Modelling state-dependent interference in common cranes

1. Interference is a key component of food competition, but is difficult to measure in natural animal populations. Using data from a long-term study, we show that interference between common cranes Grus grus L., feeding on patches of cereal seeds, reduces intake rates at high competitor densities, and that the strength of interference is unrelated to food abundance. 2. An alternative to measuring interference directly is to predict its strength using behaviour-based models. We test an interference model, originally developed for shorebirds feeding on invertebrate prey, for cranes. We compare the predictions of a rate-maximizing model, in which animals steal food if this increases intake rate, and a state-dependent model, in which they only rate-maximize if their intake rate is below a target value, otherwise they minimize injury risk by not stealing food. State-dependent aggression occurs in cranes. 3. The state-dependent model predicts more accurately the relative aggression rates of cranes of different dominance. However, both models predict accurately the observed strength of interference, that the strength of interference is unrelated to food abundance, at least within the observed range of crane and seed densities, and that cranes of a higher dominance have a higher intake rate than those of lower dominance. 4. This paper shows how state-dependent behaviour can be incorporated into an interference model, and that the model can produce accurate predictions for a system quite different to that for which it was developed.RAS was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. LMB was partially funded by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (MCyT) and research grant PB97-1252 of MCyT. Field work was funded by DGICYT project PB87-0389 of the MCyT.Peer reviewe

Relationship Between Heat and Troughs During a Transport Process of Heating the Pet Films

Understanding the troughs caused during a heat treatment process is important for ensuring process stability and product quality in roll-to-roll (R2R) productions methodology. The purpose of this study is to confirm the relationship between heat and troughs during a transport process of heating where heat is applied over a wide range of area. The temperature and tension applied to the web during the heated transport process were measured in the experimental analysis. Results showed that the web were stretched in the web transport direction during the heat transfer process. However, troughs did not occur because the experiment was conducted below the glass transition temperature. The comparison between the web temperature obtained in the experimental analysis with the one-dimensional thermal conduction simulation for the temperature distribution of the web are also conducted in this paper. This simulation was performed using a non-Fourier model that can be used on microscales. Simulation results show that when the temperature is gradually raised, the amount of thermal conduction is reduced during transportation of the web. The thermal conduction of ballistic phonon is smaller than that of the diffuse phonon when compared at same distance. Even though there were differences between the experimental values and the simulation results, this is because it ignores the heat transfer and radiant heat transfer

Relationship Between Heat and Troughs During a Transport Process of Heating the Pet Films

Understanding the troughs caused during a heat treatment process is important for ensuring process stability and product quality in roll-to-roll (R2R) productions methodology. The purpose of this study is to confirm the relationship between heat and troughs during a transport process of heating where heat is applied over a wide range of area. The temperature and tension applied to the web during the heated transport process were measured in the experimental analysis. Results showed that the web were stretched in the web transport direction during the heat transfer process. However, troughs did not occur because the experiment was conducted below the glass transition temperature. The comparison between the web temperature obtained in the experimental analysis with the one-dimensional thermal conduction simulation for the temperature distribution of the web are also conducted in this paper. This simulation was performed using a non-Fourier model that can be used on microscales. Simulation results show that when the temperature is gradually raised, the amount of thermal conduction is reduced during transportation of the web. The thermal conduction of ballistic phonon is smaller than that of the diffuse phonon when compared at same distance. Even though there were differences between the experimental values and the simulation results, this is because it ignores the heat transfer and radiant heat transfer

On the func­tion of the Megakaryocyte (Motility, Separation of the Platelet and Phagocytosis), Observations Both in Idiopathic Thrombo-cytopenic Purpura and in Normal Adult

The idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura was described by Werlhof as an independent disease first in 1738. Kaznelson reported the excellent effect of splenectomy for its chronic type in 1915. For the genesis of its thrombocytopenia, there have been many theories to be concluded into the followings, 1) the development of an auto-immune mechanism resulting in platelet destruction, 2) increased platelet destruction in the spleen, 3) the inhibition of platelet production from the marrow megakaryocytes by a humoral factor produced in the spleen, 4) both increased destruction and decreased production of the platelet. Among the above four theories, the third one is the most popular in the chronic type.</p

A Global Network of Science and Technology Advice in Foreign Ministries

This paper is a product of the International Dialogue on Science and Technology Advice in Foreign Ministries (Vienna Dialogue) in October 2016, involving more than twenty nations and several international organisations. The event was a key step to further develop the Foreign Minister Science and Technology Advisor Network (FMSTAN), growing from an initial group of five nations. The Vienna Dialogue was convened by the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) at the Vienna headquarters of IIASA, bringing together diplomats from foreign ministries to consider the value of evidence for informed decision-making by nations with regard to issues, impacts and resources within, across and beyond national boundaries. The evidence comes from the natural and social sciences with engineering and medicine as well as other areas of technology. By building common interests among nations, science is a tool of diplomacy, promoting cooperation and preventing conflict in our world. Science diplomacy was discussed as an international, interdisciplinary and inclusive process to help balance national interests and common interests in view of urgencies today and across generations in our globally-interconnected civilization

Relationship Between Heat and Troughs During a Transport Process of Heating the Pet Films

Understanding the troughs caused during a heat treatment process is important for ensuring process stability and product quality in roll-to-roll (R2R) productions methodology. The purpose of this study is to confirm the relationship between heat and troughs during a transport process of heating where heat is applied over a wide range of area. The temperature and tension applied to the web during the heated transport process were measured in the experimental analysis. Results showed that the web were stretched in the web transport direction during the heat transfer process. However, troughs did not occur because the experiment was conducted below the glass transition temperature. The comparison between the web temperature obtained in the experimental analysis with the one-dimensional thermal conduction simulation for the temperature distribution of the web are also conducted in this paper. This simulation was performed using a non-Fourier model that can be used on microscales. Simulation results show that when the temperature is gradually raised, the amount of thermal conduction is reduced during transportation of the web. The thermal conduction of ballistic phonon is smaller than that of the diffuse phonon when compared at same distance. Even though there were differences between the experimental values and the simulation results, this is because it ignores the heat transfer and radiant heat transfer

Mobilization of healthy donors with plerixafor affects the cellular composition of T-cell receptor (TCR)-αβ/CD19-depleted haploidentical stem cell grafts

Background: HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is suitable for patients lacking related or unrelated HLA-matched donors. Herein, we investigated whether plerixafor (MZ), as an adjunct to G-CSF, facilitated the collection of mega-doses of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) for TCR-αβ/CD19-depleted haploidentical HSCT, and how this agent affects the cellular graft composition. Methods: Ninety healthy donors were evaluated. Single-dose MZ was given to 30 ‘poor mobilizers’ (PM) failing to attain ≥40 CD34+ HSCs/μL after 4 daily G-CSF doses and/or with predicted apheresis yields ≤12.0x106 CD34+ cells/kg recipient’s body weight. Results: MZ significantly increased CD34+ counts in PM. Naïve/memory T and B cells, as well as natural killer (NK) cells, myeloid/plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs), were unchanged compared with baseline. MZ did not further promote the G-CSF-induced mobilization of CD16+ monocytes and the down-regulation of IFN-γ production by T cells. HSC grafts harvested after G-CSF + MZ were enriched in myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs, but contained low numbers of pro-inflammatory 6-sulfo-LacNAc+ (Slan)-DCs. Finally, children transplanted with G-CSF + MZ-mobilized grafts received greater numbers of monocytes, myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs, but lower numbers of NK cells, NK-like T cells and Slan-DCs. Conclusions: MZ facilitates the collection of mega-doses of CD34+ HSCs for haploidentical HSCT, while affecting graft composition

Long non-coding RNAs and cancer: a new frontier of translational research?

Author manuscriptTiling array and novel sequencing technologies have made available the transcription profile of the entire human genome. However, the extent of transcription and the function of genetic elements that occur outside of protein-coding genes, particularly those involved in disease, are still a matter of debate. In this review, we focus on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are involved in cancer. We define lncRNAs and present a cancer-oriented list of lncRNAs, list some tools (for example, public databases) that classify lncRNAs or that scan genome spans of interest to find whether known lncRNAs reside there, and describe some of the functions of lncRNAs and the possible genetic mechanisms that underlie lncRNA expression changes in cancer, as well as current and potential future applications of lncRNA research in the treatment of cancer.RS is supported as a fellow of the TALENTS Programme (7th R&D Framework Programme, Specific Programme: PEOPLE—Marie Curie Actions—COFUND). MIA is supported as a PhD fellow of the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia), Portugal. GAC is supported as a fellow by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Research Trust, as a research scholar by The University of Texas System Regents, and by the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Global Research Foundation. Work in GAC’s laboratory is supported in part by the NIH/ NCI (CA135444); a Department of Defense Breast Cancer Idea Award; Developmental Research Awards from the Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Brain Cancer, Multiple Myeloma and Leukemia Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants from the National Institutes of Health; a 2009 Seena Magowitz–Pancreatic Cancer Action Network AACR Pilot Grant; the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and the RGK Foundation

Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression correlates with tumour recurrence, especially haematogenous metastasis, of colorectal cancer

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), known to inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX), reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. COX is a key enzyme in prostaglandin biosynthesis, and two isoforms of COX, COX-1 and COX-2, have been identified. Recently COX-2 has been reported to frequently overexpress in colorectal neoplasms and to play a role in colorectal tumorigenesis and tumour progression. In this study, using immunohistochemistry, we examined COX-2 expression in advanced human colorectal cancer and its correlation with clinicopathological features. COX-2 expression was observed mainly in the cytoplasm of cancer cells in all the specimens examined, but some stromal cells and endothelial cells were also stained. According to the grade of COX-2 expression of the cancer cells, patients were divided into high- and low-COX-2 expression groups. High-COX-2 expression significantly correlated with tumour recurrence, especially haematogenous metastasis. These results suggest that a selective COX-2 inhibitor can be a novel class of therapeutic agents not only for tumorigenesis but also for haematogenous metastasis of cololectal cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the correlation between COX-2 overexpression and recurrence of colorectal cancer. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig