Using Longwave Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging for a Quantitative Atmospheric Tracer Monitoring in Outdoor Environments

Quantitative real-time retrieval of concentration-lengths (CL) through gaseous plumes is an important tool for environmental monitoring, enabling remote monitoring of emissions from industrial facilities and risk assessment in scenarios of toxic gas releases. The adoption of LWIR (Long Wave InfraRed) hyperspectral imaging as a leading technique for remote gas plume detection paved the way for an introduction of a precise CL estimation and two-dimensional (2D) mapping. A novel methodology for evaluating and characterizing the performance of a retrieval algorithm is presented. The algorithm utilizes state-of-the-art retrieved hyperspectral 2D mapping and is applied on a series of localized atmospheric tracer gas (SF6) releases in monitored environmental conditions. The retrieved CL distributions are compared to a numeric atmospheric T&D (Transport and Diffusion) model. Satisfactory agreement between retrieved and simulated CL prediction is manifested, and the uncertainty involved is quantified. Possible sources for the remained discrepancies between retrieved and simulated CL values are characterized, and methods to minimize them are discussed.

Mutant p53-a potential player in shaping the tumor-stroma crosstalk

A plethora of studies suggest that the non-transformed cellularand non-ceHular comp on ents of the tumor,collectively known as the tumor microenvironment,have a significa nt impact on the tumorigenic process.It was suggested that the microenvironment,which initially restricts tumor development,is recruited by the tumor and main tains a crosstalk that further promotes cancer progression.

p53 balances between tissue hierarchy and anarchy

Normal tissues are organized in a hierarchical model,whereas at the apex of these hierarchies reside stem cells (SCs) capable of self-renewal and of producing differentiated cellular progenies,leading to normal development and homeostasis.Alike,tumors are organized in a hierarchical manner,with cancer SCs residing at the apex,contributing to the development and nourishment of tumors .p53,the well-known 'guardian ofthe genome',possesses various roles in embryonic development as well as in adult SC life and serves as the ‘guardian of tissue hierarchy’.Moreover,p53 serves as a barrier for dedifferentiation and reprogramming by constraining the cells to a somatic state and preventing their conversion to SCs.On the contrary,the mutant forms of p53 that lost theirtumor suppressor activity and gain oncogenic functions serve as 'inducers oftissue anarchy' and promote cancer development.In this review,we discuss these two sides ofthe p53 token that sentence a tissue either to an ordered hierarchy and life or to anarchy and death.A better understanding of these processes may open new horizons for the development of new cancer therapies.

Bacterial viability assessment by flow cytometry analysis in soil

Soil microhabitats and their heterogeneity are often considered to be among the most important factors affecting soil biotic communities.The microbial commu-nity has become one of the most important links in soil nutrient cycles and trophic components due to its role in biological processes,spatial and temporal dynamics,and physiological adaptation.Sandy-soil desert systems are characterized by fast water infiltration during the rainy season,high salinity,and low moisture availability in the upper soil layers.Plants have developed different ecophy-siological adaptations in order to cope with this harsh environment.The Tamarix aphylla is known to be one of the most commonly adapted plants,exhibiting a mechan-ism for secretion of excess salts as aggregates through its leaves.These leaves aggregate beneath the plant,creating'islands of salinity'.Soil biotic components are,therefore,exposed to extreme abiotic stress conditions in this niche.The goal of this study was to examine the effect of T.aphylla on the live/dead bacterial population ratio on a spatial and temporal scale.The results emphasize the effect of abiotic factors,which changed on temporal as well as spatial scales,and also on the size of the active soil bacterial community,which fluctuated between 1.44%and 25.4%in summer and winter,respectively.The results of this study elucidate the importance of moisture availability and the'island-of-salinity'effect on the active microbial community in a sandy desert system.

Corrigendum to‘p53 balances between tissue hierarchy and anarchy’

In this article (p.559, third paragraph), the reference in ‘The identified ESC gene signature-derived genes correlated with poor patient survival and human tumors harboring p53 hotspot mutations (Lonetto et al., 2018)’ was incorrectly cited. It should be changed to ‘(Koifman et al., 2018)’. The conclusions of the review are not affected and the authors apologize for this error.