Localized and controlled delivery of nitric oxide to the conventional outflow pathway via enzyme biocatalysis: towards therapy for Glaucoma

Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to lower intraocular pressure (IOP), however its therapeutic effects on outflow physiology are location- and dose-dependent. Here, a NO delivery platform that directly targets the resistance-generating region of the conventional outflow pathway and locally liberates a controlled dose of NO is reported. An increase in outflow facility (decrease in IOP) is demonstrated in mouse model

Astrometry with the Hubble Space Telescope: Trigonometric Parallaxes of Selected Hyads

We present absolute parallaxes and proper motions for seven members of the Hyades open cluster, pre-selected to lie in the core of the cluster. Our data come from archival astrometric data from FGS 3, and newer data for 3 Hyads from FGS 1R, both white-light interferometers on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). We obtain member parallaxes from six individual Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) fields and use the field containing van Altena 622 and van Altena 627 (= HIP 21138) as an example. Proper motions, spectral classifications and VJHK photometry of the stars comprising the astrometric refer- ence frames provide spectrophotometric estimates of reference star absolute parallaxes. Introducing these into our model as observations with error, we determine absolute parallaxes for each Hyad. The parallax of vA 627 is significantly improved by including a perturbation orbit for this previously known spectroscopic binary, now an astrometric binary. Compared to our original (1997) determina- tions, a combination of new data, updated calibration, and improved analysis lowered the individual parallax errors by an average factor of 4.5. Comparing parallaxes of the four stars contained in the Hipparcos catalog, we obtain an average factor of 11 times improvement with the HST . With these new results, we also have better agreement with Hipparcos for the four stars in common. These new parallaxes provide an average distance for these seven members, = 47.5 pc, for the core a \pm 1 - {\sigma} dispersion depth of 3.6 pc, and a minimum depth from individual components of 16.0 \pm 0.9 pc. Absolute magnitudes for each member are compared to established main sequences, with excellent agreement. We obtain a weighted average distance modulus for the core of the Hyades of m-M=3.376 \pm 0.01, a value close to the previous Hipparcos values, m-M=3.33\pm 0.02.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, Astronomical Journal, accepted 2011-3-

Determination of the Acidity of Waste Cooking Oils by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Waste cooking oils (WCO) recycling companies usually have economic losses for buying WCO not suitable for biodiesel production, e.g., WCO with high free acidity (FA). For this reason, the determination of FA of WCO by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was studied in this work to assess its potential for in situ application. To do this, FA of 45 WCO was measured by the classical titration method, which ranged between 0.15 and 3.77%. Then, the NIR spectra from 800 to 2200 nm of these WCO were acquired, and a partial least squares model was built, relating the NIR spectra to FA values. The accuracy of the model was quite high, providing r2 of 0.970 and a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of 4.05. Subsequently, a model using an NIR range similar to that provided by portable NIR spectrometers (950–1650 nm) was built. The performance was lower (r2 = 0.905; RPD = 2.66), but even so, with good accuracy, which demonstrates the potential of NIR spectroscopy for the in situ determination of FA of WCO.European Union LIFE 13-Bioseville ENV/111

18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT in a Patient with Esophageal and Genital Leiomyomatosis

Diffuse esophageal leiomyomatosis is a rare benign tumor, which can be associated with leiomyoma in female genital tracts involving the uterus, vagina, and vulva. Alport syndrome, an inherited disorder that includes the kidneys, eyes, and sensorineural hearing loss, is also rarely associated with these multiple leiomyomatosis. In our case, 18F-fluoroseoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography was used to distinguish esophageal and genital leiomyomatosis from malignant masses

Incidental chest radiographic findings in adult patients with acute cough

PURPOSE Imaging may produce unexpected or incidental findings with consequences for patients and ordering of future investigations. Chest radiography in patients with acute cough is among the most common reasons for imaging in primary care, but data on associated incidental findings are lacking. We set out to describe the type and prevalence of incidental chest radiography findings in primary care patients with acute cough. METHODS We report on data from a cross-sectional study in 16 European primary care networks on 3,105 patients with acute cough, all of whom were undergoing chest radiography as part of a research study workup. Apart from assessment for specified signs of pneumonia and acute bronchitis, local radiologists were asked to evaluate any additional finding on the radiographs. For the 2,823 participants with good-quality chest radiographs, these findings were categorized according to clinical relevance based on previous research evidence and analyzed for type and prevalence by network, sex, age, and smoking status. RESULTS Incidental findings were reported in 19% of all participants, and ranged from 0% to 25% by primary care network, with the network being an independent contributor (P < .001). Of all participants 3% had clinically relevant incidental findings. Suspected nodules and shadows were reported in 1.8%. Incidental findings were more common is older participants and smokers (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Clinically relevant incidental findings on chest radiographs in primary care adult patients with acute cough are uncommon, and prevalence varies by setting

Indication of Superconductivity at 35 K in Graphite-Sulfur Composites

We report magnetization measurements performed on graphite--sulfur composites which demonstrate a clear superconducting behavior below the critical temperature T$_{c0}$ = 35 K. The Meissner-Ochsenfeld effect, screening supercurrents, and magnetization hysteresis loops characteristic of type-II superconductors were measured. The results indicate that the superconductivity occurs in a small sample fraction, possibly related to the sample surface.Comment: published versio

Chronic polyarthritis associated to Cercopithifilaria bainae infection in a dog.

Despite the widespread distribution of Cercopithifilaria bainae among canine and tick populations worldwide, this filarioid is currently considered of 'minor importance' in veterinary medicine, particularly when compared to related filarioids, such as Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. To date, only a single case of dermatological alterations possibly associated to infection by C. bainae had been reported in a dog. In the present study, we describe the first case of systemic alterations associated to C. bainae infection in a dog suffering from diffused chronic polyarthritis. The animal had a previous history of reluctance to move and stiff gait and displayed multiple joint pain during manipulation of limbs. No biochemical, haematological and X-ray alterations were detected; microfilariae were observed in the synovial fluids collected from the joints. In spite of the morphological and molecular identification of these microfilariae as C. bainae, the dog did not respond to multiple microfilaricidal treatments with milbemicyn oxyme. The potential role of C. bainae in the pathogenesis of this clinical condition is discussed. Given the potential pathogenicity of this parasite, improved knowledge of this little known tick-borne nematode is warranted in order to assist the development of novel and effective treatment strategies.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version can be found on the publisher's website at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304401714003744# © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V

Surprising dissimilarities in a newly formed pair of 'identical twin' stars

The mass and chemical composition of a star are the primary determinants of its basic physical properties--radius, temperature, luminosity--and how those properties evolve with time. Thus, two stars born at the same time, from the same natal material, and with the same mass are 'identical twins,' and as such might be expected to possess identical physical attributes. We have discovered in the Orion Nebula a pair of stellar twins in a newborn binary star system. Each star in the binary has a mass of 0.41 +/- 0.01 solar masses, identical to within 2 percent. Here we report that these twin stars have surface temperatures that differ by ~300K (~10%), and luminosities that differ by ~50%, both at high confidence level. Preliminary results indicate that the stars' radii also differ, by 5-10%. These surprising dissimilarities suggest that one of the twins may have been delayed by several hundred thousand years in its formation relative to its sibling. Such a delay could only have been detected in a very young, definitively equal-mass binary system3 such as that reported here. Our findings reveal cosmic limits on the age synchronisation of young binary stars, often used as tests for the age calibrations of star-formation models.Comment: Published in Nature, 19 June 200

Deep MMT Transit Survey of the Open Cluster M37 IV: Limit on the Fraction of Stars With Planets as Small as 0.3 R_J

We present the results of a deep (15 ~< r ~< 23), 20 night survey for transiting planets in the intermediate age open cluster M37 (NGC 2099) using the Megacam wide-field mosaic CCD camera on the 6.5m MMT. We do not detect any transiting planets among the ~1450 observed cluster members. We do, however, identify a ~ 1 R_J candidate planet transiting a ~ 0.8 Msun Galactic field star with a period of 0.77 days. The source is faint (V = 19.85 mag) and has an expected velocity semi-amplitude of K ~ 220 m/s (M/M_J). We conduct Monte Carlo transit injection and recovery simulations to calculate the 95% confidence upper limit on the fraction of cluster members and field stars with planets as a function of planetary radius and orbital period. Assuming a uniform logarithmic distribution in orbital period, we find that < 1.1%, < 2.7% and < 8.3% of cluster members have 1.0 R_J planets within Extremely Hot Jupiter (EHJ, 0.4 < T < 1.0 day), Very Hot Jupiter (VHJ, 1.0 < T < 3.0 days) and Hot Jupiter (HJ, 3.0 < T < 5.0 days) period ranges respectively. For 0.5 R_J planets the limits are < 3.2%, and < 21% for EHJ and VHJ period ranges, while for 0.35 R_J planets we can only place an upper limit of < 25% on the EHJ period range. For a sample of 7814 Galactic field stars, consisting primarily of FGKM dwarfs, we place 95% upper limits of < 0.3%, < 0.8% and < 2.7% on the fraction of stars with 1.0 R_J EHJ, VHJ and HJ assuming the candidate planet is not genuine. If the candidate is genuine, the frequency of ~ 1.0 R_J planets in the EHJ period range is 0.002% < f_EHJ < 0.5% with 95% confidence. We place limits of < 1.4%, < 8.8% and < 47% for 0.5 R_J planets, and a limit of < 16% on 0.3 R_J planets in the EHJ period range. This is the first transit survey to place limits on the fraction of stars with planets as small as Neptune.Comment: 61 pages, 19 figures, 5 tables, replaced with the version accepted for publication in Ap

Russian wheat aphids (Diuraphis noxia) in China: Native range expansion or recent introduction?

In this study, we explore the population genetics of the Russian wheat aphid (RWA) (Diuraphis noxia), one of the world’s most invasive agricultural pests, in north-western China. We have analysed the data of 10 microsatellite loci and mitochondrial sequences from 27 populations sampled over 2 years in China. The results confirm that the RWAs are holocyclic in China with high genetic diversity indicating widespread sexual reproduction. Distinct differences in microsatellite genetic diversity and distribution revealed clear geographic isolation between RWA populations in northern and southern Xinjiang, China, with gene flow interrupted across extensive desert regions. Despite frequent grain transportation from north to south in this region, little evidence for RWA translocation as a result of human agricultural activities was found. Consequently, frequent gene flow among northern populations most likely resulted from natural dispersal, potentially facilitated by wind currents. We also found evidence for the longterm existence and expansion of RWAs in China, despite local opinion that it is an exotic species only present in China since 1975. Our estimated date of RWA expansion throughout China coincides with the debut of wheat domestication and cultivation practices in western Asia in the Holocene. We conclude that western China represents the limit of the far eastern native range of this species. This study is the most comprehensive molecular genetic investigation of the RWA in its native range undertaken to date and provides valuable insights into the history of the association of this aphid with domesticated cereals and wild grasses