Periodic patterns displace active phase separation

In this work we identify and investigate a novel bifurcation in conserved systems. This secondary bifurcation stops active phase separation in its nonlinear regime. It is then either replaced by an extended, system-filling, spatially periodic pattern or, in a complementary parameter region, by a novel hybrid state with spatially alternating homogeneous and periodic states. The transition from phase separation to extended spatially periodic patterns is hysteretic. We show that the resulting patterns are multistable, as they show stability beyond the bifurcation for different wavenumbers belonging to a wavenumber band. The transition from active phase separation to the hybrid states is continuous. Both transition scenarios are systems-spanning phenomena in particle conserving systems. They are predicted with a generic dissipative model introduced in this work. Candidates for specific systems, in which these generic secondary transitions are likely to occur, are, for example, generalized models for motility-induced phase separation in active Brownian particles, models for cell division or chemotactic systems with conserved particle dynamics.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure

Complications and Short-Term Explantation Rate Following Artificial Urinary Sphincter Implantation: Results from a Large Middle European Multi-Institutional Case Series

Background/Aims/Objectives: To analyze perioperative complication and short-term explantation rates after perineal or penoscrotal single-cuff and double-cuff artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation in a large middle European multi-institutional patient cohort. Methods: 467 male patients with stress urinary incontinence underwent implantation of a perineal single-cuff (n = 152), penoscrotal single-cuff (n = 99), or perinea! double-cuff (n = 216) AUS between 2010 and 2012. Postoperative complications and 6-month explantation rates were assessed. For statistical analysis, Fisher's exact test and Kruskal Wallis rank sum test, and a multiple logistic regression model were used (p < 0.05). Results: Compared to perineal single-cuff AUS, penoscrotal single-cuff implantation led to significantly increased short-term explantation rates (8.6% (perinea)) vs. 19.2% (penoscrotal), p = 0.019). The postoperative infection rate was significantly higher after double-cuff compared to single cuff implantation (6.0% (single-cuff) vs. 13.9% (double-cuff), p = 0.019). The short-term explantation rate after primary double-cuff placement was 6.5% (p = 0.543 vs. perineal single -cuff). In multivariate analysis, the penoscrotal approach (p = 0.004), intraoperative complications (p = 0.005), postoperative bleeding (p = 0.011), and perioperative infection (p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for short-term explantation. Conclusions: Providing data from a large contemporary multi-institutional patient cohortfrom high-volume and low-volume institutions, our results reflect the current standard of care in middle Europe. We indicate that the penoscrotal approach is an independent risk factor for increased short-term explantation rates. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Base

Dystonia Linked to EIF4A2 Haploinsufficiency: A Disorder of Protein Translation Dysfunction

Background: Protein synthesis is a tightly controlled process, involving a host of translation-initiation factors and microRNA-associated repressors. Variants in the translational regulator EIF2AK2 were first linked to neurodevelopmental-delay phenotypes, followed by their implication in dystonia. Recently, de novo variants in EIF4A2, encoding eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A isoform 2 (eIF4A2), have been described in pediatric cases with developmental delay and intellectual disability. Objective: We sought to characterize the role of EIF4A2 variants in dystonic conditions. Methods: We undertook an unbiased search for likely deleterious variants in mutation-constrained genes among 1100 families studied with dystonia. Independent cohorts were screened for EIF4A2 variants. Western blotting and immunocytochemical studies were performed in patient-derived fibroblasts. Results: We report the discovery of a novel heterozygous EIF4A2 frameshift deletion (c.896_897del) in seven patients from two unrelated families. The disease was characterized by adolescence- to adulthood-onset dystonia with tremor. In patient-derived fibroblasts, eIF4A2 production amounted to only 50% of the normal quantity. Reduction of eIF4A2 was associated with abnormally increased levels of IMP1, a target of Ccr4-Not, the complex that interacts with eIF4A2 to mediate microRNA-dependent translational repression. By complementing the analyses with fibroblasts bearing EIF4A2 biallelic mutations, we established a correlation between IMP1 expression alterations and eIF4A2 functional dosage. Moreover, eIF4A2 and Ccr4-Not displayed significantly diminished colocalization in dystonia patient cells. Review of international databases identified EIF4A2 deletion variants (c.470_472del, c.1144_1145del) in another two dystonia-affected pedigrees. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that EIF4A2 haploinsufficiency underlies a previously unrecognized dominant dystonia-tremor syndrome. The data imply that translational deregulation is more broadly linked to both early neurodevelopmental phenotypes and later-onset dystonic conditions. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

An authoring tool for educators to make virtual labs

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of a tool that allows educators to author 3D virtual labs. The methodology followed is based on web 3D frameworks such as three.js and WordPress that allowed us to develop simplified interfaces for modifying Unity3D templates. Two types of templates namely one for Chemistry and one for Wind Energy labs were developed that allow to test the generalization, user-friendliness and usefulness of such an approach. Results have shown that educators are much interested on the general concept, but several improvements should be made towards the user-friendliness and the intuitiveness of the interfaces in order to allow the inexperienced educators in 3D gaming to make such an attempt.peer-reviewe

Targeting Moderate and Severe Male Stress Urinary Incontinence With Adjustable Male Slings and the Perineal Artificial Urinary Sphincter: Focus on Perioperative Complications and Device Explantations

Purpose: To analyze perioperative complications and postoperative explantation rates for selected readjustable male sling systems and the perineal single-cuff artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in a large, contemporary, multi-institutional patient cohort. Methods: Two hundred eighty-two male patients who underwent implantation between 2010 and 2012 in 13 participating institutions were included in the study (n = 127 adjustable male sling [n = 95 Argus classic, n = 32 Argus T], n = 155 AUS). Perioperative characteristics and postoperative complications were analyzed. The explantation rates of the respective devices were assessed using the Fisher exact test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. A Kaplan-Meier curve was generated. Potential features associated with device explantation were analyzed using a multiple logistic regression model (P < 0.05). Results: We found significantly increased intraoperative complication rates after adjustable male sling implantation (15.9% [adjustable male sling] vs. 4.2% [AUS], P = 0.003). The most frequent intraoperative complication was bladder perforation (n = 17). Postoperative infection rates did not vary significantly between the respective devices (P = 0.378). Device explantation rates were significantly higher after AUS implantation (9.7% [adjustable male sling] vs. 21.5% [AUS], P = 0.030). In multivariate analysis, postoperative infection was a strong independent predictor of decreased device survival (odds ratio, 6.556;P = 0.001). Conclusions: Complication profiles vary between adjustable male slings and AUS. Explantation rates are lower after adjustable male sling implantation. Any kind of postoperative infections are independent predictors of decreased device survival. There is no significant effect of the experience of the implanting institution on device survival

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Dwarf Elliptical Galaxies

Dwarf elliptical (dE) galaxies, with blue absolute magnitudes typically fainter than $M_B = -16$, are the most numerous type of galaxy in the nearby universe. Tremendous advances have been made over the past several years in delineating the properties of both Local Group satellite dE's and the large dE populations of nearby clusters. We review some of these advances, with particular attention to how well currently available data can constrain 1) models for the formation of dE's, 2) the physical and evolutionary connections between different types of galaxies (nucleated and nonnucleated dE's, compact E's, irregulars, and blue compact dwarfs) that overlap in the same portion of the mass-spectrum of galaxies, 3) the contribution of dE's to the galaxy luminosity functions in clusters and the field, 4) the star-forming histories of dE's and their possible contribution to faint galaxy counts, and 5) the clustering properties of dE's. In addressing these issues, we highlight the extent to which selection effects temper these constraints, and outline areas where new data would be particularly valuable.Comment: 63p, uuencoded compressed postscript, 2/8 figs included, A&A Review in press, request paper copies from [email protected], STScI 86