2,672 research outputs found
Gravitational Waves from Core Collapse Supernovae
We present the gravitational wave signatures for a suite of axisymmetric core
collapse supernova models with progenitors masses between 12 and 25 solar
masses. These models are distinguished by the fact they explode and contain
essential physics (in particular, multi-frequency neutrino transport and
general relativity) needed for a more realistic description. Thus, we are able
to compute complete waveforms (i.e., through explosion) based on
non-parameterized, first-principles models. This is essential if the waveform
amplitudes and time scales are to be computed more precisely. Fourier
decomposition shows that the gravitational wave signals we predict should be
observable by AdvLIGO across the range of progenitors considered here. The
fundamental limitation of these models is in their imposition of axisymmetry.
Further progress will require counterpart three-dimensional models.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Phenotype Sequencing: Identifying the Genes That Cause a Phenotype Directly from Pooled Sequencing of Independent Mutants
Random mutagenesis and phenotype screening provide a powerful method for dissecting microbial functions, but their results can be laborious to analyze experimentally. Each mutant strain may contain 50–100 random mutations, necessitating extensive functional experiments to determine which one causes the selected phenotype. To solve this problem, we propose a “Phenotype Sequencing” approach in which genes causing the phenotype can be identified directly from sequencing of multiple independent mutants. We developed a new computational analysis method showing that 1. causal genes can be identified with high probability from even a modest number of mutant genomes; 2. costs can be cut many-fold compared with a conventional genome sequencing approach via an optimized strategy of library-pooling (multiple strains per library) and tag-pooling (multiple tagged libraries per sequencing lane). We have performed extensive validation experiments on a set of E. coli mutants with increased isobutanol biofuel tolerance. We generated a range of sequencing experiments varying from 3 to 32 mutant strains, with pooling on 1 to 3 sequencing lanes. Our statistical analysis of these data (4099 mutations from 32 mutant genomes) successfully identified 3 genes (acrB, marC, acrA) that have been independently validated as causing this experimental phenotype. It must be emphasized that our approach reduces mutant sequencing costs enormously. Whereas a conventional genome sequencing experiment would have cost 1200. In fact, our smallest experiments reliably identified acrB and marC at a cost of only 340
Linked trends in the South Pacific sea ice edge and Southern Oscillation Index
Previous work have shown that sea ice variability in the South Pacific is associated with extratropical atmospheric anomalies linked to the Southern Oscillation (SO). Over a 32 year period (1982–2013), our study shows that the trend in Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is also able to quantitatively explain the trends in sea ice edge, drift, and surface winds in this region. On average two thirds of the winter ice edge trend in this sector, linked to ice drift and surface winds, could be explained by the positive SOI trend, thus subjecting the ice edge to strong decadal SO variability. If this relationship holds, the negative SOI trend prior to the recent satellite era suggests that ice edge trends opposite to that of the recent record over a similar time scale. Significant low-frequency ice edge trends, linked to the natural variability of SO, are superimposed upon any trends expected of anthropogenic forcing
Test of the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami picture of metastable decay in a model with microscopic dynamics
The Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (KJMA) theory for the time evolution of
the order parameter in systems undergoing first-order phase transformations has
been extended by Sekimoto to the level of two-point correlation functions.
Here, this extended KJMA theory is applied to a kinetic Ising lattice-gas
model, in which the elementary kinetic processes act on microscopic length and
time scales. The theoretical framework is used to analyze data from extensive
Monte Carlo simulations. The theory is inherently a mesoscopic continuum
picture, and in principle it requires a large separation between the
microscopic scales and the mesoscopic scales characteristic of the evolving
two-phase structure. Nevertheless, we find excellent quantitative agreement
with the simulations in a large parameter regime, extending remarkably far
towards strong fields (large supersaturations) and correspondingly small
nucleation barriers. The original KJMA theory permits direct measurement of the
order parameter in the metastable phase, and using the extension to correlation
functions one can also perform separate measurements of the nucleation rate and
the average velocity of the convoluted interface between the metastable and
stable phase regions. The values obtained for all three quantities are verified
by other theoretical and computational methods. As these quantities are often
difficult to measure directly during a process of phase transformation, data
analysis using the extended KJMA theory may provide a useful experimental
alternative.Comment: RevTex, 21 pages including 14 ps figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. B.
One misprint corrected in Eq.(C1
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Circulating Mitochondrial DNA in Patients in the ICU as a Marker of Mortality: Derivation and Validation
Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a critical activator of inflammation and the innate immune system. However, mtDNA level has not been tested for its role as a biomarker in the intensive care unit (ICU). We hypothesized that circulating cell-free mtDNA levels would be associated with mortality and improve risk prediction in ICU patients. Methods and Findings: Analyses of mtDNA levels were performed on blood samples obtained from two prospective observational cohort studies of ICU patients (the Brigham and Women's Hospital Registry of Critical Illness [BWH RoCI, n = 200] and Molecular Epidemiology of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome [ME ARDS, n = 243]). mtDNA levels in plasma were assessed by measuring the copy number of the NADH dehydrogenase 1 gene using quantitative real-time PCR. Medical ICU patients with an elevated mtDNA level (≥3,200 copies/µl plasma) had increased odds of dying within 28 d of ICU admission in both the BWH RoCI (odds ratio [OR] 7.5, 95% CI 3.6–15.8, p = 1×10−7) and ME ARDS (OR 8.4, 95% CI 2.9–24.2, p = 9×10−5) cohorts, while no evidence for association was noted in non-medical ICU patients. The addition of an elevated mtDNA level improved the net reclassification index (NRI) of 28-d mortality among medical ICU patients when added to clinical models in both the BWH RoCI (NRI 79%, standard error 14%, p<1×10−4) and ME ARDS (NRI 55%, standard error 20%, p = 0.007) cohorts. In the BWH RoCI cohort, those with an elevated mtDNA level had an increased risk of death, even in analyses limited to patients with sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Study limitations include the lack of data elucidating the concise pathological roles of mtDNA in the patients, and the limited numbers of measurements for some of biomarkers. Conclusions: Increased mtDNA levels are associated with ICU mortality, and inclusion of mtDNA level improves risk prediction in medical ICU patients. Our data suggest that mtDNA could serve as a viable plasma biomarker in medical ICU patients. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summar
Improving Health and Building Human Capital Through an Effective Primary Care System
To improve population health, one must put emphasis on reducing health inequities and enhancing health protection and disease prevention, and early diagnosis and treatment of diseases by tackling the determinants of health at the downstream, midstream, and upstream levels. There is strong theoretical and empirical evidence for the association between strong national primary care systems and improved health indicators. The setting approach to promote health such as healthy schools, healthy cities also aims to address the determinants of health and build the capacity of individuals, families, and communities to create strong human and social capitals. The notion of human and social capitals begins to offer explanations why certain communities are unable to achieve better health than other communities with similar demography. In this paper, a review of studies conducted in different countries illustrate how a well-developed primary health care system would reduce all causes of mortalities, improve health status, reduce hospitalization, and be cost saving despite a disparity in socioeconomic conditions. The intervention strategy recommended in this paper is developing a model of comprehensive primary health care system by joining up different settings integrating the efforts of different parties within and outside the health sector. Different components of primary health care team would then work more closely with individuals and families and different healthy settings. This synergistic effect would help to strengthen human and social capital development. The model can then combine the efforts of upstream, midstream, and downstream approaches to improve population health and reduce health inequity. Otherwise, health would easily be jeopardized as a result of rapid urbanization
Secondary structure of rhBMP-2 in a protective biopolymeric carrier material
Efficient delivery of growth factors is one of the great challenges of tissue engineering. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEM) made of biopolymers have recently emerged as an interesting carrier for delivering recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2 noted here BMP-2) to cells in a matrix-bound manner. We recently showed that PEM made of poly(l-lysine) and hyaluronan (PLL/HA) can retain high and tunable quantities of BMP-2 and can deliver it to cells to induce their differentiation in osteoblasts. Here, we investigate quantitatively by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) the secondary structure of BMP-2 in solution as well as trapped in a biopolymeric thin film. We reveal that the major structural elements of BMP-2 in solution are intramolecular β-sheets and unordered structures as well as α-helices. Furthermore, we studied the secondary structure of rhBMP-2 trapped in hydrated films and in dry films since drying is an important step for future applications of these bioactive films onto orthopedic biomaterials. We demonstrate that the structural elements were preserved when BMP-2 was trapped in the biopolymeric film in hydrated conditions and, to a lesser extent, in dry state. Importantly, its bioactivity was maintained after drying of the film. Our results appear highly promising for future applications of these films as coatings of biomedical materials, to deliver bioactive proteins while preserving their bioactivity upon storage in dry state.This work was supported by the French Ministry of Research through an ANR-EmergenceBIO grant (ANR-09-EBIO-012-01), by the European Commission (FP7 program) via a European Research Council starting grant (BIOMIM, GA 259370), and by GRAVIT (081012_FIBIOS). C.P. is grafetul to IUF for financial support
Urgent need for a non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing nomenclature for monkeypox virus
Free PMC article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9451062/We propose a novel, non-discriminatory classification of monkeypox virus diversity. Together with the World Health Organization, we named three clades (I, IIa and IIb) in order of detection. Within IIb, the cause of the current global outbreak, we identified multiple lineages (A.1, A.2, A.1.1 and B.1) to support real-time genomic surveillance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Non-repudiable authentication and billing architecture for wireless mesh networks
The original publication is available at www.springerlink.comWireless mesh networks (WMNs) are a kind of wireless ad hoc networks
that are multi-hop where packets are forwarded from source to destination
by intermediate notes as well as routers that form a kind of network infrastructure
backbone. We investigate the security of the recently proposed first known secure
authentication and billing architecture for WMNs which eliminates the need for
bilateral roaming agreements and that for traditional home-foreign domains. We
show that this architecture does not securely provide incontestable billing contrary
to designer claims and furthermore it does not achieve entity authentication. We
then present an enhanced scheme that achieves entity authentication and nonrepudiable
billing
Novel Genetic Tools for Diaminopimelic Acid Selection in Virulence Studies of Yersinia pestis
Molecular studies of bacterial virulence are enhanced by expression of
recombinant DNA during infection to allow complementation of mutants and
expression of reporter proteins in vivo. For highly pathogenic
bacteria, such as Yersinia pestis, these studies are currently
limited because deliberate introduction of antibiotic resistance is restricted
to those few which are not human treatment options. In this work, we report the
development of alternatives to antibiotics as tools for host-pathogen research
during Yersinia pestis infections focusing on the
diaminopimelic acid (DAP) pathway, a requirement for cell wall synthesis in
eubacteria. We generated a mutation in the dapA-nlpB(dapX)
operon of Yersinia pestis KIM D27 and CO92 which eliminated the
expression of both genes. The resulting strains were auxotrophic for
diaminopimelic acid and this phenotype was complemented in
trans by expressing dapA in single and multi-copy.
In vivo, we found that plasmids derived from the p15a
replicon were cured without selection, while selection for DAP enhanced
stability without detectable loss of any of the three resident virulence
plasmids. The dapAX mutation rendered Y.
pestis avirulent in mouse models of bubonic and septicemic plague
which could be complemented when dapAX was inserted in single
or multi-copy, restoring development of disease that was indistinguishable from
the wild type parent strain. We further identified a high level, constitutive
promoter in Y. pestis that could be used to drive expression of
fluorescent reporters in dapAX strains that had minimal impact
to virulence in mouse models while enabling sensitive detection of bacteria
during infection. Thus, diaminopimelic acid selection for single or multi-copy
genetic systems in Yersinia pestis offers an improved
alternative to antibiotics for in vivo studies that causes
minimal disruption to virulence
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