352 research outputs found
KH domains with impaired nucleic acid binding as a tool for functional analysis
In eukaryotes, RNA-binding proteins that contain multiple K homology (KH) domains play a key role in coordinating the different steps of RNA synthesis, metabolism and localization. Understanding how the different KH modules participate in the recognition of the RNA targets is necessary to dissect the way these proteins operate. We have designed a KH mutant with impaired RNA-binding capability for general use in exploring the role of individual KH domains in the combinatorial functional recognition of RNA targets. A double mutation in the hallmark GxxG loop (GxxG-to-GDDG) impairs nucleic acid binding without compromising the stability of the domain. We analysed the impact of the GDDG mutations in individual KH domains on the functional properties of KSRP as a prototype of multiple KH domain-containing proteins. We show how the GDDG mutant can be used to directly link biophysical information on the sequence specificity of the different KH domains of KSRP and their role in mRNA recognition and decay. This work defines a general molecular biology tool for the investigation of the function of individual KH domains in nucleic acid binding proteins
Black Hole Entropy, Topological Entropy and the Baum-Connes Conjecture in K-Theory
We shall try to exhibit a relation between black hole entropy and topological
entropy using the famous Baum-Connes conjecture for foliated manifolds which
are particular examples of noncommutative spaces. Our argument is qualitative
and it is based on the microscopic origin of the Beckenstein-Hawking
area-entropy formula for black holes, provided by superstring theory, in the
more general noncommutative geometric context of M-Theory following the Connes-
Douglas-Schwarz article.Comment: 17 pages, Latex, contains an important paragraph in section 2 which
gives a better understandin
Polar Smectic Films
We report on a new experimental procedure for forming and studying polar
smectic liquid crystal films. A free standing smectic film is put in contact
with a liquid drop, so that the film has one liquid crystal/liquid interface
and one liquid crystal/air interface. This polar environment results in changes
in the textures observed in the film, including a boojum texture and a
previously unobserved spiral texture in which the winding direction of the
spiral reverses at a finite radius from its center. Some aspects of these
textures are explained by the presence of a Ksb term in the bulk elastic free
energy density that favors a combination of splay and bend deformations.Comment: 4 pages, REVTeX, 3 figures, submitted to PR
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Wakefield Computations for the CLIC PETS using the Parallel Finite Element Time-Domain Code T3P
In recent years, SLAC's Advanced Computations Department (ACD) has developed the high-performance parallel 3D electromagnetic time-domain code, T3P, for simulations of wakefields and transients in complex accelerator structures. T3P is based on advanced higher-order Finite Element methods on unstructured grids with quadratic surface approximation. Optimized for large-scale parallel processing on leadership supercomputing facilities, T3P allows simulations of realistic 3D structures with unprecedented accuracy, aiding the design of the next generation of accelerator facilities. Applications to the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) Power Extraction and Transfer Structure (PETS) are presented
Secondary LS category of measured laminations
In the author's Ph.D., a version of the tangential LS category for foliated
spaces depending on a transverse invariant measure, called the measured
category, was introduced. Unfortunately, the measured category vanishes easily.
When it is zero, the rate of convergence to zero of the quantity involved in
the definition, by taking arbitrarily large homotopies, gives a new invariant,
called the secondary measured category. Several versions of classical results
are proved for the secondary measured category. It is also shown that the
secondary measured category is a transverse invariant related to the growth of
(pseudo)groups. The equality between secondary category and the growth of a
group is done in the case of free suspensions by Rohlin groups.Comment: 14 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with
arXiv:1112.500
Notes on the Third Law of Thermodynamics.I
We analyze some aspects of the third law of thermodynamics. We first review
both the entropic version (N) and the unattainability version (U) and the
relation occurring between them. Then, we heuristically interpret (N) as a
continuity boundary condition for thermodynamics at the boundary T=0 of the
thermodynamic domain. On a rigorous mathematical footing, we discuss the third
law both in Carath\'eodory's approach and in Gibbs' one. Carath\'eodory's
approach is fundamental in order to understand the nature of the surface T=0.
In fact, in this approach, under suitable mathematical conditions, T=0 appears
as a leaf of the foliation of the thermodynamic manifold associated with the
non-singular integrable Pfaffian form . Being a leaf, it cannot
intersect any other leaf const. of the foliation. We show that (N) is
equivalent to the requirement that T=0 is a leaf. In Gibbs' approach, the
peculiar nature of T=0 appears to be less evident because the existence of the
entropy is a postulate; nevertheless, it is still possible to conclude that the
lowest value of the entropy has to belong to the boundary of the convex set
where the function is defined.Comment: 29 pages, 2 figures; RevTex fil
Churg-Strauss syndrome following cessation of allergic desensitization vaccination: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Churg-Strauss syndrome is a vasculitis of medium to small sized vessels. Diagnosis is mainly clinical with findings of asthma, eosinophilia, rhinosinusitis and signs of vasculitis in major organs.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present a case of a 19-year-old Persian male who developed signs and symptoms of this syndrome related to hyposensitization treatments for allergy control.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>No unifying etiology for the disease can be presented as it is found associated with environmental factors, medications, infections and is even considered a variant of asthma with predisposition to vasculitic involvement. Therefore, it is important to recognize this disease and be aware of underdiagnosis because of emphasis on pathologic evidence. Here, we present a case of allergic desensitization causing Churg-Strauss syndrome in the absence of other known factors.</p
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