Effects of Prediction Feedback in Multi-Route Intelligent Traffic Systems

We first study the influence of an efficient feedback strategy named prediction feedback strategy (PFS) based on a multi-route scenario in which dynamic information can be generated and displayed on the board to guide road users to make a choice. In this scenario, our model incorporates the effects of adaptability into the cellular automaton models of traffic flow. Simulation results adopting this optimal information feedback strategy have demonstrated high efficiency in controlling spatial distribution of traffic patterns compared with the other three information feedback strategies, i.e., vehicle number and flux. At the end of this paper, we also discuss in what situation PFS will become invalid in multi-route systems.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, Physica A (2010), doi:10.1016/j.physa.2010.02.03

Enhanced broad-band extraordinary optical transmission through subwavelength perforated metallic films on strongly polarizable substrates

We demonstrate through simulations and experiments that a perforated metallic film, with subwavelength perforation dimensions and spacing, deposited on a substrate with a sufficiently large dielectric constant, can develop a broad- band frequency window where the transmittance of light into the substrate becomes essentially equal to that in the film absence. We show that the location of this broad-band extraordinary optical transmission window can be engineered in a wide frequency range (from IR to UV), by varying the geometry and the material of the perforated film as well as the dielectric constant of the substrate. This effect could be useful in the development of transparent conducting electrodes for various photonic and photovoltaic devices

Detection of magnetospheric ion drift patterns at Mars

Mars lacks a global magnetic field, and instead possesses small-scale crustal magnetic fields, making its magnetic environment fundamentally different from intrinsic magnetospheres like those of Earth or Saturn. Here we report the discovery of magnetospheric ion drift patterns, typical of intrinsic magnetospheres, at Mars usingmeasurements fromMarsAtmosphere and Volatile EvolutioNmission. Specifically, we observewedge-like dispersion structures of hydrogen ions exhibiting butterfly-shaped distributions within the Martian crustal fields, a feature previously observed only in planetary-scale intrinsic magnetospheres. These dispersed structures are the results of driftmotions that fundamentally resemble those observed in intrinsic magnetospheres. Our findings indicate that the Martian magnetosphere embodies an intermediate case where both the unmagnetized and magnetized ion behaviors could be observed because of the wide range of strengths and spatial scales of the crustal magnetic fields around Mars.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

The case for studying other planetary magnetospheres and atmospheres in Heliophysics

Heliophysics is the field that "studies the nature of the Sun, and how it influences the very nature of space - and, in turn, the atmospheres of planetary bodies and the technology that exists there." However, NASA's Heliophysics Division tends to limit study of planetary magnetospheres and atmospheres to only those of Earth. This leaves exploration and understanding of space plasma physics at other worlds to the purview of the Planetary Science and Astrophysics Divisions. This is detrimental to the study of space plasma physics in general since, although some cross-divisional funding opportunities do exist, vital elements of space plasma physics can be best addressed by extending the expertise of Heliophysics scientists to other stellar and planetary magnetospheres. However, the diverse worlds within the solar system provide crucial environmental conditions that are not replicated at Earth but can provide deep insight into fundamental space plasma physics processes. Studying planetary systems with Heliophysics objectives, comprehensive instrumentation, and new grant opportunities for analysis and modeling would enable a novel understanding of fundamental and universal processes of space plasma physics. As such, the Heliophysics community should be prepared to consider, prioritize, and fund dedicated Heliophysics efforts to planetary targets to specifically study space physics and aeronomy objectives

Activation of GABAA Receptors in Colon Epithelium Exacerbates Acute Colitis

Emerging evidence indicates that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has many beneficial effects such as ameliorating immune and inflammatory response. But, here we reported that activation of GABAA receptors (GABAA Rs) aggravated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, although the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines was inhibited. By contrast, blocking of GABAA Rs markedly alleviated DSS-induced colitis. Notably, GABAA Rs and glutamic acid decarboxylase 65/67 were significantly increased in colon mucosa of ulcerative colitis patients and the mouse model of colitis. Further studies showed that GABA treatment resulted in an increment of serum FITC-dextran following its oral administration, a decrement of transepithelial electrical resistance, and an increment of bacterial invasion, effects which were blocked by bicuculline. In addition, GABA inhibited the expression of tight junction proteins and mucin secretion in colitis colon. GABA also decreased the expression of ki-67 and increased cleaved-caspase 3 expression in intestinal epithelia. Our data indicate that the GABAA Rs activation within colon mucosa disrupts the intestinal barrier and increases the intestinal permeability which facilitates inflammatory reaction in colon. Meanwhile, the suppression effect of GABA on pro-inflammatory cytokines leads to insufficient bacteria elimination and further aggravated the bacteria invasion and inflammatory damage

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus infection shapes gut microbiome of the tick vector Haemaphysalis longicornis

Abstract Background Ticks serve as vectors for a diverse array of pathogens, including viruses responsible for both human and livestock diseases. Symbiotic bacteria hold significant potential for controlling tick-borne disease. However, the alteration of tick gut bacterial community in response to pathogen infection has not been analyzed for any tick-borne viruses. Here, the impact of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infection on bacterial diversity in the gut of Haemaphysalis longicornis is investigated. Methods Unfed tick females were artificially infected with SFTSV. The gut samples were collected and the genomic DNA was extracted. We then investigated alterations in gut bacterial composition in response to SFTSV infection through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results The study found that a reduction in the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the tick gut following SFTSV infection. However, there were no significant changes in alpha diversity indices upon infection. Four genera, including Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, Sphingomonas, and Escherichia, were identified as biomarkers for the tick gut without SFTSV infection. Notably, the predicted correlation network indicated that the biomarkers Sphingomonas and Escherichia exhibited positive correlations within the same subcommunity, which was altered upon viral infection. Conclusions These findings revealed that the change in tick gut bacterial composition upon SFTSV infection and could facilitate the discovery new target for tick-borne viral disease control. Graphical Abstrac

Identification of a novel protein complex containing ASIC1a and GABAA receptors and their interregulation.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) belong to the family of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin (ENaC/DEG) and are activated by extracellular protons. They are widely distributed within both the central and peripheral nervous systems. ASICs were modified by the activation of γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAA), a ligand-gated chloride channels, in hippocampal neurons. In contrast, the activity of GABAA receptors were also modulated by extracellular pH. However so far, the mechanisms underlying this intermodulation remain obscure. We hypothesized that these two receptors-GABAA receptors and ASICs channels might form a novel protein complex and functionally interact with each other. In the study reported here, we found that ASICs were modified by the activation of GABAA receptors either in HEK293 cells following transient co-transfection of GABAA and ASIC1a or in primary cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Conversely, activation of ASIC1a also modifies the GABAA receptor-channel kinetics. Immunoassays showed that both GABAA and ASIC1a proteins were co-immunoprecipitated mutually either in HEK293 cells co-transfected with GABAA and ASIC1a or in primary cultured DRG neurons. Our results indicate that putative GABAA and ASIC1a channels functionally interact with each other, possibly via an inter-molecular association by forming a novel protein complex

Identification of a Novel Protein Complex ContainingASIC1a and GABAA Receptors and Their Interregulation

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) belong to the family of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin (ENaC/DEG) and are activated by extracellular protons. They are widely distributed within both the central and peripheral nervous systems. ASICs were modified by the activation of γ-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAA), a ligand-gated chloride channels, in hippocampal neurons. In contrast, the activity of GABAA receptors were also modulated by extracellular pH. However so far, the mechanisms underlying this intermodulation remain obscure. We hypothesized that these two receptors-GABAA receptors and ASICs channels might form a novel protein complex and functionally interact with each other. In the study reported here, we found that ASICs were modified by the activation of GABAA receptors either in HEK293 cells following transient co-transfection of GABAA and ASIC1a or in primary cultured dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Conversely, activation of ASIC1a also modifies the GABAA receptor-channel kinetics. Immunoassays showed that both GABAA and ASIC1a proteins were co-immunoprecipitated mutually either in HEK293 cells co-transfected with GABAA and ASIC1a or in primary cultured DRG neurons. Our results indicate that putative GABAA and ASIC1a channels functionally interact with each other, possibly via an inter-molecular association by forming a novel protein complex

Targeting of Rho Kinase Ameliorates Impairment of Diabetic Endothelial Function in Intrarenal Artery

Endothelial dysfunction in kidney vasculature is the initial and key element for nephropathy in diabetes mellitus. Accumulating evidence suggests the protective role of Rho kinase inhibitors in endothelial dysfunction via modulating eNOS activity and NO production. However, the role of Rho kinase in diabetes-related endothelial dysfunction in kidney vasculature and the relevant mechanisms remain unknown. We assessed whether pharmacological inhibition of Rho kinase attenuates endothelial dysfunction in intrarenal arteries from type 1 diabetic rats. Fasudil, a Rho kinase inhibitor effectively decreased the phosphorylated level of MYPT1 without affecting the expression of ROCKs in the kidney. Fasudil treatment showed no improvement in diabetes-related abnormality in metabolic indices, but it significantly ameliorated endothelial dysfunction in intrarenal arteries and lessened the mesangial matrix expansion in the kidney cortex. Mechanistically, superoxide production in the intrarenal artery and NOX4 member of NADPH oxidase in the renal cortex that contribute to diabetic nephropathy were also prevented by the Rho kinase inhibitor. In conclusion, the present results indicate that Rho kinase is involved in endothelial dysfunction in type 1 diabetes via enhancement of oxidative stress and provides new evidence for Rho kinase inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy

Genetic and epigenetic variations induced by wheat-rye 2R and 5R monosomic addition lines.

BACKGROUND: Monosomic alien addition lines (MAALs) can easily induce structural variation of chromosomes and have been used in crop breeding; however, it is unclear whether MAALs will induce drastic genetic and epigenetic alterations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study, wheat-rye 2R and 5R MAALs together with their selfed progeny and parental common wheat were investigated through amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) analyses. The MAALs in different generations displayed different genetic variations. Some progeny that only contained 42 wheat chromosomes showed great genetic/epigenetic alterations. Cryptic rye chromatin has introgressed into the wheat genome. However, one of the progeny that contained cryptic rye chromatin did not display outstanding genetic/epigenetic variation. 78 and 49 sequences were cloned from changed AFLP and MSAP bands, respectively. Blastn search indicated that almost half of them showed no significant similarity to known sequences. Retrotransposons were mainly involved in genetic and epigenetic variations. Genetic variations basically affected Gypsy-like retrotransposons, whereas epigenetic alterations affected Copia-like and Gypsy-like retrotransposons equally. Genetic and epigenetic variations seldom affected low-copy coding DNA sequences. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results in the present study provided direct evidence to illustrate that monosomic wheat-rye addition lines could induce different and drastic genetic/epigenetic variations and these variations might not be caused by introgression of rye chromatins into wheat. Therefore, MAALs may be directly used as an effective means to broaden the genetic diversity of common wheat