We study two families of type II discrete multiple orthogonal polynomials on an
-legged star-like set with respect to
weight functions of Charlier (Poisson distributions) and Meixner (negative ...binomial distributions), respectively. We focus our attention on the structural properties such as the raising operators, the Rodrigues-type formulas, and the explicit expressions of the polynomial families as well as the coefficients of the nearest neighbor recurrence relation. A limit relation between these families is given.
The improvement of performance in sodium ion batteries is a subject of intense research. In this work, a first principle calculations study at the density functional level on the adsorption process ...of Na adatoms into Sb2S3/carbon (Sb2S3/CM) and Sb2S3/heteroatom doped‐carbon (Sb2S3/S‐CM, Sb2S3/Sb‐CM) is presented. The sulfur and antimony doped‐carbon substrates enhance the adsorption energies, charge transfer, specific capacities and the diffusion properties of Na adatoms into the Sb2S3/S‐CM and Sb2S3/Sb‐CM composite systems. The Na storage capacity trend and the open circuit voltage profile follows the trend observed in previous experimental results. This work explores perspectives through tailoring 2D carbon anodes with doping heteroatoms in the presence of adsorbed Sb2S3 for an outstanding storage capacity and cycling stability architecture.
Adsorption energies of sodiation on the Sb2S3/carbon composite materials, and the dependence of the open circuit voltage of sodium content.
Myosin IIIA (MYO3A) targets actin protrusion tips using a motility mechanism dependent on both motor and tail actin-binding activity 1. We show that myosin IIIB (MYO3B) lacks tail actin-binding ...activity and is unable to target COS7 cell filopodia tips, yet is somehow able to target stereocilia tips. Strikingly, when MYO3B is coexpressed with espin-1 (ESPN1), a MYO3A cargo protein endogenously expressed in stereocilia 2, MYO3B targets and carries ESPN1 to COS7 filopodia tips. We show that this tip localization is lost when we remove the ESPN1 C terminus actin-binding site. We also demonstrate that, like MYO3A 2, MYO3B can elongate filopodia by transporting ESPN1 to the polymerizing end of actin filaments. The mutual dependence of MYO3B and ESPN1 for tip localization reveals a novel mechanism for the cell to regulate myosin tip localization via a reciprocal relationship with cargo that directly participates in actin binding for motility. Our results are consistent with a novel form of motility for class III myosins that requires both motor and tail domain actin-binding activity and show that the actin-binding tail can be replaced by actin-binding cargo. This study also provides a framework to better understand the late-onset hearing loss phenotype in patients with MYO3A mutations.
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► Myosin IIIA targets actin protrusion tips via motor and tail actin-binding ► Myosin IIIB uses its espin cargo as a “crutch” to reach actin protrusion tips ► Myosin IIIA outpaces myosin IIIB for localization at actin protrusion tips ► Like myosin IIIA, myosin IIIB uses espin cargo to elongate actin protrusions
We study the problem of optimally coordinating multiple fixed-wing UAVs to perform vision-based target tracking, which entails that the UAVs are tasked with gathering the best joint vision-based ...measurements of an unpredictable ground target. We utilize an analytic expression for the error covariance associated with the fused measurements of the target’s position, and we employ stochastic fourth-order models for all vehicles, thereby incorporating a high degree of realism into the problem formulation. While dynamic programming can generate an optimal control policy that minimizes the expected value of the fused geolocation error covariance over time, it is accompanied by significant computational challenges due to the curse of dimensionality. In order to circumvent this challenge, we present a novel policy generation technique that combines simulation-based policy iteration with a robust regression scheme. The resulting control policy offers a significant advantage over alternative approaches and shows that the optimal control strategy involves coordinating the UAVs’ distances to the target rather than their viewing angles, which had been a common practice in target tracking.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer and often has a fatal course. There are many studies in the literature that have described a close functional relationship between the tumor ...mass and surrounding tissue, or tumor stroma, which is affected by the continuous metabolic exchange that occurs at the interface between tumor and tissues in contact with it. There is much evidence that the presence of adipose tissue in stroma plays a fundamental role in modulating the tumor microenvironment and promote tumor development, growth, and angiogenesis due to its endocrine characteristics. In this analysis, we have studied the alterations of adipose tissue surrounding colorectal tumors with MRI and optical imaging in vivo techniques to monitor tumor progression and also performed histological and molecular analysis. We detected differences in the principal adipose markers expressed by adipocytes residing around the rectal colon and observed that peritumoral adipose tissue is exposed to a mesenchymal transition process that leads to the acquisition of a less differentiated phenotype of adipocyte that represents the main cellular type present in tumor stroma. The mesenchymal transition correlated with the acquisition of more aggressive tumor phenotype and could represent a valid target for tumor therapy.
•Adipose tissue surrounding tumor could influence the tumor growth and dissemination.•Adipose tissue surrounding tumors is characterized by peculiar morphological features.•Multilocular adipocytes surrounding tumors don’t express the typical markers of white and brown fat.•Adipose tissue surrounding tumor could represent a new therapeutic target.
Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) is a potent interstitial collagenase thought to be expressed mainly by polymorphonuclear neutrophils. To determine whether MMP-8 regulates lung inflammatory or ...fibrotic responses to bleomycin, we delivered bleomycin by the intratracheal route to wild-type (WT) versus Mmp-8(-/-) mice and quantified MMP-8 expression, and inflammation and fibrosis in the lung samples. Mmp-8 steady state mRNA and protein levels increase in whole lung and bronchoalveolar lavage samples when WT mice are treated with bleomycin. Activated murine lung fibroblasts express Mmp-8 in vitro. MMP-8 expression is increased in leukocytes in the lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis compared with control lung samples. Compared with bleomycin-treated WT mice, bleomycin-treated Mmp-8(-/-) mice have greater lung inflammation, but reduced lung fibrosis. Whereas bleomycin-treated Mmp-8(-/-) and WT mice have similar lung levels of several pro- and antifibrotic mediators (TGF-β, IL-13, JE, and IFN-γ), Mmp-8(-/-) mice have higher lung levels of IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and MIP-1α. Genetically deleting either Ip-10 or Mip-1α in Mmp-8(-/-) mice abrogates their lung inflammatory response to bleomycin, but reconstitutes their lung fibrotic response to bleomycin. Studies of bleomycin-treated Mmp-8 bone marrow chimeric mice show that both leukocytes and lung parenchymal cells are sources of profibrotic MMP-8 during bleomycin-mediated lung fibrosis. Thus, during bleomycin-mediated lung injury, MMP-8 dampens the lung acute inflammatory response, but promotes lung fibrosis by reducing lung levels of IP-10 and MIP-1α. These data indicate therapeutic strategies to reduce lung levels of MMP-8 may limit fibroproliferative responses to injury in the human lung.
•Viridans group streptococci (VGS) are the most common pathogens of infective endocarditis in mitral valve prolapse.•Among VGS, Streptococcus mitis group isolates were the most frequent ...pathogens.•Penicillin resistance was not detected among S. mitis group isolates.•There were no in-hospital deaths due to VGS infective endocarditis.
Viridans group streptococci (VGS) have been previously linked to infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP). The species identification of VGS is now available in clinical laboratories; however, it has not been examined in MVP IE. Therefore, we detailed the clinical profile, species designations, and antibiotic susceptibility of VGS isolates from patients with MVP IE.
We retrospectively queried all adults with MVP and a definite or possible IE diagnosis seen at medical centers of the Mayo Clinic Enterprise from January 2009 to December 2021. Data, including clinical characteristics, comorbidities, microbiology, and outcomes, were extracted from electronic health records. VGS isolates from patients with MVP and IE were subclassified into mutans, salivarius, anginosus, sanguinis, and mitis groups.
A total of 38 patients with MVP with IE due to streptococcal species were included. Overall, median age was 62.4 years and 32% of patients were females. The most prevalent comorbidities were diabetes mellitus (26%), hypertension (21%), heart failure (16%), and malignancy (16%). A total of (37%) patients presented with an embolic event at the time of their IE diagnosis, 27 (66%) required valve surgery, and no patient died within the hospital stay. The Streptococcus mitis group was the predominant (n = 17, 45%) species designation; S. anginosus and S. sanguinis were identified in three (8%) each; S. mutans in two (5%); and S. salivarius in one (3%). Non-VGS streptococcal pathogens included S. agalactiae in three patients (8%), S. equi in two (5%), and S. dysgalactiae and S. bovis in one each (3%). VGS were identified in five (13%) patients, but species designation was not done. No penicillin resistance was identified among the isolates.
The S. mitis group was the predominant species in our investigation. Continued evaluation of VGS species should be considered to profile the IE risk based on species identification.
Epithelial barrier function is maintained by tight junction proteins that control paracellular fluid flux. Among these proteins is junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A), an Ig fold transmembrane ...protein. To assess JAM-A function in the lung, we depleted JAM-A in primary alveolar epithelial cells using shRNA. In cultured cells, loss of JAM-A caused an approximately 30% decrease in transepithelial resistance, decreased expression of the tight junction scaffold protein zonula occludens 1, and disrupted junctional localization of the structural transmembrane protein claudin-18. Consistent with findings in other organs, loss of JAM-A decreased β1 integrin expression and impaired filamentous actin formation. Using a model of mild systemic endoxotemia induced by i.p. injection of lipopolysaccharide, we report that JAM-A−/− mice showed increased susceptibility to pulmonary edema. On injury, the enhanced susceptibility of JAM-A−/− mice to edema correlated with increased, transient disruption of claudin-18, zonula occludens 1, and zonula occludens 2 localization to lung tight junctions in situ along with a delay in up-regulation of claudin-4. In contrast, wild-type mice showed no change in lung tight junction morphologic features in response to mild systemic endotoxemia. These findings support a key role of JAM-A in promoting tight junction homeostasis and lung barrier function by coordinating interactions among claudins, the tight junction scaffold, and the cytoskeleton.
Abstract
Within the spectrum of radio waves, the Ku band (12 - 18
GH
z
) stands out for the wide range of instruments available and for its relative ease of acquisition, given that satellite ...television operates in this band. This situation offers a great opportunity for the development of radio astronomy in countries with unfavorable climatic conditions for optical astronomy, since this band is only affected by dense masses of water vapor. In this article we present a methodology for the calibration of the receiver system of compact Ku-band radio telescopes, and its application in the determination of the brightness temperature of the Moon. Our methodology involves modeling the influence of the atmosphere of the Earth on the response of the radioreceptor, which minimizes the error in the calculation of the brightness temperature of the observed object. We applied the proposed methodology in the monitoring of the Lunar cycle using the Ku-band radio telescope of the Observatorio Astronomico of Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, Colombia (OAUTP). After observing during May, June, and July of 2021, we obtained an average temperature of 213.15
K
, with maximum and minimum values of 275.55
K
and 150.75
K
, respectively. In addition, we evidenced a delay of 5.75
days
between the phase in which the maximum temperature is presented and the phase of the full Moon, which is consistent with the frequency of observation. The results show that our methodology is useful to optimize the calibration of compact Ku-band radio telescopes, and expand the potential of this type of instrument for the scientific study of radio sources other than the Sun, in this case the Moon.
•Vinasse physicochemical characteristics from a mexican native beverage makes it an ideal medium for anaerobic digestion.•Biodegradability index of vinasse indicates that treated anaerobically.•An ...extra microorganisms bed inside a UASB reactor improves the proportion of methane in biogas produced.
This work evaluated the redesign of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) bioreactor to increase biogas production from anaerobic digestion of vinasse and compared the redesign UASB bioreactor with a conventional UASB design. Vinasse contains a high level of organic matter, 120.2±18.4gO2/L of chemical organic demand (COD), and a 0.8 biodegradability index (BI). Thus, vinasse is a potential nutrient source for biogas production by anaerobic digestion. The modified UASB bioreactor has an innovation that consisted in a second leach bed sludge, which improved the methane proportion in biogas producing 2140mLCH4/day as compared to the traditional bioreactor (1840mLCH4/day).