Clinical management of a child with melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy

A rare case of melanotic neuroectodermal tumour of infancy affecting the maxilla is reported. These are rare, mainly benign neoplasms that present during infancy. Prompt surgery and rehabilitation using partial dentures are essential to minimise the effects of the deformity. The integrated surgical and prosthodontic management needed to attain good restoration of aesthetic and masticatory function in a child are emphasised. Additional partial dentures need to be made that accommodate the changes in the dental arch that occur as the child grows.published_or_final_versio

Ultrafast spectrum observation based on visualized spectro-temporal analyzer (ViSTA)

We present an ultrafast optical spectrum analyzing modality known as visualized spectro-temporal analyzer, which leverages the time-lens focusing mechanism, can realize frame rate as high as 100 MHz, with 0.02-nm resolution and –30-dBm detection sensitivity. © 2013 Optical Society of Americapublished_or_final_versio

Estimating Risks of Inapparent Avian Exposure for Human Infection: Avian Influenza Virus A (H7N9) in Zhejiang Province, China

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Simultaneous dual-band optical coherence tomography for endoscopic applications

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In situ epitaxial MgB2 thin films for superconducting electronics

A thin film technology compatible with multilayer device fabrication is critical for exploring the potential of the 39-K superconductor magnesium diboride for superconducting electronics. Using a Hybrid Physical-Chemical Vapor Deposition (HPCVD) process, it is shown that the high Mg vapor pressure necessary to keep the MgB$_2$ phase thermodynamically stable can be achieved for the {\it in situ} growth of MgB$_2$ thin films. The films grow epitaxially on (0001) sapphire and (0001) 4H-SiC substrates and show a bulk-like $T_c$ of 39 K, a $J_c$(4.2K) of $1.2 \times 10^7$ A/cm$^2$ in zero field, and a $H_{c2}(0)$ of 29.2 T in parallel magnetic field. The surface is smooth with a root-mean-square roughness of 2.5 nm for MgB$_2$ films on SiC. This deposition method opens tremendous opportunities for superconducting electronics using MgB$_2$

Eosinophil and T Cell Markers Predict Functional Decline in COPD Patients

BACKGROUND. The major marker utilized to monitor COPD patients is forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). However, asingle measurement of FEV1 cannot reliably predict subsequent decline. Recent studies indicate that T lymphocytes and eosinophils are important determinants of disease stability in COPD. We therefore measured cytokine levels in the lung lavage fluid and plasma of COPD patients in order to determine if the levels of T cell or eosinophil related cytokines were predictive of the future course of the disease. METHODS. Baseline lung lavage and plasma samples were collected from COPD subjects with moderately severe airway obstruction and emphysematous changes on chest CT. The study participants were former smokers who had not had a disease exacerbation within the past six months or used steroids within the past two months. Those subjects who demonstrated stable disease over the following six months (ΔFEV1 % predicted = 4.7 ± 7.2; N = 34) were retrospectively compared with study participants who experienced a rapid decline in lung function (ΔFEV1 % predicted = -16.0 ± 6.0; N = 16) during the same time period and with normal controls (N = 11). Plasma and lung lavage cytokines were measured from clinical samples using the Luminex multiplex kit which enabled the simultaneous measurement of several T cell and eosinophil related cytokines. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Stable COPD participants had significantly higher plasma IL-2 levels compared to participants with rapidly progressive COPD (p = 0.04). In contrast, plasma eotaxin-1 levels were significantly lower in stable COPD subjects compared to normal controls (p < 0.03). In addition, lung lavage eotaxin-1 levels were significantly higher in rapidly progressive COPD participants compared to both normal controls (p < 0.02) and stable COPD participants (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION. These findings indicate that IL-2 and eotaxin-1 levels may be important markers of disease stability in advanced emphysema patients. Prospective studies will need to confirm whether measuring IL-2 or eotaxin-1 can identify patients at risk for rapid disease progression.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NO1-HR-96140, NO1-HR-96141-001, NO1-HR-96144, NO1-HR-96143; NO1-HR-96145; NO1-HR-96142, R01HL086936-03); The Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute; the Jo-Ann F. LeBuhn Center for Chest Diseas

An effective non-parametric method for globally clustering genes from expression profiles

Clustering is widely used in bioinformatics to find gene correlation patterns. Although many algorithms have been proposed, these are usually confronted with difficulties in meeting the requirements of both automation and high quality. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for clustering genes from their expression profiles. The unique features of the proposed algorithm are twofold: it takes into consideration global, rather than local, gene correlation information in clustering processes; and it incorporates clustering quality measurement into the clustering processes to implement non-parametric, automatic and global optimal gene clustering. The evaluation on simulated and real gene data sets demonstrates the effectiveness of the algorithm. <br /

Consequences of epistasis on growth in an erhualian × white duroc pig cross

Epistasis describes an interaction between the effects of loci. We included epistasis in quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of growth at a series of ages in a cross of a Chinese pig breed, Erhualian, with a commercial line, White Duroc. Erhualian pigs have much lower growth rates than White Duroc. We improved a method for genomewide testing of epistasis and present a clear analysis workflow. We also suggest a new approach for interpreting epistasis results where significant additive and dominance effects of a locus in specific backgrounds are determined. In total, seventeen QTL were found and eleven showed epistasis. Loci on chromosomes 2, 3, 4 and 7 were highlighted as affecting growth at more than one age or forming an interaction network. Epistasis resulted in both the QTL on chromosomes 3 and 7 having effects in opposite directions. We believe it is the first time for the chromosome 7 locus that an allele from a Chinese breed has been found to decrease growth. The consequences of epistasis were diverse. Results were impacted by using growth rather than body weight as the phenotype and by correcting for an effect of mother. Epistasis made a considerable contribution to growth in this population and modelling epistasis was important for accurately determining QTL effects

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives