147 research outputs found
Ikaros has a crucial role in regulation of B cell receptor signaling
transcription factor Ikaros, a key regulator of hematopoiesis, has an essential role in lymphocyte development. In mice, fetal lymphoid differentiation is blocked in the absence of Ikaros, and whereas T cells develop postnatally, B cells are totally absent. The significance of Ikaros in the B cell development is evident, but how Ikaros regulates B cell function has neither been established nor previously been studied with B cells that lack Ikaros expression. Here we show that disruption of Ikaros in the chicken B cell line DT40 induces a B cell receptor (BCR) signaling defect with reduced phospholipase C gamma 2 phosphorylation and impaired intracellular calcium mobilization, which is restored by Ikaros reintroduction. Furthermore, we show that lack of Ikaros induces hyperphosphorylation of Casitas B lymphoma protein subsequent to BCR activation. These results indicate that the absolute need of Ikaros for development, cell fate decisions and maintenance of B cells is due to the enhancement of BCR signaling
Isoscalar-isovector mass splittings in excited mesons
Mass splittings between the isovector and isoscalar members of meson nonets
arise in part from hadronic loop diagrams which violate the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka
rule.
Using a model for these loop processes which works qualitatively well in the
established nonets, I tabulate predictions for the splittings and associated
isoscalar mixing angles in the remaining nonets below about 2.5 GeV, and
explain some of their systematic features.
The results for excited vector mesons compare favorably with experiment.Comment: 8 RevTeX pages, including 1 LaTeX figure.
CMU-HEP93-23/DOE-ER-40682-4
The effects of meson mixing on dilepton spectra
The effect of scalar and vector meson mixing on the dilepton radiation from
hot and dense hadronic matter is estimated in different isospin channels. In
particular, we study the effect of - and mixing and
calculate the corresponding rates. Effects are found to be significant compared
to standard - and - annihilations. While the mixing in
the isoscalar channel mostly gives a contribution in the invariant mass range
between the two-pion threshold and the peak, the isovector channel
mixing induces an additional peak just below that of the .
Experimentally, the dilepton signals from - mixing seem to be more
tractable than those from - mixing.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure
Elements of Good Training in Anatomic Pathology
The American College of Veterinary Pathologistsβ (ACVPβs) 2007β2012 strategic plan recognized the crisis confronting academic training programs and formed a task force to address these concerns. One area of concern identified by the ACVP Training Program Development Task Force was the lack of guidelines to make training more consistent across all programs and provide justification for maintaining or increasing faculty numbers and training resources. Training guidelines for clinical pathology have been outlined in three publications.1,2,4 The current document addresses the need for training guidelines in veterinary anatomic pathology
C16 ceramide is crucial for triacylglycerol-induced apoptosis in macrophages
Triacylglycerol (TG) accumulation caused by adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) deficiency or very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) loading of wild-type (Wt) macrophages results in mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. This phenotype is correlated to depletion of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an event known to induce the unfolded protein response (UPR). Here, we show that ER stress in TG-rich macrophages activates the UPR, resulting in increased abundance of the chaperone GRP78/BiP, the induction of pancreatic ER kinase-like ER kinase, phosphorylation and activation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2A, the translocation of activating transcription factor (ATF)4 and ATF6 to the nucleus and the induction of the cell death executor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein. C16:0 ceramide concentrations were increased in Atglβ/β and VLDL-loaded Wt macrophages. Overexpression of ceramide synthases was sufficient to induce mitochondrial apoptosis in Wt macrophages. In accordance, inhibition of ceramide synthases in Atglβ/β macrophages by fumonisin B1 (FB1) resulted in specific inhibition of C16:0 ceramide, whereas intracellular TG concentrations remained high. Although the UPR was still activated in Atglβ/β macrophages, FB1 treatment rescued Atglβ/β macrophages from mitochondrial dysfunction and programmed cell death. We conclude that C16:0 ceramide elicits apoptosis in Atglβ/β macrophages by activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway
tau-->eta(eta')2pi nu, 3pi nu and WZW anomaly
The effects of the anomalous contact terms are taken into account in tau to
eta(eta')2pi nu decay. tau to 3pi nu is computed. Theoretical result agrees
with data. It is the first time the anomalous vertex eta aa is tested. An a_{1}
resonance is predicted in the final state. The decay rate of tau to eta'3pi nu
is predicted.Comment: 15 pages, one latex file for the paper and one p-script file for the
figur
Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in Scotland: research design and methodology
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) is a potentially blinding condition and a common cause of ocular morbidity. Establishing an accurate estimate of disease incidence and distribution is an important first step in assessing the healthcare burden related to this condition and in subsequent planning and provision of treatment strategies. The aim of this study is to obtain a first estimate incidence of RRD in Scotland, to estimate the incidence of familial RRD and to describe the known associations of RRD within the study population.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>We have established a national prospective observational study seeking to identify and recruit all incident cases of RRD in the Scottish population over a 2 year period. After fully informed consent, all participants will have a blood sample taken and a full medical history and clinical examination performed including visual acuity, refraction, slit-lamp examination, intra-ocular pressure measurement and detailed fundal examination. We describe the study design and protocol.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study will provide the first estimate of the annual incidence of RRD in Scotland. The findings of this study will be important in estimating the burden of disease and in the planning of future health care policy related to this condition. This study will also establish a genetic resource for a genome wide association study to investigate if certain genetic variants predispose to RRD.</p
Changes in Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Long-Term Experiments in Southern Brazil Simulated with Century 4.5
ABSTRACT The Century model has successfully simulated soil organic matter dynamics in many agroecosystems. However, initial applications in southern Brazil produced mixed results. The objective of this study was to calibrate and validate Century 4.5 to simulate soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics under diverse soil management practices in subtropical Brazil. Soil C and N data from two long-term experiments established on a degraded Acrisol in the early 1980s were used. Treatments were conventional or no-tillage; grass or grass/legume cropping systems; and corn with or without mineral N fertilizer. The calibration process iteratively modified model parameters to match simulated values of C additions and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) and Soil Organic Nitrogen (SON) stocks to field data measured throughout the 25 years of the experiments. Improved fit between measured and observed data was obtained after key parameter changes. Soil C and N stocks were simulated accurately after these modifications were implemented. Other experimental treatments were used to validate the model. Century successfully simulated increases in C and N stocks under no-tillage cropping systems including legumes. However, the model overestimated Soil Organic Matter (SOM) decomposition in treatments with low N availability, like oat/corn without N fertilizer. Overall, Century version 4.5 showed adequate performance in simulating C and N trajectories of contrasting cropping systems commonly found in southern Brazil. The few discrepancies between measured and modeled SOC stocks do not preclude using Century in regional-scale applications to assess impacts of agricultural practices on soil C and N in southern Brazil
Integration of P2Y receptor-activated signal transduction pathways in G protein-dependent signalling networks
The role of nucleotides in intracellular energy provision and nucleic acid synthesis has been known for a long time. In the past decade, evidence has been presented that, in addition to these functions, nucleotides are also autocrine and paracrine messenger molecules that initiate and regulate a large number of biological processes. The actions of extracellular nucleotides are mediated by ionotropic P2X and metabotropic P2Y receptors, while hydrolysis by ecto-enzymes modulates the initial signal. An increasing number of studies have been performed to obtain information on the signal transduction pathways activated by nucleotide receptors. The development of specific and stable purinergic receptor agonists and antagonists with therapeutical potential largely contributed to the identification of receptors responsible for nucleotide-activated pathways. This article reviews the signal transduction pathways activated by P2Y receptors, the involved second messenger systems, GTPases and protein kinases, as well as recent findings concerning P2Y receptor signalling in C6 glioma cells. Besides vertical signal transduction, lateral cross-talks with pathways activated by other G protein-coupled receptors and growth factor receptors are discussed
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