Structural variants of Salmonella Typhimurium lipopolysaccharide induce less dimerization of TLR4/MD-2 and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in human monocytes.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) changes the structure of its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in response to the environment. The two main LPS variants found in S.

Sparse graphs using exchangeable random measures.

Statistical network modelling has focused on representing the graph as a discrete structure, namely the adjacency matrix. When assuming exchangeability of this array-which can aid in modelling, computations and theoretical analysis-the Aldous-Hoover theorem informs us that the graph is necessarily either dense or empty. We instead consider representing the graph as an exchangeable and appeal to the Kallenberg representation theorem for this object.

A pilot evaluation of whole blood finger-prick sampling for point-of-care HIV viral load measurement: the UNICORN study.

There is a global need for HIV viral load point-of-care (PoC) assays to monitor patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. UNICORN was the first study of an off-label protocol using whole blood finger-prick samples tested with and without a simple three minute spin using a clinic-room microcentrifuge. Two PoC assays were evaluated in 40 HIV-positive participants, 20 with detectable and 20 with undetectable plasma viral load (pVL) (<20 copies/ml).

Indoxyl sulfate, a uremic toxin in chronic kidney disease, suppresses both bone formation and bone resorption.

Abnormalities of bone turnover are commonly observed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the low-turnover bone disease is considered to be associated with low serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and skeletal resistance to PTH. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a representative uremic toxin that accumulates in the blood of patients with CKD. Recently, we have reported that IS exacerbates low bone turnover induced by parathyroidectomy (PTX) in adult rats, and suggested that IS directly induces low bone turnover through the inhibition of bone formation by mechanisms unrelated to skeletal resistance to PTH.

Atmospheric seasonal forecasts of the twentieth century: multi-decadal variability in predictive skill of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and their potential value for extreme event attribution.

Based on skill estimates from hindcasts made over the last couple of decades, recent studies have suggested that considerable success has been achieved in forecasting winter climate anomalies over the Euro-Atlantic area using current-generation dynamical forecast models. However, previous-generation models had shown that forecasts of winter climate anomalies in the 1960s and 1970s were less successful than forecasts of the 1980s and 1990s. Given that the more recent decades have been dominated by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in its positive phase, it is important to know whether the performance of current models would be similarly skilful when tested over periods of a predominantly negative NAO.

A general framework for updating belief distributions.

We propose a framework for general Bayesian inference. We argue that a valid update of a prior belief distribution to a posterior can be made for parameters which are connected to observations through a loss function rather than the traditional likelihood function, which is recovered as a special case. Modern application areas make it increasingly challenging for Bayesians to attempt to model the true data-generating mechanism.

ATP half-sites in RadA and RAD51 recombinases bind nucleotides.

Homologous recombination is essential for repair of DNA double-strand breaks. Central to this process is a family of recombinases, including archeal RadA and human RAD51, which form nucleoprotein filaments on damaged single-stranded DNA ends and facilitate their ATP-dependent repair. ATP binding and hydrolysis are dependent on the formation of a nucleoprotein filament comprising RadA/RAD51 and single-stranded DNA, with ATP bound between adjacent protomers.

Polar vortices on Earth and Mars: A comparative study of the climatology and variability from reanalyses.

Polar vortices on Mars provide case-studies to aid understanding of geophysical vortex dynamics and may help to resolve long-standing issues regarding polar vortices on Earth. Due to the recent development of the first publicly available Martian reanalysis dataset (MACDA), for the first time we are able to characterise thoroughly the structure and evolution of the Martian polar vortices, and hence perform a systematic comparison with the polar vortices on Earth. The winter atmospheric circulations of the two planets are compared, with a specific focus on the structure and evolution of the polar vortices.

The mechanism of ligand-induced activation or inhibition of μ- and κ-opioid receptors.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important targets for treating severe diseases. However why certain molecules act as activators whereas others, with similar structures, block GPCR activation, is poorly understood since the same molecule can activate one receptor subtype while blocking another closely related receptor. To shed light on these central questions, we used all-atom, long-time-scale molecular dynamics simulations on the κ-opioid and μ-opioid receptors (κOR and μOR).

Thermoelectric Properties of Nanowires with a Graphitic Shell.

A thermoelectric device that can generate electricity from waste heat can play an important role in a global energy solution. However, the strongly correlated thermoelectric properties have remained a major hurdle for the highly efficient conversion of thermoelectric energy. Herein, the electrical and thermal properties of Si and SiO2 nanowires with few-layer graphitic shells are demonstrated; these structures exhibit enhanced electrical properties but no increase in thermal conductivity.

Stage-independent, single lead EEG sleep spindle detection using the continuous wavelet transform and local weighted smoothing.

Sleep spindles are critical in characterizing sleep and have been associated with cognitive function and pathophysiological assessment. Typically, their detection relies on the subjective and time-consuming visual examination of electroencephalogram (EEG) signal(s) by experts, and has led to large inter-rater variability as a result of poor definition of sleep spindle characteristics. Hitherto, many algorithmic spindle detectors inherently make signal stationarity assumptions (e.

Cumulene rotaxanes: stabilization and study of [9]cumulenes.

The stabilization of long [n]cumulenes has traditionally been achieved by placing sterically bulky "protecting groups" at the termini, which shield the reactive carbon chain from unwanted reactions. Herein, we present an alternative strategy: stabilization through threading the sp-hybridized carbon chain through a phenanthroline-based macrocycle. The result is stable [9]cumulene rotaxanes that enable the study of properties as a function of length for [n]cumulenes in unprecedented detail, including by quantitative UV/Vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and differential scanning calorimetry.

The role of health-related claims and health-related symbols in consumer behaviour: Design and conceptual framework of the CLYMBOL project and initial results.

Health claims and symbols are potential aids to help consumers identify foods that are healthier options. However, little is known as to how health claims and symbols are used by consumers in real-world shopping situations, thus making the science-based formulation of new labelling policies and the evaluation of existing ones difficult. The objective of the European Union-funded project      (CLYMBOL) is to determine how health-related information provided through claims and symbols, in their context, can affect consumer understanding, purchase and consumption.

Development, appraisal, validation and implementation of a consensus protocol for the assessment of cerebral amyloid angiopathy in post-mortem brain tissue.

In a collaboration involving 11 groups with research interests in cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), we used a two-stage process to develop and in turn validate a new consensus protocol and scoring scheme for the assessment of CAA and associated vasculopathic abnormalities in post-mortem brain tissue. Stage one used an iterative Delphi-style survey to develop the consensus protocol. The resultant scoring scheme was tested on a series of digital images and paraffin sections that were circulated blind to a number of scorers.

Cognitive Bias Modification Using Mental Imagery for Depression: Developing a Novel Computerized Intervention to Change Negative Thinking Styles.

Why do some people see their glass as half-empty rather than half-full or even imagine that the glass will be filled in the future? Experimental methods can illuminate how individual differences in information processing style can profoundly impact mood or even result in disorders such as depression. A computerized cognitive bias modification intervention targeting interpretation bias in depression via positive mental imagery (CBM-I) was evaluated by investigating its impact on mental health and cognitive bias compared with a control condition. Twenty-six depressed individuals completed either positive imagery-focussed CBM-I or a control condition daily at home over one week.

Contemporary Approaches to Frequent Mood Monitoring in Bipolar Disorder.

Mood fluctuations are problematic in bipolar disorder. Current approaches to frequent monitoring of mood in bipolar disorder are paper diaries and electronic handheld devices. These approaches are limited in several ways, notably in the reliability of the data being collected which is often retrospectively reported.

Why Are Some More Peer Than Others? Evidence from a Longitudinal Study of Social Networks and Individual Academic Performance.

Studies of peer effects in educational settings confront two main problems. The first is the presence of endogenous sorting which confounds the effects of social influence and social selection on individual attainment. The second is how to account for the local network dependencies through which peer effects influence individual behavior.

Indexes of flow and cross-sectional area of the middle cerebral artery using doppler ultrasound during hypoxia and hypercapnia in humans.

Background And Purpose: This study examined changes in cross-sectional area of the middle cerebral artery as assessed by changes in Doppler signal power during hypoxia and hypercapnia. In addition, it examined the degree of consistency among three indexes of cerebral blood flow and velocity: the velocity spectral outline (VP), the intensity-weighted mean velocity (VIWM), and an index of middle cerebral artery flow (P. VIWM).

Localization of human tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) to chromosome 11p15.3----p14 by in situ hybridization.

The human gene for tryptophan hydroxylase has been previously assigned to chromosome 11 by analysis of a panel of somatic cell hybrids. We report here on the refinement of this localization by in situ hybridization.