Pulse height response of an optical particle counter to monodisperse aerosols

The pulse height response of a right angle scattering optical particle counter has been investigated using monodisperse aerosols of polystyrene latex spheres, di-octyl phthalate and methylene blue. The results confirm previous measurements for the variation of mean pulse height as a function of particle diameter and show good agreement with the relative response predicted by Mie scattering theory. Measured cumulative pulse height distributions were found to fit reasonably well to a log normal distribution with a minimum geometric standard deviation of about 1.4 for particle diameters greater than about 2 micrometers. The geometric standard deviation was found to increase significantly with decreasing particle diameter

Combining Plant Pathogenic Fungi and the Leaf-Mining Fly, Hydrellia pakistanae, Increases Damage to Hydrilla

Four fungal species, F71PJ Acremonium sp., F531 Cylindrocarpon sp., F542, Botrytis sp., and F964 Fusarium culmorum [Wm. G. Sm.] Sacc. were recovered from hydrilla [ Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle] shoots or from soil and water surrounding hydrilla growing in ponds and lakes in Florida and shown to be capable of killing hydrilla in a bioassay. The isolates were tested singly and in combination with the leaf-mining fly, Hydrellia pakistanae (Diptera: Ephydridae), for their capability to kill or severely damage hydrilla in a bioassay

A cyclic peptide inhibitor of HIF-1 heterodimerization that inhibits hypoxia signaling in cancer cells

Hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor that acts as the master regulator of cellular response to reduced oxygen levels, thus playing a key role in the adaptation, survival and progression of tumors. Here we report cyclo-CLLFVY, identified from a library of 3.2 million cyclic hexapeptides using a genetically encoded high-throughput screening platform, as an inhibitor of the HIF-1α/HIF-1β protein-protein interaction in vitro and in cells. The identified compound inhibits HIF-1 dimerization and transcription activity by binding to the PAS-B domain of HIF-1α, reducing HIF-1-mediated hypoxia response signaling in a variety of cell lines, without affecting the function of the closely related HIF-2 isoform. The reported cyclic peptide demonstrates the utility of our high-throughput screening platform for the identification of protein-protein interaction inhibitors, and forms the starting point for the development of HIF-1 targeted cancer therapeutics

Aerothermodynamic Analysis of a Reentry Brazilian Satellite

This work deals with a computational investigation on the small ballistic reentry Brazilian vehicle SARA (acronyms for SAt\'elite de Reentrada Atmosf\'erica). Hypersonic flows over the vehicle SARA at zero-degree angle of attack in a chemical equilibrium and thermal non-equilibrium are modeled by the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, which has become the main technique for studying complex multidimensional rarefied flows, and that properly accounts for the non-equilibrium aspects of the flows. The emphasis of this paper is to examine the behavior of the primary properties during the high altitude portion of SARA reentry. In this way, velocity, density, pressure and temperature field are investigated for altitudes of 100, 95, 90, 85 and 80 km. In addition, comparisons based on geometry are made between axisymmetric and planar two-dimensional configurations. Some significant differences between these configurations were noted on the flowfield structure in the reentry trajectory. The analysis showed that the flow disturbances have different influence on velocity, density, pressure and temperature along the stagnation streamline ahead of the capsule nose. It was found that the stagnation region is a thermally stressed zone. It was also found that the stagnation region is a zone of strong compression, high wall pressure. Wall pressure distributions are compared with those of available experimental data and good agreement is found along the spherical nose for the altitude range investigated.Comment: The paper will be published in Vol. 42 of the Brazilian Journal of Physic

Superhydrophobic lab-on-chip measures secretome protonation state and provides a personalized risk assessment of sporadic tumour

Secretome of primary cultures is an accessible source of biological markers compared to more complex and less decipherable mixtures such as serum or plasma. The protonation state (PS) of secretome reflects the metabolism of cells and can be used for cancer early detection. Here, we demonstrate a superhydrophobic organic electrochemical device that measures PS in a drop of secretome derived from liquid biopsies. Using data from the sensor and principal component analysis (PCA), we developed algorithms able to efficiently discriminate tumour patients from non-tumour patients. We then validated the results using mass spectrometry and biochemical analysis of samples. For the 36 patients across three independent cohorts, the method identified tumour patients with high sensitivity and identification as high as 100% (no false positives) with declared subjects at-risk, for sporadic cancer onset, by intermediate values of PS. This assay could impact on cancer risk management, individual’s diagnosis and/or help clarify risk in healthy populations

ACTA OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGICA ITALICA

Presentiamo un caso di posizionamento di impianto cocleare in un uomo di 50 anni che, dopo aver subito tre anni prima un intervento per via retrosigmoidea per un neurinoma dellacustico in stadio 1, è stato colpito da ipoacusia improvvisa ipsilaterale sviluppando un intenso acufene. Dopo lattivazione dellimpianto lacufene è sceso da un grado 4 ad un grado 2 secondo il THI. Sono migliorate le capacità di localizzazione. Lascolto nel rumore (S/R + 7 dB) con il segnale proveniente dal lato operato è migliorato da 38 a 100%. Abbiamo inoltre verificato un significativo incremento dei punteggi relativi a spazialità e linguaggio del questionario Speech, spatial and qualities of sounds. In conclusione limpianto cocleare è una soluzione praticabile ed efficace in caso di insorgenza di ipoacusia ritardata dopo chirurgia conservativa del neurinoma dellacustico

Systematic review of the literature on the clinical effectiveness of the cochlear implant procedure in adult patients

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the results of scientific publications on the clinical effectiveness of the cochlear implant (CI) procedure in adults. The members of the Working Group first examined existing research evidence from the national and international literature and main international guidelines. They considered as universally accepted the usefulness/effectiveness of unilateral cochlear implantation in severelyprofoundly adult patients. Accordingly, they focused their attention on the systematic reviews addressing clinical effectiveness and cost/efficacy of CI procedures, with particular regard to the most controversial issues for which international consensus is still lacking. The following aspects were evaluated: monolateral CI in advanced-age adult patients; bilateral (simultaneous/sequential) CI vs. unilateral CI and vs. bimodal stimulation; benefits derived from the monolateral CI procedure in adult patients with prelingual deafness. With regard to CI in elderly patients, the selected studies document an improvement of the quality of life and perceptive abilities after CI, even if the benefits were found to be inferior in patients over 70 years at the time of surgery. Thus, from the results of the studies included in the review, advanced age is not a contraindication for the CI procedure. With respect to unilateral CI, bilateral CI offers advantages in hearing in noise, in sound localization and less during hearing in a silent environment. However, high interindividual variability is reported in terms of benefits from the second implant. With regard to CI in prelingually deaf adults, the selected studies document benefits deriving from the CI procedure in terms of improvement of perceptive abilities and in the quality of life after CI, as well as subjectively perceived benefits. However, there is high interindividual variability and the study sample is limited

Temperature-dependent development, cold tolerance, and potential distribution of cricotopus lebetis (Diptera: Chironomidae), a tip miner of hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae)

© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America. A chironomid midge, Cricotopus lebetis (Sublette) (Diptera: Chironomidae), was discovered attacking the apical meristems of Hydrilla verticillata (L.f. Royle) in Crystal River, Citrus Co., Florida in 1992. The larvae mine the stems of H. verticillata and cause basal branching and stunting of the plant. Temperature-dependent development, cold tolerance, and the potential distribution of the midge were investigated. The results of the temperature-dependent development study showed that optimal temperatures for larval development were between 20 and 30°C, and these data were used to construct a map of the potential number of generations per year of C. lebetis in Florida. Data from the cold tolerance study, in conjunction with historical weather data, were used to generate a predicted distribution of C. lebetis in the United States. A distribution was also predicted using an ecological niche modeling approach by characterizing the climate at locations where C. lebetis is known to occur and then finding other locations with similar climate. The distributions predicted using the two modeling approaches were not significantly different and suggested that much of the southeastern United States was climatically suitable for C. lebetis

Cytoplasmic cleavage of IMPA1 3' UTR is necessary for maintaining axon integrity

The 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTRs) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are non-coding sequences involved in many aspects of mRNA metabolism, including intracellular localization and translation. Incorrect processing and delivery of mRNA cause severe developmental defects and have been implicated in many neurological disorders. Here, we use deep sequencing to show that in sympathetic neuron axons, the 3′ UTRs of many transcripts undergo cleavage, generating isoforms that express the coding sequence with a short 3′ UTR and stable 3′ UTR-derived fragments of unknown function. Cleavage of the long 3′ UTR of Inositol Monophosphatase 1 (IMPA1) mediated by a protein complex containing the endonuclease argonaute 2 (Ago2) generates a translatable isoform that is necessary for maintaining the integrity of sympathetic neuron axons. Thus, our study provides a mechanism of mRNA metabolism that simultaneously regulates local protein synthesis and generates an additional class of 3′ UTR-derived RNAs

Healthy aging in elderly cochlear implant recipients: a multinational observational study

Background: Given an increase in the aging population and its impact on healthcare systems, policy makers for provision of health and social services are aiming to keep older adults in good health for longer, in other words towards ‘healthy aging’. Our study objective is to show that rehabilitation with cochlear implant treatment in the elderly with hearing impairment improves the overall health-related quality of life and general well-being that translate into healthy aging. Methods: The multicentre, prospective, repeated measures, single-subject, clinical observational study will accrue 100 elderly, first-time, unilateral CI recipients (≥ 60 years) and analyze changes on specific measurement tools over ca. 20 months from preimplant to postimplant. Evaluations will consist of details collected through case history and interview questionnaires by clinicians, data logging, self-report questionnaires completed by the recipients and a series of commonly used audiometric measures and geriatric assessment tools. The primary indicator of changes in overall quality of life will be the HUI-3. Discussion: The protocol is designed to make use of measurement tools that have already been applied to the hearing-impaired population in order to compare effects of CI rehabilitation in adults immediately before their implantation, (pre-implant) and after gaining 1–1.5 years of experience (post-implant). The broad approach will lead to a greater understanding of how useful hearing impacts the quality of life in elderly individuals, and thus improves potentials for healthy aging. Outcomes will be described and analyzed in detail. Trial registration: This research has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/), 7 March 2017 under the n° NCT03072862