1,394 research outputs found
Amplification of Adipogenic Commitment by VSTM2A
Despite progress in our comprehension of the mechanisms regulating adipose tissue development, the nature of the factors that functionally characterize adipose precursors is still elusive. Defining the early steps regulating adipocyte development is needed for the generation of tools to control adipose tissue size and function. Here, we report the discovery of V-set and transmembrane domain containing 2A (VSTM2A) as a protein expressed and secreted by committed preadipocytes. VSTM2A expression is elevated in the early phases of adipogenesis in vitro and adipose tissue development in vivo. We show that VSTM2A-producing cells associate with the vasculature and express the common surface markers of adipocyte progenitors. Overexpression of VSTM2A induces adipogenesis, whereas its depletion impairs this process. VSTM2A controls preadipocyte determination at least in part by modulating BMP signaling and PPARgamma2 activation. We propose a model in which VSTM2A is produced to preserve and amplify the adipogenic capability of adipose precursors
Growth of Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 30242 during yogurt fermentation and bile salt hydrolysis activity in the product
International audienceAbstractThe synthesis of bile salt hydrolase has been linked to the health benefit of Lactobacillus reuteri toward lowering blood cholesterol. The aim of this study was to examine the growth and bile salt hydrolysis activity (BSHA) of L. reuteri NCIMB 30242 during milk fermentation with a yogurt starter. There was little growth of L. reuteri during a 4-h co-fermentation with a yogurt culture, and an inoculation of 4.5 × 107 CFU.mL−1 was needed to obtain the 108 CFU.mL−1 target in the product. Enrichment of milk with sugars, minerals, or peptone-based ingredients did not improve growth of L. reuteri. Viable counts of L. reuteri above 1.5 × 108 CFU.mL−1 generated texture defects. Free and microencapsulated (ME) cultures were tested for BSHA in the yogurt drinks. L. reuteri cells which grew during the 4-h lactic fermentation had 40% less BSHA than L. reuteri added directly via the commercial culture. The BSHA of free cells was apparently three times higher than in the ME culture. This study adds data showing that the yogurt production process could affect the functionality of probiotic bacteria
Magnetization and Magnetotransport of LnBaCo2O5.5 (Ln=Gd, Eu) Single Crystals
The magnetization, resistivity and magnetoresistance (MR) of single crystals
of GdBaCo2O5.5 and EuBaCo2O5.5 are measured over a wide range of dc magnetic
fields (up to 30 T) and temperature. In LnBaCo2O5.5 (Ln=Gd, Eu), the Co-ions
are trivalent and can exist in three spin states, namely, the S=0 low spin
state (LS), the S= 1 intermediate spin state (IS) and the S=2 high spin state
(HS). We confirm that GdBaCo2O5.5 and EuBaCo2O5.5 have a metal-insulator
transition accompanied by a spin-state transition at TMI >> 365 and 335 K,
respectively. The data suggest an equal ratio of LS (S=0) and IS (S=1) Co3+
ions below TMI, with no indication of additional spin state transitions. The
low field magnetization shows a transition to a highly anisotropic
ferromagnetic phase at 270 K, followed by another magnetic transition to an
antiferromagnetic phase at a slightly lower temperature. The magnetization data
are suggestive of weak correlations between the Gd-spins but no clear signature
of ordering is seen for T > 2 K. Significant anisotropy between the a-b plane
and c axis was observed in magnetic and magnetotransport properties for both
compounds. For GdBaCo2O5.5, the resistivity and MR data imply a strong
correlation between the spin-order and charge carriers. For EuBaCo2O5.5, the
magnetic phase diagram is very similar to its Gd counterpart, but the low-T MR
with current flow in the ab plane is positive rather than negative as for Gd.
The magnitude and the hysteresis of the MR for EuBaCo2O5.5 decrease with
increasing temperature, and at higher T the MR changes sign and becomes
negative. The difference in the behavior of both compounds may arise from a
small valence admixture in the nonmagnetic Eu ions, i.e. a valence slightly
less than 3+.Comment: Accepted for publication in PR
GAGA Factor Maintains Nucleosome-Free Regions and Has a Role in RNA Polymerase II Recruitment to Promoters
Previous studies have shown that GAGA Factor (GAF) is enriched on promoters with paused RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), but its genome-wide function and mechanism of action remain largely uncharacterized. We assayed the levels of transcriptionally-engaged polymerase using global run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) in control and GAF-RNAi Drosophila S2 cells and found promoter-proximal polymerase was significantly reduced on a large subset of paused promoters where GAF occupancy was reduced by knock down. These promoters show a dramatic increase in nucleosome occupancy upon GAF depletion. These results, in conjunction with previous studies showing that GAF directly interacts with nucleosome remodelers, strongly support a model where GAF directs nucleosome displacement at the promoter and thereby allows the entry Pol II to the promoter and pause sites. This action of GAF on nucleosomes is at least partially independent of paused Pol II because intergenic GAF binding sites with little or no Pol II also show GAF-dependent nucleosome displacement. In addition, the insulator factor BEAF, the BEAF-interacting protein Chriz, and the transcription factor M1BP are strikingly enriched on those GAF-associated genes where pausing is unaffected by knock down, suggesting insulators or the alternative promoter-associated factor M1BP protect a subset of GAF-bound paused genes from GAF knock-down effects. Thus, GAF binding at promoters can lead to the local displacement of nucleosomes, but this activity can be restricted or compensated for when insulator protein or M1BP complexes also reside at GAF bound promoters
Bridging the Gap: Improving the relationship between social service organizations and healthcare providers
In Vermont, a significant social determinant of health is rurality. Barriers to healthcare services include distance to providers, lack of integration with social services, and failure to recognize community needs.
Integration and robust collaboration between healthcare and social services can likely improve outcomes for individuals who have high utilization of both categories of services.
Understanding relationships between healthcare and social services may provide an important framework for translating interventional research to rural communities to improve health equity.
Project Goal: To understand barriers affecting collaboration between social service providers and community health providers in order to promote research-based improvements in health outcomes in rural populations.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1314/thumbnail.jp
Selective in-plane Fabry-Pérot gas sensor functionalized with polymer
Smell is one of the last senses still not completely replicated. Artificial gas sensors do manage to reach enough sensitivity but selectivity is still an issue. However, it is essential to several industries and smart cities. In this work, the selectivity of a previously reported optical gas sensor is demonstrated using three polymers for functionalization. Different sensitivities are obtained for toluene, 1-butanol, limonene and valeric acid
KINEROS2-AGWA: Model Use, Calibration, and Validation
KINEROS (KINematic runoff and EROSion) originated in the 1960s as a distributed event-based model that conceptualizes a watershed as a cascade of overland flow model elements that flow into trapezoidal channel model elements. KINEROS was one of the first widely available watershed models that interactively coupled a finite difference approximation of the kinematic overland flow equations to a physically based infiltration model. Development and improvement of KINEROS continued from the 1960s on a variety of projects for a range of purposes, which has resulted in a suite of KINEROS-based modeling tools. This article focuses on KINEROS2 (K2), a spatially distributed, event-based watershed rainfall-runoff and erosion model, and the companion ArcGIS-based Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment (AGWA) tool. AGWA automates the time-consuming tasks of watershed delineation into distributed model elements and initial parameterization of these elements using commonly available, national GIS data layers. A variety of approaches have been used to calibrate and validate K2 successfully across a relatively broad range of applications (e.g., urbanization, pre- and post-fire, hillslope erosion, erosion from roads, runoff and recharge, and manure transport). The case studies presented in this article (1) compare lumped to stepwise calibration and validation of runoff and sediment at plot, hillslope, and small watershed scales; and (2) demonstrate an uncalibrated application to address relative change in watershed response to wildfire
Adipose tissue mTORC2 regulates ChREBP-driven de novo lipogenesis and hepatic glucose metabolism
Adipose tissue de novo lipogenesis (DNL) positively influences insulin sensitivity, is reduced in obesity, and predicts insulin resistance. Therefore, elucidating mechanisms controlling adipose tissue DNL could lead to therapies for type 2 diabetes. Here, we report that mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) functions in white adipose tissue (WAT) to control expression of the lipogenic transcription factor ChREBPbeta. Conditionally deleting the essential mTORC2 subunit Rictor in mature adipocytes decreases ChREBPbeta expression, which reduces DNL in WAT, and impairs hepatic insulin sensitivity. Mechanistically, Rictor/mTORC2 promotes ChREBPbeta expression in part by controlling glucose uptake, but without impairing pan-AKT signalling. High-fat diet also rapidly decreases adipose tissue ChREBPbeta expression and insulin sensitivity in wild-type mice, and does not further exacerbate insulin resistance in adipose tissue Rictor knockout mice, implicating adipose tissue DNL as an early target in diet-induced insulin resistance. These data suggest mTORC2 functions in WAT as part of an extra-hepatic nutrient-sensing mechanism to control glucose homeostasis
Destruction of the Mott Insulating Ground State of Ca_2RuO_4 by a Structural Transition
We report a first-order phase transition at T_M=357 K in single crystal
Ca_2RuO_4, an isomorph to the superconductor Sr_2RuO_4. The discontinuous
decrease in electrical resistivity signals the near destruction of the Mott
insulating phase and is triggered by a structural transition from the low
temperature orthorhombic to a high temperature tetragonal phase. The magnetic
susceptibility, which is temperature dependent but not Curie-like decreases
abruptly at TM and becomes less temperature dependent. Unlike most insulator to
metal transitions, the system is not magnetically ordered in either phase,
though the Mott insulator phase is antiferromagnetic below T_N=110 K.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B (Rapid Communications
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