Search

This paper describes a novel miniature microcontroller based curve tracing circuit, which was designed to monitor the environmental effects on Silicon Carbide Junction Field Effect Transistor (SiC JFET) device performance, while exposed to the low earth orbit environment onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as a resident experiment on the 7th Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE7). Specifically, the microcontroller circuit was designed to operate autonomously and was flown on the external structure of the ISS for over a year. This curve tracing circuit is capable of measuring current vs. voltage (I-V) characteristics of transistors and diodes. The circuit is current limited for low current devices and is specifically designed to test high temperature, high drain-to-source resistance SiC JFETs. The results of each I-V data set are transmitted serially to an external telemetered communication interface. This paper discusses the circuit architecture, its design, and presents example results [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greeneria uvicola causes bitter rot on Vitis vinifera (bunch grapes) and Muscadinia rotundifolia (muscadine grapes) in warm moist temperate and subtropical regions. This study investigated the phylogenetic relationship of G. uvicola representatives from Australia (67 isolates), the USA (31 isolates), India (1 isolate) and Costa Rica (1 isolate) and compared their pathogenicity and fungicide sensitivity. Differences in cultural and conidial morphology were observed between the isolates from Australia and the USA. Phylogenetic relationships were determined based on three gene regions: the ribosomal DNA ( rDNA) internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1-5∙8S-ITS2), 28S large subunit (LSU) nuclear rDNA and β-tubulin-2. Greeneria uvicola isolates were clearly differentiated into four groups: isolates from Australia and India; USA isolates from V. vinifera; USA isolates from M. rotundifolia; and the isolate from Costa Rica. All isolates were pathogenic on V. vinifera (cv. Chardonnay) berries although those originating from M. rotundifolia were not as aggressive as isolates from V. vinifera, irrespective of geographical origin. Sensitivity to pyraclostrobin and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) was studied. Despite differences in fungicide applications, hyphal growth inhibition was not significantly different for geographical location, cultivar, tissue, year of collection or different spray regimes. For the Australian and USA isolates, fungal growth inhibition was significantly greater for pyraclostrobin than for SHAM, and was significantly greater for the combined treatment than for each of the fungicides applied singly. The aetiological and epidemiological knowledge of bitter rot collected through this study will aid better prediction and management strategies of this pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal fungi are intimately associated with plant roots, affecting plant growth, health and increasing the plants' tolerance to environmental stress. Several mycorrhizal types are recognized based primarily on morphological characteristics within plant roots. When considering propagation and management of an indigenous plant species, it is essential to know its mycorrhizal status. Root samples from 17 tree species common to the pockets of forest in the Eastern Cape province, and representing the families Rubiaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Oleaceae, Podocarpaceae, Myrsinaceae, Anacardiaceae, Caesalpinoideae, Papilionoideae, Rutaceae, Meliaceae, Celastraceae, Flacouticeae and Ebenaceae, were sampled and examined for mycorrhizal colonization. Microscopic examination of all the species produced evidence of morphological structures indicative of endomycorrhizal associations as indicated by the presence of intercellular hyphae combined with vesicles, arbuscules or hyphal coils. Hyphal coils (also known as Paris-type associations) appeared to be abundant, especially within the Cassine genus. Arbuscules (also known as Arum-type associations) were scarce but sometimes present, and vesicles were prolific in Olea capensis. Most of the tree species examined have been assigned arbuscular mycorrhizal status. No ectomycorrhizal associations were recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuing debate in sociological criminology involves the association of crime with economic disadvantage at both aggregate and individual levels of analysis. At the aggregate level, data from law enforcement sources suggest that rates of intimate violence are higher in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Disadvantaged neighborhoods may experience higher rates of intimate violence for compositional or contextual reasons, or rates may only appear to be higher because of differential reporting. Similarly, at the individual level, intimate violence appears more common among couples that are economically distressed, but whether economic distress triggers intimate violence is not certain. Using data from waves 1 and 2 of the National Survey of Families and Households and from the 1990 U.S. Census, we investigate the effects of neighborhood economic disadvantage and individual economic distress on intimate violence against women. Controlling for violence at time 1 and other individual level characteristics, we find that neighborhood economic disadvantage, neighborhood residential instability, male employment instability, and subjective financial strain influence the likelihood of violence at time 2. The relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and intimate violence appears to reflect both compositional and contextual effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurofibromatosis is a rare pregnancy complication that can present with rapidly enlarging masses that have malignant potential.Case: A 19-year-old primagravid woman with a known history of neurofibromatosis presented in her first trimester with pulmonary complaints. A malignant mediastinal mass was diagnosed and resected, with additional treatment options declined. In less than 3 months, the patient presented with a recurrent mass that resulted in fatal airway compromise during the same gestation.Conclusion: Neurofibromatosis type 1 with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors complicating pregnancy requires an experienced, multidisciplinary team of care offering an aggressive evaluation to rule out malignant transformation or recurrence when there is any change in clinical status of a patient, as this may signal a potentially fatal change in the lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "First report of Phomopsis viticola causing bunch rot of grapes in Australia," by S. Savocchia, L. A. Greer and C. C. Steel is presented.

Summary Natural killer (NK) cells develop from common progenitors but diverge into distinct subsets, which differ in cytokine production, cytotoxicity, homing, and memory traits. Given their promise in adoptive cell therapies for cancer, a deeper understanding of regulatory modules controlling clinically beneficial NK phenotypes is of high priority. We report integrated "-omics" analysis of human NK subsets, which revealed super-enhancers associated with gene cohorts that may coordinate NK functions and localization. A transcription factor-based regulatory scheme also emerged, which is evolutionarily conserved and shared by innate and adaptive lymphocytes. For both NK and T lineages, a TCF1-LEF1-MYC axis dominated the regulatory landscape of long-lived, proliferative subsets that traffic to lymph nodes. In contrast, effector populations circulating between blood and peripheral tissues shared a PRDM1-dominant landscape. This resource defines transcriptional modules, regulated by feedback loops, which may be leveraged to enhance phenotypes for NK cell-based therapies. Graphical Abstract Highlights • Regulome analysis reveals a spectrum of molecular programs for human ILC1-NK cells • Conserved regulatory schemes for localization-function shared by NK and T cells • TCF1-MYC enforce progenitor-like, lymph node localization modules • PRDM1-ZEB2-MAF dominate effector and non-lymphoid localization programs A combination of single-cell and systems biology approaches determines the molecular programs defining the identity and function of human tissue resident type I innate lymphoid cells and natural killer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]