Ammonium-perchlorate diffusion flames - A spectrographic investigation

Spectroscopic analyses on ammonium perchlorate diffusion flames with various fuel

Tribological performance of palm kernel oil with addition of pour point depressants as a lubricant using four-ball tribotester under variable load test

The growing of worldwide trend for promoting the use of the renewable material such as vegetable oil is due to the increasing concern about environmental damage that caused by the use of mineral oil which is not biodegradable. Vegetable oil has a potential to replace mineral oil as a lubricant because of its specific properties that is non-toxic and biodegradable. The main problem in using vegetable oil is having poor low temperature performance. In this research palm kernel oil (PKO) that behave a semi solid phase is used as a bio lubricant mixing with different weightage percentage of poor point depressant (PPD) to investigate the low temperature behaviour performance and also to determine the effect of lubricity performance when blended with different percentage of PPD (5w%, 10wt%, 20wt% and 30wt %). The experiment is according to ASTM D4172 with variation load test. The result of the experiment show that for low temperature performance, PKO with 20wt%PPD (A2-20%) and 30wt%PPD (A2-30%) show great performance which can withstand 15° C. The sample A2-20% shows good lubricity performance in terms of coefficient of friction compare to the other sample. The lubricity performance in terms of wear scar diameter (WSD) it can see that the different percentage PPD do not affect the WSD properties of the pure palm kernel oil. The most consistent and the desired value of the sample in terms of surface roughness is A2-5% and A2-10% where the surface roughness value is stable through the entire load test

Analysis of Soot Particle Movement in Diesel Engine under the Influence of Drag Force

The formation of soot is influenced by the composition of air entrainment and structure of hydrocarbon in the fuel. Soot will then form during combustion in a diesel engine. Some of the soot particles will be released from the engine through the exhaust nozzle and some will stick to the cylinder walls. The soot that sticks to the cylinder wall can affect the lifetime of the lubricant oil. Subsequently this will decrease the durability of the diesel engine. By understanding the movement of the soot particles, the effect to the engine can be decreased. Therefore, the initial position and last position of soot particle was recognized through this study. The data for the formation of soot particles in the diesel engine was obtained from previous investigation. The study of soot movement at 8° crankshaft angle under the influence of drag force with different radial, axial and angular settings were carried out using a MATLAB routine. The results showed that the movement of soot particle will change with different parameter settings. Besides that, comparison of the results of soot particle movement influenced by drag force and without drag force has been carried out. It was observed that drag force caused shorter soot particle movement path and moves them away from the cylinder wall

Pollen morphology and harmomegathic characters of Byttneria Löfl. species (Sterculiaceae S. S: subfam. Byttnerioideae)

A palynological study was conducted on seven species of Byttneria Löfl. The objectives of this study was to understand the variation in micromorphological and harmomegarthic characteristics of pollen in Byttneria species in Malaysia and Singapore. In doing so, more information on the species of Sterculiaceae s.s family can be added. Dried pollen samples of seven Byttneria species were selected in this study, namely B. scabrida Ridl., B. pilosa Roxb., B. elliptica Pohl, B. curtisii Oliv., B. reinwardtii Korth., B. maingayi Mast. and B. jackiana Wall. Methods involved were acetolysis techniques, single-grain technique, and observation under light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Common characters shared by all studied species were porate pollen class, triporate aperture, and triangular outline. Variation in pollen characteristics includes ratio of exine thickness, pollen size, pore width and height, amb; shape and measurements. These characters are valuable in assisting identification of taxa group that can be used to differentiate between species in the genus. This study proved that pollen morphological characteristics of Byttneria have taxonomic values in identification and differentiation of species in subfamily Byttnerioideae and Sterculiaceae s. s

Kabuki Syndrome with Chiari malformation type II: A case report

Kabuki syndrome is a rare genetic disorder, characterized by typical facial features, hypotonia, developmental delay and intellectual disabilities. We report here a Saudi female infant diagnosed as a case of Kabuki syndrome clinically and confirmed by molecular genetic testing. She was admitted at birth to neonatal ICU due to hydrocephalus and meningomyelocele and found to have Chiari malformation type II on radiological evaluation of the brain. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was sent for her and showed pathogenic variant in KDM6A which confirm the diagnosis of Kabuki syndrome

Consumer perceptions of co-branding alliances: Organizational dissimilarity signals and brand fit

This study explores how consumers evaluate co-branding alliances between dissimilar partner firms. Customers are well aware that different firms are behind a co-branded product and observe the partner firms’ characteristics. Drawing on signaling theory, we assert that consumers use organizational characteristics as signals in their assessment of brand fit and for their purchasing decisions. Some organizational signals are beyond the control of the co-branding partners or at least they cannot alter them on short notice. We use a quasi-experimental design and test how co-branding partner dissimilarity affects brand fit perception. The results show that co-branding partner dissimilarity in terms of firm size, industry scope, and country-of-origin image negatively affects brand fit perception. Firm age dissimilarity does not exert significant influence. Because brand fit generally fosters a benevolent consumer attitude towards a co-branding alliance, the findings suggest that high partner dissimilarity may reduce overall co-branding alliance performance

BPTF inhibits NK cell activity and the abundance of natural cytotoxicity receptor co-ligands

Using syngeneic BALB/c mouse breast cancer models, we show that the chromatin remodeling subunit bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor (BPTF) suppresses natural killer (NK) cell antitumor activity in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In culture, BPTF suppresses direct natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) mediated NK cell cytolytic activity to mouse and human cancer cell lines, demonstrating conserved functions. Blocking mouse NCR1 in vivo rescues BPTF KD tumor weights, demonstrating its importance for the control of tumor growth. We discovered that BPTF occupies heparanase (Hpse) regulatory elements, activating its expression. Increased heparanase activity results in reduced cell surface abundance of the NCR co-ligands: heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Using gain and loss of function approaches we show that elevated heparanase levels suppress NK cell cytolytic activity to tumor cells in culture. These results suggest that BPTF activates heparanase expression, which in turn reduces cell surface HSPGs and NCR co-ligands, inhibiting NK cell activity. Furthermore, gene expression data from human breast cancer tumors shows that elevated BPTF expression correlates with reduced antitumor immune cell signatures, supporting conserved roles for BPTF in suppressing antitumor immunity. Conditional BPTF depletion in established mouse breast tumors enhances antitumor immunity, suggesting that inhibiting BPTF could provide a novel immunotherapy

HIV Antigen Incorporation within Adenovirus Hexon Hypervariable 2 for a Novel HIV Vaccine Approach

Adenoviral (Ad) vectors have been used for a variety of vaccine applications including cancer and infectious diseases. Traditionally, Ad-based vaccines are designed to express antigens through transgene expression of a given antigen. However, in some cases these conventional Ad-based vaccines have had sub-optimal clinical results. These sub-optimal results are attributed in part to pre-existing Ad serotype 5 (Ad5) immunity. In order to circumvent the need for antigen expression via transgene incorporation, the “antigen capsid-incorporation” strategy has been developed and used for Ad-based vaccine development in the context of a few diseases. This strategy embodies the incorporation of antigenic peptides within the capsid structure of viral vectors. The major capsid protein hexon has been utilized for these capsid incorporation strategies due to hexon's natural role in the generation of anti-Ad immune response and its numerical representation within the Ad virion. Using this strategy, we have developed the means to incorporate heterologous peptide epitopes specifically within the major surface-exposed domains of the Ad capsid protein hexon. Our study herein focuses on generation of multivalent vaccine vectors presenting HIV antigens within the Ad capsid protein hexon, as well as expressing an HIV antigen as a transgene. These novel vectors utilize HVR2 as an incorporation site for a twenty-four amino acid region of the HIV membrane proximal ectodomain region (MPER), derived from HIV glycoprotein gp41 (gp41). Our study herein illustrates that our multivalent anti-HIV vectors elicit a cellular anti-HIV response. Furthermore, vaccinations with these vectors, which present HIV antigens at HVR2, elicit a HIV epitope-specific humoral immune response

Discovery of novel heart rate-associated loci using the Exome Chip

Resting heart rate is a heritable trait, and an increase in heart rate is associated with increased mortality risk. Genome-wide association study analyses have found loci associated with resting heart rate, at the time of our study these loci explained 0.9% of the variation. This study aims to discover new genetic loci associated with heart rate from Exome Chip meta-analyses. Heart rate was measured from either elecrtrocardiograms or pulse recordings. We meta-analysed heart rate association results from 104 452 European-ancestry individuals from 30 cohorts, genotyped using the Exome Chip. Twenty-four variants were selected for follow-up in an independent dataset (UK Biobank, N = 134 251). Conditional and gene-based testing was undertaken, and variants were investigated with bioinformatics methods. We discovered five novel heart rate loci, and one new independent low-frequency non-synonymous variant in an established heart rate locus (KIAA1755). Lead variants in four of the novel loci are non-synonymous variants in the genes C10orf71, DALDR3, TESK2 and SEC31B. The variant at SEC31B is significantly associated with SEC31B expression in heart and tibial nerve tissue. Further candidate genes were detected from long-range regulatory chromatin interactions in heart tissue (SCD, SLF2 and MAPK8). We observed significant enrichment in DNase I hypersensitive sites in fetal heart and lung. Moreover, enrichment was seen for the first time in human neuronal progenitor cells (derived from embryonic stem cells) and fetal muscle samples by including our novel variants. Our findings advance the knowledge of the genetic architecture of heart rate, and indicate new candidate genes for follow-up functional studies

The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: In estimating the global burden of cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer are often overlooked, despite being a distinct subgroup with unique epidemiology, clinical care needs, and societal impact. Comprehensive estimates of the global cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (aged 15–39 years) are lacking. To address this gap, we analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, with a focus on the outcome of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), to inform global cancer control measures in adolescents and young adults. Methods: Using the GBD 2019 methodology, international mortality data were collected from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, and population-based cancer registry inputs modelled with mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Incidence was computed with mortality estimates and corresponding MIRs. Prevalence estimates were calculated using modelled survival and multiplied by disability weights to obtain years lived with disability (YLDs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated as age-specific cancer deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. The main outcome was DALYs (the sum of YLLs and YLDs). Estimates were presented globally and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles (countries ranked and divided into five equal SDI groups), and all estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). For this analysis, we used the age range of 15–39 years to define adolescents and young adults. Findings: There were 1·19 million (95% UI 1·11–1·28) incident cancer cases and 396 000 (370 000–425 000) deaths due to cancer among people aged 15–39 years worldwide in 2019. The highest age-standardised incidence rates occurred in high SDI (59·6 [54·5–65·7] per 100 000 person-years) and high-middle SDI countries (53·2 [48·8–57·9] per 100 000 person-years), while the highest age-standardised mortality rates were in low-middle SDI (14·2 [12·9–15·6] per 100 000 person-years) and middle SDI (13·6 [12·6–14·8] per 100 000 person-years) countries. In 2019, adolescent and young adult cancers contributed 23·5 million (21·9–25·2) DALYs to the global burden of disease, of which 2·7% (1·9–3·6) came from YLDs and 97·3% (96·4–98·1) from YLLs. Cancer was the fourth leading cause of death and tenth leading cause of DALYs in adolescents and young adults globally. Interpretation: Adolescent and young adult cancers contributed substantially to the overall adolescent and young adult disease burden globally in 2019. These results provide new insights into the distribution and magnitude of the adolescent and young adult cancer burden around the world. With notable differences observed across SDI settings, these estimates can inform global and country-level cancer control efforts. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, St Baldrick's Foundation, and the National Cancer Institute