The swine flu alert: keeping Asia safe

After years of concern about H5N1 bird flu, the new flu causing global alarm is a pig virus of the H1N1 family. As influenza reports erupt around the world, inevitable questions are arising. Is this the big one? Are we prepared

Unequal Intra-layer Coupling in a Bilayer Driven Lattice Gas

The system under study is a twin-layered square lattice gas at half-filling, being driven to non-equilibrium steady states by a large, finite `electric' field. By making intra-layer couplings unequal we were able to extend the phase diagram obtained by Hill, Zia and Schmittmann (1996) and found that the tri-critical point, which separates the phase regions of the stripped (S) phase (stable at positive interlayer interactions J_3), the filled-empty (FE) phase (stable at negative J_3) and disorder (D), is shifted even further into the negative J_3 region as the coupling traverse to the driving field increases. Many transient phases to the S phase at the S-FE boundary were found to be long-lived. We also attempted to test whether the universality class of D-FE transitions under a drive is still Ising. Simulation results suggest a value of 1.75 for the exponent gamma but a value close to 2.0 for the ratio gamma/nu. We speculate that the D-FE second order transition is different from Ising near criticality, where observed first-order-like transitions between FE and its "local minimum" cousin occur during each simulation run.Comment: 29 pages, 19 figure

Ascorbic Acid Biosynthesis and Brackish Water Acclimation in the Euryhaline Freshwater White-Rimmed Stingray, Himantura signifer

10.1371/journal.pone.0066691PLoS ONE86

Pacritinib (SB1518), a JAK2/FLT3 inhibitor for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is the most commonly mutated gene found in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and its activating mutations have been proven to be a negative prognostic marker for clinical outcome. Pacritinib (SB1518) is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with equipotent activity against FLT3 (IC50=22 n) and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2, IC50=23 n). Pacritinib inhibits FLT3 phosphorylation and downstream STAT, MAPK and PI3 K signaling in FLT3-internal-tandem duplication (ITD), FLT3-wt cells and primary AML blast cells. Oral administration of pacritinib in murine models of FLT3-ITD-driven AML led to significant inhibition of primary tumor growth and lung metastasis. Upregulation of JAK2 in FLT3-TKI-resistant AML cells was identified as a potential mechanism of resistance to selective FLT3 inhibition. This resistance could be overcome by the combined FLT3 and JAK2 activities of pacritinib in this cellular model. Our findings provide a rationale for the clinical evaluation of pacritinib in AML including patients resistant to FLT3-TKI therapy

Multiple myeloma-associated chromosomal translocation activates orphan snoRNA ACA11 to suppress oxidative stress

10.1172/JCI63051Journal of Clinical Investigation12282793-2806JCIN

Generalized Weyl solutions in d=5 Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory: the static black ring

We argue that the Weyl coordinates and the rod-structure employed to construct static axisymmetric solutions in higher dimensional Einstein gravity can be generalized to the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory. As a concrete application of the general formalism, we present numerical evidence for the existence of static black ring solutions in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory in five spacetime dimensions. They approach asymptotically the Minkowski background and are supported against collapse by a conical singularity in the form of a disk. An interesting feature of these solutions is that the Gauss-Bonnet term reduces the conical excess of the static black rings. Analogous to the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet black strings, for a given mass the static black rings exist up to a maximal value of the Gauss-Bonnet coupling constant $\alpha'$. Moreover, in the limit of large ring radius, the suitably rescaled black ring maximal value of $\alpha'$ and the black string maximal value of $\alpha'$ agree.Comment: 43 pages, 14 figure

Disclosure, Stress, and Depression's Relationship to Negative Self-Image in People Living with HIV/AIDS

Poster examining how disclosure, perceived stress, and depression influences the self-image of HIV+ individuals

Adaptive pairs trading strategy performance in Turkish derivatives exchange with the companies listed on Istanbul stock exchange

Due to copyright restrictions, the access to the full text of this article is only available via subscription.We implemented model-driven statistical arbitrage strategies in Turkish equities market. Trading signals are generated by optimized parameters of distance method. When the trade in signal is triggered by the model, market-neutral portfolio is created by long in the synthetic ETF, which is based on constrained least squares regression of selected Istanbul Stock Exchange stocks and short in Turkish Derivatives Exchange (Turkdex) index futures contract. We performed pairs trading strategy based on a comparative mean reversion of asset prices with daily data over the period February 2005 through July 2011 in Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) and Turkdex. We constructed a hypothetical ISE30 ETF Index on a daily basis in order to originate pairs trading strategy with Turkdex. Because of the leverage rule of (1–10) index futures contracts, we had to evaluate spot stock pairs formation with futures contracts pairs strategy. The results indicate that applied pairs strategy produced overall returns of 901 per cent during the investment period, whereas naive strategy (buy and hold ISE-30 index) return for the same period was 111 per cent. Similar outperformance was observed in the Sharpe and Sortino ratios

Molecular diagnosis of scabies using a novel probe-based polymerase chain reaction assay targeting high-copy number repetitive sequences in the Sarcoptes scabiei genome

Background The suboptimal sensitivity and specificity of available diagnostic methods for scabies hampers clinical management, trials of new therapies and epidemiologic studies. Additionally, parasitologic diagnosis by microscopic examination of skin scrapings requires sample collection with a sharp scalpel blade, causing discomfort to patients and difficulty in children. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic assays, combined with non-invasive sampling methods, represent an attractive approach. In this study, we aimed to develop a real-time probe-based PCR test for scabies, test a non-invasive sampling method and evaluate its diagnostic performance in two clinical settings. Methodology/Principal findings High copy-number repetitive DNA elements were identified in draft Sarcoptes scabiei genome sequences and used as assay targets for diagnostic PCR. Two suitable repetitive DNA sequences, a 375 base pair microsatellite (SSR5) and a 606 base pair long tandem repeat (SSR6), were identified. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were tested using relevant positive and negative control materials and compared to a published assay targeting the mitochondrial cox1 gene. Both assays were positive at a 1:100 dilution of DNA from a single mite; no amplification was observed in DNA from samples from 19 patients with other skin conditions nor from house dust, sheep or dog mites, head and body lice or from six common skin bacterial and fungal species. Moderate sensitivity of the assays was achieved in a pilot study, detecting 5/7 (71.4% [95% CI: 29.0% - 96.3%]) of clinically diagnosed untreated scabies patients). Greater sensitivity was observed in samples collected by FLOQ swabs compared to skin scrapings. Conclusions/Significance This newly developed qPCR assay, combined with the use of an alternative non-invasive swab sampling technique offers the possibility of enhanced diagnosis of scabies. Further studies will be required to better define the diagnostic performance of these tests