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A novel technique has been developed to improve the precision and shorten the measurement time of the LOCO (linear optics from closed orbits) method. This technique, named AC LOCO, is based on sine-wave (ac) beam excitation via fast correctors. Such fast correctors are typically installed at synchrotron light sources for the fast orbit feedback. The beam oscillations are measured by beam position monitors. The narrow band used for the beam excitation and measurement not only allows us to suppress effectively the beam position noise but also opens the opportunity for simultaneously exciting multiple correctors at different frequencies (multifrequency mode). We demonstrated at NSLS-II that AC LOCO provides better lattice corrections and works much faster than the traditional LOCO method.

The diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is a common clinical challenge among patients who sustain high-energy orthopaedic trauma, largely because no validated criteria exist to reliably define the presence of the condition. In the absence of validated diagnostic standards, concern for the potential clinical and medicolegal impact of a missed compartment syndrome may result in the potential overuse of fasciotomy in "at-risk" patients. The goal of the Predicting Acute Compartment Syndrome Study was to develop a decision rule for predicting the likelihood of ACS that would reduce unnecessary fasciotomies while guarding against potentially missed ACS. Of particular interest was the utility of early and continuous monitoring of intramuscular pressure and muscle oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy in the timely diagnosis of ACS. In this observational study, 191 participants aged 18-60 with high-energy tibia fractures were prospectively enrolled and monitored for up to 72 hours after admission, then followed for 6 months. Treating physicians were blinded to continuous pressure and oxygenation data. An expert panel of 9 orthopaedic surgeons retrospectively assessed the likelihood that each patient developed ACS based on data collected on initial presentation, clinical course, and known functional outcome at 6 months. This retrospectively assigned likelihood is modeled as a function of clinical data typically available within 72 hours of admission together with continuous pressure and oxygenation data. This study will improve our understanding of the natural history of compartment syndrome and examine the utility of early and continuous monitoring of the physiologic status of the injured extremity in the timely diagnosis of ACS.

Cellulolytic bacteria living in food can be applied to microbial feed additives to improve fiber digestion in animal feeds. In this study, a cellulase-producing bacteria was isolated from salted clam and treated with physical or chemical agents to enhance their enzyme production. The bacteria was identified as a strain of Bacillus subtilis on the basis of 16S rRNA analysis. Endo-1,4-b-D-glucanase (endoglucanase) was produced by the wild type using 0.4% carboxy-methyl-cellulose as a carbon source with maximal activity (0.04 U/mL) after 24 h incubation. Insoluble cellulose and oat spelt xylan were also used as carbon sources for investigation of exoglucanase and xylanase, however, these enzymes were not found in the culture supernatant. Maximum endoglucanase activity of Bacillus subtilis sp. was measured at 50°C and pH 5, respectively. Then, the strain was subjected to classical mutagenesis (UV-irradiation and chemical treatment) to improve endoglucanase production. A mutant strain, P11 treated with ethyl methyl sulfonate was finally selected. Mutant P11 was sub-cultured and tested for endoglucanase production, which was 0.05 U/mL after 24 h growth. The significant difference of endoglucanase production between wild type and mutant P11 was prolonged to 10th generation. Thus, the mutant strain was found to have enhanced endoglucanase production.

We evaluate the mass of the black holes of GW150914 at their event horizons via quasi-local energy approach and obtain the values of 71 and 57 solar masses, compared to their asymptotic values of 36 and 29 units, respectively, as reported by LIGO. A higher mass at the event horizon is compulsory in order to overcome the huge negative gravitational potential energy surrounding the black holes and allow for the emission of gravitational waves during merging. We estimate the initial mass of the stars which collapsed to form the black holes from the horizon mass and obtain the impressive values of 95 and 76 solar masses for these progenitor stars., Comment: Honorable Mention Award - Gravity Research Foundation 2017. (8 pages). Numerical values and Eq.(7), Eq.(11) typos corrected

Purpose: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common salivary gland malignancy. To explore the genetic origins of MEC, we performed systematic genomic analyses of these tumors. Experimental Design: Whole-exome sequencing and gene copy-number analyses were performed for 18 primary cancers with matched normal tissue. FISH was used to determine the presence or absence of the MECT1-MAML2 translocation in 17 tumors. Results: TP53 was the most commonly mutated gene in MEC (28%), and mutations were found only in intermediate- and high-grade tumors. Tumors with TP53 mutations had more mutations overall than tumors without TP53 mutations (P = 0.006). POU6F2 was the second most frequently mutated gene, found in three low-grade MECs with the same in-frame deletion. Somatic alterations in IRAK1, MAP3K9, ITGAL, ERBB4, OTOGL, KMT2C, and OBSCN were identified in at least two of the 18 tumors sequenced. FISH analysis confirmed the presence of the MECT1-MAML2 translocation in 15 of 17 tumors (88%). Conclusions: Through these integrated genomic analyses, MECT1-MAML2 translocation and somatic TP53 and POU6F2 mutations appear to be the main drivers of MEC. Clin Cancer Res; 23(1); 283–8. ©2016 AACR.

Bacillus licheniformis was grown in minimal nutrient medium containing 1% (w/v) of distillers dried grain with soluble (DDGS), palm kernel meal (PKM), wheat bran (WB) or copra meal (CM), and the enzyme activity of endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and reducing sugars was measured to investigate a possibility of using cost-effective agricultural residues in producing cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. The CM gave the highest endoglucanase activity of 0.68 units/mL among added substrates at 48 h. CM yielded the highest titres of 0.58 units/ml of β-glucosidase, compared to 0.33, 0.23, and 0.16 units/mL by PKM, WB, and DDGS, respectively, at 72 h. Xylanase production was the highest (0.34 units/mL) when CM was added. The supernatant from fermentation of CM had the highest reducing sugars than other additional substrates at all intervals (0.10, 0.12, 0.10, and 0.11 mg/mL respectively). It is concluded that Bacillus licheniformis is capable of producing multiple cellulo- and hemicellololytic enzymes for bioethanol production using cost-effective agricultural residues, especially CM, as a sole nutrient source.

Summary Background Although human papillomavirus detection in cervical lymph nodes of head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCC) of unknown primary site (UP) is indicative of a primary tumor of the oropharynx (OP), localization can remain elusive. Therefore, we investigated ultrasonography (US) for the identification of the primary tumor. Methods Eligible cases had HNSCC of UP after evaluation by a head and neck surgical oncologist. Controls were healthy volunteers. Transcervical and intraoral ultrasonography was performed by a standard protocol using convex (3.75–6.0 MHz and 5–7.5 MHz) transducers. US findings were compared with operative examination (exam under anesthesia, direct laryngoscopy) and biopsies. The primary outcome of interest was the presence or absence of a lesion on US. Results 10 cases and 20 controls were enrolled. PET/CT scans were negative/nonspecific (9), or suspicious (1) for a primary lesion. On US, predominantly hypoechoic (9 of 10) lesions were visualized consistent with base of tongue ( n = 7) or tonsil ( n = 3) primary tumors. On operative examination, 5 of 10 were appreciated. Two additional primaries were confirmed with biopsies “directed” by preoperative US. This represents an overall diagnostic rate of 70%, which is 20% higher than our detection rate for 2008–2010. The three cases in which a suspicious lesion was visualized on US, yet remained UP despite further interventions, could represent false positives, misclassification or operator variability. No lesions were suspected among the controls. Conclusion Ultrasound has promise for detection of UPs of the OP and therefore warrants further investigation.

Summary Objective A standardized assay to determine the HPV status of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) specimens has not yet been established, particularly for cytologic samples. The goal of this study was to determine whether the hybrid capture-2 (HC-2) assay, already widely used for the detection of high risk HPV in cervical brushings, is applicable to cytologic specimens obtained from patients with suspected HNSCCs. Materials and methods Fine needle aspirates (FNA) of cervical lymph nodes were pre-operatively obtained from patients with suspected HNSCCs and evaluated for the presence of HPV using the HC-2 assay. HPV analysis was performed on the corresponding resected tissue specimens using p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and HR-HPV in situ hybridization (ISH). A cost analysis was performed using the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Results HPV status of the cervical lymph node metastases was correctly classified using the HC-2 assay in 84% (21/25) of cases. Accuracy was improved to 100% when cytologic evaluation confirmed the presence of cancer cells in the test samples. The estimated cost savings to CMS using the HC-2 assay ranged from $113.74 to $364.63 per patient. Conclusions HC-2 is a reliable method for determining the HPV status of HNSCCs. Its application to HNSCCs may reduce costs by helping to localize the primary site during the diagnostic work-up as well as decrease the interval time of determining the HPV status which would be relevant for providing prognostic information to the patient as well as determining eligibility for clinical trials targeting this unique patient population.

Kolonialismus ist in den Städten Europas auf vielfältige Weise für die Produktion von Raum auch heute noch von hoher Relevanz. Eine dekoloniale Perspektive bietet daher einen theoretischen Zugriff, mit dem die Zusammenhänge der Produktion von Stadt und Rassismus – als ein wesentliches Erbe des Kolonialismus – verdeutlicht werden können. Davon ausgehend, dass sich Rassismus neben anderen Regimen der Subjektivierung und Unterwerfung (Geschlecht, Sexualität, ableism) in die koloniale Matrix gesellschaftlicher Verhältnisse eingeschrieben hat, plädiert dieser Artikel für eine sorgfältige Revision der epistemischen Prämissen der Stadtforschung und fordert die Perspektiven kolonialer Subjekte (Grosfoguel 2003) ein, was in diesem Aufsatz unter dem Begriff der ‚urbanen Dekolonisierung‘ thematisiert wird (vgl. zu Perspektiven der Dekolonisierung in der europäischen Soziologie Gutierrèz Rodriguez et al. 2012). Zum einen wird der konzeptuelle Rahmen der europäischen Stadt untersucht, um diesen dahingehend zu überprüfen, inwieweit er eine eurozentristische Geschichtsschreibung und orientalistische Zuschreibungen enthält. Zum anderen ziehe ich das Konzept der ‚Contact Zone‘ von Marie Louise Pratt heran, um die vorab ausgeführten Implikationen der europäischen Stadt in ihrer Relevanz für die Herstellung kolonialer Verhältnisse im städtischen Kontext zu untersuchen. Als empirische Beispiele dienen der Protest von Flüchtlingen im öffentlichen Raum und der Fall des Humboldt-Forums in Berlin.

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) is a candidate oncogene that is epigenetically modified in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). We sought to (1) assess AQP1 promoter methylation and expression in an ACC cohort, (2) identify correlations between AQP1 and clinical outcomes, and (3) explore the role of AQP1 in tumor progression in vitro.Laboratory study, retrospective chart review.Academic medical center.DNA and RNA were isolated from ACC tumors and control salivary gland tissues. Quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on bisulfite-treated DNA. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was performed after cDNA synthesis. Cell lines stably overexpressing an AQP1 plasmid or empty vector were generated. Cell scratch and Matrigel invasion assays were performed. Retrospective chart review was performed for collection of clinical information.Methylation results from 77 tumors and 30 controls demonstrated that AQP1 was hypomethylated in tumors (P.0001). Fifty-eight tumors (75.3%) displayed AQP1 hypomethylation compared with controls. AQP1 expression levels assessed in 58 tumors and 23 controls demonstrated a trend toward increased expression in tumors (P = .08). Univariate analysis revealed that AQP1 hypermethylation was associated with increased overall survival. No associations between AQP1 expression level and survival were found. AQP1 overexpression did not affect cell migratory or invasive capacities in vitro.AQP1 promoter hypomethylation is common in ACC, and AQP1 tends to be overexpressed in these tumors. Increased AQP1 methylation is associated with improved prognosis on univariate analysis, but expression is not associated with outcomes. Further in vitro studies are necessary to clarify the role of AQP1 in ACC.

Bacillus licheniformis was grown in minimal nutrient medium containing 1% (w/v) of distillers dried grain with soluble (DDGS), palm kernel meal (PKM), wheat bran (WB) or copra meal (CM), and the enzyme activity of endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, xylanase and reducing sugars was measured to investigate a possibility of using cost-effective agricultural residues in producing cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. The CM gave the highest endoglucanase activity of 0.68 units/mL among added substrates at 48 h. CM yielded the highest titres of 0.58 units/ml of β-glucosidase, compared to 0.33, 0.23, and 0.16 units/mL by PKM, WB, and DDGS, respectively, at 72 h. Xylanase production was the highest (0.34 units/mL) when CM was added. The supernatant from fermentation of CM had the highest reducing sugars than other additional substrates at all intervals (0.10, 0.12, 0.10, and 0.11 mg/mL respectively). It is concluded that Bacillus licheniformis is capable of producing multiple cellulo- and hemicellololytic enzymes for bioethanol production using cost-effective agricultural residues, especially CM, as a sole nutrient source.

Motivation Current bioinformatics methods to detect changes in gene isoform usage in distinct phenotypes compare the relative expected isoform usage in phenotypes. These statistics model differences in isoform usage in normal tissues, which have stable regulation of gene splicing. Pathological conditions, such as cancer, can have broken regulation of splicing that increases the heterogeneity of the expression of splice variants. Inferring events with such differential heterogeneity in gene isoform usage requires new statistical approaches. Results We introduce Splice Expression Variability Analysis (SEVA) to model increased heterogeneity of splice variant usage between conditions (e.g. tumor and normal samples). SEVA uses a rank-based multivariate statistic that compares the variability of junction expression profiles within one condition to the variability within another. Simulated data show that SEVA is unique in modeling heterogeneity of gene isoform usage, and benchmark SEVA’s performance against EBSeq, DiffSplice and rMATS that model differential isoform usage instead of heterogeneity. We confirm the accuracy of SEVA in identifying known splice variants in head and neck cancer and perform cross-study validation of novel splice variants. A novel comparison of splice variant heterogeneity between subtypes of head and neck cancer demonstrated unanticipated similarity between the heterogeneity of gene isoform usage in HPV-positive and HPV-negative subtypes and anticipated increased heterogeneity among HPV-negative samples with mutations in genes that regulate the splice variant machinery. These results show that SEVA accurately models differential heterogeneity of gene isoform usage from RNA-seq data. Availability and implementation SEVA is implemented in the R/Bioconductor package GSReg. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

In the original version of [this article][1] ([1][2]), the authors did not disclose that the investigational agent used, tadalafil, was supplied by Lilly, Inc. This information is now included in the Acknowledgements. The error has been corrected in the latest online HTML and PDF versions of the

To report a single institution's experience with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and its clinical outcomes. This was a retrospective study carried out at a university-affiliated teaching hospital.Forty-four consecutive TORS patients with benign and malignant diseases were reviewed. Data on demographics, clinical parameters, and diet were collected. Surgical margins, local and regional recurrence, distant metastasis, 2-year disease-free survival rate, and 2-year survival data were reviewed for the malignant cases.Nine benign and 35 proven squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) cases underwent TORS. The set-up time was 17.12 minutes (range, 10-40 minutes), and operative time was 53 minutes (range, 10-300 minutes). Average length of stay was 2.5 days. There were seven (6.8%) grade 3 surgical complications. Surgical infection rate was 2.3%. Benign cases were on a regular diet after TORS. Of the malignant cases, 94% were taking peroral diet immediately after the TORS procedure. There were no intraoperative complications and no 30-day postoperative mortalities. The mean follow-up time was 25.2 months (range, 16-38 months) for malignant disease. The SCCA sites were in the oropharynx (30/35), larynx (2/35), and unknown primary with neck metastasis (3/35). Unknown primary patients were excluded in the surgical margin analyses. Negative margins were achieved in 91% of cases. The local and regional recurrence rates were 6.3% (2/32) and 3.1% (1/32), respectively. Two patients (6.3%) developed distant metastasis. Oropharyngeal SCCA cases were reviewed, of which 23 were human papillomavirus (HPV)/p16 positive and 7 were HPV/p16 negative. The 2-year actual survival for HPV-positive and -negative patients was 96% (22/23) and 86% (6/7), respectively. The 2-year disease-free survival for HPV-positive and -negative cases was 91% (21/23) and 71.4% (5/7), respectively. All malignant cases that underwent TORS received postoperative adjuvant therapy.TORS is a safe procedure with minimal complications and acceptable clinical and functional outcomes.

An in vitro experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of methylcellulose on the attachment of major cellulolytic bacteria on rice straw and its digestibility. Rice straw was incubated with ruminal mixture with or without 0.1% methylcellulose (MC). The attachment of F. succinogenes, R. flavefaciens and R. albus populations on rice straw was measured using real-time PCR with specific primer sets. Methylcellulose at the level of 0.1% decreased the attachment of all three major cellulolytic bacteria. In particular, MC treatment reduced (p

An in vitro experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of methylcellulose on the attachment of major cellulolytic bacteria on rice straw and its digestibility. Rice straw was incubated with ruminal mixture with or without 0.1% methylcellulose (MC). The attachment of F. succinogenes, R. flavefaciens and R. albus populations on rice straw was measured using real-time PCR with specific primer sets. Methylcellulose at the level of 0.1% decreased the attachment of all three major cellulolytic bacteria. In particular, MC treatment reduced (p

Salivary gland tumors (SGT) are a group of highly heterogeneous head and neck malignancies with widely varied clinical outcomes and no standard effective treatments. The CRTC1-MAML2 fusion oncogene, encoded by a recurring chromosomal translocation t(11;19)(q14-21;p12-13), is a frequent genetic alteration found in >50% of mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC), the most common malignant SGT. In this study, we aimed to define the role of the CRTC1-MAML2 oncogene in the maintenance of MEC tumor growth and to investigate critical downstream target genes and pathways for therapeutic targeting of MEC. By performing gene expression analyses and functional studies via RNA interference and pharmacological modulation, we determined the importance of the CRTC1-MAML2 fusion gene and its downstream AREG-EGFR signaling in human MEC cancer cell growth and survival in vitro and in vivo using human MEC xenograft models. We found that CRTC1-MAML2 fusion oncogene was required for the growth and survival of fusion-positive human MEC cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The CRTC1-MAML2 oncoprotein induced the upregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ligand Amphiregulin (AREG) by co-activating the transcription factor CREB, and AREG subsequently activated EGFR signaling in an autocrine manner that promoted MEC cell growth and survival. Importantly, CRTC1-MAML2-positive MEC cells were highly sensitive to EGFR signaling inhibition. Therefore, our study revealed that aberrantly activated AREG-EGFR signaling is required for CRTC1-MAML2-positive MEC cell growth and survival, suggesting that EGFR-targeted therapies will benefit patients with advanced, unresectable CRTC1-MAML2-positive MEC.

The effects and significance of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) producing bacteria (GPB) on in vitro rumen fermentation and reduction of biogenic amines (histamine, methylamine, ethylamine, and tyramine) using corn meal as a substrate were determined. Ruminal samples collected from ruminally fistulated Holstein cows served as inoculum and corn was used as substrate at 2% dry matter (DM). Different inclusion rates of GPB and GABA were evaluated. After incubation, addition of GPB had no significant effect on in vitro fermentation pH and total gas production, but significantly increased the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration and reduced the total biogenic amines production (p

The effects and significance of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) producing bacteria (GPB) on in vitro rumen fermentation and reduction of biogenic amines (histamine, methylamine, ethylamine, and tyramine) using corn meal as a substrate were determined. Ruminal samples collected from ruminally fistulated Holstein cows served as inoculum and corn was used as substrate at 2% dry matter (DM). Different inclusion rates of GPB and GABA were evaluated. After incubation, addition of GPB had no significant effect on in vitro fermentation pH and total gas production, but significantly increased the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration and reduced the total biogenic amines production (p

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is the second most common genitourinary malignant disease in the USA, and tobacco smoking is the major known risk factor for UCC development. Exposure to carcinogens, such as those contained in tobacco smoke, is known to directly or indirectly damage DNA, causing mutations, chromosomal deletion events and epigenetic alterations in UCC. Molecular studies have shown that chromosome 9 alterations and P53, RAS, RB and PTEN mutations are among the most frequent events in UCC. Recent studies suggested that continuous tobacco carcinogen exposure drives and enhances the selection of epigenetically altered cells in UCC, predominantly in the invasive form of the disease. However, the sequence of molecular events that leads to UCC after exposure to tobacco smoke is not well understood.To elucidate molecular events that lead to UCC oncogenesis and progression after tobacco exposure, we developed an in vitro cellular model for smoking-induced UCC. SV-40 immortalized normal HUC1 human bladder epithelial cells were continuously exposed to 0.1% cigarette smoke extract (CSE) until transformation occurred. Morphological alterations and increased cell proliferation of non-malignant urothelial cells were observed after 4 months (mo) of treatment with CSE. Anchorage-independent growth assessed by soft agar assay and increase in the migratory and invasive potential was observed in urothelial cells after 6 mo of CSE treatment. By performing a PCR mRNA expression array specific to the PI3K-AKT pathway, we found that 26 genes were upregulated and 22 genes were downregulated after 6 mo of CSE exposure of HUC1 cells. Among the altered genes, PTEN, FOXO1, MAPK1 and PDK1 were downregulated in the transformed cells, while AKT1, AKT2, HRAS, RAC1 were upregulated. Validation by RT-PCR and western blot analysis was then performed. Furthermore, genome-wide methylation analysis revealed MCAM, DCC and HIC1 are hypermethylated in CSE-treated urothelial cells when compared with non-CSE exposed cells. The methylation status of these genes was validated using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMSP), confirming an increase in methylation of CSE-treated urothelial cells compared to untreated controls. Therefore, our findings suggest that a tobacco signature could emerge from distinctive patterns of genetic and epigenetic alterations and can be identified using an in vitro cellular model for the development of smoking-induced cancer.

A series of in vitro studies were carried out to determine i) the effects of enzyme and formaldehyde treatment on the degradation characteristics of carbohydrate and protein sources and on the synchronicity of these processes, and ii) the effects of synchronizing carbohydrate and protein supply on rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis (MPS) in in vitro experiments. Untreated corn (C) and enzyme-treated corn (EC) were combined with soy bean meal with (ES) and without (S) enzyme treatment or formaldehyde treatment (FS). Six experimental feeds (CS, CES, CFS, ECS, ECES and ECFS) with different synchrony indices were prepared. Highly synchronous diets had the greatest dry matter (DM) digestibility when untreated corn was used. However, the degree of synchronicity did not influence DM digestibility when EC was mixed with various soybean meals. At time points of 12 h and 24 h of incubation, EC-containing diets showed lower ammonia-N concentrations than those of C-containing diets, irrespective of the degree of synchronicity, indicating that more efficient utilization of ammonia-N for MPS was achieved by ruminal microorganisms when EC was offered as a carbohydrate source. Within C-containing treatments, the purine base concentration increased as the diets were more synchronized. This effect was not observed when EC was offered. There were significant effects on VFA concentration of both C and S treatments and their interactions. Similar to purine concentrations, total VFA production and individual VFA concentration in the groups containing EC as an energy source was higher than those of other groups (CS, CES and CFS). The results of the present study suggested that the availability of energy or the protein source are the most limiting factors for rumen fermentation and MPS, rather than the degree of synchronicity.

A facultative bacterium producing cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes was isolated from the rumen of a native Korean goat. The bacterium was identified as a Bacillus licheniformis on the basis of biochemical and morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences, and has been designated Bacillus licheniformis JK7. Endoglucanase activities were higher than those of β-glucosidase and xylanase at all temperatures. Xylanase had the lowest activity among the three enzymes examined. The optimum temperature for the enzymes of Bacillus licheniformis JK7 was 70°C for endoglucanase (0.75 U/ml) and 50°C for β-glucosidase and xylanase (0.63 U/ml, 0.44 U/ml, respectively). All three enzymes were stable at a temperature range of 20 to 50°C. At 50°C, endoglucanse, β-glucosidase, and xylanase had 90.29, 94.80, and 88.69% residual activity, respectively. The optimal pH for the three enzymes was 5.0, at which their activity was 1.46, 1.10, and 1.08 U/ml, respectively. The activity of all three enzymes was stable in the pH range of 3.0 to 6.0. Endoglucanase activity was increased 113% by K+, while K+, Zn+, and tween 20 enhanced β-glucosidase activity. Xylanase showed considerable activity even in presence of selected chemical additives, with the exception of Mn2+ and Cu2+. The broad range of optimum temperatures (20 to 40°C) and the stability under acidic pH (4 to 6) suggest that the cellulolytic enzymes of Bacillus licheniformis JK7 may be good candidates for use in the biofuel industry.

A facultative bacterium producing cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes was isolated from the rumen of a native Korean goat. The bacterium was identified as a Bacillus licheniformis on the basis of biochemical and morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences, and has been designated Bacillus licheniformis JK7. Endoglucanase activities were higher than those of -glucosidase and xylanase at all temperatures. Xylanase had the lowest activity among the three enzymes examined. The optimum temperature for the enzymes of Bacillus licheniformis JK7 was 70C for endoglucanase (0.75 U/ml) and 50C for -glucosidase and xylanase (0.63 U/ml, 0.44 U/ml, respectively). All three enzymes were stable at a temperature range of 20 to 50C. At 50C, endoglucanse, -glucosidase, and xylanase had 90.29, 94.80, and 88.69% residual activity, respectively. The optimal pH for the three enzymes was 5.0, at which their activity was 1.46, 1.10, and 1.08 U/ml, respectively. The activity of all three enzymes was stable in the pH range of 3.0 to 6.0. Endoglucanase activity was increased 113% by K + , while K + , Zn + , and tween 20 enhanced -glucosidase activity. Xylanase showed considerable activity even in presence of selected chemical additives, with the exception of Mn 2+ and Cu 2+ . The broad

The incidence of HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased more than 200% in the past 20 years. Recent genetic sequencing efforts have elucidated relevant genes in head and neck cancer, but HPV-related tumors have consistently shown few DNA mutations. In this study, we sought to analyze alternative splicing events (ASE) that could alter gene function independent of mutations. To identify ASE unique to HPV-related tumors, RNA sequencing was performed on 46 HPV-positive OPSCC and 25 normal tissue samples. A novel algorithm using outlier statistics on RNA-sequencing junction expression identified 109 splicing events, which were confirmed in a validation set from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Because the most common type of splicing event identified was an alternative start site (39%), MBD-seq genome-wide CpG methylation data were analyzed for methylation alterations at promoter regions. ASE in six genes showed significant negative correlation between promoter methylation and expression of an alternative transcriptional start site, including AKT3. The novel AKT3 transcriptional variant and methylation changes were confirmed using qRT-PCR and qMSP methods. In vitro silencing of the novel AKT3 variant resulted in significant growth inhibition of multiple head and neck cell lines, an effect not observed with wild type AKT3 knockdown. Analysis of ASE in HPV-related OPSCC identified multiple alterations likely involved in carcinogenesis, including a novel, functionally active transcriptional variant of AKT3. Our data indicate that ASEs represent a significant mechanism of oncogenesis with untapped potential for understanding complex genetic changes that result in development of cancer.

Die Alltagspraxis von Straßenhändler_innen in der historischen Mitte von Berlin ist davon bestimmt, sich sowohl an die alltäglichen, strukturellen und institutionellen Begrenzungen anzupassen als auch diese herauszufordern. Noa K. Ha liefert Einblicke in diese alltägliche Nutzung des öffentlichen Raums, die zugleich die Globalisierung westlicher Metropolen augenfällig macht. Ihre Studie verweist auf das problematische Verhältnis zwischen urbaner Raumnutzung, informalisierter Arbeit und rassifizierter Migration und fragt angesichts wachsender Diskriminierungen nach der Inklusionsfähigkeit öffentlicher Räume in einer europäischen Stadt wie Berlin.

The problem of Influence Maximization (IM) on social networks proposed firstly by Kempe et al. (2003) has been researched and developed with many cases. However, the IM in limited time while unwanted users are restricted is still a new potential subject. In this paper, we conducted the research over model of information diffusion named Locally Bounded Diffusion and tested some useful heuristic algorithms. The results of the experiment on some real datasets of social networks show that the algorithm meta-heuristic generated better output than the others.

Premise of the study Local ecological conditions influence the impact of species interactions on evolution and community structure. We investigated whether pollinator-mediated interactions between coflowering plants vary with plant density, coflowering neighbor identity, and flowering season. Methods We conducted a field experiment in which flowering time and floral neighborhood were manipulated in a factorial design. Early- and late-flowering Clarkia unguiculata plants were placed into arrays with C. biloba neighbors, noncongeneric neighbors, additional conspecific plants, or no additional plants as a density control. We compared whole-plant pollen limitation of seed set, pollinator behavior, and pollen deposition among treatments. Key results Interactions mediated by shared pollinators depended on the identity of the neighbor and possibly changed through time, although flowering-season comparisons were compromised by low early-season plant survival. Interactions with conspecific neighbors were likely competitive late in the season. Interactions with C. biloba appeared to involve facilitation or neutral interactions. Interactions with noncongeners were more consistently competitive. The community composition of pollinators varied among treatment combinations. Conclusions Pollinator-mediated interactions involved competition and likely facilitation, depending on coflowering neighbor. Experimental manipulation helped to reveal context-dependent variation in indirect biotic interactions.

The field of salivary gland tumor biology is quite broad, given the numerous subtypes of both benign and malignant tumors originating from the major and minor salivary glands. Knowledge about the molecular pathology of these lesions is still limited, and there are few clinically useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. However, recent discoveries of certain key genomic alterations, such as chromosome translocations, copy number alterations, and mutations, provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of these lesions and may help to better define them. It is also hoped that this new knowledge can help to guide therapy, but this translation has been somewhat slow to develop, perhaps due to the rarity of these tumors and the lack of large, randomized studies. However, because of the limitations inherent in what surgery and radiation can provide, there is an urgent need for understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in these tumors individually, so that chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy can be rationally selected.

Salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare head and neck malignancy without molecular biomarkers that can be used to predict the chemotherapeutic response or prognosis of ACC. The regulation of gene expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) through DNA promoter methylation may play a role in the carcinogenesis of ACC. To identify differentially methylated genes in ACC, a global demethylating agent, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-AZA) was utilized to unmask putative TSG silencing in ACC xenograft models in mice. Fresh xenografts were passaged, implanted in triplicate in mice that were treated with 5-AZA daily for 28 days. These xenografts were then evaluated for genome-wide DNA methylation patterns using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 BeadChip array. Validation of the 32 candidate genes was performed by bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) in a separate cohort of 6 ACC primary tumors and 6 normal control salivary gland tissues. Hypermethylation was identified in the HCN2 gene promoter in all 6 control tissues, but hypomethylation was found in all 6 ACC tumor tissues. Quantitative validation of HCN2 promoter methylation level in the region detected by BS-seq was performed in a larger cohort of primary tumors (n=32) confirming significant HCN2 hypomethylation in ACCs compared with normal samples (n=10; P=0.04). HCN2 immunohistochemical staining was performed on an ACC tissue microarray. HCN2 staining intensity and H-score, but not percentage of the positively stained cells, were significantly stronger in normal tissues than those of ACC tissues. With our novel screening and sequencing methods, we identified several gene candidates that were methylated. The most significant of these genes, HCN2, was actually hypomethylated in tumors. However, promoter methylation status does not appear to be a major determinant of HCN2 expression in normal and ACC tissues. HCN2 hypomethylation is a biomarker of ACC and may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of ACC.

Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) of the salivary glands are challenging to understand, treat, and cure. To better understand the genetic alterations underlying the pathogenesis of these tumors, we performed comprehensive genome analyses of 25 fresh-frozen tumors, including whole-genome sequencing and expression and pathway analyses. In addition to the well-described MYB–NFIB fusion that was found in 11 tumors (44%), we observed five different rearrangements involving the NFIB transcription factor gene in seven tumors (28%). Taken together, NFIB translocations occurred in 15 of 25 samples (60%, 95% CI, 41%–77%). In addition, mRNA expression analysis of 17 tumors revealed overexpression of NFIB in ACC tumors compared with normal tissues (P = 0.002). There was no difference in NFIB mRNA expression in tumors with NFIB fusions compared with those without. We also report somatic mutations of genes involved in the axonal guidance and Rho family signaling pathways. Finally, we confirm previously described alterations in genes related to chromatin regulation and Notch signaling. Our findings suggest a separate role for NFIB in ACC oncogenesis and highlight important signaling pathways for future functional characterization and potential therapeutic targeting. Cancer Prev Res; 9(4); 265–74. ©2016 AACR.