

Riporto, Jérémy; Demierre, Alexis; Kilin, Vasyl; Balciunas, Tadas; Schmidt, Cédric; Campargue, Gabriel; Urbain, Mathias; Baltuska, Andrius; Le Dantec, Ronan; Wolf, Jean-Pierre; Mugnier, Yannick; Bonacina, Luigi

2018-05-03

We demonstrate the simultaneous generation of second, third, and fourth harmonics from a single dielectric bismuth ferrite nanoparticle excited using a telecom fiber laser at 1560 nm. We first characterize the signals associated with different nonlinear orders in terms of spectrum, excitation intensity dependence, and relative signal strengths. Successively, on the basis of the polarization-resolved emission curves of the three harmonics, we discuss the interplay of susceptibility tensor components at different orders and show how polarization can be used as an optical handle to control the relative frequency conversion properties.

Nuclear energy.

PubMed

Grandin, Karl; Jagers, Peter; Kullander, Sven

2010-01-01

Nuclear energy can play a role in carbon free production of electrical energy, thus making it interesting for tomorrow's energy mix. However, several issues have to be addressed. In fission technology, the design of so-called fourth generation reactors show great promise, in particular in addressing materials efficiency and safety issues. If successfully developed, such reactors may have an important and sustainable part in future energy production. Working fusion reactors may be even more materials efficient and environmental friendly, but also need more development and research. The roadmap for development of fourth generation fission and fusion reactors, therefore, asks for attention and research in these fields must be strengthened.

Anomalous single production of the fourth generation quarks at the CERN LHC

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

Ciftci, R.

Possible anomalous single productions of the fourth standard model generation up and down type quarks at CERN Large Hadron Collider are studied. Namely, pp{yields}u{sub 4}(d{sub 4})X with subsequent u{sub 4}{yields}bW{sup +} process followed by the leptonic decay of the W boson and d{sub 4}{yields}b{gamma} (and its H.c.) decay channel are considered. Signatures of these processes and corresponding standard model backgrounds are discussed in detail. Discovery limits for the quark mass and achievable values of the anomalous coupling strength are determined.

Intramedullary nailing: evolutions of femoral intramedullary nailing: first to fourth generations.

PubMed

Russell, Thomas A

2011-12-01

Intramedullary femoral nailing is the gold standard for femoral shaft fixation but only in the past 27 years. This rapid replacement of closed traction and cast techniques in North America was a controversial and contentious evolution in surgery. As we enter the fourth generation of implant design, capabilities, and surgical technique, it is important to understand the driving forces for this technology. These forces included changes in radiographic imaging capabilities, biomaterial design and computer-assisted manufacturing, and the recognition of the importance of mobilization of the trauma patient to avoid systemic complications and optimize functional recovery.

Generation of vector dissipative and conventional solitons in large normal dispersion regime.

PubMed

Yun, Ling

2017-08-07

We report the generation of both polarization-locked vector dissipative soliton and group velocity-locked vector conventional soliton in a nanotube-mode-locked fiber ring laser with large normal dispersion, for the first time to our best knowledge. Depending on the polarization-depended extinction ratio of the fiber-based Lyot filter, the two types of vector solitons can be switched by simply tuning the polarization controller. In the case of low filter extinction ratio, the output vector dissipative soliton exhibits steep spectral edges and strong frequency chirp, which presents a typical pulse duration of ~23.4 ps, and can be further compressed to ~0.9 ps. In the contrastive case of high filter extinction ratio, the vector conventional soliton has clear Kelly sidebands with transform-limited pulse duration of ~1.8 ps. Our study provides a new and simple method to achieve two different vector soliton sources, which is attractive for potential applications requiring different pulse profiles.

The Interaction between Vector Life History and Short Vector Life in Vector-Borne Disease Transmission and Control.

PubMed

Brand, Samuel P C; Rock, Kat S; Keeling, Matt J

2016-04-01

Epidemiological modelling has a vital role to play in policy planning and prediction for the control of vectors, and hence the subsequent control of vector-borne diseases. To decide between competing policies requires models that can generate accurate predictions, which in turn requires accurate knowledge of vector natural histories. Here we highlight the importance of the distribution of times between life-history events, using short-lived midge species as an example. In particular we focus on the distribution of the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) which determines the time between infection and becoming infectious, and the distribution of the length of the gonotrophic cycle which determines the time between successful bites. We show how different assumptions for these periods can radically change the basic reproductive ratio (R0) of an infection and additionally the impact of vector control on the infection. These findings highlight the need for detailed entomological data, based on laboratory experiments and field data, to correctly construct the next-generation of policy-informing models.

PCA-LBG-based algorithms for VQ codebook generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Jinn-Tsong; Yang, Po-Yuan

2015-04-01

Vector quantisation (VQ) codebooks are generated by combining principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms with Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG) algorithms. All training vectors are grouped according to the projected values of the principal components. The PCA-LBG-based algorithms include (1) PCA-LBG-Median, which selects the median vector of each group, (2) PCA-LBG-Centroid, which adopts the centroid vector of each group, and (3) PCA-LBG-Random, which randomly selects a vector of each group. The LBG algorithm finds a codebook based on the better vectors sent to an initial codebook by the PCA. The PCA performs an orthogonal transformation to convert a set of potentially correlated variables into a set of variables that are not linearly correlated. Because the orthogonal transformation efficiently distinguishes test image vectors, the proposed PCA-LBG-based algorithm is expected to outperform conventional algorithms in designing VQ codebooks. The experimental results confirm that the proposed PCA-LBG-based algorithms indeed obtain better results compared to existing methods reported in the literature.

Deterministic binary vectors for efficient automated indexing of MEDLINE/PubMed abstracts.

PubMed

Wahle, Manuel; Widdows, Dominic; Herskovic, Jorge R; Bernstam, Elmer V; Cohen, Trevor

2012-01-01

The need to maintain accessibility of the biomedical literature has led to development of methods to assist human indexers by recommending index terms for newly encountered articles. Given the rapid expansion of this literature, it is essential that these methods be scalable. Document vector representations are commonly used for automated indexing, and Random Indexing (RI) provides the means to generate them efficiently. However, RI is difficult to implement in real-world indexing systems, as (1) efficient nearest-neighbor search requires retaining all document vectors in RAM, and (2) it is necessary to maintain a store of randomly generated term vectors to index future documents. Motivated by these concerns, this paper documents the development and evaluation of a deterministic binary variant of RI. The increased capacity demonstrated by binary vectors has implications for information retrieval, and the elimination of the need to retain term vectors facilitates distributed implementations, enhancing the scalability of RI.

Deterministic Binary Vectors for Efficient Automated Indexing of MEDLINE/PubMed Abstracts

PubMed Central

Wahle, Manuel; Widdows, Dominic; Herskovic, Jorge R.; Bernstam, Elmer V.; Cohen, Trevor

2012-01-01

The need to maintain accessibility of the biomedical literature has led to development of methods to assist human indexers by recommending index terms for newly encountered articles. Given the rapid expansion of this literature, it is essential that these methods be scalable. Document vector representations are commonly used for automated indexing, and Random Indexing (RI) provides the means to generate them efficiently. However, RI is difficult to implement in real-world indexing systems, as (1) efficient nearest-neighbor search requires retaining all document vectors in RAM, and (2) it is necessary to maintain a store of randomly generated term vectors to index future documents. Motivated by these concerns, this paper documents the development and evaluation of a deterministic binary variant of RI. The increased capacity demonstrated by binary vectors has implications for information retrieval, and the elimination of the need to retain term vectors facilitates distributed implementations, enhancing the scalability of RI. PMID:23304369

Manipulation of dielectric Rayleigh particles using highly focused elliptically polarized vector fields.

PubMed

Gu, Bing; Xu, Danfeng; Rui, Guanghao; Lian, Meng; Cui, Yiping; Zhan, Qiwen

2015-09-20

Generation of vectorial optical fields with arbitrary polarization distribution is of great interest in areas where exotic optical fields are desired. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate the versatile generation of linearly polarized vector fields, elliptically polarized vector fields, and circularly polarized vortex beams through introducing attenuators in a common-path interferometer. By means of Richards-Wolf vectorial diffraction method, the characteristics of the highly focused elliptically polarized vector fields are studied. The optical force and torque on a dielectric Rayleigh particle produced by these tightly focused vector fields are calculated and exploited for the stable trapping of dielectric Rayleigh particles. It is shown that the additional degree of freedom provided by the elliptically polarized vector field allows one to control the spatial structure of polarization, to engineer the focusing field, and to tailor the optical force and torque on a dielectric Rayleigh particle.

Modulating ectopic gene expression levels by using retroviral vectors equipped with synthetic promoters.

PubMed

Ferreira, Joshua P; Peacock, Ryan W S; Lawhorn, Ingrid E B; Wang, Clifford L

2011-12-01

The human cytomegalovirus and elongation factor 1α promoters are constitutive promoters commonly employed by mammalian expression vectors. These promoters generally produce high levels of expression in many types of cells and tissues. To generate a library of synthetic promoters capable of generating a range of low, intermediate, and high expression levels, the TATA and CAAT box elements of these promoters were mutated. Other promoter variants were also generated by random mutagenesis. Evaluation using plasmid vectors integrated at a single site in the genome revealed that these various synthetic promoters were capable of expression levels spanning a 40-fold range. Retroviral vectors were equipped with the synthetic promoters and evaluated for their ability to reproduce the graded expression demonstrated by plasmid integration. A vector with a self-inactivating long terminal repeat could neither reproduce the full range of expression levels nor produce stable expression. Using a second vector design, the different synthetic promoters enabled stable expression over a broad range of expression levels in different cell lines. The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11693-011-9089-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The baculovirus expression vector system: A commercial manufacturing platform for viral vaccines and gene therapy vectors.

PubMed

Felberbaum, Rachael S

2015-05-01

The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) platform has become an established manufacturing platform for the production of viral vaccines and gene therapy vectors. Nine BEVS-derived products have been approved - four for human use (Cervarix(®), Provenge(®), Glybera(®) and Flublok(®)) and five for veterinary use (Porcilis(®) Pesti, BAYOVAC CSF E2(®), Circumvent(®) PCV, Ingelvac CircoFLEX(®) and Porcilis(®) PCV). The BEVS platform offers many advantages, including manufacturing speed, flexible product design, inherent safety and scalability. This combination of features and product approvals has previously attracted interest from academic researchers, and more recently from industry leaders, to utilize BEVS to develop next generation vaccines, vectors for gene therapy, and other biopharmaceutical complex proteins. In this review, we explore the BEVS platform, detailing how it works, platform features and limitations and important considerations for manufacturing and regulatory approval. To underscore the growth in opportunities for BEVS-derived products, we discuss the latest product developments in the gene therapy and influenza vaccine fields that follow in the wake of the recent product approvals of Glybera(®) and Flublok(®), respectively. We anticipate that the utility of the platform will expand even further as new BEVS-derived products attain licensure. Finally, we touch on some of the areas where new BEVS-derived products are likely to emerge. Copyright © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High-power 266 nm ultraviolet generation in yttrium aluminum borate.

PubMed

Liu, Qiang; Yan, Xingpeng; Gong, Mali; Liu, Hua; Zhang, Ge; Ye, Ning

2011-07-15

A yttrium aluminum borate [YAl(3)(BO(3))(4)] (YAB) crystal with UV cutoff wavelength of 165 nm is used as the nonlinear optical crystal for fourth harmonic generation. The fundamental frequency laser at 1064 nm from an Nd:YVO(4) master oscillator power amplifier laser was frequency doubled to 532 nm. Using the type I phase-matching YAB crystal, a 5.05 W average power 266 nm UV laser was obtained at the pulse repetition frequency of 65 kHz, corresponding to the conversion efficiency of 12.3% from 532 to 266 nm. The experimental results show great potential for the application of using YAB as a nonlinear optical crystal to get high-power fourth harmonic generation. © 2011 Optical Society of America

Correlated Topic Vector for Scene Classification.

PubMed

Wei, Pengxu; Qin, Fei; Wan, Fang; Zhu, Yi; Jiao, Jianbin; Ye, Qixiang

2017-07-01

Scene images usually involve semantic correlations, particularly when considering large-scale image data sets. This paper proposes a novel generative image representation, correlated topic vector, to model such semantic correlations. Oriented from the correlated topic model, correlated topic vector intends to naturally utilize the correlations among topics, which are seldom considered in the conventional feature encoding, e.g., Fisher vector, but do exist in scene images. It is expected that the involvement of correlations can increase the discriminative capability of the learned generative model and consequently improve the recognition accuracy. Incorporated with the Fisher kernel method, correlated topic vector inherits the advantages of Fisher vector. The contributions to the topics of visual words have been further employed by incorporating the Fisher kernel framework to indicate the differences among scenes. Combined with the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) features and Gibbs sampling solution, correlated topic vector shows great potential when processing large-scale and complex scene image data sets. Experiments on two scene image data sets demonstrate that correlated topic vector improves significantly the deep CNN features, and outperforms existing Fisher kernel-based features.

Vector-Based Data Services for NASA Earth Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, J.; Roberts, J. T.; Ruvane, K.; Cechini, M. F.; Thompson, C. K.; Boller, R. A.; Baynes, K.

2016-12-01

Vector data sources offer opportunities for mapping and visualizing science data in a way that allows for more customizable rendering and deeper data analysis than traditional raster images, and popular formats like GeoJSON and Mapbox Vector Tiles allow diverse types of geospatial data to be served in a high-performance and easily consumed-package. Vector data is especially suited to highly dynamic mapping applications and visualization of complex datasets, while growing levels of support for vector formats and features in open-source mapping clients has made utilizing them easier and more powerful than ever. NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) is working to make NASA data more easily and conveniently accessible than ever by serving vector datasets via GeoJSON, Mapbox Vector Tiles, and raster images. This presentation will review these output formats, the services, including WFS, WMS, and WMTS, that can be used to access the data, and some ways in which vector sources can be utilized in popular open-source mapping clients like OpenLayers. Lessons learned from GIBS' recent move towards serving vector will be discussed, as well as how to use GIBS open source software to create, configure, and serve vector data sources using Mapserver and the GIBS OnEarth Apache module.

Gene expression divergence between malaria vector sibling species Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii from rural and urban Yaoundé Cameroon

PubMed Central

Cassone, Bryan J.; Kamdem, Colince; Cheng, Changde; Tan, John C.; Hahn, Matthew W.; Costantini, Carlo; Besansky, Nora J.

2014-01-01

Divergent selection based on aquatic larval ecology is a likely factor in the recent isolation of two broadly sympatric and morphologically identical African mosquito species, the malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii. Population-based genome scans have revealed numerous candidate regions of recent positive selection, but have provided few clues as to the genetic mechanisms underlying behavioral and physiological divergence between the two species, phenotypes which themselves remain obscure. To uncover possible genetic mechanisms, we compared global transcriptional profiles of natural and experimental populations using gene-based microarrays. Larvae were sampled as second and fourth instars from natural populations in and around the city of Yaoundé, capital of Cameroon, where the two species segregate along a gradient of urbanization. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that An. coluzzii—the species that breeds in more stable, biotically complex and potentially polluted urban water bodies—over-expresses genes implicated in detoxification and immunity relative to An. gambiae, which breeds in more ephemeral and relatively depauperate pools and puddles in suburbs and rural areas. Moreover, our data suggest that such over-expression by An. coluzzii is not a transient result of induction by xenobiotics in the larval habitat, but an inherent and presumably adaptive response to repeatedly encountered environmental stressors. Finally, we find no significant overlap between the differentially expressed loci and previously identified genomic regions of recent positive selection, suggesting that transcriptome divergence is regulated by trans-acting factors rather than cis-acting elements. PMID:24673723

Single Vector Calibration System for Multi-Axis Load Cells and Method for Calibrating a Multi-Axis Load Cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Peter A. (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A single vector calibration system is provided which facilitates the calibration of multi-axis load cells, including wind tunnel force balances. The single vector system provides the capability to calibrate a multi-axis load cell using a single directional load, for example loading solely in the gravitational direction. The system manipulates the load cell in three-dimensional space, while keeping the uni-directional calibration load aligned. The use of a single vector calibration load reduces the set-up time for the multi-axis load combinations needed to generate a complete calibration mathematical model. The system also reduces load application inaccuracies caused by the conventional requirement to generate multiple force vectors. The simplicity of the system reduces calibration time and cost, while simultaneously increasing calibration accuracy.

Classification of subsurface objects using singular values derived from signal frames

DOEpatents

Chambers, David H; Paglieroni, David W

2014-05-06

The classification system represents a detected object with a feature vector derived from the return signals acquired by an array of N transceivers operating in multistatic mode. The classification system generates the feature vector by transforming the real-valued return signals into complex-valued spectra, using, for example, a Fast Fourier Transform. The classification system then generates a feature vector of singular values for each user-designated spectral sub-band by applying a singular value decomposition (SVD) to the N.times.N square complex-valued matrix formed from sub-band samples associated with all possible transmitter-receiver pairs. The resulting feature vector of singular values may be transformed into a feature vector of singular value likelihoods and then subjected to a multi-category linear or neural network classifier for object classification.

Error Patterns with Fraction Calculations at Fourth Grade as a Function of Students' Mathematics Achievement Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Robin F.; Malone, Amelia S.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to describe fraction-calculation errors among fourth-grade students and to determine whether error patterns differed as a function of problem type (addition vs. subtraction; like vs. unlike denominators), orientation (horizontal vs. vertical), or mathematics-achievement status (low-, average-, or high-achieving). We…

Declining Prevalence of Disease Vectors Under Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Escobar, Luis E.; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Leon, Renato; Lepe-Lopez, Manuel A.; Craft, Meggan E.; Borbor-Cordova, Mercy J.; Svenning, Jens-Christian

2016-12-01

More than half of the world population is at risk of vector-borne diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya, zika, yellow fever, leishmaniasis, chagas disease, and malaria, with highest incidences in tropical regions. In Ecuador, vector-borne diseases are present from coastal and Amazonian regions to the Andes Mountains; however, a detailed characterization of the distribution of their vectors has never been carried out. We estimate the distribution of 14 vectors of the above vector-borne diseases under present-day and future climates. Our results consistently suggest that climate warming is likely threatening some vector species with extinction, locally or completely. These results suggest that climate change could reduce the burden of specific vector species. Other vector species are likely to shift and constrain their geographic range to the highlands in Ecuador potentially affecting novel areas and populations. These forecasts show the need for development of early prevention strategies for vector species currently absent in areas projected as suitable under future climate conditions. Informed interventions could reduce the risk of human exposure to vector species with distributional shifts, in response to current and future climate changes. Based on the mixed effects of future climate on human exposure to disease vectors, we argue that research on vector-borne diseases should be cross-scale and include climatic, demographic, and landscape factors, as well as forces facilitating disease transmission at fine scales.

Group-velocity-locked vector soliton molecules in fiber lasers.

PubMed

Luo, Yiyang; Cheng, Jianwei; Liu, Bowen; Sun, Qizhen; Li, Lei; Fu, Songnian; Tang, Dingyuan; Zhao, Luming; Liu, Deming

2017-05-24

Physics phenomena of multi-soliton complexes have enriched the life of dissipative solitons in fiber lasers. By developing a birefringence-enhanced fiber laser, we report the first experimental observation of group-velocity-locked vector soliton (GVLVS) molecules. The birefringence-enhanced fiber laser facilitates the generation of GVLVSs, where the two orthogonally polarized components are coupled together to form a multi-soliton complex. Moreover, the interaction of repulsive and attractive forces between multiple pulses binds the particle-like GVLVSs together in time domain to further form compound multi-soliton complexes, namely GVLVS molecules. By adopting the polarization-resolved measurement, we show that the two orthogonally polarized components of the GVLVS molecules are both soliton molecules supported by the strongly modulated spectral fringes and the double-humped intensity profiles. Additionally, GVLVS molecules with various soliton separations are also observed by adjusting the pump power and the polarization controller.

Multiresonance modes in sine–Gordon brane models

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

Cruz, W.T., E-mail: wilamicruz@gmail.com; Maluf, R.V., E-mail: r.v.maluf@fisica.ufc.br; Dantas, D.M., E-mail: davi@fisica.ufc.br

2016-12-15

In this work, we study the localization of the vector gauge field in two five-dimensional braneworlds generated by scalar fields coupled to gravity. The sine–Gordon like potentials are employed to produce different thick brane setups. A zero mode localized is obtained, and we show the existence of reverberations with the wave solutions indicating a quasi-localized massive mode. More interesting results are achieved when we propose a double sine–Gordon potential to the scalar field. The resulting thick brane shows a more detailed topology with the presence of an internal structure composed by two kinks. The massive spectrum of the gauge fieldmore » is revalued on this scenario revealing the existence of various resonant modes. Furthermore, we compute the corrections to Coulomb law coming from these massive KK vector modes in these thick scenarios, which is concluded that the dilaton parameter regulates these corrections.« less

Genetic modification of cells for transplantation.

PubMed

Lai, Yi; Drobinskaya, Irina; Kolossov, Eugen; Chen, Chunguang; Linn, Thomas

2008-01-14

Progress in gene therapy has produced promising results that translate experimental research into clinical treatment. Gene modification has been extensively employed in cell transplantation. The main barrier is an effective gene delivery system. Several viral vectors were utilized in end-stage differentiated cells. Recently, successful applications were described with adenovirus-associated vectors. As an alternative, embryonic stem cell- and stem cell-like systems were established for generation of tissue-specified gene-modified cells. Owing to the feasibility for genetic manipulations and the self-renewing potency of these cells they can be used in a way enabling large-scale in vitro production. This approach offers the establishment of in vitro cell culture systems that will deliver sufficient amounts of highly purified, immunoautologous cells suitable for application in regenerative medicine. In this review, the current technology of gene delivery systems to cells is recapitulated and the latest developments for cell transplantation are discussed.

TALEN- and CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Using Lipid-Based Transfection.

PubMed

Hendriks, William T; Jiang, Xin; Daheron, Laurence; Cowan, Chad A

2015-08-03

Using custom-engineered nuclease-mediated genome editing, such as Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALENs) and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPRs) RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) lines with knockout or mutant alleles can be generated and differentiated into various cell types. This strategy of genome engineering in hPSCs will prove invaluable for studying human biology and disease. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for design and construction of TALEN and CRISPR vectors, testing of their nuclease activity, and delivery of TALEN or CRISPR vectors into hPSCs. In addition, we describe the use of single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) to introduce or repair point mutations. Next, we describe the identification of edited hPSC clones without antibiotic selection, including their clonal selection, genotyping, and expansion for downstream applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Simple and effective generation of transgene-free induced pluripotent stem cells using an auto-erasable Sendai virus vector responding to microRNA-302.

PubMed

Nishimura, Ken; Ohtaka, Manami; Takada, Hitomi; Kurisaki, Akira; Tran, Nhi Vo Kieu; Tran, Yen Thi Hai; Hisatake, Koji; Sano, Masayuki; Nakanishi, Mahito

2017-08-01

Transgene-free induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are valuable for both basic research and potential clinical applications. We previously reported that a replication-defective and persistent Sendai virus (SeVdp) vector harboring four reprogramming factors (SeVdp-iPS) can efficiently induce generation of transgene-free iPSCs. This vector can express all four factors stably and simultaneously without chromosomal integration and can be eliminated completely from reprogrammed cells by suppressing vector-derived RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Here, we describe an improved SeVdp-iPS vector (SeVdp(KOSM)302L) that is automatically erased in response to microRNA-302 (miR-302), uniquely expressed in pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Gene expression and genome replication of the SeVdp-302L vector, which contains miRNA-302a target sequences at the 3' untranslated region of L mRNA, are strongly suppressed in PSCs. Consequently, SeVdp(KOSM)302L induces expression of reprogramming factors in somatic cells, while it is automatically erased from cells successfully reprogrammed to express miR-302. As this vector can reprogram somatic cells into transgene-free iPSCs without the aid of exogenous short interfering RNA (siRNA), the results we present here demonstrate that this vector may become an invaluable tool for the generation of human iPSCs for future clinical applications. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SCALS: a fourth-generation study of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context.

PubMed

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Shaw, Sara; Wherton, Joe; Hughes, Gemma; Lynch, Jenni; A'Court, Christine; Hinder, Sue; Fahy, Nick; Byrne, Emma; Finlayson, Alexander; Sorell, Tom; Procter, Rob; Stones, Rob

2016-02-15

Research to date into assisted living technologies broadly consists of 3 generations: technical design, experimental trials and qualitative studies of the patient experience. We describe a fourth-generation paradigm: studies of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context. Fourth-generation studies are necessarily organic and emergent; they view technology as part of a dynamic, networked and potentially unstable system. They use co-design methods to generate and stabilise local solutions, taking account of context. SCALS (Studies in Co-creating Assisted Living Solutions) consists (currently) of 5 organisational case studies, each an English health or social care organisation striving to introduce technology-supported services to support independent living in people with health and/or social care needs. Treating these cases as complex systems, we seek to explore interdependencies, emergence and conflict. We employ a co-design approach informed by the principles of action research to help participating organisations establish, refine and evaluate their service. To that end, we are conducting in-depth ethnographic studies of people's experience of assisted living technologies (micro level), embedded in evolving organisational case studies that use interviews, ethnography and document analysis (meso level), and exploring the wider national and international context for assisted living technologies and policy (macro level). Data will be analysed using a sociotechnical framework developed from structuration theory. Research ethics approval for the first 4 case studies has been granted. An important outcome will be lessons learned from individual co-design case studies. We will document the studies' credibility and rigour, and assess the transferability of findings to other settings while also recognising unique aspects of the contexts in which they were generated. Academic outputs will include a cross-case analysis and progress in theory and method of fourth-generation assisted living technology research. We will produce practical guidance for organisations, policymakers, designers and service users. 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/

Genetic engineering including superseding microinjection: new ways to make GM pigs.

PubMed

Galli, Cesare; Perota, Andrea; Brunetti, Dario; Lagutina, Irina; Lazzari, Giovanna; Lucchini, Franco

2010-01-01

Techniques for genetic engineering of swine are providing genetically modified animals of importance for the field of xenotransplantation, animal models for human diseases and for a variety of research applications. Many of these modifications have been directed toward avoiding naturally existing cellular and antibody responses to species-specific antigens. A number of techniques are today available to engineering the genome of mammals, these range from the well established less efficient method of DNA microinjection into the zygote, the use of viral vectors, to the more recent use of somatic cell nuclear transfer. The use of enzymatic engineering that are being developed now will refine the precision of the genetic modification combined with the use of new vectors like transposons. The use of somatic cell nuclear transfer is currently the most efficient way to generate genetically modified pigs. The development of enzymatic engineering with zinc-finger nucleases, recombinases and transposons will revolutionize the field. Nevertheless, genetic engineering in large domesticated animals will remain a challenging task. Recent improvements in several fields of cell and molecular biology offer new promises and opportunities toward an easier, cost-effective and efficient generation of transgenic pigs. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Vector Quantization Algorithm Based on Associative Memories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzmán, Enrique; Pogrebnyak, Oleksiy; Yáñez, Cornelio; Manrique, Pablo

This paper presents a vector quantization algorithm for image compression based on extended associative memories. The proposed algorithm is divided in two stages. First, an associative network is generated applying the learning phase of the extended associative memories between a codebook generated by the LBG algorithm and a training set. This associative network is named EAM-codebook and represents a new codebook which is used in the next stage. The EAM-codebook establishes a relation between training set and the LBG codebook. Second, the vector quantization process is performed by means of the recalling stage of EAM using as associative memory the EAM-codebook. This process generates a set of the class indices to which each input vector belongs. With respect to the LBG algorithm, the main advantages offered by the proposed algorithm is high processing speed and low demand of resources (system memory); results of image compression and quality are presented.

Same-sign dilepton excesses and vector-like quarks

DOE PAGES

Chen, Chuan-Ren; Cheng, Hsin-Chia; Low, Ian

2016-03-15

Multiple analyses from ATLAS and CMS collaborations, including searches for ttH production, supersymmetric particles and vector-like quarks, observed excesses in the same-sign dilepton channel containing b-jets and missing transverse energy in the LHC Run 1 data. In the context of little Higgs theories with T parity, we explain these excesses using vector-like T-odd quarks decaying into a top quark, a W boson and the lightest T-odd particle (LTP). For heavy vector-like quarks, decay topologies containing the LTP have not been searched for at the LHC. The bounds on the masses of the T-odd quarks can be estimated in a simplifiedmore » model approach by adapting the search limits for top/bottom squarks in supersymmetry. Assuming a realistic decay branching fraction, a benchmark with a 750 GeV T-odd b' quark is proposed. In conclusion, we also comment on the possibility to fit excesses in different analyses in a common framework.« less

Viability of strongly coupled scenarios with a light Higgs-like boson.

PubMed

Pich, Antonio; Rosell, Ignasi; Sanz-Cillero, Juan José

2013-05-03

We present a one-loop calculation of the oblique S and T parameters within strongly coupled models of electroweak symmetry breaking with a light Higgs-like boson. We use a general effective Lagrangian, implementing the chiral symmetry breaking SU(2)(L) [Symbol: see text]SU(2)(R) → SU(2)(L+R) with Goldstone bosons, gauge bosons, the Higgs-like scalar, and one multiplet of vector and axial-vector massive resonance states. Using a dispersive representation and imposing a proper ultraviolet behavior, we obtain S and T at the next-to-leading order in terms of a few resonance parameters. The experimentally allowed range forces the vector and axial-vector states to be heavy, with masses above the TeV scale, and suggests that the Higgs-like scalar should have a WW coupling close to the standard model one. Our conclusions are generic and apply to more specific scenarios such as the minimal SO(5)/SO(4) composite Higgs model.

A Code Generation Approach for Auto-Vectorization in the Spade Compiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Huayong; Andrade, Henrique; Gedik, Buğra; Wu, Kun-Lung

We describe an auto-vectorization approach for the Spade stream processing programming language, comprising two ideas. First, we provide support for vectors as a primitive data type. Second, we provide a C++ library with architecture-specific implementations of a large number of pre-vectorized operations as the means to support language extensions. We evaluate our approach with several stream processing operators, contrasting Spade's auto-vectorization with the native auto-vectorization provided by the GNU gcc and Intel icc compilers.

High-capacity 'gutless' adenoviral vectors.

PubMed

Kochanek, S; Schiedner, G; Volpers, C

2001-10-01

Adenoviral vectors are promising gene transfer vehicles for different gene therapy applications. High-capacity adenoviral (HC-Ad) vectors address some of the problems that have been observed with replication-defective, E1-deleted first-generation adenoviral vectors: toxicity and immunogenicity due to viral gene expression and 7 to 8 kb capacity limit for the transport of therapeutic DNA. This review summarizes HC-Ad vector-related publications from the past 18 months that are mainly concerned with vector design/production and in vivo applications in different murine models.

High-efficiency and flexible generation of vector vortex optical fields by a reflective phase-only spatial light modulator.

PubMed

Cai, Meng-Qiang; Wang, Zhou-Xiang; Liang, Juan; Wang, Yan-Kun; Gao, Xu-Zhen; Li, Yongnan; Tu, Chenghou; Wang, Hui-Tian

2017-08-01

The scheme for generating vector optical fields should have not only high efficiency but also flexibility for satisfying the requirements of various applications. However, in general, high efficiency and flexibility are not compatible. Here we present and experimentally demonstrate a solution to directly, flexibly, and efficiently generate vector vortex optical fields (VVOFs) with a reflective phase-only liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM) based on optical birefringence of liquid crystal molecules. To generate the VVOFs, this approach needs in principle only a half-wave plate, an LC-SLM, and a quarter-wave plate. This approach has some advantages, including a simple experimental setup, good flexibility, and high efficiency, making the approach very promising in some applications when higher power is need. This approach has a generation efficiency of 44.0%, which is much higher than the 1.1% of the common path interferometric approach.

Comparing the effects of the second-and third-generation oral contraceptives on sexual functioning

PubMed Central

Shahnazi, Mahnaz; Bayatipayan, Somaye; Khalili, Azizeh Farshbaf; Kochaksaraei, Fatemeh Ranjbar; Jafarabadi, Mohammad Asghari; Banoi, Kamala Gaza; Nahaee, Jila

2015-01-01

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the second- and third-generation oral contraceptives on women's reproductive sexual function. Materials and Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted on 82 married women of reproductive age in Tehran. Samples were randomized into the groups receiving second- and third-generation oral contraceptive pills. Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) tool was used before the intervention and 2 and 4 months after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA) within repeated measures and P < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the positive and negative moods between the experimental and control groups before the intervention in the second and fourth months. The second-generation pills caused a decrease in sexual function in the second month and an increase in sexual function in the fourth month, but the third-generation pills led to an increase in sexual function in the second and fourth months. The increase in sexual function that resulted from using the third-generation pills was significantly higher than that resulted on using the second-generation pills. Conclusions: According to the results of this study, sexual functioning decreased in the second month of using the second-generation pills and sexual performance was significantly more on using the third-generation pills compared to second-generation pills. The most common type of oral contraceptive used in Iran is the second-generation oral contraceptive LD™ (low-dose estrogen), which is freely distributed in health centers. Therefore, it is necessary for women who wish to use these contraceptive methods to be educated and consulted before they start using them. The third-generation contraceptive pills can be recommended to women who wish to use oral contraceptives. PMID:25709690

Prototyping with Application Generators: Lessons Learned from the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System Case

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

Prototyping with Application Generators: Lessons Learned from the Naval Aviation Logistics Command Management Information System Case. This study... management information system to automate manual Naval aviation maintenance tasks-NALCOMIS. With the use of a fourth-generation programming language

Mobile e-Learning for Next Generation Communication Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Tin-Yu; Chao, Han-Chieh

2008-01-01

This article develops an environment for mobile e-learning that includes an interactive course, virtual online labs, an interactive online test, and lab-exercise training platform on the fourth generation mobile communication system. The Next Generation Learning Environment (NeGL) promotes the term "knowledge economy." Inter-networking…

The minimal GUT with inflaton and dark matter unification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Heng-Yu; Gogoladze, Ilia; Hu, Shan; Li, Tianjun; Wu, Lina

2018-01-01

Giving up the solutions to the fine-tuning problems, we propose the non-supersymmetric flipped SU(5)× U(1)_X model based on the minimal particle content principle, which can be constructed from the four-dimensional SO(10) models, five-dimensional orbifold SO(10) models, and local F-theory SO(10) models. To achieve gauge coupling unification, we introduce one pair of vector-like fermions, which form a complete SU(5)× U(1)_X representation. The proton lifetime is around 5× 10^{35} years, neutrino masses and mixing can be explained via the seesaw mechanism, baryon asymmetry can be generated via leptogenesis, and the vacuum stability problem can be solved as well. In particular, we propose that inflaton and dark matter particles can be unified to a real scalar field with Z_2 symmetry, which is not an axion and does not have the non-minimal coupling to gravity. Such a kind of scenarios can be applied to the generic scalar dark matter models. Also, we find that the vector-like particle corrections to the B_s^0 masses might be about 6.6%, while their corrections to the K^0 and B_d^0 masses are negligible.

Advanced simulation noise model for modern fighter aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikelheimer, Bruce

2005-09-01

NoiseMap currently represents the state of the art for military airfield noise analysis. While this model is sufficient for the current fleet of aircraft, it has limits in its capability to model the new generation of fighter aircraft like the JSF and the F-22. These aircraft's high-powered engines produce noise with significant nonlinear content. Combining this with their ability to vector the thrust means they have noise characteristics that are outside of the basic modeling assumptions of the currently available noise models. Wyle Laboratories, Penn State University, and University of Alabama are in the process of developing a new noise propagation model for the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. Source characterization will be through complete spheres (or hemispheres if there is not sufficient data) for each aircraft state (including thrust vector angles). Fixed and rotor wing aircraft will be included. Broadband, narrowband, and pure tone propagation will be included. The model will account for complex terrain and weather effects, as well as the effects of nonlinear propagation. It will be a complete model capable of handling a range of noise sources from small subsonic general aviation aircraft to the latest fighter aircraft like the JSF.

The "fourth disease" of childhood: reevaluation of a nonexistent disease.

PubMed

Morens, D M; Katz, A R

1991-09-15

Observed and described between 1884 and 1900, "fourth disease" (Dukes disease) followed measles, scarlet fever, and rubella as the fourth clinically characterized childhood exanthem. Like rubella ("third disease") and erythema infectiosum ("fifth disease"), accepted by the medical community at about the same time, the existence of fourth disease was initially controversial. Over the following decades descriptions of hundreds of cases, outbreaks, and laboratory studies were published in the indexed medical literature. Unlike rubella and fifth disease, however, fourth disease was not subsequently proven to exist by either epidemiologic criteria or isolation of an etiologic agent. By the 1930s, it was infrequently recognized and by the 1960s had been dropped from textbooks. In this study, the authors use epidemiologic methods to reevaluate published data on English schoolchildren from 1892 to 1900 upon which the original fourth disease claim of Dukes was based. The authors conclude that fourth disease never existed. Reinterpretation of the original data suggests that cases can be completely explained as misdiagnosed rubella and scarlet fever. Misidentification of fourth disease is attributed to failures in the critical abilities of the medical and scientific communities at the time. The implications of erroneously identifying a nonexistent disease suggest that modern scientific approaches to disease identification are sound.

Transformation volume effect on the magnetic anisotropy of Ni-Mn-Ga thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

L'vov, V. A.; Golub, V.; Salyuk, O.; Barandiarán, J. M.; Chernenko, V. A.

2015-01-01

Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory films with similar thickness and chemical composition, deposited onto cold (with a subsequent annealing) and hot MgO(001) substrates exhibit different internal stress and structure giving rise to a different orientation of the magnetic easy axes. A quantitative theoretical analysis of the crystallographic and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) data shows that the different anisotropies can be caused by the difference in sign between the transformation volume changes in these films, as influenced by the internal stresses. To explain FMR data, the magnetoelastic coupling term of fourth-order in the magnetic vector and linear in the strain tensor components, appearing in the Landau expansion for the free energy, is taken into account. The coefficient of the term, which couples the magnetic vector components with the volume change of the Ni-Mn-Ga alloy, was estimated to be equal to about 10 7 erg cm - 3 .

Next Generation Hydrogen Station Composite Data Products: Retail Stations, Data through Quarter 4 of 2016

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

Sprik, Sam; Kurtz, Jennifer; Ainscough, Chris

This publication includes 86 composite data products (CDPs) produced for next generation hydrogen stations, with data through the fourth quarter of 2016. These CDPs include data from retail stations only.

Next Generation Hydrogen Station Composite Data Products: Retail Stations, Data through Quarter 4 of 2017

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

Sprik, Samuel; Kurtz, Jennifer M; Saur, Genevieve

This publication includes 98 composite data products (CDPs) produced for next generation hydrogen stations, with data through the fourth quarter of 2017. These CDPs include data from retail stations only.

Toward a Fourth Generation of Disparities Research to Achieve Health Equity

PubMed Central

Thomas, Stephen B.; Quinn, Sandra Crouse; Butler, James; Fryer, Craig S.; Garza, Mary A.

2011-01-01

Achieving health equity, driven by the elimination of health disparities, is a goal of Healthy People 2020. In recent decades, the improvement in health status has been remarkable for the U.S. population as a whole. However, racial and ethnic minority populations continue to lag behind whites with a quality of life diminished by illness from preventable chronic diseases and a life span cut short by premature death. We examine a conceptual framework of three generations of health disparities research to understand (a) data trends, (b) factors driving disparities, and (c) solutions for closing the gap. We propose a new, fourth generation of research grounded in public health critical race praxis, utilizing comprehensive interventions to address race, racism, and structural inequalities and advancing evaluation methods to foster our ability to eliminate disparities. This new generation demands that we address the researcher’s own biases as part of the research process. PMID:21219164

Understanding fifth-harmonic generation in CLBO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patankar, S.; Yang, S. T.; Moody, J. D.; Bayramian, A. J.; Swadling, G. F.; Barker, D.; Datte, P.; Mennerat, G.; Norton, M.; Carr, C. W.; Begishev, I. A.; Bromage, J.; Ross, J. S.

2018-02-01

We report on results of fifth harmonic generation in Cesium Lithium Borate (CLBO) using a three-crystal cascaded frequency conversion scheme designed to study the energy balance of the final sum frequency generation stage. The experimental setup independently combines the first and fourth harmonic of a Nd:Glass laser in a 5mm thick CLBO crystal. Energy balance between the incoming and output energy is close to unity when the CLBO is out of phase matching and approximately 80% when the crystal is in phase matching. A detailed analysis of the residual fundamental and fourth harmonic energy indicates 5th harmonic light is being generated but only 26% is unaccounted for. We attribute the missing light to linear transmission loss in the CLBO oven. The ratio of the output to input energy is unity when the missing 5th harmonic is incorporated into the calculations. Two-dimensional plane wave mixing simulations show agreement with the results at lower intensities.

Elimination of both E1 and E2 from adenovirus vectors further improves prospects for in vivo human gene therapy.

PubMed Central

Gorziglia, M I; Kadan, M J; Yei, S; Lim, J; Lee, G M; Luthra, R; Trapnell, B C

1996-01-01

A novel recombinant adenovirus vector, Av3nBg, was constructed with deletions in adenovirus E1, E2a, and E3 regions and expressing a beta-galactosidase reporter gene. Av3nBg can be propagated at a high titer in a corresponding A549-derived cell line, AE1-2a, which contains the adenovirus E1 and E2a region genes inducibly expressed from separate glucocorticoid-responsive promoters. Av3nBg demonstrated gene transfer and expression comparable to that of Av1nBg, a first-generation adenovirus vector with deletions in E1 and E3. Several lines of evidence suggest that this vector is significantly more attenuated than E1 and E3 deletion vectors. Metabolic DNA labeling studies showed no detectable de novo vector DNA synthesis or accumulation, and metabolic protein labeling demonstrated no detectable de novo hexon protein synthesis for Av3nBg in naive A549 cells even at a multiplicity of infection of up to 3,000 PFU per cell. Additionally, naive A549 cells infected by Av3nBg did not accumulate infectious virions. In contrast, both Av1nBg and Av2Lu vectors showed DNA replication and hexon protein synthesis at multiplicities of infection of 500 PFU per cell. Av2Lu has a deletion in E1 and also carries a temperature-sensitive mutation in E2a. Thus, molecular characterization has demonstrated that the Av3nBg vector is improved with respect to the potential for vector DNA replication and hexon protein expression compared with both first-generation (Av1nBg) and second-generation (Av2Lu) adenoviral vectors. These observations may have important implications for potential use of adenovirus vectors in human gene therapy. PMID:8648763

Replicating Single-Cycle Adenovirus Vectors Generate Amplified Influenza Vaccine Responses.

PubMed

Crosby, Catherine M; Matchett, William E; Anguiano-Zarate, Stephanie S; Parks, Christopher A; Weaver, Eric A; Pease, Larry R; Webby, Richard J; Barry, Michael A

2017-01-15

Head-to-head comparisons of conventional influenza vaccines with adenovirus (Ad) gene-based vaccines demonstrated that these viral vectors can mediate more potent protection against influenza virus infection in animal models. In most cases, Ad vaccines are engineered to be replication-defective (RD-Ad) vectors. In contrast, replication-competent Ad (RC-Ad) vaccines are markedly more potent but risk causing adenovirus diseases in vaccine recipients and health care workers. To harness antigen gene replication but avoid production of infectious virions, we developed "single-cycle" adenovirus (SC-Ad) vectors. Previous work demonstrated that SC-Ads amplify transgene expression 100-fold and produce markedly stronger and more persistent immune responses than RD-Ad vectors in Syrian hamsters and rhesus macaques. To test them as potential vaccines, we engineered RD and SC versions of adenovirus serotype 6 (Ad6) to express the hemagglutinin (HA) gene from influenza A/PR/8/34 virus. We show here that it takes approximately 33 times less SC-Ad6 than RD-Ad6 to produce equal amounts of HA antigen in vitro SC-Ad produced markedly higher HA binding and hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) titers than RD-Ad in Syrian hamsters. SC-Ad-vaccinated cotton rats had markedly lower influenza titers than RD-Ad-vaccinated animals after challenge with influenza A/PR/8/34 virus. These data suggest that SC-Ads may be more potent vaccine platforms than conventional RD-Ad vectors and may have utility as "needle-free" mucosal vaccines. Most adenovirus vaccines that are being tested are replication-defective adenoviruses (RD-Ads). This work describes testing newer single-cycle adenovirus (SC-Ad) vectors that replicate transgenes to amplify protein production and immune responses. We show that SC-Ads generate markedly more influenza virus hemagglutinin protein and require substantially less vector to generate the same immune responses as RD-Ad vectors. SC-Ads therefore hold promise to be more potent vectors and vaccines than current RD-Ad vectors. Copyright © 2017 Crosby et al.

Generation of a new Gateway-compatible inducible lentiviral vector platform allowing easy derivation of co-transduced cells.

PubMed

De Groote, Philippe; Grootjans, Sasker; Lippens, Saskia; Eichperger, Chantal; Leurs, Kirsten; Kahr, Irene; Tanghe, Giel; Bruggeman, Inge; De Schamphelaire, Wouter; Urwyler, Corinne; Vandenabeele, Peter; Haustraete, Jurgen; Declercq, Wim

2016-01-01

In contrast to most common gene delivery techniques, lentiviral vectors allow targeting of almost any mammalian cell type, even non-dividing cells, and they stably integrate in the genome. Therefore, these vectors are a very powerful tool for biomedical research. Here we report the generation of a versatile new set of 22 lentiviral vectors with broad applicability in multiple research areas. In contrast to previous systems, our platform provides a choice between constitutive and/or conditional expression and six different C-terminal fusions. Furthermore, two compatible selection markers enable the easy derivation of stable cell lines co-expressing differently tagged transgenes in a constitutive or inducible manner. We show that all of the vector features are functional and that they contribute to transgene overexpression in proof-of-principle experiments.

Environmental Heat and Salt Stress Induce Transgenerational Phenotypic Changes in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Suter, Léonie; Widmer, Alex

2013-01-01

Plants that can adapt their phenotype may be more likely to survive changing environmental conditions. Heritable epigenetic variation could provide a way to rapidly adapt to such changes. Here we tested whether environmental stress induces heritable, potentially adaptive phenotypic changes independent of genetic variation over few generations in Arabidopsis thaliana. We grew two accessions (Col-0, Sha-0) of A. thaliana for three generations under salt, heat and control conditions and tested for induced heritable phenotypic changes in the fourth generation (G4) and in reciprocal F1 hybrids generated in generation three. Using these crosses we further tested whether phenotypic changes were maternally or paternally transmitted. In generation five (G5), we assessed whether phenotypic effects persisted over two generations in the absence of stress. We found that exposure to heat stress in previous generations accelerated flowering under G4 control conditions in Sha-0, but heritable effects disappeared in G5 after two generations without stress exposure. Previous exposure to salt stress increased salt tolerance in one of two reciprocal F1 hybrids. Transgenerational effects were maternally and paternally inherited. Lacking genetic variability, maternal and paternal inheritance and reversibility of transgenerational effects together indicate that stress can induce heritable, potentially adaptive phenotypic changes, probably through epigenetic mechanisms. These effects were strongly dependent on plant genotype and may not be a general response to stress in A. thaliana. PMID:23585834

Did that Dog Sniff Violate the Fourth Amendment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawke, Catherine; Middleton, Tiffany

2012-01-01

Is sniffing at the front door of a private home by a trained narcotics detection dog a Fourth Amendment search requiring probable cause? Is a "drug dog" somehow like a manmade technology, such as a thermal imaging device? These were a couple of the questions recently presented to the U.S. Supreme Court during arguments in "Florida v. Jardines."…

Joyous Reading: Aspects of Literature Enjoyment for Black/African American Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosley, Sherea

2017-01-01

This study primarily explores the types of books African American children in a local fourth grade classroom like and enjoy. Books students are interested in reading and other related aspects that contribute to their literary enjoyment are also explored. It is during the upper elementary years that many students who eventually express little or no…

Macroscopic theory of dark sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meierovich, Boris

A simple Lagrangian with squared covariant divergence of a vector field as a kinetic term turned out an adequate tool for macroscopic description of the dark sector. The zero-mass field acts as the dark energy. Its energy-momentum tensor is a simple additive to the cosmological constant [1]. Space-like and time-like massive vector fields describe two different forms of dark matter. The space-like massive vector field is attractive. It is responsible for the observed plateau in galaxy rotation curves [2]. The time-like massive field displays repulsive elasticity. In balance with dark energy and ordinary matter it provides a four parametric diversity of regular solutions of the Einstein equations describing different possible cosmological and oscillating non-singular scenarios of evolution of the universe [3]. In particular, the singular big bang turns into a regular inflation-like transition from contraction to expansion with the accelerate expansion at late times. The fine-tuned Friedman-Robertson-Walker singular solution corresponds to the particular limiting case at the boundary of existence of regular oscillating solutions in the absence of vector fields. The simplicity of the general covariant expression for the energy-momentum tensor allows to analyse the main properties of the dark sector analytically and avoid unnecessary model assumptions. It opens a possibility to trace how the additional attraction of the space-like dark matter, dominating in the galaxy scale, transforms into the elastic repulsion of the time-like dark matter, dominating in the scale of the Universe. 1. B. E. Meierovich. "Vector fields in multidimensional cosmology". Phys. Rev. D 84, 064037 (2011). 2. B. E. Meierovich. "Galaxy rotation curves driven by massive vector fields: Key to the theory of the dark sector". Phys. Rev. D 87, 103510, (2013). 3. B. E. Meierovich. "Towards the theory of the evolution of the Universe". Phys. Rev. D 85, 123544 (2012).

Large-scale production of lentiviral vector in a closed system hollow fiber bioreactor

PubMed Central

Sheu, Jonathan; Beltzer, Jim; Fury, Brian; Wilczek, Katarzyna; Tobin, Steve; Falconer, Danny; Nolta, Jan; Bauer, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Lentiviral vectors are widely used in the field of gene therapy as an effective method for permanent gene delivery. While current methods of producing small scale vector batches for research purposes depend largely on culture flasks, the emergence and popularity of lentiviral vectors in translational, preclinical and clinical research has demanded their production on a much larger scale, a task that can be difficult to manage with the numbers of producer cell culture flasks required for large volumes of vector. To generate a large scale, partially closed system method for the manufacturing of clinical grade lentiviral vector suitable for the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), we developed a method employing a hollow fiber bioreactor traditionally used for cell expansion. We have demonstrated the growth, transfection, and vector-producing capability of 293T producer cells in this system. Vector particle RNA titers after subsequent vector concentration yielded values comparable to lentiviral iPSC induction vector batches produced using traditional culture methods in 225 cm2 flasks (T225s) and in 10-layer cell factories (CF10s), while yielding a volume nearly 145 times larger than the yield from a T225 flask and nearly three times larger than the yield from a CF10. Employing a closed system hollow fiber bioreactor for vector production offers the possibility of manufacturing large quantities of gene therapy vector while minimizing reagent usage, equipment footprint, and open system manipulation. PMID:26151065

Vectors of Identity Development during the First Year: Black First-Generation Students' Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liversage, Lindi; Naudé, Luzelle; Botha, Anja

2018-01-01

In this study, black South African first-generation students' experiences related to identity development during their first year at a higher education institution were explored. Chickering and Reisser's [1993. "Education and Identity." 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass] seven-vector identity development theory served as overarching…

EDITORIAL: The Fourth International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2004)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Shuji; Toriyama, Toshiyuki

2005-09-01

This special issue of the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering features papers selected from the Fourth International Workshop on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2004). The workshop was held in Kyoto, Japan, on 28-30 November 2004, by The Ritsumeikan Research Institute of Micro System Technology in cooperation with The Global Emerging Technology Institute, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, The Sensors and Micromachines Society, The Micromachine Center and The Kyoto Nanotech Cluster. Power MEMS is one of the newest categories of MEMS, which encompasses microdevices and microsystems for power generation, energy conversion and propulsion. The first concept of power MEMS was proposed in the late 1990s by Epstein's group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where they continue to study MEMS-based gas turbine generators. Since then, the research and development of power MEMS have been promoted by the need for compact power sources with high energy and power density. Since its inception, power MEMS has expanded to include not only various MEMS-based power generators but also small energy machines and microdevices for macro power generators. At the last workshop, various devices and systems, such as portable fuel cells and their peripherals, micro and small turbo machinery, energy harvesting microdevices, and microthrusters, were presented. Their power levels vary from ten nanowatts to hundreds of watts, spanning ten orders of magnitude. The first PowerMEMS workshop was held in 2000 in Sendai, Japan, and consisted of only seven invited presentations. The workshop has grown since then, and in 2004 there were 5 invited, 20 oral and 29 poster presentations. From the 54 papers in the proceedings, 12 papers have been selected for this special issue. I would like to express my appreciation to the members of the Organizing Committee and Technical Program Committee. This special issue was edited in collaboration with Professor Toshiyuki Toriyama (Ritsumeikan University), Co-chair of the Technical Program Committee, and the Institute of Physics Publishing staff.

Direct mass limits for chiral fourth-generation quarks in all mixing scenarios.

PubMed

Flacco, Christian J; Whiteson, Daniel; Tait, Tim M P; Bar-Shalom, Shaouly

2010-09-10

Present limits on chiral fourth-generation quark masses mb' and mt' are broadly generalized and strengthened by combining both t' and b' decays and considering a full range of t' and b' flavor-mixing scenarios with the lighter generations (to 1-‖V44‖2≈10(-13)). Various characteristic mass-splitting choices are considered. With mt'>mb' we find that CDF Collaboration limits on the b' mass vary by no more than 10%-20% with any choice of flavor mixing, while for the t' mass, we typically find stronger bounds, in some cases up to mt'>430  GeV. For mb'>mt', we find mb'>380-430  GeV, depending on the flavor mixing and the size of the mt'-mb' mass splitting.

Infective endocarditis due to Enterobacter cloacae resistant to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins.

PubMed

Yoshino, Yusuke; Okugawa, Shu; Kimura, Satoshi; Makita, Eiko; Seo, Kazunori; Koga, Ichiro; Matsunaga, Naohisa; Kitazawa, Takatoshi; Ota, Yasuo

2015-04-01

We report the case of using a long-term combination of meropenem and amikacin to treat infective endocarditis caused by Enterobacter cloacae resistant to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins. Multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacilli, such as the E. cloacae in our study, may become possible pathogens of infective endocarditis. Our experience with this case indicates that long-term use of a combination of β-lactam and aminoglycosides might represent a suitable management option for future infective endocarditis cases due to non-Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, Kingella spp. (HACEK group) Gram-negative bacilli such as ours. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

High-power continuous-wave tunable 544- and 272-nm beams based on a diode-oscillator fiber-amplifier for calcium spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Kwang-Hoon; Kim, Yonghee; Park, Hyunmin; Cha, Yong-Ho; Kim, Taek-Soo; Lee, Lim; Lim, Gwon; Han, Jaemin; Ko, Kwang-Hee; Jeong, Do-Young

2015-08-01

Continuous-wave single-frequency tunable 544- and 272-nm beams have been demonstrated by the second- and fourth-harmonic conversions of a 1088-nm fundamental beam from a diode-oscillator fiber-amplifier. The single-pass second-harmonic generation with a MgO-doped periodically poled stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystal and the external-cavity frequency-doubling technique with a bulk BBO crystal were employed to achieve an approximately 6-W 544-nm beam and a 1.5-W 272-nm beam, respectively. We characterized the second- and fourth-harmonic generations and discussed their applications to calcium spectroscopy.

A high repetition rate multiwavelength polarized solid state laser source for long range lidar applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudheer, S. K.; Pillai, V. P. Mahadevan; Nayar, V. U.

2006-12-01

Advances in Laser Technology and nonlinear Optical techniques can be effectively utilized for LIDAR applications in space and atmospheric sciences to achieve better flexibility and control of the available optical power. Using such devices, one can achieve highly accurate and resolved, measurement of the distribution for atmospheric scattering layers. In the present investigation a diode double end pumped high repetition rate, multi wavelength Nd:YAG laser is designed, fabricated and various laser beam parameters have been characterized for LIDAR applications. Nonlinear optical techniques have been employed to generate higher harmonics like 532nm, 355nm and 266nm for various spectral studies. The experimental setup mainly consists of two Fiber coupled pump laser diodes (Model FAP- 81-30C-800B, Coherent Inc, USA) with a maximum output power of 30Watt at a wavelength of 807-810nm at 30°C set temperature. A second harmonic LBO crystal cut for critical phase matching placed within the laser resonator is provided for converting a fraction of the fundamental beam to a second harmonic beam. A type II frequency tripling LBO nonlinear crystal (cut for critical phase matching) is also located inside the laser resonator. The third harmonic beam and the unconverted fundamental beam are then directed across a type I fourth harmonic LBO crystal cut for critical phase matching where a portion of the fundamental beam and a portion of the third harmonic beam are converted to a fourth harmonic frequency when both fundamental and third harmonic beams propagate through the frequency quadrupling crystal. The resulting beams which are the fundamental (1064nm), second harmonic (532nm), third harmonic (355nm) and fourth harmonic (266nm) are then directed to a fourth harmonic separator in which the fourth harmonic beam is separated from the fundamental beam. A maximum average power of 12W at 1064nm, 8W at 532nm, 5W at 355nm and 3W at 266nm have been measured at a repetition rate of 10KHz. A minimum pulse width of 25ns have been observed.

Adenoviral vectors elicit humoral immunity against variable loop 2 of clade C HIV-1 gp120 via "Antigen Capsid-Incorporation" strategy.

PubMed

Gu, Linlin; Krendelchtchikova, Valentina; Krendelchtchikov, Alexandre; Farrow, Anitra L; Derdeyn, Cynthia A; Matthews, Qiana L

2016-01-01

Adenoviral (Ad) vectors in combination with the "Antigen Capsid-Incorporation" strategy have been applied in developing HIV-1 vaccines, due to the vectors׳ abilities in incorporating and inducing immunity of capsid-incorporated antigens. Variable loop 2 (V2)-specific antibodies were suggested in the RV144 trial to correlate with reduced HIV-1 acquisition, which highlights the importance of developing novel HIV-1 vaccines by targeting the V2 loop. Therefore, the V2 loop of HIV-1 has been incorporated into the Ad capsid protein. We generated adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) vectors displaying variable loop 2 (V2) of HIV-1 gp120, with the "Antigen Capsid-Incorporation" strategy. To assess the incorporation capabilities on hexon hypervariable region1 (HVR1) and protein IX (pIX), 20aa or full length (43aa) of V2 and V1V2 (67aa) were incorporated, respectively. Immunizations with the recombinant vectors significantly generated antibodies against both linear and discontinuous V2 epitopes. The immunizations generated durable humoral immunity against V2. This study will lead to more stringent development of various serotypes of adenovirus-vectored V2 vaccine candidates, based on breakthroughs regarding the immunogenicity of V2. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

An Update on Canine Adenovirus Type 2 and Its Vectors

PubMed Central

Bru, Thierry; Salinas, Sara; Kremer, Eric J.

2010-01-01

Adenovirus vectors have significant potential for long- or short-term gene transfer. Preclinical and clinical studies using human derived adenoviruses (HAd) have demonstrated the feasibility of flexible hybrid vector designs, robust expression and induction of protective immunity. However, clinical use of HAd vectors can, under some conditions, be limited by pre-existing vector immunity. Pre-existing humoral and cellular anti-capsid immunity limits the efficacy and duration of transgene expression and is poorly circumvented by injections of larger doses and immuno-suppressing drugs. This review updates canine adenovirus serotype 2 (CAV-2, also known as CAdV-2) biology and gives an overview of the generation of early region 1 (E1)-deleted to helper-dependent (HD) CAV-2 vectors. We also summarize the essential characteristics concerning their interaction with the anti-HAd memory immune responses in humans, the preferential transduction of neurons, and its high level of retrograde axonal transport in the central and peripheral nervous system. CAV-2 vectors are particularly interesting tools to study the pathophysiology and potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, as anti-tumoral and anti-viral vaccines, tracer of synaptic junctions, oncolytic virus and as a platform to generate chimeric vectors. PMID:21994722

Green house gas emissions from open field burning of agricultural residues in India.

PubMed

Murali, S; Shrivastava, Rajnish; Saxena, Mohini

2010-10-01

In India, about 435.98 MMT of agro-residues are produced every year, out of which 313.62 MMT are surplus. These residues are either partially utilized or un-utilised due to various constraints. To pave the way for subsequent season for agriculture activity, the excess crop residues are burnt openly in the fields, unmindful of their ill effects on the environment. The present study has been undertaken to evaluate the severity of air pollution through emission of green house gases (GHGs) due to open field burning of agro-residues in India. Open field burning of surplus agro-residues in India results in the emission of GHG. Emissions of CH4 and N2O in 1997-98 and 2006-07 have been 3.73 and 4.06 MMT CO2 equivalent, which is an increase of 8.88% over a decade. About three-fourths of GHG emissions from agro-residues burning were CH4 and the remaining one-fourth were N2O. Burning of wheat and paddy straws alone contributes to about 42% of GHGs. These GHG emissions can be avoided once the agro-residues are employed for sustainable, cost-effective and environment- friendly options like power generation.

Nicotine absorption from electronic cigarette use: comparison between first and new-generation devices.

PubMed

Farsalinos, Konstantinos E; Spyrou, Alketa; Tsimopoulou, Kalliroi; Stefopoulos, Christos; Romagna, Giorgio; Voudris, Vassilis

2014-02-26

A wide range of electronic cigarette (EC) devices, from small cigarette-like (first-generation) to new-generation high-capacity batteries with electronic circuits that provide high energy to a refillable atomizer, are available for smokers to substitute smoking. Nicotine delivery to the bloodstream is important in determining the addictiveness of ECs, but also their efficacy as smoking substitutes. In this study, plasma nicotine levels were measured in experienced users using a first- vs. new-generation EC device for 1 hour with an 18 mg/ml nicotine-containing liquid. Plasma nicotine levels were higher by 35-72% when using the new- compared to the first-generation device. Compared to smoking one tobacco cigarette, the EC devices and liquid used in this study delivered one-third to one-fourth the amount of nicotine after 5 minutes of use. New-generation EC devices were more efficient in nicotine delivery, but still delivered nicotine much slower compared to tobacco cigarettes. The use of 18 mg/ml nicotine-concentration liquid probably compromises ECs' effectiveness as smoking substitutes; this study supports the need for higher levels of nicotine-containing liquids (approximately 50 mg/ml) in order to deliver nicotine more effectively and approach the nicotine-delivery profile of tobacco cigarettes.

Optical cage generated by azimuthal- and radial-variant vector beams.

PubMed

Man, Zhongsheng; Bai, Zhidong; Li, Jinjian; Zhang, Shuoshuo; Li, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Yuquan; Ge, Xiaolu; Fu, Shenggui

2018-05-01

We propose a method to generate an optical cage using azimuthal- and radial-variant vector beams in a high numerical aperture optical system. A new kind of vector beam that has azimuthal- and radial-variant polarization states is proposed and demonstrated theoretically. Then, an integrated analytical model to calculate the electromagnetic field and Poynting vector distributions of the input azimuthal- and radial-variant vector beams is derived and built based on the vector diffraction theory of Richards and Wolf. From calculations, a full polarization-controlled optical cage is obtained by simply tailoring the radial index of the polarization, the uniformity U of which is up to 0.7748, and the cleanness C is zero. Additionally, a perfect optical cage can be achieved with U=1, and C=0 by introducing an amplitude modulation; its magnetic field and energy flow are also demonstrated in detail. Such optical cages may be helpful in applications such as optical trapping and high-resolution imaging.

Improving Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation by Incorporating Nondominated Solutions

PubMed Central

Lim, Kian Sheng; Ibrahim, Zuwairie; Buyamin, Salinda; Ahmad, Anita; Naim, Faradila; Ghazali, Kamarul Hawari; Mokhtar, Norrima

2013-01-01

The Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is widely used to solve multiobjective optimisation problems. This algorithm optimises one objective using a swarm of particles where their movements are guided by the best solution found by another swarm. However, the best solution of a swarm is only updated when a newly generated solution has better fitness than the best solution at the objective function optimised by that swarm, yielding poor solutions for the multiobjective optimisation problems. Thus, an improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is introduced by incorporating the nondominated solutions as the guidance for a swarm rather than using the best solution from another swarm. In this paper, the performance of improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is investigated using performance measures such as the number of nondominated solutions found, the generational distance, the spread, and the hypervolume. The results suggest that the improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm has impressive performance compared with the conventional Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm. PMID:23737718

Improving Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation by incorporating nondominated solutions.

PubMed

Lim, Kian Sheng; Ibrahim, Zuwairie; Buyamin, Salinda; Ahmad, Anita; Naim, Faradila; Ghazali, Kamarul Hawari; Mokhtar, Norrima

2013-01-01

The Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is widely used to solve multiobjective optimisation problems. This algorithm optimises one objective using a swarm of particles where their movements are guided by the best solution found by another swarm. However, the best solution of a swarm is only updated when a newly generated solution has better fitness than the best solution at the objective function optimised by that swarm, yielding poor solutions for the multiobjective optimisation problems. Thus, an improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is introduced by incorporating the nondominated solutions as the guidance for a swarm rather than using the best solution from another swarm. In this paper, the performance of improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm is investigated using performance measures such as the number of nondominated solutions found, the generational distance, the spread, and the hypervolume. The results suggest that the improved Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm has impressive performance compared with the conventional Vector Evaluated Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm.

Climate, environmental and socio-economic change: weighing up the balance in vector-borne disease transmission

DOE PAGES

Parham, Paul E.; Waldock, Joanna; Christophides, George K.; ...

2015-02-16

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is due not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but, perhaps most crucially, the multitude of epidemiological, ecological, and socioeconomic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the last 10-15 years. Inmore » this article, and Theme Issue, we seek to elucidate current knowledge around this topic, identify key themes and uncertainties, evaluate ongoing challenges and open research questions, and, crucially, offer some solutions for the field moving forwards. Although many of these challenges are ubiquitous across multiple VBDs, more specific issues also arise in different vector-pathogen systems. This Theme Issue seeks to cover both, reflected in the breadth and depth of the topics and VBD-systems considered, itself strongly indicative of the challenging, but necessary, multidisciplinary nature of this research field.« less

An optimal strategy for functional mapping of dynamic trait loci.

PubMed

Jin, Tianbo; Li, Jiahan; Guo, Ying; Zhou, Xiaojing; Yang, Runqing; Wu, Rongling

2010-02-01

As an emerging powerful approach for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for dynamic traits, functional mapping models the time-dependent mean vector with biologically meaningful equations and are likely to generate biologically relevant and interpretable results. Given the autocorrelation nature of a dynamic trait, functional mapping needs the implementation of the models for the structure of the covariance matrix. In this article, we have provided a comprehensive set of approaches for modelling the covariance structure and incorporated each of these approaches into the framework of functional mapping. The Bayesian information criterion (BIC) values are used as a model selection criterion to choose the optimal combination of the submodels for the mean vector and covariance structure. In an example for leaf age growth from a rice molecular genetic project, the best submodel combination was found between the Gaussian model for the correlation structure, power equation of order 1 for the variance and the power curve for the mean vector. Under this combination, several significant QTLs for leaf age growth trajectories were detected on different chromosomes. Our model can be well used to study the genetic architecture of dynamic traits of agricultural values.

Analysis of an Hp-Non-conforming Discontinuous Galerkin Spectral Element Method for Wave

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Scientific Computing, 36 (2008), pp. 351–390. [25] Eleuterio F . Toro , Riemann Solvers and Numerical Methods for Fluid Dynamics, Springer, 1999. [26...denoted by ñ, and the contravariant flux [15] is defined as F̃i = Jeai · F , i = 1, 2, 3, with ai as the contravariant basis vectors. We now describe...wave propagation case by the following definitions, q = ( E v ) ∈ V, Q = ( I 0 0 ρI ) , g = ( 0 f ) ∈ V, with I denoting the fourth-order identity tensor

Direct solution of the H(1s)-H + long-range interaction problem in momentum space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koga, Toshikatsu

1985-02-01

Perturbation equations for the H(1s)-H+ long-range interaction are solved directly in momentum space up to the fourth order with respect to the reciprocal of the internuclear distance. As in the hydrogen atom problem, the Fock transformation is used which projects the momentum vector of an electron from the three-dimensional hyperplane onto the four-dimensional hypersphere. Solutions are given as linear combinations of several four-dimensional spherical harmonics. The present results add an example to the momentum-space solution of the nonspherical potential problem.

Assessment of the cost-effectiveness and clinical outcomes of a fourth-generation synchronous telehealth program for the management of chronic cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Ho, Yi-Lwun; Yu, Jiun-Yu; Lin, Yen-Hung; Chen, Ying-Hsien; Huang, Ching-Chang; Hsu, Tse-Pin; Chuang, Pao-Yu; Hung, Chi-Sheng; Chen, Ming-Fong

2014-06-10

Telehealth programs are a growing field in the care of patients. The evolution of information technology has resulted in telehealth becoming a fourth-generation synchronous program. However, long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness analysis of fourth-generation telehealth programs have not been reported in patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases. We conducted this study to assess the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of a fourth-generation synchronous telehealth program for patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases. We retrospectively analyzed 575 patients who had joined a telehealth program and compared them with 1178 patients matched for sex, age, and Charlson comorbidity index. The program included: (1) instant transmission of biometric data, (2) daily telephone interview, and (3) continuous decision-making support. Data on hospitalization, emergency department (ED) visits, and medical costs were collected from the hospital's database and were adjusted to the follow-up months. The mean age was 64.5 years (SD 16.0). The mean number of monthly ED visits (mean 0.06 SD 0.13 vs mean 0.09 SD 0.23, P<.001), hospitalizations (mean 0.05 SD 0.12 vs mean 0.11 SD 0.21, P<.001), length of hospitalization (mean 0.77 days SD 2.78 vs mean 1.4 SD 3.6, P<.001), and intensive care unit admissions (mean 0.01 SD 0.07 vs mean 0.036 SD 0.14, P<.001) were lower in the telehealth group. The monthly mean costs of ED visits (mean US$20.90 SD 66.60 vs mean US$37.30 SD 126.20, P<.001), hospitalizations (mean US$386.30 SD 1424.30 vs mean US$878.20 SD 2697.20, P<.001), and all medical costs (mean US$587.60 SD 1497.80 vs mean US$1163.60 SD 3036.60, P<.001) were lower in the telehealth group. The intervention costs per patient were US$224.80 per month. Multivariate analyses revealed that age, telehealth care, and Charlson index were the independent factors for ED visits, hospitalizations, and length of hospitalization. A bootstrap method revealed the dominant cost-effectiveness of telehealth care over usual care. Better cost-effectiveness and clinical outcomes were noted with the use of a fourth-generation synchronous telehealth program in patients with chronic cardiovascular diseases. The intervention costs of this new generation of telehealth program do not increase the total costs for patient care.

Weaving Silos--A Leadership Challenge: A Cross-Functional Team Approach to Supporting Web-Based Student Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleemann, Gary L.

2005-01-01

The author reviews the evolution of Web services--from information sharing to transactional to relationship building--and the progression from first-generation to fourth-generation Web sites. (Contains 3 figures.)

Fourth-Generation Progestins Inhibit 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 and Modulate the Biosynthesis of Endogenous Steroids

PubMed Central

Louw-du Toit, Renate; Perkins, Meghan S.; Snoep, Jacky L.; Storbeck, Karl-Heinz; Africander, Donita

2016-01-01

Progestins used in contraception and hormone replacement therapy are synthetic compounds designed to mimic the actions of the natural hormone progesterone and are classed into four consecutive generations. The biological actions of progestins are primarily determined by their interactions with steroid receptors, and factors such as metabolism, pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and the regulation of endogenous steroid hormone biosynthesis are often overlooked. Although some studies have investigated the effects of select progestins on a few steroidogenic enzymes, studies comparing the effects of progestins from different generations are lacking. This study therefore explored the putative modulatory effects of progestins on de novo steroid synthesis in the adrenal by comparing the effects of select progestins from the respective generations, on endogenous steroid hormone production by the H295R human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis showed that the fourth-generation progestins, nestorone (NES), nomegestrol acetate (NoMAC) and drospirenone (DRSP), unlike the progestins selected from the first three generations, modulate the biosynthesis of several endogenous steroids. Subsequent assays performed in COS-1 cells expressing human 3βHSD2, suggest that these progestins modulate the biosynthesis of steroid hormones by inhibiting the activity of 3βHSD2. The Ki values determined for the inhibition of human 3βHSD2 by NES (9.5 ± 0.96 nM), NoMAC (29 ± 7.1 nM) and DRSP (232 ± 38 nM) were within the reported concentration ranges for the contraceptive use of these progestins in vivo. Taken together, our results suggest that newer, fourth-generation progestins may exert both positive and negative physiological effects via the modulation of endogenous steroid hormone biosynthesis. PMID:27706226

Wheel speed management control system for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodzeit, Neil E. (Inventor); Linder, David M. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A spacecraft attitude control system uses at least four reaction wheels. In order to minimize reaction wheel speed and therefore power, a wheel speed management system is provided. The management system monitors the wheel speeds and generates a wheel speed error vector. The error vector is integrated, and the error vector and its integral are combined to form a correction vector. The correction vector is summed with the attitude control torque command signals for driving the reaction wheels.

Monoclonal antibodies expression improvement in CHO cells by PiggyBac transposition regarding vectors ratios and design.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Samira; Davami, Fatemeh; Davoudi, Noushin; Nematpour, Fatemeh; Ahmadi, Maryam; Ebadat, Saeedeh; Azadmanesh, Kayhan; Barkhordari, Farzaneh; Mahboudi, Fereidoun

2017-01-01

Establishing stable Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells producing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) usually pass through the random integration of vectors to the cell genome, which is sensitive to gene silencing. One approach to overcome this issue is to target a highly transcribed region in the genome. Transposons are useful devices to target active parts of genomes, and PiggyBac (PB) transposon can be considered as a good option. In the present study, three PB transposon donor vectors containing both heavy and light chains were constructed, one contained independent expression cassettes while the others utilized either an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) or 2A element to express mAb. Conventional cell pools were created by transferring donor vectors into the CHO cells, whereas transposon-based cells were generated by transfecting the cells with donor vectors with a companion of a transposase-encoding helper vector, with 1:2.5 helper/donor vectors ratio. To evaluate the influence of helper/donor vectors ratio on expression, the second transposon-based cell pools were generated with 1:5 helper/donor ratio. Expression levels in the transposon-based cells were two to five -folds more than those created by conventional method except for the IRES-mediated ones, in which the observed difference increased more than 100-fold. The results were dependent on both donor vector design and vectors ratios.

Monoclonal antibodies expression improvement in CHO cells by PiggyBac transposition regarding vectors ratios and design

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Samira; Davami, Fatemeh; Davoudi, Noushin; Nematpour, Fatemeh; Ahmadi, Maryam; Ebadat, Saeedeh; Azadmanesh, Kayhan; Barkhordari, Farzaneh

2017-01-01

Establishing stable Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells producing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) usually pass through the random integration of vectors to the cell genome, which is sensitive to gene silencing. One approach to overcome this issue is to target a highly transcribed region in the genome. Transposons are useful devices to target active parts of genomes, and PiggyBac (PB) transposon can be considered as a good option. In the present study, three PB transposon donor vectors containing both heavy and light chains were constructed, one contained independent expression cassettes while the others utilized either an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) or 2A element to express mAb. Conventional cell pools were created by transferring donor vectors into the CHO cells, whereas transposon-based cells were generated by transfecting the cells with donor vectors with a companion of a transposase-encoding helper vector, with 1:2.5 helper/donor vectors ratio. To evaluate the influence of helper/donor vectors ratio on expression, the second transposon-based cell pools were generated with 1:5 helper/donor ratio. Expression levels in the transposon-based cells were two to five -folds more than those created by conventional method except for the IRES-mediated ones, in which the observed difference increased more than 100-fold. The results were dependent on both donor vector design and vectors ratios. PMID:28662065

Massively parallel pyrosequencing-based transcriptome analyses of small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus), a vector insect transmitting rice stripe virus (RSV)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus) is an important agricultural pest that not only damages rice plants by sap-sucking, but also acts as a vector that transmits rice stripe virus (RSV), which can cause even more serious yield loss. Despite being a model organism for studying entomology, population biology, plant protection, molecular interactions among plants, viruses and insects, only a few genomic sequences are available for this species. To investigate its transcriptome and determine the differences between viruliferous and naïve L. striatellus, we employed 454-FLX high-throughput pyrosequencing to generate EST databases of this insect. Results We obtained 201,281 and 218,681 high-quality reads from viruliferous and naïve L. striatellus, respectively, with an average read length as 230 bp. These reads were assembled into contigs and two EST databases were generated. When all reads were combined, 16,885 contigs and 24,607 singletons (a total of 41,492 unigenes) were obtained, which represents a transcriptome of the insect. BlastX search against the NCBI-NR database revealed that only 6,873 (16.6%) of these unigenes have significant matches. Comparison of the distribution of GO classification among viruliferous, naïve, and combined EST databases indicated that these libraries are broadly representative of the L. striatellus transcriptomes. Functionally diverse transcripts from RSV, endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia and yeast-like symbiotes were identified, which reflects the possible lifestyles of these microbial symbionts that live in the cells of the host insect. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that L. striatellus encodes similar innate immunity regulatory systems as other insects, such as RNA interference, JAK/STAT and partial Imd cascades, which might be involved in defense against viral infection. In addition, we determined the differences in gene expression between vector and naïve samples, which generated a list of candidate genes that are potentially involved in the symbiosis of L. striatellus and RSV. Conclusions To our knowledge, the present study is the first description of a genomic project for L. striatellus. The identification of transcripts from RSV, Wolbachia, yeast-like symbiotes and genes abundantly expressed in viruliferous insect, provided a starting-point for investigating the molecular basis of symbiosis among these organisms. PMID:20462456

Syngeneic AAV pseudo-particles potentiate gene transduction of AAV vectors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Gene delivery vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) have emerged as safe and efficient therapeutic platform for numerous diseases. Excessive empty particles were generated as impurities during AAV vector production, but their effects on clinical outcome of AAV gene therapy are unclear. Here,...

Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Wavefields in a Realistic Dipole Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denton, R. E.

2018-02-01

The latitudinal distribution and properties of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves determine the total effect of those waves on relativistic electrons. Here we describe the latitudinal variation of EMIC waves simulated self-consistently in a dipole magnetic field for a plasmasphere or plume-like plasma at geostationary orbit with cold H+, He+, and O+ and hot protons with temperature anisotropy. The waves grow as they propagate away from the magnetic equator to higher latitude, while the wave vector turns outward radially and the polarization becomes linear. We calculate the detailed wave spectrum in four latitudinal ranges varying from magnetic latitude (MLAT) close to 0° (magnetic equator) up to 21°. The strongest waves are propagating away from the magnetic equator, but some wave power propagating toward the magnetic equator is observed due to local generation (especially close to the magnetic equator) or reflection. The He band waves, which are generated relatively high up on their dispersion surface, are able to propagate all the way to MLAT = 21°, but the H band waves experience frequency filtering, with no equatorial waves propagating to MLAT = 21° and only the higher-frequency waves propagating to MLAT = 14°. The result is that the wave power averaged k∥, which determines the relativistic electron minimum resonance energy, scales like the inverse of the local magnetic field for the He mode, whereas it is almost constant for the H mode. While the perpendicular wave vector turns outward, it broadens. These wavefields should be useful for simulations of radiation belt particle dynamics.

Hexon modification to improve the activity of oncolytic adenovirus vectors against neoplastic and stromal cells in pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Lucas, Tanja; Benihoud, Karim; Vigant, Frédéric; Schmidt, Christoph Q; Schmidt, Christoph Q Andreas; Wortmann, Andreas; Bachem, Max G; Simmet, Thomas; Kochanek, Stefan

2015-01-01

Primary pancreatic carcinoma has an unfavourable prognosis and standard treatment strategies mostly fail in advanced cases. Virotherapy might overcome this resistance to current treatment modalities. However, data from clinical studies with oncolytic viruses, including replicating adenoviral (Ad) vectors, have shown only limited activity against pancreatic cancer and other carcinomas. Since pancreatic carcinomas have a complex tumor architecture and frequently a strong stromal compartment consisting of non-neoplastic cell types (mainly pancreatic stellate cells = hPSCs) and extracellular matrix, it is not surprising that Ad vectors replicating in neoplastic cells will likely fail to eradicate this aggressive tumor type. Because the TGFβ receptor (TGFBR) is expressed on both neoplastic cells and hPSCs we inserted the TGFBR targeting peptide CKS17 into the hypervariable region 5 (HVR5) of the capsid protein hexon with the aim to generate a replicating Ad vector with improved activity in complex tumors. We demonstrated increased transduction of both pancreatic cancer cell lines and of hPSCs and enhanced cytotoxicity in co-cultures of both cell types. Surface plasmon resonance analysis demonstrated decreased binding of coagulation factor X to CKS17-modified Ad particles and in vivo biodistribution studies performed in mice indicated decreased transduction of hepatocytes. Thus, to increase activity of replicating Ad vectors we propose to relax tumor cell selectivity by genetic hexon-mediated targeting to the TGFBR (or other receptors present on both neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells within the tumor) to enable replication also in the stromal cell compartment of tumors, while abolishing hepatocyte transduction, and thereby increasing safety.

Generation Mechanism for Interlinked Flux Tubes on the Magnetopause

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farinas Perez, G.; Cardoso, F. R.; Sibeck, D.; Gonzalez, W. D.; Facskó, G.; Coxon, J. C.; Pembroke, A. D.

2018-02-01

We use a global magnetohydrodynamics simulation to analyze transient magnetic reconnection processes at the magnetopause. The solar wind conditions have been kept constant, and an interplanetary magnetic field with large duskward BY and southward BZ components has been imposed. Five flux transfer events (FTEs) with clear bipolar magnetic field signatures have been observed. We observed a peculiar structure defined as interlinked flux tubes (IFTs) in the first and fourth FTE, which had very different generation mechanisms. The first FTE originates as an IFTs and remains with this configuration until its final moment. However, the fourth FTE develops as a classical flux rope but changes its 3-D magnetic configuration to that of IFTs. This work studies the mechanism for generating IFTs. The growth of the resistive tearing instability has been identified as the cause for the first IFTs formation. We believe that the instability has been triggered by the accumulation of interplanetary magnetic field at the subsolar point where the grid resolution is very high. The evidence shows that two new reconnection lines form northward and southward of the subsolar region. The IFTs have been generated with all the classical signatures of a single flux rope. The other IFTs detected in the fourth FTE developed as a result of magnetic reconnection inside its complex and twisted magnetic fields, which leads to a change in the magnetic configuration from a flux rope of twisted magnetic field lines to IFTs.

Relationship between the onset date of the Meiyu and the South Asian anticyclone in April and the related mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hua; He, Shengping; Fan, Ke; Wang, Huijun

2018-03-01

The onset date of the Meiyu has attracted extensive attention because it marks the beginning of the rainfall season in the Yangtze-Huai River basin (YHRB). In this study, the relationship between the onset dates of the Meiyu and its precursors is investigated; and the South Asian anticyclone (SAA) in April, which is generated by atmospheric apparent sources over South Asia, is introduced. The results show that years with stronger SAA in April are concurrent with earlier onsets of the Meiyu and increased precipitation in June over the YHRB and vice versa. The mechanisms involved in this relationship are further investigated. The SAA emerges in early April, and moves eastward to the western North Pacific (WNP) in the late pentad of April due to the abrupt zonal energy transport, leading to anomalous divergence in the upper troposphere over the WNP. The divergence anomaly enhances ascending motion in situ due to Ekman pumping, leading to an anomalous cyclone at lower levels over this region. Due to the southward-moving ascending motion and the presence of the lower tropospheric cyclone in the fourth pentad of May, the precipitation moves southward to the Philippine Sea (PHS). The associated stronger convection over the PHS further triggers a meridional overturning pattern, which develops into the Pacific-Japan like pattern (PJ-like pattern). The PJ-like pattern persists from the end of May to the beginning of June, which promotes the earlier onset of the Meiyu. In addition, due to the increased heating associated with the abundant precipitation over the PHS around the fourth pentad of May, the Western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) shifts northward earlier. Ultimately, the earlier establishment of the PJ-like pattern and the earlier northward shift of the WPSH cause stronger-than-normal southwesterly flows and additional water vapor transport to the YHRB, leading to the advanced onset of the Meiyu and additional precipitation in June.

Larvicidal and repellent properties of Streptomyces sp. VITJS4 crude extract against Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Naine, S Jemimah; Devi, C Subathra

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the larvicidal and repellent properties of marine Streptomyces sp. VITJS4 crude extracts. The marine soil samples were collected from the Puducherry coast, Tamil Nadu, India. The isolate Streptomyces sp. VITJS4 was taxonomically characterized and identified. The ethyl acetate crude extract tested for larvicidal property showed 100% mortality for all the 3 species after 24 h exposure against the early fourth instar larvae of malarial vector--Anopheles stephensi at 50% and 90% lethal concentration (LC50 = 132.86, LC90 396.14 ppm); dengue vector--Aedes aegypti (LC50 = 112.78, LC90 336.42 ppm) and filariasis vector--Culex quinquefasciatus (LC50 = 156.53, LC90 468.37 ppm). The Streptomyces sp. VITJS4 solvent extracts of hexane, ethyl acetate, benzene, chloroform and methanol were tested for repellent activity against A. stephensi, A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus. The ethyl acetate extract showed complete protection for 210 min at 6 mg/cm2 against these mosquito bites. The crude extract was analyzed further for Fourier Transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis. In addition to the importance of bioactive compounds, the utilization of Streptomyces sp. VITJS4 crude extracts revealed effective larvicidal and repellent activity against the vectors, which perhaps represents a promising tool in the management of mosquito control.

Modelling and simulation of particle-particle interaction in a magnetophoretic bio-separation chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Manjurul; Golozar, Matin; Darabi, Jeff

2018-04-01

A Lagrangian particle trajectory model is developed to predict the interaction between cell-bead particle complexes and to track their trajectories in a magnetophoretic bio-separation chip. Magnetic flux gradients are simulated in the OpenFOAM CFD software and imported into MATLAB to obtain the trapping lengths and trajectories of the particles. A connector vector is introduced to calculate the interaction force between cell-bead complexes as they flow through a microfluidic device. The interaction force calculations are performed for cases where the connector vector is parallel, perpendicular, and at an angle of 45° with the applied magnetic field. The trajectories of the particles are simulated by solving a system of eight ordinary differential equations using a fourth order Runge-Kutta method. The model is then used to study the effects of geometric positions and angles of the connector vector between the particles as well as the cell size, number of beads per cell, and flow rate on the interaction force and trajectories of the particles. The results show that the interaction forces may be attractive or repulsive, depending on the orientation of the connector vector distance between the particle complexes and the applied magnetic field. When the interaction force is attractive, the particles are observed to merge and trap sooner than a single particle, whereas a repulsive interaction force has little or no effect on the trapping length.

A two-step, fourth-order method with energy preserving properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brugnano, Luigi; Iavernaro, Felice; Trigiante, Donato

2012-09-01

We introduce a family of fourth-order two-step methods that preserve the energy function of canonical polynomial Hamiltonian systems. As is the case with linear mutistep and one-leg methods, a prerogative of the new formulae is that the associated nonlinear systems to be solved at each step of the integration procedure have the very same dimension of the underlying continuous problem. The key tools in the new methods are the line integral associated with a conservative vector field (such as the one defined by a Hamiltonian dynamical system) and its discretization obtained by the aid of a quadrature formula. Energy conservation is equivalent to the requirement that the quadrature is exact, which turns out to be always the case in the event that the Hamiltonian function is a polynomial and the degree of precision of the quadrature formula is high enough. The non-polynomial case is also discussed and a number of test problems are finally presented in order to compare the behavior of the new methods to the theoretical results.

"Everybody Treated Him Like He Was from Another World": Bilingual Fourth Graders Develop Social Awareness through Interactive Read-Alouds Focused on Critical Literacies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Katie E.; Chamberlain, Katharine

2015-01-01

This study explores read-aloud discussions of students in a fourth grade, bilingual classroom located in a rural district in the Southwestern United States. This article argues that teachers can develop students' critical literacy skills through the use of interactive read-alouds with specific texts that problematize specific social issues for…

Efficient Generation of Functional Hepatocytes From Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells by HNF4α Transduction

PubMed Central

Takayama, Kazuo; Inamura, Mitsuru; Kawabata, Kenji; Katayama, Kazufumi; Higuchi, Maiko; Tashiro, Katsuhisa; Nonaka, Aki; Sakurai, Fuminori; Hayakawa, Takao; Kusuda Furue, Miho; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

2012-01-01

Hepatocyte-like cells from human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are expected to be a useful source of cells drug discovery. Although we recently reported that hepatic commitment is promoted by transduction of SOX17 and HEX into human ESC- and iPSC-derived cells, these hepatocyte-like cells were not sufficiently mature for drug screening. To promote hepatic maturation, we utilized transduction of the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) gene, which is known as a master regulator of liver-specific gene expression. Adenovirus vector-mediated overexpression of HNF4α in hepatoblasts induced by SOX17 and HEX transduction led to upregulation of epithelial and mature hepatic markers such as cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, and promoted hepatic maturation by activating the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). Thus HNF4α might play an important role in the hepatic differentiation from human ESC-derived hepatoblasts by activating the MET. Furthermore, the hepatocyte like-cells could catalyze the toxication of several compounds. Our method would be a valuable tool for the efficient generation of functional hepatocytes derived from human ESCs and iPSCs, and the hepatocyte-like cells could be used for predicting drug toxicity. PMID:22068426

Larvicidal activity of Saponin isolated from Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) against Japanese Encephalitis vector, Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Elumalai, K; Dhanasekaran, S; Krishnappa, K

2013-05-01

To determine the larvicidal activity of various extracts of Gymnema (G.) sylvestre against the Japanese Encephalitis vector, Culex tritaeniorynchus in Tamilnadu, India. To identify the active principle present in the promising fraction obtained in Chlorofom:Methanol extract of Fraction 2. The G. Sylvestre leaf extracts were tested, employing WHO procedure against fourth instar larvae of C. tritaeniorhynchus and the larval mortalities were recorded at various concentrations (6.25 microg/ml); the 24h LC(50) values of the G. Sylvestre leaf extracts were determined following Probit analysis. It was noteworthy, that treatment level 100 ppm exhibited highest mortality rates for the three different crude extracts and was significantly different from the mean mortalities recorded for the other concentrations. The LC(50) values of 34.756 microg/ml (24.475-51.41), 31.351 microg/ml (20.634-47.043) and 28.577 microg/ml (25.159-32.308) were calculated in acetone, chloroform and methanol extract with the chi-square values of 10.301, 31.351 and 4.093 respectively. The present investigation proved that G. Sylvestre could be possibly utilized as an important component in the Vector control Programme.

Comparable Systems Analysis: Design and Operation of Advanced Control Centers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

This paper examines next generation wide-area cellular such as fourth generation (4G) will be able to support vehicular applications, and how transportation infrastructure may mesh with wireless networks. This report is part of the Connected Vehicle ...

Complex matrix multiplication operations with data pre-conditioning in a high performance computing architecture

DOEpatents

Eichenberger, Alexandre E; Gschwind, Michael K; Gunnels, John A

2014-02-11

Mechanisms for performing a complex matrix multiplication operation are provided. A vector load operation is performed to load a first vector operand of the complex matrix multiplication operation to a first target vector register. The first vector operand comprises a real and imaginary part of a first complex vector value. A complex load and splat operation is performed to load a second complex vector value of a second vector operand and replicate the second complex vector value within a second target vector register. The second complex vector value has a real and imaginary part. A cross multiply add operation is performed on elements of the first target vector register and elements of the second target vector register to generate a partial product of the complex matrix multiplication operation. The partial product is accumulated with other partial products and a resulting accumulated partial product is stored in a result vector register.

Elements of the quality management in the materials' industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioana, Adrian; Semenescu, Augustin; Costoiu, Mihnea; Marcu, Dragoş

2017-12-01

The criteria function concept consists of transforming the criteria function (CF) in a quality-economical matrix math MQE. The levels of prescribing the criteria function was obtained by using a composition algorithm for three vectors: T¯ vector - technical parameters' vector (ti); Ē vector - economical parameters' vector (ej) and P¯ vector - weight vector (p1). For each product or service, the area of the circle represents the value of its sales. The BCG Matrix thus offers a very useful map of the organization's service strengths and weaknesses, at least in terms of current profitability, as well as the likely cash flows.

Teaching Universal Gravitation with Vector Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowry, Matthew

2008-01-01

Like many high school and college physics teachers, I have found playing vector games to be a useful way of illustrating the concepts of inertia, velocity, and acceleration. Like many, I have also had difficulty in trying to get students to understand Newton's law of universal gravitation, specifically the inverse-square law and its application to…

CYBERSUSY A new mechanism for supersymmetry breaking in models like the Supersymmetric Standard Model (SSM):

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

Dixon, John A.

2010-02-10

The SUSY breaking in Cybersusy is proportional to the VEV that breaks the gauge symmetry SU(2)xU(1) down to U(1), and it is rather specific to models like the SSM. Assuming full breaking, as explained below, for the leptons, Cybersusy predicts a spectrum of SUSY breaking that is in accord with experimental results so far. In particular, for the choice of parameters below, Cybersusy predicts that the lowest mass superpartner for the charged leptons is a charged vector boson lepton (the Velectron), which has a mass of 316 Gev. The Selectron has a mass of 771 Gev for that choice ofmore » parameters. The theory also leads to a zero cosmological constant after SUSY breaking. The mechanism generates equations that restrict models like the SSM. This version of this paper incorporates recent results and changes discovered subsequent to the talk.« less

Trajectory and Aeroheating Environment Development and Sensitivity Analysis for Capsule-shaped Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Jeffrey S.; Wurster, Kathryn E.

2006-01-01

Recently, NASA's Exploration Systems Research and Technology Project funded several tasks that endeavored to develop and evaluate various thermal protection systems and high temperature material concepts for potential use on the crew exploration vehicle. In support of these tasks, NASA Langley's Vehicle Analysis Branch generated trajectory information and associated aeroheating environments for more than 60 unique entry cases. Using the Apollo Command Module as the baseline entry system because of its relevance to the favored crew exploration vehicle design, trajectories for a range of lunar and Mars return, direct and aerocapture Earth-entry scenarios were developed. For direct entry, a matrix of cases was created that reflects reasonably expected minimum and maximum values of vehicle ballistic coefficient, inertial velocity at entry interface, and inertial flight path angle at entry interface. For aerocapture, trajectories were generated for a range of values of initial velocity and ballistic coefficient that, when combined with proper initial flight path angles, resulted in achieving a low Earth orbit either by employing a full lift vector up or full lift vector down attitude. For each trajectory generated, aeroheating environments were generated which were intended to bound the thermal protection system requirements for likely crew exploration vehicle concepts. The trades examined clearly pointed to a range of missions / concepts that will require ablative systems as well as a range for which reusable systems may be feasible. In addition, the results clearly indicated those entry conditions and modes suitable for manned flight, considering vehicle deceleration levels experienced during entry. This paper presents an overview of the analysis performed, including the assumptions, methods, and general approach used, as well as a summary of the trajectory and aerothermal environment information that was generated.

Improving the Transduction of Bone Marrow–Derived Cells with an Integrase-Defective Lentiviral Vector

PubMed Central

Pay, S. Louise; Qi, Xiaoping; Willard, Jeffrey F.; Godoy, Juliana; Sankhavaram, Kavya; Horton, Ranier; Mitter, Sayak K.; Quigley, Judith L.; Chang, Lung-Ji; Grant, Maria B.; Boulton, Michael E.

2018-01-01

In lentiviral vector (LV) applications where transient transgene expression is sufficient, integrase-defective lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) are beneficial for reducing the potential for off-target effects associated with insertional mutagenesis. It was previously demonstrated that human RPE65 mRNA expression from an integrating lentiviral vector (ILV) induces endogenous Rpe65 and Cralbp mRNA expression in murine bone marrow–derived cells (BMDCs), initiating programming of the cells to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)-like cells. These cells regenerate RPE in retinal degeneration models when injected systemically. As transient expression of RPE65 is sufficient to activate endogenous RPE-associated genes for programming BMDCs, use of an ILV is an unnecessary risk. In this study, an IDLV expressing RPE65 (IDLV3-RPE65) was generated. Transduction with IDLV3-RPE65 is less efficient than the integrating vector (ILV3-RPE65). Therefore, IDLV3-RPE65 transduction was enhanced with a combination of preloading 20 × -concentrated viral supernatant on RetroNectin at a multiplicity of infection of 50 and transduction of BMDCs by low-speed centrifugation. RPE65 mRNA levels increased from ∼12-fold to ∼25-fold (p < 0.05) after modification of the IDLV3-RPE65 transduction protocol, achieving expression similar to the ∼27-fold (p < 0.05) increase observed with ILV3-RPE65. Additionally, the study shows that the same preparation of RetroNectin can be used to coat up to three wells with no reduction in transduction. Critically, IDLV3-RPE65 transduction initiates endogenous Rpe65 mRNA expression in murine BMDCs and Cralbp/CRALBP mRNA in both murine and human BMDCs, similar to expression observed in ILV3-RPE65-transduced cells. Systemic administration of ILV3-RPE65 or IDLV3-RPE65 programmed BMDCs in a mouse model of retinal degeneration is sufficient to retain visual function and reduce retinal degeneration compared to mice receiving no treatment or naïve BMDC. It is concluded that IDLV3-RPE65 is appropriate for programming BMDCs to RPE-like cells. PMID:29160102

Helper-Free Foamy Virus Vectors

PubMed Central

TROBRIDGE, GRANT D.; RUSSELL, DAVID W.

2010-01-01

Retroviral vectors based on human foamy virus (HFV) have been developed and show promise as gene therapy vehicles. Here we describe a method for the production of HFV vector stocks free of detectable helper virus. The helper and vector plasmid constructs used both lack the HFV bel genes, so recombination between these constructs cannot create a wild-type virus. A fusion promoter that combines portions of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early and HFV long terminal repeat (LTR) promoters was used to drive expression of both the helper and vector constructs. The CMV–LTR fusion promoter allows for HFV vector production in the absence of the Bel-1 trans-activator protein, which would otherwise be necessary for efficient transcription from the HFV LTR. Vector stocks containing either neomycin phosphotransferase or alkaline phosphatase reporter genes were produced by transient transfection at titers greater than 105 transducing units/ml. G418-resistant BHK-21 cells obtained by transduction with neo vectors contained randomly integrated HFV vector proviruses without detectable deletions or rearrangements. The vector stocks generated were free of replication-competent retrovirus (RCR), as determined by assays for LTR trans-activation and a marker rescue assay developed here for the detection of Bel-independent RCR. OVERVIEW SUMMARY Vectors based on human foamy virus have been developed but low titers and the presence of replication-competent retrovirus (RCR) in vector stocks have prevented their use in preclinical animal experiments. We have developed a transient transfection method that can be used to produce replication-incompetent HFV vector stocks at titers greater than 105/ml, and that does not produce contaminating RCR. The use of CMV-HFV LTR fusion promoters in the helper and vector constructs has circumvented the requirement for the HFV Bel-1 trans-activator protein. Consequently, the potential for generating wild-type HFV by recombination between helper and vector constructs during vector production has been eliminated. Here we describe HFV vector production using this Bel-independent system. PMID:9853518

Non-coaxial superposition of vector vortex beams.

PubMed

Aadhi, A; Vaity, Pravin; Chithrabhanu, P; Reddy, Salla Gangi; Prabakar, Shashi; Singh, R P

2016-02-10

Vector vortex beams are classified into four types depending upon spatial variation in their polarization vector. We have generated all four of these types of vector vortex beams by using a modified polarization Sagnac interferometer with a vortex lens. Further, we have studied the non-coaxial superposition of two vector vortex beams. It is observed that the superposition of two vector vortex beams with same polarization singularity leads to a beam with another kind of polarization singularity in their interaction region. The results may be of importance in ultrahigh security of the polarization-encrypted data that utilizes vector vortex beams and multiple optical trapping with non-coaxial superposition of vector vortex beams. We verified our experimental results with theory.

Lyme disease bacterium does not affect attraction to rodent odour in the tick vector.

PubMed

Berret, Jérémy; Voordouw, Maarten Jeroen

2015-04-28

Vector-borne pathogens experience a conflict of interest when the arthropod vector chooses a vertebrate host that is incompetent for pathogen transmission. The qualitative manipulation hypothesis suggests that vector-borne pathogens can resolve this conflict in their favour by manipulating the host choice behaviour of the arthropod vector. European Lyme disease is a model system for studying this conflict because Ixodes ricinus is a generalist tick species that vectors Borrelia pathogens that are specialized on different classes of vertebrate hosts. Avian specialists like B. garinii cannot survive in rodent reservoir hosts and vice versa for rodent specialists like B. afzelii. The present study tested whether Borrelia genospecies influenced the attraction of field-collected I. ricinus nymphs to rodent odours. Nymphs were significantly attracted to questing perches that had been scented with mouse odours. However, there was no difference in questing behaviour between nymphs infected with rodent- versus bird-specialized Borrelia genospecies. Our study suggests that the tick, and not the pathogen, controls the early stages of host choice behaviour.

Characterization of a 3rd Generation Lentiviral Vector Pseudotyped With Nipah Virus Envelope Proteins For Endothelial Cell Transduction

PubMed Central

Witting, Scott R.; Vallanda, Priya; Gamble, Aisha L.

2013-01-01

Lentiviruses are becoming progressively more popular as gene therapy vectors due to their ability to integrate into quiescent cells and recent clinical trial successes. Directing these vectors to specific cell types and limiting off-target transduction in vivo remains a challenge. Replacing the viral envelope proteins responsible for cellular binding, or pseudotyping, remains a common method to improve lentiviral targeting. Here, we describe the development of a high titer, 3rd generation lentiviral vector pseudotyped with Nipah virus fusion protein (NiV-F) and attachment protein (NiV-G). Critical to high titers was truncation of the cytoplasmic domains of both NiV-F and NiV-G. As known targets of wild-type Nipah virus, primary endothelial cells are shown to be effectively transduced by the Nipah pseudotype. In contrast, human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors were not significantly transduced. Additionally, the Nipah pseudotype has increased stability in human serum compared to VSV pseudotyped lentivirus. These findings suggest that the use of Nipah virus envelope proteins in 3rd generation lentiviral vectors would be a valuable tool for gene delivery targeted to endothelial cells. PMID:23698741

Characterization of a third generation lentiviral vector pseudotyped with Nipah virus envelope proteins for endothelial cell transduction.

PubMed

Witting, S R; Vallanda, P; Gamble, A L

2013-10-01

Lentiviruses are becoming progressively more popular as gene therapy vectors due to their ability to integrate into quiescent cells and recent clinical trial successes. Directing these vectors to specific cell types and limiting off-target transduction in vivo remains a challenge. Replacing the viral envelope proteins responsible for cellular binding, or pseudotyping, remains a common method to improve lentiviral targeting. Here, we describe the development of a high titer, third generation lentiviral vector pseudotyped with Nipah virus fusion protein (NiV-F) and attachment protein (NiV-G). Critical to high titers was truncation of the cytoplasmic domains of both NiV-F and NiV-G. As known targets of wild-type Nipah virus, primary endothelial cells are shown to be effectively transduced by the Nipah pseudotype. In contrast, human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors were not significantly transduced. Additionally, the Nipah pseudotype has increased stability in human serum compared with vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotyped lentivirus. These findings suggest that the use of Nipah virus envelope proteins in third generation lentiviral vectors would be a valuable tool for gene delivery targeted to endothelial cells.

Manufacture of Third-Generation Lentivirus for Preclinical Use, with Process Development Considerations for Translation to Good Manufacturing Practice.

PubMed

Gándara, Carolina; Affleck, Valerie; Stoll, Elizabeth Ann

2018-02-01

Lentiviral vectors are used in laboratories around the world for in vivo and ex vivo delivery of gene therapies, and increasingly clinical investigation as well as preclinical applications. The third-generation lentiviral vector system has many advantages, including high packaging capacity, stable gene expression in both dividing and post-mitotic cells, and low immunogenicity in the recipient organism. Yet, the manufacture of these vectors is challenging, especially at high titers required for direct use in vivo, and further challenges are presented by the process of translating preclinical gene therapies toward manufacture of products for clinical investigation. The goals of this paper are to report the protocol for manufacturing high-titer third-generation lentivirus for preclinical testing and to provide detailed information on considerations for translating preclinical viral vector manufacture toward scaled-up platforms and processes in order to make gene therapies under Good Manufacturing Practice that are suitable for clinical trials.

Manufacture of Third-Generation Lentivirus for Preclinical Use, with Process Development Considerations for Translation to Good Manufacturing Practice

PubMed Central

Gándara, Carolina; Affleck, Valerie; Stoll, Elizabeth Ann

2018-01-01

Lentiviral vectors are used in laboratories around the world for in vivo and ex vivo delivery of gene therapies, and increasingly clinical investigation as well as preclinical applications. The third-generation lentiviral vector system has many advantages, including high packaging capacity, stable gene expression in both dividing and post-mitotic cells, and low immunogenicity in the recipient organism. Yet, the manufacture of these vectors is challenging, especially at high titers required for direct use in vivo, and further challenges are presented by the process of translating preclinical gene therapies toward manufacture of products for clinical investigation. The goals of this paper are to report the protocol for manufacturing high-titer third-generation lentivirus for preclinical testing and to provide detailed information on considerations for translating preclinical viral vector manufacture toward scaled-up platforms and processes in order to make gene therapies under Good Manufacturing Practice that are suitable for clinical trials. PMID:29212357

Test aspects of the JPL Viterbi decoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breuer, M. A.

1989-01-01

The generation of test vectors and design-for-test aspects of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Viterbi decoder chip is discussed. Each processor integrated circuit (IC) contains over 20,000 gates. To achieve a high degree of testability, a scan architecture is employed. The logic has been partitioned so that very few test vectors are required to test the entire chip. In addition, since several blocks of logic are replicated numerous times on this chip, test vectors need only be generated for each block, rather than for the entire circuit. These unique blocks of logic have been identified and test sets generated for them. The approach employed for testing was to use pseudo-exhaustive test vectors whenever feasible. That is, each cone of logid is tested exhaustively. Using this approach, no detailed logic design or fault model is required. All faults which modify the function of a block of combinational logic are detected, such as all irredundant single and multiple stuck-at faults.

Vector models and generalized SYK models

DOE PAGES

Peng, Cheng

2017-05-23

Here, we consider the relation between SYK-like models and vector models by studying a toy model where a tensor field is coupled with a vector field. By integrating out the tensor field, the toy model reduces to the Gross-Neveu model in 1 dimension. On the other hand, a certain perturbation can be turned on and the toy model flows to an SYK-like model at low energy. Furthermore, a chaotic-nonchaotic phase transition occurs as the sign of the perturbation is altered. We further study similar models that possess chaos and enhanced reparameterization symmetries.

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

Cox, David J.

We present the results of a search for pair production of a heavy top-like (t') quark decaying to Wq final states using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.6 fb -1 collected by the CDF II detector in pp collisions atmore » $$\\sqrt{s} = 1.96$$ TeV center of mass energy. A search for t' → Wb in events containing a lepton and four or more jets is conducted. By performing a fit to the two-dimensional distribution of total transverse energy versus reconstructed t' quark mass, we set upper limits on the t't' pair production cross section and exclude a standard model fourth-generation t' quark decaying to Wb with mass below 358 GeV/c 2 at 95% CL.« less

Universal SU(2/1) and the Higgs and fermion masses

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

Ne`eman, Y.

1992-12-31

We review the SU(2/1) internal supersymmetry suggested by D. Fairlie and the author in 1979. The initial apparent difficulties were resolved when, with J. Thierry-Mieg, we understood that the gauging of a supergroup implies taking the usual Yang-Mills-like Principal (Double) Fibre Bundle as a ``scaffold`` and using its Grassmann algebra as parameter manifold for the supergauge. SU(2/1) Universality fixes the masses of the Higgs scalar field and the ``top`` quark around 100--200 GeV, in the same region as the W and Z masses. A ``unified``` supergauge, enclosing SU(3)colour x SU(2) x U(l), predicts a fourth lepton generation in which themore » neutrino mass is of the same order.« less

Development of a fourth generation predictive capability maturity model.

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

Hills, Richard Guy; Witkowski, Walter R.; Urbina, Angel

2013-09-01

The Predictive Capability Maturity Model (PCMM) is an expert elicitation tool designed to characterize and communicate completeness of the approaches used for computational model definition, verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification associated for an intended application. The primary application of this tool at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has been for physics-based computational simulations in support of nuclear weapons applications. The two main goals of a PCMM evaluation are 1) the communication of computational simulation capability, accurately and transparently, and 2) the development of input for effective planning. As a result of the increasing importance of computational simulation to SNLs mission, themore » PCMM has evolved through multiple generations with the goal to provide more clarity, rigor, and completeness in its application. This report describes the approach used to develop the fourth generation of the PCMM.« less

Field site selection: getting it right first time around

PubMed Central

Malcolm, Colin A; El Sayed, Badria; Babiker, Ahmed; Girod, Romain; Fontenille, Didier; Knols, Bart GJ; Nugud, Abdel Hameed; Benedict, Mark Q

2009-01-01

The selection of suitable field sites for integrated control of Anopheles mosquitoes using the sterile insect technique (SIT) requires consideration of the full gamut of factors facing most proposed control strategies, but four criteria identify an ideal site: 1) a single malaria vector, 2) an unstructured, relatively low density target population, 3) isolation of the target population and 4) actual or potential malaria incidence. Such a site can exist in a diverse range of situations or can be created. Two contrasting SIT field sites are examined here: the desert-flanked Dongola Reach of the Nile River in Northern State, Sudan, where malaria is endemic, and the island of La Reunion, where autochthonous malaria is rare but risk is persistent. The single malaria-transmitting vector at both sites is Anopheles arabiensis. In Sudan, the target area is a narrow 500 km corridor stretching from the rocky terrain at the Fourth Cataract - just above the new Merowe Dam, to the northernmost edge of the species range, close to Egypt. Vector distribution and temporal changes in density depend on the Nile level, ambient temperature and human activities. On La Reunion, the An. arabiensis population is coastal, limited and divided into three areas by altitude and exposure to the trade winds on the east coast. Mosquito vectors for other diseases are an issue at both sites, but of primary importance on La Reunion due to the recent chikungunya epidemic. The similarities and differences between these two sites in terms of suitability are discussed in the context of area-wide integrated vector management incorporating the SIT. PMID:19917079

“Stealth” Adenoviruses Blunt Cell-Mediated and Humoral Immune Responses against the Virus and Allow for Significant Gene Expression upon Readministration in the Lung

PubMed Central

Croyle, Maria A.; Chirmule, Narendra; Zhang, Yi; Wilson, James M.

2001-01-01

Most of the early gene therapy trials for cystic fibrosis have been with adenovirus vectors. First-generation viruses with E1a and E1b deleted are limited by transient expression of the transgene and substantial inflammatory responses. Gene transfer is also significantly curtailed following a second dose of virus. In an effort to reduce adenovirus-associated inflammation, capsids of first-generation vectors were modified with various activated monomethoxypolyethylene glycols. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte production was significantly reduced in C57BL/6 mice after a single intratracheal administration of modified vectors, and length of gene expression was extended from 4 to 42 days. T-cell subsets from mice exposed to the conjugated vectors demonstrated a marked decrease in Th1 responses and slight enhancement of Th2 responses compared to animals dosed with native virus. Neutralizing antibodies (NAB) against adenovirus capsid proteins were reduced in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of animals after a single dose of modified virus, allowing significant levels of gene expression upon rechallenge with native adenovirus. Modification with polyethylene glycol (PEG) also allowed substantial gene expression from the new vectors in animals previously immunized with unmodified virus. However, gene expression was significantly reduced after two doses of the same PEG-conjugated vector. Alternating the activation group of PEG between doses did produce significant gene expression upon readministration. This technology in combination with second-generation or helper-dependent adenovirus could produce dosing strategies which promote successful readministration of vector in clinical trials and marked expression in patients with significant anti-adenovirus NAB levels and reduce the possibility of immune reactions against viral vectors for gene therapy. PMID:11312351

Tumor-Free Transplantation of Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Progeny for Customized Islet Regeneration.

PubMed

El Khatib, Moustafa M; Ohmine, Seiga; Jacobus, Egon J; Tonne, Jason M; Morsy, Salma G; Holditch, Sara J; Schreiber, Claire A; Uetsuka, Koji; Fusaki, Noemi; Wigle, Dennis A; Terzic, Andre; Kudva, Yogish C; Ikeda, Yasuhiro

2016-05-01

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and derived progeny provide invaluable regenerative platforms, yet their clinical translation has been compromised by their biosafety concern. Here, we assessed the safety of transplanting patient-derived iPSC-generated pancreatic endoderm/progenitor cells. Transplantation of progenitors from iPSCs reprogrammed by lentiviral vectors (LV-iPSCs) led to the formation of invasive teratocarcinoma-like tumors in more than 90% of immunodeficient mice. Moreover, removal of primary tumors from LV-iPSC progeny-transplanted hosts generated secondary and metastatic tumors. Combined transgene-free (TGF) reprogramming and elimination of residual pluripotent cells by enzymatic dissociation ensured tumor-free transplantation, ultimately enabling regeneration of type 1 diabetes-specific human islet structures in vivo. The incidence of tumor formation in TGF-iPSCs was titratable, depending on the oncogenic load, with reintegration of the cMYC expressing vector abolishing tumor-free transplantation. Thus, transgene-free cMYC-independent reprogramming and elimination of residual pluripotent cells are mandatory steps in achieving transplantation of iPSC progeny for customized and safe islet regeneration in vivo. Pluripotent stem cell therapy for diabetes relies on the safety as well as the quality of derived insulin-producing cells. Data from this study highlight prominent tumorigenic risks of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) products, especially when reprogrammed with integrating vectors. Two major underlying mechanisms in iPSC tumorigenicity are residual pluripotent cells and cMYC overload by vector integration. This study also demonstrated that combined transgene-free reprogramming and enzymatic dissociation allows teratoma-free transplantation of iPSC progeny in the mouse model in testing the tumorigenicity of iPSC products. Further safety assessment and improvement in iPSC specification into a mature β cell phenotype would lead to safe islet replacement therapy for diabetes. ©AlphaMed Press.

Wavelet subband coding of computer simulation output using the A++ array class library

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

Bradley, J.N.; Brislawn, C.M.; Quinlan, D.J.

1995-07-01

The goal of the project is to produce utility software for off-line compression of existing data and library code that can be called from a simulation program for on-line compression of data dumps as the simulation proceeds. Naturally, we would like the amount of CPU time required by the compression algorithm to be small in comparison to the requirements of typical simulation codes. We also want the algorithm to accomodate a wide variety of smooth, multidimensional data types. For these reasons, the subband vector quantization (VQ) approach employed in has been replaced by a scalar quantization (SQ) strategy using amore » bank of almost-uniform scalar subband quantizers in a scheme similar to that used in the FBI fingerprint image compression standard. This eliminates the considerable computational burdens of training VQ codebooks for each new type of data and performing nearest-vector searches to encode the data. The comparison of subband VQ and SQ algorithms in indicated that, in practice, there is relatively little additional gain from using vector as opposed to scalar quantization on DWT subbands, even when the source imagery is from a very homogeneous population, and our subjective experience with synthetic computer-generated data supports this stance. It appears that a careful study is needed of the tradeoffs involved in selecting scalar vs. vector subband quantization, but such an analysis is beyond the scope of this paper. Our present work is focused on the problem of generating wavelet transform/scalar quantization (WSQ) implementations that can be ported easily between different hardware environments. This is an extremely important consideration given the great profusion of different high-performance computing architectures available, the high cost associated with learning how to map algorithms effectively onto a new architecture, and the rapid rate of evolution in the world of high-performance computing.« less

Polarization pattern of vector vortex beams generated by q-plates with different topological charges.

PubMed

Cardano, Filippo; Karimi, Ebrahim; Slussarenko, Sergei; Marrucci, Lorenzo; de Lisio, Corrado; Santamato, Enrico

2012-04-01

We describe the polarization topology of the vector beams emerging from a patterned birefringent liquid crystal plate with a topological charge q at its center (q-plate). The polarization topological structures for different q-plates and different input polarization states have been studied experimentally by measuring the Stokes parameters point-by-point in the beam transverse plane. Furthermore, we used a tuned q=1/2-plate to generate cylindrical vector beams with radial or azimuthal polarizations, with the possibility of switching dynamically between these two cases by simply changing the linear polarization of the input beam.

Vector curvaton with varying kinetic function

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

Dimopoulos, Konstantinos; Karciauskas, Mindaugas; Wagstaff, Jacques M.

2010-01-15

A new model realization of the vector curvaton paradigm is presented and analyzed. The model consists of a single massive Abelian vector field, with a Maxwell-type kinetic term. By assuming that the kinetic function and the mass of the vector field are appropriately varying during inflation, it is shown that a scale-invariant spectrum of superhorizon perturbations can be generated. These perturbations can contribute to the curvature perturbation of the Universe. If the vector field remains light at the end of inflation it is found that it can generate substantial statistical anisotropy in the spectrum and bispectrum of the curvature perturbation.more » In this case the non-Gaussianity in the curvature perturbation is predominantly anisotropic, which will be a testable prediction in the near future. If, on the other hand, the vector field is heavy at the end of inflation then it is demonstrated that particle production is approximately isotropic and the vector field alone can give rise to the curvature perturbation, without directly involving any fundamental scalar field. The parameter space for both possibilities is shown to be substantial. Finally, toy models are presented which show that the desired variation of the mass and kinetic function of the vector field can be realistically obtained, without unnatural tunings, in the context of supergravity or superstrings.« less

Electroweak baryogenesis, electric dipole moments, and Higgs diphoton decays

DOE PAGES

Chao, Wei; Ramsey-Musolf, Michael J.

2014-10-30

Here, we study the viability of electroweak baryogenesis in a two Higgs doublet model scenario augmented by vector-like, electroweakly interacting fermions. Considering a limited, but illustrative region of the model parameter space, we obtain the observed cosmic baryon asymmetry while satisfying present constraints from the non-observation of the permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of the electron and the combined ATLAS and CMS result for the Higgs boson diphoton decay rate. The observation of a non-zero electron EDM in a next generation experiment and/or the observation of an excess (over the Standard Model) of Higgs to diphoton events with the 14more » TeV LHC run or a future e +e – collider would be consistent with generation of the observed baryon asymmetry in this scenario.« less

Advanced Design of Dumbbell-shaped Genetic Minimal Vectors Improves Non-coding and Coding RNA Expression.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaoou; Yu, Han; Teo, Cui Rong; Tan, Genim Siu Xian; Goh, Sok Chin; Patel, Parasvi; Chua, Yiqiang Kevin; Hameed, Nasirah Banu Sahul; Bertoletti, Antonio; Patzel, Volker

2016-09-01

Dumbbell-shaped DNA minimal vectors lacking nontherapeutic genes and bacterial sequences are considered a stable, safe alternative to viral, nonviral, and naked plasmid-based gene-transfer systems. We investigated novel molecular features of dumbbell vectors aiming to reduce vector size and to improve the expression of noncoding or coding RNA. We minimized small hairpin RNA (shRNA) or microRNA (miRNA) expressing dumbbell vectors in size down to 130 bp generating the smallest genetic expression vectors reported. This was achieved by using a minimal H1 promoter with integrated transcriptional terminator transcribing the RNA hairpin structure around the dumbbell loop. Such vectors were generated with high conversion yields using a novel protocol. Minimized shRNA-expressing dumbbells showed accelerated kinetics of delivery and transcription leading to enhanced gene silencing in human tissue culture cells. In primary human T cells, minimized miRNA-expressing dumbbells revealed higher stability and triggered stronger target gene suppression as compared with plasmids and miRNA mimics. Dumbbell-driven gene expression was enhanced up to 56- or 160-fold by implementation of an intron and the SV40 enhancer compared with control dumbbells or plasmids. Advanced dumbbell vectors may represent one option to close the gap between durable expression that is achievable with integrating viral vectors and short-term effects triggered by naked RNA.

Identification and cloning of a type III polyketide synthase required for diffusible pigment biosynthesis in Saccharopolyspora erythraea.

PubMed

Cortés, Jesús; Velasco, Javier; Foster, Graham; Blackaby, Andrew P; Rudd, Brian A M; Wilkinson, Barrie

2002-06-01

The soluble, diffusible red-brown pigment produced by a Saccharopolyspora erythraea "red variant" has been shown to contain glycosylated and polymerized derivatives of 2,5,7-trihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (flaviolin). Flaviolin is a spontaneous oxidation product of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (THN), which is biosynthesized in bacteria by a chalcone synthase-like (CS-like) type III polyketide synthase (PKS). A fragment of the gene responsible for THN biosynthesis in S. erythraea E_8-7 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using degenerate primers based on conserved regions of known plant CS and bacterial CS-like genes. From the isolated fragment, a suicide vector was prepared, which was subsequently used to disrupt the red-brown pigment-producing (rpp) locus in S. erythraea, generating a mutant that displayed an albino phenotype. Chromosomal DNA from the albino mutant was subsequently used in a vector-recapture protocol to isolate a plasmid that contained an insert spanning the entire rpp locus. Sequencing of the insert revealed that the disrupted open reading frame (ORF) encodes a CS-like protein displaying 69% sequence identity to the rppA gene of Streptomyces griseus. The S. griseus rppA gene encodes RppA, the first characterized bacterial CS-like protein, which is sufficient in vitro for the synthesis of THN from malonyl-CoA. The rppA disruption mutant and rppA sequence provided a means by which to address the mechanism of diffusible pigment biosynthesis, as well as to investigate any link between this and the modulation of erythromycin A titre, which has been observed for S. erythraea variants.

Visualization of the collective vortex-like motions in liquid argon and water: Molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anikeenko, A. V.; Malenkov, G. G.; Naberukhin, Yu. I.

2018-03-01

We propose a new measure of collectivity of molecular motion in the liquid: the average vector of displacement of the particles, ⟨ΔR⟩, which initially have been localized within a sphere of radius Rsph and then have executed the diffusive motion during a time interval Δt. The more correlated the motion of the particles is, the longer will be the vector ⟨ΔR⟩. We visualize the picture of collective motions in molecular dynamics (MD) models of liquids by constructing the ⟨ΔR⟩ vectors and pinning them to the sites of the uniform grid which divides each of the edges of the model box into equal parts. MD models of liquid argon and water have been studied by this method. Qualitatively, the patterns of ⟨ΔR⟩ vectors are similar for these two liquids but differ in minor details. The most important result of our research is the revealing of the aggregates of ⟨ΔR⟩ vectors which have the form of extended flows which sometimes look like the parts of vortices. These vortex-like clusters of ⟨ΔR⟩ vectors have the mesoscopic size (of the order of 10 nm) and persist for tens of picoseconds. Dependence of the ⟨ΔR⟩ vector field on parameters Rsph, Δt, and on the model size has been investigated. This field in the models of liquids differs essentially from that in a random-walk model.

Vector magnetic fields in sunspots. I - Stokes profile analysis using the Marshall Space Flight Center magnetograph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balasubramaniam, K. S.; West, E. A.

1991-01-01

The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) vector magnetograph is a tunable filter magnetograph with a bandpass of 125 mA. Results are presented of the inversion of Stokes polarization profiles observed with the MSFC vector magnetograph centered on a sunspot to recover the vector magnetic field parameters and thermodynamic parameters of the spectral line forming region using the Fe I 5250.2 A spectral line using a nonlinear least-squares fitting technique. As a preliminary investigation, it is also shown that the recovered thermodynamic parameters could be better understood if the fitted parameters like Doppler width, opacity ratio, and damping constant were broken down into more basic quantities like temperature, microturbulent velocity, or density parameter.

MAGNETO-FRICTIONAL MODELING OF CORONAL NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE FIELDS. I. TESTING WITH ANALYTIC SOLUTIONS

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

Guo, Y.; Keppens, R.; Xia, C.

2016-09-10

We report our implementation of the magneto-frictional method in the Message Passing Interface Adaptive Mesh Refinement Versatile Advection Code (MPI-AMRVAC). The method aims at applications where local adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is essential to make follow-up dynamical modeling affordable. We quantify its performance in both domain-decomposed uniform grids and block-adaptive AMR computations, using all frequently employed force-free, divergence-free, and other vector comparison metrics. As test cases, we revisit the semi-analytic solution of Low and Lou in both Cartesian and spherical geometries, along with the topologically challenging Titov–Démoulin model. We compare different combinations of spatial and temporal discretizations, and find thatmore » the fourth-order central difference with a local Lax–Friedrichs dissipation term in a single-step marching scheme is an optimal combination. The initial condition is provided by the potential field, which is the potential field source surface model in spherical geometry. Various boundary conditions are adopted, ranging from fully prescribed cases where all boundaries are assigned with the semi-analytic models, to solar-like cases where only the magnetic field at the bottom is known. Our results demonstrate that all the metrics compare favorably to previous works in both Cartesian and spherical coordinates. Cases with several AMR levels perform in accordance with their effective resolutions. The magneto-frictional method in MPI-AMRVAC allows us to model a region of interest with high spatial resolution and large field of view simultaneously, as required by observation-constrained extrapolations using vector data provided with modern instruments. The applications of the magneto-frictional method to observations are shown in an accompanying paper.« less

Characterization of the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator EU2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewandowski, Edward J.; Oriti, Salvatore M.; Schifer, Nicholas A.

2015-01-01

Significant progress was made developing the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG), a 140-watt radioisotope power system. While the ASRG flight development project has ended, the hardware that was designed and built under the project is continuing to be tested to support future Stirling-based power system development. NASA GRC recently completed the assembly of the ASRG Engineering Unit 2 (EU2). The ASRG EU2 consists of the first pair of Sunpower's ASC-E3 Stirling convertors mounted in an aluminum housing, and Lockheed Martin's Engineering Development Unit (EDU) 4 controller (a fourth generation controller). The ASC-E3 convertors and Generator Housing Assembly (GHA) closely match the intended ASRG Qualification Unit flight design. A series of tests were conducted to characterize the EU2, its controller, and the convertors in the flight-like GHA. The GHA contained an argon cover gas for these tests. The tests included: measurement of convertor, controller, and generator performance and efficiency, quantification of control authority of the controller, disturbance force measurement with varying piston phase and piston amplitude, and measurement of the effect of spacecraft DC bus voltage on EU2 performance. The results of these tests are discussed and summarized, providing a basic understanding of EU2 characteristics and the performance and capability of the EDU 4 controller.

HIV/AIDS Vaccine Candidates Based on Replication-Competent Recombinant Poxvirus NYVAC-C-KC Expressing Trimeric gp140 and Gag-Derived Virus-Like Particles or Lacking the Viral Molecule B19 That Inhibits Type I Interferon Activate Relevant HIV-1-Specific B and T Cell Immune Functions in Nonhuman Primates

PubMed Central

García-Arriaza, Juan; Perdiguero, Beatriz; Heeney, Jonathan L.; Seaman, Michael S.; Montefiori, David C.; Yates, Nicole L.; Tomaras, Georgia D.; Ferrari, Guido; Foulds, Kathryn E.; Roederer, Mario; Self, Steven G.; Borate, Bhavesh; Gottardo, Raphael; Phogat, Sanjay; Tartaglia, Jim; Barnett, Susan W.; Burke, Brian; Cristillo, Anthony D.; Weiss, Deborah E.; Lee, Carter; Kibler, Karen V.; Jacobs, Bertram L.; Wagner, Ralf; Ding, Song; Pantaleo, Giuseppe

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The nonreplicating attenuated poxvirus vector NYVAC expressing clade C(CN54) HIV-1 Env(gp120) and Gag-Pol-Nef antigens (NYVAC-C) showed limited immunogenicity in phase I clinical trials. To enhance the capacity of the NYVAC vector to trigger broad humoral responses and a more balanced activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, here we compared the HIV-1-specific immunogenicity elicited in nonhuman primates immunized with two replicating NYVAC vectors that have been modified by the insertion of the K1L and C7L vaccinia virus host range genes and express the clade C(ZM96) trimeric HIV-1 gp140 protein or a Gag(ZM96)-Pol-Nef(CN54) polyprotein as Gag-derived virus-like particles (termed NYVAC-C-KC). Additionally, one NYVAC-C-KC vector was generated by deleting the viral gene B19R, an inhibitor of the type I interferon response (NYVAC-C-KC-ΔB19R). An immunization protocol mimicking that of the RV144 phase III clinical trial was used. Two groups of macaques received two doses of the corresponding NYVAC-C-KC vectors (weeks 0 and 4) and booster doses with NYVAC-C-KC vectors plus the clade C HIV-1 gp120 protein (weeks 12 and 24). The two replicating NYVAC-C-KC vectors induced enhanced and similar HIV-1-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses, similar levels of binding IgG antibodies, low levels of IgA antibodies, and high levels of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity responses and HIV-1-neutralizing antibodies. Small differences within the NYVAC-C-KC-ΔB19R group were seen in the magnitude of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, the induction of some cytokines, and the neutralization of some HIV-1 isolates. Thus, replication-competent NYVAC-C-KC vectors acquired relevant immunological properties as vaccine candidates against HIV/AIDS, and the viral B19 molecule exerts some control of immune functions. IMPORTANCE It is of special importance to find a safe and effective HIV/AIDS vaccine that can induce strong and broad T cell and humoral immune responses correlating with HIV-1 protection. Here we developed novel replicating poxvirus NYVAC-based HIV/AIDS vaccine candidates expressing clade C HIV-1 antigens, with one of them lacking the vaccinia virus B19 protein, an inhibitor of the type I interferon response. Immunization of nonhuman primates with these novel NYVAC-C-KC vectors and the protein component gp120 elicited high levels of T cell and humoral immune responses, with the vector containing a deletion in B19R inducing a trend toward a higher magnitude of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses and neutralization of some HIV-1 strains. These poxvirus vectors could be considered HIV/AIDS vaccine candidates based on their activation of potential immune correlates of protection. PMID:28179536

Amplified and persistent immune responses generated by single-cycle replicating adenovirus vaccines.

PubMed

Crosby, Catherine M; Nehete, Pramod; Sastry, K Jagannadha; Barry, Michael A

2015-01-01

Replication-competent adenoviral (RC-Ad) vectors generate exceptionally strong gene-based vaccine responses by amplifying the antigen transgenes they carry. While they are potent, they also risk causing adenovirus infections. More common replication-defective Ad (RD-Ad) vectors with deletions of E1 avoid this risk but do not replicate their transgene and generate markedly weaker vaccine responses. To amplify vaccine transgenes while avoiding production of infectious progeny viruses, we engineered "single-cycle" adenovirus (SC-Ad) vectors by deleting the gene for IIIa capsid cement protein of lower-seroprevalence adenovirus serotype 6. In mouse, human, hamster, and macaque cells, SC-Ad6 still replicated its genome but prevented genome packaging and virion maturation. When used for mucosal intranasal immunization of Syrian hamsters, both SC-Ad and RC-Ad expressed transgenes at levels hundreds of times higher than that of RD-Ad. Surprisingly, SC-Ad, but not RC-Ad, generated higher levels of transgene-specific antibody than RD-Ad, which notably climbed in serum and vaginal wash samples over 12 weeks after single mucosal immunization. When RD-Ad and SC-Ad were tested by single sublingual immunization in rhesus macaques, SC-Ad generated higher gamma interferon (IFN-γ) responses and higher transgene-specific serum antibody levels. These data suggest that SC-Ad vectors may have utility as mucosal vaccines. This work illustrates the utility of our recently developed single-cycle adenovirus (SC-Ad6) vector as a new vaccine platform. Replication-defective (RD-Ad6) vectors produce low levels of transgene protein, which leads to minimal antibody responses in vivo. This study shows that replicating SC-Ad6 produces higher levels of luciferase and induces higher levels of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-specific antibodies than RD in a permissive Syrian hamster model. Surprisingly, although a replication-competent (RC-Ad6) vector produces more luciferase than SC-Ad6, it does not elicit comparable levels of anti-GFP antibodies in permissive hamsters. When tested in the larger rhesus macaque model, SC-Ad6 induces higher transgene-specific antibody and T cell responses. Together, these data suggest that SC-Ad6 could be a more effective platform for developing vaccines against more relevant antigens. This could be especially beneficial for developing vaccines for pathogens for which traditional replication-defective adenovirus vectors have not been effective. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Different applications of virus-like particles in biology and medicine: Vaccination and delivery systems.

PubMed

Shirbaghaee, Zeinab; Bolhassani, Azam

2016-03-01

Virus-like particles (VLPs) mimic the whole construct of virus particles devoid of viral genome as used in subunit vaccine design. VLPs can elicit efficient protective immunity as direct immunogens compared to soluble antigens co-administered with adjuvants in several booster injections. Up to now, several prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems such as insect, yeast, plant, and E. coli were used to express recombinant proteins, especially for VLP production. Recent studies are also generating VLPs in plants using different transient expression vectors for edible vaccines. VLPs and viral particles have been applied for different functions such as gene therapy, vaccination, nanotechnology, and diagnostics. Herein, we describe VLP production in different systems as well as its applications in biology and medicine. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Method and system of filtering and recommending documents

DOEpatents

Patton, Robert M.; Potok, Thomas E.

2016-02-09

Disclosed is a method and system for discovering documents using a computer and providing a small set of the most relevant documents to the attention of a human observer. Using the method, the computer obtains a seed document from the user and generates a seed document vector using term frequency-inverse corpus frequency weighting. A keyword index for a plurality of source documents can be compared with the weighted terms of the seed document vector. The comparison is then filtered to reduce the number of documents, which define an initial subset of the source documents. Initial subset vectors are generated and compared to the seed document vector to obtain a similarity value for each comparison. Based on the similarity value, the method then recommends one or more of the source documents.

A novel, easy and rapid method for constructing yeast two-hybrid vectors using In-Fusion technology.

PubMed

Yu, Deshui; Liao, Libing; Zhang, Ju; Zhang, Yi; Xu, Kedong; Liu, Kun; Li, Xiaoli; Tan, Guangxuan; Chen, Ran; Wang, Yulu; Liu, Xia; Zhang, Xuan; Han, Xiaomeng; Wei, Zhangkun; Li, Chengwei

2018-05-01

Yeast two-hybrid systems are powerful tools for analyzing interactions between proteins. Vector construction is an essential step in yeast two-hybrid experiments, which require bait and prey plasmids. In this study, we modified the multiple cloning site sequence of the yeast plasmid pGADT7 by site-directed mutagenesis PCR to generate the pGADT7-In vector, which resulted in an easy and rapid method for constructing yeast two-hybrid vectors using the In-Fusion cloning technique. This method has three key advantages: only one pair of primers and one round of PCR are needed to generate bait and prey plasmids for each gene, it is restriction endonuclease- and ligase-independent, and it is fast and easily performed.

Diffeomorphism invariance and black hole entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chao-Guang; Guo, Han-Ying; Wu, Xiaoning

2003-11-01

The Noether-charge and the Hamiltonian realizations for the diff(M) algebra in diffeomorphism-invariant gravitational theories without a cosmological constant in any dimension are studied in a covariant formalism. We analyze how the Hamiltonian functionals form the diff(M) algebra under the Poisson brackets and show how the Noether charges with respect to the diffeomorphism generated by the vector fields and their variations in n-dimensional general relativity form this algebra. The asymptotic behaviors of vector fields generating diffeomorphism of the manifold with boundaries are discussed. It is shown that the “central extension” for a large class of vector fields is always zero on the Killing horizon. We also check whether choosing the vector fields near the horizon may pick up the Virasoro algebra. The conclusion is unfortunately negative in any dimension.

Advanced Thermally Stable Jet Fuels Development Program Annual Report. Volume 1. Model and Experiment System Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

like to acknowledge R. J. Kottenstette, H. P. Stephens, D . M. Haaland, A . S. Geller, W. M. Trott, S. J. Martin, A . J. Lammie, B. J. Lammie, D . S. Blair...be expressed as F - D q?, where D is the diffusion coefficient, and q the scattering wave vector q- 4wnsin(8/2)/ A i, with n the liquid refractive...tubes C and D were generated using 11.4 mg/L JFA-5 added to the JP-8 fuel. The IR spectrum from tube A contained primarily a carbonate deposit with a

The Effects of Two Summarization Strategies Using Expository Text on the Reading Comprehension and Summary Writing of Fourth-and Fifth-Grade Students in an Urban, Title 1 School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braxton, Diane M.

2009-01-01

Using a quasi-experimental pretest/post test design, this study examined the effects of two summarization strategies on the reading comprehension and summary writing of fourth- and fifth- grade students in an urban, Title 1 school. The Strategies, "G"enerating "I"nteractions between "S"chemata and "T"ext (GIST) and Rule-based, were taught using…

Bubble vector in automatic merging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pamidi, P. R.; Butler, T. G.

1987-01-01

It is shown that it is within the capability of the DMAP language to build a set of vectors that can grow incrementally to be applied automatically and economically within a DMAP loop that serves to append sub-matrices that are generated within a loop to a core matrix. The method of constructing such vectors is explained.

Application of genomics for understanding plant virus-insect vector interactions and insect vector control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The ability to decipher DNA sequences provides new insights into the study of plant viruses and their interactions with host plants, including the intricate interactions that allow a virus to be transmitted by an insect vector. Next generation sequencing (NGS) provides a wealth of genetic informati...

Different Vaccine Vectors Delivering the Same Antigen Elicit CD8plus T Cell Responses with Distinct Clonotype and Epitope Specificity

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

M Honda; R Wang; W Kong

Prime-boost immunization with gene-based vectors has been developed to generate more effective vaccines for AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Although these vectors elicit potent T cell responses, the mechanisms by which they stimulate immunity are not well understood. In this study, we show that immunization by a single gene product, HIV-1 envelope, with alternative vector combinations elicits CD8{sup +} cells with different fine specificities and kinetics of mobilization. Vaccine-induced CD8{sup +} T cells recognized overlapping third V region loop peptides. Unexpectedly, two anchor variants bound H-2D{sup d} better than the native sequences, and clones with distinct specificities were elicited by alternativemore » vectors. X-ray crystallography revealed major differences in solvent exposure of MHC-bound peptide epitopes, suggesting that processed HIV-1 envelope gave rise to MHC-I/peptide conformations recognized by distinct CD8{sup +} T cell populations. These findings suggest that different gene-based vectors generate peptides with alternative conformations within MHC-I that elicit distinct T cell responses after vaccination.« less

Development of oral CTL vaccine using a CTP-integrated Sabin 1 poliovirus-based vector system.

PubMed

Han, Seung-Soo; Lee, Jinjoo; Jung, Yideul; Kang, Myeong-Ho; Hong, Jung-Hyub; Cha, Min-Suk; Park, Yu-Jin; Lee, Ezra; Yoon, Cheol-Hee; Bae, Yong-Soo

2015-09-11

We developed a CTL vaccine vector by modification of the RPS-Vax system, a mucosal vaccine vector derived from a poliovirus Sabin 1 strain, and generated an oral CTL vaccine against HIV-1. A DNA fragment encoding a cytoplasmic transduction peptide (CTP) was integrated into the RPS-Vax system to generate RPS-CTP, a CTL vaccine vector. An HIV-1 p24 cDNA fragment was introduced into the RPS-CTP vector system and a recombinant poliovirus (rec-PV) named vRPS-CTP/p24 was produced. vRPS-CTP/p24 was genetically stable and efficiently induced Th1 immunity and p24-specific CTLs in immunized poliovirus receptor-transgenic (PVR-Tg) mice. In challenge experiments, PVR-Tg mice that were pre-immunized orally with vRPS-CTP/p24 were resistant to challenge with a lethal dose of p24-expressing recombinant vaccinia virus (rMVA-p24). These results suggested that the RPS-CTP vector system had potential for developing oral CTL vaccines against infectious diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different Vaccine Vectors Delivering the Same Antigen Elicit CD8+ T Cell Responses with Distinct Clonotype and Epitope Specificity

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

Honda, M.; Robinson, H.; Wang, R.

Prime-boost immunization with gene-based vectors has been developed to generate more effective vaccines for AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Although these vectors elicit potent T cell responses, the mechanisms by which they stimulate immunity are not well understood. In this study, we show that immunization by a single gene product, HIV-1 envelope, with alternative vector combinations elicits CD8{sup +} cells with different fine specificities and kinetics of mobilization. Vaccine-induced CD8{sup +} T cells recognized overlapping third V region loop peptides. Unexpectedly, two anchor variants bound H-2D{sup d} better than the native sequences, and clones with distinct specificities were elicited by alternativemore » vectors. X-ray crystallography revealed major differences in solvent exposure of MHC-bound peptide epitopes, suggesting that processed HIV-1 envelope gave rise to MHC-I/peptide conformations recognized by distinct CD8{sup +} T cell populations. These findings suggest that different gene-based vectors generate peptides with alternative conformations within MHC-I that elicit distinct T cell responses after vaccination.« less

Structural Analysis of Biodiversity

PubMed Central

Sirovich, Lawrence; Stoeckle, Mark Y.; Zhang, Yu

2010-01-01

Large, recently-available genomic databases cover a wide range of life forms, suggesting opportunity for insights into genetic structure of biodiversity. In this study we refine our recently-described technique using indicator vectors to analyze and visualize nucleotide sequences. The indicator vector approach generates correlation matrices, dubbed Klee diagrams, which represent a novel way of assembling and viewing large genomic datasets. To explore its potential utility, here we apply the improved algorithm to a collection of almost 17000 DNA barcode sequences covering 12 widely-separated animal taxa, demonstrating that indicator vectors for classification gave correct assignment in all 11000 test cases. Indicator vector analysis revealed discontinuities corresponding to species- and higher-level taxonomic divisions, suggesting an efficient approach to classification of organisms from poorly-studied groups. As compared to standard distance metrics, indicator vectors preserve diagnostic character probabilities, enable automated classification of test sequences, and generate high-information density single-page displays. These results support application of indicator vectors for comparative analysis of large nucleotide data sets and raise prospect of gaining insight into broad-scale patterns in the genetic structure of biodiversity. PMID:20195371

Vectors on the Basketball Court

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergman, Daniel

2010-01-01

An Idea Bank published in the April/May 2009 issue of "The Science Teacher" describes an experiential physics lesson on vectors and vector addition (Brown 2009). Like its football predecessor, the basketball-based investigation presented in this Idea Bank addresses National Science Education Standards Content B, Physical Science, 9-12 (NRC 1996)…

Lower galactosylation levels of the Lipophosphoglycan from Leishmania (Leishmania) major-like strains affect interaction with Phlebotomus papatasi and Lutzomyia longipalpis.

PubMed

Guimarães, Agna Cristina; Nogueira, Paula Monalisa; Silva, Soraia de Oliveira; Sadlova, Jovana; Pruzinova, Katerina; Hlavacova, Jana; Melo, Maria Norma; Soares, Rodrigo Pedro

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND Leishmania major is an Old World species causing cutaneous leishmaniasis and is transmitted by Phlebotomus papatasi and Phlebotomus duboscqi. In Brazil, two isolates from patients who never left the country were characterised as L. major-like (BH49 and BH121). Using molecular techniques, these isolates were indistinguishable from the L. major reference strain (FV1). OBJECTIVES We evaluated the lipophosphoglycans (LPGs) of the strains and their behaviour in Old and New World sand fly vectors. METHODS LPGs were purified, and repeat units were qualitatively evaluated by immunoblotting. Experimental in vivo infection with L. major-like strains was performed in Lutzomyia longipalpis (New World, permissive vector) and Ph. papatasi (Old World, restrictive or specific vector). FINDINGS The LPGs of both strains were devoid of arabinosylated side chains, whereas the LPG of strain BH49 was more galactosylated than that of strain BH121. All strains with different levels of galactosylation in their LPGs were able to infect both vectors, exhibiting colonisation of the stomodeal valve and metacyclogenesis. The BH121 strain (less galactosylated) exhibited lower infection intensity compared to BH49 and FV1 in both vectors. MAIN CONCLUSIONS Intraspecific variation in the LPG of L. major-like strains occur, and the different galactosylation levels affected interactions with the invertebrate host.

Fourth-order numerical solutions of diffusion equation by using SOR method with Crank-Nicolson approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhiddin, F. A.; Sulaiman, J.

2017-09-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of the Successive Over-Relaxation (SOR) iterative method by using the fourth-order Crank-Nicolson (CN) discretization scheme to derive a five-point Crank-Nicolson approximation equation in order to solve diffusion equation. From this approximation equation, clearly, it can be shown that corresponding system of five-point approximation equations can be generated and then solved iteratively. In order to access the performance results of the proposed iterative method with the fourth-order CN scheme, another point iterative method which is Gauss-Seidel (GS), also presented as a reference method. Finally the numerical results obtained from the use of the fourth-order CN discretization scheme, it can be pointed out that the SOR iterative method is superior in terms of number of iterations, execution time, and maximum absolute error.

Current Advances and Future Challenges in Adenoviral Vector Biology and Targeting

PubMed Central

Campos, Samuel K.; Barry, Michael A.

2008-01-01

Gene delivery vectors based on Adenoviral (Ad) vectors have enormous potential for the treatment of both hereditary and acquired disease. Detailed structural analysis of the Ad virion, combined with functional studies has broadened our knowledge of the structure/function relationships between Ad vectors and host cells/tissues and substantial achievement has been made towards a thorough understanding of the biology of Ad vectors. The widespread use of Ad vectors for clinical gene therapy is compromised by their inherent immunogenicity. The generation of safer and more effective Ad vectors, targeted to the site of disease, has therefore become a great ambition in the field of Ad vector development. This review provides a synopsis of the structure/function relationships between Ad vectors and host systems and summarizes the many innovative approaches towards achieving Ad vector targeting. PMID:17584037

Vector-based navigation using grid-like representations in artificial agents.

PubMed

Banino, Andrea; Barry, Caswell; Uria, Benigno; Blundell, Charles; Lillicrap, Timothy; Mirowski, Piotr; Pritzel, Alexander; Chadwick, Martin J; Degris, Thomas; Modayil, Joseph; Wayne, Greg; Soyer, Hubert; Viola, Fabio; Zhang, Brian; Goroshin, Ross; Rabinowitz, Neil; Pascanu, Razvan; Beattie, Charlie; Petersen, Stig; Sadik, Amir; Gaffney, Stephen; King, Helen; Kavukcuoglu, Koray; Hassabis, Demis; Hadsell, Raia; Kumaran, Dharshan

2018-05-01

Deep neural networks have achieved impressive successes in fields ranging from object recognition to complex games such as Go 1,2 . Navigation, however, remains a substantial challenge for artificial agents, with deep neural networks trained by reinforcement learning 3-5 failing to rival the proficiency of mammalian spatial behaviour, which is underpinned by grid cells in the entorhinal cortex 6 . Grid cells are thought to provide a multi-scale periodic representation that functions as a metric for coding space 7,8 and is critical for integrating self-motion (path integration) 6,7,9 and planning direct trajectories to goals (vector-based navigation) 7,10,11 . Here we set out to leverage the computational functions of grid cells to develop a deep reinforcement learning agent with mammal-like navigational abilities. We first trained a recurrent network to perform path integration, leading to the emergence of representations resembling grid cells, as well as other entorhinal cell types 12 . We then showed that this representation provided an effective basis for an agent to locate goals in challenging, unfamiliar, and changeable environments-optimizing the primary objective of navigation through deep reinforcement learning. The performance of agents endowed with grid-like representations surpassed that of an expert human and comparison agents, with the metric quantities necessary for vector-based navigation derived from grid-like units within the network. Furthermore, grid-like representations enabled agents to conduct shortcut behaviours reminiscent of those performed by mammals. Our findings show that emergent grid-like representations furnish agents with a Euclidean spatial metric and associated vector operations, providing a foundation for proficient navigation. As such, our results support neuroscientific theories that see grid cells as critical for vector-based navigation 7,10,11 , demonstrating that the latter can be combined with path-based strategies to support navigation in challenging environments.

Physiology response of fourth generation saline resistant soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) with application of several types of antioxidants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, I. R.; Rosmayati; Rahmawati, N.

2018-02-01

Antioxidant applications are expected to reduce the adverse effects of soil saline. This research was conducted in plastic house, Plant Tissue Laboratory Faculty of Agriculture and Plant Physiology Laboratory Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Science, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan also in Research Centers and Industry Standardization, Medan from July-December 2016. The objective of the research was to know the effect of various antioxidant treatments with different concentrations (control, ascorbic acid 250, 500 and 750 ppm; salicylic acid 250, 500 and 750 ppm; α-tocopherol 250, 500 and 750 ppm) on fourth generation soybean physiology in saline condition (Electric Conductivity 5-6 dS/m). The results of this research showed that the antioxidant type and concentration affected not significantly to physiology of fourth generation soybean. Descriptively the highest average of superoxide dismutase and peroxide dismutase was showed on ascorbic acid 250 ppm. The highest average of ascorbate peroxidase was showed on α-tocopherol 750 ppm. The highest average of carotenoid content was showed on ascorbic acid 500 ppm. The highest average of chlorophyll content was showed on α-tocopherol 250 ppm. The highest average of ratio of K/Na was showed on salicylic acid 250 ppm.

Extending High-Order Flux Operators on Spherical Icosahedral Grids and Their Applications in the Framework of a Shallow Water Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yi

2018-01-01

This study extends a set of unstructured third/fourth-order flux operators on spherical icosahedral grids from two perspectives. First, the fifth-order and sixth-order flux operators of this kind are further extended, and the nominally second-order to sixth-order operators are then compared based on the solid body rotation and deformational flow tests. Results show that increasing the nominal order generally leads to smaller absolute errors. Overall, the standard fifth-order scheme generates the smallest errors in limited and unlimited tests, although it does not enhance the convergence rate. Even-order operators show higher limiter sensitivity than the odd-order operators. Second, a triangular version of these high-order operators is repurposed for transporting the potential vorticity in a space-time-split shallow water framework. Results show that a class of nominally third-order upwind-biased operators generates better results than second-order and fourth-order counterparts. The increase of the potential enstrophy over time is suppressed owing to the damping effect. The grid-scale noise in the vorticity is largely alleviated, and the total energy remains conserved. Moreover, models using high-order operators show smaller numerical errors in the vorticity field because of a more accurate representation of the nonlinear Coriolis term. This improvement is especially evident in the Rossby-Haurwitz wave test, in which the fluid is highly rotating. Overall, high-order flux operators with higher damping coefficients, which essentially behave like the Anticipated Potential Vorticity Method, present better results.

Non-critical phase-matching fourth harmonic generation of a 1053-nm laser in an ADP crystal

PubMed Central

Ji, Shaohua; Wang, Fang; Zhu, Lili; Xu, Xinguang; Wang, Zhengping; Sun, Xun

2013-01-01

In current inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facilities, KDP and DKDP crystals are the second harmonic generation (SHG) and third harmonic generation (THG) materials for the Nd:glass laser (1053 nm). Based on the trend for the development of short wavelengths for ICF driving lasers, technical solutions for fourth harmonic generation (FHG) will undoubtedly attract more and more attention. In this paper, the rapid growth of an ADP crystal and non-critical phase-matching (NCPM) FHG of a 1053-nm laser using an ADP crystal are reported. The NCPM temperature is 33.7°C. The conversion efficiency from 526 to 263 nm is 70%, and the angular acceptance range is 55.4 mrad; these results are superior to those for the DKDP crystals. This research has shown that ADP crystals will be a competitive candidate in future ICF facilities when the utilisation of high-energy, high-efficiency UV lasers at wavelengths shorter than the present 351 nm is of interest. PMID:23549389

Non-critical phase-matching fourth harmonic generation of a 1053-nm laser in an ADP crystal.

PubMed

Ji, Shaohua; Wang, Fang; Zhu, Lili; Xu, Xinguang; Wang, Zhengping; Sun, Xun

2013-01-01

In current inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facilities, KDP and DKDP crystals are the second harmonic generation (SHG) and third harmonic generation (THG) materials for the Nd:glass laser (1053 nm). Based on the trend for the development of short wavelengths for ICF driving lasers, technical solutions for fourth harmonic generation (FHG) will undoubtedly attract more and more attention. In this paper, the rapid growth of an ADP crystal and non-critical phase-matching (NCPM) FHG of a 1053-nm laser using an ADP crystal are reported. The NCPM temperature is 33.7°C. The conversion efficiency from 526 to 263 nm is 70%, and the angular acceptance range is 55.4 mrad; these results are superior to those for the DKDP crystals. This research has shown that ADP crystals will be a competitive candidate in future ICF facilities when the utilisation of high-energy, high-efficiency UV lasers at wavelengths shorter than the present 351 nm is of interest.

Higher-order vector beams produced by photonic-crystal lasers.

PubMed

Iwahashi, Seita; Kurosaka, Yoshitaka; Sakai, Kyosuke; Kitamura, Kyoko; Takayama, Naoki; Noda, Susumu

2011-06-20

We have successfully generated vector beams with higher-order polarization states using photonic-crystal lasers. We have analyzed and designed lattice structures that provide cavity modes with different symmetries. Fabricated devices based on these lattice structures produced doughnut-shaped vector beams, with symmetries corresponding to the cavity modes. Our study enables the systematic analysis of vector beams, which we expect will lead to applications such as high-resolution microscopy, laser processing, and optical trapping.

Generation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus-like-particles (VLPs) with different protein composition.

PubMed

García Durán, Marga; Costa, Sofia; Sarraseca, Javier; de la Roja, Nuria; García, Julia; García, Isabel; Rodríguez, Maria José

2016-10-01

The causative agent of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is an enveloped ssRNA (+) virus belonging to the Arteriviridae family. Gp5 and M proteins form disulfide-linked heterodimers that constitute the major components of PRRSV envelope. Gp2, Gp3, Gp4 and E are the minor structural proteins, being the first three incorporated as multimeric complexes in the virus surface. The disease has become one of the most important causes of economic losses in the swine industry. Despite efforts to design an effective vaccine, the available ones allow only partial protection. In the last years, VLPs have become good vaccine alternatives because of safety issues and their potential to activate both branches of the immunological response. The characteristics of recombinant baculoviruses as heterologous expression system have been exploited for the production of VLPs of a wide variety of viruses. In this work, two multiple baculovirus expression vectors (BEVs) with PRRS virus envelope proteins were engineered in order to generate PRRS VLPs: on the one hand, Gp5 and M cDNAs were cloned to generate the pBAC-Gp5M vector; on the other hand, Gp2, Gp3, Gp4 and E cDNAs have been cloned to generate the pBAC-Gp234E vector. The corresponding recombinant baculoviruses BAC-Gp5M and BAC-Gp234E were employed to produce two types of VLPs: basic Gp5M VLPs, by the simultaneous expression of Gp5 and M proteins; and complete VLPs, by the co-expression of the six PRRS proteins after co-infection. The characterization of VLPs by Western blot confirmed the presence of the recombinant proteins using the available specific antibodies (Abs). The analysis by Electron microscopy showed that the two types of VLPs were indistinguishable between them, being similar in shape and size to the native PRRS virus. This system represents a potential alternative for vaccine development and a useful tool to study the implication of specific PRRS proteins in the response against the virus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coffee and its waste repel gravid Aedes albopictus females and inhibit the development of their embryos.

PubMed

Satho, Tomomitsu; Dieng, Hamady; Ahmad, Muhammad Hishamuddin Itam; Ellias, Salbiah Binti; Hassan, Ahmad Abu; Abang, Fatimah; Ghani, Idris Abd; Miake, Fumio; Ahmad, Hamdan; Fukumitsu, Yuki; Zuharah, Wan Fatma; Majid, Abdul Hafiz Ab; Kassim, Nur Faeza Abu; Hashim, Nur Aida; Ajibola, Olaide Olawunmi; Al-Khayyat, Fatima Abdulla; Nolasco-Hipolito, Cirilo

2015-05-14

Dengue is a prevalent arboviral disease and the development of insecticide resistance among its vectors impedes endeavors to control it. Coffee is drunk by millions of people daily worldwide, which is associated with the discarding of large amounts of waste. Coffee and its waste contain large amounts of chemicals many of which are highly toxic and none of which have a history of resistance in mosquitoes. Once in solution, coffee is brownish in colour, resembling leaf infusion, which is highly attractive to gravid mosquitoes. To anticipate the environmental issues related to the increasing popularity of coffee as a drink, and also to combat insecticide resistance, we explored the deterrence potentials of coffee leachates against the ovipositing and embryonic stages of the dengue vector, Aedes albopictus. In a series of choice, no-choice, and embryo toxicity bioassays, we examined changes in the ovipositional behaviours and larval eclosion of Ae. albopictus in response to coffee extracts at different concentrations. Oviposition responses were extremely low when ovicups holding highly concentrated extract (HCE) of coffee were the only oviposition sites. Gravid females retained increased numbers of mature eggs until 5 days post-blood feeding. When provided an opportunity to oviposit in cups containing coffee extracts and with water, egg deposition occurred at lower rates in those containing coffee, and HCE cups were far less attractive to females than those containing water only. Females that successfully developed in a coffee environment preferentially oviposited in such cups when in competition with preferred oviposition sites (water cups), but this trait did not continue into the fourth generation. Larval eclosion occurred at lower rates among eggs that matured in a coffee environment, especially among those that were maintained on HCE-moistened substrates. The observations of the present study indicate a pronounced vulnerability of Ae. albopictus to the presence of coffee in its habitats during the early phases of its life cycle. The observations that coffee repels gravid females and inhibits larval eclosion provide novel possibilities in the search for novel oviposition deterrents and anti-larval eclosion agents against dengue vectors.

Children's theories of intelligence: beliefs, goals, and motivation in the elementary years.

PubMed

Kinlaw, C Ryan; Kurtz-Costes, Beth

2007-07-01

The authors tested a developmental model of children's theories about intelligence in kindergarten, second grade, and fourth grade children by using paper-and-pencil maze tasks. Older children were more likely than younger children to espouse learning goals (e.g., that they preferred difficult mazes to improve their skill), and less likely to espouse performance goals (e.g., that they preferred easy mazes to be successful). Children in all 3 age groups reported stronger beliefs in the malleability of intelligence than the stability of intelligence. In general, the results supported the authors' hypotheses about developmental change in children's theory-like conceptions of intelligence: Beliefs, goals, and motivation were related in expected ways for second and fourth graders more than for kindergartners. The authors discussed contextual influences on children's beliefs and the development of children's conceptualizations of intelligence.

Strategies for new and improved vaccines against ticks and tick-borne diseases.

PubMed

de la Fuente, J; Kopáček, P; Lew-Tabor, A; Maritz-Olivier, C

2016-12-01

Ticks infest a variety of animal species and transmit pathogens causing disease in both humans and animals worldwide. Tick-host-pathogen interactions have evolved through dynamic processes that accommodated the genetic traits of the hosts, pathogens transmitted and the vector tick species that mediate their development and survival. New approaches for tick control are dependent on defining molecular interactions between hosts, ticks and pathogens to allow for discovery of key molecules that could be tested in vaccines or new generation therapeutics for intervention of tick-pathogen cycles. Currently, tick vaccines constitute an effective and environmentally sound approach for the control of ticks and the transmission of the associated tick-borne diseases. New candidate protective antigens will most likely be identified by focusing on proteins with relevant biological function in the feeding, reproduction, development, immune response, subversion of host immunity of the tick vector and/or molecules vital for pathogen infection and transmission. This review addresses different approaches and strategies used for the discovery of protective antigens, including focusing on relevant tick biological functions and proteins, reverse genetics, vaccinomics and tick protein evolution and interactomics. New and improved tick vaccines will most likely contain multiple antigens to control tick infestations and pathogen infection and transmission. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A New Look at Some Solar Wind Turbulence Puzzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Aaron

2006-01-01

Some aspects of solar wind turbulence have defied explanation. While it seems likely that the evolution of Alfvenicity and power spectra are largely explained by the shearing of an initial population of solar-generated Alfvenic fluctuations, the evolution of the anisotropies of the turbulence does not fit into the model so far. A two-component model, consisting of slab waves and quasi-two-dimensional fluctuations, offers some ideas, but does not account for the turning of both wave-vector-space power anisotropies and minimum variance directions in the fluctuating vectors as the Parker spiral turns. We will show observations that indicate that the minimum variance evolution is likely not due to traditional turbulence mechanisms, and offer arguments that the idea of two-component turbulence is at best a local approximation that is of little help in explaining the evolution of the fluctuations. Finally, time-permitting, we will discuss some observations that suggest that the low Alfvenicity of many regions of the solar wind in the inner heliosphere is not due to turbulent evolution, but rather to the existence of convected structures, including mini-clouds and other twisted flux tubes, that were formed with low Alfvenicity. There is still a role for turbulence in the above picture, but it is highly modified from the traditional views.

Pattern Recognition Application of Support Vector Machine for Fault Classification of Thyristor Controlled Series Compensated Transmission Lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yashvantrai Vyas, Bhargav; Maheshwari, Rudra Prakash; Das, Biswarup

2016-06-01

Application of series compensation in extra high voltage (EHV) transmission line makes the protection job difficult for engineers, due to alteration in system parameters and measurements. The problem amplifies with inclusion of electronically controlled compensation like thyristor controlled series compensation (TCSC) as it produce harmonics and rapid change in system parameters during fault associated with TCSC control. This paper presents a pattern recognition based fault type identification approach with support vector machine. The scheme uses only half cycle post fault data of three phase currents to accomplish the task. The change in current signal features during fault has been considered as discriminatory measure. The developed scheme in this paper is tested over a large set of fault data with variation in system and fault parameters. These fault cases have been generated with PSCAD/EMTDC on a 400 kV, 300 km transmission line model. The developed algorithm has proved better for implementation on TCSC compensated line with its improved accuracy and speed.

Attitude Determination Algorithm based on Relative Quaternion Geometry of Velocity Incremental Vectors for Cost Efficient AHRS Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byungjin; Lee, Young Jae; Sung, Sangkyung

2018-05-01

A novel attitude determination method is investigated that is computationally efficient and implementable in low cost sensor and embedded platform. Recent result on attitude reference system design is adapted to further develop a three-dimensional attitude determination algorithm through the relative velocity incremental measurements. For this, velocity incremental vectors, computed respectively from INS and GPS with different update rate, are compared to generate filter measurement for attitude estimation. In the quaternion-based Kalman filter configuration, an Euler-like attitude perturbation angle is uniquely introduced for reducing filter states and simplifying propagation processes. Furthermore, assuming a small angle approximation between attitude update periods, it is shown that the reduced order filter greatly simplifies the propagation processes. For performance verification, both simulation and experimental studies are completed. A low cost MEMS IMU and GPS receiver are employed for system integration, and comparison with the true trajectory or a high-grade navigation system demonstrates the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Engineering Software Suite Validates System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

EDAptive Computing Inc.'s (ECI) EDAstar engineering software tool suite, created to capture and validate system design requirements, was significantly funded by NASA's Ames Research Center through five Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts. These programs specifically developed Syscape, used to capture executable specifications of multi-disciplinary systems, and VectorGen, used to automatically generate tests to ensure system implementations meet specifications. According to the company, the VectorGen tests considerably reduce the time and effort required to validate implementation of components, thereby ensuring their safe and reliable operation. EDASHIELD, an additional product offering from ECI, can be used to diagnose, predict, and correct errors after a system has been deployed using EDASTAR -created models. Initial commercialization for EDASTAR included application by a large prime contractor in a military setting, and customers include various branches within the U.S. Department of Defense, industry giants like the Lockheed Martin Corporation, Science Applications International Corporation, and Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, as well as NASA's Langley and Glenn Research Centers

Climate, environmental and socio-economic change: weighing up the balance in vector-borne disease transmission

PubMed Central

Parham, Paul E.; Waldock, Joanna; Christophides, George K.; Hemming, Deborah; Agusto, Folashade; Evans, Katherine J.; Fefferman, Nina; Gaff, Holly; Gumel, Abba; LaDeau, Shannon; Lenhart, Suzanne; Mickens, Ronald E.; Naumova, Elena N.; Ostfeld, Richard S.; Ready, Paul D.; Thomas, Matthew B.; Velasco-Hernandez, Jorge; Michael, Edwin

2015-01-01

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is owing not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but also, perhaps most crucially, to the multitude of epidemiological, ecological and socio-economic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the past 10–15 years. In this review, we seek to elucidate current knowledge around this topic, identify key themes and uncertainties, evaluate ongoing challenges and open research questions and, crucially, offer some solutions for the field. Although many of these challenges are ubiquitous across multiple VBDs, more specific issues also arise in different vector–pathogen systems. PMID:25688012

Expression and purification of moricin CM4 and human β-defensins 4 in Escherichia coli using a new technology.

PubMed

Shen, Yang; Ai, Hong-Xin; Song, Ren; Liang, Zhen-Ning; Li, Jian-Feng; Zhang, Shuang-Quan

2010-10-20

Different strategies have been developed to produce small antimicrobial peptides using recombinant techniques. Here we report a new technology of biosynthesis of moricin CM4 and human β-defensins 4 (HβD4) in the Escherichia coli. The CM4 and HβD4 gene were cloned into a vector containing the tags elastin-like peptide (ELP) and intein to construct the expression vector pET-EI-CM4 and pET-EI-HβD4. All the peptides, expressed as soluble fusions, were isolated from the protein debris by the method called inverse transition cycling (ITC) rather than traditional immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) and separated from the fusion leader by self-cleavage. Fully reduced peptides that were purified exhibited expected antimicrobial activity. The approach described here is a low-cost, convenient and potential way for generating small antimicrobial peptide. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Axial U(1) current in Grabowska and Kaplan's formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, Yu; Kawai, Hikaru

2017-06-01

Recently, Grabowska and Kaplan [Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 211602 (2016); Phys. Rev. D 94, 114504 (2016)] suggested a nonperturbative formulation of a chiral gauge theory, which consists of the conventional domain-wall fermion and a gauge field that evolves by gradient flow from one domain wall to the other. We introduce two sets of domain-wall fermions belonging to complex conjugate representations so that the effective theory is a 4D vector-like gauge theory. Then, as a natural definition of the axial-vector current, we consider a current that generates simultaneous phase transformations for the massless modes in 4 dimensions. However, this current is exactly conserved and does not reproduce the correct anomaly. In order to investigate this point precisely, we consider the mechanism of the conservation. We find that this current includes not only the axial current on the domain wall but also a contribution from the bulk, which is nonlocal in the sense of 4D fields. Therefore, the local current is obtained by subtracting the bulk contribution from it.

Rapid prediction of chemical metabolism by human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase isoforms using quantum chemical descriptors derived with the electronegativity equalization method.

PubMed

Sorich, Michael J; McKinnon, Ross A; Miners, John O; Winkler, David A; Smith, Paul A

2004-10-07

This study aimed to evaluate in silico models based on quantum chemical (QC) descriptors derived using the electronegativity equalization method (EEM) and to assess the use of QC properties to predict chemical metabolism by human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) isoforms. Various EEM-derived QC molecular descriptors were calculated for known UGT substrates and nonsubstrates. Classification models were developed using support vector machine and partial least squares discriminant analysis. In general, the most predictive models were generated with the support vector machine. Combining QC and 2D descriptors (from previous work) using a consensus approach resulted in a statistically significant improvement in predictivity (to 84%) over both the QC and 2D models and the other methods of combining the descriptors. EEM-derived QC descriptors were shown to be both highly predictive and computationally efficient. It is likely that EEM-derived QC properties will be generally useful for predicting ADMET and physicochemical properties during drug discovery.

Wavefront Engineering with Phase Discontinuities: Designer Interfaces for High Performance Planar Optical Components

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-27

ABSTRACT The PI and his group opened up new directions of research: the generation of vector beams with metasurfaces that control amplitude, phase...and polarization of wavefronts, the detection of wavefronts using metasurfaces , new metasurfaces for controlling surface plasmon wavefronts and high...performance device applications of metasurfaces on graphene. In the vector beam area they generated radially polarized light with a single

Search for production of vector-like quark pairs and of four top quarks in the lepton-plus-jets final state in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

DOE PAGES

Aad, G.

2015-08-20

A search for pair production of vector-like quarks, both up-type (T) and down-type (B), as well as for four-top-quark production, is presented. The search is based on pp collisions at \\( \\sqrt{s}=8 \\) TeV recorded in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb –1. Data are analysed in the lepton-plus-jets final state, characterised by an isolated electron or muon with high transverse momentum, large missing transverse momentum and multiple jets. Dedicated analyses are performed targeting three cases: a T quark with significant branching ratio to a Wmore » boson and a b-quark \\( \\left(T\\overline{T}\\to Wb+\\mathrm{X}\\right) \\), and both a T quark and a B quark with significant branching ratio to a Higgs boson and a third-generation quark (\\( T\\overline{T}\\to Ht+X\\;\\mathrm{and}\\;B\\overline{B}\\to Hb+\\mathrm{X} \\) respectively). No significant excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and 95% CL lower limits are derived on the masses of the vector-like T and B quarks under several branching ratio hypotheses assuming contributions from T → Wb, Zt, Ht and B → Wt, Zb, Hb decays. The 95% CL observed lower limits on the T quark mass range between 715 GeV and 950 GeV for all possible values of the branching ratios into the three decay modes, and are the most stringent constraints to date. In addition, the most restrictive upper bounds on four-top-quark production are set in a number of new physics scenarios.« less

Search for production of vector-like quark pairs and of four top quarks in the lepton-plus-jets final state in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

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

Aad, G.

A search for pair production of vector-like quarks, both up-type (T) and down-type (B), as well as for four-top-quark production, is presented. The search is based on pp collisions at \\( \\sqrt{s}=8 \\) TeV recorded in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb –1. Data are analysed in the lepton-plus-jets final state, characterised by an isolated electron or muon with high transverse momentum, large missing transverse momentum and multiple jets. Dedicated analyses are performed targeting three cases: a T quark with significant branching ratio to a Wmore » boson and a b-quark \\( \\left(T\\overline{T}\\to Wb+\\mathrm{X}\\right) \\), and both a T quark and a B quark with significant branching ratio to a Higgs boson and a third-generation quark (\\( T\\overline{T}\\to Ht+X\\;\\mathrm{and}\\;B\\overline{B}\\to Hb+\\mathrm{X} \\) respectively). No significant excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and 95% CL lower limits are derived on the masses of the vector-like T and B quarks under several branching ratio hypotheses assuming contributions from T → Wb, Zt, Ht and B → Wt, Zb, Hb decays. The 95% CL observed lower limits on the T quark mass range between 715 GeV and 950 GeV for all possible values of the branching ratios into the three decay modes, and are the most stringent constraints to date. In addition, the most restrictive upper bounds on four-top-quark production are set in a number of new physics scenarios.« less

HBx drives alpha fetoprotein expression to promote initiation of liver cancer stem cells through activating PI3K/AKT signal pathway.

PubMed

Zhu, Mingyue; Li, Wei; Lu, Yan; Dong, Xu; Lin, Bo; Chen, Yi; Zhang, Xueer; Guo, Junli; Li, Mengsen

2017-03-15

Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-X protein (HBx) plays critical role in inducing the malignant transformation of liver cells. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) expression is closely related to hepatocarcinogenesis. We report that Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-myc expression positively associated with AFP(+)/HBV(+) hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissues, and the expression of the stemness markers CD44, CD133 and EpCAM was significantly higher in AFP(+)/HBV(+) HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues or AFP (-)/HBV(-) HCC tissues. AFP expression turned on prior to expression of Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-myc, and the stemness markers CD44, CD133 and EpCAM in the normal human liver L-02 cell line or CHL cell lines upon transfection with MCV-HBx vectors. Stem-like cells generated more tumour colonies compared to primary cells, and xenografts induced tumourigenesis in nude mice. Expression of reprogramming-related proteins was significantly enhanced in HLE cells while transfected with pcDNA3.1-afp vectors. The specific PI3K inhibitor Ly294002 inhibited the effects of pcDNA3.1-afp vectors. AFP-siRNA vectors were able to inhibit tumour colony formation and reprogramming-related gene expression. Altogether, HBx stimulates AFP expression to induce natural reprogramming of liver cells, and AFP plays a critical role in promoting the initiation of HCC progenitor/stem cells. AFP may be a potential novel biotarget for combating HBV-induced hepatocarcinogenesis. © 2016 UICC.

Picosecond x-ray diagnostics for third and fourth generation synchrotron sources

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

DeCamp, Matthew

2016-03-30

In the DOE-EPSCoR State/National Laboratory partnership grant ``Picosecond x-ray diagnostics for third and fourth generation synchrotron sources'' Dr. DeCamp set forth a partnership between the University of Delaware and Argonne National Laboratory. This proposal aimed to design and implement a series of experiments utilizing, or improving upon, existing time-domain hard x-ray spectroscopies at a third generation synchrotron source. Specifically, the PI put forth three experimental projects to be explored in the grant cycle: 1) implementing a picosecond ``x-ray Bragg switch'' using a laser excited nano-structured metallic film, 2) designing a robust x-ray optical delay stage for x-ray pump-probe studies atmore » a hard x-ray synchrotron source, and 3) building/installing a laser based x-ray source at the Advanced Photon Source for two-color x-ray pump-probe studies.« less

Various Attractors, Coexisting Attractors and Antimonotonicity in a Simple Fourth-Order Memristive Twin-T Oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Ling; Wang, Chunhua; Zhang, Xin; Yao, Wei

By replacing the resistor in a Twin-T network with a generalized flux-controlled memristor, this paper proposes a simple fourth-order memristive Twin-T oscillator. Rich dynamical behaviors can be observed in the dynamical system. The most striking feature is that this system has various periodic orbits and various chaotic attractors generated by adjusting parameter b. At the same time, coexisting attractors and antimonotonicity are also detected (especially, two full Feigenbaum remerging trees in series are observed in such autonomous chaotic systems). Their dynamical features are analyzed by phase portraits, Lyapunov exponents, bifurcation diagrams and basin of attraction. Moreover, hardware experiments on a breadboard are carried out. Experimental measurements are in accordance with the simulation results. Finally, a multi-channel random bit generator is designed for encryption applications. Numerical results illustrate the usefulness of the random bit generator.

Electric fields and vector potentials of thin cylindrical antennas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Ronold W. P.

1990-09-01

The vector potential and electric field generated by the current in a center-driven or parasitic dipole antenna that extends from z = -h to z = h are investigated for each of the several components of the current. These include sin k(h - absolute value of z), sin k (absolute value of z) - sin kh, cos kz - cos kh, and cos kz/2 - cos kh/2. Of special interest are the interactions among the variously spaced elements in parallel nonstaggered arrays. These depend on the mutual vector potentials. It is shown that at a radial distance rho approximately = h and in the range z = -h to h, the vector potentials due to all four components become alike and have an approximately plane-wave form. Simple approximate formulas for the electric fields and vector potentials generated by each of the four distributions are derived and compared with the exact results. The application of the new formulas to large arrays is discussed.

Design and construction of targeted AAVP vectors for mammalian cell transduction.

PubMed

Hajitou, Amin; Rangel, Roberto; Trepel, Martin; Soghomonyan, Suren; Gelovani, Juri G; Alauddin, Mian M; Pasqualini, Renata; Arap, Wadih

2007-01-01

Bacteriophage (phage) evolved as bacterial viruses, but can be adapted to transduce mammalian cells through ligand-directed targeting to a specific receptor. We have recently reported a new generation of hybrid prokaryotic-eukaryotic vectors, which are chimeras of genetic cis-elements of recombinant adeno-associated virus and phage (termed AAVP). This protocol describes the design and construction of ligand-directed AAVP vectors, production of AAVP particles and the methodology to transduce mammalian cells in vitro and to target tissues in vivo after systemic administration. Targeted AAVP particles are made in a two-step process. First, a ligand peptide of choice is displayed on the coat protein to generate a targeted backbone phage vector. Then, a recombinant AAV carrying a mammalian transgene cassette is inserted into an intergenomic region. High-titer suspensions (approximately 10(10)-10(11) transducing units per microl) can be produced within 3 days after vector construction. Transgene expression by targeted AAVP usually reaches maximum levels within 1 week.

What is the risk for exposure to vector-borne pathogens in United States national parks?

PubMed

Eisen, Lars; Wong, David; Shelus, Victoria; Eisen, Rebecca J

2013-03-01

United States national parks attract > 275 million visitors annually and collectively present risk of exposure for staff and visitors to a wide range of arthropod vector species (most notably fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks) and their associated bacterial, protozoan, or viral pathogens. We assessed the current state of knowledge for risk of exposure to vector-borne pathogens in national parks through a review of relevant literature, including internal National Park Service documents and organismal databases. We conclude that, because of lack of systematic surveillance for vector-borne pathogens in national parks, the risk of pathogen exposure for staff and visitors is unclear. Existing data for vectors within national parks were not based on systematic collections and rarely include evaluation for pathogen infection. Extrapolation of human-based surveillance data from neighboring communities likely provides inaccurate estimates for national parks because landscape differences impact transmission of vector-borne pathogens and human-vector contact rates likely differ inside versus outside the parks because of differences in activities or behaviors. Vector-based pathogen surveillance holds promise to define when and where within national parks the risk of exposure to infected vectors is elevated. A pilot effort, including 5-10 strategic national parks, would greatly improve our understanding of the scope and magnitude of vector-borne pathogen transmission in these high-use public settings. Such efforts also will support messaging to promote personal protection measures and inform park visitors and staff of their responsibility for personal protection, which the National Park Service preservation mission dictates as the core strategy to reduce exposure to vector-borne pathogens in national parks.

Next Steps for the 1980s in Student Financial Aid. A Fourth Alternative. Comments and Recommendations by the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education, Berkeley, CA.

In 1979 the Congress and the administration will consider legislation to extend and revise the Higher Education Act and, in the process, will review the structure of the student-aid system. Several alternatives are likely to be considered, but a fourth is proposed here: a major overhaul of the existing package of programs to make them more…

Description of two new plasmids isolated from Francisella philomiragia strains and construction of shuttle vectors for the study of Francisella tularensis.

PubMed

Le Pihive, E; Blaha, D; Chenavas, S; Thibault, F; Vidal, D; Valade, E

2009-11-01

Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia, a zoonotic disease often transmitted to humans by infected animals. The lack of useful specific genetic tools has long hampered the study of F. tularensis subspecies. We identified and characterized two new plasmids, pF242 and pF243, isolated from Francisella philomiragia strains ATCC 25016 and ATCC 25017, respectively. Sequence analysis revealed that pF242 and pF243 are closely related to pC194 and pFNL10 plasmids, respectively. Two generations of pF242- and pF243-based shuttle vectors, harboring several antibiotic resistance markers, were developed. We used the first generation to compare transformation efficiencies in two virulent F. tularensis subspecies. We found that electroporation was more efficient than cryotransformation: almost all vectors tested were successfully introduced by electroporation into Francisella strains with a high level of efficiency. The second generation of shuttle vectors, containing a multiple cloning site and/or gfp gene downstream of Francisella groES promotor, was used for GFP production in F. tularensis. The development of new shuttle vectors offers new perspectives in the genetic manipulation of F. tularensis, helping to elucidate the mechanisms underlying its virulence.

Construction of human artificial chromosome vectors by recombineering.

PubMed

Kotzamanis, George; Cheung, Wing; Abdulrazzak, Hassan; Perez-Luz, Sara; Howe, Steven; Cooke, Howard; Huxley, Clare

2005-05-23

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) can be formed de novo by transfection of large fragments of cloned alphoid DNA into human HT1080 cells in tissue culture. In order to generate HACs carrying a gene of interest, one can either co-transfect the alphoid DNA and the gene of interest, or one can clone both into a single vector prior to transfection. Here we describe linking approximately 70 kb of alphoid DNA onto a 156-kb BAC carrying the human HPRT gene using Red homologous recombination in the EL350 Escherichia coli host [Lee et al., Genomics 73 (2001) 56-65]. A selectable marker and EGFP marker were then added by loxP/Cre recombination using the arabinose inducible cre gene in the EL350 bacteria. The final construct generates minichromosomes in HT1080 cells and the HPRT gene is expressed. The retrofitting vector can be used to add the approximately 70 kb of alphoid DNA to any BAC carrying a gene of interest to generate a HAC vector. The method can also be used to link any unrelated BAC or PAC insert onto another BAC clone. The EL350 bacteria are an excellent host for building up complex vectors by a combination of homologous and loxP/Cre recombination.

PAMELA/ATIC anomaly from the meta-stable extra dark matter component and the leptophilic Yukawa interaction

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

Kyae, Bumseok, E-mail: bkyae@phya.snu.ac.kr

We present a supersymmetric model with two dark matter (DM) components explaining the galactic positron excess observed by PAMELA/HEAT and ATIC/PPB-BETS: One is the conventional (bino-like) lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) χ, and the other is a TeV scale meta-stable neutral singlet N{sub D}, which is a Dirac fermion (N,N{sup c}). In this model, N{sub D} decays dominantly into χe{sup +}e{sup −} through an R parity preserving dimension 6 operator with the life time τ{sub N} ∼ 10{sup 26} sec. We introduce a pair of vector-like superheavy SU(2) lepton doublets (L,L{sup c}) and lepton singlets (E,E{sup c}). The dimension 6 operatormore » leading to the N{sub D} decay is generated from the leptophilic Yukawa interactions by W superset of Ne{sup c}E+Lh{sub d}E{sup c}+m{sub 3/2}l{sub 1}L{sup c} with the dimensionless couplings of order unity, and the gauge interaction by L superset of (2){sup 1/2}g' e-tilde {sup c*}e{sup c}χ+h.c. The superheavy masses of the vector-like leptons (M{sub L},M{sub E} ∼ 10{sup 16} GeV) are responsible for the longevity of N{sub D}. The low energy field spectrum in this model is just the MSSM fields and N{sub D}. Even for the case that the portion of N{sub D} is much smaller than that of χ in the total DM density [O(10{sup −10}) ∼< n{sub N{sub D}}/n{sub χ}], the observed positron excess can be explained by adopting relatively lighter masses of the vector-like leptons (10{sup 13} GeV ∼< M{sub L,E} ∼< 10{sup 16} GeV). The smallness of the electron mass is also explained. This model is easily embedded in the flipped SU(5) grand unification, which is a leptophilic unified theory.« less

Asian Pacific Perspectives: Korean Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Los Angeles Unified School District, CA.

These instructional materials on Korean Americans for elementary students were developed through the K.E.Y.S. project (Knowledge of English Yields Success). Information is included about early immigrants, the second generation, student groups, war brides, recent immigrants, and third and fourth generations. A chart of traditional and modified…

Adenovirus vector induced innate immune responses: impact upon efficacy and toxicity in gene therapy and vaccine applications.

PubMed

Hartman, Zachary C; Appledorn, Daniel M; Amalfitano, Andrea

2008-03-01

Extensively characterized, modified, and employed for a variety of purposes, adenovirus (Ad) vectors are generally regarded as having great potential by many applied virologists who wish to manipulate and use viral biology to achieve beneficial clinical outcomes. Despite widespread functional prominence and utility (i.e., Ad-based clinical trials have begun to progress to critical Phase III levels, it has recently become apparent that investigations regarding the innate immune response to Ads may reveal not only reasons behind previous failures, but also reveal novel insights that will allow for safer, more efficacious uses of this important gene transfer platform. Insights gained by the exploration of Ad induced innate immune responses will likely be most important to the fields of vaccine development, since Ad-based vaccines are regarded as one of the more promising vaccine platforms in development today. Adenovirus is currently known to interact with several different extracellular, intracellular, and membrane-bound innate immune sensing systems. Past and recent studies involving manipulation of the Ad infectious cycle as well as use of different mutants have shed light on some of the initiation mechanisms underlying Ad induced immune responses. More recent studies using microarray-based analyses, genetically modified cell lines and/or mouse mutants, and advanced generation Ad vectors have revealed important new insights into the scope and mechanism of this cellular defensive response. This review is an attempt to synthesize these studies, update Ad biologists to the current knowledge surrounding these increasingly important issues, as well as highlight areas where future research should be directed. It should also serve as a sobering reality to researchers exploring the use of any gene transfer vector, as to the complexities potentially involved when contemplating use of such vectors for human applications.

Biology of Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) eyeworms in naturally infected definitive hosts.

PubMed

Otranto, D; Lia, R P; Buono, V; Traversa, D; Giangaspero, A

2004-11-01

Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida, Thelaziidae) eyeworm causes ocular infection in carnivores and humans in the Far East; this infection has been recently reported also in Europe--northern and southern Italy--in dogs, cats and foxes. The natural vector/s of T. callipaeda is/are unknown and the development of the nematode in its definitive hosts is limited to an experimental trial on dogs. To contribute new insights into the development of T. callipaeda in the definitive host in field conditions, eyeworms were collected from naturally infected dogs from an area with a high prevalence of infection (up to 60.14%) in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, from January 2002 to December 2003. Conjunctival secretions were also collected and examined for the presence of immature stages. The presence of blastomerized eggs throughout the period--except for the months from May to November--indicates a seasonality in the reproductive activity of T. callipaeda, coinciding with the presence/absence of the vector. In fact, 1st-stage larvae were found in the lachrymal secretions of dogs in summer (June--July 2002 and 2003), ready to be ingested by flies feeding about the eyes. The evidence of 4th-stage larvae in March 2002 and April, July and October 2003 may be accounted for by the presence of flies that act as intermediate hosts of T. callipaeda from early spring to early autumn. The presence of immature stages in October indicates an overlapping generation of nematodes and a 2nd cycle of vector infection. This basic knowledge of the development of T. callipaeda will hopefully help future epidemiological studies to identify the intermediate hosts and define the likely risk for vectors in field conditions.

Adenovirus vector induced Innate Immune responses: Impact upon efficacy and toxicity in gene therapy and vaccine applications

PubMed Central

Hartman, Zachary C.; Appledorn, Daniel M.; Amalfitano, Andrea

2013-01-01

Extensively characterized, modified, and employed for a variety of purposes, Adenovirus (Ad) vectors are generally regarded as having great potential by many applied virologists who wish to manipulate and use viral biology to achieve beneficial clinical outcomes. Despite widespread functional prominence and utility, (i.e.: Ad based clinical trials have begun to progress to critical Phase III levels, it has recently become apparent that investigations regarding the innate immune response to Ads may reveal not only reasons behind previous failures, but also reveal novel insights that will allow for safer, more efficacious uses of this important gene transfer platform. Insights gained by the exploration of Ad induced innate immune responses will likely be most important to the fields of vaccine development, since Ad based vaccines are highly acknowledged as one of the more promising vaccine platforms in development today. Adenovirus is currently known to interact with several different extracellular, intracellular, and membrane bound innate immune sensing systems. Past and recent studies involving manipulation of the Ad infectious cycle as well as use of different mutants have shed light on some of the initiation mechanisms underlying Ad induced immune responses. More recent studies using microarray based analyses, genetically modified cell lines and/or mouse mutants, and advanced generation Ad vectors have revealed important new insights into the scope and mechanism of this cellular defensive response. This review is an attempt to synthesize these studies, update Ad biologists to the current knowledge surrounding these increasingly important issues, as well point areas where future research should be directed. It should also serve as a sobering reality to researchers exploring the use of any gene transfer vector, as to the complexities potentially involved when contemplating use of such vectors for human applications. PMID:18036698

Ultrastructure of the salivary glands, alimentary canal and bacteria-like organisms in the Asian citrus psyllid, vector of citrus huanglongbing-disease bacteria

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) are known as vectors of some economically important viral and bacterial plant pathogens. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri, Hemiptera, Liviidae) is the principal vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (Las), the putative bacterial causal ...

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

NONE

The Quarterly Environmental Data Summary (QEDS) for the fourth quarter of 1997 is prepared in support of the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project Federal Facilities Agreement. The data presented constitute the QEDS. The data were received from the contract laboratories, verified by the Weldon Spring Site verification group and, except for air monitoring data and site KPA generated data (uranium analyses), merged into the data base during the fourth quarter of 1997. Air monitoring data presented are the most recent complete sets of quarterly data. Air data are not stored in the data base and KPA data are notmore » merged into the regular data base. Significant data, defined as data values that have exceeded defined ``above normal`` level 2 values, are discussed in this letter for Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) generated data only. Above normal level 2 values are based, in ES and H procedures, on historical high values, DOE Derived Concentration Guides (DCGs), NPDES limits and other guidelines. The procedures also establish actions to be taken in response to such data. Data received and verified during the fourth quarter were within a permissible range of variability except for those which are detailed.« less

Generating and executing programs for a floating point single instruction multiple data instruction set architecture

DOEpatents

Gschwind, Michael K

2013-04-16

Mechanisms for generating and executing programs for a floating point (FP) only single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instruction set architecture (ISA) are provided. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon is provided. The computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to receive one or more instructions and execute the one or more instructions using logic in an execution unit of the computing device. The logic implements a floating point (FP) only single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instruction set architecture (ISA), based on data stored in a vector register file of the computing device. The vector register file is configured to store both scalar and floating point values as vectors having a plurality of vector elements.

Application of a VLSI vector quantization processor to real-time speech coding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidson, G.; Gersho, A.

1986-01-01

Attention is given to a working vector quantization processor for speech coding that is based on a first-generation VLSI chip which efficiently performs the pattern-matching operation needed for the codebook search process (CPS). Using this chip, the CPS architecture has been successfully incorporated into a compact, single-board Vector PCM implementation operating at 7-18 kbits/sec. A real time Adaptive Vector Predictive Coder system using the CPS has also been implemented.

An Improved Single-Step Cloning Strategy Simplifies the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-Mediated Transformation (ATMT)-Based Gene-Disruption Method for Verticillium dahliae.

PubMed

Wang, Sheng; Xing, Haiying; Hua, Chenlei; Guo, Hui-Shan; Zhang, Jie

2016-06-01

The soilborne fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae infects a broad range of plant species to cause severe diseases. The availability of Verticillium genome sequences has provided opportunities for large-scale investigations of individual gene function in Verticillium strains using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT)-based gene-disruption strategies. Traditional ATMT vectors require multiple cloning steps and elaborate characterization procedures to achieve successful gene replacement; thus, these vectors are not suitable for high-throughput ATMT-based gene deletion. Several advancements have been made that either involve simplification of the steps required for gene-deletion vector construction or increase the efficiency of the technique for rapid recombinant characterization. However, an ATMT binary vector that is both simple and efficient is still lacking. Here, we generated a USER-ATMT dual-selection (DS) binary vector, which combines both the advantages of the USER single-step cloning technique and the efficiency of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase negative-selection marker. Highly efficient deletion of three different genes in V. dahliae using the USER-ATMT-DS vector enabled verification that this newly-generated vector not only facilitates the cloning process but also simplifies the subsequent identification of fungal homologous recombinants. The results suggest that the USER-ATMT-DS vector is applicable for efficient gene deletion and suitable for large-scale gene deletion in V. dahliae.

Single-Step Conversion of Cells to Retrovirus Vector Producers with Herpes Simplex Virus–Epstein-Barr Virus Hybrid Amplicons

PubMed Central

Sena-Esteves, Miguel; Saeki, Yoshinaga; Camp, Sara M.; Chiocca, E. Antonio; Breakefield, Xandra O.

1999-01-01

We report here on the development and characterization of a novel herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) amplicon-based vector system which takes advantage of the host range and retention properties of HSV–Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) hybrid amplicons to efficiently convert cells to retrovirus vector producer cells after single-step transduction. The retrovirus genes gag-pol and env (GPE) and retroviral vector sequences were modified to minimize sequence overlap and cloned into an HSV-EBV hybrid amplicon. Retrovirus expression cassettes were used to generate the HSV-EBV-retrovirus hybrid vectors, HERE and HERA, which code for the ecotropic and the amphotropic envelopes, respectively. Retrovirus vector sequences encoding lacZ were cloned downstream from the GPE expression unit. Transfection of 293T/17 cells with amplicon plasmids yielded retrovirus titers between 106 and 107 transducing units/ml, while infection of the same cells with amplicon vectors generated maximum titers 1 order of magnitude lower. Retrovirus titers were dependent on the extent of transduction by amplicon vectors for the same cell line, but different cell lines displayed varying capacities to produce retrovirus vectors even at the same transduction efficiencies. Infection of human and dog primary gliomas with this system resulted in the production of retrovirus vectors for more than 1 week and the long-term retention and increase in transgene activity over time in these cell populations. Although the efficiency of this system still has to be determined in vivo, many applications are foreseeable for this approach to gene delivery. PMID:10559361

Optimizing the method for generation of integration-free induced pluripotent stem cells from human peripheral blood.

PubMed

Gu, Haihui; Huang, Xia; Xu, Jing; Song, Lili; Liu, Shuping; Zhang, Xiao-Bing; Yuan, Weiping; Li, Yanxin

2018-06-15

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human peripheral blood provides a convenient and low-invasive way to obtain patient-specific iPSCs. The episomal vector is one of the best approaches for reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotent status because of its simplicity and affordability. However, the efficiency of episomal vector reprogramming of adult peripheral blood cells is relatively low compared with cord blood and bone marrow cells. In the present study, integration-free human iPSCs derived from peripheral blood were established via episomal technology. We optimized mononuclear cell isolation and cultivation, episomal vector promoters, and a combination of transcriptional factors to improve reprogramming efficiency. Here, we improved the generation efficiency of integration-free iPSCs from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by optimizing the method of isolating mononuclear cells from peripheral blood, by modifying the integration of culture medium, and by adjusting the duration of culture time and the combination of different episomal vectors. With this optimized protocol, a valuable asset for banking patient-specific iPSCs has been established.

A Novel Immunogenic Spore Coat-Associated Protein in Bacillus Anthracis: Characterization via Proteomics Approaches and a Vector-Based Vaccine System

PubMed Central

Liu, Yu-Tsueng; Lin, Shwu-Bin; Huang, Cheng-Po; Huang, Chun-Ming

2007-01-01

New generation anthrax vaccines have been actively explored with the aim of enhancing efficacies and decreasing undesirable side effects that could be caused by licensed vaccines. Targeting novel antigens and/or eliminating the requirements for multiple needle injections and adjuvants are major objectives in the development of new anthrax vaccines. Using proteomics approaches, we identified a spore coat-associated protein (SCAP) in Bacillus anthracis. An E. coli vector-based vaccine system was used to determine the immunogenicity of SCAP. Mice generated detectable SCAP antibodies three weeks after intranasal immunization with an intact particle of ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated E. coli vector overproducing SCAP. The production of SCAP antibodies was detected via western blotting and SCAP-spotted antigen-arrays. The adjuvant effect of a UV-irradiated E. coli vector eliminates the necessity of boosting and the use of other immunomodulators which will foster the screening and manufacturing of new generation anthrax vaccines. More importantly, the immunogenic SCAP may potentially be a new candidate for the development of anthrax vaccines. PMID:18029197

Power Maximization Control of Variable Speed Wind Generation System Using Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morimoto, Shigeo; Nakamura, Tomohiko; Takeda, Yoji

This paper proposes the sensorless output power maximization control of the wind generation system. A permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) is used as a variable speed generator in the proposed system. The generator torque is suitably controlled according to the generator speed and thus the power from a wind turbine settles down on the maximum power point by the proposed MPPT control method, where the information of wind velocity is not required. Moreover, the maximum available generated power is obtained by the optimum current vector control. The current vector of PMSG is optimally controlled according to the generator speed and the required torque in order to minimize the losses of PMSG considering the voltage and current constraints. The proposed wind power generation system can be achieved without mechanical sensors such as a wind velocity detector and a position sensor. Several experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

[Report of a case with Joubert syndrome and literature review].

PubMed

Yi, Ya-hui; Li, Gang; Lu, Zhong-lie; Zhou, Jian-sheng; Yao, Zhen-wei; Wang, Peng-fei; Yao, Jin-xiang

2011-12-01

To explore the clinical feature, imaging and their diagnostic value for Joubert syndrome (JS). The clinical data, imaging feature, and 31 references from China Biomedical literature database (CBMdise) were reviewed and analyzed. The age of onset of 32 patients including male 20 and female 12 ranged from 3 days to 6 years (mean 2.2 years). All the 32 patients with Joubert syndrome showed "slow growth" and "reduced muscle tension", 26 cases (81.3%) showed "gasp for breath", 26 cases (81.3%) showed "unusual motion of eyeball", 2 cases (6.3%) showed additional fingers (toes), 6 cases (18.8%) showed stretching tongue with agape. The typical imaging features of Joubert syndrome included "molar tooth sign", "midline cleavage" between cerebellar hemispheres and "bat-wing" like fourth ventricle, all the 32 patients with Joubert syndrome showed "midline cleavage", "molar tooth sign" was present in 29 cases (90.1%), and "bat-wing" like fourth ventricle in 30 cases (93.8%). Joubert syndrome is a rare congenital brain malformation. The typical clinical manifestations included "gasp for breath", "reduced tension of muscle", "slow growth" and "unusual motion of eyeball", and at the same time the patients had the following typical imaging features of brain: "molar tooth sign", "midline cleavage" and "bat-wing" like fourth ventricle.

Kronecker-Basis-Representation Based Tensor Sparsity and Its Applications to Tensor Recovery.

PubMed

Xie, Qi; Zhao, Qian; Meng, Deyu; Xu, Zongben

2017-08-02

It is well known that the sparsity/low-rank of a vector/matrix can be rationally measured by nonzero-entries-number ($l_0$ norm)/nonzero- singular-values-number (rank), respectively. However, data from real applications are often generated by the interaction of multiple factors, which obviously cannot be sufficiently represented by a vector/matrix, while a high order tensor is expected to provide more faithful representation to deliver the intrinsic structure underlying such data ensembles. Unlike the vector/matrix case, constructing a rational high order sparsity measure for tensor is a relatively harder task. To this aim, in this paper we propose a measure for tensor sparsity, called Kronecker-basis-representation based tensor sparsity measure (KBR briefly), which encodes both sparsity insights delivered by Tucker and CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) low-rank decompositions for a general tensor. Then we study the KBR regularization minimization (KBRM) problem, and design an effective ADMM algorithm for solving it, where each involved parameter can be updated with closed-form equations. Such an efficient solver makes it possible to extend KBR to various tasks like tensor completion and tensor robust principal component analysis. A series of experiments, including multispectral image (MSI) denoising, MSI completion and background subtraction, substantiate the superiority of the proposed methods beyond state-of-the-arts.

Experimental Infection of Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) With Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (L.) amazonensis, Etiological Agents of American Tugumentary Leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Fonteles, Raquel S; Pereira Filho, Adalberto A; Moraes, Jorge L P; Kuppinger, Oliver; Rebêlo, José M M

2016-01-01

Leishmania (L.) amazonensis (Lainson & Shaw, 1972) and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (Vianna, 1911) are the principal causative agents of American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) in Brazil. L. amazonensis also causes diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL) vectored principally by Lutzomyia flaviscutellata and secondarily by Lutzomyia whitmani (Antunes & Coutinho, 1939). The latter is the most common phlebotomine in the state of Maranhão, and it is the focal species for potential ATL transmission. For this reason, we tested the ability of L. whitmani to become infected with Lutzomyia parasites. Phlebotomines were derived from a colony maintained in the laboratorial conditions. The first generation, uninfected females were offered a bloodmeal with mice infected with the strains of both parasites. We found that L. whitmani can become infected with both parasite species, with infection rates of 65.2% (L. braziliensis) and 47.4% (L. amazonensis). We conclude that in Maranhão, L. whitmani is likely an important vector in the transmission of ATL and may function as a vector of DCL. This possibility should be further investigated. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Roughness-induced generation of crossflow vortices in three-dimensional boundary layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choudhari, Meelan

1993-01-01

The receptivity theory of Goldstein and Ruban is extended within the nonasymptotic (quasi-parallel) framework of Zavol'skii et al to predict the roughness-induced generation of stationary and nonstationary instability waves in three-dimensional, incompressible boundary layers. The influence of acoustic-wave orientation, as well as that of different types of roughness geometries, including isolated roughness elements, periodic arrays, and two-dimensional lattices of compact roughness shapes, as well as random, but spatially homogeneous roughness distributions, is examined. The parametric study for the Falkner-Skan-Cooke family of boundary layers supports our earlier conjecture that the initial amplitudes of roughness-induced stationary vortices are likely to be significantly larger than the amplitudes of similarly induced nonstationary vortices in the presence of acoustic disturbances in the free stream. Maximum unsteady receptivity occurs when the acoustic velocity fluctuation is aligned with the wavenumber vector of the unsteady vortex mode. On the other hand, roughness arrays that are oriented somewhere close to the group velocity direction are likely to produce higher instability amplitudes. Limitations of the nonasymptotic theory are discussed, and future work is suggested.

A noncompact Weyl-Einstein-Yang-Mills model: A semiclassical quantum gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dengiz, Suat

2017-08-01

We construct and study perturbative unitarity (i.e., ghost and tachyon analysis) of a 3 + 1-dimensional noncompact Weyl-Einstein-Yang-Mills model. The model describes a local noncompact Weyl's scale plus SU(N) phase invariant Higgs-like field,conformally coupled to a generic Weyl-invariant dynamical background. Here, the Higgs-like sector generates the Weyl's conformal invariance of system. The action does not admit any dimensionful parameter and genuine presence of de Sitter vacuum spontaneously breaks the noncompact gauge symmetry in an analogous manner to the Standard Model Higgs mechanism. As to flat spacetime, the dimensionful parameter is generated within the dimensional transmutation in quantum field theories, and thus the symmetry is radiatively broken through the one-loop Effective Coleman-Weinberg potential. We show that the mere expectation of reducing to Einstein's gravity in the broken phases forbids anti-de Sitter space to be its stable vacua. The model is unitary in de Sitter and flat vacua around which a massless graviton, N2 - 1 massless scalar bosons, N massless Dirac fermions, N2 - 1 Proca-type massive Abelian and non-Abelian vector bosons are generically propagated.

Nanopore-based fourth-generation DNA sequencing technology.

PubMed

Feng, Yanxiao; Zhang, Yuechuan; Ying, Cuifeng; Wang, Deqiang; Du, Chunlei

2015-02-01

Nanopore-based sequencers, as the fourth-generation DNA sequencing technology, have the potential to quickly and reliably sequence the entire human genome for less than $1000, and possibly for even less than $100. The single-molecule techniques used by this technology allow us to further study the interaction between DNA and protein, as well as between protein and protein. Nanopore analysis opens a new door to molecular biology investigation at the single-molecule scale. In this article, we have reviewed academic achievements in nanopore technology from the past as well as the latest advances, including both biological and solid-state nanopores, and discussed their recent and potential applications. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Going into the 21st century: should one dream or act?].

PubMed

Coosemans, M

1991-01-01

A historical review of vector control is made. Despite the available tools, vector borne diseases are still a priority in Public Health. Magic tools, like DDT, were often misused. Adapted strategies and structures for vector control are now required. Progress will mainly result from research and evaluation done in the framework of vector control programmes. Discovery of new tools will find in these operational programmes a point of fall for their application.

Application of Machine Learning Algorithms to the Study of Noise Artifacts in Gravitational-Wave Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biswas, Rahul; Blackburn, Lindy L.; Cao, Junwei; Essick, Reed; Hodge, Kari Alison; Katsavounidis, Erotokritos; Kim, Kyungmin; Young-Min, Kim; Le Bigot, Eric-Olivier; Lee, Chang-Hwan;

Unraveling the Host Plant Alternation of Cacopsylla pruni – Adults but Not Nymphs Can Survive on Conifers Due to Phloem/Xylem Composition

PubMed Central

Gallinger, Jannicke; Gross, Jürgen

2018-01-01

Plant sap feeding insects like psyllids are known to be vectors of phloem dwelling bacteria (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ and ‘Ca. Liberibacter’), plant pathogens which cause severe diseases and economically important crop damage. Some univoltine psyllid species have a particular life cycle, within one generation they alternate two times between different host plant species. The plum psyllid Cacopsylla pruni, the vector of European Stone Fruit Yellows (ESFY), one of the most serious pests in European fruit production, migrates to stone fruit orchards (Prunus spp.) for mating and oviposition in early spring. The young adults of the new generation leave the Prunus trees in summer and emigrate to their overwintering hosts like spruce and other conifers. Very little is known about the factors responsible for the regulation of migration, reasons for host alternation, and the behavior of psyllids during their phase of life on conifers. Because insect feeding behavior and host acceptance is driven by different biotic factors, such as olfactory and gustatory cues as well as mechanical barriers, we carried out electrical penetration graph (EPG) recordings and survival bioassays with C. pruni on different conifer species as potential overwintering hosts and analyzed the chemical composition of the respective plant saps. We are the first to show that migrating psyllids do feed on overwintering hosts and that nymphs are able to ingest phloem and xylem sap of coniferous trees, but cannot develop on conifer diet. Analyses of plant saps reveal qualitative differences in the chemical composition between coniferous trees and Prunus as well as within conifer species. These differences are discussed with regard to nutritional needs of psyllid nymphs for proper development, overwintering needs of adults and restriction of ‘Ca. P. prunorum’ to Prunus phloem. PMID:29706983

An evaluation of consensus techniques for diagnostic interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauter, Jake N.; LaBarre, Victoria M.; Furst, Jacob D.; Raicu, Daniela S.

2018-02-01

Learning diagnostic labels from image content has been the standard in computer-aided diagnosis. Most computer-aided diagnosis systems use low-level image features extracted directly from image content to train and test machine learning classifiers for diagnostic label prediction. When the ground truth for the diagnostic labels is not available, reference truth is generated from the experts diagnostic interpretations of the image/region of interest. More specifically, when the label is uncertain, e.g. when multiple experts label an image and their interpretations are different, techniques to handle the label variability are necessary. In this paper, we compare three consensus techniques that are typically used to encode the variability in the experts labeling of the medical data: mean, median and mode, and their effects on simple classifiers that can handle deterministic labels (decision trees) and probabilistic vectors of labels (belief decision trees). Given that the NIH/NCI Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) data provides interpretations for lung nodules by up to four radiologists, we leverage the LIDC data to evaluate and compare these consensus approaches when creating computer-aided diagnosis systems for lung nodules. First, low-level image features of nodules are extracted and paired with their radiologists semantic ratings (1= most likely benign, , 5 = most likely malignant); second, machine learning multi-class classifiers that handle deterministic labels (decision trees) and probabilistic vectors of labels (belief decision trees) are built to predict the lung nodules semantic ratings. We show that the mean-based consensus generates the most robust classi- fier overall when compared to the median- and mode-based consensus. Lastly, the results of this study show that, when building CAD systems with uncertain diagnostic interpretation, it is important to evaluate different strategies for encoding and predicting the diagnostic label.

Reconstruction of Sea State One

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

this section only a general overview of the wave computer system will be offered. A more comprehensive treatment of this subject is available in Appendix...1) Sync Strip and Threshold Processing Card (2) Pulse Generation Logic Card (3) X Vector Logic Card (4) Y Vector Logic Card (5) Blanking Interval...output by this comparator when the threshold is crossed, which shall be referred to as threshold crossing (THC). (2) PULSE GENERATION LOGIC CARD Turning

Analysis of regional crustal magnetization in Vector Cartesian Harmonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gubbins, D.; Ivers, D. J.; Williams, S.

2017-12-01

We introduce a set of basis functions for analysing magnetization in a plane layer, called Vector Cartesian Harmonics, that separate the part of the magnetization responsible for generating the external potential field from the part that generates no observable field. They are counterparts of similar functions defined on a sphere, Vector Spherical Harmonics, which we introduced earlier for magnetization in a spherical shell. We expand four example magnetizations in these functions and determine which parts are responsible for the observed magnetic field above the layer. For a point dipole, the component of magnetization responsible for the external potential field is the sum of a point dipole of half strength and a distributed magnetization that gives the same field. The dipping prism has no magnetic field if magnetized along strike; otherwise it, like the point dipole, has the correct dipping structure but of half the correct intensity accompanied by a distributed magnetization producing the same magnetic field. Interestingly, the distributed magnetization has singularities at the edges of the dipping slab. The buried cube is done numerically and again only a fraction of the true magnetization appears along with distributed magnetizations, strongest at the edges of the cube, making up the rest of the field. The Bishop model, a model of magnetization often used to test analysis methods, behaves similarly. In cases where the magnetization is induced by a known, non-horizontal field it is always possible to recover the vertically averaged susceptibility except for its horizontal average. Simple damped inversion of magnetic data will return only the harmonics responsible for the external field, so the analysis gives a clear indication of how any combination of induced and remanent magnetization would be returned. In practice, most interpretations of magnetic surveys are done in combination with other geological data and insights. We propose using this prior information to construct a quantitative magnetization that can be expanded in Vector Cartesian Harmonics to determine the part that generates the observed magnetic anomalies; this part can be refined to fit the data while the remaining part can only be improved using different information. The separation is simple and fast to implement using standard software because it involves only elementary manipulations of 2-dimensional Fourier transforms.

Children's Social Constructions of Popularity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lease, A. Michele; Kennedy, Charlotte A.; Axelrod, Jennifer L.

2002-01-01

Assessed fourth, fifth- and sixth-graders' social constructions of popularity using perceived popularity nominations and sociometric measures. Found that perceived popularity is related to sociometric popularity and social dominance. Examined correlations with popularity for perceived popular girls and boys who were liked and not well-liked. Found…

Next Generation Hydrogen Station Composite Data Products: All Stations (Retail and Non-Retail Combined), Data through Quarter 4 of 2016

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

Sprik, Sam; Kurtz, Jennifer; Ainscough, Chris

This publication includes 90 composite data products (CDPs) produced for next generation hydrogen stations with data through the fourth quarter of 2016. These CDPs include data for all stations in NREL's evaluation (retail and non-retail combined).

14. VIEW OF AIR COMPRESSOR. 1500 kw Westinghouse AC generator ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. VIEW OF AIR COMPRESSOR. 1500 kw Westinghouse AC generator steam-turbine unit; beyond is air compressor of Chicago Pneumatic Tool Company, 1920, engineered by Earl E. Know Company, Erie, Pennsylvania. - Juniata Shops, Power Plant & Boiler House, East of Fourth Avenue at Second Street, Altoona, Blair County, PA

MAXIMIZING GROWTH AND SEXUAL MATURATION OF SHEEPSHEAD MINNOWS IN SUPPORT OF MULTI-GENERATION TEST DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Hemmer, R.L., G.M. Cripe and L.R. Goodman. In press. Maximizing Growth and Sexual Maturation of Sheepshead Minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus) in Support of Multi-Generation Test Development (Abstract). To be presented at the SETAC Fourth World Congress, 14-18 November 2004, Portland...

Societies in Transition: The Impact of Longevity on Generations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Mering, Otto

1992-01-01

Longevity is leading to four-generation societies and transcendence of governmental and conventional age-controlled productivity. Elderly women's numerical superiority are influencing a firmer attitude toward self and lessening stereotypes of women as caregiver of the ill and elderly. "Fourth-age" people see empowerment as necessary for…

Next Generation Hydrogen Station Composite Data Products: All Stations (Retail and Non-Retail Combined), Data through Quarter 4 of 2017

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

Sprik, Samuel; Kurtz, Jennifer M; Saur, Genevieve

This publication includes 97 composite data products (CDPs) produced for next generation hydrogen stations with data through the fourth quarter of 2017. These CDPs include data for all stations in NREL's evaluation (retail and non-retail combined).

Microdam Impoundments Provide Suitable Habitat for Larvae of Malaria Vectors: An Observational Study in Western Kenya.

PubMed

McCann, Robert S; Gimnig, John E; Bayoh, M Nabie; Ombok, Maurice; Walker, Edward D

2018-05-04

Impoundments formed by microdams in rural areas of Africa are important sources of water for people, but they provide potential larval habitats for Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes that are vectors of malaria. To study this association, the perimeters of 31 microdam impoundments in western Kenya were sampled for Anopheles larvae in three zones (patches of floating and emergent vegetation, shorelines of open water, and aggregations of cattle hoofprints) across dry and rainy seasons. Of 3,169 larvae collected, most (86.8%) were collected in the rainy season. Of 2,403 larvae successfully reared to fourth instar or adult, nine species were identified; most (80.2%) were Anopheles arabiensis Patton, sampled from hoofprint zones in the rainy season. Other species collected were Anopheles coustani Laveran, Anopheles gambiae s.s. Giles, Anopheles funestus Giles, and Anopheles rivulorum Leeson, Anopheles pharoensis Theobald, Anopheles squamosus Theobald, Anopheles rufipes (Gough), and Anopheles ardensis (Theobald). Larvae of An. funestus were uncommon (1.5%) in both dry and rainy seasons and were confined to vegetated zones, suggesting that microdam impoundments are not primary habitats for this important vector species, although microdams may provide a dry season refuge habitat for malaria vectors, contributing to population persistence through the dry season. In this study, microdam impoundments clearly provided habitat for the malaria vector An. arabiensis in the rainy season, most of which was within the shallow apron side of the impoundments where people brought cattle for watering, resulting in compacted soil with aggregations of water-filled hoofprints. This observation suggests a potential conflict between public health concerns about malaria and people's need for stable and reliable sources of water.

An Efficient Visual Screen for CRISPR/Cas9 Activity in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Hahn, Florian; Mantegazza, Otho; Greiner, André; Hegemann, Peter; Eisenhut, Marion; Weber, Andreas P M

2017-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9 system enables precision editing of the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and likely of any other organism. Tools and methods for further developing and optimizing this widespread and versatile system in Arabidopsis would hence be welcomed. Here, we designed a generic vector system that can be used to clone any sgRNA sequence in a plant T-DNA vector containing an ubiquitously expressed Cas9 gene. With this vector, we explored two alternative marker systems for tracking Cas9-mediated gene-editing in vivo : BIALAPHOS RESISTANCE ( BAR ) and GLABROUS1 ( GL1 ). BAR confers resistance to glufosinate and is widely used as a positive selection marker; GL1 is required for the formation of trichomes. Reversion of a frameshift null BAR allele to a functional one by Cas9-mediated gene editing yielded a higher than expected number of plants that are resistant to glufosinate. Surprisingly, many of those plants did not display reversion of the BAR gene through the germline. We hypothesize that few BAR revertant cells in a highly chimeric plant likely provide system-wide resistance to glufosinate and thus we suggest that BAR is not suitable as marker for tracking Cas9-mediated gene-editing. Targeting the GL1 gene for disruption with Cas9 provided clearly visible phenotypes of partially and completely glabrous plants. 50% of the analyzed T1 plants produced descendants with a chimeric phenotype and we could recover fully homozygous plants in the T3 generation with high efficiency. We propose that targeting of GL1 is suitable for assessing and optimizing Cas9-mediated gene-editing in Arabidopsis .

Structural analysis and insertion study reveal the ideal sites for surface displaying foreign peptides on a betanodavirus-like particle.

PubMed

Xie, Junfeng; Li, Kunpeng; Gao, Yuanzhu; Huang, Runqing; Lai, Yuxiong; Shi, Yan; Yang, Shaowei; Zhu, Guohua; Zhang, Qinfen; He, Jianguo

2016-01-11

Betanodavirus infection causes fatal disease of viral nervous necrosis in many cultured marine and freshwater fish worldwide and the virus-like particles (VLP) are effective vaccines against betanodavirus. But vaccine and viral vector designs of betanodavirus VLP based on their structures remain lacking. Here, the three-dimensional structure of orange-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (OGNNV) VLP (RBS) at 3.9 Å reveals the organization of capsid proteins (CP). Based on the structural results, seven putative important sites were selected to genetically insert a 6× histidine (His)-tag for VLP formation screen, resulting in four His-tagged VLP (HV) at positions N-terminus, Ala220, Pro292 and C-terminus. The His-tags of N-terminal HV (NHV) were concealed inside virions while those of 220HV and C-terminal HV (CHV) were displayed at the outer surface. NHV, 220HV and CHV maintained the same cell entry ability as RBS in the Asian sea bass (SB) cell line, indicating that their similar surface structures can be recognized by the cellular entry receptor(s). For application of vaccine design, chromatography-purified CHV could provoke NNV-specific antibody responses as strong as those of RBS in a sea bass immunization assay. Furthermore, in carrying capacity assays, N-terminus and Ala220 can only carry short peptides and C-terminus can even accommodate large protein such as GFP to generate fluorescent VLP (CGV). For application of a viral vector, CGV could be real-time visualized to enter SB cells in invasion study. All the results confirmed that the C-terminus of CP is a suitable site to accommodate foreign peptides for vaccine design and viral vector development.

Scout fourth stage attitude and velocity control (AVC) system feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byars, L. B.

1975-01-01

The feasibility of incorporating a guidance system in the Scout fourth stage to achieve a significant improvement in expected payload delivery accuracy is studied. The technical investigations included the determination of the AVC equipment performance requirements, establishment of qualification and acceptance test levels, generation of layouts illustrating design approaches for the upper D and payload transition sections to incorporate the hardware, and the preparation of a vendor bid package. Correction concepts, utilizing inertial velocity and attitude, were identified and evaluated. Fourth stage attitude adjustments as determined from inertial velocity variation through the first three stages and a final velocity correction based upon the measured in-plane component errors at injection were employed. Results show radical reductions in apogee-perigee deviations.

Bioproduction and characterization of extracellular melanin-like pigment from industrially polluted metagenomic library equipped Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Amin, Shivani; Rastogi, Rajesh P; Sonani, Ravi R; Ray, Arabinda; Sharma, Rakesh; Madamwar, Datta

2018-04-15

To explore the potential genes from the industrially polluted Amlakhadi canal, located in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, India, its community genome was extracted and cloned into E. coli EPI300™-T1 R using a fosmid vector (pCC2 FOS™) generating a library of 3,92,000 clones with average size of 40kb of DNA-insert. From this library, the clone DM1 producing brown colored melanin-like pigment was isolated and characterized. For over expression of the pigment, further sub-cloning of the clone DM1 was done. Sub-clone containing 10kb of the insert was sequenced for gene identification. The amino acids sequence of a protein 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), which is know to be involved in melanin biosynthesis was obtained from the gene sequence. The sequence-homology based 3D structure model of HPPD was constructed and analyzed. The physico-chemical nature of pigment was further analysed using 1 H and 13 C NMR, LC-MS, FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy. The pigment was readily soluble in DMSO with an absorption maximum around 290nm. Based on the genetic and chemical characterization, the compound was confirmed as melanin-like pigment. The present results indicate that the metagenomic library from industrially polluted environment generated a microbial tool for the production of melanin-like pigment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A model explaining neutrino masses and the DAMPE cosmic ray electron excess

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yi-Zhong; Huang, Wei-Chih; Spinrath, Martin; Tsai, Yue-Lin Sming; Yuan, Qiang

2018-06-01

We propose a flavored U(1)eμ neutrino mass and dark matter (DM) model to explain the recent DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) data, which feature an excess on the cosmic ray electron plus positron flux around 1.4 TeV. Only the first two lepton generations of the Standard Model are charged under the new U(1)eμ gauge symmetry. A vector-like fermion ψ, which is our DM candidate, annihilates into e± and μ± via the new gauge boson Z‧ exchange and accounts for the DAMPE excess. We have found that the data favors a ψ mass around 1.5 TeV and a Z‧ mass around 2.6 TeV, which can potentially be probed by the next generation lepton colliders and DM direct detection experiments.

A Modular Lentiviral and Retroviral Construction System to Rapidly Generate Vectors for Gene Expression and Gene Knockdown In Vitro and In Vivo

PubMed Central

Geiling, Benjamin; Vandal, Guillaume; Posner, Ada R.; de Bruyns, Angeline; Dutchak, Kendall L.; Garnett, Samantha; Dankort, David

2013-01-01

The ability to express exogenous cDNAs while suppressing endogenous genes via RNAi represents an extremely powerful research tool with the most efficient non-transient approach being accomplished through stable viral vector integration. Unfortunately, since traditional restriction enzyme based methods for constructing such vectors are sequence dependent, their construction is often difficult and not amenable to mass production. Here we describe a non-sequence dependent Gateway recombination cloning system for the rapid production of novel lentiviral (pLEG) and retroviral (pREG) vectors. Using this system to recombine 3 or 4 modular plasmid components it is possible to generate viral vectors expressing cDNAs with or without inhibitory RNAs (shRNAmirs). In addition, we demonstrate a method to rapidly produce and triage novel shRNAmirs for use with this system. Once strong candidate shRNAmirs have been identified they may be linked together in tandem to knockdown expression of multiple targets simultaneously or to improve the knockdown of a single target. Here we demonstrate that these recombinant vectors are able to express cDNA and effectively knockdown protein expression using both cell culture and animal model systems. PMID:24146852

Vector optical fields with bipolar symmetry of linear polarization.

PubMed

Pan, Yue; Li, Yongnan; Li, Si-Min; Ren, Zhi-Cheng; Si, Yu; Tu, Chenghou; Wang, Hui-Tian

2013-09-15

We focus on a new kind of vector optical field with bipolar symmetry of linear polarization instead of cylindrical and elliptical symmetries, enriching members of family of vector optical fields. We design theoretically and generate experimentally the demanded vector optical fields and then explore some novel tightly focusing properties. The geometric configurations of states of polarization provide additional degrees of freedom assisting in engineering the field distribution at the focus to the specific applications such as lithography, optical trapping, and material processing.

Diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with vitamin supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas.

PubMed

George, Goldy C; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Nicklas, Theresa A; Kelder, Steven H

2009-01-01

To examine diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas. Cross-sectional data from the School Physical Activity and Nutrition study, a probability-based sample of schoolchildren. Children completed a questionnaire that assessed supplement use, food choices, diet-related attitudes, and physical activity; height and weight were measured. School classrooms. Representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas (n = 5967; mean age = 9.7 years standard error of the mean [SEM] = .03 years, 46% Hispanic, 11% African-American). Previous day vitamin supplement consumption, diet- and body size-related attitudes, food choices, demographic factors, and physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression models, P < .05. The prevalence of supplement use was 29%. Supplement intake was associated with physical activity. Girls who used supplements were more likely to report positive body image and greater interest in trying new food. Relative to nonusers, supplement users were less likely to perceive that they always ate healthful food, although supplement use was associated with more healthful food choices in boys and girls (P < .001). The widespread use of supplements and clustering of supplement use with healthful diet and greater physical activity in fourth graders suggest that supplement use be closely investigated in studies of diet-disease precursor relations and lifestyle factors in children.

Synthesis, spectral characterization and larvicidal activity of acridin-1(2H)-one analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subashini, R.; Bharathi, A.; Roopan, Selvaraj Mohana; Rajakumar, G.; Abdul Rahuman, A.; Gullanki, Pavan Kumar

Acridin-1(2H)-one analogue of 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-9-phenyl-2-[(pyridine-2yl) methylene] acridin-1(2H)-one, 5 was prepared by using 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-9-phenylacridin-1(2H)-one, 3 and picolinaldehyde, 4 in the presence of KOH at room temperature. These compounds were characterized by analytical and spectral analyses. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of larvicidal and repellent activity of synthesized 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-9-phenyl-acridin-1(2H)-one analogues such as compounds 3 and 5 against the early fourth instar larvae of filariasis vector, Culex quinquefasciatus and Japanese encephalitis vector, Culex gelidus (Diptera: Culicidae). The compound exhibited high larvicidal effects at 50 mg/L against both the mosquitoes with LC50 values of 25.02 mg/L (r2 = 0.998) and 26.40 mg/L (r2 = 0.988) against C. quinquefasciatus and C. gelidus, respectively. The 7-chloro-3,4-dihydro-9-phenyl-acridin-1(2H)-one analogues that are reported for the first time to our best of knowledge can be better explored for the control of mosquito population. This is an ideal ecofriendly approach for the control of Japanese encephalitis vectors, C. quinquefasciatus and C. gelidus.

Theories of Matter, Space and Time; Classical theories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, N.; King, S. F.

2017-12-01

This book and its sequel ('Theories of Matter Space and Time: Quantum Theories') are taken from third and fourth year undergraduate Physics courses at Southampton University, UK. The aim of both books is to move beyond the initial courses in classical mechanics, special relativity, electromagnetism, and quantum theory to more sophisticated views of these subjects and their interdependence. The goal is to guide undergraduates through some of the trickier areas of theoretical physics with concise analysis while revealing the key elegance of each subject. The first chapter introduces the key areas of the principle of least action, an alternative treatment of Newtownian dynamics, that provides new understanding of conservation laws. In particular, it shows how the formalism evolved from Fermat's principle of least time in optics. The second introduces special relativity leading quickly to the need and form of four-vectors. It develops four-vectors for all kinematic variables and generalize Newton's second law to the relativistic environment; then returns to the principle of least action for a free relativistic particle. The third chapter presents a review of the integral and differential forms of Maxwell's equations before massaging them to four-vector form so that the Lorentz boost properties of electric and magnetic fields are transparent. Again, it then returns to the action principle to formulate minimal substitution for an electrically charged particle.

Toxicity of saponin isolated from Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) against Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) Japanese encephalitis vector mosquito in India.

PubMed

Elumalai, Kupppusamy; Dhanasekaran, Shanmugan; Krishnappa, Kaliamoorthy

2012-12-01

To determine the larvicidal activity of various extracts of Gymnema sylvestre against the Japanese Encephalitis vector, Culex tritaeniorynchus in Tamilnadu, India. To identify the active principle present in the promising fraction obtained in Chlorofom:Methanol extract of Fraction 2. The G. sylvestre leaf extracts were tested, employing WHO procedure against fourth instar larvae of C. tritaeniorhynchus and the larval mortalities were recorded at various concentrations (6.25, 12.5, 25.0, 50 and 100 µg/mL); the 24h LC50 values of the G. Sylvestre leaf extracts were determined following Probit analysis. It was noteworthy that treatment level 100 µg/mL exhibited highest mortality rates for the three different crude extracts and was significantly different from the mean mortalities recorded for the other concentrations. The LC50 values of 34.756 µg/mL (24.475-51.41), 31.351 µg/mL (20.634-47.043) and 28.577 µg/mL (25.159-32.308) were calculated for acetone, chloroform and methanol extract with the chi-square values of 10.301, 31.351 and 4.093 respectively. The present investigation proved that G. Sylvestre could be possibly utilized as an important component in the Vector Control Program.

Intracellular trafficking of hybrid gene delivery vectors.

PubMed

Keswani, Rahul K; Lazebnik, Mihael; Pack, Daniel W

2015-06-10

Viral and non-viral gene delivery vectors are in development for human gene therapy, but both exhibit disadvantages such as inadequate efficiency, lack of cell-specific targeting or safety concerns. We have recently reported the design of hybrid delivery vectors combining retrovirus-like particles with synthetic polymers or lipids that are efficient, provide sustained gene expression and are more stable compared to native retroviruses. To guide further development of this promising class of gene delivery vectors, we have investigated their mechanisms of intracellular trafficking. Moloney murine leukemia virus-like particles (M-VLPs) were complexed with chitosan (Chi) or liposomes (Lip) comprising DOTAP, DOPE and cholesterol to form the hybrid vectors (Chi/M-VLPs and Lip/M-VLPs, respectively). Transfection efficiency and cellular internalization of the vectors were quantified in the presence of a panel of inhibitors of various endocytic pathways. Intracellular transport and trafficking kinetics of the hybrid vectors were dependent on the synthetic component and used a combination of clathrin- and caveolar-dependent endocytosis and macropinocytosis. Chi/M-VLPs were slower to transfect compared to Lip/M-VLPs due to the delayed detachment of the synthetic component. The synthetic component of hybrid gene delivery vectors plays a significant role in their cellular interactions and processing and is a key parameter for the design of more efficient gene delivery vehicles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Induction of neutralising antibodies by virus-like particles harbouring surface proteins from highly pathogenic H5N1 and H7N1 influenza viruses

PubMed Central

Szécsi, Judit; Boson, Bertrand; Johnsson, Per; Dupeyrot-Lacas, Pia; Matrosovich, Mikhail; Klenk, Hans-Dieter; Klatzmann, David; Volchkov, Viktor; Cosset, François-Loïc

2006-01-01

There is an urgent need to develop novel approaches to vaccination against the emerging, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Here, we engineered influenza viral-like particles (Flu-VLPs) derived from retroviral core particles that mimic the properties of the viral surface of two highly pathogenic influenza viruses of either H7N1 or H5N1 antigenic subtype. We demonstrate that, upon recovery of viral RNAs from a field strain, one can easily generate expression vectors that encode the HA, NA and M2 surface proteins of either virus and prepare high-titre Flu-VLPs. We characterise these Flu-VLPs incorporating the HA, NA and M2 proteins and we show that they induce high-titre neutralising antibodies in mice. PMID:16948862

Searches For Pair Production of Heavy Vector-Like Quarks in pp Collisions at √s =13 Tev with the Atlas Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marley, Daniel Edison

A summary of two orthogonal and complementary searches for pair production of heavy vector-like quarks is presented. The first analysis considers final states with 1-lepton and hadronic jets that can be used to reconstruct the vector-like quark system after identifying the boosted decay of W bosons and building the neutrino from the missing transverse momentum. Control and signal regions constrain the uncertainties associated with top quark production that most negatively impact this analysis. The second analysis searches in the fully-hadronic final state where no leptons are considered. An explicit veto on the lepton number ensures orthogonality between the analyses. The analysis uses a deep neural network to reconstruct the decays of heavy objects and a data-driven technique to estimate the dominant multi-jet background. Data were recorded by the ATLAS experiment in sqrt(s)=13 TeV proton-proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. No excess above the Standard Model background is observed in either analysis. The results from the 1-lepton analysis are interpreted assuming vector-like quarks decay TT¯ → Wb + X. The 0-lepton analysis assumes both types of pair produced vector-like quarks TT and BB that decay to T → Wb, Ht, Zt and B → Wt, Hb, Zb. The 1-lepton analysis observes a 95% CL lower limit on the T mass of 1090 (810) GeV assuming the scenario BR(T → Wb)=1 (SU(2) singlet). The strongest observed 95% CL lower limits in the 0-lepton analysis are 850 GeV and 903 GeV in the BR(T → Ht) = 1 and BR(B → Hb)=1 decays, respectively.

Unification with vector-like fermions and signals at LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacherjee, Biplob; Byakti, Pritibhajan; Kushwaha, Ashwani; Vempati, Sudhir K.

2018-05-01

We look for minimal extensions of Standard Model with vector like fermions leading to precision unification of gauge couplings. Constraints from proton decay, Higgs stability and perturbativity are considered. The simplest models contain several copies of vector fermions in two different (incomplete) representations. Some of these models encompass Type III seesaw mechanism for neutrino masses whereas some others have a dark matter candidate. In all the models, at least one of the candidates has non-trivial representation under SU(3)color. In the limit of vanishing Yukawa couplings, new QCD bound states are formed, which can be probed at LHC. The present limits based on results from 13 TeV already probe these particles for masses around a TeV. Similar models can be constructed with three or four vector representations, examples of which are presented.

What is the Risk for Exposure to Vector-Borne Pathogens in United States National Parks?

PubMed Central

EISEN, LARS; WONG, DAVID; SHELUS, VICTORIA; EISEN, REBECCA J.

2015-01-01

United States national parks attract >275 million visitors annually and collectively present risk of exposure for staff and visitors to a wide range of arthropod vector species (most notably fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks) and their associated bacterial, protozoan, or viral pathogens. We assessed the current state of knowledge for risk of exposure to vector-borne pathogens in national parks through a review of relevant literature, including internal National Park Service documents and organismal databases. We conclude that, because of lack of systematic surveillance for vector-borne pathogens in national parks, the risk of pathogen exposure for staff and visitors is unclear. Existing data for vectors within national parks were not based on systematic collections and rarely include evaluation for pathogen infection. Extrapolation of human-based surveillance data from neighboring communities likely provides inaccurate estimates for national parks because landscape differences impact transmission of vector-borne pathogens and human-vector contact rates likely differ inside versus outside the parks because of differences in activities or behaviors. Vector-based pathogen surveillance holds promise to define when and where within national parks the risk of exposure to infected vectors is elevated. A pilot effort, including 5–10 strategic national parks, would greatly improve our understanding of the scope and magnitude of vector-borne pathogen transmission in these high-use public settings. Such efforts also will support messaging to promote personal protection measures and inform park visitors and staff of their responsibility for personal protection, which the National Park Service preservation mission dictates as the core strategy to reduce exposure to vector-borne pathogens in national parks. PMID:23540107

Course Offerings in the Fourth Year of Medical School: How U.S. Medical Schools Are Preparing Students for Internship.

PubMed

Elnicki, D Michael; Gallagher, Susan; Willett, Laura; Kane, Gregory; Muntz, Martin; Henry, Daniel; Cannarozzi, Maria; Stewart, Emily; Harrell, Heather; Aiyer, Meenakshy; Salvit, Cori; Chudgar, Saumil; Vu, Robert

2015-10-01

The fourth year of medical school remains controversial, despite efforts to reform it. A committee from the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine and the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine examined transitions from medical school to internship with the goal of better academic advising for students. In 2013 and 2014, the committee examined published literature and the Web sites of 136 Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited schools for information on current course offerings for the fourth year of medical school. The authors summarized temporal trends and outcomes when available.Subinternships were required by 122 (90%) of the 136 schools and allow students to experience the intern's role. Capstone courses are increasingly used to fill curricular gaps. Revisiting basic sciences in fourth-year rotations helps to reinforce concepts from earlier years. Many schools require rotations in specific settings, like emergency departments, intensive care units, or ambulatory clinics. A growing number of schools require participation in research, including during the fourth year. Students traditionally take fourth-year clinical electives to improve skills, both within their chosen specialties and in other disciplines. Some students work with underserved populations or seek experiences that will be henceforth unavailable, whereas others use electives to "audition" at desired residency sites. Fourth-year requirements vary considerably among medical schools, reflecting different missions and varied student needs. Few objective outcomes data exist to guide students' choices. Nevertheless, both medical students and educators value the fourth year of medical school and feel it can fill diverse functions in preparing for residency.

Matrix multiplication operations using pair-wise load and splat operations

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

Eichenberger, Alexandre E.; Gschwind, Michael K.; Gunnels, John A.

Mechanisms for performing a matrix multiplication operation are provided. A vector load operation is performed to load a first vector operand of the matrix multiplication operation to a first target vector register. A pair-wise load and splat operation is performed to load a pair of scalar values of a second vector operand and replicate the pair of scalar values within a second target vector register. An operation is performed on elements of the first target vector register and elements of the second target vector register to generate a partial product of the matrix multiplication operation. The partial product is accumulatedmore » with other partial products and a resulting accumulated partial product is stored. This operation may be repeated for a second pair of scalar values of the second vector operand.« less

Covariantized vector Galileons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Matthew; Koyama, Kazuya; Tasinato, Gianmassimo

2016-03-01

Vector Galileons are ghost-free systems containing higher derivative interactions of vector fields. They break the vector gauge symmetry, and the dynamics of the longitudinal vector polarizations acquire a Galileon symmetry in an appropriate decoupling limit in Minkowski space. Using an Arnowitt-Deser-Misner approach, we carefully reconsider the coupling with gravity of vector Galileons, with the aim of studying the necessary conditions to avoid the propagation of ghosts. We develop arguments that put on a more solid footing the results previously obtained in the literature. Moreover, working in analogy with the scalar counterpart, we find indications for the existence of a "beyond Horndeski" theory involving vector degrees of freedom that avoids the propagation of ghosts thanks to secondary constraints. In addition, we analyze a Higgs mechanism for generating vector Galileons through spontaneous symmetry breaking, and we present its consistent covariantization.

Silencing Genes in the Heart.

PubMed

Fechner, Henry; Vetter, Roland; Kurreck, Jens; Poller, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Silencing of cardiac genes by RNA interference (RNAi) has developed into a powerful new method to treat cardiac diseases. Small interfering (si)RNAs are the inducers of RNAi, but cultured primary cardiomyocytes and heart are highly resistant to siRNA transfection. This can be overcome by delivery of small hairpin (sh)RNAs or artificial microRNA (amiRNAs) by cardiotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. Here we describe as example of the silencing of a cardiac gene, the generation and cloning of shRNA, and amiRNAs directed against the cardiac protein phospholamban. We further describe the generation of AAV shuttle plasmids with self complementary vector genomes, the production of AAV vectors in roller bottles, and their purification via iodixanol gradient centrifugation and concentration with filter systems. Finally we describe the preparation of primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (PNRC), the transduction of PNRC with AAV vectors, and the maintenance of the transduced cell culture.

Method and system for efficient video compression with low-complexity encoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jun (Inventor); He, Dake (Inventor); Sheinin, Vadim (Inventor); Jagmohan, Ashish (Inventor); Lu, Ligang (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Disclosed are a method and system for video compression, wherein the video encoder has low computational complexity and high compression efficiency. The disclosed system comprises a video encoder and a video decoder, wherein the method for encoding includes the steps of converting a source frame into a space-frequency representation; estimating conditional statistics of at least one vector of space-frequency coefficients; estimating encoding rates based on the said conditional statistics; and applying Slepian-Wolf codes with the said computed encoding rates. The preferred method for decoding includes the steps of; generating a side-information vector of frequency coefficients based on previously decoded source data, encoder statistics, and previous reconstructions of the source frequency vector; and performing Slepian-Wolf decoding of at least one source frequency vector based on the generated side-information, the Slepian-Wolf code bits and the encoder statistics.

Industrial enzymatic production of cephalosporin-based beta-lactams.

PubMed

Barber, Michael S; Giesecke, Ulrich; Reichert, Arno; Minas, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

Cephalosporins are chemically closely related to penicillins both work by inhibiting the cell wall synthesis of bacteria. The first generation cephalosporins entered the market in 1964. Second and third generation cephalosporins were subsequently developed that were more powerful than the original products. Fourth generation cephalosporins are now reaching the market. Each newer generation of cephalosporins has greater Gram-negative antimicrobial properties than the preceding generation. Conversely, the 'older' generations of cephalosporins have greater Gram-positive (Staphylococcus and Streptococcus) coverage than the 'newer' generations. Frequency of dosing decreases and palatability generally improve with increasing generations. The advent of fourth generation cephalosporins with the launch of cefepime extended the spectrum against Gram-positive organisms without a significant loss of activity towards Gram-negative bacteria. Its greater stability to beta-lactamases increases its efficacy against drug-resistant bacteria. In this review we present the current situation of this mature market. In addition, we present the current state of the technologies employed for the production of cephalosporins, focusing on the new and environmentally safer 'green' routes to the products. Starting with the fermentation and purification of CPC, enzymatic conversion in conjunction with aqueous chemistry will lead to some key intermediates such as 7-ACA, TDA and TTA, which then can be converted into the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), again applying biocatalytic technologies and aqueous chemistry. Examples for the costing of selected products are provided as well.