Phase-specific signatures of wound fibroblasts and matrix patterns define cancer-associated fibroblast subtypes

Healing wounds and cancers present remarkable cellular and molecular parallels, but the specific roles of the healing phases are largely unknown. We developed a bioinformatics pipeline to identify genes and pathways that define distinct phases across the time-course of healing. Their comparison to cancer transcriptomes revealed that a resolution phase wound signature is associated with increased severity in skin cancer and enriches for extracellular matrix-related pathways. Comparisons of transcriptomes of early- and late-phase wound fibroblasts vs skin cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) identified an "early wound" CAF subtype, which localizes to the inner tumor stroma and expresses collagen-related genes that are controlled by the RUNX2 transcription factor. A "late wound" CAF subtype localizes to the outer tumor stroma and expresses elastin-related genes. Matrix imaging of primary melanoma tissue microarrays validated these matrix signatures and identified collagen- vs elastin-rich niches within the tumor microenvironment, whose spatial organization predicts survival and recurrence. These results identify wound-regulated genes and matrix patterns with prognostic potential in skin cancer

Recent Radiation Test Results for Power MOSFETs

Single-event effect (SEE) and total ionizing dose (TID) test results are presented for various hardened and commercial power metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), including vertical planar, trench, superjunction, and lateral process designs

National Status and Trends Bioeffects Program: field methods

Environmental quality indicators provide resource managers with information useful to assess coastal condition and scientifically defensible decisions. Since 1984, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program, has provided environmental monitoring data on chemical, physical, and biological indicators of coastal environments. The program has two major monitoring components to meet its goals. The Bioeffects Assessments Program evaluates the health of bays, estuaries, and the coastal zone around the nation using the Sediment Quality Triad technique that includes measuring sediment contaminant concentrations, sediment toxicity and benthic community structure. The Mussel Watch Program is responsible for temporal coastal monitoring of contaminant concentrations by quantifying chemicals in bivalve mollusks. The NS&T Program is committed to providing the highest quality data to meet its statutory and scientific responsibilities. Data, metadata and information products are managed within the guidance protocols and standards set forth by NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and the National Monitoring Network, as recommended by the 2004 Ocean Action Plan. Thus, to meet these data requirements, quality assurance protocols have been an integral part of the NS&T Program since its inception. Documentation of sampling and analytical methods is an essential part of quality assurance practices. A step-by–step summary of the Bioeffects Program’s field standard operation procedures (SOP) are presented in this manual

Recent Radiation Test Results for Trench Power MOSFETs

Single-event effect (SEE) radiation test results are presented for various trench-gate power MOSFETs. The heavy-ion response of the first (and only) radiation-hardened trench-gate power MOSFET is evaluated: the manufacturer SEE response curve is verified and importantly, no localized dosing effects are measured, distinguishing it from other, non-hardened trench-gate power MOSFETs. Evaluations are made of n-type commercial and both n- and p-type automotive grade trench-gate device using ions comparable to of those on the low linear energy transfer (LET) side of the iron knee of the galactic cosmic ray spectrum, to explore suitability of these parts for missions with higher risk tolerance and shorter duration, such as CubeSats. Part-to-part variability of SEE threshold suggests testing with larger sample sizes and applying more aggressive derating to avoid on-orbit failures. The n-type devices yielded expected localized dosing effects including when irradiated in an unbiased (0-V) configuration, adding to the challenge of inserting these parts into space flight missions

Effects of Ion Atomic Number on Single-Event Gate Rupture (SEGR) Susceptibility of Power MOSFETs

The relative importance of heavy-ion interaction with the oxide, charge ionized in the epilayer, and charge ionized in the drain substrate, on the bias for SEGR failure in vertical power MOSFETs is experimentally investigated. The results indicate that both the charge ionized in the epilayer and the ion atomic number are important parameters of SEGR failure. Implications on SEGR hardness assurance are discussed

Avances en la conservación y obtención de material selecto del Banco Nacional de Germoplasma de Prosopis, Córdoba, Argentina

El objetivo de esta revisión es presentar los avances en la conservación y en la obtención de material selecto del BNGP. El BNGP cuenta en el Banco Pasivo con 1.650 accesiones correspondientes a 1.106 árboles de nueve especies arbóreas de Prosopis y a 8 poblaciones de P. alba que se encuentran bajo estudio para constituirse en Áreas Productoras de Semillas (APS) o Rodales Semilleros (RS). Con la información del Banco de Datos desde 1986 y el aporte de investigaciones se crearon 6 RS en proceso de inscripción como Rodal Semillero, 14 APS inscriptas, 17 nuevas APS en la región del Espinal aún en estudio y 3 en el sur- oeste de Córdoba en proceso de inscripción. Los APS y RS logrados, inscriptos en INASE, se constituyen en material base para la obtención de semillas de las categorías “Fuente identificada” y “Seleccionada”, respectivamente, disponibles para abastecer a las necesidades de forestación.The objective of this review is to present the advances in conservation and procurement of se-lected material by the National Germplasm Bank of Prosopis (BNGP). The BNGP has 1,650 acces-sions in the Base Bank corresponding to 1,106 trees of 9 tree species of Prosopis and 8 populations of P. alba that are under study to become Seed Producing Areas (APS) or Seed Stands (RS). With the information from the BNGP data bank since 1986 and the contribution of investigations, 6 RS were created in the process of registration as RS, 14 registered APS, 17 new APS in the Espinal region still under study and 3 in the south-west of Cordoba in the registration process. The APS and RS achieved, registered in INASE, are constituted in base material for obtaining seeds of the cate-gories “Identifi ed source” and “Selected”, respectively, available to supply the afforestation needs.EEA La RiojaFil: Joseau, Marisa Jacqueline. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Departamento de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Frassoni, Javier. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Departamento de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Verzoni, G. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Departamento de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Rodriguez Reartes, S. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Departamento de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Verga, Anibal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja. Agencia De Extensión Rural La Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Lopez Lauenstein, Diego. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; Argentin

Annual variation in the levels of transcripts of sex-specific genes in the mantle of the common mussel, Mytilus edulis

Mytilus species are used as sentinels for the assessment of environmental health but sex or stage in the reproduction cycle is rarely considered even though both parameters are likely to influence responses to pollution. We have validated the use of a qPCR assay for sex identification and related the levels of transcripts to the reproductive cycle. A temporal study of mantle of Mytilus edulis found transcripts of male-specific vitelline coat lysin (VCL) and female-specific vitelline envelope receptor for lysin (VERL) could identify sex over a complete year. The levels of VCL/VERL were proportional to the numbers of sperm/ova and are indicative of the stage of the reproductive cycle. Maximal levels of VCL and VERL were found in February 2009 declining to minima between July - August before increasing and re-attaining a peak in February 2010. Water temperature may influence these transitions since they coincide with minimal water temperature in February and maximal temperature in August. An identical pattern of variation was found for a cryptic female-specific transcript (H5) but a very different pattern was observed for oestrogen receptor 2 (ER2). ER2 varied in a sex-specific way with male > female for most of the cycle, with a female maxima in July and a male maxima in December. Using artificially spawned animals, the transcripts for VCL, VERL and H5 were shown to be present in gametes and thus their disappearance from mantle is indicative of spawning. VCL and VERL are present at equivalent levels in February and July-August but during gametogenesis (August to January) and spawning (March to June) VCL is present at lower relative amounts than VERL. This may indicate sex-specific control mechanisms for these processes and highlight a potential pressure point leading to reduced reproductive output if environmental factors cause asynchrony to gamete maturation or release

Импортозамещение межсекционных уплотнений на примере многоступенчатого насоса "Grundfos"

Bronchoconstriction is a characteristic symptom of various chronic obstructive respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) are a suitable ex vivo model to study physiological mechanisms of bronchoconstriction in different species. In the present study, we established an ex vivo model of bronchoconstriction in non-human primates (NHPs). PCLS prepared from common marmosets, cynomolgus macaques, rhesus macaques, and anubis baboons were stimulated with increasing concentrations of representative bronchoconstrictors: methacholine, histamine, serotonin, leukotriene D4 (LTD4), U46619, and endothelin-1. Alterations in the airway caliber were measured and compared to previously published data from rodents, guinea pigs, and humans. Methacholine induced maximal airway constriction, varying between 74 and 88% in all NHP species, whereas serotonin was ineffective. Histamine induced maximal bronchoconstriction of 77 to 90% in rhesus macaques, cynomolgus macaques, and baboons, and a lesser constriction of 53% in marmosets. LTD4 was ineffective in marmosets and rhesus macaques, but induced a maximum constriction of 44 to 49% in cynomolgus macaques and baboons. U46619 and endothelin-1 caused airway constriction in all NHP species, with maximum constrictions of 65 to 91%, and 70 to 81%, respectively. In conclusion, PCLS from NHPs represent a valuable ex vivo model for studying bronchoconstriction. All NHPs respond to mediators relevant to human airway disorders such as methacholine, histamine, U46619, endothelin-1 and are insensitive to the rodent mast cell product serotonin. Only PCLS from cynomolgus macaques and baboons, however, responded also to leukotrienes, suggesting that among all compared species, these two NHPs resemble the human airway mechanisms bes

Compendium of Single Event Effects for Candidate Spacecraft Electronics for NASA

We present the results of single events effects (SEE) testing and analysis investigating the effects of radiation on electronics