The Levels of DAHP Synthase, the First Enzyme of the Shikimate Pathway, Are Related to Free Aromatic Amino Acids and Glutamine Content in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Cell Cultures

Aromatic amino acid homeostasis was investigated in cell suspension cultures of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and was related to the activity of the first enzyme in aromatic biosynthesis, 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase. An inverse relationship was found between the intracellular content of free phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan and enzyme specific activity levels, suggesting the occurrence of end-product control mechanisms. Two DAHP synthase isogenes are present in wild tobacco that showed a different expression pattern during the culture growth cycle. Intracellular levels of aromatic amino acids were increased or decreased by adding the culture medium with phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, or with sublethal doses of the shikimate pathway inhibitor glyphosate, respectively. As a consequence, enzyme levels varied in the opposite direction. The concomitant exogenous supply of glutamine further reduced enzyme activity in mid-log cells, suggesting induction by both aromatic amino acid depletion and nitrogen starvation

On the transient behavior of frictional melt during seismic slip

In a recent work on the problem of sliding surfaces under the presence of frictional melt (applying in particular to earthquake fault dynamics), we derived from first principles an expression for the steady state friction compatible with experimental observations. Building on the expressions of heat and mass balance obtained in the above study for this particular case of Stefan problem (phase transition with a migrating boundary) we propose here an extension providing the full time-dependent solution (including the weakening transient after pervasive melting has started, the effect of eventual steps in velocity and the final decelerating phase). A system of coupled equations is derived and solved numerically. The resulting transient friction and wear evolution yield a satisfactory fit (1) with experiments performed under variable sliding velocities (0.9-2 m/s) and different normal stresses (0.5-20 MPa) for various rock types and (2) with estimates of slip weakening obtained from observations on ancient seismogenic faults that host pseudotachylite (solidified melt). The model allows to extrapolate the experimentally observed frictional behavior to large normal stresses representative of the seismogenic Earth crust (up to 200 MPa), high slip rates (up to 9 m/s) and cases where melt extrusion is negligible. Though weakening distance and peak stress vary widely, the net breakdown energy appears to be essentially independent of either slip velocity and normal stress. In addition, the response to earthquake-like slip can be simulated, showing a rapid friction recovery when slip rate drops. We discuss the properties of energy dissipation, transient duration, velocity weakening, restrengthening in the decelerating final slip phase and the implications for earthquake source dynamics

Clinical validation results of an innovative non-invasive device for colorectal cancer preventive screening through fecal exhalation analysis

Screening is recommended to reduce both incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer. Currently, many countries employ fecal occult blood test (FOBT). In Emilia-Romagna (Italy), since 2005, FOBT immunochemical version (FIT) is performed every two years on people aged between 50 and 69 years. A colonoscopy is then carried out on those who are FIT positive. However, FIT shows approximately 65% false positives (non-tumoral bleedings), leading to many negative colonoscopies. The use of an economic and easy-to-use method to check FOBT-positives will improve screening effectiveness, reducing costs to the national health service. This work illustrates the results of a three-year clinical validation protocol (started in 2016) of a patented device composed of a core of nanostructured gas sensors. This device was designed to identify CRC presence by fecal volatile compounds, with a non-invasive, in vitro and low-cost analysis. Feces are, in fact, affected by tumor-volatile biomarkers, produced by cellular peroxidation and metabolic alterations. The protocol consisted in the analysis of fecal samples of FIT-positive subjects, using colonoscopy as a gold standard. A total of 398 samples were analyzed with machine learning techniques, leading to a sensitivity and specificity of 84.1% and 82.4%, respectively, and a positive predictive value of 72% (25–35% for FIT)

Devices for Screening and Monitoring of Tumors Based on Chemoresistive Sensors

Abstract In this work two devices are presented, named SCENT A1 (A1) and SCENT B1 (B1), composed of chemoresistive sensors. Such devices are capable of discriminating the different compositions of gas mixtures emitted by stools, for colorectal cancer screening (A1), and by blood, for tumors monitoring (B1), according to defined sampling protocols. Results have been acquired by a LabView® software and statistically treated (e.g. quadratic discriminant analysis, QDA) and show to be encouraging with an error of 5% for SCENT A1. Preliminary results of SCENT B1 proved to be promising. Further studies will be carried out for clinically validating the two devices

Wavelet analysis on paleomagnetic (and computer simulated) VGP time series

We present Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) data analysis of Virtual Geomagnetic Pole (VGP) latitude time series. The analyzed time series are sedimentary paleomagnetic and geodynamo simulated data. Two mother wavelets (the Morlet function and the first derivative of a Gaussian function) are used in order to detect features related to the spectral content as well as polarity excursions and reversals. By means of the Morlet wavelet, we estimate both the global spectrum and the time evolution of the spectral content of the paleomagnetic data series. Some peaks corresponding to the orbital components are revealed by the spectra and the local analysis helped disclose their statistical significance. Even if this feature could be an indication of orbital influence on geodynamo, other interpretations are possible. In particular, we note a correspondence of local spectral peaks with the appearance of the excursions in the series. The comparison among the paleomagnetic and simulated spectra shows a similarity in the high frequency region indicating that their degree of regularity is analogous. By means of Gaussian first derivative wavelet, reversals and excursions of polarity were sought. The analysis was performed first on the simulated data, to have a guide in understanding the features present in the more complex paleomagnetic data. Various excursions and reversals have been identified, despite of the prevalent normality of the series and its inherent noise. The found relative chronology of the paleomagnetic data reversals was compared with a coeval global polarity time scale (Channel et al., 1995). The relative lengths of polarity stability intervals are found similar, but a general shift appears between the two scales, that could be due to the datation uncertainties of the Hauterivian/Barremian boundary

Chemoresistive Gas Sensor based on SiC Thick Film: Possible Distinctive Sensing Properties Between H2S and SO2☆

Commercially available nanosized powder of silicon carbide (named SiC), was thermally, morphologically and structurally characterized. After that, it was screen-printed onto alumina substrates in order to obtain thick films to be tested as functional material for conductometric gas sensors. Samples were exposed to SO2 and H2S, gases with high importance in many application fields, with the aim of verifying its capability of distinguishing between them. The characterization highlighted that this semiconductor type is selective for sulphur dioxide (SO2), in concentrations within the ppm range. This interesting result was found at high temperatures (600-800°C), useful for harsh environmental, and the measurements proved to be completely free from humidity interference. Applications of such a sensor could span many fields, since SO2 plays an important role in air pollution, industrial processes and wine making monitoring

Introduction : translingual work.

This issue both reflects and builds on the efforts prompted by the 2011 College English essay “Language Difference in Writing: Toward a Translingual Approach,” by Bruce Horner, Min-Zhan Lu, Jacqueline Jones Royster, and John Trimbur. Contributions to this symposium contextualize the emergence of a translingual approach, explore the tension and interconnections between a translingual approach and a variety of fields, and explore the viability of a translingual approach in light of existing academic structures

AS-773-13 Resolution of Commendation for Margaret Camuso

Commends Margaret Camuso for her service to the Academic Senate

The Steady State Fluctuation Relation for the Dissipation Function

We give a proof of transient fluctuation relations for the entropy production (dissipation function) in nonequilibrium systems, which is valid for most time reversible dynamics. We then consider the conditions under which a transient fluctuation relation yields a steady state fluctuation relation for driven nonequilibrium systems whose transients relax, producing a unique nonequilibrium steady state. Although the necessary and sufficient conditions for the production of a unique nonequilibrium steady state are unknown, if such a steady state exists, the generation of the steady state fluctuation relation from the transient relation is shown to be very general. It is essentially a consequence of time reversibility and of a form of decay of correlations in the dissipation, which is needed also for, e.g., the existence of transport coefficients. Because of this generality the resulting steady state fluctuation relation has the same degree of robustness as do equilibrium thermodynamic equalities. The steady state fluctuation relation for the dissipation stands in contrast with the one for the phase space compression factor, whose convergence is problematic, for systems close to equilibrium. We examine some model dynamics that have been considered previously, and show how they are described in the context of this work.Comment: 30 pages, 1 figur