108 research outputs found
Ig gene diversification and selection in follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B cell lymphoma and primary central nervous system lymphoma revealed by lineage tree and mutation analyses
No full textFollicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and primary central nervous system lymphoma are B cell malignancies. FL and DLBCL have a germinal center origin. We have applied mutational analyses and a novel algorithm for quantifying shape properties of mutational lineage trees to investigate the nature of the diversification, somatic hypermutation and selection processes that affect B cell clones in these malignancies and reveal whether they differ from normal responses. Lineage tree analysis demonstrated higher diversification and mutations per cell in the lymphoma clones. This was caused solely by the longer diversification times of the malignant clones, as their recent diversification processes were similar to those of normal responses, implying similar mutation frequencies. Since previous analyses of antigen-driven selection were shown to yield false positives, we performed a corrected analysis of replacement and silent mutation patterns, which revealed selection against replacement mutations in the framework regions, responsible for the structural integrity of the B cell receptor, but not for positive selection for replacements in the complementary determining regions. Most replacements, however, were neutral or conservative, suggesting that if at all selection operates in these malignancies it is for structural B cell receptor integrity but not for antigen binding
A model to environmental monitoring based on glutathione-S-transferase activity and branchial lesions in catfish
No full textTechno-economic transition towards a hydrogen economy
No full textPhDThe research conducted is in the field of innovation and focuses on the UK energy sector. The key theme of the study is the transition towards a hydrogen economy with fuel cell technologies at the epicentre and takes into account the relevant scientific, technological, economic and policy issues. In order to provide an understanding of the factors that affect techno-economic transitions to alternative energy systems, the thesis investigates the historical transition processes such as the transition to electrification in the early 1900s and recent transitions to CCGT and renewable energy systems (wind, biofuels and solar) that have taken place since the late 1980s. As the developmental status of hydrogen technologies lay at the heart of these transitions, a thorough analysis of the hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, the R&D requirements, and innovations required in different scientific fields (including materials science) to develop these technologies is conducted. At the same time, as other factors such as sustainability, climate change and security of supply concerns can greatly affect the direction of the transition processes, that includes R&D activities and investment in alternative energy technologies, an overview of these factors is also provided. The analysis employs a new theoretical framework that combines two well established theories in the literature, Techno-economic Transitions and Large Technological Systems. By using this new framework, the technological transition towards a hydrogen energy system can be analysed at three levels, (global, national and local). The analysis is narrowed down to the local level in order to determine the timing of a transition in London and how it can form the foundation for a wider a transition at the national level based on alternative technologies
Micronuclei and erythrocytic abnormalities frequencies of freshwater fishes: Establishing a baseline for health status
No full textSurprise as an Emotion: A Response to Ortony
No full text© The Author(s) 2022.We write in response to an article published in this journal by Andrew Ortony titled “Are All ‘Basic Emotions’ Emotions? A Problem for the (Basic) Emotions Construct.” The author claimed that “for all its elevated status as a basic emotion, surprise fails to satisfy the minimal requirements that [he] proposed for something to be an emotion, and if it is not an emotion, it cannot possibly be a basic emotion.” Although we acknowledge the concerns brought forth by Ortony, we respectfully disagree with his conclusion about surprise. To make a case against the assertion that surprise is valence-free, we summarize an extensive body of work showing that surprise is indeed valenced—in a specific manner (i.e., ambiguously valenced)—and that it meets all of Ortony’s criteria for an emotion. In other words, rather than being described as neither positive nor negative, this emotion is either positive or negative. We consider the data with respect to surprise as a basic emotion, and we dispute the definitions of basic emotions as “widely divergent.” Future work is needed to continue defining an emotion, and a basic emotion, but we believe this is a worthy effort toward shaping a still evolving field.11Nssciscopu
Recurrent congenital cytomegalovirus infection in a sequential pregnancy with severe sequelae, and a possible association with prophylactic valacyclovir treatment: a case report
No full textRecurrent congenital cytomegalovirus infections in consecutive pregnancies are rarely reported. Due to the risk of fetal infection from preconception maternal infection, a 6-month interval after primary maternal infection is generally advised before a new conception. Recently, high-dose valacyclovir treatment was shown to prevent fetal infection in first trimester primary infections. We present a case of first trimester primary infection treated with high-dose valacyclovir but resulting in polymerase chain reaction–confirmed fetal infection. Cytomegalovirus-specific immunoglobulin G titers remained very low during treatment and rose only after cessation of antiviral treatment. Six months after primary seroconversion, in a sequential pregnancy, recurrent fetal infection was diagnosed and resulted in severe fetal sequella. Whole genome sequencing of both amniotic fluid isolates proved them to be identical. Both pregnancies were terminated. We hypothesize that valacyclovir treatment, although unsuccessful in preventing fetal infection, had delayed the adaptive maternal immune response and might have contributed to fetal infection during the sequential pregnancy. We suggest that a longer delay might be warranted after valacyclovir treatment and before a new conception
The effect of slime accumulated in a long-term operating UASB using crude glycerol to treat S-rich wastewater
No full textAuthors acknowledge the Spanish Government, through the project RTI2018-099362-B-C21 MINECO/FEDER, EU, for the financial support provided to perform this research. The first author thanks the China Scholarship Council (CSC, 201706300052) for financial support.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i Sanejament::6.3 - Per a 2030, millorar la qualitat de l’aigua mitjançant la reducció de la contaminació, l’eliminació dels abocaments i la reducció al mínim de la descàrrega de materials i productes químics perillosos, la reducció a la meitat del percentatge d’aigües residuals sense tractar, i un augment substancial a escala mundial del reciclat i de la reutilització en condicions de seguretatObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum ResponsablesObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum Responsables::12.2 - Per a 2030, assolir la gestió sostenible i l’ús eficient dels recursos naturalsObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i SanejamentPostprint (published version
Blind separation yields accurate estimates of cell-type proportions per sample.
No full text<p>Comparisons between the known cell-type proportions and the estimated proportions per-sample for cell-types in the controlled datasets. (<b>A</b>) The liver-brain-lung dataset <a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003189#pcbi.1003189-ShenOrr1" target="_blank">[3]</a> included 33 samples, (B) The heart-brain dataset <a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003189#pcbi.1003189-Affymetrix1" target="_blank">[15]</a> included 27 samples, and (<b>C</b>) The T-B-Monocytes dataset <a href="http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003189#pcbi.1003189-Abbas1" target="_blank">[4]</a> included 12 samples. Known proportions are shown in the grey columns, denoted by “s” and were measured as triplicates; estimates yielded by the blind separation algorithm are shown in the white columns and are denoted by “e”.</p
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