High-Resolution Mutation Mapping Reveals Parallel Experimental Evolution in Yeast

Understanding the genetic basis of evolutionary adaptation is limited by our ability to efficiently identify the genomic locations of adaptive mutations. Here we describe a method that can quickly and precisely map the genetic basis of naturally and experimentally evolved complex traits using linkage analysis. A yeast strain that expresses the evolved trait is crossed to a distinct strain background and DNA from a large pool of progeny that express the trait of interest is hybridized to oligonucleotide microarrays that detect thousands of polymorphisms between the two strains. Adaptive mutations are detected by linkage to the polymorphisms from the evolved parent. We successfully tested our method by mapping five known genes to a precision of 0.2–24 kb (0.1–10 cM), and developed computer simulations to test the effect of different factors on mapping precision. We then applied this method to four yeast strains that had independently adapted to a fluctuating glucose–galactose environment. All four strains had acquired one or more missense mutations in GAL80, the repressor of the galactose utilization pathway. When transferred into the ancestral strain, the gal80 mutations conferred the fitness advantage that the evolved strains show in the transition from glucose to galactose. Our results show an example of parallel adaptation caused by mutations in the same gene

A Preliminary Study on the Potential of Manuka Honey and Platelet-Rich Plasma in Wound Healing

Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro response of cells critical to the wound healing process in culture media supplemented with a lyophilized preparation rich in growth factors (PRGF) and Manuka honey. Materials and Methods. This study utilized cell culture media supplemented with PRGF, as well as whole Manuka honey and the medical-grade Medihoney (MH), a Manuka honey product. The response of human fibroblasts (hDF), macrophages, and endothelial cells (hPMEC) was evaluated, with respect to cell proliferation, chemotaxis, collagen matrix production, and angiogenic potential, when subjected to culture with media containing PRGF, MH, Manuka honey, and a combination of PRGF and MH. Results. All three cell types demonstrated increases in cellular activity in the presence of PRGF, with further increases in activity seen in the presence of PRGF+MH. hDFs proved to be the most positively responsive cells, as they experienced enhanced proliferation, collagen matrix production, and migration into an in vitro wound healing model with the PRGF+MH-supplemented media. Conclusion. This preliminary in vitro study is the first to evaluate the combination of PRGF and Manuka honey, two products with the potential to increase regeneration individually, as a combined product to enhance dermal regeneration

A Preliminary Study on the Potential of Manuka Honey and Platelet-Rich Plasma in Wound Healing

Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro response of cells critical to the wound healing process in culture media supplemented with a lyophilized preparation rich in growth factors (PRGF) and Manuka honey. Materials and Methods. This study utilized cell culture media supplemented with PRGF, as well as whole Manuka honey and the medical-grade Medihoney (MH), a Manuka honey product. The response of human fibroblasts (hDF), macrophages, and endothelial cells (hPMEC) was evaluated, with respect to cell proliferation, chemotaxis, collagen matrix production, and angiogenic potential, when subjected to culture with media containing PRGF, MH, Manuka honey, and a combination of PRGF and MH. Results. All three cell types demonstrated increases in cellular activity in the presence of PRGF, with further increases in activity seen in the presence of PRGF+MH. hDFs proved to be the most positively responsive cells, as they experienced enhanced proliferation, collagen matrix production, and migration into an in vitro wound healing model with the PRGF+MH-supplemented media. Conclusion. This preliminary in vitro study is the first to evaluate the combination of PRGF and Manuka honey, two products with the potential to increase regeneration individually, as a combined product to enhance dermal regeneration

Investigation of the Thomson scattering-ECE discrepancy in ICRF heated plasmas at Alcator C-Mod

This paper reports on new experiments at Alcator C-Mod that were performed in order to investigate the long-standing, unresolved discrepancy between Thomson scattering (TS) and electron cyclotron emission (ECE) measurements of electron temperature in high temperature tokamak plasmas. Ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) heating is used to produce high temperature conditions where the type of TS-ECE discrepancy observed in the past at JET and TFTR should become observable. At Alcator C-Mod, plasmas with Te(0) up to 8 keV are obtained using ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH), ICRF mode conversion heating and a combination of the two heating methods in order to explore the hypothesis that the presence of ICRH-generated fast ions may be related to the discrepancy. In all high temperature cases, the TS and ECE measurements of electron temperature agree to within experimental uncertainties. We find no evidence for the type of discrepancy reported at JET and TFTR. These results show that the TS-ECE discrepancy does not depend on high temperatures alone and also that the presence of ICRH-generated fast ions is insufficient to cause the TS-ECE discrepancy.United States. Dept. of Energy (DE-FC02-99ER54512

Implementation of an Ultra-Bright Thermographic Phosphor for Gas Turbine Engine Temperature Measurements

The overall goal of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Seedling Phase II effort was to build on the promising temperature-sensing characteristics of the ultrabright thermographic phosphor Cr-doped gadolinium aluminum perovskite (Cr:GAP) demonstrated in Phase I by transitioning towards an engine environment implementation. The strategy adopted was to take advantage of the unprecedented retention of ultra-bright luminescence from Cr:GAP at temperatures over 1000 C to enable fast 2D temperature mapping of actual component surfaces as well as to utilize inexpensive low-power laser-diode excitation suitable for on-wing diagnostics. A special emphasis was placed on establishing Cr:GAP luminescence-based surface temperature mapping as a new tool for evaluating engine component surface cooling effectiveness

Patient Outcomes at Twelve Months after Early Decompressive Craniectomy for Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury in the Randomized DECRA Clinical Trial

Functional outcomes at 12 months were a secondary outcome of the randomized DECRA trial of early decompressive craniectomy for severe diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI) and refractory intracranial hypertension. In the DECRA trial, patients were randomly allocated 1:1 to either early decompressive craniectomy or intensive medical therapies (standard care). We conducted planned secondary analyses of the DECRA trial outcomes at 6 and 12 months, including all 155 patients. We measured functional outcome using the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E). We used ordered logistic regression, and dichotomized the GOS-E using logistic regression, to assess outcomes in patients overall and in survivors. We adjusted analyses for injury severity using the International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in TBI (IMPACT) model. At 12 months, the odds ratio (OR) for worse functional outcomes in the craniectomy group (OR 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-2.93; p = 0.07) was no longer significant. Unfavorable functional outcomes after craniectomy were 11% higher (59% compared with 48%), but were not significantly different from standard care (OR 1.58; 95% CI: 0.84-2.99; p = 0.16). Among survivors after craniectomy, there were fewer good (OR 0.33; 95% CI: 0.12-0.91; p = 0.03) and more vegetative (OR 5.12; 95% CI: 1.04-25.2; p = 0.04) outcomes. Similar outcomes in survivors were found at 6 months after injury. Vegetative (OR 5.85; 95% CI: 1.21-28.30; p = 0.03) and severely disabled outcomes (OR 2.49; 95% CI: 1.21-5.11; p = 0.01) were increased. Twelve months after severe diffuse TBI and early refractory intracranial hypertension, decompressive craniectomy did not improve outcomes and increased vegetative survivors

A π-Extended Donor-Acceptor-Donor Triphenylene Twin linked via a Pyrazine-bridge

Beta-amino triphenylenes can be accessed via palladium catalyzed amination of the corresponding triflate using benzophe-none imine. Transformation of amine 6 to benzoyl amide 18 is also straightforward and its wide mesophase range demon-strates that the new linkage supports columnar liquid crystal formation. Amine 6 also undergoes clean aerobic oxidation to give a new twinned structure linked through an electron-poor pyrazine ring. The new discotic liquid crystal motif contains donor and acceptor fragments, and is more oval in shape rather than disk-like. It forms a wide range columnar mesophase. Absorption spectra are strong and broad; emission is also broad and occurs with a Stokes shift of ca. 0.7 eV, indicative of charge-transfer characte