Observation of He-like satellite lines of the H-like potassium K XIX emission

We present measurements of the H-like potassium (K XIX) X-ray spectrum and its Helike (K XVIII) satellite lines, which are situated in the wavelength region between 3.34 and 3.39 Å, which has been of interest for the detection of dark matter. The measurements were taken with a high-resolution X-ray spectrometer from targets irradiated by a long-pulse (2 ns) beam from the Orion laser facility. We obtain experimental wavelength values of dielectronic recombination satellite lines and show that the ratio of the Lyα lines and their dielectronic satellite lines can be used to estimate the electron temperature, which in our case was about 1.5±0.3 keV

An ongoing case-control study to evaluate the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

© 2014 Massat et al.; licensee BioMed Central. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated

What is the evidence for interactions between filaggrin null mutations and environmental exposures in the aetiology of atopic dermatitis? A systematic review

Background Epidemiological studies indicate that gene–environment interactions play a role in atopic dermatitis (AD). Objectives To review the evidence for gene–environment interactions in AD aetiology, focusing on filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function mutations. Methods A systematic search from inception to September 2018 in Embase, MEDLINE and BIOSIS was performed. Search terms included all synonyms for AD and filaggrin/FLG; any genetic or epidemiological study design using any statistical methods were included. Quality assessment using criteria modified from guidance (ROBINS-I and Human Genome Epidemiology Network) for nonrandomized and genetic studies was completed, including consideration of power. Heterogeneity of study design and analyses precluded the use of meta-analysis. Results Of 1817 papers identified, 12 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria required and performed formal interaction testing. There was some evidence for FLG–environment interactions in six of the studies (P-value for interaction ≤ 005), including early-life cat ownership, older siblings, water hardness, phthalate exposure, higher urinary phthalate metabolite levels (which all increased AD risk additional to FLG null genotype) and prolonged breastfeeding (which decreased AD risk in the context of FLG null genotype). Major limitations of published studies were the low numbers of individuals (ranging from five to 94) with AD and FLG loss-of-function mutations and exposure to specific environmental factors, and variation in exposure definitions. Conclusions Evidence on FLG–environment interactions in AD aetiology is limited. However, many of the studies lacked large enough sample sizes to assess these interactions fully. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes and clearly defined exposure assessment

What is the evidence for interactions between filaggrin null mutations and environmental exposures in the aetiology of atopic dermatitis? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies indicate that gene-environment interactions play a role in atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence for gene-environment interactions in AD aetiology, focusing on filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function mutations. METHODS: A systematic search from inception to September 2018 in Embase, MEDLINE and BIOSIS was performed. Search terms included all synonyms for AD and filaggrin/FLG; any genetic or epidemiological study design using any statistical methods were included. Quality assessment using criteria modified from guidance (ROBINS-I and Human Genome Epidemiology Network) for nonrandomized and genetic studies was completed, including consideration of power. Heterogeneity of study design and analyses precluded the use of meta-analysis. RESULTS: Of 1817 papers identified, 12 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria required and performed formal interaction testing. There was some evidence for FLG-environment interactions in six of the studies (P-value for interaction ≤ 0·05), including early-life cat ownership, older siblings, water hardness, phthalate exposure, higher urinary phthalate metabolite levels (which all increased AD risk additional to FLG null genotype) and prolonged breastfeeding (which decreased AD risk in the context of FLG null genotype). Major limitations of published studies were the low numbers of individuals (ranging from five to 94) with AD and FLG loss-of-function mutations and exposure to specific environmental factors, and variation in exposure definitions. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on FLG-environment interactions in AD aetiology is limited. However, many of the studies lacked large enough sample sizes to assess these interactions fully. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes and clearly defined exposure assessment. Linked Comment: Park and Seo. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:411

A Suite of Computationally Expensive Shape Optimisation Problems Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this record.PPSN2018: 15th International Conference on Parallel Problem Solving from Nature, 8-12 September 2018, Coimbra, PortugalIn many product design and development applications, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has become a useful tool for analysis. This is particularly because of the accuracy of CFD simulations in predicting the important flow attributes for a given design. On occasions when design optimisation is applied to real-world engineering problems using CFD, the implementation may not be available for examination. As such, in both the CFD and optimisation communities, there is a need for a set of computationally expensive benchmark test problems for design optimisation using CFD. In this paper, we present a suite of three computationally expensive real-world problems observed in different fields of engineering. We have developed Python software capable of automatically constructing geometries from a given decision vector, running appropriate simulations using the CFD code OpenFOAM, and returning the computed objective values. Thus, users may easily evaluate a decision vector and perform optimisation of these design problems using their optimisation methods without developing custom CFD code. For comparison, we provide the objective values for the base geometries and typical computation times for the test cases presented here.This work was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant (reference number: EP/M017915/1)

The evolutionary origins of ritualized acoustic signals in caterpillars

Animal communication signals can be highly elaborate, and researchers have long sought explanations for their evolutionary origins. For example, how did signals such as the tail-fan display of a peacock, a firefly flash or a wolf howl evolve? Animal communication theory holds that many signals evolved from non-signalling behaviours through the process of ritualization. Empirical evidence for ritualization is limited, as it is necessary to examine living relatives with varying degrees of signal evolution within a phylogenetic framework. We examine the origins of vibratory territorial signals in caterpillars using comparative and molecular phylogenetic methods. We show that a highly ritualized vibratory signal—anal scraping—originated from a locomotory behaviour—walking. Furthermore, comparative behavioural analysis supports the hypothesis that ritualized vibratory signals derive from physical fighting behaviours. Thus, contestants signal their opponents to avoid the cost of fighting. Our study provides experimental evidence for the origins of a complex communication signal, through the process of ritualization

Investigation of contact deformation and wear characteristics of discrete track recording media

The even semester 2014/2015 Technical Information Engineering University of Semarang (USM) has been running the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) in the management of learning. Conversions that occur in some subjects at an increase in scheduled meetings in the classroom or in the laboratory. Computer Networks is one of the subjects who experienced a conversion. In the curriculum in 2008, Computer Networking has a number of credits 3. From the 2 credits 3 credits are for credits 1 credits for theory and practical credits. While at the CBC in 2013, Computer Networking has 4 credits, with details of 2 credits 2 credits theory and practicum. As lecture and instructor Computer Network, researchers interested in studying the effect of applying the CBC in 2013 in the subje ct of Computer Network. Does the addition of meeting practical and theoretical material renewal in accordance with the expected competencies?. Researchers tried applying the CBC in 2013 by conducting action research. Implementation of the research was conducted during an ongoing lecture that even semester 2015/2016. The results of the study during the first half of researchers will compare with the achievements that never existed when the old curriculum still in use. The goals of this research is, subjects in the Computer Network has always been one of the subjects that the content of the material and its application in the lab was able to follow the needs of the workforc

Src Dependent Pancreatic Acinar Injury Can Be Initiated Independent of an Increase in Cytosolic Calcium

Several deleterious intra-acinar phenomena are simultaneously triggered on initiating acute pancreatitis. These culminate in acinar injury or inflammatory mediator generation in vitro and parenchymal damage in vivo. Supraphysiologic caerulein is one such initiator which simultaneously activates numerous signaling pathways including non-receptor tyrosine kinases such as of the Src family. It also causes a sustained increase in cytosolic calcium- a player thought to be crucial in regulating deleterious phenomena. We have shown Src to be involved in caerulein induced actin remodeling, and caerulein induced changes in the Golgi and post-Golgi trafficking to be involved in trypsinogen activation, which initiates acinar cell injury. However, it remains unclear whether an increase in cytosolic calcium is necessary to initiate acinar injury or if injury can be initiated at basal cytosolic calcium levels by an alternate pathway. To study the interplay between tyrosine kinase signaling and calcium, we treated mouse pancreatic acinar cells with the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor pervanadate. We studied the effect of the clinically used Src inhibitor Dasatinib (BMS-354825) on pervanadate or caerulein induced changes in Src activation, trypsinogen activation, cell injury, upstream cytosolic calcium, actin and Golgi morphology. Pervanadate, like supraphysiologic caerulein, induced Src activation, redistribution of the F-actin from its normal location in the sub-apical area to the basolateral areas, and caused antegrade fragmentation of the Golgi. These changes, like those induced by supraphysiologic caerulein, were associated with trypsinogen activation and acinar injury, all of which were prevented by Dasatinib. Interestingly, however, pervanadate did not cause an increase in cytosolic calcium, and the caerulein induced increase in cytosolic calcium was not affected by Dasatinib. These findings suggest that intra-acinar deleterious phenomena may be initiated independent of an increase in cytosolic calcium. Other players resulting in acinar injury along with the Src family of tyrosine kinases remain to be explored. © 2013 Mishra et al

Aspirin-induced nuclear translocation of NFκB and apoptosis in colorectal cancer is independent of p53 status and DNA mismatch repair proficiency

Substantial evidence indicates nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) protect against colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the molecular basis for this anti-tumour activity has not been fully elucidated. We previously reported that aspirin induces signal-specific IκBα degradation followed by NFκB nuclear translocation in CRC cells, and that this mechanism contributes substantially to aspirin-induced apoptosis. We have also reported the relative specificity of this aspirin-induced NFκB-dependent apoptotic effect for CRC cells, in comparison to other cancer cell types. It is now important to establish whether there is heterogeneity within CRC, with respect to the effects of aspirin on the NFκB pathway and apoptosis. p53 signalling and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) are known to be deranged in CRC and have been reported as potential molecular targets for the anti-tumour activity of NSAIDs. Furthermore, both p53 and MMR dysfunction have been shown to confer resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we set out to determine the p53 and hMLH1 dependency of the effects of aspirin on NFκB signalling and apoptosis in CRC. We specifically compared the effects of aspirin treatment on cell viability, apoptosis and NFκB signalling in an HCT-116 CRC cell line with the p53 gene homozygously disrupted (HCT-116p53−/−) and an HCT-116 cell line rendered MMR proficient by chromosomal transfer (HCT-116+ch3), to the parental HCT-116 CRC cell line. We found that aspirin treatment induced apoptosis following IκBα degradation, NFκB nuclear translocation and repression of NFκB-driven transcription, irrespective of p53 and DNA MMR status. These findings are relevant for design of both novel chemopreventative agents and chemoprevention trials in CRC