The derived category of surface algebras: the case of the torus with one boundary component

In this paper we refine the main result of a previous paper of the author with Grimeland on derived invariants of surface algebras. We restrict to the case where the surface is a torus with one boundary component and give an easily computable derived invariant for such surface algebras. This result permits to give answers to open questions on gentle algebras: it provides examples of gentle algebras with the same AG-invariant (in the sense of Avella-Alaminos and Geiss) that are not derived equivalent and gives a partial positive answer to a conjecture due to Bobi\'nski and Malicki on gentle $2$-cycles algebras.Comment: 22 pages, a mistake concerning the computation of the mapping class group has been fixed, version 3: 25 pages, to appear in Algebras and Representation Theor

Applications of DFT to the theory of twentieth-century harmony

Music theorists have only recently, following groundbreaking work by Quinn, recognized the potential for the DFT on pcsets, initially proposed by Lewin, to serve as the foundation of a theory of harmony for the twentieth century. This paper investigates pcset “arithmetic” – subset structure, transpositional combination, and interval content – through the lens of the DFT. It discusses relationships between interval classes and DFT magnitudes, considers special properties of dyads, pcset products, and generated collections, and suggest methods of using the DFT in analysis, including interpreting DFT magnitudes, using phase spaces to understand subset structure, and interpreting the DFT of Lewin’s interval function. Webern’s op. 5/4 and Bartok’s String Quartet 4, iv, are discussed.Accepted manuscrip

Hepatocyte-like cells differentiated from human induced pluripotent stem cells: Relevance to cellular therapies

AbstractMaturation of induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs) has been proposed to address the shortage of human hepatocytes for therapeutic applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hiPSCs, HLCs and hepatocytes, all of human origin, in terms of performance metrics of relevance to cell therapies. hiPSCs were differentiated to HLCs in vitro using an established four-stage approach. We observed that hiPSCs had low oxygen consumption and possessed small, immature mitochondria located around the nucleus. With maturation to HLCs, mitochondria showed characteristic changes in morphology, ultrastructure, and gene expression. These changes in mitochondria included elongated morphology, swollen cristae, dense matrices, cytoplasmic migration, increased expression of mitochondrial DNA transcription and replication-related genes, and increased oxygen consumption. Following differentiation, HLCs expressed characteristic hepatocyte proteins including albumin and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4-alpha, and intrinsic functions including cytochrome P450 metabolism. But HLCs also expressed high levels of alpha fetoprotein, suggesting a persistent immature phenotype or inability to turn off early stage genes. Furthermore, the levels of albumin production, urea production, cytochrome P450 activity, and mitochondrial function of HLCs were significantly lower than primary human hepatocytes.Conclusion- hiPSCs offer an unlimited source of human HLCs. However, reduced functionality of HLCs compared to primary human hepatocytes limits their usefulness in clinical practice. Novel techniques are needed to complete differentiation of hiPSCs to mature hepatocytes

Expression of HLA-G by mast cells is associated with hepatitis C virus-induced liver fibrosis.

International audienceBACKGROUND AND AIMS: Infection by hepatitis C virus is a worldwide health problem. An inadequate Th2 cytokine response promotes the fibrosis-cirrhosis fate. Immune-modulating molecules favoring a Th2 profile, such as HLA-G molecules of the HLA class Ib family, may play a role in chronic hepatitis. HLA-G contributes to the escape of tumors, and their involvement in viral infections has been increasingly described. The aim of this work was to study the expression of HLA-G in the liver, its cellular source and its regulation in cases of chronic C hepatitis. METHODS: HLA-G cells in blocks of liver derived from patients infected with HCV were labeled by immunohistochemistry and enumerated. Double immunofluorescence allowed the identification of the cellular source. HLA-G secretion by a human mast cell line was quantified by ELISA after various stimulations. After treatment with IFN-α real-time PCR was performed to determine the kinetics of cytokine expression profiles, followed by heat map clustering analysis. RESULTS: The number of HLA-G + cells was significantly associated with the area of fibrosis. For the first time, we identify the HLA-G+ cells as being mast cells. HLA-G secretion was significantly induced in human mast cells stimulated by IL-10 or interferons of class I. The transcriptome of the secretome of this cell line stimulated by IFN-α revealed that i) the HLA-G gene is upregulated late, ii) T lymphocytes and NK cells are recruited. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest an autocrine loop in the genesis of HCV liver fibrosis, based on mast cells expressing HLA-G

Theoretical model for ultracold molecule formation via adaptive feedback control

We investigate pump-dump photoassociation of ultracold molecules with amplitude- and phase-modulated femtosecond laser pulses. For this purpose a perturbative model for the light-matter interaction is developed and combined with a genetic algorithm for adaptive feedback control of the laser pulse shapes. The model is applied to the formation of 85Rb2 molecules in a magneto-optical trap. We find for optimized pulse shapes an improvement for the formation of ground state molecules by more than a factor of 10 compared to unshaped pulses at the same pump-dump delay time, and by 40% compared to unshaped pulses at the respective optimal pump-dump delay time. Since our model yields directly the spectral amplitudes and phases of the optimized pulses, the results are directly applicable in pulse shaping experiments

Ab initio calculation of the KRb dipole moments

The relativistic configuration interaction valence bond method has been used to calculate permanent and transition electric dipole moments of the KRb heteronuclear molecule as a function of internuclear separation. The permanent dipole moment of the ground state $X^1\Sigma^+$ potential is found to be 0.30(2) $ea_0$ at the equilibrium internuclear separation with excess negative charge on the potassium atom. For the $a^3\Sigma^+$ potential the dipole moment is an order of magnitude smaller (1 $ea_0=8.47835 10^{-30}$ Cm) In addition, we calculate transition dipole moments between the two ground-state and excited-state potentials that dissociate to the K(4s)+Rb(5p) limits. Using this data we propose a way to produce singlet $X^1\Sigma^+$ KRb molecules by a two-photon Raman process starting from an ultracold mixture of doubly spin-polarized ground state K and Rb atoms. This Raman process is only allowed due to relativistic spin-orbit couplings and the absence of gerade/ungerade selection rules in heteronuclear dimers.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Tissue-selective estrogen complexes with bazedoxifene prevent metabolic dysfunction in female mice

Pairing the selective estrogen receptor modulator bazedoxifene (BZA) with estrogen as a tissue-selective estrogen complex (TSEC) is a novel menopausal therapy. We investigated estrogen, BZA and TSEC effects in preventing diabetisity in ovariectomized mice during high-fat feeding. Estrogen, BZA or TSEC prevented fat accumulation in adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle, and improved insulin resistance and glucose intolerance without stimulating uterine growth. Estrogen, BZA and TSEC improved energy homeostasis by increasing lipid oxidation and energy expenditure, and promoted insulin action by enhancing insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and suppressing hepatic glucose production. While estrogen improved metabolic homeostasis, at least partially, by increasing hepatic production of FGF21, BZA increased hepatic expression of Sirtuin1, PPARα and AMPK activity. The metabolic benefits of BZA were lost in estrogen receptor-α deficient mice. Thus, BZA alone or in TSEC produces metabolic signals of fasting and caloric restriction and improves energy and glucose homeostasis in female mice

Relativistic separable dual-space Gaussian Pseudopotentials from H to Rn

We generalize the concept of separable dual-space Gaussian pseudopotentials to the relativistic case. This allows us to construct this type of pseudopotential for the whole periodic table and we present a complete table of pseudopotential parameters for all the elements from H to Rn. The relativistic version of this pseudopotential retains all the advantages of its nonrelativistic version. It is separable by construction, it is optimal for integration on a real space grid, it is highly accurate and due to its analytic form it can be specified by a very small number of parameters. The accuracy of the pseudopotential is illustrated by an extensive series of molecular calculations