De Novo Genome Sequence of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" from a Single Potato Psyllid in California.

The draft genome sequence of "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" strain RSTM from a potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) in California is reported here. The RSTM strain has a genome size of 1,286,787 bp, a G+C content of 35.1%, 1,211 predicted open reading frames (ORFs), and 43 RNA genes

A task-based analytical framework for ultrasonic beamformer comparison.

A task-based approach is employed to develop an analytical framework for ultrasound beamformer design and evaluation. In this approach, a Bayesian ideal-observer provides an idealized starting point and a way to measure information loss in practical beamformer designs. Different approximations of this ideal strategy are shown to lead to popular beamformers in the literature, including the matched filter, minimum variance (MV), and Wiener filter (WF) beamformers. Analysis of the approximations indicates that the WF beamformer should outperform the MV approach, especially in low echo signal-to-noise conditions. The beamformers are applied to five typical tasks from the BIRADS lexicon. Their performance is evaluated based on ability to discriminate idealized malignant and benign features. The numerical results show the advantages of the WF over the MV technique in general; although performance varies predictably in some contrast-limited tasks because of the model modifications required for the MV algorithm to avoid ill-conditioning.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from American Institute of Physics Publishing via http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.496060

Challenging chemoresistant metastatic colorectal cancer: Therapeutic strategies from the clinic and from the laboratory

As survival has improved for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), there is an increasing need for effective and well-tolerated third-line and subsequent-lines of treatment. Despite recent advances with the development of new-targeted therapies in this setting, there remains an unmet need to exploit oncogenic drivers of colorectal cancer and overcome acquired resistance. Potential treatment strategies include revisiting old targets such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, RAS, and BRAF and investigating new targets such as c-MET, the PI3 kinase, and Wnt pathways, and also the use of immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we review recent phase III trials exploring approved agents, early trials investigating new drugs for chemorefractory mCRC, and the potential of capturing tumour dynamics during its evolution by liquid biopsy analysis

Saturation of Magnetorotational Instability through Magnetic Field Generation

The saturation mechanism of Magneto-Rotational Instability (MRI) is examined through analytical quasilinear theory and through nonlinear computation of a single mode in a rotating disk. We find that large-scale magnetic field is generated through the alpha effect (the correlated product of velocity and magnetic field fluctuations) and causes the MRI mode to saturate. If the large-scale plasma flow is allowed to evolve, the mode can also saturate through its flow relaxation. In astrophysical plasmas, for which the flow cannot relax because of gravitational constraints, the mode saturates through field generation only.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures to appear in ApJ, Jun 2009, 10 v69

Single cell mechanics: stress stiffening and kinematic hardening

Cell mechanical properties are fundamental to the organism but remain poorly understood. We report a comprehensive phenomenological framework for the nonlinear rheology of single fibroblast cells: a superposition of elastic stiffening and viscoplastic kinematic hardening. Our results show, that in spite of cell complexity its mechanical properties can be cast into simple, well-defined rules, which provide mechanical cell strength and robustness via control of crosslink slippage.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

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Methods of olfactory ensheathing cell harvesting from the olfactory mucosa in dogs

Olfactory ensheathing cells are thought to support regeneration and remyelination of damaged axons when transplanted into spinal cord injuries. Following transplantation, improved locomotion has been detected in many laboratory models and in dogs with naturally-occurring spinal cord injury; safety trials in humans have also been completed. For widespread clinical implementation, it will be necessary to derive large numbers of these cells from an accessible and, preferably, autologous, source making olfactory mucosa a good candidate. Here, we compared the yield of olfactory ensheathing cells from the olfactory mucosa using 3 different techniques: rhinotomy, frontal sinus keyhole approach and rhinoscopy. From canine clinical cases with spinal cord injury, 27 biopsies were obtained by rhinotomy, 7 by a keyhole approach and 1 with rhinoscopy. Biopsy via rhinoscopy was also tested in 13 cadavers and 7 living normal dogs. After 21 days of cell culture, the proportions and populations of p75-positive (presumed to be olfactory ensheathing) cells obtained by the keyhole approach and rhinoscopy were similar (~4.5 x 106 p75-positive cells; ~70% of the total cell population), but fewer were obtained by frontal sinus rhinotomy. Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea was observed in one dog and emphysema in 3 dogs following rhinotomy. Blepharitis occurred in one dog after the keyhole approach. All three biopsy methods appear to be safe for harvesting a suitable number of olfactory ensheathing cells from the olfactory mucosa for transplantation within the spinal cord but each technique has specific advantages and drawbacks

Using lifetime fecundity to compare management strategies: a case history for striped bass

Abstract. --To evaluate possible regulatory schemes for restoring the stocks of striped bass Morone saxatilis in Rhode Island coastal waters, we constructed a computer simulation model ofa cohort's expected lifetime egg production. The model demonstrated that the expected increase in egg production from a proposed increase in minimum legal harvestable size (from 17 to 24 in) also could be achieved by an alternate management regime which, unlike the proposed size increase, would allow continued use of traditional fishing gears. The alternative regime increased the minimum size (but only to 18 in) and simultaneously reduced instantaneous fishing mortality from 0.45 to 0.30. Our findings of equivalence between the two regimes are reasonably robust to errors in population parameters. We then used the simulation model to generate curves of egg production per female recruit under a wide range of regulatory regimes. Such curves can illustrate the potential effects of management measures on depleted stocks. land Department of Environmental Management (DEM) was to propose regulations that were considered equivalent to the 24-in limit in restoration potential, but which would allow the continuing participation of the traditional net fisheries on a limited scale. This was accomplished by specifying only a modest increase in minimum size (to 18 in rather than 24 in TL), but simultaneously specifying a reduction in instantaneous fishing mortality (F). The reduction was to be achieved through additional closed seasons, gear restrictions, and area closures. We devised an egg production model for comparing these management regimes and used the model to generate expected egg production curves for a wide range of regulatory conditions. This report illustrates, by example, the production of such curves, which form an additional tool for managing depleted stocks. A prior version of this manuscript was released as Technical Report 84-6 of the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography and Technical Report 84-17 of the Oceanography Department of Old Dominion University. Description of the Model As stock replenishment is currently a major goal of Atlantic coast striped bass management, the 40

Building community resilience in a context of climate change : The role of social capital

Acknowledgements This research was funded by the UK Research and INNOVATION Economic and Social Research Council award number ES/J500136/1.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Doing what we know, knowing what to do: Californians Linking Action with Science for Prevention of Breast Cancer (CLASP-BC)

Given the lack of progress in breast cancer prevention, the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP) plans to apply current scientific knowledge about breast cancer to primary prevention at the population level. This paper describes the first phase of Californians Linking Action with Science for Prevention of Breast Cancer (CLASP-BC). The foci of Phase 1 are building coalitions and coalition capacity building through community engagement in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and dissemination and implementation (D&I) research training. Based on the successful implementation and evaluation of Phase 1, the foci of Phase 2 (presented separately in this special issue) will be to translate the California Breast Cancer Prevention Plan overarching goal and specific intervention goals for 23 breast cancer risk and protective factors strategies into evidence-informed interventions (EIIs) that are disseminated and implemented across California. CLASP-BC is designed to identify, disseminate and implement high-impact, population-based prevention approaches by funding large scale EIIs, through multi-jurisdictional actions, with the intent to decrease the risk of breast cancer and other chronic diseases (sharing common risk factors), particularly among racial/ethnic minorities and medically underserved populations in California