Dynamic analysis of peripheral blood TCR β-chain CDR3 repertoire in occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene

Previously, we had cross-sectionally explored the characteristics of T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires from occupational medicamentosa-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (OMDT) patients, now we further analyzed the dynamic features of OMDT TCR repertoires. Peripheral blood TCR β-chain complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) genes were detected with the high throughput sequencing in 24 OMDT cases in their acute, chronic and recovery stages, respectively, and in 24 trichloroethylene-exposed healthy controls. The TCR repertoire diversity, TRBV/TRBD/TRBJ gene usage and combination, frequencies of CDR3 nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequences in the cases in different stages and in the controls were analyzed. TRBV6-4 and TRBV7-9 frequencies significantly differed between the cases and controls (both P < 6.1 × 10–4). TRBV6-4 combination with TRBJ2-1, TRBJ2-2, TRBJ2-3, and TRBJ2-6, and TRBV7-9 combination with TRBJ2-1 were associated with the stage by OMDT severity (all P < 0.001). Ten CDR3-nt and 7 CDR3-aa sequences in TRBV7-9-TRBJ2-1 combination and 1 CDR3-nt and 1 CDR3-aa sequences in TRBV6-4-TRBJ2-1 combination were identified as associated with the severity of OMDT (all P < 0.001). We revealed further how TCR repertoires vary with the severity in the development of OMDT, and severity-related TCRs may provide important therapeutic targets for OMDT in clinical practice.

Short-term variability and mass loss in Be stars VI. Frequency groups in γ Cas detected by TESS

In photometry of γ Cas (B0.5 IVe) from the SMEI and BRITE-Constellation satellites, indications of low-order non-radial pulsation have recently been found, which would establish an important commonality with the class of classical Be stars at large. New photometry with the TESS satellite has detected three frequency groups near 1.0 (g1), 2.4 (g2), and 5.1 (g3) d−1, respectively. Some individual frequencies are nearly harmonics or combination frequencies but not exactly so. Frequency groups are known from roughly three quarters of all classical Be stars and also from pulsations of β Cep, SPB, and γ Dor stars and, therefore, firmly establish γ Cas as a non-radial pulsator. The total power in each frequency group is variable. An isolated feature exists at 7.57 d−1 and, together with the strongest peaks in the second and third groups ordered by increasing frequency (g2 and g3), is the only one detected in all three TESS sectors. The former long-term 0.82 d−1 variability would fall into g1 and has not returned at a significant level, questioning its attribution to rotational modulation. Low-frequency stochastic variability is a dominant feature of the TESS light curve, possibly caused by internal gravity waves excited at the core-envelope interface. These are known to be efficient at transporting angular momentum outward, and may also drive the oscillations that constitute g1 and g2. The hard X-ray flux of γ Cas is the only remaining major property that distinguishes this star from the class of classical Be stars.

Self-consistent method to extract non-linearities from pulsating star light curves – I. Combination frequencies

ABSTRACT Stellar pulsation is a common phenomenon and is sustained because of coherent driving mechanisms. When pulsations are driven by heat or convective mechanisms, it is usual to observe combination frequencies in the power spectra of the stellar light-curves. These combination frequencies are not solutions of the perturbed stellar structure equations. In dense power spectra from a light-curve of a given multiperiodic pulsating star, they can compromise the mode identification in asteroseismic analyses, and hence they must be treated as spurious frequencies and removed. In this paper, a method based on fitting the set of frequencies that best describes a general non-linear model, like the Volterra series, is presented. The method allows these frequencies to be extracted from the power spectrum, thereby improving the frequency analysis and enabling hidden frequencies to emerge from what was initially considered as noise. Moreover, the method yields frequencies with uncertainties several orders of magnitude smaller than the Rayleigh dispersion, which is sometimes used as if it were an error when identifying combination frequencies. Furthermore, it is compatible with the classical counting cycles method, the so-called O-C method, which is valid only for mono-periodic stars. The method creates the possibility of characterizing the non-linear behaviour of a given pulsating star by studying in detail the complex generalized transfer functions on which the model is based.

From advocacy to acceptance: Social media discussions of protected bike lane installations

Many North American cities are building bicycling infrastructure. Lively discussions on social media, where people passionately support or reject bicycling infrastructure projects, provide a unique data set on attitudes towards bicycling infrastructure. Our goal is to analyse social media posts in Edmonton and Victoria, Canada as new bike infrastructure was implemented to understand the thematic and social elements of the conversation and how these changed over time. We collected Twitter messages ( n = 13,121: 7640 in Edmonton; 5481 in Victoria) and compared three timeframes: before lanes opened (January 2015 to lane opening); the first riding season (opening to April 2017); and the second riding season (May 2017 to November 2018). For each timeframe, we evaluated word-combination frequencies (to understand the use of language) and social network structures (to understand which accounts were influential and how they interacted). We observed a change in the three time periods. Before the bicycling infrastructure was built, Twitter activity was focused on advocacy, which was especially strong in Victoria. The first riding season had the most social media activity, the most diverse perspectives and the most controversy. The second riding season held more support. Based on the Twitter activity, we found that Edmonton had more support from local businesses and traditional media, launching a connected network of infrastructure with less social media opposition. Our results suggest that attitudes associated with change in bicycling infrastructure may have a cycle, with initial negative responses to change, followed by an uptick in positive attitudes.

Cytogenetic Spectrum of Ovotesticular Difference of Sex Development (OT DSD) among a Large Cohort of DSD Patients and Literature Review

Ovotesticular difference of sex development (OT DSD) is a rare genetic disorder with an incidence of about 1/100,000 live births. The majority of OT DSD patients show a 46,XX karyotype, others may have 46,XX/46,XY chimerism or exhibit various mosaic sex chromosome combinations, and less commonly they may have a 46,XY karyotype. The aim of this work is to report the clinical, pathological, and karyotypic variations in OT DSD patients diagnosed among a large cohort of DSD patients. The study included 10 patients thoroughly evaluated for clinical, genital, and hormonal abnormalities and subjected to imaging studies, laparoscopy with gonadal biopsy, karyotype, and FISH analysis. The current study revealed a greater percentage of mosaic cell line combinations than previously reported and showed variable cytogenetic abnormalities, including the rare isodicentric (Y)(p11.32) abnormality and X;Y translocation. The study also revealed a unique pattern of gonadal type and combination frequencies. To our knowledge, this is the first study on OT DSD patients among a large cohort of DSD patients in Egypt and the Middle East.

Short-term variability and mass loss in Be stars

Context. In early-type Be stars, groups of nonradial pulsation (NRP) modes with numerically related frequencies may be instrumental for the release of excess angular momentum through mass-ejection events. Difference and sum/harmonic frequencies often form additional groups. Aims. The purpose of this study is to find out whether a similar frequency pattern occurs in the cooler third-magnitude B7-8 IIIe shell star ν Pup. Methods. Time-series analyses were performed of space photometry with BRITE-Constellation (2015, 2016/17, and 2017/18), SMEI (2003–2011), and HIPPARCOS (1989–1993). Two IUE SWP and 27 optical echelle spectra spanning 20 years were retrieved from various archives. Results. The optical spectra exhibit no anomalies or well-defined variabilities. A magnetic field was not detected. All three photometry satellites recorded variability near 0.656 c/d which is resolved into three features separated by ∼0.0021 c/d. Their first harmonics and two combination frequencies form a second group, whose features are similarly spaced by 0.0021 c/d. The frequency spacing is very nearly but not exactly equidistant. Variability near 0.0021 c/d was not detected. The long-term frequency stability could be used to derive meaningful constraints on the properties of a putative companion star. The IUE spectra do not reveal the presence of a hot subluminous secondary. Conclusions. ν Pup is another Be star exhibiting an NRP variability pattern with long-term constancy and underlining the importance of combination frequencies and frequency groups. This star is a good target for efforts to identify an effectively single Be star.

Multi-harmonic motions of bearing cage affected by rotor unbalance

The motion of bearing cage in the rotor system displays very complicated behavior affected by rotor unbalance. In order to gain an insight into the complex cage motions due to rotor unbalance, a scaled rotor test rig is designed and developed that is made to be dynamically similar to the actual rotor system in aero-engines. Eddy transducers are used to measure the cage motions and monitor the rotor vibrations. Based on the test rig, a dynamic model of its rotor system with four degrees-of-freedom is developed to determine the reaction forces due to rotor unbalance, which are introduced as boundary conditions for the bearing dynamic analysis. And then, a three degrees-of-freedom dynamic model of bearing cage taking the obtained reaction forces into account is also proposed. Finally, the experiment and simulation of the cage motions are carried out and compared at different rotating speeds and rotor unbalances. The experimental results of the cage motions agree with the theoretical predictions and reveal that the cage motions generally contain the multiple harmonic components, such as the cage rotating frequency and its multi-frequency, the inner ring rotating frequency, and also some combination frequencies due to rotor unbalance. The amplitudes of the inner ring rotating frequency and combination frequencies of the cage motions increase with the increment of the rotor unbalance values. Besides, the trajectories of cage are affected by the rotor unbalances.

Water Structure in Proteins in Solid State Studied by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Water adsorption in proteins is the crucial process of protein folding and structure stabilizing. Adsorption of water on proteins can be evaluated by near-infrared spectroscopy, a useful technique for observing combination frequency of a water molecule. In this work, albumin, lysozyme, and silk, were used as models for α-helix and β-pleated sheet proteins. Their NIR spectra during water adsorption process were measured by using an NIR spectrometer equipped with a transflectance accessory. Moreover, the quantitative adsorption of water was determined by gravimetric technique. The results indicate that, there are five different NIR absorptions arise from the OH combination frequencies of water adsorbed by albumin in the 5300-5100 cm-1 region. But there are only four absorptions for lysozyme and silk. The OH combination frequencies arising from water molecules in albumin indicate that it acquires free water molecules (5280 cm-1) and adsorbed water molecules through carbonyl-water interactions (5248 and 5160 cm-1) and amino-water interactions (5200 and 5120 cm-1). Interestingly, there is no indication for the presence of free water molecules in lysozyme and silk. Furthermore, the gravimetric results indicate that the rate of water adsorbed follows the order RW.Alb<RW.Lys<RW.Sil and total mass of water adsorbed per gram solid follows the order WAlb<WLys=WSil.