Stationarity of SLE

A new method to study a stopped hull of SLE(kappa,rho) is presented. In this approach, the law of the conformal map associated to the hull is invariant under a SLE induced flow. The full trace of a chordal SLE(kappa) can be studied using this approach. Some example calculations are presented.Comment: 14 pages with 1 figur

Ensimmäisen luokan opettajien käsityksiä tasa-arvosta ja yhdenvertaisuudesta omassa työssään

Tiivistelmä. Vuoden 2015 alussa voimaan tuleva tasa-arvolain muutos tuo tasa-arvosuunnittelun koskettamaan myös peruskouluja. Tuleva muutos antoi aihetta tutkia opettajien lähtökohtia tasa-arvosuunnittelun toteuttamiseen ja tasa-arvon ja yhdenvertaisuuden huomioimiseen. Tutkimuksessa selvitämme millaisia käsityksiä ensimmäisen luokan opettajilla on tasa-arvosta ja yhdenvertaisuudesta omassa työssään. Lisäksi tutkimme miten nämä käsitykset ilmenevät heidän opettajantyötä kuvaavassa puheessaan. Halusimme myös selvittää mitä täydennyskoulutustarpeita opettajilla on tasa-arvoon ja yhdenvertaisuuteen liittyen. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys mukailee Joan Ackerin sukupuolistuneiden organisaatioiden teoriaa. Tutkimuksemme pohjautuu fenomenografiseen tutkimussuuntaukseen ja aineistot on kerätty puolistrukturoitujen fokusryhmähaastatteluiden avulla. Teoreettisen viitekehyksen mukaisesti muodostimme litteroiduista fokusryhmähaastatteluista tuloskategorioita, joissa tarkastelemme Ackerin teoriaa mukaillen tasa-arvoa ja yhdenvertaisuutta heikentäviä, edistäviä sekä ristiriitaisia käsityksiä rakenne, prosessi ja resurssi ulottuvuuksilla. Opettajien puheesta oli löydettävissä tasa-arvoa ja yhdenvertaisuutta tukevia käsityksiä, mutta myös tasa-arvoa ja yhdenvertaisuutta heikentäviä käsityksiä. Tasa-arvoon ja yhdenvertaisuuteen liittyen opettajat toivat eniten esille konkreettisia toimintamalleja. Tasa-arvon ja yhdenvertaisuuden käsitteellistäminen jäi opettajien puheessa hyvin abstraktille tasolle. Tutkimuksen tulokset viittaavat siihen, että tutkimuksessa mukana olleet opettajat tarvitsevat tietoa ja pedagogisia taitoja tasa-arvon ja yhdenvertaisuuden huomioimiseen omassa opettajan työssään. He voisivat hyötyä aihepiiriä käsittelevästä täydennyskoulutuksesta. Herää kysymys kuinka yleistä tarve täydennyskoulutukselle on ja sisältyykö opettajien peruskoulutukseen sukupuolta ja tasa-arvoa käsitteleviä opintoja? Entä valmistuvatko opettajat jo asianmukaisin tiedoin ja taidoin tulevaa lakiuudistusta silmällä pitäen? Tutkimuksen luotettavuuden lisäämiseksi pyrimme analyysivaiheessa tarkkuuteen ja kriittiseen arviointiin. Tasa-arvoon ja yhdenvertaisuuteen liittyvät tutkimustulokset herättävät tarkastelemaan kasvatusalan ammattilaisten ammattitaitoa tasa-arvo- ja yhdenvertaisuuskasvatukseen liittyen. Tietoa tasa-arvosta ja yhdenvertaisuudesta, sekä siihen liittyvistä pedagogisista ja organisatorisista näkökulmista olisi tarpeen sisällyttää osaksi kasvatusalojen koulutusta. Opetushenkilökunnan sukupuolitietoisuuden ja sukupuolivastuullisuuden kehittymistä olisi lisäksi syytä tukea täydennyskoulutuksella

The pore size of polycaprolactone scaffolds has limited influence on bone regeneration in an in vivo model

Bone tissue engineering scaffolds should be designed to optimize mass transport, cell migration, and mechanical integrity to facilitate and enhance new bone growth. Although many scaffold parameters could be modified to fulfill these requirements, pore size is an important scaffold characteristic that can be rigorously controlled with indirect solid freeform fabrication. We explored the effect of pore size on bone regeneration and scaffold mechanical properties using polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds designed with interconnected, cylindrical orthogonal pores. Three scaffold designs with unique microarchitectures were fabricated, having pore sizes of 350, 550, or 800 Μm. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 transduced human gingival fibroblasts were suspended in fibrin gel, seeded into scaffolds, and implanted subcutaneously in immuno-compromised mice for 4 or 8 weeks. We found that (1) modulus and peak stress of the scaffold/bone constructs depended on pore size and porosity at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks, (2) bone growth inside pores depended on pore size at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks, and (3) the length of implantation time had a limited effect on scaffold/bone construct properties. In conclusion, pore sizes between 350 and 800 Μm play a limited role in bone regeneration in this tissue engineering model. Therefore, it may be advantageous to explore the effects of other scaffold structural properties, such as pore shape, pore interconnectivity, or scaffold permeability, on bone regeneration when designing PCL scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/64538/1/32381_ftp.pd

The small secreted effector protein MiSSP7.6 of Laccaria bicolor is required for the establishment of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis

To establish and maintain a symbiotic relationship, the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor releases mycorrhiza-induced small secreted proteins (MiSSPs) into host roots. Here, we have functionally characterized the MYCORRHIZA-iNDUCED SMALL SECRETED PROTEIN OF 7.6 kDa (MiSSP7.6) from L. bicolor by assessing its induced expression in ectomycorrhizae, silencing its expression by RNAi, and tracking in planta subcellular localization of its protein product. We also carried out yeast two-hybrid assays and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis to identify possible protein targets of the MiSSP7.6 effector in Populus roots. We showed that MiSSP7.6 expression is upregulated in ectomycorrhizal rootlets and associated extramatrical mycelium during the late stage of symbiosis development. RNAi mutants with a decreased MiSSP7.6 expression have a lower mycorrhization rate, suggesting a key role in the establishment of the symbiosis with plants. MiSSP7.6 is secreted, and it localizes both to the nuclei and cytoplasm in plant cells. MiSSP7.6 protein was shown to interact with two Populus Trihelix transcription factors. Furthermore, when coexpressed with one of the Trihelix transcription factors, MiSSP7.6 is localized to plant nuclei only. Our data suggest that MiSSP7.6 is a novel secreted symbiotic effector and is a potential determinant for ectomycorrhiza formation.Fil: Kang, Heng. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Chen, Xin. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Kemppainen, Minna Johanna. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Instituto de Microbiologia Basica y Aplicada. Laboratorio de Micologia Molecular.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pardo, Alejandro Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Instituto de Microbiologia Basica y Aplicada. Laboratorio de Micologia Molecular.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Veneault Fourrey, Claire. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Kohler, Annegret. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Martin, Francis M.. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Franci

The small secreted effector protein MiSSP7.6 of Laccaria bicolor is required for the establishment of ectomycorrhizal symbiosis

To establish and maintain a symbiotic relationship, the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor releases mycorrhiza-induced small secreted proteins (MiSSPs) into host roots. Here, we have functionally characterized the MYCORRHIZA-iNDUCED SMALL SECRETED PROTEIN OF 7.6 kDa (MiSSP7.6) from L. bicolor by assessing its induced expression in ectomycorrhizae, silencing its expression by RNAi, and tracking in planta subcellular localization of its protein product. We also carried out yeast two-hybrid assays and bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis to identify possible protein targets of the MiSSP7.6 effector in Populus roots. We showed that MiSSP7.6 expression is upregulated in ectomycorrhizal rootlets and associated extramatrical mycelium during the late stage of symbiosis development. RNAi mutants with a decreased MiSSP7.6 expression have a lower mycorrhization rate, suggesting a key role in the establishment of the symbiosis with plants. MiSSP7.6 is secreted, and it localizes both to the nuclei and cytoplasm in plant cells. MiSSP7.6 protein was shown to interact with two Populus Trihelix transcription factors. Furthermore, when coexpressed with one of the Trihelix transcription factors, MiSSP7.6 is localized to plant nuclei only. Our data suggest that MiSSP7.6 is a novel secreted symbiotic effector and is a potential determinant for ectomycorrhiza formation.Fil: Kang, Heng. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Chen, Xin. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Kemppainen, Minna Johanna. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Instituto de Microbiologia Basica y Aplicada. Laboratorio de Micologia Molecular.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pardo, Alejandro Guillermo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Instituto de Microbiologia Basica y Aplicada. Laboratorio de Micologia Molecular.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Veneault Fourrey, Claire. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Kohler, Annegret. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; FranciaFil: Martin, Francis M.. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Franci

Intermolecular NH 2 -/Carboxyl-terminal Interactions in Androgen Receptor Dimerization Revealed by Mutations That Cause Androgen Insensitivity

Structural alignment of the human androgen receptor dimer was investigated by introducing steroid binding domain mutations that cause partial or complete androgen insensitivity into fusion proteins containing the full-length androgen receptor or the steroid binding domain. Most of the mutants had unchanged apparent equilibrium androgen binding affinity and increased dissociation rates of [3H]methyltrienolone and required increased dihydrotestosterone concentrations for transcriptional activation. In a 2-hybrid protein interaction assay in mammalian cells, the steroid binding domain interacts with an NH2-terminal-DNA binding domain fragment and with the full-length androgen receptor at physiological androgen concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. However, mutations at Val-889 and Arg-752 disrupt the NH2-/carboxyl-terminal interaction when introduced into the steroid binding domain fragment but not when present in the full-length androgen receptor. The N-C bimolecular interaction reduces the dissociation rate of bound androgen and slows the degradation rate of the carboxyl-terminal steroid binding domain fragment. The results suggest that steroid binding domain residues Val-889 and Arg-752 are critical to the NH2-/carboxyl-terminal interaction and that an intermolecular N-C interaction occurs during receptor dimerization that results in an antiparallel arrangement of androgen receptor monomers

F XX LF and W XX LF Sequences Mediate the NH 2 -terminal Interaction with the Ligand Binding Domain of the Androgen Receptor

The nuclear receptor superfamily members of eukaryotic transcriptional regulators contain a highly conserved activation function 2 (AF2) in the hormone binding carboxyl-terminal domain and, for some, an additional activation function 1 in the NH(2)-terminal region which is not conserved. Recent biochemical and crystallographic studies revealed the molecular basis of AF2 is hormone-dependent recruitment of LXXLL motif-containing coactivators, including the p160 family, to a hydrophobic cleft in the ligand binding domain. Our previous studies demonstrated that AF2 in the androgen receptor (AR) binds only weakly to LXXLL motif-containing coactivators and instead mediates an androgen-dependent interaction with the AR NH(2)-terminal domain required for its physiological function. Here we demonstrate in a mammalian two-hybrid assay, glutathione S-transferase fusion protein binding studies, and functional assays that two predicted alpha-helical regions that are similar, but functionally distinct from the p160 coactivator interaction sequence, mediate the androgen-dependent, NH(2)- and carboxyl-terminal interaction. FXXLF in the AR NH(2)-terminal domain with the sequence (23)FQNLF(27) mediates interaction with AF2 and is the predominant androgen-dependent interaction site. This FXXLF sequence and a second NH(2)-terminal WXXLF sequence (433)WHTLF(437) interact with different regions of the ligand binding domain to stabilize the hormone-receptor complex and may compete with AF2 recruitment of LXXLL motif-containing coactivators. The results suggest a unique mechanism for AR-mediated transcriptional activation

Production of Androgens by Microbial Transformation of Progesterone in Vitro: A Model for Androgen Production in Rivers Receiving Paper Mill Effluent

We have previously documented the presence of progesterone and androstenedione in the water column and bottom sediments of the Fenholloway River, Taylor County, Florida. This river receives paper mill effluent and contains masculinized female mosquitofish. We hypothesized that plant sterols (e.g., β-sitosterol) derived from the pulping of pine trees are transformed by bacteria into progesterone and subsequently into 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and other androgens. In this study, we demonstrate that these same androgens can be produced in vitro from the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis. In a second part to this study, we reextracted and reanalyzed the sediment from the Fenholloway River and verified the presence of androstadienedione, a Δ1 steroid with androgen activity