Distances from the Correlation between Galaxy Luminosities and Rotation Rates

A large luminosity--linewidth template sample is now available, improved absorption corrections have been derived, and there are a statistically significant number of galaxies with well determined distances to supply the zero point. A revised estimate of the Hubble Constant is H_0=77 +-4 km/s/Mpc where the error is the 95% probability statistical error. Systematic uncertainties are potentially twice as large.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures. Invited chapter for the book `Post-Hipparcos Cosmic Candles', Eds. F. Caputo and A. Heck (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht

Community Structure Characterization

This entry discusses the problem of describing some communities identified in a complex network of interest, in a way allowing to interpret them. We suppose the community structure has already been detected through one of the many methods proposed in the literature. The question is then to know how to extract valuable information from this first result, in order to allow human interpretation. This requires subsequent processing, which we describe in the rest of this entry

Non-structural protein 1 of avian influenza A viruses differentially inhibit NF-κB promoter activation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Influenza virus infection activates NF-κB and is a general prerequisite for a productive influenza virus infection. On the other hand, non-structural protein 1 (NS1) suppresses this viral activated NF-κB, presumably to prevent expression of NF-κB mediated anti-viral response. NS1 proteins of influenza A viruses are divided into two groups, known as allele A and allele B. The possible functional relevance of this NS1 division to viral pathogenicity is lacking.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The ability of NS1 protein from two avian influenza subtypes, H6N8 and H4N6, to inhibit NF-κB promoter activation was assessed. Further, efforts were made to characterize the genetic basis of this inhibition. We found that allele A NS1 proteins of H6N8 and H4N6 are significantly better in preventing dsRNA induced NF-κB promoter activation compared to allele B of corresponding subtypes, in a species independent manner. Furthermore, the ability to suppress NF-κB promoter activation was mapped to the effector domain while the RNA binding domain alone was unable to suppress this activation. Chimeric NS1 proteins containing either RNA binding domain of allele A and effector domain of allele B or vice versa, were equally potent in preventing NF-κB promoter activation compared to their wt. NS1 protein of allele A and B from both subtypes expressed efficiently as detected by Western blotting and predominantly localized in the nucleus in both A549 and MiLu cells as shown by <it>in situ </it>PLA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Here, we present another aspect of NS1 protein in inhibiting dsRNA induced NF-κB activation in an allele dependent manner. This suggests a possible correlation with the virus's pathogenic potential.</p

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Novel Mechanistic Insight into Murine Biological Responses to Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Lungs and Cultured Lung Epithelial Cells

There is great interest in substituting animal work with in vitro experimentation in human health risk assessment; however, there are only few comparisons of in vitro and in vivo biological responses to engineered nanomaterials. We used high-content genomics tools to compare in vivo pulmonary responses of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) to those in vitro in cultured lung epithelial cells (FE1) at the global transcriptomic level. Primary size, surface area and other properties of MWCNT- XNRI -7 (Mitsui7) were characterized using DLS, SEM and TEM. Mice were exposed via a single intratracheal instillation to 18, 54, or 162 μg of Mitsui7/mouse. FE1 cells were incubated with 12.5, 25 and 100 μg/ml of Mitsui7. Tissue and cell samples were collected at 24 hours post-exposure. DNA microarrays were employed to establish mechanistic differences and similarities between the two models. Microarray results were confirmed using gene-specific RT-qPCR. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was assessed for indications of inflammation in vivo. A strong dose-dependent activation of acute phase and inflammation response was observed in mouse lungs reflective mainly of an inflammatory response as observed in BAL. In vitro, a wide variety of core cellular functions were affected including transcription, cell cycle, and cellular growth and proliferation. Oxidative stress, fibrosis and inflammation processes were altered in both models. Although there were similarities observed between the two models at the pathway-level, the specific genes altered under these pathways were different, suggesting that the underlying mechanisms of responses are different in cells in culture and the lung tissue. Our results suggest that careful consideration should be given in selecting relevant endpoints when substituting animal with in vitro testing

Physiological dynamics of chemosynthetic symbionts in hydrothermal vent snails

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Breusing, C., Mitchell, J., Delaney, J., Sylva, S. P., Seewald, J. S., Girguis, P. R., & Beinart, R. A. Physiological dynamics of chemosynthetic symbionts in hydrothermal vent snails. Isme Journal, (2020), doi:10.1038/s41396-020-0707-2.Symbioses between invertebrate animals and chemosynthetic bacteria form the basis of hydrothermal vent ecosystems worldwide. In the Lau Basin, deep-sea vent snails of the genus Alviniconcha associate with either Gammaproteobacteria (A. kojimai, A. strummeri) or Campylobacteria (A. boucheti) that use sulfide and/or hydrogen as energy sources. While the A. boucheti host–symbiont combination (holobiont) dominates at vents with higher concentrations of sulfide and hydrogen, the A. kojimai and A. strummeri holobionts are more abundant at sites with lower concentrations of these reductants. We posit that adaptive differences in symbiont physiology and gene regulation might influence the observed niche partitioning between host taxa. To test this hypothesis, we used high-pressure respirometers to measure symbiont metabolic rates and examine changes in gene expression among holobionts exposed to in situ concentrations of hydrogen (H2: ~25 µM) or hydrogen sulfide (H2S: ~120 µM). The campylobacterial symbiont exhibited the lowest rate of H2S oxidation but the highest rate of H2 oxidation, with fewer transcriptional changes and less carbon fixation relative to the gammaproteobacterial symbionts under each experimental condition. These data reveal potential physiological adaptations among symbiont types, which may account for the observed net differences in metabolic activity and contribute to the observed niche segregation among holobionts.We thank the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the crew of the R/V Falkor and the pilots of the ROV ROPOS for facilitating the sample collections and shipboard experiments, and the Broad Institute Microbial ‘Omics Core for preparing and sequencing the transcriptomic libraries. This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers NSF OCE-1536653 (to PRG), OCE-1536331 (to RAB and JSS), OCE-1819530 and OCE-1736932 (to RAB)

A comprehensive 1000 Genomes-based genome-wide association meta-analysis of coronary artery disease

Existing knowledge of genetic variants affecting risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) is largely based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analysis of common SNPs. Leveraging phased haplotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project, we report a GWAS meta-analysis of 185 thousand CAD cases and controls, interrogating 6.7 million common (MAF>0.05) as well as 2.7 million low frequency (0.005<MAF<0.05) variants. In addition to confirmation of most known CAD loci, we identified 10 novel loci, eight additive and two recessive, that contain candidate genes that newly implicate biological processes in vessel walls. We observed intra-locus allelic heterogeneity but little evidence of low frequency variants with larger effects and no evidence of synthetic association. Our analysis provides a comprehensive survey of the fine genetic architecture of CAD showing that genetic susceptibility to this common disease is largely determined by common SNPs of small effect siz

Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of dynamic contrast-enhanced CT in the characterisation of solitary pulmonary nodules — the SPUtNIk study

$\textbf{Introduction:}$ Solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) are common on CT. The most cost-effective investigation algorithm is still to be determined. Dynamic contrastenhanced CT (DCE-CT) is an established diagnostic test not widely available in the UK currently. $\textbf{Methods and analysis:}$ The SPUtNIk study will assess the diagnostic accuracy, clinical utility and cost-effectiveness of DCE-CT, alongside the current CT and 18-flurodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography) ($^{18}$FDG-PET)-CT nodule characterisation strategies in the National Health Service (NHS). Image acquisition and data analysis for $^{18}$FDG-PET-CT and DCE-CT will follow a standardised protocol with central review of 10% to ensure quality assurance. Decision analytic modelling will assess the likely costs and health outcomes resulting from incorporation of DCE-CT into management strategies for patients with SPNs. $\textbf{Ethics and dissemination:}$ Approval has been granted by the South West Research Ethics Committee. Ethics reference number 12/SW/0206. The results of the trial will be presented at national and international meetings and published in an Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Monograph and in peer-reviewed journals.The trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Research HTA Programme (grant no: 09/22/117) and is being run by Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, directed by Professor Gareth Griffiths and part funded by Cancer Research UK. NRQ and RCR are part funded by the Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the Cancer Research Network: Eastern