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Canine leukoencephalomyelopathy (LEMP) is a juvenile-onset neurodegenerative disorder of the CNS white matter currently described in Rottweiler and Leonberger dogs. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) allowed us to map LEMP in a Leonberger cohort to dog chromosome 18. Subsequent whole genome re-sequencing of a Leonberger case enabled the identification of a single private homozygous non-synonymous missense variant located in the highly conserved metallo-beta-lactamase domain of the N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPEPLD) gene, encoding an enzyme of the endocannabinoid system. We then sequenced this gene in LEMP-affected Rottweilers and identified a different frameshift variant, which is predicted to replace the C-terminal metallo-beta-lactamase domain of the wild type protein. Haplotype analysis of SNP array genotypes revealed that the frameshift variant was present in diverse haplotypes in Rottweilers, and also in Great Danes, indicating an old origin of this second NAPEPLD variant. The identification of different NAPEPLD variants in dog breeds affected by leukoencephalopathies with heterogeneous pathological features, implicates the NAPEPLD enzyme as important in myelin homeostasis, and suggests a novel candidate gene for myelination disorders in people.

Zonally elongated areas of cloudiness that make up the east Pacific intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) can take on several configurations in instantaneous observations. A novel statistical model is used to automatically assess the daily state of the east Pacific ITCZ using infrared satellite images from 1980 to 2012. Four ITCZ states are defined based on ITCZ location relative to the equator: north (nITCZ) and south (sITCZ) of the equator, simultaneously north and south of the equator (dITCZ, for double ITCZ), and over the equator (eITCZ). A fifth ITCZ state is used to classify days when no zonally elongated area of cloudiness is present (aITCZ, for absent ITCZ). The ITCZ states can occur throughout the year (except for the eITCZ, which is not present during June-October), with the nITCZ state dominating in terms of frequency of occurrence. Interannual variability of the state distribution is large. The most striking variability in ITCZ states is observed in spring. During March-April, the dITCZ state occurs on average 34% of the time, second only to the nITCZ state (39%). Composites of observed infrared temperature and precipitation by ITCZ state reveal distinct spatial configurations of cloudiness and rainfall. Strong sea surface temperature anomalies are associated only with eITCZ and sITCZ and they correspond to El Niño and La Niña, respectively. However, all five ITCZ states are associated with distinct atmospheric circulation patterns. A connection is found between the ITCZ and the South Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ), such that activity in the SPCZ is enhanced when the ITCZ is absent in the east Pacific.

This paper presents new methods for an automated analysis of the double InterTropical Convergence Zone (dITCZ) phenomena on a daily time scale over the east Pacific. Long-term Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) visible and infrared data are used to spatially identify and segment the convection zones over the east Pacific basin on both sides of the equator and to track the temporal variability of the ITCZ, specifically to identify cases of dITCZs, northern or southern ITCZ, or non-presence events. For the segmentation approach, image processing techniques are developed to extract information about the spatial features of the ITCZ in both hemispheres for each satellite image. These features serve as input to a temporal classification algorithm that is based on a combination of hidden semi Markov model (HsMM) and support vector machine (SVM) methods. The performance of the proposed method is competitive with human experts and the methodology can thus be used to conduct an in-depth analysis of the dITCZ. Such an analysis could provide precise information for refining existing weather and climate models over the sparsely observed east Pacific where the dITCZ is greatly over-represented in most models. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

This paper presents new methods for an automated analysis of the double InterTropical Convergence Zone (dITCZ) phenomena on a daily time scale over the east Pacific. Long-term Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) visible and infrared data are used to spatially identify and segment the convection zones over the east Pacific basin on both sides of the equator and to track the temporal variability of the ITCZ, specifically to identify cases of dITCZs, northern or southern ITCZ, or non-presence events. For the segmentation approach, image processing techniques are developed to extract information about the spatial features of the ITCZ in both hemispheres for each satellite image. These features serve as input to a temporal classification algorithm that is based on a combination of hidden semi Markov model (HsMM) and support vector machine (SVM) methods. The performance of the proposed method is competitive with human experts and the methodology can thus be used to conduct an in-depth analysis of the dITCZ. Such an analysis could provide precise information for refining existing weather and climate models over the sparsely observed east Pacific where the dITCZ is greatly over-represented in most models.

Research was conducted to study nitrogen retention and release during implantation of hard amorphous carbon films with 20 keV N+ ions. Graphic cultures were determined in samples implanted up to saturation at 400 degrees C while structural modification processes were treated as a tendency towards thermodynamic equilibrium. Results showed that implantation led to the formation of a structurally modified C:N sublayer with a thickness similar to the ion penetration depth.

Cost reduction is the overall goal in the further development of solar cell technologies. Multicrystalline silicon has attracted considerable attention because of its high stability against light soaking. In case of solar grade mc-Si, the rigorous control of metal impurities is desirable for solar cell fabrication. Although ion implantation doping got very recently distinct consideration for doping of monocrystalline solar material, efficient doping of multicrystalline solar material remains the main challenge to reduce costs. The influence of different annealing techniques on the optical and electrical properties of mc-Si solar cells was investigated. Flash lamp annealing (FLA) in the ms-range is demonstrated here as a very promising technique for the emitter formation at an overall low thermal budget. It could be presented that FLA at 1000 °C for 3 ms even without preheating is sufficient to recrystallize implanted silicon. The sheet resistance of FLA samples shows the values of about 50 Ω/sq. Especially, the minority carrier diffusion length for the FLA samples is in the range of 80 μm without surface passivation. This is up to one order of magnitude higher than that observed from rapid thermal annealing or furnace annealing samples. This technology shows great promise to replace the conventional POCl3-doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the basic pathophysiology is the same in both cervical and thoracolumbar intervertebral disk (IVD) extrusions, there are considerable clinical differences that have only been partially explained. Hypothesis/Objectives: The epidural inflammatory response differs between cervical and thoracolumbar IVD extrusions. Animals: Fifty‐five dogs with cervical and 80 dogs with thoracolumbar IVD extrusions. Methods: Clinical data and histopathologic variables were investigated. Associations between severity of epidural inflammation and clinical and pathologic variables, impact of chondrodystrophic phenotype, and localization (cervical versus thoracolumbar) were evaluated statistically. Results: Dogs with cervical IVD extrusion were significantly older (P < 0.001), had less severe and longer duration of neurologic signs (both P < 0.001), were more painful (P = 0.038), and had a better outcome (P = 0.005) than dogs with a thoracolumbar IVD extrusion. On histopathology, cervical epidural material had less severe calcification (P = 0.002) and inflammation (P < 0.001). No significant differences regarding chondrodystrophic phenotype were found. Conclusion and Clinical Importance: There was significantly less intensive inflammatory response in the cervical epidural space. This observation correlated positively with less nucleus pulposus calcification in cervical extrusions indicating biochemical, metabolic, and biomechanical differences between the 2 locations, which remain to be characterized in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]