Implementation and comparison of the recent three-dimensional radiation stress theory and vortex-force formalism in an unstructured-grid coastal circulation model

Given the importance of wave-current interaction in estuarine and coastal dynamics, it is crucial to revisit impacts of surface gravity waves on three-dimensional (3D) nearshore circulation. This work investigates wave-induced circulation in three typical coastal systems including an idealized inlet and planar and natural barred beaches, by implementing the recent 3D radiation stress (RS) theory and vortex-force (VF) formalism to an unstructured-grid Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM). In the idealized inlet case, 3D RS generated appreciable currents near barriers and lateral boundaries while VF forced strong flows via breaking and roller-induced accelerations in front of the inlet. Both simulations indicate vertically varying wave-induced circulation that decreases markedly. In the planar beach with obliquely incident waves, both methods successfully produced surface onshore and bottom undertow, as well as the wave breaking and roller-induced longshore currents. Nevertheless, 3D RS generated unrealistic offshore currents close to the shoreline. The coupled models were validated against observations in the natural barred beach, and results indicate that the 3D RS model agrees slightly better with the observed longshore currents while 3D VF captures the vertical shear of the onshore-offshore flows reasonably. Further investigations suggest that both methods produce the wave breaking-induced surface onshore and bottom undertow successfully, yet they are located further offshore resulting from the 3D RS-induced unrealistic offshore currents. Successful implementations of the paired wave-current theories to the unstructured model would be fundamental and beneficial to the coastal ocean modeling communit

Facial expression based emotion recognition using neural networks

Facial emotion recognition has been extensively studied over the last decade due to its various applications in the fields such as human-computer interaction and data analytics. In this paper, we develop a facial emotion recognition approach to classify seven emotional states (joy, sadness, surprise, anger, fear, disgust and neutral). Seventeen action units tracked by Kinect v2 sensor have been used as features. Classification of emotions was performed by artificial neural networks (ANNs). Six subjects took part in the experiment. We have achieved average accuracy of 95.8% for the case in which we tested our approach with the same volunteers took part in our data generation process. We also evaluated the performance of the network with additional volunteers who were not part of the training data and achieved 67.03% classification accuracy

Superconductivity close to magnetic instability in Fe(Se 1-xTex)0.82

We report our study of the evolution of superconductivity and the phase diagram of the ternary Fe(Se1-xTex)0.82 (0≤x≤1.0) system. We discovered a superconducting phase with T c,max=14 K in the 0.3<x<1.0 range. This superconducting phase is suppressed when the sample composition approaches the end member FeTe 0.82, which exhibits an incommensurate antiferromagnetic order. We discuss the relationship between the superconductivity and magnetism of this material system in terms of recent results from neutron-scattering measurements. Our results and analyses suggest that superconductivity in this class of Fe-based compounds is associated with magnetic fluctuations and therefore may be unconventional in nature

Evaluating the Combined Effectiveness of Influenza Control Strategies and Human Preventive Behavior

Control strategies enforced by health agencies are a major type of practice to contain influenza outbreaks. Another type of practice is the voluntary preventive behavior of individuals, such as receiving vaccination, taking antiviral drugs, and wearing face masks. These two types of practices take effects concurrently in influenza containment, but little attention has been paid to their combined effectiveness. This article estimates this combined effectiveness using established simulation models in the urbanized area of Buffalo, NY, USA. Three control strategies are investigated, including: Targeted Antiviral Prophylaxis (TAP), workplace/school closure, community travel restriction, as well as the combination of the three. All control strategies are simulated with and without regard to individual preventive behavior, and the resulting effectiveness are compared. The simulation outcomes suggest that weaker control strategies could suffice to contain influenza epidemics, because individuals voluntarily adopt preventive behavior, rendering these weaker strategies more effective than would otherwise have been expected. The preventive behavior of individuals could save medical resources for control strategies and avoid unnecessary socio-economic interruptions. This research adds a human behavioral dimension into the simulation of control strategies and offers new insights into disease containment. Health policy makers are recommended to review current control strategies and comprehend preventive behavior patterns of local populations before making decisions on influenza containment

Glucosylsphingosine Is a Highly Sensitive and Specific Biomarker for Primary Diagnostic and Follow-Up Monitoring in Gaucher Disease in a Non-Jewish, Caucasian Cohort of Gaucher Disease Patients

Gaucher disease (GD) is the most common lysosomal storage disorder (LSD). Based on a deficient β-glucocerebrosidase it leads to an accumulation of glucosylceramide. Standard diagnostic procedures include measurement of enzyme activity, genetic testing as well as analysis of chitotriosidase and CCL18/PARC as biomarkers. Even though chitotriosidase is the most well-established biomarker in GD, it is not specific for GD. Furthermore, it may be false negative in a significant percentage of GD patients due to mutation. Additionally, chitotriosidase reflects the changes in the course of the disease belatedly. This further enhances the need for a reliable biomarker, especially for the monitoring of the disease and the impact of potential treatments.Here, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the previously reported biomarker Glucosylsphingosine with regard to different control groups (healthy control vs. GD carriers vs. other LSDs).Only GD patients displayed elevated levels of Glucosylsphingosine higher than 12 ng/ml whereas the comparison controls groups revealed concentrations below the pathological cut-off, verifying the specificity of Glucosylsphingosine as a biomarker for GD. In addition, we evaluated the biomarker before and during enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in 19 patients, demonstrating a decrease in Glucosylsphingosine over time with the most pronounced reduction within the first 6 months of ERT. Furthermore, our data reveals a correlation between the medical consequence of specific mutations and Glucosylsphingosine.In summary, Glucosylsphingosine is a very promising, reliable and specific biomarker for GD

Altered splicing of the BIN1 muscle-specific exon in humans and dogs with highly progressive centronuclear myopathy

Amphiphysin 2, encoded by BIN1, is a key factor for membrane sensing and remodelling in different cell types. Homozygous BIN1 mutations in ubiquitously expressed exons are associated with autosomal recessive centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a mildly progressive muscle disorder typically showing abnormal nuclear centralization on biopsies. In addition, misregulation of BIN1 splicing partially accounts for the muscle defects in myotonic dystrophy (DM). However, the muscle-specific function of amphiphysin 2 and its pathogenicity in both muscle disorders are not well understood. In this study we identified and characterized the first mutation affecting the splicing of the muscle-specific BIN1 exon 11 in a consanguineous family with rapidly progressive and ultimately fatal centronuclear myopathy. In parallel, we discovered a mutation in the same BIN1 exon 11 acceptor splice site as the genetic cause of the canine Inherited Myopathy of Great Danes (IMGD). Analysis of RNA from patient muscle demonstrated complete skipping of exon 11 and BIN1 constructs without exon 11 were unable to promote membrane tubulation in differentiated myotubes. Comparative immunofluorescence and ultrastructural analyses of patient and canine biopsies revealed common structural defects, emphasizing the importance of amphiphysin 2 in membrane remodelling and maintenance of the skeletal muscle triad. Our data demonstrate that the alteration of the muscle-specific function of amphiphysin 2 is a common pathomechanism for centronuclear myopathy, myotonic dystrophy, and IMGD. The IMGD dog is the first faithful model for human BIN1-related CNM and represents a mammalian model available for preclinical trials of potential therapies

Maternal corticotropin-releasing hormone is associated with LEP DNA methylation at birth and in childhood: an epigenome-wide study in Project Viva

BackgroundCorticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a central role in regulating the secretion of cortisol which controls a wide range of biological processes. Fetuses overexposed to cortisol have increased risks of disease in later life. DNA methylation may be the underlying association between prenatal cortisol exposure and health effects. We investigated associations between maternal CRH levels and epigenome-wide DNA methylation of cord blood in offsprings and evaluated whether these associations persisted into mid-childhood.MethodsWe investigated mother-child pairs enrolled in the prospective Project Viva pre-birth cohort. We measured DNA methylation in 257 umbilical cord blood samples using the HumanMethylation450 Bead Chip. We tested associations of maternal CRH concentration with cord blood cells DNA methylation, adjusting the model for maternal age at enrollment, education, maternal race/ethnicity, maternal smoking status, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, gestational age at delivery, child sex, and cell-type composition in cord blood. We further examined the persistence of associations between maternal CRH levels and DNA methylation in children's blood cells collected at mid-childhood (n = 239, age: 6.7-10.3 years) additionally adjusting for the children's age at blood drawn.ResultsMaternal CRH levels are associated with DNA methylation variability in cord blood cells at 96 individual CpG sites (False Discovery Rate &lt;0.05). Among the 96 CpG sites, we identified 3 CpGs located near the LEP gene. Regional analyses confirmed the association between maternal CRH and DNA methylation near LEP. Moreover, higher maternal CRH levels were associated with higher blood-cell DNA methylation of the promoter region of LEP in mid-childhood (P &lt; 0.05, β = 0.64, SE = 0.30).ConclusionIn our cohort, maternal CRH was associated with DNA methylation levels in newborns at multiple loci, notably in the LEP gene promoter. The association between maternal CRH and LEP DNA methylation levels persisted into mid-childhood

Slx8 removes Pli1-dependent protein-SUMO conjugates including SUMOylated Topoisomerase I to promote genome stability

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Multiple ITS Copies Reveal Extensive Hybridization within Rheum (Polygonaceae), a Genus That Has Undergone Rapid Radiation

During adaptive radiation events, characters can arise multiple times due to parallel evolution, but transfer of traits through hybridization provides an alternative explanation for the same character appearing in apparently non-sister lineages. The signature of hybridization can be detected in incongruence between phylogenies derived from different markers, or from the presence of two divergent versions of a nuclear marker such as ITS within one individual.In this study, we cloned and sequenced ITS regions for 30 species of the genus Rheum, and compared them with a cpDNA phylogeny. Seven species contained two divergent copies of ITS that resolved in different clades from one another in each case, indicating hybridization events too recent for concerted evolution to have homogenised the ITS sequences. Hybridization was also indicated in at least two further species via incongruence in their position between ITS and cpDNA phylogenies. None of the ITS sequences present in these nine species matched those detected in any other species, which provides tentative evidence against recent introgression as an explanation. Rheum globulosum, previously indicated by cpDNA to represent an independent origin of decumbent habit, is indicated by ITS to be part of clade of decumbent species, which acquired cpDNA of another clade via hybridization. However decumbent and glasshouse morphology are confirmed to have arisen three and two times, respectively.These findings suggested that hybridization among QTP species of Rheum has been extensive, and that a role of hybridization in diversification of Rheum requires investigation

Experimental Research on the Shear Connectors in Foam Concrete

In order to improve the longitudinal shear resistance between foam concrete and C-Channels, an investigation is carried out on the shear connectors in foam concrete with cold-formed steel double C-Channels embedment. Twenty-four tests have been carried out in two groups. Two types of connectors: flange connectors and web connectors are installed using self-drilling screws for a rapid construction. The experimental results show that they can effectively improve the longitudinal shear-resist capacity of the concrete. After the experiment, the specimens are dismantled for an interior observation. Based on the observation, the form of damage, the failure mechanism was discovered, and the equation of longitudinal shear capacity was developed. It is concluded that the failure involves independent slippage between two C-Channels and the shear connection fractures. Since the composite structure requires sufficient slip between the two materials, these types of shear connectors will have good enhancement for this type of composite structures subjected to dynamic loads