793 research outputs found
Circulating Retinol-Binding Protein-4 Concentration Might Reflect Insulin Resistance–Associated Iron Overload
OBJECTIVES—The mechanisms behind the association between retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4) and insulin resistance are not well understood. An interaction between iron and vitamin A status, of which RBP4 is a surrogate, has long been recognized. We hypothesized that iron-associated insulin resistance could be behind the impaired insulin action caused by RBP4
Surfactant Protein D, a Marker of Lung Innate Immunity, Is Positively Associated With Insulin Sensitivity
Impaired lung function and innate immunity have both attracted growing interest as a potentially novel risk factor for glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. We aimed to evaluate whether surfactant protein D (SP-D), a lung-derived innate immune protein, was behind these associations
Transcriptional activation of the proapoptotic bik gene by E2F proteins in cancer cells
AbstractBH3-only proteins are required for execution of apoptotic cell death. We have found that one of these proteins, Bik, is strongly induced in cancer cells treated with chemotherapeutic agents. Furthermore, we showed that chemotherapy-induced expression of bik is independent of p53. Consistent with its pro-apoptotic activity, blockade of bik expression reduces the adriamycin-mediated apoptotic cell death. We also found that the bik gene is transcriptionally activated by E2F proteins. Consistently, adriamycin induces the E2F-bik pathway. In addition, E2Fs transactivate bik by a p53-independent mechanism. Thus, our data indicate that transcriptional regulation of bik contributes to the efficient apoptotic response to chemotherapeutic agents
ITCH Deficiency Protects From Diet-Induced Obesity
This study was funded in part by Fondazione Roma 2008, ESFD/Lilly 2012, AIRC 2012 Project IG 13163, FP7-Health-241913 FLORINASH, FP-7 EURHYTHDIA, and PRIN 2009FATXW3_002 to M.Fe.; SAF-2012-33014 from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain, to B.P.; and Medical Research Council, U.K., grants ACC12, MIUR/PRIN (20078P7T3K_001)/FIRB (RBIP06LCA9_0023, RBIP06LCA9_0C), AIRC (2011-IG11955), and AIRC 5xmille (MCO #9979), Telethon grant GGPO9133, Ministero della Salute, and IDI-IRCCS (RF08 c.15, RF07 c.57) to G.M
Domain Wall Propagation and Pinning Induced by Current Pulses in Cylindrical Modulated Nanowires
The future developments of three-dimensional magnetic nanotechnology require
the control of domain wall dynamics by means of current pulses. While this has
been extensively studied in planar magnetic strips (planar nanowires), few
reports exist in cylindrical geometry, where Bloch point domain walls are
expected to have intriguing properties. Here we report this investigation in
cylindrical magnetic Ni nanowires with geometrical notches. Experimental work
based on synchrotron X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) combined with
photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) indicates that large current densities
induce domain wall nucleation while smaller currents move domain walls
preferably against the current direction. In the region where no pinning
centers are present we found domain wall velocity of about 1 km/s. The domain
wall motion along current was also detected in the vicinity of the notch
region. Pinning of domain walls has been observed not only at geometrical
constrictions but also outside of them. Thermal modelling indicates that large
current densities temporarily raise the temperature in the nanowire above the
Curie temperature leading to nucleation of domain walls during the system
cooling. Micromagnetic modelling with spin-torque effect shows that for
intermediate current densities Bloch point domain walls with chirality parallel
to the Oersted field propagate antiparallel to the current direction. In other
cases, domain walls can be bounced from the notches and/or get pinned outside
their positions. We thus find that current is not only responsible for the
domain wall propagation but is also a source of pinning due to the Oersted
field action
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