Lymphopenia in treatment-naive relapsing multiple sclerosis

Lymphopenia accompanies some autoimmune diseases. A number of studies, but not others, have suggested that lymphopenia occurs in treatment-naive multiple sclerosis (MS), so the issue remains unresolved. This is important since lymphopenia may identify an immunologically distinct subset of MS. Also, lymphopenia may emerge as a risk factor for serious viral infections of the brain during dimethyl fumarate treatment. We therefore embarked on a retrospective controlled study of pre-treatment lymphopenia in relapsing M

The Impact of Online Learning on Student\u27s Academic Performance

The spread of online learning has grown exponentially at every academic level and in many countries in our COVID-19 world. Due to the relatively new nature of such widespread use of online learning, little analysis or studies have been conducted on whether student performance takes a toll through this different medium. This paper aims to propose a research project targeted to study the impact of online learning on the academic performance of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) students, as compared to an in-person medium. The research will be conducted over a period of 2 years for 3 modules that are common for students across all courses. Data utilized in the study will be obtained through a survey, as well as academic performance data sourced from ERAU. The analysis will be conducted using T-test and Regression techniques to identify statistically significant impacts of student performance in online versus in-person classes. The results obtained can be an estimated general trend of student performance in various other universities which conduct a mix of in-class and online learning in this COVID-19 era. The results obtained will also serve as a framework, and as possible preliminary results for future academic research with regards to the proposed topic. The observed trend will benefit institutions in identifying the method of instruction in which they would need to refine, to raise the standards of different instructional methods to a parity

AP4 transcription factor binding site is a repressor element in ek2 promoter of human liver carcinoma cell line, HepG2

Ethanolamine kinase (EK) is the first enzyme in the Kennedy pathway for the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine. Although EK has been reported to be involved in phospholipid biosynthesis, carcinogenesis, cell growth, muscle development and sex determination during embryonic development, little is known about its transcriptional regulation by endogenous or exogenous signals. Human EK exists as EK1, EK2α and EK2β isoforms, encoded by two separate genes, named ek1 and ek2. Compared to ek1 gene, ek2 is expressed at a higher level in liver and EK2 isoforms also accept choline as substrate besides ethanolamine, which could contribute to liver carcinogenesis. The main aim of this study was to analyze and characterize the human ek2 promoter in cultured mammalian cells. Human ek2 (2011 bp) promoter was cloned into reporter vector, pGL4.10 [luc2] and the promoter activities were studied in human liver carcinoma (HepG2 cells). Sequence analyses showed that ek2 promoter contains numerous putative transcription factor binding sites including AP4 and it is devoid of a recognizable consensus TATA box but it contains a high number of guanine (G) and cytosine (C) nucleotides. PCR mutagenesis of three nucleotides at E-box motif of AP4 transcription binding site located between -293 and -276 of ek2 promoter was successfully performed to show that AP4 transcription factor binding site acts as a repressive element in the regulation of ek2 expression. AP4 upregulation has been implicated in bad prognosis of carcinoma, therefore the regulatory role of AP4 binding site reported in this study could be a link between ek2 and carcinogenesis. Although further studies need to be carried out to understand and to determine the repression mechanism of AP4 in ek2 promoter, the characterization and analysis of ek promoter performed in this study provide important understanding of its basal transcriptional regulation which would allow us to control ek expression levels in pathologic conditions that involve this gene

Model-Based Design (MBD) For Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

This project is to enhanced and upgraded a depth controller for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to submerge precisely at the certain depth. This poster demonstrated an AUV equipped with integrated sensor and depth controller based on the pressure sensing which able to continuously sending the depth data to controller. The depth Simulink Arduino algorithm is implemented on an Arduino Mega using ModelBased Design (MBD) with MATLAB and Simulink. MBD used to model, simulate and verify the Simulink control algorithm after obtained data through open-loop experiment test. Then, it deploys and tests the algorithm on the embedded AUV hardware. The focus was in controlling the AUV vertical trajectory as the AUV tried to remain stationary at the selected depth and consuming its rise time Tr, overshoot Os, and settling time Ts are minimized. The comparative study for the AUV depth-control by On-Off, Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller and Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) controllers. MBD has faster implementation with fewer coding error when deploy to AUV hardware

Efficient light-emitting diodes based on nanocrystalline perovskite in a dielectric polymer matrix.

Electroluminescence in light-emitting devices relies on the encounter and radiative recombination of electrons and holes in the emissive layer. In organometal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes, poor film formation creates electrical shunting paths, where injected charge carriers bypass the perovskite emitter, leading to a loss in electroluminescence yield. Here, we report a solution-processing method to block electrical shunts and thereby enhance electroluminescence quantum efficiency in perovskite devices. In this method, a blend of perovskite and a polyimide precursor dielectric (PIP) is solution-deposited to form perovskite nanocrystals in a thin-film matrix of PIP. The PIP forms a pinhole-free charge-blocking layer, while still allowing the embedded perovskite crystals to form electrical contact with the electron- and hole-injection layers. This modified structure reduces nonradiative current losses and improves quantum efficiency by 2 orders of magnitude, giving an external quantum efficiency of 1.2%. This simple technique provides an alternative route to circumvent film formation problems in perovskite optoelectronics and offers the possibility of flexible and high-performance light-emitting displays.The authors acknowledge funding from the Gates Cambridge Trust, the Singapore National Research Foundation (Energy Innovation Programme Office), the KACST-Cambridge University Joint Centre of Excellence, the Royal Society/Sino-British Fellowship Trust, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK. We also thank Dr. Alessandro Sepe for helpful discussions of the XRD data.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from ACS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b0023

I4U Submission to NIST SRE 2018: Leveraging from a Decade of Shared Experiences

The I4U consortium was established to facilitate a joint entry to NIST speaker recognition evaluations (SRE). The latest edition of such joint submission was in SRE 2018, in which the I4U submission was among the best-performing systems. SRE'18 also marks the 10-year anniversary of I4U consortium into NIST SRE series of evaluation. The primary objective of the current paper is to summarize the results and lessons learned based on the twelve sub-systems and their fusion submitted to SRE'18. It is also our intention to present a shared view on the advancements, progresses, and major paradigm shifts that we have witnessed as an SRE participant in the past decade from SRE'08 to SRE'18. In this regard, we have seen, among others, a paradigm shift from supervector representation to deep speaker embedding, and a switch of research challenge from channel compensation to domain adaptation.Comment: 5 page

Rational Design of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Carbide/Nitride (MXene) Hybrids and Nanocomposites for Catalytic Energy Storage and Conversion

Electro-, photo-, and photoelectrocatalysis play a critical role toward the realization of a sustainable energy economy. They facilitate numerous redox reactions in energy storage and conversion systems, enabling the production of chemical feedstock and clean fuels from abundant resources like water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. One major obstacle for their large-scale implementation is the scarcity of cost-effective, durable, and efficient catalysts. A family of two-dimensional transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides (MXenes) has recently emerged as promising earth-abundant candidates for large-area catalytic energy storage and conversion due to their unique properties of hydrophilicity, high metallic conductivity, and ease of production by solution processing. To take full advantage of these desirable properties, MXenes have been combined with other materials to form MXene hybrids with significantly enhanced catalytic performances beyond the sum of their individual components. MXene hybridization tunes the electronic structure toward optimal binding of redox active species to improve intrinsic activity while increasing the density and accessibility of active sites. This review outlines recent strategies in the design of MXene hybrids for industrially relevant electrocatalytic, photocatalytic, and photoelectrocatalytic applications such as water splitting, metal–air/sulfur batteries, carbon dioxide reduction, and nitrogen reduction. By clarifying the roles of individual material components in the MXene hybrids, we provide design strategies to synergistically couple MXenes with associated materials for highly efficient and durable catalytic applications. We conclude by highlighting key gaps in the current understanding of MXene hybrids to guide future MXene hybrid designs in catalytic energy storage and conversion applications

Induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by copper complex Cu(SBCM)₂ towards oestrogen-receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Copper complexes have the potential to be developed as targeted therapy for cancer because cancer cells take up larger amounts of copper than normal cells. Copper complex Cu(SBCM)2 has been reported to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis towards triple-negative breast cancer cells. Nevertheless, its effect towards other breast cancer subtypes has not been explored. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Cu(SBCM)₂ towards oestrogen-receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Growth inhibition of Cu(SBCM)₂ towards MCF-7 and human non-cancerous MCF-10A breast cells was determined by MTT assay. Morphological changes of Cu(SBCM)2-treated-MCF-7 cells were observed under an inverted microscope. Annexin V/PI apoptosis assay and cell cycle analysis were evaluated by flow cytometry. The expression of wild-type p53 protein was evaluated by Western blot analysis. The intracellular ROS levels of MCF-7 treated with Cu(SBCM)₂ were detected using DCFH-DA under a fluorescence microscope. The cells were then co-treated with Cu(SBCM)₂ and antioxidants to evaluate the involvement of ROS in the cytotoxicity of Cu(SBCM)2. Docking studies of Cu(SBCM)2 with DNA, DNA topoisomerase I, and human ribonucleotide reductase were also performed. The growth of MCF-7 cells was inhibited by Cu(SBCM)2 in a dose-dependent manner with less toxicity towards MCF-10A cells. It was found that Cu(SBCM)₂ induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, possibly via a p53 pathway. Induction of intracellular ROS was not detected in MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, antioxidants enhance the cytotoxicity of Cu(SBCM)2 towards MCF-7 cells. DNA topoisomerase I may be the most likely target that accounts for the cytotoxicity of Cu(SBCM)₂