HI Global Scaling Relations in the WISE-WHISP Survey

We present the global scaling relations between the neutral atomic hydrogen gas, the stellar disk and the star forming disk in a sample of 228 nearby galaxies that are both spatially and spectrally resolved in HI line emission. We have used HI data from the Westerbork survey of HI in Irregular and Spiral galaxies (WHISP) and Mid Infrared (3.4 $\mu m$, 11.6 $\mu m$) data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) survey, combining two datasets that are well-suited to such a study in terms of uniformity, resolution and sensitivity. We utilize the novel method of deriving scaling relations for quantities enclosed within the stellar disk rather than integrating over the HI disk and find the global scaling relations to be tighter when defined for enclosed quantities. We also present new HI intensity maps for the WHISP survey derived using a robust noise rejection technique along with corresponding velocity fields.Comment: 18 pages, 5 tables, 16 Figures. Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Minor revisio

Complex life forms may arise from electrical processes

There is still not an appealing and testable model to explain how single-celled organisms, usually following fusion of male and female gametes, proceed to grow and evolve into multi-cellular, complexly differentiated systems, a particular species following virtually an invariant and unique growth pattern. An intrinsic electrical oscillator, resembling the cardiac pacemaker, may explain the process. Highly auto-correlated, it could live independently of ordinary thermodynamic processes which mandate increasing disorder, and could coordinate growth and differentiation of organ anlage

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of Parkinson?s disease

Although over 90 independent risk variants have been identified for Parkinson’s disease using genome-wide association studies, most studies have been performed in just one population at a time. Here we performed a large-scale multi-ancestry meta-analysis of Parkinson’s disease with 49,049 cases, 18,785 proxy cases and 2,458,063 controls including individuals of European, East Asian, Latin American and African ancestry. In a meta-analysis, we identified 78 independent genome-wide significant loci, including 12 potentially novel loci (MTF2, PIK3CA, ADD1, SYBU, IRS2, USP8, PIGL, FASN, MYLK2, USP25, EP300 and PPP6R2) and fine-mapped 6 putative causal variants at 6 known PD loci. By combining our results with publicly available eQTL data, we identified 25 putative risk genes in these novel loci whose expression is associated with PD risk. This work lays the groundwork for future efforts aimed at identifying PD loci in non-European populations

Loudspeaker sound field emulation in earphones using HRTFs

Head Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) are a summarization of the direction dependent acoustic filtering a free-field sound undergoes due to a person’s head, torso and pinna. Given that an individuals has their own unique anthropometrics, HRTFs vary as a function of source position and shoe large inter-subject variation. In this study, the system uses generalized HRTFs, taken from the IRCAM Listen HRTF Database, in producing an 2out of the head3 experience that is close to the sound fidelity produced by a pair of loudspeakers while maintaining an acceptable sound listener. The subjective results show that there was no audible drop in quality when HRTFs are incorporated to the sound as having a rating of 85 compared with a rating of 95 of the unprocessed sound. The similarity of the HRTF processed music with a pair of loudspeakers is satisfactory with a rating from 3.4 to 4.0 out of 5.0. The Common Acoustical Pole and Zero (CAPZ) Model proposed by Haneda, Y., Makino S., Kaneda, Y. & Kitawa, N. requires far fewer variable parameters to represents HRTFs. Different approximations of the CAPZ model are subjectively evaluated by different listeners. No approximation was singled out as having the best sound quality, but, it was observed that the amount of balance between the poles and zeroes had an audible effect to the listeners. One combination of poles and zeroes that is included in the set of approximations is a 20 Pole – 230 Zeroes approximation and overall it is rated as the worst, compared to the combination of 30 Pole – 50 Zeroes approximately which is rated as the best. The CAPZ approximated HRTF that is produced by the system has a rating of 3.3 to 4.1 out of 5.0 which indicates that is also has a satisfactory 2out of the head3 experience that is audible to the listeners

Differential susceptibility of inbred mouse strains to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis

Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis represents an experimental model for human inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to screen various inbred strains of mice for genetically determined differences in susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis. Mice of strains C3H/HeJ, C3H/HeJBir, C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, NOD/LtJ, NOD/LtSz-Prkdc(scid)/Prkdc(scid), 129/SvPas, NON/LtJ, and NON.NOD-H2g7 were fed 3.5% DSS in drinking water for 5 days and necropsied 16 days later. Ceca and colons were scored for histological lesions based on severity, ulceration, hyperplasia, and area involved. Image analysis was used to quantitate the proportion of cecum ulcerated. Histological examination revealed significant differences among inbred strains for all parameters scored. In both cecum and colon, C3H/HeJ and a recently selected substrain, C3H/HeJBir, were highly DSS susceptible. NOD/LtJ, an autoimmune-prone strain, and NOD/LtSz-Prkdc(scid)/Prkdc(scid), a stock with multiple defects in innate and adoptive immunity, were also highly DSS susceptible. NON/LtJ, a strain closely related to NOD, was quite DSS resistant. The major histocompatibility (MHC) haplotype of NOD mice (H2g7), a major component of the NOD autoimmune susceptibility, was not crucial in determining DSS susceptibility, since NON mice congenic for this MHC haplotype retained resistance. C57BL/6J, 129/SvPas, and DBA/2J mice showed various degrees of susceptibility, depending upon the anatomical site. A greater male susceptibility to DSS-induced colonic but not cecal lesions was observed. In summary, this study demonstrates major differences in genetic susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis among inbred strains of mice. Knowledge of these strain differences in genetic responsiveness to acute inflammatory stress in the large intestine will permit design of genetic crosses to elucidate the genes involved

Absolute Lymphocyte Count At Day 28 Independently Predicts Event-Free and Overall Survival in Adults with Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract Abstract 2552 Long-term survival rates for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remain poor at 40% when compared with pediatric ALL pts. This is partly attributed to the lack of predictive markers for risk stratification in adult ALL. Childhood ALL studies have shown that higher absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) during or following induction predicts longer event free survival (EFS). We hypothesized that adult ALL patients with higher ALC following induction therapy will have prolonged EFS and overall survival (OS). Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 230 adult pts (age 18–64 yrs) with de novo ALL diagnosed between 1993–2010 at the Cleveland Clinic and Stanford, 198 of whom were evaluable (112 Cleveland Clinic, 86 Stanford). Prior studies in the pediatric population identified an ALC of 350 cells/μL as a cutoff that was predictive of outcome; we assessed this cutoff as well as other ALC metrics including day 1, 3, 7, 11, 14, 17, 20, 25, and 28 counts, nadirs and area under the curves at various time points, and the rate of ALC decline. We also evaluated the impact of gender, age at diagnosis, cytogenetics (CG), WBC at diagnosis, and transplant. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to summarize OS and EFS and the log-rank test was used for univariable analysis. The Cox proportional hazards model, stratified by institution, was used for multivariable and univariable analyses of measured factors. Patient characteristics: Median age: 38 yrs (range 18–64); Gender: 58% (114) male; CG risk: 62 (31%) poor, 46 (23%) miscellaneous, 54 (27%) normal, 36 (19%) no growth or not done; 178 (90%) B-cell lineage; median WBC at diagnosis 9.5 K/μL (range 0.5–760). Eighty-three percent of pts (165) achieved a CR with induction chemotherapy. The majority of pts (178, 90%) received a vincristine/prednisone/anthracycline-based induction regimen. Four pts (2%) received double-induction on trial S0333 (induction 1: vincristine/prednisone/anthracycline; induction 2: high dose cytarabine/mitoxantrone); eight pts (4%) hyperCVAD; and eight pts (4%) high dose cytarabine/mitoxantrone. Twenty-one pts (11%) received imatinib in combination with chemotherapy. Forty-six pts (23%) received an allogeneic transplant in CR1. Results: The median OS and EFS for this cohort were 29.5 and 24.9 mos, respectively. A number of the metrics were found to be associated with outcome; however we found that ALC at day 28 with a cut-point of 50.0 K/μL vs >6.0–50 K/μL, p≤.002 for OS and EFS) and CG (abnormal vs normal, p=.002 for OS and p=.02 for EFS) were independent prognostic factors of both outcomes. Combining these three factors by counting the number of poor features present yields a 3-group risk stratification: favorable (0–1 poor feature, 30% of pts, median OS and EFS not yet reached); intermediate (2 poor features, 45% of pts, estimated median OS and EFS 47.4 and 66.0 mos, respectively); unfavorable (3 poor features, 26% of pts, median OS and EFS 9.0 and 6.5 mos, respectively). Conclusion: By identifying an additional prognostic marker—ALC—this study aims to optimize the current adult ALL treatment protocol by risk stratification. As an indicator of bone marrow recovery, ALC following induction therapy may demonstrate the body's immune surveillance against malignant cells. Further characterization of higher risk pts allows for modifications to therapeutic regimens, which may translate into improvements in long-term survival. In addition, this data suggests that targeting the immune system to improve ALC may be a worthwhile strategy in ALL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare