Modular shipbuilding and its relevance to construction of nuclear power plants

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, 1988.Includes bibliographical references.by Thomas W. Seubert.M.S

Architecture for in-space robotic assembly of a modular space telescope

An architecture and conceptual design for a robotically assembled, modular space telescope (RAMST) that enables extremely large space telescopes to be conceived is presented. The distinguishing features of the RAMST architecture compared with prior concepts include the use of a modular deployable structure, a general-purpose robot, and advanced metrology, with the option of formation flying. To demonstrate the feasibility of the robotic assembly concept, we present a reference design using the RAMST architecture for a formation flying 100-m telescope that is assembled in Earth orbit and operated at the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 2

Electronic properties of the graphene/6H-SiC(000 1

This article discusses electronic properties of the graphene/6H-SiC(0001̅) interface

The Subcellular Distribution of Acyltransferases which Catalyze the Synthesis of Phosphoglycerides

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65213/1/j.1432-1033.1969.tb00602.x.pd

Architecture for in-space robotic assembly of a modular space telescope

An architecture and conceptual design for a robotically assembled, modular space telescope (RAMST) that enables extremely large space telescopes to be conceived is presented. The distinguishing features of the RAMST architecture compared with prior concepts include the use of a modular deployable structure, a general-purpose robot, and advanced metrology, with the option of formation flying. To demonstrate the feasibility of the robotic assembly concept, we present a reference design using the RAMST architecture for a formation flying 100-m telescope that is assembled in Earth orbit and operated at the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 2

Genetic variation in soluble epoxide hydrolase (EPHX2) and risk of coronary heart disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Endothelial dysfunction contributes to the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Soluble epoxide hydrolase metabolizes epoxyeicosatrienoic acids in the vasculature and regulates endothelial function. We sought to determine whether genetic variation in soluble epoxide hydrolase (EPHX2) was associated with the risk of CHD. We genotyped 2065 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study participants (1085 incident CHD cases, 980 non-cases) for 10 previously identified polymorphisms in EPHX2. Using a case–cohort design, associations between incident CHD risk and both non-synonymous EPHX2 polymorphisms and phase-reconstructed haplotypes were evaluated using proportional hazards regression. Individuals carrying the K55R polymorphism variant allele demonstrated higher apparent soluble epoxide hydrolase activity in vivo. Presence of the K55R variant allele was significantly more common among Caucasian CHD cases when compared with non-cases (20.8% versus 15.3%, respectively, P = 0.012), and was associated with significantly higher risk of incident CHD (adjusted hazard rate ratio 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.05–2.01, P = 0.026). A significant association between the K55R variant allele and risk of CHD was not observed in African-Americans. The distribution of reconstructed haplotypes were significantly different in Caucasian cases when compared with non-cases (P = 0.021). Significant differences in haplotype distribution were not observed in African-Americans (P = 0.315). Genetic variation in EPHX2 was significantly associated with risk of incident CHD in Caucasians, implicating EPHX2 as a potential cardiovascular disease-susceptibility gene

TIGIT blockade repolarizes AML-associated TIGIT(+) M2 macrophages to an M1 phenotype and increases CD47-mediated phagocytosis

BACKGROUND: Leukemia-associated macrophages (LAMs) represent an important cell population within the tumor microenvironment, but little is known about the phenotype, function, and plasticity of these cells. The present study provides an extensive characterization of macrophages in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: The phenotype and expression of coregulatory markers were assessed on bone marrow (BM)-derived LAM populations, using multiparametric flow cytometry. BM and blood aspirates were obtained from patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (pAML, n=59), patients in long-term remission (lrAML, n=8), patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (rAML, n=7) and monocyte-derived macrophages of the blood from healthy donors (HD, n=17). LAM subpopulations were correlated with clinical parameters. Using a blocking anti-T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) antibody or mouse IgG2a isotype control, we investigated polarization, secretion of cytokines, and phagocytosis on LAMs and healthy monocyte-derived macrophages in vitro. RESULTS: In pAML and rAML, M1 LAMs were reduced and the predominant macrophage population consisted of immunosuppressive M2 LAMs defined by expression of CD163, CD204, CD206, and CD86. M2 LAMs in active AML highly expressed inhibitory receptors such as TIGIT, T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 protein (TIM-3), and lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3). High expression of CD163 was associated with a poor overall survival (OS). In addition, increased frequencies of TIGIT(+) M2 LAMs were associated with an intermediate or adverse risk according to the European Leukemia Network criteria and the FLT3 ITD mutation. In vitro blockade of TIGIT shifted the polarization of primary LAMs or peripheral blood-derived M2 macrophages toward the M1 phenotype and increased secretion of M1-associated cytokines and chemokines. Moreover, the blockade of TIGIT augmented the anti-CD47-mediated phagocytosis of AML cell lines and primary AML cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that immunosuppressive TIGIT(+) M2 LAMs can be redirected into an efficient effector population that may be of direct clinical relevance in the near future

Mood Induction in Depressive Patients: A Comparative Multidimensional Approach

Anhedonia, reduced positive affect and enhanced negative affect are integral characteristics of major depressive disorder (MDD). Emotion dysregulation, e.g. in terms of different emotion processing deficits, has consistently been reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate mood changes in depressive patients using a multidimensional approach for the measurement of emotional reactivity to mood induction procedures. Experimentally, mood states can be altered using various mood induction procedures. The present study aimed at validating two different positive mood induction procedures in patients with MDD and investigating which procedure is more effective and applicable in detecting dysfunctions in MDD. The first procedure relied on the presentation of happy vs. neutral faces, while the second used funny vs. neutral cartoons. Emotional reactivity was assessed in 16 depressed and 16 healthy subjects using self-report measures, measurements of electrodermal activity and standardized analyses of facial responses. Positive mood induction was successful in both procedures according to subjective ratings in patients and controls. In the cartoon condition, however, a discrepancy between reduced facial activity and concurrently enhanced autonomous reactivity was found in patients. Relying on a multidimensional assessment technique, a more comprehensive estimate of dysfunctions in emotional reactivity in MDD was available than by self-report measures alone and this was unsheathed especially by the mood induction procedure relying on cartoons. The divergent facial and autonomic responses in the presence of unaffected subjective reactivity suggest an underlying deficit in the patients' ability to express the felt arousal to funny cartoons. Our results encourage the application of both procedures in functional imaging studies for investigating the neural substrates of emotion dysregulation in MDD patients. Mood induction via cartoons appears to be superior to mood induction via faces and autobiographical material in uncovering specific emotional dysfunctions in MDD