The challenges of using blood-based miRNAs in the clinic

This preprint addresses the enormous challenges confronting researchers invested in serum miRNAs and their potential use as clinical biomarkers. We discuss some of the inherent technical obstacles and suggest several possible solutions. We hope to encourage all researchers to be united and collaborative in the pursuit of delivering clinically relevant biomarkers in the near future

Determinants of frailty development and progression using a multidimensional frailty index: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Objective To identify modifiable risk factors for development and progression of frailty in older adults living in England, as conceptualised by a multidimensional frailty index (FI). Methods Data from participants aged 50 and over from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) was used to examine potential determinants of frailty, using a 56-item FI comprised of self-reported health conditions, disabilities, cognitive function, hearing, eyesight, depressive symptoms and ability to carry out activities of daily living. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to measure frailty development (n = 7420) and linear regression models to measure frailty progression over 12 years follow-up (n = 8780). Results Increasing age (HR: 1.08 (CI: 1.08–1.09)), being in the lowest wealth quintile (HR: 1.79 (CI: 1.54–2.08)), lack of educational qualifications (HR: 1.19 (CI: 1.09–1.30)), obesity (HR: 1.33 (CI: 1.18–1.50) and a high waist-hip ratio (HR: 1.25 (CI: 1.13–1.38)), being a current or previous smoker (HR: 1.29 (CI: 1.18–1.41)), pain (HR: 1.39 (CI: 1.34–1.45)), sedentary behaviour (HR: 2.17 (CI: 1.76–2.78) and lower body strength (HR: 1.07 (CI: 1.06–1.08)), were all significant risk factors for frailty progression and incidence after simultaneous adjustment for all examined factors. Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that there may be scope to reduce both frailty incidence and progression by trialling interventions aimed at reducing obesity and sedentary behaviour, increasing intensity of physical activity, and improving success of smoking cessation tools. Furthermore, improving educational outcomes and reducing poverty may also reduce inequalities in frailty

Advanced robust tracking control of a powered wheelchair system.

In this paper, the dynamic multivariable model of the wheelchair system is obtained including the presence of transportation lags. The triangular diagonal dominance (TDD) decoupling technique is applied to reduce this multivariable control problem into two independent scalar control problems. An advanced robust control technique for the wheelchair has been developed based on the combination of a TDD decoupling strategy and neural network controller design. The results obtained from the real-time implementation confirm that robust performance for this multivariable wheelchair control system can indeed be achieved

Practical Algebraic Attacks on the Hitag2 Stream Cipher in RFID Transponders

Talk given at eSmart 2010. How to attack the Hitag2 cipher in RFID trannsponders

The Effect of Guided Writing Technique and Anxiety Upon Writing Competency

This research aimed at investigating the effect of guided writing and anxiety upon writing competency. It was an experimental research with 2x2 factorial design. The result showed that (a) there was significant difference in writing competency between the students taught by guided writing technique and those taught by conventional technique, b) there was an interactional effect between the implementation of guided writing and the students' anxiety, (c) there was significant different in the writing competency between the students' with high anxiety, taught by implementing guided writing technique and those who are taught by conventional technique, (d) there was significant different in the writing competency between the students' with low anxiety, taught by implementing guided writing technique and those who are taught by conventional technique, (e) the implementation of guided writing technique was responded in a more positive way by the students with high anxiety rather than by the ones with low anxiety

Analisa Efektifitas Pola Injeksi Air Antara Normal Dan Inverted Five Spot Simulasi Reservoir Lapangan Dnt

Pada lapangan DNT akan dilakukan penginjeksian dengan menganalisa dari optimasi scenarioyang akan dibuat oleh medeling yang dilakukan dengan software modeling dimanis / simulasireservoir. Lapangan DNT memiliki OOIP 10.1 MMM3 dan mechanism water drive. Lapangan inidilakukan 3 scenario injeksi yaitu inverted five spot yang menggunakan injeksi rate 47,8 m3/daydengan cummulatif 3.237 MMM3 dan RF 33.14% dan normal dengan rate 15.9 m3/day dengancummulatif oil 3.321 MMM3 dengan rf 34.88% dan Inverted+peripheral dengan rate 30.9 M3/daydengan cummulatif oil 3,399 MMM3 dengan RF 35.88%. oleh karena itu diperoleh hasil scenariomenunjukan scenario 3 adalah scenario yang digunakan usulan terbaik

Kinetochore-localized PP1-Sds22 couples chromosome segregation to polar relaxation

Cell division requires the precise coordination of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. This coordination is achieved by the recruitment of an actomyosin regulator, Ect2, to overlapping microtubules at the centre of the elongating anaphase spindle. Ect2 then signals to the overlying cortex to promote the assembly and constriction of an actomyosin ring between segregating chromosomes. Here, by studying division in proliferating Drosophila and human cells, we demonstrate the existence of a second, parallel signalling pathway, which triggers the relaxation of the polar cell cortex at mid anaphase. This is independent of furrow formation, centrosomes and microtubules and, instead, depends on PP1 phosphatase and its regulatory subunit Sds22 (refs 2, 3). As separating chromosomes move towards the polar cortex at mid anaphase, kinetochore-localized PP1-Sds22 helps to break cortical symmetry by inducing the dephosphorylation and inactivation of ezrin/radixin/moesin proteins at cell poles. This promotes local softening of the cortex, facilitating anaphase elongation and orderly cell division. In summary, this identifies a conserved kinetochore-based phosphatase signal and substrate, which function together to link anaphase chromosome movements to cortical polarization, thereby coupling chromosome segregation to cell division

Interactions between labile carbon, temperature and land use regulate carbon dioxide and methane production in tropical peat

Tropical peatlands are a significant carbon store and contribute to global carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions. Tropical peatlands are threatened by both land use and climate change, including the alteration of regional precipitation patterns, and the 3–4 °C predicted warming by 2100. Plant communities in tropical peatlands can regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes through labile carbon inputs, but the extent to which these inputs regulate the temperature response of CO2 and CH4 production in tropical peat remains unclear. We conducted an anoxic incubation experiment using three peat types of contrasting botanical origin to assess how carbon addition affects the temperature response (Q10) of CO2 and CH4 production. Peats from forested peatlands in Panama and Malaysia, and a converted oil palm and pineapple intercropping system in Malaysia, differed significantly in redox potential, total carbon and carbon: nitrogen ratio. The production of CO2 and CH4 varied significantly among peat types and increased with increasing temperature, with Q10s for both gases of 1.4. Carbon addition further increased gas fluxes, but did not influence the Q10 for CO2 or CH4 production or significantly affect the Q10 of either gas. These findings demonstrate that the production of CO2 and CH4 in tropical peat is sensitive to warming and varies among peat types, but that the effect of root inputs in altering Q10 appears to be limited. © 2019, The Author(s)