941 research outputs found
Preparing for solar challenge: critical competences acquired in undergraduate engineering education
Abstract: Engineers are expected to function in a highly competitive environment, which demands that projects are developed in increasingly efficient and cost-effective ways, across various disciplines. This trend necessitates multidisciplinary collaboration which requires both traditional engineering skills and so called ‘soft skills’, such as good communicative competences and working cooperatively in teams. In this paper it is described how these skills were developed in the course of the University of Johannesburg’s preparation for participation in the biannual Solar Challenge
An infected enlarging abdominal aortic aneurysm after acute cholecystitis
AbstractINTRODUCTIONAn abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) infection is rare and can be difficult to manage, with high morbidity and mortality. We present a patient who suffered an infected AAA after undergoing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and discuss the surgical management options.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 69-year-old male presents with a rapidly enlarging AAA 4 weeks following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. He was managed with open debridement, washout and repair of the aneurysm, but suffered ongoing sequelae of Escherichia coli sepsis.DISCUSSIONThe options for surgical management of infected AAA include open, endovascular and combined approaches. Recent papers report successful use of endovascular repair of infected AAAs but this is an ongoing area of research.CONCLUSIONInfection of an AAA is associated with high mortality and long-term morbidity and requires optimal treatment. Surgical options include open debridement and repair, endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) or a combined approach
Stromal Gli2 activity coordinates a niche signaling program for mammary epithelial stem cells
The stem cell niche is a complex local signaling microenvironment that sustains stem cell activity during organ maintenance and regeneration. The mammary gland niche must support its associated stem cells while also responding to systemic hormonal regulation that triggers pubertal changes. We find that Gli2, the major Hedgehog pathway transcriptional effector, acts within mouse mammary stromal cells to direct a hormoneresponsive niche signaling program by activating expression of factors that regulate epithelial stem cells as well as receptors for the mammatrophic hormones estrogen and growth hormone.Whereas prior studies implicate stem cell defects in human disease, this work shows that niche dysfunction may also cause disease, with possible relevance for human disorders and in particular the breast growth pathogenesis associated with combined pituitary hormone deficiency. Copyright 2016 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, all rights reserved.116Ysciescopu
Single and double qubit gates by manipulating degeneracy
A novel mechanism is proposed for single and double qubit state manipulations
in quantum computation with four-fold degenerate energy levels. The principle
is based on starting with a four fold degeneracy, lifting it stepwise
adiabatically by a set of control parameters and performing the quantum gate
operations on non-degenerate states. A particular realization of the proposed
mechanism is suggested by using inductively coupled rf-squid loops in the
macroscopic quantum tunnelling regime where the energy eigen levels are
directly connected with the measurable flux states. The one qubit and two qubit
controlled operations are demonstrated explicitly. The appearance of the flux
states also allows precise read-in and read-out operations by the measurement
of flux.Comment: 6 pages + 5 figures (separately included
Control of inflammation by stromal Hedgehog pathway activation restrains colitis
Inflammation disrupts tissue architecture and function, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of diverse diseases; the signals that promote or restrict tissue inflammation thus represent potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Here, we report that genetic or pharmacologic Hedgehog pathway inhibition intensifies colon inflammation (colitis) in mice. Conversely, genetic augmentation of Hedgehog response and systemic small-molecule Hedgehog pathway activation potently ameliorate colitis and restrain initiation and progression of colitis-induced adenocarcinoma. Within the colon, the Hedgehog protein signal does not act directly on the epithelium itself, but on underlying stromal cells to induce expression of IL-10, an immune-modulatory cytokine long known to suppress inflammatory intestinal damage. IL-10 function is required for the full protective effect of small-molecule Hedgehog pathway activation in colitis; this pharmacologic augmentation of Hedgehog pathway activity and stromal IL-10 expression are associated with increased presence of CD4(+) Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. We thus identify stromal cells as cellular coordinators of colon inflammation and suggest their pharmacologic manipulation as a potential means to treat colitis.11138Ysciescopu
Depletion of Trp53 and Cdkn2a does not promote self-renewal in the mammary gland but amplifies proliferation induced by TNF-α
Dermatology-oncolog
Modeling magnetospheric fields in the Jupiter system
The various processes which generate magnetic fields within the Jupiter
system are exemplary for a large class of similar processes occurring at other
planets in the solar system, but also around extrasolar planets. Jupiter's
large internal dynamo magnetic field generates a gigantic magnetosphere, which
is strongly rotational driven and possesses large plasma sources located deeply
within the magnetosphere. The combination of the latter two effects is the
primary reason for Jupiter's main auroral ovals. Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the
only known moon with an intrinsic dynamo magnetic field, which generates a
mini-magnetosphere located within Jupiter's larger magnetosphere including two
auroral ovals. Ganymede's magnetosphere is qualitatively different compared to
the one from Jupiter. It possesses no bow shock but develops Alfv\'en wings
similar to most of the extrasolar planets which orbit their host stars within
0.1 AU. New numerical models of Jupiter's and Ganymede's magnetospheres
presented here provide quantitative insight into the processes that maintain
these magnetospheres. Jupiter's magnetospheric field is approximately
time-periodic at the locations of Jupiter's moons and induces secondary
magnetic fields in electrically conductive layers such as subsurface oceans. In
the case of Ganymede, these secondary magnetic fields influence the oscillation
of the location of its auroral ovals. Based on dedicated Hubble Space Telescope
observations, an analysis of the amplitudes of the auroral oscillations
provides evidence that Ganymede harbors a subsurface ocean. Callisto in
contrast does not possess a mini-magnetosphere, but still shows a perturbed
magnetic field environment. Callisto's ionosphere and atmospheric UV emission
is different compared to the other Galilean satellites as it is primarily been
generated by solar photons compared to magnetospheric electrons.Comment: Chapter for Book: Planetary Magnetis
New results from the NA57 experiment
We report results from the experiment NA57 at CERN SPS on hyperon production
at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 GeV/ and 40 GeV/.
, and yields are compared with those from the STAR
experiment at the higher energy of the BNL RHIC. , , \
and preliminary transverse mass spectra are presented and interpreted
within the framework of a hydro-dynamical blast wave model.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, contribution to the proceedings of The XXXVIIIth
Rencontres de Moriond "QCD and High Energy Hadronic Interactions
Expansion dynamics of Pb-Pb collisions at 40 A GeV/c viewed by negatively charged hadrons
In this paper we present results on transverse mass spectra and Hanbury-Brown
and Twiss correlation functions of negatively charged hadrons, which are
expected to be mostly negative pions, measured in Pb-Pb collisions at 40 A
GeV/c beam momentum. Based on these data, the collision dynamics and the
space-time extent of the system at the thermal freeze-out are studied over a
centrality range corresponding to the most central 53% of the Pb--Pb inelastic
cross section. Comparisons with freeze-out conditions of strange particles and
HBT results from other experiments are discussed.Comment: 29 pages, 18 figure
- …