741 research outputs found
Extremal metrics for Laplace eigenvalues in perturbed conformal classes on products
In this short note, we prove that conformal classes which are small perturbations of a product conformal class on a product with a standard sphere admit a metric extremal for some Laplace eigenvalue. As part of the arguments, we obtain perturbed harmonic maps with constant density
New insights into functional regulation in MS-based drug profiling
We present a novel data analysis strategy which combined with subcellular fractionation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based proteomics provides a simple and effective workflow for global drug profiling. Five subcellular fractions were obtained by differential centrifugation followed by high resolution LC-MS and complete functional regulation analysis. The methodology combines functional regulation and enrichment analysis into a single visual summary. The workflow enables improved insight into perturbations caused by drugs. We provide a statistical argument to demonstrate that even crude subcellular fractions leads to improved functional characterization. We demonstrate this data analysis strategy on data obtained in a MS-based global drug profiling study. However, this strategy can also be performed on other types of large scale biological data.We thank Dr. Fridtjof Lund-Johansen for critical comments on the manuscript text. The Proteomics Resource
Center at The Rockefeller University acknowledges funding from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable
Trust for mass spectrometer instrumentation. Cost of all experiments including MS analysis were supported by
the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (EXPL/DTP-PIC/0616/2013). R.M. is supported FCT
investigator program 2012. A.S.C. is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), financed by the European Social Funds (COMPETE-FEDER) and national funds of the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science (POPH-QREN) fellowship SFRH/85569/2012
Bottom of spectra and amenability of coverings
For a Riemannian covering , the bottoms of the spectra of and coincide if the covering is amenable. The converse implication does not always hold. Assuming completeness and a lower bound on the Ricci curvature, we obtain a converse under a natural condition on the spectrum of
Differences in the transcriptome signatures of two genetically related Entamoeba histolytica cell lines derived from the same isolate with different pathogenic properties
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The availability of two genetically very similar cell lines (A and B) derived from the laboratory isolate <it>Entamoeba histolytica </it>HM-1:IMSS, which differ in their virulence properties, provides a powerful tool for identifying pathogenicity factors of the causative agent of human amoebiasis. Cell line A is incapable inducing liver abscesses in gerbils, whereas interaction with cell line B leads to considerable abscess formation. Phenotypic characterization of both cell lines revealed that trophozoites from the pathogenic cell line B have a larger cell size, an increased growth rate <it>in vitro</it>, an increased cysteine peptidase activity and higher resistance to nitric oxide stress. To find proteins that may serve as virulence factors, the proteomes of both cell lines were previously studied, resulting in the identification of a limited number of differentially synthesized proteins. This study aims to identify additional genes, serving as virulence factors, or virulence markers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To obtain a comprehensive picture of the differences between the cell lines, we compared their transcriptomes using an oligonucleotide-based microarray and confirmed findings with quantitative real-time PCR. Out of 6242 genes represented on the array, 87 are differentially transcribed (≥two-fold) in the two cell lines. Approximately 50% code for hypothetical proteins. Interestingly, only 19 genes show a five-fold or higher differential expression. These include three <it>rab7 GTPases</it>, which were found with a higher abundance in the non-pathogenic cell line A. The <it>aig1-like GTPases</it>are of special interest because the majority of them show higher levels of transcription in the pathogenic cell line B. Only two molecules were found to be differentially expressed between the two cell lines in both this study and our previous proteomic approach.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study we have identified a defined set of genes that are differentially transcribed between the non-pathogenic cell line A and the pathogenic cell line B of <it>E. histolytica</it>. The identification of transcription profiles unique for amoebic cell lines with pathogenic phenotypes may help to elucidate the transcriptional framework of <it>E. histolytica </it>pathogenicity and serve as a basis for identifying transcriptional markers and virulence factors.</p
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