Up-regulation of adipogenin, an adipocyte plasma transmembrane protein, during adipogenesis

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com.ArticleMOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY. 276(1-2): 133-141 (2005)journal articl

Iterative approximation of k-limited polling systems

The present paper deals with the problem of calculating queue length distributions in a polling model with (exhaustive) k-limited service under the assumption of general arrival, service and setup distributions. The interest for this model is fueled by an application in the field of logistics. Knowledge of the queue length distributions is needed to operate the system properly. The multi-queue polling system is decomposed into single-queue vacation systems with k-limited service and state-dependent vacations, for which the vacation distributions are computed in an iterative approximate manner. These vacation models are analyzed via matrix-analytic techniques. The accuracy of the approximation scheme is verified by means of an extensive simulation study. The developed approximation turns out be accurate, robust and computationally efficient

Quasi-particle interference and superconducting gap in a high-temperature superconductor Ca2-xNaxCuO2Cl2

High-transition-temperature (high-Tc) superconductivity is ubiquitous in the cuprates containing CuO2 planes but each cuprate has its own character. The study of the material dependence of the d-wave superconducting gap (SG) should provide important insights into the mechanism of high-Tc. However, because of the 'pseudogap' phenomenon, it is often unclear whether the energy gaps observed by spectroscopic techniques really represent the SG. Here, we report spectroscopic imaging scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM) studies of nearly-optimally-doped Ca2-xNaxCuO2Cl2 (Na-CCOC) with Tc = 25 ~ 28 K. They enable us to observe the quasi-particle interference (QPI) effect in this material, through which unambiguous new information on the SG is obtained. The analysis of QPI in Na-CCOC reveals that the SG dispersion near the gap node is almost identical to that of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Oy (Bi2212) at the same doping level, while Tc of Bi2212 is 3 times higher than that of Na-CCOC. We also find that SG in Na-CCOC is confined in narrower energy and momentum ranges than Bi2212. This explains at least in part the remarkable material dependence of TcComment: 13pages, 4fig

Thermodynamic Properties of Supported and Embedded Metallic Nanocrystals: Gold on/in SiO2

We report on the calculations of the cohesive energy, melting temperature and vacancy formation energy for Au nanocrystals with different size supported on and embedded in SiO2. The calculations are performed crossing our previous data on the surface free energy of the supported and embedded nanocrystals with the theoretical surface-area-difference model developed by W. H. Qi for the description of the size-dependent thermodynamics properties of low-dimensional solid-state systems. Such calculations are employed as a function of the nanocrystals size and surface energy. For nanocrystals supported on SiO2, as results of the calculations, we obtain, for a fixed nanocrystal size, an almost constant cohesive energy, melting temperature and vacancy formation energy as a function of their surface energy; instead, for those embedded in SiO2, they decreases when the nanocrystal surface free energy increases. Furthermore, the cohesive energy, melting temperature and vacancy formation energy increase when the nanocrystal size increases: for the nanocrystals on SiO2, they tend to the values of the bulk Au; for the nanocrystals in SiO2 in correspondence to sufficiently small values of their surface energy, they are greater than the bulk values. In the case of the melting temperature, this phenomenon corresponds to the experimentally well-known superheating process

How to manage the transplant question in myelofibrosis

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains the only curative therapy for myelofibrosis. Despite advances in transplant, the morbidity and the mortality of the procedure necessitate careful patient selection. In this manuscript, we describe the new prognostic scoring system to help select appropriate patients for transplant and less aggressive therapies. We explore the advances in non-transplant therapy, such as with investigational agents. We review the blossoming literature on results of myeloablative, reduced intensity and alternative donor transplantation. Finally, we make recommendations for which patients are most likely to benefit from transplantation

Balanced translocation linked to psychiatric disorder, glutamate and cortical structure/function

Rare genetic variants of large effect can help elucidate the pathophysiology of brain disorders. Here we expand the clinical and genetic analyses of a family with a (1;11)(q42;q14.3) translocation multiply affected by major psychiatric illness and test the effect of the translocation on the structure and function of prefrontal, and temporal brain regions. The translocation showed significant linkage (LOD score 6.1) with a clinical phenotype that included schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and recurrent major depressive disorder. Translocation carriers showed reduced cortical thickness in the left temporal lobe, which correlated with general psychopathology and positive psychotic symptom severity. They showed reduced gyrification in prefrontal cortex, which correlated with general psychopathology severity. Translocation carriers also showed significantly increased activation in the caudate nucleus on increasing verbal working memory load, as well as statistically significant reductions in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex glutamate concentrations. These findings confirm that the t(1;11) translocation is associated with a significantly increased risk of major psychiatric disorder and suggest a general vulnerability to psychopathology through altered cortical structure and function, and decreased glutamate levels

Synaptic Wnt signaling—a contributor to major psychiatric disorders?

Wnt signaling is a key pathway that helps organize development of the nervous system. It influences cell proliferation, cell fate, and cell migration in the developing nervous system, as well as axon guidance, dendrite development, and synapse formation. Given this wide range of roles, dysregulation of Wnt signaling could have any number of deleterious effects on neural development and thereby contribute in many different ways to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Some major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorders, are coming to be understood as subtle dysregulations of nervous system development, particularly of synapse formation and maintenance. This review will therefore touch on the importance of Wnt signaling to neurodevelopment generally, while focusing on accumulating evidence for a synaptic role of Wnt signaling. These observations will be discussed in the context of current understanding of the neurodevelopmental bases of major psychiatric diseases, spotlighting schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. In short, this review will focus on the potential role of synapse formation and maintenance in major psychiatric disorders and summarize evidence that defective Wnt signaling could contribute to their pathogenesis via effects on these late neural differentiation processes

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Asia-Pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria is presented here. The first publication examined the DVS from the Americas, with the second covering those species present in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Here we discuss the 19 DVS of the Asian-Pacific region. This region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence of a high number of species complexes and suspected species complexes, and behavioural plasticity of many of these major vectors, adds a level of entomological complexity not comparable elsewhere globally. To try and untangle the intricacy of the vectors of this region and to increase the effectiveness of vector control interventions, an understanding of the contemporary distribution of each species, combined with a synthesis of the current knowledge of their behaviour and ecology is needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expert opinion (EO) range maps, created with the most up-to-date expert knowledge of each DVS distribution, were combined with a contemporary database of occurrence data and a suite of open access, environmental and climatic variables. Using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) modelling method, distribution maps of each DVS were produced. The occurrence data were abstracted from the formal, published literature, plus other relevant sources, resulting in the collation of DVS occurrence at 10116 locations across 31 countries, of which 8853 were successfully geo-referenced and 7430 were resolved to spatial areas that could be included in the BRT model. A detailed summary of the information on the bionomics of each species and species complex is also presented.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This article concludes a project aimed to establish the contemporary global distribution of the DVS of malaria. The three articles produced are intended as a detailed reference for scientists continuing research into the aspects of taxonomy, biology and ecology relevant to species-specific vector control. This research is particularly relevant to help unravel the complicated taxonomic status, ecology and epidemiology of the vectors of the Asia-Pacific region. All the occurrence data, predictive maps and EO-shape files generated during the production of these publications will be made available in the public domain. We hope that this will encourage data sharing to improve future iterations of the distribution maps.</p