2,212 research outputs found
Lysosomal acid lipase: at the crossroads of normal and atherogenic cholesterol metabolism
Unregulated cellular uptake of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in the arterial intima leads to the formation of foam cells in atherosclerosis. Lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) plays a crucial role in both lipoprotein lipid catabolism and excess lipid accumulation as it is the primary enzyme that hydrolyzes cholesteryl esters derived from both low density lipoprotein (LDL) and modified forms of LDL. Evidence suggests that as atherosclerosis progresses, accumulation of excess free cholesterol in lysosomes leads to impairment of LAL activity, resulting in accumulation of cholesteryl esters in the lysosome as well as the cytosol in foam cells. Impaired metabolism and release of cholesterol from lysosomes can lead to downstream defects in ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 regulation, needed to offload excess cholesterol from plaque foam cells. This review focuses on the role LAL plays in normal cholesterol metabolism and how the associated changes in its enzymatic activity may ultimately contribute to atherosclerosis progression
The Design and Simulated Performance of a Coated Nano-Particle Laser
The optical properties of a concentric nanometer-sized spherical shell
comprised of an (active) 3-level gain medium core and a surrounding plasmonic
metal shell are investigated. Current research in optical metamaterials has
demonstrated that including lossless plasmonic materials to achieve a negative
permittivity in a nano-sized coated spherical particle can lead to novel
optical properties such as resonant scattering as well as transparency or
invisibility. However, in practice, plasmonic materials have high losses at
optical frequencies. It is observed that with the introduction of active
materials, the intrinsic absorption in the plasmonic shell can be overcome and
new optical properties can be observed in the scattering and absorption
cross-sections of these coated nano-sized spherical shell particles. In
addition, a "super" resonance is observed with a magnitude that is greater than
that for a tuned, resonant passive nano-sized coated spherical shell. This
observation suggests the possibility of realizing a highly sub-wavelength laser
with dimensions more than an order of magnitude below the traditional
half-wavelength cavity length criteria. The operating characteristics of this
coated nano-particle (CNP) laser are obtained numerically for a variety of
configurations.Comment: 35 pages. Revision submitted to Optics Express, Feb 15, 2007. This
replacement is intended to clarify the work presented in the previous version
of this paper. In particular, the definitions and parameters associated with
the permittivity that was used to include the three level gain model used in
the simulation results presented. The authors also made changes to some of
the wording used in the text for better clarity. The results presented in
this version are identical to those of the previous versio
Recommended from our members
Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Spontaneous Large Animal Model of Human HCM.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common disease in pet cats, affecting 10-15% of the pet cat population. The similarity to human HCM, the rapid progression of disease, and the defined and readily determined endpoints of feline HCM make it an excellent natural model that is genotypically and phenotypically similar to human HCM. The Maine Coon and Ragdoll cats are particularly valuable models of HCM because of myosin binding protein-C mutations and even higher disease incidence compared to the overall feline population. The cat overcomes many of the limitations of rodent HCM models, and can provide enhanced translation of information from in vitro and induced small animal models to human clinical trials. Physicians and veterinarians working together in a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach can accelerate the discovery of more effective treatments for this and other cardiovascular diseases affecting human and veterinary patients
Chapter 2 The Sports Performance Playbook
Why do so many sports teams have losing records, year after year? Why do others win big, but only every 20 or 30 years? And why is it that so few teams enjoy sustained, continual success? This book gives the answer. Providing a blueprint or "playbook" for success in sports at every level, it lays out a clear step-by-step plan for building a team culture that will lead to winning consistently. With each step, the book introduces real-world tools that can be easily implemented by every sports organization and coach to achieve success, including team charters, individual athlete plans, player accountability systems, and team communication strategies. It offers expert advice and practical guidance on key areas, such as aligning individuals with a clear team plan, resolving conflicts proactively, and learning from every game and every season to develop a smarter and more consistent culture of success. The Sports Playbook: Building Teams that Outperform, Year after Year will help every team fulfill its true potential through leadership, focus, and performance. It is essential reading for coaches, sport management professionals, and leaders of every kind of team, inside and outside of sports
Chapter 1 Pre-Game
Why do so many sports teams have losing records, year after year? Why do others win big, but only every 20 or 30 years? And why is it that so few teams enjoy sustained, continual success? This book gives the answer. Providing a blueprint or "playbook" for success in sports at every level, it lays out a clear step-by-step plan for building a team culture that will lead to winning consistently. With each step, the book introduces real-world tools that can be easily implemented by every sports organization and coach to achieve success, including team charters, individual athlete plans, player accountability systems, and team communication strategies. It offers expert advice and practical guidance on key areas, such as aligning individuals with a clear team plan, resolving conflicts proactively, and learning from every game and every season to develop a smarter and more consistent culture of success. The Sports Playbook: Building Teams that Outperform, Year after Year will help every team fulfill its true potential through leadership, focus, and performance. It is essential reading for coaches, sport management professionals, and leaders of every kind of team, inside and outside of sports
- …