Anomalous Heat Conduction and Anomalous Diffusion in Low Dimensional Nanoscale Systems

Thermal transport is an important energy transfer process in nature. Phonon is the major energy carrier for heat in semiconductor and dielectric materials. In analogy to Ohm's law for electrical conductivity, Fourier's law is a fundamental rule of heat transfer in solids. It states that the thermal conductivity is independent of sample scale and geometry. Although Fourier's law has received great success in describing macroscopic thermal transport in the past two hundreds years, its validity in low dimensional systems is still an open question. Here we give a brief review of the recent developments in experimental, theoretical and numerical studies of heat transport in low dimensional systems, include lattice models, nanowires, nanotubes and graphenes. We will demonstrate that the phonon transports in low dimensional systems super-diffusively, which leads to a size dependent thermal conductivity. In other words, Fourier's law is breakdown in low dimensional structures

Transcriptome analyses based on genetic screens for Pax3 myogenic targets in the mouse embryo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pax3 is a key upstream regulator of the onset of myogenesis, controlling progenitor cell survival and behaviour as well as entry into the myogenic programme. It functions in the dermomyotome of the somite from which skeletal muscle derives and in progenitor cell populations that migrate from the somite such as those of the limbs. Few Pax3 target genes have been identified. Identifying genes that lie genetically downstream of <it>Pax3 </it>is therefore an important endeavour in elucidating the myogenic gene regulatory network.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have undertaken a screen in the mouse embryo which employs a <it>Pax3^GFP</it>allele that permits isolation of Pax3 expressing cells by flow cytometry and a <it>Pax3^PAX3-FKHR</it>allele that encodes PAX3-FKHR in which the DNA binding domain of Pax3 is fused to the strong transcriptional activation domain of FKHR. This constitutes a gain of function allele that rescues the <it>Pax3 </it>mutant phenotype. Microarray comparisons were carried out between <it>Pax3^GFP/+</it>and <it>Pax3^{GFP/PAX3-FKHR}</it>preparations from the hypaxial dermomyotome of somites at E9.5 and forelimb buds at E10.5. A further transcriptome comparison between Pax3-GFP positive and negative cells identified sequences specific to myogenic progenitors in the forelimb buds. Potential Pax3 targets, based on changes in transcript levels on the gain of function genetic background, were validated by analysis on loss or partial loss of function <it>Pax3 </it>mutant backgrounds. Sequences that are up- or down-regulated in the presence of PAX3-FKHR are classified as somite only, somite and limb or limb only. The latter should not contain sequences from Pax3 positive neural crest cells which do not invade the limbs. Verification by whole mount <it>in situ </it>hybridisation distinguishes myogenic markers. Presentation of potential Pax3 target genes focuses on signalling pathways and on transcriptional regulation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Pax3 orchestrates many of the signalling pathways implicated in the activation or repression of myogenesis by regulating effectors and also, notably, inhibitors of these pathways. Important transcriptional regulators of myogenesis are candidate Pax3 targets. Myogenic determination genes, such as <it>Myf5 </it>are controlled positively, whereas the effect of <it>Pax3 </it>on genes encoding inhibitors of myogenesis provides a potential brake on differentiation. In the progenitor cell population, <it>Pax7 </it>and also <it>Hdac5 </it>which is a potential repressor of <it>Foxc2</it>, are subject to positive control by <it>Pax3</it>.</p

Evaluación del impacto de la prematuridad en la salud mental de puérperas

O presente estudo tem como objetivo comparar a ocorrência de sintomas de ansiedade e depressão em mães de bebês prematuros e mães de bebês a termo. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa. As participantes (n=40) foram submetidas à avaliação de rastreamento executada como rotina pelo Serviço de Psicologia de um hospital filantrópico do interior paulista mediante a aplicação da Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão (HAD). Constatou-se que, entre as mães de bebês prematuros, 75% apresentavam sintomas clinicamente significativos de ansiedade e 50% apresentavam sintomas clinicamente significativos de depressão. Já entre as mães de bebês a termo, 65% não apresentavam sintomas clinicamente significativos de ansiedade e tampouco depressão. Ademais, a superioridade da pontuação média obtida pelas primeiras alcançou significância estatística. Os resultados corroboram a literatura, que sugere que a prematuridade tende a ter impacto negativo na saúde mental da mulher que vivencia essa situação

A Multi-cell, Multi-scale Model of Vertebrate Segmentation and Somite Formation

Somitogenesis, the formation of the body's primary segmental structure common to all vertebrate development, requires coordination between biological mechanisms at several scales. Explaining how these mechanisms interact across scales and how events are coordinated in space and time is necessary for a complete understanding of somitogenesis and its evolutionary flexibility. So far, mechanisms of somitogenesis have been studied independently. To test the consistency, integrability and combined explanatory power of current prevailing hypotheses, we built an integrated clock-and-wavefront model including submodels of the intracellular segmentation clock, intercellular segmentation-clock coupling via Delta/Notch signaling, an FGF8 determination front, delayed differentiation, clock-wavefront readout, and differential-cell-cell-adhesion-driven cell sorting. We identify inconsistencies between existing submodels and gaps in the current understanding of somitogenesis mechanisms, and propose novel submodels and extensions of existing submodels where necessary. For reasonable initial conditions, 2D simulations of our model robustly generate spatially and temporally regular somites, realistic dynamic morphologies and spontaneous emergence of anterior-traveling stripes of Lfng. We show that these traveling stripes are pseudo-waves rather than true propagating waves. Our model is flexible enough to generate interspecies-like variation in somite size in response to changes in the PSM growth rate and segmentation-clock period, and in the number and width of Lfng stripes in response to changes in the PSM growth rate, segmentation-clock period and PSM length

Models Analyses for Allelopathic Effects of Chicory at Equivalent Coupling of Nitrogen Supply and pH Level on F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa

Alllelopathic potential of chicory was investigated by evaluating its effect on seed germination, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA) and the chlorophyll content of three target plants species (Festuca arundinacea, Trifolium repens and Medicago sativa). The secretion of allelochemicals was regulated by keeping the donor plant (chicory) separate from the three target plant species and using different pH and nitrogen levels. Leachates from donor pots with different pH levels and nitrogen concentrations continuously irrigated the target pots containing the seedlings. The allelopathic effects of the chicory at equivalent coupling of nitrogen supply and pH level on the three target plants species were explored via models analyses. The results suggested a positive effect of nitrogen supply and pH level on allelochemical secretion from chicory plants. The nitrogen supply and pH level were located at a rectangular area defined by 149 to 168 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 4.95 to 7.0 pH value and point located at nitrogen supply 177 mg/l, pH 6.33 when they were in equivalent coupling effects; whereas the inhibitory effects of equivalent coupling nitrogen supply and pH level were located at rectangular area defined by 125 to 131 mg/l nitrogen supply combining 6.71 to 6.88 pH value and two points respectively located at nitrogen supply 180 mg/l with pH 6.38 and nitrogen supply 166 mg/l with pH 7.59. Aqueous extracts of chicory fleshy roots and leaves accompanied by treatment at different sand pH values and nitrogen concentrations influenced germination, seedling growth, soluble sugar, MDA and chlorophyll of F. arundinacea, T. repens and M. sativa. Additionally, we determined the phenolics contents of root and leaf aqueous extracts, which were 0.104% and 0.044% on average, respectively

Saude mental na estrategia saude da familia : revisao da literatura brasileira = Mental health in the Family Health Strategy : a review of Brazilian literature

The Family Health Strategy establishes the principles of the Brazilian Primary Health Care and shares important goals with the Psychiatric Reform. The principles of territory-centered care and longitudinal care should enhance innovative actions of mental health promotion, prevention and rehabilitation. The aim of this review was to analyze the main themes approached by the Brazilian scientific literature concerning mental health in the Family Health Strategy. We read the titles of 267 articles published between 1999 and 2009. We followed specific criteria to select 38 articles for thematic analysis. The main themes were the demands in mental health, the perceptions and practices of health personnel and the role of the psychologist in Primary Care. The publications identified several problems: stereotypical views about mental disorders, the dominance of the hospitalization rationale, and the absence of clinical reports, strategies, qualified support to families and integrated health actions. The qualitative meta-analysis indicated questions that may strengthen the debate on the topic, the reflection on further research and on professional practice in the interface between Mental Health and Family Health

Towards a scientific interpretation of the terroir concept: plasticity of the grape berry metabolome

BACKGROUND: The definition of the terroir concept is one of the most debated issues in oenology and viticulture. The dynamic interaction among diverse factors including the environment, the grapevine plant and the imposed viticultural techniques means that the wine produced in a given terroir is unique. However, there is an increasing interest to define and quantify the contribution of individual factors to a specific terroir objectively. Here, we characterized the metabolome and transcriptome of berries from a single clone of the Corvina variety cultivated in seven different vineyards, located in three macrozones, over a 3-year trial period. RESULTS: To overcome the anticipated strong vintage effect, we developed statistical tools that allowed us to identify distinct terroir signatures in the metabolic composition of berries from each macrozone, and from different vineyards within each macrozone. We also identified non-volatile and volatile components of the metabolome which are more plastic and therefore respond differently to terroir diversity. We observed some relationships between the plasticity of the metabolome and transcriptome, allowing a multifaceted scientific interpretation of the terroir concept. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiments with a single Corvina clone in different vineyards have revealed the existence of a clear terroir-specific effect on the transcriptome and metabolome which persists over several vintages and allows each vineyard to be characterized by the unique profile of specific metabolites.Andrea Anesi, Matteo Stocchero, Silvia Dal Santo, Mauro Commisso, Sara Zenoni, Stefania Ceoldo, Giovanni Battista Tornielli, Tracey E. Siebert, Markus Herderich, Mario Pezzotti and Flavia Guzz

The V471A polymorphism in autophagy-related gene ATG7 modifies age at onset specifically in Italian Huntington disease patients

The cause of Huntington disease (HD) is a polyglutamine repeat expansion of more than 36 units in the huntingtin protein, which is inversely correlated with the age at onset of the disease. However, additional genetic factors are believed to modify the course and the age at onset of HD. Recently, we identified the V471A polymorphism in the autophagy-related gene ATG7, a key component of the autophagy pathway that plays an important role in HD pathogenesis, to be associated with the age at onset in a large group of European Huntington disease patients. To confirm this association in a second independent patient cohort, we analysed the ATG7 V471A polymorphism in additional 1,464 European HD patients of the “REGISTRY” cohort from the European Huntington Disease Network (EHDN). In the entire REGISTRY cohort we could not confirm a modifying effect of the ATG7 V471A polymorphism. However, analysing a modifying effect of ATG7 in these REGISTRY patients and in patients of our previous HD cohort according to their ethnic origin, we identified a significant effect of the ATG7 V471A polymorphism on the HD age at onset only in the Italian population (327 patients). In these Italian patients, the polymorphism is associated with a 6-years earlier disease onset and thus seems to have an aggravating effect. We could specify the role of ATG7 as a genetic modifier for HD particularly in the Italian population. This result affirms the modifying influence of the autophagic pathway on the course of HD, but also suggests population-specific modifying mechanisms in HD pathogenesis

Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: a genome-wide association study

Background Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate a novel measure of disease progression and to identify genetic markers associated with this progression measure. Methods We generated a progression score on the basis of principal component analysis of prospectively acquired longitudinal changes in motor, cognitive, and imaging measures in the 218 indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008–11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers (data collected 2003–13). We did a genome-wide association analyses in terms of progression for 216 TRACK-HD participants and 1773 REGISTRY participants, then a meta-analysis of these results was undertaken. Findings Longitudinal motor, cognitive, and imaging scores were correlated with each other in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression in TRACK-HD and REGISTRY gave a genome-wide significant signal (p=1·12 × 10−10) on chromosome 5 spanning three genes: MSH3, DHFR, and MTRNR2L2. The genes in this locus were associated with progression in TRACK-HD (MSH3 p=2·94 × 10−8 DHFR p=8·37 × 10−7 MTRNR2L2 p=2·15 × 10−9) and to a lesser extent in REGISTRY (MSH3 p=9·36 × 10−4 DHFR p=8·45 × 10−4 MTRNR2L2 p=1·20 × 10−3). The lead single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TRACK-HD (rs557874766) was genome-wide significant in the meta-analysis (p=1·58 × 10−8), and encodes an aminoacid change (Pro67Ala) in MSH3. In TRACK-HD, each copy of the minor allele at this SNP was associated with a 0·4 units per year (95% CI 0·16–0·66) reduction in the rate of change of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) Total Motor Score, and a reduction of 0·12 units per year (95% CI 0·06–0·18) in the rate of change of UHDRS Total Functional Capacity score. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age of onset. Interpretation The multidomain progression measure in TRACK-HD was associated with a functional variant that was genome-wide significant in our meta-analysis. The association in only 216 participants implies that the progression measure is a sensitive reflection of disease burden, that the effect size at this locus is large, or both. Knockout of Msh3 reduces somatic expansion in Huntington's disease mouse models, suggesting this mechanism as an area for future therapeutic investigation