Propagation through Martian dust at 8.5 and 32 GHz

Independent studies of attenuation of X-band (8.5 GHz) and Ka-band (32 Ghz) radio signals when traversing Martian dust were carried out. These analyses turned out remarkably similar. The computational method is essentially that of T. S. Chu but uses observed optical depth at 0.67 microns rather than visibility as the measure of optical attenuation from which to derive the microwave attenuation. An awkwardness in the approach is that the size distribution of Martian dust particles is not well known, but the mean is probably around 4 microns, whereas in the terrestrial case it is nearer 10 microns. As a consequence, there will be a larger tail of particles still in the Mie regime in the Martian case as compared to the terrestrial one. The computational error will, therefore, be somewhat larger for Martian than Earth-bound dust. Fortunately, the indicated attenuations are small enough for the worst case (1.3 dB at 32 GHz) that the error is academic

Effects of landscape configuration on northern bobwhite in southeastern Kansas

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of BiologyPhilip S. GipsonNorthern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations in much of the species range have been declining for the last 35 years. I trapped and equipped bobwhite with radio transmitters and tracked them during 2003-2005. I used these data to examine the effects of landscape configuration on survival as well as the habitat association of bobwhite in southeastern Kansas. I used the nest survival model in Program MARK to determine the effects of habitat configuration on weekly survival of radio equipped bobwhite during the Fall-Spring (1 October to 14 April) and the Spring-Fall (15 April to 30 September) at home range and 500 m buffer scales. Individual survival probability for the Fall-Spring period was 0.9439 (S.E. = 0.0071), and the most parsimonious model for the Fall-Spring period at the home range scale was B0 + percent woodland + percent cropland. At the 500 m buffer scale the most parsimonious model was B0 + percent Conservation Reserve (CRP) program land. The weekly survival probability for the Spring-Fall period was 0.9559 (S.E. = 0.0098). At the home range and 500 m buffer scales there were weak associations of habitat to survival during Spring-Fall with the most parsimonious model for both scales B0 + percent other. Using Euclidean Distances to measure distance from animal location to each habitat, I found that habitat selection was occurring during the Spring-Fall (Wilkes λ = 0.04, F 6,36 = 143.682, P < 0.001) and Fall-Spring (Wilkes λ = 0.056, F 6, 29 = 81.99, P < 0.001). During Spring-Fall bobwhite were associated with locations near cool-season grasses and during Fall-Spring preferred locations near woody cover. Bobwhite also showed habitat selection at a second more refined land use classification level for Spring-Fall (Wilkes λ = 0.006, F 16, 26 = 284.483, P < 0.001) and Fall-Spring (Wilkes λ = 0.004, F 16, 19 = 276.037, P < 0.001). During the Spring-Fall, bobwhites were associated with locations near cool-season grass pastures and roads and during Fall-Spring were associated with locations in close proximity to roads and CRP. Understanding the effects of habitat configuration on bobwhite is an important step in developing a broad-scale management plan

Distance-Based Habitat Associations of Northern Bobwhites in a Fescue-Dominated Landscape in Kansas

Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have a wide distribution across North America which influences its’ associations with habitats in a variety of landscapes. We used radio-marked bobwhites and Euclidean distance to characterize land cover associations of bobwhites at generalized level 1 and specific level 2 land cover classifications during the reproductive (15 Apr-14 Oct) and covey (15 Oct-14 Apr) periods in southeastern Kansas from 2003 to 2005. Habitat associations occurred during the reproductive (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.04, F6,36 1⁄4 143.682, P , 0.001) and covey (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.056, F6, 29 1⁄4 81.99, P , 0.001) periods. Ranking of the reproductive period habitats indicated bobwhites preferred locations in close proximity to fescue (Festuca spp.) over all other habitats. Coveys preferred locations in close proximity to woody cover. Bobwhites were found to associate with specific habitats at the level 2 land cover classification during the reproductive (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.006, F16, 26 1⁄4 284.483, P , 0.001) and covey (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.004, F16, 19 1⁄4 276.037, P , 0.001) periods. Bobwhites preferred locations in close proximity to fescue pastures and roads equally over all other habitats during the reproductive period. Coveys preferred locations in close proximity to roads and Conservation Reserve Program lands during the covey period. Fescue pastures may be avoided by bobwhites during the covey period, provided adequate cover is not provided, but bobwhites are strongly associated with them during the reproductive period because they meet nesting and brooding needs not met by other habitats

Perioperative morbidity of different operative approaches in early cervical carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing minimally invasive versus open radical hysterectomy

Purpose: Radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy is the standard treatment for early cervical cancer. Studies have shown superior oncological outcome for open versus minimal invasive surgery, but peri- and postoperative complication rates were shown vice versa. This meta-analysis evaluates the peri- and postoperative morbidities and complications of robotic and laparoscopic radical hysterectomy compared to open surgery. Methods: Embase and Ovid-Medline databases were systematically searched in June 2020 for studies comparing robotic, laparoscopic and open radical hysterectomy. There was no limitation in publication year. Inclusion criteria were set analogue to the LACC trial. Subgroup analyses were performed regarding the operative technique, the study design and the date of publication for the endpoints intra- and postoperative morbidity, estimated blood loss, hospital stay and operation time. Results: 27 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Five prospective, randomized-control trials were included. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference between robotic radical hysterectomy (RH) and laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) concerning intra- and perioperative complications. Operation time was longer in both RH (mean difference 44.79 min [95% CI 38.16; 51.42]), and LH (mean difference 20.96 min; [95% CI − 1.30; 43.22]) than in open hysterectomy (AH) but did not lead to a rise of intra- and postoperative complications. Intraoperative morbidity was lower in LH than in AH (RR 0.90 [0.80; 1.02]) as well as in RH compared to AH (0.54 [0.33; 0.88]). Intraoperative morbidity showed no difference between LH and RH (RR 1.29 [0.23; 7.29]). Postoperative morbidity was not different in any approach. Estimated blood loss was lower in both LH (mean difference − 114.34 [− 122.97; − 105.71]) and RH (mean difference − 287.14 [− 392.99; − 181.28]) compared to AH, respectively. Duration of hospital stay was shorter for LH (mean difference − 3.06 [− 3.28; − 2.83]) and RH (mean difference − 3.77 [− 5.10; − 2.44]) compared to AH. Conclusion: Minimally invasive radical hysterectomy appears to be associated with reduced intraoperative morbidity and blood loss and improved reconvalescence after surgery. Besides oncological and surgical factors these results should be considered when counseling patients for radical hysterectomy and underscore the need for new randomized trials. © 2021, The Author(s)

Molecular Principles of Gene Fusion Mediated Rewiring of Protein Interaction Networks in Cancer

Gene fusions are common cancer-causing mutations, but the molecular principles by which fusion protein products affect interaction networks and cause disease are not well understood. Here, we perform an integrative analysis of the structural, interactomic, and regulatory properties of thousands of putative fusion proteins. We demonstrate that genes that form fusions (i.e., parent genes) tend to be highly connected hub genes, whose protein products are enriched in structured and disordered interaction-mediating features. Fusion often results in the loss of these parental features and the depletion of regulatory sites such as post-translational modifications. Fusion products disproportionately connect proteins that did not previously interact in the protein interaction network. In this manner, fusion products can escape cellular regulation and constitutively rewire protein interaction networks. We suggest that the deregulation of central, interaction-prone proteins may represent a widespread mechanism by which fusion proteins alter the topology of cellular signaling pathways and promote cancer

Characterization of Ring Substructures in the Protoplanetary Disk of HD 169142 from Multiwavelength Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Observations

We present a detailed multiwavelength characterization of the multi-ring disk of HD 169142. We report new Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations at 3 mm and analyze them together with archival 0.89 and 1.3 mm data. Our observations resolve three out of the four rings in the disk previously seen in high-resolution ALMA data. A simple parametric model is used to estimate the radial profile of the dust optical depth, temperature, density, and particle size distribution. We find that the multiple ring features of the disk are produced by annular accumulations of large particles, probably associated with gas pressure bumps. Our model indicates that the maximum dust grain size in the rings is ∼1 cm, with slightly flatter power-law size distributions than the interstellar medium-like size distribution (p ∼ 3.5) found in the gaps. In particular, the inner ring (∼26 au) is associated with a strong and narrow buildup of dust particles that could harbor the necessary conditions to trigger the streaming instability. According to our analysis, the snowlines of the most important volatiles do not coincide with the observed substructures. We explore different ring formation mechanisms and find that planet-disk interactions are the most likely scenario to explain the main features of HD 169142. Overall, our multiwavelength analysis provides some of the first unambiguous evidence of the presence of radial dust traps in the rings of HD 169142. A similar analysis in a larger sample of disks could provide key insights on the impact that disk substructures have on the dust evolution and planet formation processes.© 2019. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved..E.M., and C.C.E. acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation under CAREER grant No. AST-1455042 and the Sloan Foundation. M.O., G.A., J.M.T., and J.F.G. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the AYA2017-84390-C2-1-R grant (co-funded by FEDER). M.O., G. A., and J.F.G. acknowledge support from the >Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa> award for the Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia (SEV-2017-0709). M. F. and G.H.M.B. acknowledge support from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no 757957).Peer Reviewe

A modified apparatus for dual, sterilized, isolated perfusion of the rat liver

The isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) has proven to be a useful model for the study of physiology and pathology of the liver. For research in nonparenchymal cell (NPC) function that includes measurement of cytokine production (eg, TNF), it is necessary to have a sterilized perfusion system. We have modified the IPRL apparatus so as to be able to perform sterile perfusions of two livers simultaneously. The perfusion apparatus is a recirculating closed system in which the oxygenator is a plastic container separated into two chambers by a fenestrated plastic wall. A disposable macropore filter functions as both a bubble trap and perfusate filter. The sterilization process is done by immersing the various components in Benz-All solution. The tubing is disinfected by irrigation with 10% Clorox followed by 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The perfusate used is filter-sterilized Krebs buffer solution containing 0.5 g Mandol/250 mL perfusate. Not only can two organs be conveniently perfused simultaneously, but the entire system can be reliably sterilized for up to 20 consecutive perfusions. Bile production is higher and more stable with less leakage of intracellular enzymes. Many of the components are disposable and can be altered to suit the needs of a particular experiment. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Monoclonal antibodies to inner ear antigens: II Antigens expressed in sensory cell stereocilia

To develop biological reagents for investigating structure-function relationships in the organ of Corti, we have raised monoclonal antibodies, (MAb) to inner ear tissues. Our first series of antibodies prepared after intrasplenic immunization of mice with guinea pig tissues, identified antigens restricted to supporting cell structures, but no hair cell specific antibodies were developed [Zajic et al., Hear. Res. 52, 59-72, 1991]. In this report we describe the isolation, binding specificity and initial characterization of the stereocilia-binding monoclonal antibodies, KHRI-4, and KHRI-5. Mice were immunized with avian, amphibian and mammalian sensory hair cell-containing tissues and antibodies were screened for selective binding to cochlear extracts in ELISA. In the inner ear, KHRI-4 and KHRI-5 bind specifically to stereocilia in both avian and mammalian cochlear and vestibular tissue preparations using immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase assays. In other tissues only certain cells of mesothelial origin, such as smooth muscle in gut and the arteriolar vasculature, were stained by KHRI-4 indicating that the antigenic structure defined by this antibody has limited distribution. KHRI-5 binding could be detected in other tissues only at high antibody concentrations suggesting that the gene product identified by this antibody is also weakly expressed in other cell lineages. Western blot analysis showed that KHRI-4 and -5 detect different protein complexes. KHRI-4 identifies an antigenic structure common to gut, cochlea, vestibular tissue and cultured fibroblasts consisting of a ~ 195 and a 230 kDa heterodimer designated p195/230. KHRI-5 binds to a prominent ~ 200-210 kDa band in Western blots of cochlear tissues, gut and fibroblasts. In immunoprecipitation experiments, KHRI-5 precipitated three proteins of Mr ~ 200-210, 230 and 260 kDa indicating that the ~ 200-210 kDa protein carrying the epitope for this antibody is a member of a heterotrimer complex. Our results show that these protein complexes are structural components of stereocilia and that the same proteins are arrayed in conjunction with the actin stress fibers of cultured mesothelial cells. Thus, they are likely to be important for maintaining the actin structure of stereocilia essential to transduction in sensory hair cells.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28991/1/0000019.pd

IUCN Conservation Status Does Not Predict Glucocortoid Concentrations in Reptiles and Birds

Circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most commonly used biomarkers of stress in wildlife. However, their utility as a tool for identifying and/or managing at-risk species has varied. Here, we took a very broad approach to conservation physiology, asking whether International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listing status (concern versus no obvious concern) and/or location within a geographic range (edge versus non-edge) predicted baseline and post-restraint concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) among many species of birds and reptiles. Even though such an approach can be viewed as coarse, we asked in this analysis whether CORT concentrations might be useful to implicate species at risk. Indeed, our effort, relying on HormoneBase, a repository of data on wildlife steroids, complements several other large-scale efforts in this issue to describe and understand GC variation. Using a phylogenetically informed Bayesian approach, we found little evidence that either IUCN status or edge/non-edge location in a geographic distribution were related to GC levels. However, we did confirm patterns described in previous studies, namely that breeding condition and evolutionary relatedness among species predicted some GC variation. Given the broad scope of our work, we are reluctant to conclude that IUCN status and location within a range are unrelated to GC regulation. We encourage future more targeted efforts on GCs in at-risk populations to reveal how factors leading to IUCN listing or the environmental conditions at range edges impact individual performance and fitness, particularly in the mammals, amphibians, and fish species we could not study here because data are currently unavailable

Saving Super-Earths:Interplay between Pebble Accretion and Type I Migration

Overcoming type I migration and preventing low-mass planets from spiralling into the central star is a long-studied topic. It is well known that outward migration is possible in viscously heated disks relatively close to the central star because the entropy gradient can be sufficiently steep for the positive corotation torque to overcome the negative Lindblad torque. Yet efficiently trapping planets in this region remains elusive. Here we study disk conditions that yield outward migration for low-mass planets under specific planet migration prescriptions. In a steady-state disk model with a constant α-viscosity, outward migration is only possible when the negative temperature gradient exceeds ∼0.87. We derive an implicit relation for the highest mass at which outward migration is possible as a function of viscosity and disk scale height. We apply these criteria, using a simple power-law disk model, to planets that have reached their pebble isolation mass after an episode of rapid accretion. It is possible to trap planets with the pebble isolation mass farther than the inner edge of the disk provided that α crit 0.004 for disks older than 1 Myr. In very young disks, the high temperature causes the planets to grow to masses exceeding the maximum for outward migration. As the disk evolves, these more massive planets often reach the central star, generally only toward the end of the disk lifetime. Saving super-Earths is therefore a delicate interplay between disk viscosity, the opacity profile, and the temperature gradient in the viscously heated inner disk