Spatial Variability of Shortwave Irradiance for Snowmelt in Forests

The spatial variation of melt energy can influence snow cover depletion rates and in turn be influenced by the spatial variability of shortwave irradiance to snow. The spatial variability of shortwave irradiance during melt under uniform and discontinuous evergreen canopies at a U. S. Rocky Mountains site was measured, analyzed, and then compared to observations from mountain and boreal forests in Canada. All observations used arrays of pyranometers randomly spaced under evergreen canopies of varying structure and latitude. The spatial variability of irradiance for both overcast and clear conditions declined dramatically, as the sample averaging interval increased from minutes to 1 day. At daily averaging intervals, there was little influence of cloudiness on the variability of subcanopy irradiance; instead, it was dominated by stand structure. The spatial variability of irradiance on daily intervals was higher for the discontinuous canopies, but it did not scale reliably with canopy sky view. The spatial variation in irradiance resulted in a coefficient of variation of melt energy of 0.23 for the set of U. S. and Canadian stands. This variability in melt energy smoothed the snow-covered area depletion curve in a distributed melt simulation, thereby lengthening the duration of melt by 20%. This is consistent with observed natural snow cover depletion curves and shows that variations in melt energy and snow accumulation can influence snow-covered area depletion under forest canopies

Investigating Perceptual Congruence Between Data and Display Dimensions in Sonification

The relationships between sounds and their perceived meaning and connotations are complex, making auditory perception an important factor to consider when designing sonification systems. Listeners often have a mental model of how a data variable should sound during sonification and this model is not considered in most data:sound mappings. This can lead to mappings that are difficult to use and can cause confusion. To investigate this issue, we conducted a magnitude estimation experiment to map how roughness, noise and pitch relate to the perceived magnitude of stress, error and danger. These parameters were chosen due to previous findings which suggest perceptual congruency between these auditory sensations and conceptual variables. Results from this experiment show that polarity and scaling preference are dependent on the data:sound mapping. This work provides polarity and scaling values that may be directly utilised by sonification designers to improve auditory displays in areas such as accessible and mobile computing, process-monitoring and biofeedback

The validation of ozone measurements from the improved stratospheric and mesospheric sounder

We present preliminary results of the validation of ozone measurements from the Improved Stratospheric and Mesospheric Sounder (ISAMS). The indications are that the ISAMS provides ozone data which generally agrees with other experiments and climatological values, except in regions of large thermal gradients or high aerosol loading. Corrections for these effects will be included in future reprocessing of the data

Feasibility and safety of mass drug coadministration with azithromycin and ivermectin for the control of neglected tropical diseases: a single-arm intervention trial.

BACKGROUND: Mass drug administration has made a major contribution to the public health control of several important neglected tropical diseases. For settings with more than one endemic disease, combined mass drug administration has potential practical advantages compared with separate programmes but needs confirmation of feasibility and safety. We undertook a study of mass drug administration in the Solomon Islands for trachoma and scabies control using ivermectin and azithromycin, key drugs in the control of neglected tropical diseases worldwide. METHODS: The entire population of Choiseul province, Solomon Islands, was eligible to participate. An azithromycin-based mass drug administration regimen was offered in line with standard recommendations for trachoma elimination (oral azithromycin or topical tetracycline). An ivermectin-based mass drug administration regimen was offered at the same time (oral ivermectin or topical permethrin), with a further dose 7-14 days later, using a modified version of a regimen demonstrated to be effective for scabies control. All participants underwent safety assessments 7-14 days later. Participants in ten randomly selected sentinel villages underwent a more detailed safety assessment. Routine health system reports of hospital or clinic admissions and deaths were also obtained to compare health outcomes in the 12 month period before and after the mass drug administration. FINDINGS: The study enrolled 26 188 participants, 99·3% of the estimated resident population as determined at the 2009 census. Of those enrolled, 25 717 (98·2%) received the trachoma regimen and 25 819 (98·6%) received the first dose of the scabies regimen between Sept 1, and Oct 2, 2015. A second dose of the scabies regimen was received by 21 931 (83·7%) of participants. Adverse events, all mild and transient, were recorded in 571 (2·6%) of the entire study population and 58 (4·1%) of participants in the ten sentinel villages. In the 12 months before and after the mass drug administration the numbers of hospital admissions (1530 vs 1602) and deaths (73 vs 83) were similar. In the month after the mass drug administration, 84 individuals were admitted to hospital and two died, compared with a monthly median of 116 admissions (IQR 106-159) and six deaths (IQR 4-7) in the 12 months before and after the mass drug administration. INTERPRETATION: In the largest trial so far involving coadministration of regimens based on ivermectin and azithromycin, the combination was safe and feasible in a population of more than 26 000 people. Coadministration of mass drug administration based on these two drugs opens up new potential for the control of neglected tropical diseases. FUNDING: International Trachoma Initiative, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust, Wellcome Trust

Therapeutic efficacy of anti-ErbB2 immunoliposomes targeted by a phage antibody selected for cellular endocytosis

AbstractMany targeted cancer therapies require endocytosis of the targeting molecule and delivery of the therapeutic agent to the interior of the tumor cell. To generate single chain Fv (scFv) antibodies capable of triggering receptor-mediated endocytosis, we previously developed a method to directly select phage antibodies for internalization by recovering infectious phage from the cytoplasm of the target cell. Using this methodology, we reported the selection of a panel of scFv that were internalized into breast cancer cells from a nonimmune phage library. For this work, an immunotherapeutic was generated from one of these scFv (F5), which bound to ErbB2 (HER2/neu). The F5 scFv was reengineered with a C-terminal cysteine, expressed at high levels in Escherichia coli, and coupled to sterically stabilized liposomes. F5 anti-ErbB2 immunoliposomes were immunoreactive as determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and were avidly internalized by ErbB2-expressing tumor cell lines in proportion to the levels of ErbB2 expression. F5-scFv targeted liposomes containing doxorubicin had antitumor activity and produced significant reduction in tumor size in xenografted mice compared to nontargeted liposomes containing doxorubicin. This strategy should be applicable to generate immunotherapeutics for other malignancies by selecting phage antibodies for internalization into other tumor types and using the scFv to target liposomes or other nanoparticles

Diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin reduces blood transfusion in noncardiac surgery: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial.

UNLABELLED: In this randomized, prospective, double-blinded clinical trial, we sought to investigate whether diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin (DCLHb) can reduce the perioperative use of allogeneic blood transfusion. One-hundred-eighty-one elective surgical patients were enrolled at 19 clinical sites from 1996 to 1998. Selection criteria included anticipated transfusion of 2-4 blood units, aortic repair, and major joint or abdomino-pelvic surgery. Once a decision to transfuse had been made, patients received initially up to 3 250-mL infusions of 10% DCLHb (n = 92) or 3 U of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) (n = 89). DCLHb was infused during a 36-h perioperative window. On the day of surgery, 58 of 92 (64%; confidence interval [CI], 54%-74%) DCLHb-treated patients received no allogeneic PRBC transfusions. On Day 1, this number was 44 of 92 (48%; CI, 37%-58%) and decreased further until Day 7, when it was 21 of 92 (23%; CI, 15%-33%). During the 7-day period, 2 (1-4) units of PRBC per patient were used in the DCLHb group compared with 3 (2-4) units in the control patients (P = 0.002; medians and 25th and 75th percentiles). Mortality (4% and 3%, respectively) and incidence of suffering at least one serious adverse event (21% and 15%, respectively) were similar in DCLHb and PRBC groups. The incidence of jaundice, urinary side effects, and pancreatitis were more frequent in DCLHb patients. The study was terminated early because of safety concerns. Whereas the side-effect profile of modified hemoglobin solutions needs to be improved, our data show that hemoglobin solutions can be effective at reducing exposure to allogeneic blood for elective surgery. IMPLICATIONS: In a randomized, double-blinded red blood cell controlled, multicenter trial, diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin spared allogeneic transfusion in 23% of patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery. The observed side-effect profile indicates a need for improvement in hemoglobin development

The Grizzly, February 22, 2000

Black History Celebrated Across Ursinus Campus • Greeks Fall Under Scrutiny • Arts Program to Expand at UC • Nobel Laureate Lecture Draws Positive Student Response • Littleton, Letterman and the South Carolina Primary • After South Carolina: Can McCain be the Man for the GOP? • Pledging Debate Continues: The Problem of Hazing • Pat McGee: Pseudo DMB? • Valentine\u27s Day Blues • Tumbling and Dancing with Words • Music Review: Dr. John • Glah, Druckenmiller Shine at CC Swimming Championships • UC Wrestling Falls Short in Centennial Championships • UC Spring Sports Preview • Gymnastics Trounces School Record at Marranca Invitational • Men\u27s Basketball Ends Stellar Season • Sports Profile: Christopher Ciuncihttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1460/thumbnail.jp

Measurements of stratospheric constituents by ISAMS

ISAMS is a limb sounding radiometer flying on the UARS, and designed to measure temperature, pressure, O3, CO, NO, NO2, N2O5, HNO3, CH4, H2O, N2O, and aerosol. Its capabilities are described, together with the present status of validation of its data products, and plans for future improvement

RNAi dynamics in juvenile Fasciola spp. liver flukes reveals the persistence of gene silencing in vitro

Fasciola spp. liver fluke cause pernicious disease in humans and animals. Whilst current control is unsustainable due to anthelmintic resistance, gene silencing (RNA interference, RNAi) has the potential to contribute to functional validation of new therapeutic targets. The susceptibility of juvenile Fasciola hepatica to double stranded (ds)RNA-induced RNAi has been reported. To exploit this we probe RNAi dynamics, penetrance and persistence with the aim of building a robust platform for reverse genetics in liver fluke. We describe development of standardised RNAi protocols for a commercially-available liver fluke strain (the US Pacific North West Wild Strain), validated via robust transcriptional silencing of seven virulence genes, with in-depth experimental optimisation of three: cathepsin L (FheCatL) and B (FheCatB) cysteine proteases, and a σ-class glutathione transferase (FheσGST).Robust transcriptional silencing of targets in both F. hepatica and Fasciola gigantica juveniles is achievable following exposure to long (200-320 nt) dsRNAs or 27 nt short interfering (si)RNAs. Although juveniles are highly RNAi-susceptible, they display slower transcript and protein knockdown dynamics than those reported previously. Knockdown was detectable following as little as 4h exposure to trigger (target-dependent) and in all cases silencing persisted for ≥25 days following long dsRNA exposure. Combinatorial silencing of three targets by mixing multiple long dsRNAs was similarly efficient. Despite profound transcriptional suppression, we found a significant time-lag before the occurrence of protein suppression; FheσGST and FheCatL protein suppression were only detectable after 9 and 21 days, respectively.In spite of marked variation in knockdown dynamics, we find that a transient exposure to long dsRNA or siRNA triggers robust RNAi penetrance and persistence in liver fluke NEJs supporting the development of multiple-throughput phenotypic screens for control target validation. RNAi persistence in fluke encourages in vivo studies on gene function using worms exposed to RNAi-triggers prior to infection