A New four-toed mongoose from Kenya, Bdeogale Crassicauda Nigrwscens, ssp. nov.

Volume: XXVII

Identifying Factors of Microparticles Modified with Arginine Derivatives That Induce Phenotypic Shifts in Macrophages

Macrophages are key players in the progression of many diseases, ranging from rheumatoid arthritis to cancer. Drug delivery systems have the potential not only to transport payloads to diseased tissue but also to influence cell behavior. Here, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (pNIPAm-co-AAc) microparticles were modified with 14 different arginine derivatives. These particles were then incubated with interleukin-4 or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages or naïve macrophages (RAW 264.7). The phenotypic state of the macrophages was assessed by measuring arginase activity, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion, and nitrite production. Partial least-squares analysis revealed material properties and descriptors that shifted the macrophage phenotype for the three cell conditions in this study. Material descriptors relating to secondary bonding were suggested to play a role in shifting phenotypes in all three macrophage culture conditions. These findings suggest that macrophage responses could be altered through drug delivery vehicles, and this method could be employed to assist in screening potential candidates

Synthesis of Cellulose Acetate From Cashew Nut Shell Cellulose

Cashew nut was divided into its three constituent parts viz: the kernel, the testa and the shell. The shell was grated, and extracted with n-hexane using Soxhlet extractor. The Soxhlet extraction lasted for 12 hrs. The relative percent of the shell, kernel and the testa to the cashew nut were 65.49, 29.02 and 1.80 % respectively. The Deffated cashew nut shell was weighed into a thimble and extracted with eighty percent (80 %) ethanol; the extraction process was done exhaustively until the solution was colorless to yield 17.9 and 82.10 % of alcohol extractives and cashew nut shell respectively. The defatted and alcohol extracted Cashew Nut Shell was de-lignified with 17.5 % sodium hydroxide. After drying, about 2 g of the de-lignified Cashew Nut Shell cellulose was reacted with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sulfuric acid to yield cellulose acetate. The cellulose acetate obtained was found to be soluble in acetone

A 3D extinction map of the northern Galactic plane based on IPHAS photometry

This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. ©: 2014 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.We present a 3D map of extinction in the northern Galactic plane derived using photometry from the INT/WFC Photometric Hα Survey of the northern Galactic plane. The map has fine angular (~10 arcmin) and distance (100 pc) sampling allied to a significant depth (≳5 kpc). We construct the map using a method based on a hierarchical Bayesian model described in a previous article by Sale. In addition to mean extinction, we also measure differential extinction, which arises from the fractal nature of the interstellar medium, and show that it will be the dominant source of uncertainty in estimates of extinction to some arbitrary position. The method applied also furnishes us with photometric estimates of the distance, extinction, effective temperature, surface gravity, and mass for ~38 million stars. Both the extinction map and the catalogue of stellar parameters are made publicly available via http://www.iphas.org/extinction.Peer reviewe

Feminae: an international multi-site innovative project for female athletes.

Sufficient high-quality studies in sport science using women as participants are lacking, meaning that our knowledge and understanding of female athletes in relation to their ovarian hormone profiles is limited. Consortia can be used to pool talent, expertise, and data, thus accelerating our learning on a given topic and reducing research waste through collaboration. To this end, we have assembled an international multi-site team, described herein, to investigate the effects of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive pill phase on aspects of exercise physiology and sports performance in female athletes. We intend to produce an adequately powered, high-quality dataset which can be used to inform the practices of female athletes. Our approach will also employ research transparency – through the inclusion of a process evaluation - and reproducibility – through a standardised study protocol

Massive open star clusters using the VVV survey, I: presentation of the data and description of the approach

Context. The ESO Public Survey “VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea” (VVV) provides deep multi-epoch infrared observations for unprecedented 562 sq. degrees of the Galactic bulge, and adjacent regions of the disk. Aims. The VVV observations will foster the construction of a sample of Galactic star clusters with reliable and homogeneously derived physical parameters (e.g., age, distance, and mass, etc.). In this first paper in a series, the methodology employed to establish cluster parameters for the envisioned database are elaborated upon by analysing four known young open clusters: Danks 1, Danks 2, RCW 79, and DBS 132. The analysis offers a first glimpse of the information that can be gleaned from the VVV observations for clusters in the final database. Methods. Wide-field, deep JHKs VVV observations, combined with new infrared spectroscopy, are employed to constrain fundamental parameters for a subset of clusters. Results. Results are inferred from VVV near-infrared photometry and numerous low resolution spectra (typically more than 10 per cluster). The high quality of the spectra and the deep wide–field VVV photometry enables us to precisely and independently determine the characteristics of the clusters studied, which we compare to previous determinations. An anomalous reddening law in the direction of the Danks clusters is found, specifically E(J − H)/E(H − Ks) = 2.20 ± 0.06, which exceeds published values for the inner Galaxy. The G305 star forming complex, which includes the Danks clusters, lies beyond the Sagittarius-Carina spiral arm and occupies the Centaurus arm. Finally, the first deep infrared colour-magnitude diagram of RCW 79 is presented, which reveals a sizeable pre-main sequence population. A list of candidate variable stars in G305 region is reported. Conclusions. This study demonstrates the strength of the dataset and methodology employed, and constitutes the first step of a broader study which shall include reliable parameters for a sizeable number of poorly characterised and/or newly discovered clusters.Fil: Chené, A.-N.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Borissova, J.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Clarke, J. R. A.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Bonatto, C.. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Majaess, D. J.. Saint Marys University; CanadáFil: Moni Bidin, C.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Sale, S. E.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Mauro, F.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Kurtev, R.. Universidad de Valparaíso; ChileFil: Baume, Gustavo Luis. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Feinstein Baigorri, Carlos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Ivanov, V. D.. European Southern Observatory; ChileFil: Geisler, Doug. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Catelan, M.. The Milky Way Millennium Nucleus; ChileFil: Minniti, Dante. The Milky Way Millennium Nucleus; ChileFil: Lucas, P.. University Of Hertfordshire; Reino UnidoFil: de Grijs, R.. Peking University; ChinaFil: Kumar, M. S. N.. Centro de Astrofisica da Universidade do Porto; Portuga