Supergravity Solutions from Floating Branes

We solve the equations of motion of five-dimensional ungauged supergravity coupled to three U(1) gauge fields using a floating-brane Ansatz in which the electric potentials are directly related to the gravitational warp factors. We find a new class of non-BPS solutions, that can be obtained linearly starting from an Euclidean four-dimensional Einstein-Maxwell base. This class - the largest known so far - reduces to the BPS and almost-BPS solutions in certain limits. We solve the equations explicitly when the base space is given by the Israel-Wilson metric, and obtain solutions describing non-BPS D6 and anti-D6 branes kept in equilibrium by flux. We also examine the action of spectral flow on solutions with an Israel-Wilson base and show that it relates these solutions to almost-BPS solutions with a Gibbons-Hawking base.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figur

Quantitative trait loci conferring grain mineral nutrient concentrations in durum wheat 3 wild emmer wheat RIL population

Mineral nutrient malnutrition, and particularly deficiency in zinc and iron, afflicts over 3 billion people worldwide. Wild emmer wheat, Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, genepool harbors a rich allelic repertoire for mineral nutrients in the grain. The genetic and physiological basis of grain protein, micronutrients (zinc, iron, copper and manganese) and macronutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur) concentration was studied in tetraploid wheat population of 152 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from a cross between durum wheat (cv. Langdon) and wild emmer (accession G18-16). Wide genetic variation was found among the RILs for all grain minerals, with considerable transgressive effect. A total of 82 QTLs were mapped for 10 minerals with LOD score range of 3.2–16.7. Most QTLs were in favor of the wild allele (50 QTLs). Fourteen pairs of QTLs for the same trait were mapped to seemingly homoeologous positions, reflecting synteny between the A and B genomes. Significant positive correlation was found between grain protein concentration (GPC), Zn, Fe and Cu, which was supported by significant overlap between the respective QTLs, suggesting common physiological and/or genetic factors controlling the concentrations of these mineral nutrients. Few genomic regions (chromosomes 2A, 5A, 6B and 7A) were found to harbor clusters of QTLs for GPC and other nutrients. These identified QTLs may facilitate the use of wild alleles for improving grain nutritional quality of elite wheat cultivars, especially in terms of protein, Zn and Fe

Influenza Research Database: An integrated bioinformatics resource for influenza virus research

The Influenza Research Database (IRD) is a U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-sponsored Bioinformatics Resource Center dedicated to providing bioinformatics support for influenza virus research. IRD facilitates the research and development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics against influenza virus by providing a comprehensive collection of influenza-related data integrated from various sources, a growing suite of analysis and visualization tools for data mining and hypothesis generation, personal workbench spaces for data storage and sharing, and active user community support. Here, we describe the recent improvements in IRD including the use of cloud and high performance computing resources, analysis and visualization of user-provided sequence data with associated metadata, predictions of novel variant proteins, annotations of phenotype-associated sequence markers and their predicted phenotypic effects, hemagglutinin (HA) clade classifications, an automated tool for HA subtype numbering conversion, linkouts to disease event data and the addition of host factor and antiviral drug components. All data and tools are freely available without restriction from the IRD website at https://www.fludb.org.National Institutes of Health/National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases [HHSN272201400028C]. Funding for open access charge: J. Craig Venter Institute

Excess α-synuclein worsens disease in mice lacking ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1

Mutations in α-synuclein (αSN) and ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) have been linked to familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Physical and functional interactions between these two proteins have been described. Whether they act additively in vivo to influence disease has remained controversial. αSN is a presynaptic protein and the major constituent of Lewy inclusions, histopathological hallmarks of PD. UCH-L1 regulates ubiquitin stability in the nervous system and its loss results in neurodegeneration in peripheral and central neurons. Here, we used genetics to show that UCH-L1-deficiency together with excess αSN worsen disease. Double mutant mice show earlier-onset motor deficits, a shorter lifespan and forebrain astrogliosis but the additive disease-worsening effects of UCH-L1-deficiency and excess αSN are not accompanied by microgliosis, ubiquitin pathology or changes in pathological αSN protein levels and species

Enterovirus specific anti-peptide antibodies

Enterovirus 71 (EV-71) is the main causative agent of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) which is generally regarded as a mild childhood disease. In recent years, EV71 has emerged as a significant pathogen capable of causing high mortalities and severe neurological complications in large outbreaks in Asia. A formalin-inactivated EV71 whole virus vaccine has completed phase III trial in China but is currently unavailable clinically. The high cost of manufacturing and supply problems may limit practical implementations in developing countries. Synthetic peptides representing the native primary structure of the viral immunogen which is able to elicit neutralizing antibodies can be made readily and is cost effective. However, it is necessary to conjugate short synthetic peptides to carrier proteins to enhance their immunogenicity. This review describes the production of cross-neutralizing anti-peptide antibodies in response to immunization with synthetic peptides selected from in silico analysis, generation of B-cell epitopes of EV71 conjugated to a promiscuous T-cell epitope from Poliovirus, and evaluation of the neutralizing activities of the anti-peptide antibodies. Besides neutralizing EV71 in vitro, the neutralizing antibodies were cross-reactive against several Enteroviruses including CVA16, CVB4, CVB6, and ECHO13

Family eczema-history in 2-year olds with eczema; a prospective, population-based study. The PACT-study, Norway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A maternal line of inheritance regarding eczema has been described in several studies, whereas others find associations to both a maternal as well as a paternal line of inheritance. When studying family history of eczema symptoms, cohort studies including siblings are rare. Time point for assessing family eczema-history could be of importance when studying the associations between family eczema-history and children with eczema, as parents with unaffected children may not recall mild symptoms in other siblings or their own disease history. We therefore aimed to study the associations between reported eczema in mother, father and siblings and reported eczema in index child where information on family history was collected at two different ages of index child.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Parents/children participating in The Prevention of Allergy among Children in Trondheim (PACT) study were given questionnaires on reported eczema symptoms in mother, father and siblings at 6 weeks and 1 year. When index child was 2 years of age, a detailed questionnaire on different health issues with emphasize on different allergy related disorders were filled in.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both maternal and paternal reports on eczema were significantly associated with eczema in index child. Reporting family eczema-history at 1 year (N = 3087), "eczema sibling only" [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.13 (2.27-4.33)] as well as all other family-groups containing siblings with eczema were strongly associated with eczema 2 years. When family eczema-history was reported at 6 weeks (N = 2657), reporting of "eczema sibling only" was not associated to reported eczema at 2 years in index child [aOR = 1.31 (0.77-2.23)].</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Having sibling(s) with eczema strengthened the associations between maternal and paternal reports on eczema with eczema in index child only when exposure was reported at 1 year. These findings indicate that results from questionnaires-based studies of family eczema-history depend on whether or not index child has yet developed eczema.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN28090297">ISRCTN28090297</a></p

The problem of obesity among adolescents in Hong Kong: a comparison using various diagnostic criteria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity is now a global epidemic. In this study, we aimed to assess the rates of obesity using several major diagnostic criteria in Chinese school adolescents in Hong Kong.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a cross-sectional study. Using a computer-generated coding system, we randomly selected schools from different geographical regions in Hong Kong to obtain a representative sample. Subjects aged 11–18 years of age were randomly selected from different class of the schools. Their rates of obesity according to four different international and local criteria were compared [International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) 2000 criterion; the Group of China Obesity Task Force (COTF) 2004 criterion; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 Growth Charts and the Hong Kong Growth Survey (HKGS) charts in 1993].</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 2098 adolescents [982 (46.8%) boys and 1116 (53.2%) girls], the mean age (± SD) was 15.1 ± 1.8 years (range: 11–18 years; median: 15.0 years). The crude rates of obesity were similar based on IOTF, COTF or CDC criteria (boys: 3.9–6.0%, girls: 1.8–3.7%), however, the rate increased to 11–27% if the HKGS charts were used. Obesity rate varied markedly according to age. It decreased from 8–10% among those aged 12–13 years to 2–4% among those aged 17–18 years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of obesity in Hong Kong adolescents using various diagnostic criteria were similar except for the 1993 HKGS criteria, which gave an exceeding high figure. Using the IOTF, COTF or CDC criteria, the adolescent obesity in Hong Kong varied from 1.8% to 6.0%.</p