Confining k-string tensions with D-Branes in Super Yang-Mills theories

We discuss confining k strings in four dimensional gauge theories using D5 branes in AdS5xS5, and D3 branes in Klebanov-Strassler and Maldacena-Nunez backgrounds. We present two results: The first that confining k string tensions in N=4 can be calculated using D5 branes in AdS5xS5 with a cut-off in the bulk AdS. Using an embedding of R2 times S4 in S5, we show that the D5 brane replicates a string of rank k in the antisymmetric representation. The second result shows that the S-Dual calculation to hep-th/0111078 reproduces the action in the Klebanov-Strassler and Maldacena-Nunez backgrounds exactly, while providing a more natural manifestation of the string charge k.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages; v2 references adde

The in vivo function of the p53 target gene TIGAR

The p53 tumour suppressor inhibits tumour development via various mechanisms such as apoptosis, inhibition of proliferation or the activation of senescence. Recently, several studies have indicated a novel role of p53 in the regulation of energy metabolism. Previously we have discovered TIGAR, a p53 target gene that acts as a fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. TIGAR therefore can redirect glucose from the glycolytic pathway to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), which promotes NADPH production to generate reduced glutathione for protecting against ROS, and also ribose 5 phosphate production for nucleotide synthesis. In order to understand the function of TIGAR in vivo, we generated TIGAR deficient mice. We have determined a critical role of TIGAR in rapidly proliferating tissue, either for repair after damage or during tumor development

Inhibitors of actin polymerization and calmodulin binding enhance protein kinase C-induced translocation of MARCKS in C6 glioma cells

AbstractMARCKS (myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate) is known to interact with calmodulin, actin filaments, and anionic phospholipids at a central basic domain which is also the site of phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC). In the present study, cytochalasin D (CD) and calmodulin antagonists were used to examine the influence of F-actin and calmodulin on membrane interaction of MARCKS in C6 glioma cells. CD treatment for 1 h disrupted F-actin filaments, increased membrane bound immunoreactive MARCKS (from 51% to 62% of total), yet markedly enhanced the amount of MARCKS translocated to the cytosolic fraction in response to the phorbol ester 4β-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. In contrast, CD treatment had no effect on phorbol ester-stimulated phosphorylation of MARCKS or on translocation of PKCα to the membrane fraction. Staurosporine also increased membrane association of MARCKS in a PKC-independent manner, as no change in MARCKS phosphorylation was noted and bis-indolylmaleimide (a more specific PKC inhibitor) did not alter MARCKS distribution. Staurosporine inhibited the phorbol ester-induced translocation of MARCKS but not of PKCα in both CD pretreated and untreated cells. Calmodulin antagonists (trifluoperazine, calmidazolium) had little effect on the cellular distribution or phosphorylation of MARCKS, but were synergistic with phorbol ester in translocating MARCKS from the membrane without a further increase in its phosphorylation. We conclude that cytoskeletal integrity is not required for phosphorylation and translocation of MARCKS in response to activated PKC, but that interaction with both F-actin and calmodulin might serve to independently modulate PKC-regulated localization and function of MARCKS at cellular membranes

Targeting the live market: recovery of Norway lobsters Nephrops norvegicus (L.) from trawl-capture as assessed by stress-related parameters and nucleotide breakdown

The recovery potential of Norway lobsters (Nephrops norvegicus) held in on-board seawater tanks after trawl-capture was assessed at two different times of the year (winter and summer). Survival recorded 24 h after trawl-capture was 84.83 ± 0.93% in the winter compared to 75.35 ± 2.92% in the summer. Stress-related parameters in the muscle (arginine phosphate, glycogen and L-lactate) and in the haemolymph (L-lactate) were measured, together with nucleotide breakdown products in the muscle (yielding the “Adenylate Energy Charge” or AEC ratio). All parameters analysed were responsive to the stress of the trawl-capture and subsequently recovered towards resting values, but did so at different rates. The fact that some measures recovered at a faster rate than others should be taken into account when trying to develop an index of metabolic stress for this species. Animals trawled in the winter recovered to AEC values above 0.8 within 4 h of placing them in on-board seawater tanks, whereas animals trawled in the summer took 24 h to reach these values. Furthermore, at the end of the trials animals trawled in the summer presented significantly higher haemolymph L-lactate and lower muscle glycogen reserves than the animals trawled in the winter, suggesting a faster recovery in the winter compared to the summer. Finally, animals in the winter were better able to endure further stresses (an emersion of 1 h while animals were transported to the commercial handling facilities). Therefore, as a code of practice it is advised that trawled N. norvegicus directed to the live trade should be allowed to recover for at least 4–6 h in on-board tanks, and extra care should be taken especially in the summer, if further stresses such as additional emersion are to be applied within the first 24 h after capture

Enhancing the osteogenic efficacy of human bone marrow aspirate: concentrating osteoprogenitors using wave-assisted filtration

Background: recent approaches have sought to harness the potential of stem cells to regenerate bone that is lost as a consequence of trauma or disease. Bone marrow aspirate (BMA) provides an autologous source of osteoprogenitors for such applications. However, previous studies indicated that the concentration of osteoprogenitors present in BMA is less than required for robust bone regeneration. We provide further evidence for the importance of BMA enrichment for skeletal tissue engineering strategies using a novel acoustic wave-facilitated filtration strategy to concentrate BMA for osteoprogenitors, clinically applicable for intraoperative orthopedic use.Methods: femoral BMA from 15 patients of an elderly cohort was concentrated for the nucleated cell fraction against erythrocytes and excess plasma volume via size exclusion filtration facilitated by acoustic agitation. The effect of aspirate concentration was assessed by assays for colony formation, flow cytometry, multilineage differentiation and scaffold seeding efficiency.Results: BMA was filtered to achieve a mean 4.2-fold reduction in volume with a corresponding enrichment of viable and functional osteoprogenitors, indicated by flow cytometry and assays for colony formation. Enhanced osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation was observed using concentrated aspirate and enhanced cell-seeding efficiency onto allogeneic bone graft as an effect of osteoprogenitor concentration relative specifically to the concentration of erythrocytes in the aspirate.Conclusions: these studies provide evidence for the importance of BMA nucleated cell concentration for both cell differentiation and cell seeding efficiency and demonstrate the potential of this approach for intraoperative application to enhance bone healin

Evolution on a smooth landscape

We study in detail a recently proposed simple discrete model for evolution on smooth landscapes. An asymptotic solution of this model for long times is constructed. We find that the dynamics of the population are governed by correlation functions that although being formally down by powers of $N$ (the population size) nonetheless control the evolution process after a very short transient. The long-time behavior can be found analytically since only one of these higher-order correlators (the two-point function) is relevant. We compare and contrast the exact findings derived herein with a previously proposed phenomenological treatment employing mean field theory supplemented with a cutoff at small population density. Finally, we relate our results to the recently studied case of mutation on a totally flat landscape.Comment: Revtex, 15 pages, + 4 embedded PS figure

Stellar Diameters and Temperatures. I. Main-Sequence A, F, and G Stars

We have executed a survey of nearby, main-sequence A-, F-, and G-type stars with the CHARA Array, successfully measuring the angular diameters of forty-four stars with an average precision of ~1.5%. We present new measures of the bolometric flux, which in turn leads to an empirical determination of the effective temperature for the stars observed. In addition, these CHARA-determined temperatures, radii, and luminosities are fit to Yonsei-Yale model isochrones to constrain the masses and ages of the stars. These results are compared to indirect estimates of these quantities obtained by collecting photometry of the stars and applying them to model atmospheres and evolutionary isochrones. We find that for most cases, the models overestimate the effective temperature by ~1.5%-4% when compared to our directly measured values. The overestimated temperatures and underestimated radii in these works appear to cause an additional offset in the star's surface gravity measurements, which consequently yield higher masses and younger ages, in particular for stars with masses greater than ~1.3 M_☉. Additionally, we compare our measurements to a large sample of eclipsing binary stars, and excellent agreement is seen within both data sets. Finally, we present temperature relations with respect to (B – V) and (V – K) colors as well as spectral type, showing that calibration of effective temperatures with errors ~1% is now possible from interferometric angular diameters of stars

Angular Diameters of the G Subdwarf μ\mu Cassiopeiae A and the K Dwarfs σ\sigma Draconis and HR 511 from Interferometric Measurements with the CHARA Array

Using the longest baselines of the CHARA Array, we have measured the angular diameter of the G5 V subdwarf $\mu$ Cas A, the first such determination for a halo population star. We compare this result to new diameters for the higher metallicity K0 V stars, $\sigma$ Dra and HR 511, and find that the metal-poor star, $\mu$ Cas A, has an effective temperature ($T_{\rm eff}=5297\pm32$ K), radius ($R=0.791\pm0.008 R_{\rm \odot}$), and absolute luminosity ($L=0.442\pm0.014 L_{\rm \odot}$) comparable to the other two stars with later spectral types. We show that stellar models show a discrepancy in the predicted temperature and radius for $\mu$ Cas A, and we discuss these results and how they provide a key to understanding the fundamental relationships for stars with low metallicity.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa