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MPS-VG, a Virtual Grating (VG) model for the Lagrangian mesh-free Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method is proposed for replacing conventional particle-based solid modeling of gratings with a set of thin inclined slats. Unlike most approaches for perforated wave energy dampening devices, in which the flow through the device is simplified by pressure loss or damping effects without flow deflection, MPS-VG models the angular deviation caused by hydrodynamic impact on inclined slats. Both accuracy and computational performance of the model were checked through a simulation of wet dam break scenarios with the grating structures placed horizontally or vertically. The results were compared with those from fully particle-based modeling. MPS-VG correctly predicted complex wave-structure interactions using a relatively low-resolution model and significantly reduced processing time and memory storage compared to conventional particle-based MPS modeling. The evaluation of the performance of the gratings with inclined slats as wave energy dampers revealed the horizontal gratings outperformed the vertical ones. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative agreements strengthened the potential of MPS-VG as a practical and computationally efficient tool for the study of multi-scale phenomena of wave impacts on grating with inclined slats. • Proposition of Virtual Grating (VG) to replace conventional modeling of inclined slats in particle methods. • VG models the grating with an array of inclined slats as control volume and based on its physical effects on the flow. • Good prediction of hydrodynamics loads with drastic reduction of computational cost. • Practical and efficient tool to simulate multi-scale problem of grating with inclined slats under wave impacts. • Investigation of the effectiveness of the grating structures as wave energy dampers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastics fragment and threaten soil ecosystems. Degradation of soil structure is one of the risks. Despite this, data on impacts of different sized microplastics (MPs) on soil aggregates is lacking. This study systematically investigated the effects of pristine polyethylene powders of different sizes (< 35, < 125, < 500 µm) and concentrations (0, 0.1, 1.0, 10 wt%) on aggregate formation and their properties for two contrasting soils (woodland soil, WS; agricultural soil, AS). 75 day wet-dry cycles produced newly-formed aggregates in all treatments. MP size and concentration impacted the incorporation of MPs in aggregates and this varied with aggregate size; the size distribution of aggregates also varied with MP size and concentration. Aggregates produced in soil containing 10 wt% < 35 µm MPs had significantly lower MWDs (mean weight diameters) than controls. The wettability of aggregates (> 4 mm) reduced with increasing MP exposure concentration and decreasing MP exposure size. MP incorporation decreased the water stability of aggregates (1–2 mm) in WS but increased it in AS. The particle density of aggregates (> 4 mm) significantly decreased with increasing MP concentration, whereas MP size had no effect. As MPs breakdown, fragment and become smaller over time, their potential risk to the aggregated structure of soil increases. [Display omitted] • Granular polyethylene microplastics (MPs) affect aggregate formation and properties. • Smaller MPs at higher concentrations increase MP incorporation into aggregates. • Aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and wettability decrease with reduced MP size. • Aggregate MWD, wettability and particle density decrease with MP concentration. • Influence of MPs on water stability varies with soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollution by microplastics (MPs) has caused potential threats to the environment. Understanding the sources of MPs in the environment can help control their emissions and reduce environmental risks. Source apportionment of MPs has been conducted according to the characteristics of MPs themselves (such as types of polymers and morphological characteristics). However, the specificity and resolution of the appointments of sources need to be improved. Organic pollutants adsorbed on MPs can be used as a novel and reliable indicator to identify the source of MPs in the environment. In the present work, the analytical methods of MPs and organic pollutants adsorbed on MPs were critically reviewed, and the occurrence of organic pollutants and factors influencing their adsorption on MPs were discussed. Furthermore, the potential applications of organic pollutants adsorbed on MPs as indicators for determining the sources of MPs were highlighted. The study would help recognize the sources of MPs, which will support efforts aimed at reducing their emissions and further pollution of the ecosystem. [Display omitted] • Obtaining undamaged microplastics is crucial for identifying adsorbed pollutants. • It is essential to prevent pollutant loss during the pretreatment of microplastics. • Research on organic pollutants adsorbed on microplastics is limited. • Tracking source of microplastics by analyzing adsorbed pollutants is promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annually, the Mediterranean region attracts around one-third of the global coastal tourism, which is acknowledged as a substantial contributor to plastic pollution. Coastal municipalities mitigate this through periodic sand and shore cleaning. However, the efficacy of these measures remains uncertain. In this study, the occurrence of MPs (10 μm-5 mm) in sand from seven different, regularly cleaned, touristic beaches of the coastline of Valencia province (E Spain) was assessed. Two different sampling campaigns were performed in winter and in summer (2022) to compare the results and understand the influence of the high touristic activity, as well as, the efficiency of the measures taken against MPs pollution. The methodology used was designed specifically for the matrix and employed density separation using a Sediment Microplastic Isolation (SMI) Unit. In addition to conventional visual inspection and ATR-FTIR, automatic quantification and identification of the polymers of lower size was performed by μFTIR. The average MPs concentration in the summer (339 ± 92 MP kg−1 by stereomicroscopy and 339 ± 189 MP kg−1 by μFTIR) was significantly higher than in the winter (71 ± 92 MP kg−1 and 143 ± 85 MP kg−1) (p < 0.05). The combination of these analytical tools provides comprehensive information about the MPs present in beach sand. Fibers were the most abundant form of MPs, while most of the polymers analyzed were polyethylene (PE) and halogenated polystyrene (Cl-PS and Br-PS) with food packaging, swimming equipment and fishing nets being their most probable sources. Ecological risk assessment was performed through the Pollution Load Index (PLI), the Hazardous Index (HI) and the Risk Quotient (RQ), with the results indicating potential risk that ranges from moderate to high depending on the applied approach. [Display omitted] • 7 regularly cleaned tourist beaches of Valencia province (E Spain) were studied in 2022. • MPs concentration was found to be double in the summer than in the winter. • μFTIR detects <50 μm MP yielding, in some cases, higher amounts than stereomicroscopy. • PE and halogenated PS were the most abundant polymer types. • Valencia beaches show potential ecological risk due to MPs' chemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of platelets in hemostasis has been extensively documented, but various aspects of their involvement in the immune response are still under investigation. Platelets can regulate the immune system by releasing cytokines and platelet microparticles (MPs). MPs are small extracellular vesicles ranging from 100-1000 nm in size, derived from cell membranes. They play a significant role in intercellular communication and transport, carrying various molecules related to both hemostasis and the immune system. Their content is heterogeneous, depending on the stimulus triggering their release. Under pathological conditions, MPs have been reported to contain cytokines, glycoproteins (CD42b), costimulation molecules (CD40L), adhesion molecules (CD62P), and transcription factors (NF- B). The release of MPs increases in various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and viral infections. During DENV infection, MPs are known to transport proinflammatory cytokines. There have also been reports of severe thrombocytopenia associated with ZIKV infections. We evaluated MPs released from platelets stimulated by DENV and ZIKV. Particle tracking analysis was used to analyze concentration and size, which revealed no difference in size but a significant increase in concentration upon stimulation. Flow cytometric analysis identified immunoregulatory molecules in the MPs, with both DENV and ZIKV-stimulated MPs containing CD40L and pNF-ƙB. The results showed that flavivirus stimulation led to a substantial increase (P < 0.05) in MP concentration. Additionally, DENV-stimulated MPs showed an increase (P < 0.05) in size, while the expression of the CD62p and CD42b molecules decreased (P < 0.05) compared to other groups. The MPs released in response to flavivirus stimulation contained immunomodulatory molecules CD40L and p-NF-ƙB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-order MPS method together with dissipation term for accurate and stable multiphase flow simulations. • Applicability and reliability of the method are validated by experimental results. • Single and two bubbles rising behavior in sodium are simulated and studied. Sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is one of the most promising Generation IV reactors. Design and safety evaluation of a SFR requires sufficient knowledge about gas bubble behavior in sodium pool. It is challenging to perform numerical study on bubble dynamics in sodium pool due to the discontinuity caused by the differences of physical properties. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method is presented featuring high-order accurate scheme and Riemann-based stable multiphase model. Numerical discontinuity caused by large density, large viscosity ratio and surface tension can be handled by the proposed method. To verify the proposed method, two cases from the bubble diagram of Grace (1973) is simulated and rising velocities and shapes of rising gas bubbles are compared, both are agreeing very well. Then co-axial coalescence of gas bubbles are calculated and compared with existing experimental and numerical results. Finally bubble rising behavior in sodium is analyzed using the developed 3D MPS method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Computational data driven method for simulation of underground soil profiles. • Knowledge-based MPS embedded with domain knowledge to increase simulation accuracy. • Varying search template size and threshold to alleviate computational time cost. • Multiple source data to enable more informed and resilient decision making. An accurate representation of subsurface stratigraphy in the form of geotechnical profiles is a prerequisite for optimal underground design and safe construction. This paper proposes a novel knowledge-based multiple point statistics (KMPS) method to simulate the heterogeneities and spatial trends of subsurface strata and to generate geotechnical profiles. This approach incorporates domain knowledge in the form of cone penetration test and standard penetration test data as well as results from laboratory testing to increase simulation accuracy. A novel varying search template size and similarity threshold is adopted to alleviate the computational cost of the simulations. Ablation analyses are used to quantify the improvement of the proposed KMPS algorithm over existing baseline multiple point statistics algorithms. By way of example, the proposed approach is applied to real-world exploration data from the Suzhou No.6 metroline project. The results show that the computational cost of KMPS is effectively minimized whilst the simulation accuracy can be improved by up to 13.3%. The algorithm is further validated by extending the simulation to a test image. With sparse exploration data, the KMPS method is shown to effectively and efficiently predict soil profiles based on prior experience embodied by a training image, thus enabling a reduction in the number of field exploration boreholes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of rare inherited disorders characterized by abnormal accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) within the myocytes and coronary arteries. Little is known about hyperlipidaemia as a potential cardiovascular risk factor in these patients. Baseline cholesterol data in adults are scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse factors affecting lipid profile in different types of MPSs to determine if abnormalities in lipid profile contribute to the overall risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods: Adult patients (above the age of 16) with MPS type I, II, III, IV and VI attending clinics in two Inherited Metabolic Disorders centres were included. Their lipid profile, lipoprotein (a), HbA1c, Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT), BMI and treatment type were extracted. Analysis included descriptive statistics and Student t-test. Results: Eighty two patients with five MPS types (I, II, III, IV and VI) were included in the study; 29 were females (35%) and 53 were males (65%). BMI above 25 kg/m2 in all MPS types indicated that some patients were overweight for their height. Only one patient post-HSCT had diabetes. In 3 cases insulin was analysed during GTT and showed no insulin resistance despite raised BMI. Mean total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were below 5 mmol/L and 3 mmol/L, respectively, in five individual MPS types. Lipoprotein (a) was available for 6 MPS IV patients and was not significantly raised. Conclusions: MPS disorders are not associated with significant hypercholesterolaemia or diabetes mellitus despite increased BMI. Total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were within the targets for primary prevention for non-MPS population. Lipoprotein (a) is not a useful marker of cardiovascular disease in a small group of adult MPS IV patients irrespectively of treatment option. Whether long-term cardiovascular risk is dependent on lipid profile, diabetes, obesity or GAGs deposition within the organ system remains unanswered.

Studies about fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems do not have a long history. Fluid and structure has been separately modelled with different formulations by researchers. However, studies about FSI are limited and problems investigated in these studies are mostly out of civil engineering areas. Problems such as dam-breaking, flood effect on structure, slushing effect and tsunami are the problems consisting of a fluid structure interaction in civil engineering. The present study, a fluid structure interaction model is developed by using moving particle semi-implicit method (MPS) and finite element method (FEM) for fluid and structure, respectively. The developed code is applied to an idealized sequential dam-break problem. The effect of failed upper dam on the lower dam body is investigated in terms of pressure readings. Besides, behavior of flood in lower reservoir is observed with given profiles of surface water. Both results can be used for future studies and taking protective measures.

Thin copper films were electrodeposited on a polycrystalline coldrolled copper substrate. The composition of the laboratory-made copper sulphate electrolyte was changed by the addition of various additives. The influence of chloride ion (Cl-), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 3-mercapto-1-propane sulfonic acid (MPSA) on mechanical and adhesion properties of the electrodeposited copper films was investigated using Vickers microindentation technique. Calculations of the film hardness and adhesion were carried out using composite hardness models of Korsunsky and Chen-Gao. The hardness of the composite system is influenced by the adhesion of the copper film to the substrate. Increasing adhesion corresponds to increasing values of the calculated adhesion parameter b, named the critical reduced depth. When additives are added to a plating solution, the copper deposition mechanism is changed and fine-grained microstructure without the formation of microscopic nodules is obtained. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 32008, Grant no. TR 34011 and Grant no. III 45019]

Abstract Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) constitute a heterogeneous group of rare genetic disorders caused by enzymatic deficiencies that lead to the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Clinical observations suggest a health-related impairment in quality of life in patients with MPS. Professionals with extensive experience in the care of patients with inborn errors of metabolism, such as MPS, held a meeting in April 2017 to discuss and propose recommendations for the evaluation and management of quality of life in MPS patients in Latin America. In the light of this scenario, the present work summarizes the content of the discussions and presents the recommendations produced at the meeting. The panel had suggested the use of the following tools for the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL): Children's Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) for children and patients unable to express their feelings, Health Assessments Questionnaire (HAQ) and EuroQol 5 Domains (EQ-5D) scales for adult patients. Based on the scores verified in these scales, the panel proposes interventions that aim reducing the impairment of the quality of life in patients with MPS disorders.

Grease lubrication in ball bearings is one of key technologies to reduce energy consumption and enhance lifetime in design of spacecrafts as well as general industrial machineries. From a view point of grease lubrication design, it is crucial to understand grease macro flow phenomena in ball bearings taking into account non-Newtonian property of grease. In the current study, grease macro flow phenomena were investigated based on experimental and numerical works as a preliminary study. Grease dam breaking was defined as a benchmark problem and its collapsing phenomena were experimentally observed. As for the numerical work, a basic algorithm to simulate non-Newtonian grease macro flows was developed based on the explicit MPS (Moving Particle Simulation) method coupled with Bingham pseudoplastic fluid model. The observed grease dam breaking behavior was simulated by the developed numerical approach and the numerical results showed a good agreement with the corresponding experimental data.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) screening is tedious and still performed by analysis of total glycosaminoglycans (GAG) using 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) photometric assay, although false positive and negative tests have been reported. Analysis of differentiated GAGs have been pursued classically by gel electrophoresis or more recently by quantitative LC-MS assays. Secondary elevations of GAGs have been reported in urinary tract infections (UTI). In this manuscript, we describe the diagnostic accuracy of urinary GAG measurements by LC-MS for MPS typing in 68 untreated MPS and mucolipidosis (ML) patients, 183 controls and 153 UTI samples. We report age-dependent reference values and cut-offs for chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS), heparan sulfate (HS) and keratan sulfate (KS) and specific GAG ratios. The use of HS/DS ratio in combination to GAG concentrations normalized to creatinine improves the diagnostic accuracy in MPS type I, II, VI and VII. In total 15 samples classified to the wrong MPS type could be correctly assigned using HS/DS ratio. Increased KS/HS ratio in addition to increased KS improves discrimination of MPS type IV by excluding false positives. Some samples of UTI patients showed elevation of specific GAGs, mainly CS, KS and KS/HS ratio and could be misclassified as MPS type IV. Finally, DMB photometric assay performed in MPS and ML samples reveal four false negative tests (sensitivity of 94%). In conclusion, specific GAG ratios in complement to quantitative GAG values obtained by LC-MS enhance discrimination of MPS types. Exclusion of patients with UTI improve diagnostic accuracy in MPS IV but not in other types., Competing Interests: Déborah Mathis, Jean‐Christophe Prost, Gabriela Mäder, Liya Arackal, Haoyue Zhang, Sandra Kurth, Katrin Freiburghaus, and Jean‐Marc Nuoffer declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors. JIMD Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of SSIEM.)

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the in vitro disinfection efficacies of six commercial lens cleaning and disinfecting products for planned replacement soft contact lenses., Methods: Disinfection efficacies of five multi-purpose solutions (MPSs) and one hydrogen peroxide solution (HPS) as control were evaluated in the presence of organic soil according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, Geneva, Switzerland) ISO 14729 stand-alone test protocol. The five specified compendial organisms, three bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Serratia marcescens ) and two fungi ( Candida albicans and Fusarium solani ) were incubated with each solution under standard conditions, after which microbes were recovered and quantified., Results: Each of the solutions evaluated met or exceeded the standard's primary criteria (3-log reduction of bacteria and 1-log reduction of fungi) after incubation for the manufacturer-recommended soaking time, except for COMPLETE MPS, which achieved only 0.4 ± 0.1 average log reduction for C. albicans . However, differences in efficacy between the solutions were noted. Average log reduction across all microbes for Biotrue Hydration Plus (4.6 ± 0.1) was comparable to that for CLEAR CARE PLUS HPS (4.3 ± 0.1) and greater than those for OPTI-FREE pure moist (3.6 ± 0.1), OPTI-FREE Replenish (4.0 ± 0.2), ACUVUE RevitaLens (3.9 ± 0.03), and COMPLETE MPS (3.6 ± 0.1). Biotrue Hydration Plus was especially effective at reducing the population of C. albicans (4.2 ± 0.7-log reduction)., Conclusion: Products marketed for planned replacement soft CL disinfection generally meet the ISO 14729 standard's primary criteria for reducing populations of compendial organisms, with larger differences between solutions noted with C. albicans ., Competing Interests: All the authors are employees of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated., (© 2024 Corwin-Buell et al.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate strains in the human brain in regulatory, research, and due care frontal crashes by simulating those impacts. In addition, brain strain simulations were estimated for belted human volunteer tests and in impacts between two players in National Football League (NFL), some with no injury and some with mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (mTBI)., Methods: The brain strain responses were determined using version 5 of the Global Human Body Modeling Consortium (GHBMC) 50th percentile human brain model. One hundred and sixty simulations with the brain model were conducted using rotational velocities and accelerations of Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATD's) or those of human volunteers in sled or crash tests, as inputs to the model and strain related responses like Maximum Principal Strains (MPS) and Cumulative Strain Damage Measure (CSDM) in various regions of the brain were monitored. The simulated vehicle tests ranged from sled tests at 24 and 32 kph delta-V with three-point belts without airbags to full scale crash and sled tests at 56 kph and a series of Research Mobile Deformable Barrier (RMDB) tests described in Prasad et al., Results: The severity of rotational input into the model as represented by BrIC, averaged between 0.5 and 1.2 for the various test conditions, and as high as 1.5 for an individual case. The MPS responses for the various test conditions averaged between 0.28 and 0.86 and as high as 1.3 in one test condition. The MPS responses in the brain for volunteers, low velocity sled, and NCAP tests were similar to those in the no-mTBI group in the NFL cases and consistent with real world accident data. The MPS responses of the brain in angular crash and sled tests were similar to those in the mTBI group., Conclusions: The brain strain estimations do not indicate the likelihood of severe-to-fatal brain injuries in the crash environments studied in this paper. However, using the risk functions associated with BrIC, severe-to-fatal brain injuries (AIS 4 +) are predicted in several environments in which they are not observed or expected.

Aerobic and resistance exercise (RE) induce distinct molecular responses. One hypothesis is that these responses are antagonistic and unfavorable for the anabolic response to RE when concurrent exercise is performed. This thesis may also depend on the participants' training status and concurrent exercise order. We measured free-living myofibrillar protein synthesis (MyoPS) rates and associated molecular responses to resistance-only and concurrent exercise (with different exercise orders), before and after training. Moderately active men completed one of three exercise interventions (matched for age, baseline strength, body composition, and aerobic capacity): resistance-only exercise (RE, n = 8), RE plus high-intensity interval exercise (RE+HIIE, n = 8), or HIIE+RE (n = 9). Participants trained 3 days/week for 10 weeks; concurrent sessions were separated by 3 h. On the first day of Weeks 1 and 10, muscle was sampled immediately before and after, and 3 h after each exercise mode and analyzed for molecular markers of MyoPS and muscle glycogen. Additional muscle, sampled pre- and post-training, was used to determine MyoPS using orally administered deuterium oxide (D 2 O). In both weeks, MyoPS rates were comparable between groups. Post-exercise changes in proteins reflective of protein synthesis were also similar between groups, though MuRF1 and MAFbx mRNA exhibited some exercise order-dependent responses. In Week 10, exercise-induced changes in MyoPS and some genes (PGC-1ɑ and MuRF1) were dampened from Week 1. Concurrent exercise (in either order) did not compromise the anabolic response to resistance-only exercise, before or after training. MyoPS rates and some molecular responses to exercise are diminished after training., (© 2023 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Macrophages contribute to many aspects of development and homeostasis, innate and acquired immunity, immunopathology, and tissue repair. Every tissue contains an abundant resident macrophage population. Inflammatory stimuli promote the recruitment of monocytes from the blood and their adaptation promotes the removal of the stimulus and subsequent restoration of normal tissue architecture. Dysregulation of this response leads to chronic inflammation and tissue injury. In many tissues, their differentiation and survival are dependent on the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) signalling axis, which is highly conserved across all vertebrates. Complete loss of either CSF1R or its cognate ligands, colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), and interleukin 34 (IL-34), results in the loss of many tissue-resident macrophage populations. This provides a useful paradigm to study macrophages.There are many tools used to visualize tissue-resident macrophages and their precursors, monocytes, in mice and humans. Particularly in mice there are genetic tools available to delete, enhance and manipulate monocytes and macrophages and their gene products to gain insight into phenotype and function. The laboratory rat has many advantages as an experimental model for the understanding of human disease, but the analytical resources are currently more limited than in mice. Here, we describe available genetic models, antibodies, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) methods that may be used to visualize tissue-resident macrophages in rats., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Recent advances in massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has become a very promising technology for forensic applications (Børsting and Morling, 2015). In this study Illumina ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep kit was tested to determine if MPS offers a more comprehensive evaluation of degraded samples than the traditional fragment analysis/capillary electrophoresis based method (Athey, 2006). The use of MPS could reduce the analysis time and augment the identification of human remains. In this context we aimed to analyse bone/tooth samples using ForenSeq™ DNA Signature kit. These samples were partially degraded and had given partial profiles with the GlobalFiler™ kit previously. The MPS kit showed that it was highly sensitive, aided in higher allele recovery for STR loci and provides valuable information about biogeographic ancestry, identity and phenotypic features from a single analysis. The work resulted in highly successful amplification and sequencing of 30 degraded bone/teeth samples using MPS method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Y-chromosome STR markers' analysis is widely used as a procedure with examination of sexual assault cases, kinship cases and identification of human remains. At present massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology proves to be reliable method in analysis of DNA mixtures or low quality of DNA samples. In cases of frequent Y-STR haplotypes, sequence analysis of an allele and flanking region also gives a chance to distinguish microhaplotypes of the samples. In this study authors investigated DNA sequence variability within the Y-STR markers in polish population (reference samples and bone samples). MPS was carried on with Illumina's ForenSeq kit on the MiSeq FGx instrument. Revealed microhaplotypes and their frequency differ between markers. Some of the analyzed sequences showed no variability in the analyzed set of samples. Confronting the population data with the case samples showed that this type of information can significantly improve kinship calculation and mixture analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can sometimes be associated with skeletal muscle atrophy. Hypoxemic episodes, which occur during disease exacerbation and daily physical activity, are frequent in COPD patients. However, the link between hypoxemia and muscle atrophy remains unclear, along with mechanisms of muscle hypoxic stress response. Myogenic progenitors (MPs) and fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) express CD34 and participate to muscle mass maintenance. Although there is evidence linking CD34 expression and muscle repair, the link between CD34 expression, muscle wasting and the hypoxic stress observed in COPD has never been studied. Using a 2-day model of exposure to hypoxic conditions, we investigated the impact of hypoxia on skeletal muscle wasting and function, and elucidated the importance of CD34 expression in that response. A 2-day exposure to hypoxic conditions induces muscle atrophy, which was significantly worse in Cd34−/− mice compared to wild type (WT). Moreover, the lack of CD34 expression negatively impacts the maximal strength of the extensor digitorum longus muscle in response to hypoxia. Following exposure to hypoxic conditions, FAPs (which support MPs differentiation and myogenesis) are significantly lower in Cd34−/− mice compared to WT animals while the expression of myogenic regulatory factors and degradation factors (Atrogin) are similar. CD34 expression is important in the maintenance of muscle mass and function in response to hypoxic stress. These results highlight a new potential role for CD34 in muscle mass maintenance in hypoxic stress such as observed in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rheo-optical characterization technique based on the combination of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and mechanical analysis was applied to the nanocomposite consisting of hydroxyl-functionalized polypropylene (PPOH) and mesoporous silica (MPS) to probe the deformation behavior. Substantial levels of spectral changes of NIR spectral features were captured when the polymer samples underwent tensile deformation. Sets of spectra were subjected to projection treatment to remove the effect of baseline fluctuations and thickness change inevitably caused by the tensile deformation of the sample. Then, two-trace two-dimensional (2T2D) correlation spectroscopy was applied to the pretreated spectra to elucidate spectroscopic signature associated with the difference between the initial and deformed samples. An asynchronous correlation peak appears between the bands at 1720 and 1700 nm respectively reflecting the contributions of predominantly amorphous and crystalline component of the PPOH, indicating the predominant variation of amorphous structure followed by that of crystalline structure. In addition, the predominant spectral change related to the amorphous band becomes even more acute by including the MPS with large pores. It is hence likely that the larger pore size of the MPS confines the more amorphous structure, which, in turn, causes simultaneous reorientation of the polymer chains in the amorphous region during the elastic deformation. Consequently, the incorporation of the MPS selectively restricts the deformation of the amorphous structure which eventually provides the obvious increase in the mechanical property of the PPOH polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a stable and accurate moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) for free-surface flows. For simulating free-surface flows, previous formulations using renormalized procedure is only applicable to interior particles. Poor accuracy of the free-surface particle in turn contaminate the overall solution accuracy. In this study, dummy particle is introduced to stabilize the renormalized Laplacian model on free surface and to enforce the free-surface condition. The proposed renormalized Laplacian model enables accurate pressure calculation for both internal and free-surface particles. Modification also includes a modified gradient model in which linear consistency is guaranteed and stability is enhanced by introducing dummy particle. The proposed MPS scheme provides a more accurate and stable simulation of incompressible free surface flows. Several two-dimensional numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the enhanced performance of the proposed MPS method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brexit referendum of 2016 brought a new concept to British politics, namely the 'people's will', one that is seemingly at odds with conventional notions of parliamentary sovereignty, even a threat to its very existence. This article argues that although the device of the referendum is relatively new, the kind of popular control over Parliament and the executive that it invokes has long been a part of British politics. Ranging over 200 years, examples are drawn from the recall and deselection of MPs, mass petitioning campaigns, the role of the Speaker, and the flourishing of independent parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the terms of the Recall of MPs Act 2015, there have been three recall petitions brought against MPs who have committed misconduct. The outcomes have been variable. The first petition failed to attract enough signatures to trigger a by‐election. The second led to the unseating of the MP, who declined the opportunity to stand in the subsequent by‐election. The third led to the removal of the MP and an unsuccessful candidature to regain his seat at the by‐election. Variation has not been confined to outcomes. There have been differences in how the legislation has been implemented—in terms of the ease of access of constituents to the recall petition. This article suggests that in the interests of fairness and transparency, there is a strong case for adjusting the legislation to ensure national standardisation of local implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the demand for performance information by members of the Croatian Parliament, and the supply thereof by the Croatian public administration. The research consists of data content analysis of parliamentary questions and answers in the first six months of 2015. The results show that the demand for performance information by MPs is lower than its supply by the administration. The MPs' personal characteristics have an influence on the demand for performance information since higher demand is shown by those belonging to opposition parties, while those most experienced politically are the ones requesting least information. The influence of MPs' education on the demand for performance information is not unequivocal. Two issues are further discussed: development of the performance management system and an increase in the power of executives, which can be a result of the Europeanization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online trolling is a new phenomenon that is increasingly coming to public attention. Recent events in the United Kingdom (UK) have raised concerns about this behaviour. Trolling is particularly targeted at public figures, and Members of Parliament (MPs) are a prime target. In this study we surveyed UK MPs about their experiences and the impact of being trolled by completing a short online questionnaire. One-hundred and eighty-one MPs responded to our survey. Chi-square tests for independence and one-way ANOVA was employed to analyse the data. All MPs had experienced trolling and many were trolled multiple times a day, and the principle platforms for this abuse were Twitter and Facebook. The pattern of trolling varied between male and female targets, with males reporting more concern about reputational damage, and females more concern about their personal safety. The impact of being trolled varied between males and females, with a much greater impact on female MPs. We discuss the effects of online trolling on the victims of this behaviour. • A substantial proportion of UK MPs report being the victims of online trolling. • Trolling is most common on the twitter platform. • Male MPs report more concerns over reputational damage. • Female MPs report more personal concerns, e.g., safety, risk to family, social life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays legislatures are largely based on committee systems. This enables a division of work and specialisation, in the context of highly complex politics and policy development. It seems clear that MP specialisation in the field of the committee they serve on is an important political asset, both for MPs and their parliamentary party group. This paper presents the Committee Parliamentary Specialization Index. This index measures the degree an MP is specialised in the jurisdiction of the committee they serve on. In the second part of the paper, the index is applied to the Spanish Congreso de los Diputados, an interesting case for testing this multi-faceted index, to find institutional, political and individual factors that better explain the degree of MP specialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Custom-built ancestry panel of 111 AIM-SNPs developed for North African and Middle Eastern populations ('NAME' panel). • Independent evaluation and validation in three European member laboratories of the EUROFORGEN consortium. • Maximum differentiation of six major geographical regions obtained with 237 AIM-SNPs (combined NAME and Global AIMs panels). Inference of biogeographic origin is an important factor in clinical, population and forensic genetics. The information provided by AIMs (Ancestry Informative Markers) can allow the differentiation of major continental population groups, and several AIM panels have been developed for this purpose. However, from these major population groups, Eurasia covers a wide area between two continents that is difficult to differentiate genetically. These populations display a gradual genetic cline from West Europe to South Asia in terms of allele frequency distribution. Although differences have been reported between Europe and South Asia, Middle East populations continue to be a target of further investigations due to the lack of genetic variability, therefore hampering their genetic differentiation from neighboring populations. In the present study, a custom-built ancestry panel was developed to analyze North African and Middle Eastern populations, designated the 'NAME' panel. The NAME panel contains 111 SNPs that have patterns of allele frequency differentiation that can distinguish individuals originating in North Africa and the Middle East when combined with a previous set of 126 Global AIM-SNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 75 bone samples from different time periods have been analyzed, the extracts obtained varied in DNA quantity and quality. • Y-STR haplotypes were obtained from samples by CE allele calling (YFiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit) and MPS (ForenSeq Signature DNA Prep Kit). • Differences in amplification rates were found within common markers. There was an allele call disconcordance in one sample. • Significant number of variants have been found by sequence analysis of repetitive and flanking regions of the Y-STRs. Forensic and population genetics often rely on Y-chromosomal studies. Whether it is a human identification case, trace evidence examination or phylogenetic analysis, a Y-STR haplotype is an important tool in the hands of law enforcement agencies. A common obstacle in achieving satisfactory results in all of the above mentioned circumstances, is low DNA quantity and quality within samples obtained. In this study we have examined Y-STR haplotypes in 75 bone material samples, coming from different time periods. For this purpose we have chosen YFiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit (ThermoFisher Scientific) and ForenSeq Signature DNA Prep Kit (Verogen Inc.), which use two different allele calling technologies – capillary electrophoresis and Massively Parallel Sequencing respectively. Full profiles were obtained from DNA extracts with as little as 0.1896 ng (Degradation Index 1.3) (ForenSeq) and 0.0591 ng (Degradation Index 26.8) (YFiler Plus) DNA input. The results that we present in this paper show differences in amplification rates between common markers in both kits. The differences strictly reflect mean amplicon length of markers. This, however, does not seem to influence Y-haplogroup estimation results noticeably. In one sample a discordance occurred between haplotypes obtained with both methods, where a 24 allele was called in DYS390 marker by capillary electrophoresis, while for the same sample in this locus a 23 allele was shown with MPS. A reason for this is yet to be investigated. The sequence analysis revealed a significant variation between isometric alleles, especially within repetitive regions of studied Y-STR markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will study the new face of Conservative Euroscepticism in the House of Commons, with a special focus on the 2015 intake of MPs who were supposedly 'less stale, male and pale' and their attitudes to the British referendum on the EU. In this respect, this article will also take a specific interest in new Conservative Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) MPs who turned out to be more active on the 'leave' side of the referendum campaign, thus serving as a showcase for the party's strategy of 'decontaminating' the Brexit brand and its hyperglobalist geopolitical perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a pairwise-relaxing meshless (PRM) method for solving the Euler equations of compressible flows within the Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) framework. Derived from the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method and the finite volume particle (FVP) method, the PRM approximates the derivatives from the value defined at the midpoint of each interacting particle pairs through a kernel-based formulation. Pairwise-relaxing constants are introduced to the kernels to provide degree of freedom to enforce the Taylor-series consistency condition while mass, momentum and energy are conserved exactly. An upwind high-order reconstruction scheme via a corrective procedure and variable cut-off radius is also developed for this PRM method. The HLLC approximate Riemann solver is adopted to solve Riemann problem. One and two-dimensional numerical tests are presented to demonstrate the performance of the PRM method. • Second-order accuracy and conservation property are guaranteed in the PRM. • An upwind reconstruction process via a corrective procedure is developed. • Variable cut-off radius is used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) of identity informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (IISNPs) enables hundreds of forensically relevant markers to be analysed simultaneously. Generating DNA sequence data enables more detailed analysis including identification of sequence variations between individuals. The GeneRead DNAseq 140 IISNP MPS panel (QIAGEN) has been evaluated on both the MiSeq (Illumina) and Ion PGM™ (Applied Biosystems) MPS platforms using the GeneRead DNAseq Targeted Panels V2 library preparation workflow (QIAGEN). The aims of this study were to (1) determine if the GeneRead DNAseq panel is effective for identity testing by assessing deviation from Hardy-Weinberg (HWE) and pairwise linkage equilibrium (LE); (2) sequence samples with the GeneRead DNAseq panel on the Ion PGM™ using the QIAGEN workflow and assess specificity, sensitivity and accuracy; (3) assess the efficacy of adding biological samples directly to the GeneRead DNAseq PCR, without prior DNA extraction; and (4) assess the effect of varying coverage and allele frequency thresholds on genotype concordance. Analyses of the 140 SNPs for HWE and LE using Fisher's exact tests and the sequential Bonferroni correction revealed that one SNP was out of HWE in the Japanese population and five SNP combinations were commonly out of LE in 13 of 14 populations. The panel was sensitive down to 0.3125 ng of DNA input. A direct-to-PCR approach (without DNA extraction) produced highly concordant genotypes. The setting of appropriate allele frequency thresholds is more effective for reducing erroneous genotypes than coverage thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new scheme is presented to improve pressure calculation in projection-based particle methods. • The scheme applies a background mesh to enhance spatial continuity and accuracy of source term of Poisson Pressure Equation. • The background mesh facilitates node-based source term calculation based on information on a fixed and regular lattice. • Source terms at moving particles are obtained through extrapolation of information at their four nearby nodes. • Due to utilization of background mesh calculated pressure field is less sensitive to non-uniformity of particles. Abstract Particle methods, or Lagrangian mesh-free methods, are well known as potentially robust computational methods for a wide range of applications in science and engineering, including ocean engineering. Despite their potential robustness, a challenge in the application of particle methods corresponds to the presence of unphysical pressure noise. This study presents a simple and straightforward approach for enhancement of pressure calculation in projection-based particle methods, in the context of MPS (Moving Particle Semi-implicit) method. One of the causes for the presence of unphysical pressure noise in projection-based particle methods corresponds to the use of Eulerian kernels (with a fixed radius of influence or smoothing length) with a purely Lagrangian description of motions in the presence of particle perturbations, leading to spatial discontinuities in the source term of Poisson Pressure Equation (PPE). To enhance continuity, accuracy and smoothness of calculated source term of PPE, a so-called Background Mesh (BM) scheme is proposed to provide spatial connectivity and continuity in between calculated source terms at moving particle positions. The scheme is validated through several benchmark tests including a simple uniform flow, a dam-breaking flow and violent sloshing flows. Incorporation of BM scheme is shown to be effective in enhancing the pressure calculation in projection-based particle methods with only a slight increase in computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]