This paper approaches a bi-connectivity preservation problem for networked multi-robot systems in a distributed control fashion. Since a bi-connected network topology is robust against single node ...removal, networked multi-robot systems are required to preserve bi-connectedness in cases robots may fail. By employing a perturbed graph Laplacian to find if the network is disconnected after a node is removed, we analyse a sufficient condition that the network is bi-connected. Then we design a distributed control law to preserve the bi-connectedness from the sufficient condition. Moreover, considering cases a robot fails, we propose a control law to let a uni-connected network be bi-connected forcibly. A condition to restore the bi-connectedness by the proposed control is theoretically proved. The effectiveness of the proposed control laws is demonstrated by numerical simulations.
A quick and easy method to detect Fusobacterium species has been developed to utilize magnetic nanoparticles' magnetic response and is applied by switching magnetic fields. The bacterium can be ...detected without the washing process. The magnetic nanoparticles and Fusobacterium species are bound by an antigen-antibody reaction and aggregated into a spherical shape using a needle-shaped magnetic yoke. The aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles improves the signal-to-noise ratio to detect the bacterium. We report that a clear tendency for the concentration of Fusobacterium nucleatum can be derived by analyzing the amount of reverse magnetization and the correlation coefficient of a waveform, as well as checking the principal component analysis. This analysis is useful for an accurate evaluation of the antigen. Specific detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum was demonstrated through the cross-reaction using Candida albicans . The optical density (OD) sensitivity value was around 10 −4 -10 −3 .
In the presence of 5 mol% Pd(OAc)
, 1 equiv. of norbornene, and K
CO
, the reaction of 4-iodo-2-quinolones with tertiary
-bromobenzylic alcohols produced the desired benzopyran-fused 2-quinolones in ...moderate to high yields. A Catellani-type mechanism involving vinylic C-H cleavage is proposed based on the results of control experiments and density functional theory calculations.
High-dose methotrexate (Hd-MTX) therapy has recently been applied to the treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) based on pediatric protocols; however, its effectiveness for adult ALL ...has not yet been confirmed in a rigorous manner. We herein conducted a randomized phase III trial comparing Hd-MTX therapy with intermediate-dose (Id)-MTX therapy. This study was registered at UMIN-CTR (ID: C000000063). Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-negative ALL patients aged between 25 and 64 years of age were enrolled. Patients who achieved complete remission (CR) were randomly assigned to receive therapy containing Hd-MTX (3 g/m
) or Id-MTX (0.5 g/m
). A total of 360 patients were enrolled. The CR rate was 86%. A total of 115 and 114 patients were assigned to the Hd-MTX and Id-MTX groups, respectively. The estimated 5-year disease-free survival rate of the Hd-MTX group was 58%, which was significantly better than that of the Id-MTX group at 32% (P=0.0218). The frequencies of severe adverse events were not significantly different. We herein demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Hd-MTX therapy for adult Ph-negative ALL. Our results provide a strong rationale for protocols containing Hd-MTX therapy being applied to the treatment of adult ALL.
The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has important roles for tumorigenesis, but how it regulates cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains largely unclear. We identified insulin-like growth ...factor 2 (IGF2) is a key target of NF-κB activated by HER2/HER3 signaling to form tumor spheres in breast cancer cells. The IGF2 receptor, IGF1 R, was expressed at high levels in CSC-enriched populations in primary breast cancer cells. Moreover, IGF2-PI3K (IGF2-phosphatidyl inositol 3 kinase) signaling induced expression of a stemness transcription factor, inhibitor of DNA-binding 1 (ID1), and IGF2 itself. ID1 knockdown greatly reduced IGF2 expression, and tumor sphere formation. Finally, treatment with anti-IGF1/2 antibodies blocked tumorigenesis derived from the IGF1R
CSC-enriched population in a patient-derived xenograft model. Thus, NF-κB may trigger IGF2-ID1-IGF2-positive feedback circuits that allow cancer stem-like cells to appear. Then, they may become addicted to the circuits. As the circuits are the Achilles' heels of CSCs, it will be critical to break them for eradication of CSCs.
One of the key outstanding problems in studies of galaxy evolution is understanding the connection between AGN and star formation (SF). Nevertheless, finding the existence of an SF-AGN connection is ...still not clear which process dominates the energetic output in both local and high redshift Universe. We present 360 X-ray selected obscured (type 2) AGNs at redshift z < 1.5. We acquired star formation properties for those X-ray detected AGN which available in the Cosmological Evolution Survey (COSMOS) project. We compared the star formation properties for our X-ray detected AGNs and non-X-ray galaxies using starburstiness. The step further is analyzing the X-ray properties and starburstiness of X-ray detected AGN for proving the existence of a connection. The starburstiness distribution of X-ray detected AGNs shows some excess in low star forming activity compared with the non-AGN objects. This excess might be an interesting topic to analyze the AGN type. For X-ray detected AGNs, We found that X-ray activities arise both in high and lower star forming activity. From those properties relation, we conclude that the AGNs could be triggered by starburst either directly or delayed.
Abstract In the gut, transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) 1 activation leads to release of neurotransmitters such as neuropeptides and nitric oxide. However, the distribution of TRPV1 nerve ...fibers and neurotransmitters released form sensory nerve endings in the enteric nervous system are currently not well understood. The present study investigated the immunohistochemical distribution of TRPV1 channels, sensory neuropeptides, and nitric oxide and their co-localization in mouse large intestine. Numerous TRPV1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivities were detected, mainly in the mucosa, submucosal layer, and myenteric plexus. Abundant substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA), and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-immunoreactivity were revealed in muscle layers. Motor function studies of circular and longitudinal muscles found that contractile responses to capsaicin in the rectum were most sensitive among the rectum, and distal, transverse, and proximal colon. Double labeling studies were carried out in horizontal sections of mouse rectum. TRPV1/protein gene product (PGP)9.5 double labeled axons were observed, but PGP9.5 and neuronal nuclear protein immunopositive cell bodies did not express TRPV1 immunoreactivity in the myenteric plexus. In the mucosa, submucosal layer, deep muscular plexus, circular muscle, myenteric plexus and longitudinal muscle layer, TRPV1 nerve fibers were found to contain CGRP, SP and nNOS. SP and NKA were almost entirely colocalized at the axons and cell bodies in all layers. Double labeling with c-Kit revealed that TRPV1 nerve fibers localized adjacent to the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC). These results suggest that the TRPV1-expressing nerve and its neurotransmitters regulate various functions of the large intestine.
We present the Zurich Extragalactic Bayesian Redshift Analyzer (zebra). The current version of zebra combines and extends several of the classical approaches to produce accurate photometric redshifts ...down to faint magnitudes. In particular, zebra uses the template-fitting approach to produce Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian redshift estimates based on the following points.
An automatic iterative technique to correct the original set of galaxy templates to best represent the Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of real galaxies at different redshifts.
A training set of spectroscopic redshifts for a small fraction of the photometric sample to improve the robustness of the photometric redshift estimates.
An iterative technique for Bayesian redshift estimates, which extracts the full two-dimensional redshift and template probability function for each galaxy.
We demonstrate the performance of zebra by applying it to a sample of 866 I
AB
≤ 22.5 COSMOS galaxies with available u*, B, V, g′, r′, i′, z′ and K
s
photometry and zCOSMOS spectroscopic redshifts in the range 0 < z < 1.3. Adopting a 5σ clipping that excludes ≤10 galaxies, both the Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian zebra estimates for this sample have an accuracy σΔz/(1+z) smaller than 0.03. Similar accuracies are recovered using mock galaxies.
zebra is made available at http://www.exp-astro.phys.ethz.ch/ZEBRA.
Background
Transient receptor potential channel melastatin 8 (TRPM8) is activated by cold temperatures and cooling agents (menthol and icilin). Recent studies showed TRPM8 is expressed in visceral ...organs and peripheral sensory pathways. However, the role of TRPM8 in visceral hyperalgesia is poorly understood in pathological states such as inflammatory bowel disease. Hence, we investigated the distribution of TRPM8 and its involvement in visceral hyperalgesia in experimental colitis mice.
Methods
TRPM8 immunoreactivity was detected using immunohistochemical staining with fluorescein‐conjugated tyramide amplification. Visceral hyperalgesia was measured by the intracolonic administration of TRPM8 agonist, WS‐12, in control and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)‐induced colitis mice.
Key Results
TRPM8 immunoreactivity in the distal colon was much higher than in the transverse and proximal colon under physiological conditions. TRPM8 immunoreactivity markedly increased in the distal colon mucosa of DSS‐induced colitis mice compared with control mice. The number of TRPM8 nerve fibers in mucosa of DSS‐ or 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid‐induced colitis model mice drastically increased compared with control mice. TRPM8 immunoreactivities colocalized with the calcitonin gene‐related peptide‐ and substance P‐immunoreactive nerve fibers in the mucosa. Intracolonic administration of WS‐12 induced behavioral visceral pain‐like responses. The numbers of these responses in the colitis model mice were 3 times higher than in control mice, and were decreased by pretreatment with the TRPM8 channel blocker AMTB.
Conclusions & Inferences
Increased expression of TRPM8 may contribute to the visceral hyperalgesia of experimental colitis.
TRPM8 immunoreactivity markedly increased in the distal colon mucosa of DSS‐induced colitis mice compared with control mice. The numbers of TRPM8 agonist WS‐12 induced visceral pain‐like responses in the colitis model mice were three times higher than in control mice, and were decreased by pretreatment with the TRPM8 channel blocker AMTB. Increased expression of TRPM8 may contribute to the visceral hyperalgesia of experimental colitis.
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