Purity of the Ideal of Continuous Functions with Compact Support

&#60;P&#62;Let C(X) be the ring of all continuous real valued functions defined on a completely regular T1-space. Let CK(X) be the ideal of functions with compact support. Purity of CK(X) is studied and characterized through the subspace XL, the set of all points in X with compact neighborhoods (nbhd). It is proved that CK(X) is pure if and only if XL=&#8746;f&#8712;CK supp f. if CK(X) and CK(Y) are pure ideals, then CK(X) is isomorphic to CK(Y) if and only if XL is homeomorphic to YL. It is proved that CK(X) is pure and XL is basically disconnected if and only if for every f &#8712;CK(X), the ideal (f ) is a projective C(X)-module. Finally it is proved that if CK(X) is pure, then XL is an F'-space if and only if every principal ideal of CK(X) is a flat C(X)-module. Concrete examples exemplifying the concepts studied are given.</p

Creation and assessment of a clinical predictive calculator and mortality associated with Candida krusei bloodstream infections

Abstract Background Candida krusei bloodstream infection (CK BSI) is associated with high mortality, but whether this is due to underlying comorbidities in affected patients or the organism itself is unknown. Identifying patient characteristics that are associated with CK BSI is crucial for clinical decision-making and prognosis. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients with Candida BSI at our institution between 2002 and 2015. Data were collected on demographics, comorbidities, medications, procedures, central lines, vital signs, and laboratory values. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression were used to identify risk factors associated with CK and mortality, respectively. Results We identified 1873 individual patients who developed Candida BSI within the study period, 59 of whom had CK BSI. CK BSI was predicted by hematologic malignancy, gastric malignancy, neutropenia, and the use of prophylactic azole antifungals, monoclonal antibodies, and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. The C-statistic was 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.81–0.91). The crude mortality rates were 64.4% for CK BSI and 41.4% for non-CK BSI. Although CK was associated with higher mortality in univariable Cox regression, this relationship was no longer significant with the addition of the following confounders: lymphoma, neutropenia, glucocorticoid use, chronic liver disease, and elevated creatinine. Conclusions Six patient comorbidities predicted the development of CK BSI with high accuracy. Although patients with CK BSI have higher crude mortality rates than patients with non-CK BSI, this difference is not significant when accounting for other patient characteristics. </jats:sec

A Stimulatory Role for Cytokinin in the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis of Pea

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis between terrestrial plants and AM fungi is regulated by plant hormones. For most of these, a role has been clearly assigned in this mutualistic interaction; however, there are still contradictory reports for cytokinin (CK). Here, pea plants, the wild type (WT) cv. Sparkle and its mutant E151 (Pssym15), were inoculated with the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. E151 has previously been characterized as possessing high CK levels in non-mycorrhizal (myc-) roots and exhibiting high number of fungal structures in mycorrhizal (myc+) roots. Myc- and myc+ plants were treated 7, 9, and 11 days after inoculation (DAI) with synthetic compounds known to alter CK status. WT plants were treated with a synthetic CK [6-benzylaminopurine (BAP)] or the CK degradation inhibitor INCYDE, whereas E151 plants were treated with the CK receptor antagonist PI-55. At 13 DAI, plant CK content was analyzed by mass spectrometry. The effects of the synthetic compounds on AM colonization were assessed at 28 (WT) or 35 (E151) DAI via a modified magnified intersections method. The only noticeable difference seen between myc- and myc+ plants in terms of CK content was in the levels of nucleotides (NTs). Whereas WT plants responded to fungi by lowering their NT levels, E151 plants did not. Since NTs are thought to be converted into active CK forms, this result suggests that active CKs were synthesized more effectively in WT than in E151. In general, myc+ and myc- WT plants responded similarly to INCYDE by lowering significantly their NT levels and increasing slightly their active CK levels; these responses were less obvious in BAP-treated WT plants. In contrast, the response of E151 plants to PI-55 depended on the plant mycorrhizal status. Whereas treated myc- plants exhibited high NT and low active CK levels, treated myc+ plants displayed low levels of both NTs and active CKs. Moreover, treated WT plants were more colonized than treated E151 plants. We concluded that CKs have a stimulatory role in AM colonization because increased active CK levels were paralleled with increased AM colonization while decreased CK levels corresponded to reduced AM colonization

Laboratory tests in patients treated with isotretinoin: occurrence of liver and muscle abnormalities and failure of AST and ALT to predict liver abnormality.

Current laboratory monitoring may not be optimal. A retrospective chart review was performed on thelaboratory results of 246 patients who were treated with isotretinoin for acne over a 9-year period. Tests obtained were CBC, lipid panel, AST, ALT, CK, GGT,and C-reactive protein. Thirty-five patients had an elevated AST and 35 of these had an elevated CK; 32 had an elevated ALT and 11 of these had an elevated CK. Thirteen patients had an elevated GGT; in 5 this was the only abnormality, whereas 8 had a GGT elevation accompanied by an elevated AST or ALT. Two had an elevated GGT and an elevated CK with normal AST and ALT. Fifty-two patients had a single episode of elevated CK, of which 22 were female. However, 57 had multiple CK elevations and only one was female. Thirty-five patients had CK elevationsnormal; 38 had levels between 2 and 3 times normal, 18 had levels between 3 and 4 times normal, and 18 had levels greater than 4 times normal. We suggest that ALT and AST are not useful for monitoring isotretinoin therapy and that GGT and CK may be of greater value in managing patients

Creatine kinase in energy metabolic signaling in muscle

There has been much debate on the mechanism of regulation of mitochondrial ATP synthesis to balance ATP consumption during changing cardiac workloads. A key role of creatine kinase (CK) isoenzymes in this regulation of oxidative phosphorylation and in intracellular energy transport had been proposed, but has in the mean time been disputed for many years. It was hypothesized that high-energy phosphoryl groups are obligatorily transferred via CK; this is termed the phosphocreatine shuttle. The other important role ascribed to the CK system is its ability to buffer ADP concentration in cytosol near sites of ATP hydrolysis. &#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;Almost all of the experiments to determine the role of CK had been done in the steady state, but recently the dynamic response of oxidative phosphorylation to quick changes in&#xd;&#xa;cytosolic ATP hydrolysis has been assessed at various levels of inhibition of CK. Steady state models of CK function in energy transfer existed but were unable to explain the dynamic response with CK inhibited.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;The aim of this study was to explain the mode of functioning of the CK system in heart, and in particular the role of different CK isoenzymes in the dynamic response to workload steps. For this purpose we used a mathematical model of cardiac muscle cell energy metabolism containing the kinetics of the key processes of energy production, consumption and transfer pathways. The model underscores that CK plays indeed a dual role in the cardiac cells. The buffering role of CK system is due to the activity of myofibrillar CK (MMCK) while the energy transfer role depends on the activity of mitochondrial CK (MiCK). We propose that this may lead to the differences in regulation mechanisms and energy transfer modes in species with relatively low MiCK activity such as rabbit in comparison with species with high MiCK activity such as rat.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;The model needed modification to explain the new type of experimental data on the dynamic response of the mitochondria. We submit that building a Virtual Muscle Cell is not possible without continuous experimental tests to improve the model. In close interaction with experiments we are developing a model for muscle energy metabolism and transport mediated by the creatine kinase isoforms which now already can explain many different types of experiments

A PHABULOSA/cytokinin feedback loop controls root growth in arabidopsis

The hormone cytokinin (CK) controls root length in Arabidopsis thaliana by defining where dividing cells, derived from stem cells of the root meristem, start to differentiate [ [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6]]. However, the regulatory inputs directing CK to promote differentiation remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the HD-ZIPIII transcription factor PHABULOSA (PHB) directly activates the CK biosynthesis gene ISOPENTENYL TRANSFERASE 7 (IPT7), thus promoting cell differentiation and regulating root length. We further demonstrate that CK feeds back to repress both PHB and microRNA165, a negative regulator of PHB. These interactions comprise an incoherent regulatory loop in which CK represses both its activator and a repressor of its activator. We propose that this regulatory circuit determines the balance of cell division and differentiation during root development and may provide robustness against CK fluctuations