Clonal Composition of Human Adrenocortical Neoplasms

The mechanisms of tumorigenesis of adrenocortical neoplasms are still not understood. Tumor formation may be the result of spontaneous transformation of adrenocortical cells by somatic mutations. Another factor stimulating adrenocortical cell growth and potentially associated with formation of adrenal adenomas and, less frequently, carcinomas is the chronic elevation of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides in diseases like ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. To further investigate the pathogenesis of adrenocortical neoplasms, we studied the clonal composition of such tumors using X-chromosome inactivation analysis of the highly polymorphic region Xcen-Xp11.4 with the hybridization probe M27ß, which maps to a variable number of tandem repeats on the X-chromsome. In addition, polymerase chain reaction amplification of a phosphoglycerokinase gene polymorphism was performed. After DNA extraction from tumorous adrenal tissue and normal leukocytes in parallel, the active X-chromosome of each sample was digested with the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII. A second digestion with an appropriate restriction enzyme revealed the polymorphism of the region Xcen-Xp11.4 and the phosphoglycerokinase locus. Whereas in normal polyclonal tissue both the paternal and maternal alleles are detected, a monoclonal tumor shows only one of the parental alleles. A total of 21 female patients with adrenal lesions were analyzed; 17 turned out to be heterozygous for at least one of the loci. Our results were as follows: diffuse (n = 4) and nodular (n = 1) adrenal hyperplasia in patients with ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome, polyclonal pattern; adrenocortical adenomas (n = 8), monoclonal (n = 7), as well as polyclonal (n = 1); adrenal carcinomas (n = 3), monoclonal pattern. One metastasis of an adrenocortical carcinoma showed a pattern most likely due to tumor-associated loss of methylation. In the special case of a patient with bilateral ACTH-independent macronodular hyperplasia, diffuse hyperplastic areas and a small nodule showed a polyclonal pattern, whereas a large nodule was monoclonal. We conclude that most adrenal adenomas and carcinomas are monoclonal, whereas diffuse and nodular adrenal hyperplasias are polyclonal. The clonal composition of ACTH-independent massive macronodular hyperplasia seems to be heterogeneous, consisting of polyclonal and monoclonal areas

A survey of cognitive radio handoff schemes, challenges and issues for industrial wireless sensor networks (CR-IWSN)

Industrial wireless sensor network (IWSN) applications are mostly time-bound, mission-critical and highly delay sensitive applications therefore IWSN defines strict, stringent and unique QoS requirements such as timeliness, reliability and availability. In IWSN, unlike other sensor networks, late arrival of packets or delay or disruption to an on-going communication are considered as critical failure. Also, because IWSN is deployed in the overcrowded industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band it is difficult to meet this unique QoS requirements due to stiff competition for bandwidth from other technologies operating in ISM band resulting in scarcity of spectrum for reliable communication and/or disruption of ongoing communication. However, cognitive radio (CR) provides more spectral opportunities through opportunistic-use of unused licensed spectrum while ensuring minimal interference to licensed users. Similarly, spectrum handoff, which is a new type of handoff in cognitive radio, has the potential to offer increase bandwidth, reliable, smooth and interference-free communication for IWSNs through opportunistic-use of spectrum, minimal switching-delays, and efficient target channel selection strategies as well as effective link recovery maintenance. As a result, a new paradigm known as cognitive radio industrial wireless sensor network (CR-IWSN) has become the interest of recent research efforts. In this paper, we highlight and discuss important QoS requirements of IWSN as well as efforts of existing IWSN standards to address the challenges. We discuss the potential and how cognitive radio and spectrum handoff can be useful in the attempt to provide real-time reliable and smooth communication for IWSNs.The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa [ICT: Meraka].http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jnca2018-11-01hj2017Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineerin

A cuckoo search optimization-based forward consecutive mean excision model for threshold adaptation in cognitive radio

The forward consecutive mean excision (FCME) algorithm is one of the most effective adaptive threshold estimation algorithms presently deployed for threshold adaptation in cognitive radio (CR) systems. However, its effectiveness is often limited by the manual parameter tuning process and by the lack of prior knowledge pertaining to the actual noise distribution considered during the parameter modeling process of the algorithm. In this paper, we propose a new model that can automatically and accurately tune the parameters of the FCME algorithm based on a novel integration with the cuckoo search optimization (CSO) algorithm. Our model uses the between-class variance function of the Otsu’s algorithm as the objective function in the CSO algorithm in order to auto-tune the parameters of the FCME algorithm. We compared and selected the CSO algorithm based on its relatively better timing and accuracy performance compared to some other notable metaheuristics such as the particle swarm optimization, artificial bee colony (ABC), genetic algorithm, and the differential evolution (DE) algorithms. Following close performance values, our findings suggest that both the DE and ABC algorithms can be adopted as favorable substitutes for the CSO algorithm in our model. Further simulation results show that our model achieves reasonably lower probability of false alarm and higher probability of detection as compared to the baseline FCME algorithm under different noise-only and signal-plus-noise conditions. In addition, we compared our model with some other known autonomous methods with results demonstrating improved performance. Thus, based on our new model, users are relieved from the cumbersome process involved in manually tuning the parameters of the FCME algorithm; instead, this can be done accurately and automatically for the user by our model. Essentially, our model presents a fully blind signal detection system for use in CR and a generic platform deployable to convert other parameterized adaptive threshold algorithms into fully autonomous algorithms.http://link.springer.com/journal/5002020-11-03hj2020Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineerin

"Hanging gardens" - comparing fauna communities in kelp farms and wild kelp forests

A growing need for food is causing increased interest for seaweed farming globally. This requires knowledge of the industry’s effects on the marine environment. We therefore aimed to explore the communities hosted by a kelp farm compared to that of wild kelp forests. The study was performed in mid-western Norway. Kelp associated fauna were collected from farmed kelp (Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta), in wild kelp forests (S. latissima, A. esculenta and Laminaria hyperborea), and from fauna traps in the water column. The study showed that the kelp farm had lower taxa abundance and richness and a lower biodiversity than the wild kelp forests. Nonetheless, the farmed kelp hosted many associated species, with communities different from what was found on ropes without kelp (i.e., in the water column). The fauna communities among the farmed kelp were more similar to what was found in the wild L. hyperborea kelp forest than to its wild counterparts. The difference between the fauna communities of ‘old’ and ‘young’ farmed kelp (grown for 3 and 7 months, respectively) was not significant, but the fauna was dominated by the isopod species Idotea pelagica in the young forest and by amphipods, mainly belonging to the genus Caprella, in the older. The study contributes to our knowledge of kelp farms’ ecological role in the marine environment, which is of importance for today’s management as well as for ensuring a sustainable future development of the kelp farming industry.publishedVersio

Light in the Polar Night

How much light isa vailable for biological processes during Polar Night? This question appears simple enough. But the reality is that conventional light sen- sors for measuring visible light (~350 to ~700 nm) have not been sensitive enough to answer it. Beyond this technical challenge, “light” is a general term that must be qualified in terms of “light climate” before it has meaning for biological systems. In this chapter, we provide an answer to the question posed above and explore aspects of light climate during Polar Night with relevance to biology, specifically, how Polar Night is defined by solar elevation, atmospheric light in Polar Night and its propaga- tion underwater, bioluminescence in Polar Night and the concept of Polar Night as a deep-sea analogue, light pollution, and future perspectives. This chapter focuses on the quantity and quality of light present during Polar Night, while subsequent chapters in this volume focus on specific biological effects of this light for algae (Chap. “Marine Micro- and Macroalgae in the Polar Night”), zooplankton (Chaps.“Zooplankton in the Polar Night” and “Biological Clocks and Rhythms in Polar Organisms”), and fish (Chap. “Fish Ecology in the Polar Night”)

Comparing nuclear power trajectories in Germany and the UK: from ‘regimes' to ‘democracies’ in sociotechnical transitions and Discontinuities

This paper focuses on arguably the single most striking contrast in contemporary major energy politics in Europe (and even the developed world as a whole): the starkly differing civil nuclear policies of Germany and the UK. Germany is seeking entirely to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Yet the UK advocates a ‘nuclear renaissance’, promoting the most ambitious new nuclear construction programme in Western Europe.Here,this paper poses a simple yet quite fundamental question: what are the particular divergent conditions most strongly implicated in the contrasting developments in these two countries. With nuclear playing such an iconic role in historical discussions over technological continuity and transformation, answering this may assist in wider understandings of sociotechnical incumbency and discontinuity in the burgeoning field of‘sustainability transitions’. To this end, an ‘abductive’ approach is taken: deploying nine potentially relevant criteria for understanding the different directions pursued in Germany and the UK. Together constituted by 30 parameters spanning literatures related to socio-technical regimes in general as well as nuclear technology in particular, the criteria are divided into those that are ‘internal’ and ‘external’ to the ‘focal regime configuration’ of nuclear power and associated ‘challenger technologies’ like renewables. It is ‘internal’ criteria that are emphasised in conventional sociotechnical regime theory, with ‘external’ criteria relatively less well explored. Asking under each criterion whether attempted discontinuation of nuclear power would be more likely in Germany or the UK, a clear picture emerges. ‘Internal’ criteria suggest attempted nuclear discontinuation should be more likely in the UK than in Germany– the reverse of what is occurring. ‘External’ criteria are more aligned with observed dynamics –especially those relating to military nuclear commitments and broader ‘qualities of democracy’. Despite many differences of framing concerning exactly what constitutes ‘democracy’, a rich political science literature on this point is unanimous in characterising Germany more positively than the UK. Although based only on a single case,a potentially important question is nonetheless raised as to whether sociotechnical regime theory might usefully give greater attention to the general importance of various aspects of democracy in constituting conditions for significant technological discontinuities and transformations. If so, the policy implications are significant. A number of important areas are identified for future research, including the roles of diverse understandings and specific aspects of democracy and the particular relevance of military nuclear commitments– whose under-discussion in civil nuclear policy literatures raises its own questions of democratic accountability

In Vitro Cultures of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese Magnolia Vine)—a Potential Biotechnological Rich Source of Therapeutically Important Phenolic Acids

The contents of free phenolic acids and cinnamic acid were determined using an HPLC method in methanolic extracts from biomass of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (Chinese magnolia vine) at different stages of organogenesis, cultured in vitro on a few variants of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, containing different concentrations of plant growth regulators 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (from 0.1 to 3.0 mg/l) and in extracts from overground parts of plants growing in vivo. Six of 12 analysed compounds were detected in all extracts: chlorogenic, p-coumaric, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, salicylic and syringic acids. Total contents of the examined metabolites in biomass of shoot-differentiating callus culture cultivated on six MS medium variants were dependent on concentrations of growth regulators in the media and ranged from 14.90 to 60.05 mg/100 g d.w. Total contents of the compounds in biomass extracts from undifferentiating callus culture maintained only on two of six MS medium variants were higher and amounted to 74.54 and 78.24 mg/100 g d.w. Maximum total contents of phenolic acids in both types of in vitro cultures were greater than in fruits (55.73 mg/100 g d.w.) and leaves (4.55 mg/100 g d.w.) of plants gowning in vivo. Chlorogenic acid and salicylic acid were the main compounds identified in biomass extracts of shoot-differentiating callus cultures (max 22.60 and 21.17 mg/100 g d.w., respectively), while chlorogenic acid (max 38.43 mg/100 g d.w.) and protocatechuic acid (max 20.95 mg/100 g d.w.) prevailed in the extracts from undifferentiating callus cultures. Other compounds dominated in fruits, namely p-coumaric acid (23.36 mg/100 g d.w.) and syringic acid (14.96 mg/100 g d.w.). This is the first report on biochemical potential of cells from S. chinensis in vitro cultures to produce the biologically active phenolic acids. These are the first results on the analysis of this group of metabolites in overground parts of plants growing in vivo, too