Outer jet X-ray and radio emission in R Aquarii: 1999.8 to 2004.0

Chandra and VLA observations of the symbiotic star R Aqr in 2004 reveal significant changes over the three to four year interval between these observations and previous observations taken with the VLA in 1999 and with Chandra in 2000. This paper reports on the evolution of the outer thermal X-ray lobe-jets and radio jets. The emission from the outer X-ray lobe-jets lies farther away from the central binary than the outer radio jets, and comes from material interpreted as being shock heated to ~10^6 K, a likely result of collision between high speed material ejected from the central binary and regions of enhanced gas density. Between 2000 and 2004, the Northeast (NE) outer X-ray lobe-jet moved out away from the central binary, with an apparent projected motion of ~580 km s^-1. The Southwest (SW) outer X-ray lobe-jet almost disappeared between 2000 and 2004, presumably due to adiabatic expansion and cooling. The NE radio bright spot also moved away from the central binary between 2000 and 2004, but with a smaller apparent velocity than of the NE X-ray bright spot. The SW outer lobe-jet was not detected in the radio in either 1999 or 2004. The density and mass of the X-ray emitting material is estimated. Cooling times, shock speeds, pressure and confinement are discussed.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figure

Functional characterization of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) N- and C-terminal domains during xenopus laevis development

Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is essential for facilitating developmental processes. ECM remodeling, accomplished by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), is regulated by endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). While the TIMP N-terminal domain is involved in inhibition of MMP activity, the C-terminal domain exhibits cell-signaling activity, which is TIMP and cell type dependent. We have previously examined the distinct roles of the Xenopus laevis TIMP-2 and -3 C-terminal domains during development and here examined the unique roles of TIMP-1 N- and C-terminal domains in early X. laevis embryos. mRNA microinjection was used to overexpress full-length TIMP-1 or its individual N- or C-terminal domains in embryos. Full-length and C-terminal TIMP-1 resulted in increased lethality compared to N-terminal TIMP-1. Overexpression of C-terminal TIMP-1 resulted in significant decreases in mRNA levels of proteolytic genes including TIMP-2, RECK, MMP-2, and MMP-9, corresponding to decreases in MMP-2 and -9 protein levels, as well as decreased MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. These trends were not observed with the N-terminus. Our research suggests that the individual domains of TIMP-1 are capable of playing distinct roles in regulating the ECM proteolytic network during development and that the unique functions of these domains are moderated in the endogenous full-length TIMP-1 molecule. © 2014 M. A. Nieuwesteeg et al

Polymer Bound Photobase Generators And Photoacid Generators For Pitch Division Lithography

The semiconductor industry is pursuing several process options that provide pathways to printing images smaller than the theoretical resolution limit of 193 nm projection scanners. These processes include double patterning, side wall deposition and pitch division. Pitch doubling lithography (PDL), the achievement of pitch division by addition of a photobase generator (PBG) to typical 193 nm resist formulations was recently presented. 1 Controlling the net acid concentration as a function of dose by incorporating both a photoacid generator (PAG) and a PBG in the resist formulation imparts a resist dissolution rate response modulation at twice the frequency of the aerial image. Simulation and patterning of 45 nm half pitch L/S patterns produced using a 90 nm half pitch mask were reported. 2 Pitch division was achieved, but the line edge roughness of the resulting images did not meet the current standard. To reduce line edge roughness, polymer bound PBGs and polymer bound PAGs were investigated in the PDL resist formulations. The synthesis, purification, analysis, and functional performance of various polymers containing PBG or PAG monomers are described herein. Both polymer bound PBG with monomeric PAG and polymer bound PAG with monomeric PBG showed a PDL response. The performance of the polymer bound formulations is compared to the same formulations with small molecule analogs of PAG and PBG.Chemical Engineerin

Nutritional values of wild fruits and consumption by migrant frugivorous birds.

Used 18 fruit species and 11 migrant frugivorous bird species in Illinois. The only seasonal trends in fruit traits were interspecific increases in absolute quantity of K and protein per fruit. Fruit energy content did not differ among species having bicolored vs. monochrome or small vs. large fruit displays. The fruit mass consumed was correlated best with dry pulp mass per fruit, providing significant positive correlations in 6 of 11 frugivorous species. Large fruit size relative to bill size did not appear to affect fruit consumption over the range of fruit sizes and bird species used. Because retained energy was correlated with mass consumed, the fruit pulp mass consumed was in most cases a good index of the energy obtained. Some significant differences occurred in digestive efficiency of a bird species eating different fruit species, and among different bird species eating a single fruit species, but no trends were apparent. Regurgitated seed generally spent less time in a bird than did defecated seeds, facilitating more rapid disposal of seed ballast. Smaller birds defecated only small seeds and regurgitated some small seeds as well as all large ones, whereas larger birds defecated all smaller seeds and many larger ones. Resultant seed shadows thus may depend upon both bird and seed size. -from Author

A Note on Encodings of Phylogenetic Networks of Bounded Level

Driven by the need for better models that allow one to shed light into the question how life's diversity has evolved, phylogenetic networks have now joined phylogenetic trees in the center of phylogenetics research. Like phylogenetic trees, such networks canonically induce collections of phylogenetic trees, clusters, and triplets, respectively. Thus it is not surprising that many network approaches aim to reconstruct a phylogenetic network from such collections. Related to the well-studied perfect phylogeny problem, the following question is of fundamental importance in this context: When does one of the above collections encode (i.e. uniquely describe) the network that induces it? In this note, we present a complete answer to this question for the special case of a level-1 (phylogenetic) network by characterizing those level-1 networks for which an encoding in terms of one (or equivalently all) of the above collections exists. Given that this type of network forms the first layer of the rich hierarchy of level-k networks, k a non-negative integer, it is natural to wonder whether our arguments could be extended to members of that hierarchy for higher values for k. By giving examples, we show that this is not the case

The intensive care medicine clinical research agenda in paediatrics

BACKGROUND: Intensive Care Medicine set us the task of outlining a global clinical research agenda for paediatric intensive care (PIC). In line with the clinical focus of this journal, we have limited this to research that may directly influence patient care. METHODS: Clinician researchers from PIC research networks of varying degrees of formality from around the world were invited to answer two main questions: (1) What have been the major recent advances in paediatric critical care research? (2) What are the top 10 studies for the next 10 years? RESULTS: (1) Inclusive databases are well established in many countries. These registries allow detailed observational studies and feasibility testing of clinical trial protocols. Recent trials are larger and more valuable, and (2) most common interventions in PIC are not evidenced-based. Clinical studies for the next 10 years should address this deficit, including: ventilation techniques and interfaces; fluid, transfusion and feeding strategies; optimal targets for vital signs; multiple organ failure definitions, mechanisms and treatments; trauma, prevention and treatment; improving safety; comfort of the patient and their family; appropriate care in the face of medical complexity; defining post-PICU outcomes; and improving knowledge generation and adoption, with novel trial design and implementation strategies. The group specifically highlighted the need for research in resource-limited environments wherein mortality remains often tenfold higher than in well-resourced settings. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric intensive care research has never been healthier, but many gaps in knowledge remain. We need to close these urgently. The impact of new knowledge will be greatest in resource-limited environments

Intergenerational Associations of Chronic Disease and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Extent: 4p.Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common female endocrine disorder of heterogeneous clinical presentation, high disease burden, and unknown aetiology. The disease and associated conditions cluster in families, suggesting that PCOS may be the reproductive consequence of underlying chronic disease susceptibility. Objective: To determine whether parents of young women with PCOS were more likely to have a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease in later adult life. Design, Setting and Participants: Structured interviews with 715 members of a cohort constructed by tracing female infants born at a single general hospital in Adelaide between 1973 and 1975. Participants were asked whether they had a pre-existing medical diagnosis of PCOS, and whether each parent had ever had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, or heart disease. Maternal high blood pressure during pregnancy was taken from the medical record of the pregnancy with the study participant. Results and Conclusions: Mothers of women with PCOS were more likely than mothers of other women to have any cardiovascular disease (RR 1.78, 95% CI 1.29, 2.47), and nearly twice as likely to have high blood pressure (RR 1.95, 95% CI 1.38, 2.76). Fathers of women with PCOS were more than twice as likely to have heart disease (RR 2.36, 95% CI 1.44, 3.88) and over four times as likely to have had a stroke (RR 4.37, 95% CI 1.97, 9.70). Occurrence of cardiovascular disease in both mother and father are associated with the risk of PCOS in daughters. Further detailed study is required to elucidate the precise pathways that may be causally related to the observations.Michael J. Davies, Jennifer L. Marino, Kristyn J. Willson, Wendy A. March and Vivienne M. Moor

1,2,6-thiadiazinones as novel narrow spectrum calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) inhibitors

We demonstrate for the first time that 4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-one (TDZ) can function as a chemotype for the design of ATP-competitive kinase inhibitors. Using insights from a co-crystal structure of a 3,5-bis(arylamino)-4H-1,2,6-thiadiazin-4-one bound to calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2), several analogues were identified with micromolar activity through targeted displacement of bound water molecules in the active site. Since the TDZ analogues showed reduced promiscuity compared to their 2,4-dianilinopyrimidine counter parts, they represent starting points for development of highly selective kinase inhibitors