APOBEC shapes tumor evolution and age at onset of lung cancer in smokers.

APOBEC enzymes are part of the innate immunity and are responsible for restricting viruses and retroelements by deaminating cytosine residues1,2. Most solid tumors harbor different levels of somatic mutations attributed to the off-target activities of APOBEC3A (A3A) and/or APOBEC3B (A3B)3-6. However, how APOBEC3A/B enzymes shape the tumor evolution in the presence of exogenous mutagenic processes is largely unknown. Here, by combining deep whole-genome sequencing with multi-omics profiling of 309 lung cancers from smokers with detailed tobacco smoking information, we identify two subtypes defined by low (LAS) and high (HAS) APOBEC mutagenesis. LAS are enriched for A3B-like mutagenesis and KRAS mutations, whereas HAS for A3A-like mutagenesis and TP53 mutations. Unlike APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B expression is strongly associated with an upregulation of the base excision repair pathway. Hypermutation by unrepaired A3A and tobacco smoking mutagenesis combined with TP53-induced genomic instability can trigger senescence7, apoptosis8, and cell regeneration9, as indicated by high expression of pulmonary healing signaling pathway, stemness markers and distal cell-of-origin in HAS. The expected association of tobacco smoking variables (e.g., time to first cigarette) with genomic/epigenomic changes are not observed in HAS, a plausible consequence of frequent cell senescence or apoptosis. HAS have more neoantigens, slower clonal expansion, and older age at onset compared to LAS, particularly in heavy smokers, consistent with high proportions of newly generated, unmutated cells and frequent immuno-editing. These findings show how heterogeneity in mutational burden across co-occurring mutational processes and cell types contributes to tumor development, with important clinical implications.

Bayesian learning from multi-way EEG feedback for robot navigation and target identification.

Many brain-computer interfaces require a high mental workload. Recent research has shown that this could be greatly alleviated through machine learning, inferring user intentions via reactive brain responses. These signals are generated spontaneously while users merely observe assistive robots performing tasks. Using reactive brain signals, existing studies have addressed robot navigation tasks with a very limited number of potential target locations. Moreover, they use only binary, error-vs-correct classification of robot actions, leaving more detailed information unutilised. In this study a virtual robot had to navigate towards, and identify, target locations in both small and large grids, wherein any location could be the target. For the first time, we apply a system utilising detailed EEG information: 4-way classification of movements is performed, including specific information regarding when the target is reached. Additionally, we classify whether targets are correctly identified. Our proposed Bayesian strategy infers the most likely target location from the brain's responses. The experimental results show that our novel use of detailed information facilitates a more efficient and robust system than the state-of-the-art. Furthermore, unlike state-of-the-art approaches, we show scalability of our proposed approach: By tuning parameters appropriately, our strategy correctly identifies 98% of targets, even in large search spaces.

Catch bonds in sickle cell disease: Shear-enhanced adhesion of red blood cells to laminin.

Could the phenomenon of catch bonding-force-strengthened cellular adhesion-play a role in sickle cell disease, where abnormal red blood cell (RBC) adhesion obstructs blood flow? Here, we investigate the dynamics of sickle RBCs adhering to a surface functionalized with the protein laminin (a component of the extracellular matrix around blood vessels) under physiologically relevant microscale flow. First, using total internal reflectance microscopy we characterize the spatial fluctuations of the RBC membrane above the laminin surface before detachment. The complex dynamics we observe suggest the possibility of catch bonding, where the mean detachment time of the cell from the surface initially increases to a maximum and then decreases as a function of shear force. We next conduct a series of shear-induced detachment experiments on blood samples from 25 sickle cell disease patients, quantifying the number and duration of adhered cells under both sudden force jumps and linear force ramps. The experiments reveal that a subset of patients does indeed exhibit catch bonding. By fitting the data to a theoretical model of the bond dynamics, we can extract the mean bond lifetime versus force for each patient. The results show a striking heterogeneity among patients, both in terms of the qualitative behavior (whether or not there is catch bonding) and in the magnitudes of the lifetimes. Patients with large bond lifetimes at physiological forces are more likely to have certain adverse clinical features, like a diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension and intracardiac shunts. By introducing an in vitro platform for fully characterizing RBC-laminin adhesion dynamics, our approach could contribute to the development of patient-specific antiadhesive therapies for sickle cell disease. The experimental setup is also easily generalizable to studying adhesion dynamics in other cell types, for example, leukocytes or cancer cells, and can incorporate disease-relevant environmental conditions like oxygen deprivation.

Surfactant induced catastrophic collapse of carbon black suspensions used in flow battery application.

HYPOTHESIS: Carbon black particles act as electronically conductive additives in the slurry electrodes used in electrochemical redox flow batteries. Modifying the carbon black slurry formulation with the addition of a nonionic surfactant could impart improved particle dispersion, gravitational stability, and flowability leading to better battery performance. EXPERIMENTS: Carbon black particles were dispersed in 1 M H2SO4 with volume fractions Φ = 0.01 to 0.06 and a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100) concentration of csurf. = 0, 0.05, and 0.1 M. Particle size was characterized using microscopy and surfactant adsorption using UV-vis spectroscopy. Sedimentation kinetics was measured using a custom camera set-up that tracks the height of the settling particle bed. Rheology experiments were conducted to measure linear viscoelasticity and shear flow behavior. FINDINGS: The sedimentation dynamics of the slurry resembled that of a gel collapse. At short times we observed fast sedimentation associated with structural gel collapse and at long times very slow sedimentation associated with compaction of the sediment. Rheological investigations revealed that the slurry indeed behaved like colloidal gels. Addition of nonionic surfactant at α (= (csurf./cCB)) < 0.75 improved particle dispersion and increased gel elasticity. However, α> 0.75 led to a weaker gel that exhibits a fast 'catastrophic collapse' under gravity.

Three-Dimensional Sag Tracking in Falling Liquid Films.

Coating defects often arise during application in the flash stage, which constitutes the ∼10 min interval immediately following film application when the solvent evaporates. Understanding the transient rheology and kinematics of a coating system is necessary to avoid defects such as sag, which results in undesirable appearance. A new technique named variable angle inspection microscopy (VAIM) aimed at measuring these phenomena was developed and is summarized herein. The essence of this new, non-invasive, rheological technique is the measurement of a flow field in response to a known gravitational stress. VAIM was used to measure the flow profile through a volume of a liquid thin film at an arbitrary orientation. Flow kinematics of the falling thin film was inferred from particle tracking measurements. Initial benchmarking measurements in the absence of drying tracked the velocity of silica probe particles in ∼140 µm thick films of known viscosity, much greater than water, at incline angles of 5° and 10°. Probe particles were tracked through the entire thickness of the film and at speeds as high as ∼100 µm/s. The sag flow field was well resolved in ∼10 µm thick cross sections, and in general the VAIM measurements were highly reproducible. Complementary profilometer measurements of film thinning were utilized to predict sag velocities with a known model. The model predictions showed good agreement with measurements, which validated the effectiveness of this new method in relating material properties and flow kinematics.

Female terminalia morphology and cladistic relations among Tok-Tok beetles (Tenebrionidae: Sepidiini).

Tok-tokkies are one of the most iconic lineages within Tenebrionidae. In addition to containing some of the largest darkling beetles, this tribe is recognized for its remarkable form of sexual communication known as substrate tapping. Nevertheless, the phylogenetic relationships within the group remain poorly understood. This study investigates the usefulness of female terminalia morphology for delimiting Sepidiini and reconstructing relationships among it. Data on the structure of the ovipositors, genital tubes and spicula ventrali have been generated for >200 species representing 28 Pimeliinae tribes. This dataset was used in a comparative analysis at the subfamilial level, which resulted in recognition of several unique features of tok-tokkie terminalia. Additionally, new features linking phenotypically challenging tribes also were recovered (Cryptochilini + Idisiini + Pimeliini). Secondly, 23 characters linked to the structure of female terminalia were defined for tok-tok beetles. Cladistic analysis demonstrates the nonmonophyletic nature of most of the recognized subtribes. The morphological dataset was analysed separately and in combination with available molecular data (CAD, Wg, cox1, cox2, 28S). All obtained topologies were largely congruent, supporting the following changes: Palpomodina Kaminski & Gearner subtr.n. is erected to accommodate the genera Namibomodes and Palpomodes; Argenticrinis and Bombocnodulus are transferred from Hypomelina to Molurina; 153 species and subspecies previously classified within Psammodes are distributed over three separate genera (Mariazofia Kaminski nom.n., Piesomera stat.r., Psammodes sens.n.). Psammodes sklodowskae Kaminski & Gearner sp.n. is described. Preliminary investigation of the ovipositor of Mariazofia basuto (Koch) comb.n. was carried out with the application of microcomputed tomography, illuminating the muscular system as a reliable reference point for recognizing homologous elements in highly modified ovipositors.

A Multimodal Neuroprosthetic Interface to Record, Modulate and Classify Electrophysiological Biomarkers Relevant to Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

Most mental disorders, such as addictive diseases or schizophrenia, are characterized by impaired cognitive function and behavior control originating from disturbances within prefrontal neural networks. Their often chronic reoccurring nature and the lack of efficient therapies necessitate the development of new treatment strategies. Brain-computer interfaces, equipped with multiple sensing and stimulation abilities, offer a new toolbox whose suitability for diagnosis and therapy of mental disorders has not yet been explored. This study, therefore, aimed to develop a biocompatible and multimodal neuroprosthesis to measure and modulate prefrontal neurophysiological features of neuropsychiatric symptoms. We used a 3D-printing technology to rapidly prototype customized bioelectronic implants through robot-controlled deposition of soft silicones and a conductive platinum ink. We implanted the device epidurally above the medial prefrontal cortex of rats and obtained auditory event-related brain potentials in treatment-naïve animals, after alcohol administration and following neuromodulation through implant-driven electrical brain stimulation and cortical delivery of the anti-relapse medication naltrexone. Towards smart neuroprosthetic interfaces, we furthermore developed machine learning algorithms to autonomously classify treatment effects within the neural recordings. The neuroprosthesis successfully captured neural activity patterns reflecting intact stimulus processing and alcohol-induced neural depression. Moreover, implant-driven electrical and pharmacological stimulation enabled successful enhancement of neural activity. A machine learning approach based on stepwise linear discriminant analysis was able to deal with sparsity in the data and distinguished treatments with high accuracy. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of multimodal bioelectronic systems to monitor, modulate and identify healthy and affected brain states with potential use in a personalized and optimized therapy of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek energy landscape of a Janus particle with a nonuniform cap.

A colloidal particle is often termed "Janus" when some portion of its surface is coated by a second material which has distinct properties from the native particle. The anisotropy of Janus particles enables unique behavior at interfaces. However, rigorous methodologies to predict Janus particle dynamics at interfaces are required to implement these particles in complex fluid applications. Previous work studying Janus particle dynamics does not consider van der Waals interactions and realistic, nonuniform coating morphology. Here we develop semianalytic equations to accurately calculate the potential landscape, including van der Waals interactions, of a Janus particle with nonuniform coating thickness above a solid boundary. The effects of both nonuniform coating thickness and van der Waals interactions significantly influence the potential landscape of the particle, particularly in high ionic strength solutions, where the particle samples positions very close to the solid boundary. The equations developed herein facilitate more simple, accurate, and less computationally expensive characterization of conservative interactions experienced by a confined Janus particle than previous methods.

Four-Way Classification of EEG Responses To Virtual Robot Navigation.

Studies have shown the possibility of using brain signals that are automatically generated while observing a navigation task as feedback for semi-autonomous control of a robot. This allows the robot to learn quasi-optimal routes to intended targets. We have combined the subclassification of two different types of navigational errors, with the subclassification of two different types of correct navigational actions, to create a 4-way classification strategy, providing detailed information about the type of action the robot performed. We used a 2-stage stepwise linear discriminant analysis approach, and tested this using brain signals from 8 and 14 participants observing two robot navigation tasks. Classification results were significantly above the chance level, with mean overall accuracy of 44.3% and 36.0% for the two datasets. As a proof of concept, we have shown that it is possible to perform fine-grained, 4-way classification of robot navigational actions, based on the electroencephalogram responses of participants who only had to observe the task. This study provides the next step towards comprehensive implicit brain-machine communication, and towards an efficient semi-autonomous brain-computer interface.

Developing Scattering Morphology Resolved Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (SMR-TIRM) for Orientation Detection of Colloidal Ellipsoids.

Micrometer scale colloidal particles experiencing ∼kT scale interactions and suspended in a fluid are relevant to a broad spectrum of applications. Often, colloidal particles are anisotropic, either by design or by nature. Yet, there are few techniques by which ∼kT scale interactions of anisotropic particles can be measured. Herein, we present the initial development of scattering morphology resolved total internal reflection microscopy (SMR-TIRM). The hypothesis of this work is that the morphology of light scattered by an anisotropic particle from an evanescent wave is a sensitive function of particle orientation. This hypothesis was tested with experiments and simulations mapping the scattered light from colloidal ellipsoids at systemically varied orientations. Scattering morphologies were first fitted with a two-dimensional (2D) Gaussian surface. The fitted morphology was parameterized by the morphology's orientation angle Mϕ and aspect ratio MAR. Data from both experiments and simulations show Mϕ to be a function of the particle azimuthal angle, while MAR was a sensitive function of the polar angle. This analysis shows that both azimuthal and polar angles of a colloidal ellipsoid could be resolved from scattering morphology as well or better than using bright-field microscopy. The integrated scattering intensity, which will be used for determining the separation distance, was also found to be a sensitive function of particle orientation. A procedure for interpreting these confounding effects was developed that in principle would uniquely determine the separation distance, the azimuthal angle, and the polar angle. Tracking these three quantities is necessary for calculating the potential energy landscape sampled by a colloidal ellipsoid.

Influence of cap weight on the motion of a Janus particle very near a wall.

The dynamics of anisotropic nano- to micro scale colloidal particles in confined environments, either near neighboring particles or boundaries, is relevant to a wide range of applications. We utilized Brownian dynamics simulations to predict the translational and rotational fluctuations of a Janus sphere with a cap of nonmatching density near a boundary. The presence of the cap significantly impacted the rotational dynamics of the particle as a consequence of gravitational torque at experimentally relevant conditions. Gravitational torque dominated stochastic torque for a particle >1 µm in diameter and with a 20-nm-thick gold cap. Janus particles at these conditions sampled mostly cap-down or "quenched" orientations. Although the results summarized herein showed that particles of smaller diameter (<1 µm) with a thin gold coating (<5 nm) behave similarly to an isotropic particle, small increases in either particle diameter or coating thickness quenched the polar rotation of the particle. Histogram landscapes of the separation distance from the boundary and orientation observations of particles with larger diameters or thicker gold coatings were mostly populated with quenched configurations. Finally, the histogram landscapes were inverted to obtain the potential energy landscapes, providing a road map for experimental data to be interpreted.

"You Have Reached Your Destination": A Single Trial EEG Classification Study.

Studies have established that it is possible to differentiate between the brain's responses to observing correct and incorrect movements in navigation tasks. Furthermore, these classifications can be used as feedback for a learning-based BCI, to allow real or virtual robots to find quasi-optimal routes to a target. However, when navigating it is important not only to know we are moving in the right direction toward a target, but also to know when we have reached it. We asked participants to observe a virtual robot performing a 1-dimensional navigation task. We recorded EEG and then performed neurophysiological analysis on the responses to two classes of correct movements: those that moved closer to the target but did not reach it, and those that did reach the target. Further, we used a stepwise linear classifier on time-domain features to differentiate the classes on a single-trial basis. A second data set was also used to further test this single-trial classification. We found that the amplitude of the P300 was significantly greater in cases where the movement reached the target. Interestingly, we were able to classify the EEG signals evoked when observing the two classes of correct movements against each other with mean overall accuracy of 66.5 and 68.0% for the two data sets, with greater than chance levels of accuracy achieved for all participants. As a proof of concept, we have shown that it is possible to classify the EEG responses in observing these different correct movements against each other using single-trial EEG. This could be used as part of a learning-based BCI and opens a new door toward a more autonomous BCI navigation system.

The Status of Triorophus punctatus LeConte (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae: Edrotini).

While working on a revision of Triorophus LeConte, 1851 we examined type material for the genus. One species, Triorophus punctatus LeConte, 1851 (Figs. 1a-1e), was described from a dead, partial specimen (Type 4475, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University) collected at "Vallecitas," California in October or November of 1850 (LeConte, 1851). The locality likely refers to Vallecito, a contemporary United States Army depot and stage station (Roberts, 1988) located on the western edge of the Colorado Desert in eastern San Diego County (32.9755°, -116.35°).

Charged Nanoparticles Quench the Propulsion of Active Janus Colloids.

Active colloidal particles regularly interact with surfaces in applications ranging from microfluidics to sensing. Recent work has revealed the complex nature of these surface interactions for active particles. Herein, we summarize experiments and simulations that show the impact of charged nanoparticles on the propulsion of an active colloid near a boundary. Adding charged nanoparticles not only decreased the average separation distance of a passive colloid because of depletion attraction as expected but also decreased the apparent propulsion of a Janus colloid to near zero. Complementary agent-based simulations considering the impact of hydrodynamics for active Janus colloids were conducted in the range of separation distances inferred from experiment. These simulations showed that propulsion speed decreased monotonically with decreasing average separation distance. Although the trend found in experiments and simulations was in qualitative agreement, there was still a significant difference in the magnitude of speed reduction. The quantitative difference was attributed to the influence of charged nanoparticles on the conductivity of the active particle suspension. Follow-up experiments delineating the impact of depletion and conductivity showed that both contribute to the reduction of speed for an active Janus particle. The experimental and simulated data suggests that it is necessary to consider the synergistic effects between various mechanisms influencing interactions experienced by an active particle near a boundary.

A catalogue of the tribe Sepidiini Eschscholtz, 1829 (Tenebrionidae, Pimeliinae) of the world.

This catalogue includes all valid family-group (six subtribes), genus-group (55 genera, 33 subgenera), and species-group names (1009 species and subspecies) of Sepidiini darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae), and their available synonyms. For each name, the author, year, and page number of the description are provided, with additional information (e.g., type species for genus-group names, author of synonymies for invalid taxa, notes) depending on the taxon rank. Verified distributional records (loci typici and data acquired from revisionary publications) for all the species are gathered. Distribution of the subtribes is illustrated and discussed. Several new nomenclatural acts are included. The generic names Phanerotomea Koch, 1958 [= Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870] and Parmularia Koch, 1955 [= Psammodes Kirby, 1819] are new synonyms (valid names in square brackets). The following new combinations are proposed: Ocnodesacuductusacuductus (Ancey, 1883), O. acuductusufipanus (Koch, 1952), O. adamantinus (Koch, 1952), O. argenteofasciatus (Koch, 1953), O. arnoldiarnoldi (Koch, 1952), O. arnoldisabianus (Koch, 1952), O.barbosai (Koch, 1952), O.basilewskyi (Koch, 1952), O.bellmarleyi (Koch, 1952), O. benguelensis (Koch, 1952), O. bertolonii (Guérin-Méneville, 1844), O. blandus (Koch, 1952), O. brevicornis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. brunnescensbrunnescens (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. brunnescensmolestus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. buccinator (Koch, 1952), O. bushmanicus (Koch, 1952), O. carbonarius (Gerstaecker, 1854), O. cardiopterus (Fairmaire, 1888), O. cataractus (Koch, 1952), O. cinerarius (Koch, 1952), O. complanatus (Koch, 1952), O. confertus (Koch, 1952), O. congruens (Péringuey, 1899), O. cordiventris (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. crocodilinus (Koch, 1952), O. dimorphus (Koch, 1952), O. distinctus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. dolosus (Péringuey, 1899), O. dorsocostatus (Gebien, 1910), O. dubiosus (Péringuey, 1899), O. ejectus (Koch, 1952), O. epronoticus (Koch, 1952), O. erichsoni (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. ferreiraeferreirae (Koch, 1952), O. ferreiraezulu (Koch, 1952), O. fettingi (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. fistucans (Koch, 1952), O. fraternus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), O. freyi (Koch, 1952), O. freudei (Koch, 1952), O. fulgidus (Koch, 1952), O. funestus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. gemmeulus (Koch, 1952), O. gibberosulus (Péringuey, 1908), O. gibbus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1879), O. globosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. granisterna (Koch, 1952), O. granulosicollis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O.gridellii (Koch, 1960), O. gueriniguerini (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. guerinilawrencii (Koch, 1954), O. guerinimancus (Koch 1954), O. haemorrhoidalishaemorrhoidalis (Koch, 1952), O. haemorrhoidalissalubris (Koch, 1952), O. heydeni (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. humeralis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. humerangula (Koch, 1952), O. imbricatus (Koch, 1952), O.imitatorimitator (Péringuey, 1899), O. imitatorinvadens (Koch, 1952), O. inflatus (Koch, 1952), O. janssensi (Koch, 1952), O. javeti (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. junodi (Péringuey, 1899), O. kulzeri (Koch, 1952), O. lacustris (Koch, 1952), O. laevigatus (Olivier, 1795), O. lanceolatus (Koch, 1953), O. licitus (Peringey, 1899), O. luctuosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. luxurosus (Koch, 1952), O. maputoensis (Koch, 1952), O. marginicollis (Koch, 1952), O. martinsi (Koch, 1952), O. melleus (Koch, 1952), O. mendicusestermanni (Koch, 1952), O. mendicusmendicus (Péringuey, 1899), O. miles (Péringuey, 1908), O. mimeticus (Koch, 1952), O. misolampoides (Fairmaire, 1888), O. mixtus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. monacha (Koch, 1952), O. montanus (Koch, 1952), O. mozambicus (Koch, 1952), O. muliebriscurtus (Koch, 1952), O. muliebrismuliebris (Koch, 1952), O. muliebrissilvestris (Koch, 1952), O. nervosus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O.notatum (Thunberg, 1787), O. notaticollis (Koch, 1952), O. odorans (Koch, 1952), O. opacus (Solier, 1843), O. osbecki (Billberg, 1815), O. overlaeti (Koch, 1952), O. ovulus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. pachysomaornata (Koch, 1952), O. pachysomapachysoma (Péringuey, 1892), O. papillosus (Koch, 1952), O. pedator (Fairmaire, 1888), O. perlucidus (Koch, 1952), O. planus (Koch, 1952), O. pretorianus (Koch, 1952), O. procursus (Péringuey, 1899), O. protectus (Koch, 1952), O. punctatissimus (Koch, 1952), O. puncticollis (Koch, 1952), O. punctipennisplanisculptus (Koch, 1952), O. punctipennispunctipennis (Harold, 1878), O. punctipleura (Koch, 1952), O. rhodesianus (Koch, 1952), O. roriferus (Koch, 1952), O. rufipes (Harold, 1878), O. saltuarius (Koch, 1952), O.scabricollis (Gerstaecker, 1854), O. scopulipes (Koch, 1952), O. scrobicollisgriqua (Koch, 1952), O. scrobicollissimulans (Koch, 1952), O. semirasus (Koch, 1952), O. semiscabrum (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. sericicollis (Koch, 1952), O.similis (Péringuey, 1899), O. sjoestedti (Gebien, 1910), O. spatulipes (Koch, 1952), O. specularis (Péringuey, 1899), O. spinigerus (Koch, 1952), O. stevensoni (Koch, 1952), O. tarsocnoides (Koch, 1952), O. temulentus (Koch, 1952), O. tenebrosusmelanarius (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. tenebrosustenebrosus (Erichson, 1843), O. tibialis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. torosus (Koch, 1952), O. transversicollis (Haag-Rutenberg, 1879), O. tumidus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1871), O. umvumanus (Koch, 1952), O. vagus (Péringuey, 1899), O. vaticinus (Péringuey, 1899), O. verecundus (Péringuey, 1899), O. vetustus (Koch, 1952), O. vexator (Péringuey, 1899), O. virago (Koch, 1952), O. warmeloi (Koch, 1953), O. zanzibaricus (Haag-Rutenberg, 1875), Psammophanesantinorii (Gridelli, 1939), and P.mirei (Pierre, 1979). The type species [placed in square brackets] of the following genus-group taxa are designated for the first time, Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870 [Ocnodesscrobicollis Fåhraeus, 1870], Psammodophysis Péringuey, 1899 [Psammodophysisprobes Péringuey, 1899], and Trachynotidus Péringuey, 1899 [Psammodesthoreyi Haag-Rutenberg, 1871]. A lectotype is designated for Histrionotusomercooperi Koch, 1955 in order to fix its taxonomic status. Ulamus Kaminski is introduced here as a replacement name for Echinotus Marwick, 1935 [Type species. Aviculaechinata Smith, 1817] (Mollusca: Pteriidae) to avoid homonymy with Echinotus Solier, 1843 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

Endurance Exercise Prevents Metabolic Distress-induced Senescence in the Hippocampus.

PURPOSE: Metabolic disorder such as obesity and type 2 diabetes caused by excess caloric intake is associated with an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Endurance exercise (EXE) has been suggested to exert neuroprotective effects against the metabolic distress. However, the exact underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the exercise-induced neuroprotection have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether EXE-induced neuroprotection is associated with cellular senescence, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress using a mouse model of obesity induced by a high-fat/high-fructose diet. METHODS: C57BL/6 female mice (10 wk old) were randomly divided to three groups: normal chow diet group (CON, n = 11), high-fat diet/high-fructose (HFD/HF) group (n = 11), and high-fat diet/high-fructose + endurance exercise (HFD/HF + EXE) group (n = 11). HFD/HF + EXE mice performed treadmill running exercise for 60 min·d, 5 d·wk for 12 wk. RESULTS: Our data showed that EXE ameliorated HFD/HF-induced weight gain, fasting blood glucose levels, and visceral fat gain. More importantly, HFD/HF diet promoted cellular senescence, whereas EXE reversed it, evidenced by a reduction in the levels of p53, p21, p16, beta-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal), and lipofuscin. Furthermore, EXE prevented HFD/HF-induced neuroinflammation (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß) by inhibiting toll-like receptor 2 downstream signaling cascades (e.g., tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and c-Jun) in parallel with reduced reactive glial cells. This anti-inflammatory effect of EXE was associated with the reversion of HFD/HF-induced cellular oxidative stress. CONCLUSION: Our study provides novel evidence that EXE-induced antisenescence against metabolic distress in the hippocampus may be a key neuroprotective mechanism, preventing neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

Single-Trial EEG Classification of Similar Errors.

When humans recognise errors, either committed by themselves or observed, error-related potentials (ErrP) are produced in the brain. Recently, a few studies have shown that it is possible to differentiate between the ErrPs generated for errors of different direction, severity, or type (e.g., response errors, interaction errors). However, in real-world scenarios, errors cannot always be delineated by these metrics. As such, it is important to consider whether errors that are similar in all of the aforementioned aspects can be classified against each other on a single-trial basis. In this paper, for the first time, we consider two different response errors, which are of equal severity and have no associated direction. This study used electroencephalogram (EEG) data from a sustainedattention based time-critical reaction task, where time pressure caused subjects to commit two different errors. Using data from 16 subjects, we applied time domain EEG features and an ensemble of linear classifiers to separate these two error conditions on a single-trial basis. We achieved a mean balanced accuracy of 63.23% and, for most of these subjects, achieved statistically significant (p ¡ 0.05) separation of the two error conditions. The ability to classify similar error conditions, such as these, increases the scope of possible applications for EEG error detection, and has the potential to improve brain-machine interaction.

Local Measurement of Janus Particle Cap Thickness.

Janus particles have anisotropy in surface chemistry or composition that will effect dynamics and interactions with neighboring surfaces. One specific type of Janus particle is that consisting of a native micrometer-scale particle with a cap of gold, platinum, or another metal deposited with a typical thicknesses of ∼10 nm. A key characteristic of metal-capped Janus particles prepared with glancing angle deposition is the cap thickness. The nominal thickness is usually assumed to be uniform across the cap for modeling or interpretation of data, but the vapor deposition fabrication process likely does not produce such a cap because of the particle's curvature. These nonuniformities in the cap thickness may have a profound impact on Janus particle dynamics at equilibrium and in response to external fields. Herein, we summarize an experimental technique that utilizes focused ion beam slicing, image analysis, and results for the direct and local measure of cap thickness for 5 µm polystyrene spheres with a gold cap of nominal thicknesses of 10 or 20 nm. We found the cap varied in thickness continuously along the perimeter of the particle and also that the deposition rate, varying between 0.5 and 2.0 Å/s, did not significantly alter the way in which the thickness varied. These data support the hypothesis that cap thickness of a Janus sphere will vary across the gold surface contour, while demonstrating a feasible route for direct measurement of Janus particle cap thickness.

Derepression of the Iroquois Homeodomain Transcription Factor Gene IRX3 Confers Differentiation Block in Acute Leukemia.

The Iroquois homeodomain transcription factor gene IRX3 is expressed in the developing nervous system, limb buds, and heart, and transcript levels specify obesity risk in humans. We now report a functional role for IRX3 in human acute leukemia. Although transcript levels are very low in normal human bone marrow cells, high IRX3 expression is found in ∼30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), ∼50% with T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and ∼20% with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, frequently in association with high-level HOXA gene expression. Expression of IRX3 alone was sufficient to immortalize hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in myeloid culture and induce lymphoid leukemias in vivo. IRX3 knockdown induced terminal differentiation of AML cells. Combined IRX3 and Hoxa9 expression in murine HSPCs impeded normal T-progenitor differentiation in lymphoid culture and substantially enhanced the morphologic and phenotypic differentiation block of AML in myeloid leukemia transplantation experiments through suppression of a terminal myelomonocytic program. Likewise, in cases of primary human AML, high IRX3 expression is strongly associated with reduced myelomonocytic differentiation. Thus, tissue-inappropriate derepression of IRX3 contributes significantly to the block in differentiation, which is the pathognomonic feature of human acute leukemias.

Review of the genus Trichiotes Casey (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae: Edrotini), with the description of a new species and a preliminary checklist of the Tenebrionidae from Cuatrociénegas, Mexico.

The rarely collected, previously monotypic, darkling beetle genus Trichiotes is reviewed, including new state and country records for T. seriatus Casey, 1907 and a new species, Trichiotes lightfooti Wirth & Smith, n. sp., is described from the Cuatrociénegas Protected Area in Coahuila, Mexico. Differences in stridulatory structures between the species are discussed and the occurrence of a waxy, extracuticular pruinescence is reported for Trichiotes. A species key to the genus is provided and a checklist of the known Tenebrionidae from the Cuatrociénegas region is presented.