Phylogenetic inferences of Atelinae (Platyrrhini) based on multi-directional chromosome painting in Brachyteles arachnoides, Ateles paniscus paniscus and Ateles b. marginatus

We performed multi-directional chromosome painting in a comparative cytogenetic study of the three Atelinae species Brachyteles arachnoides, Ateles paniscus paniscus and Ateles belzebuth marginatus, in order to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within this Platyrrhini subfamily. Comparative chromosome maps between these species were established by multi-color fluorescence in situ hybridization ( FISH) employing human, Saguinus oedipus and Lagothrix lagothricha chromosome-specific probes. The three species included in this study and four previously analyzed species from all four Atelinae genera were subjected to a phylogenetic analysis on the basis of a data matrix comprised of 82 discrete chromosome characters. The results confirmed that Atelinae represent a monophyletic clade with a putative ancestral karyotype of 2n = 62 chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed an evolutionary branching sequence \{Alouatta \{Brachyteles \{Lagothrix and Ateles\}\}\} in Atelinae and \{Ateles belzebuth marginatus \{Ateles paniscus paniscus \{Ateles belzebuth hybridus and Ateles geoffroyi\}\}\} in genus Ateles. The chromosomal data support a re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of Ateles b. hybridus. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

Dynamics of amino acid metabolism of primary human liver cells in 3D bioreactors

The kinetics of 18 amino acids, ammonia (NH3) and urea (UREA) in 18 liver cell bioreactor runs were analyzed and simulated by a two-compartment model consisting of a system of 42 differential equations. The model parameters, most of them representing enzymatic activities, were identified and their values discussed with respect to the different liver cell bioreactor performance levels. The nitrogen balance based model was used as a tool to quantify the variability of runs and to describe different kinetic patterns of the amino acid metabolism, in particular with respect to glutamate (GLU) and aspartate (ASP)

Cytotoxic Interactive Effects of Dentin Bonding Components on Mouse Fibroblasts

Previous studies have shown a wide range of pulpal reactions to dentin bonding systems and a poor correlation between in vitro and in vivo toxicity of dentin bonding agents. Because dentin bonding agents are composed of multiple components which may diffuse through dentin, we hypothesized that these components may cause cytotoxicity through interactive (synergistic) effects. We investigated the cytotoxicities of four dentin bonding components-HEMA, Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, and UDMA-and interactive effects for three binary combinations of the dentin bonding components-HEMA and Bis-GMA, Bis-GMA and TEGDMA, and TEGDMA and UDMA. Cytotoxicities to Balb/c 3T3 mouse fibroblasts were measured by the MTT assay. Concentrations which caused 50% toxicity compared with controls (TC50 values) were compared, and the interactive effects were determined by evaluation of the differences between observed and expected MTT activities of the cells. The ranks of toxicity of the dentin bonding components in terms of TC50 values were as follows: Bis-GMA > UDMA > TEGDMA >>> HEMA (least toxic) after 24- and 72-hour exposures. As binary combinations, the three combinations of dentin bonding components interacted in three ways—synergism, additivism, and antagonism-which were influenced by the concentrations of both components. The longer period of exposure resulted in a significant increase in the cytotoxicity of the dentin bonding components and combinations. The findings indicate that both exposure time and the interactions between the dentin bonding components may be important parameters in determining the cytotoxicity of dentin bonding agents in vivo.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66489/2/10.1177_00220345950740091601.pd

Betti numbers for numerical semigroup rings

We survey results related to the magnitude of the Betti numbers of numerical semigroup rings and of their tangent cones.Comment: 22 pages; v2: updated references. To appear in Multigraded Algebra and Applications (V. Ene, E. Miller Eds.

Henri Poincaré: The Status of Mechanical Explanations and the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics

The first goal of this paper is to show the evolution of Poincaré’s opinion on the mechanistic reduction of the principles of thermodynamics, placing it in the context of the science of his time. The second is to present some of his work in 1890 on the foundations of statistical mechanics. He became interested first in thermodynamics and its relation with mechanics, drawing on the work of Helm-holtz on monocyclic systems. After a period of skepticism concerning the kinetic theory, he read some of Maxwell’s memories and contributed to the foundations of statistical mechanics. I also show that Poincaré's contributions to the founda-tions of statistical mechanics are closely linked to his work in celestial mechanics and its interest in probability theory and its role in physics

On the biaxiality of smectic C and ferroelectric liquid crystals

Ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLCs) were a major topic for research in the 1980s and 1990s, to which George Gray and his research family played a fundamental role in developing the field. The famous symbiotic relationship between the chemists at Hull University and device physicists at the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment (RSRE) continued throughout this period, providing the basis for the τVmin mode of FLC operation. The principal of this mode relies on the dielectric biaxiality inherent to the smectic C and ferroelectric smectic C* liquid crystal phases. As with nematics before, new materials and device physics developed hand-in-hand, allowing materials to be formulated with addressing times of 12μs at voltages below 30 V. After reviewing the material physics behind these devices, new measurements of the biaxial refractive indices and permittivities are presented, from which the biaxial order parameter C is determined

Serum interleukin-5 levels are elevated in mild and moderate persistent asthma irrespective of regular inhaled glucocorticoid therapy

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-5 (IL-5) is thought to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of asthma. High levels of circulating IL-5 have been documented in acute asthma. However, serum IL-5 levels in mild to moderate asthmatics and the influence of regular use of inhaled glucocorticoids, is not known. METHODS: Fifty-six asthmatics and 56 age and sex matched controls were recruited prospectively from an outpatient department. Information on asthma severity and treatment was gathered by a questionnaire. Serum IL-5, total IgE and specific IgE levels were measured in a blinded fashion. RESULTS: There were 32 atopic and 24 non-atopic mild-to-moderate asthmatics. The median serum IL-5 levels in atopic asthmatics (9.5 pg/ml) and in non-atopic asthmatics (8.1 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in normal controls (4.4 pg/ml, both p < 0.003). However, median serum IL-5 levels in atopic and non-atopic asthmatics were not significantly different. The median serum IL-5 level was insignificantly higher in fourteen moderate persistent asthmatics (10.6 pg/ml) compared to forty-two mild persistent asthmatics (7.3 pg/ml) (p = 0.13). The median serum IL-5 levels in asthmatics using regular inhaled steroids (7.8 pg/ml) was not significantly different from those not using inhaled steroids (10.2 pg/ml). Furthermore, serum total IgE levels and eosinophil counts were not significantly different in those using versus those not using inhaled glucocorticoids. CONCLUSION: Serum IL-5 levels are elevated in mild and moderate persistent atopic and non-atopic asthmatics. Regular use of inhaled glucocorticoids may not abrogate the systemic Th2 type of inflammatory response in mild-moderate persistent asthma

Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set

We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity. We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2, -1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012