Calabi--Yau complete intersections in exceptional Grassmannians

We classify completely reducible equivariant vector bundles on Grassmannians of exceptional Lie groups which give Calabi--Yau 3-folds as complete intersections. In particular, we find a new family of Calabi--Yau 3-folds in an $E_6$-Grassmannian.Comment: 10 pages, minor revisio

A before and after comparison of the effects of forest walking on the sleep of a community-based sample of people with sleep complaints

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sleep disturbance is a major health issue in Japan. This before-after study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of forest walking in a community-based population with sleep complaints.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were 71 healthy volunteers (43 men and 28 women). Two-hour forest-walking sessions were conducted on 8 different weekend days from September through December 2005. Sleep conditions were compared between the nights before and after walking in a forest by self-administered questionnaire and actigraphy data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hours of forest walking improved sleep characteristics; impacting actual sleep time, immobile minutes, self-rated depth of sleep, and sleep quality. Mean actual sleep time estimated by actigraphy on the night after forest walking was 419.8 ± 128.7 (S.D.) minutes whereas that the night before was 365.9 ± 89.4 minutes (n = 42). Forest walking in the afternoon improved actual sleep time and immobile minutes compared with forest walking in the forenoon. Mean actual sleep times did not increase after forenoon walks (n = 26) (the night before and after forenoon walks, 380.0 ± 99.6 and 385.6 ± 101.7 minutes, respectively), whereas afternoon walks (n = 16) increased mean actual sleep times from 342.9 ± 66.2 to 475.4 ± 150.5 minutes. The trend of mean immobile minutes was similar to the abovementioned trend of mean actual sleep times.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Forest walking improved nocturnal sleep conditions for individuals with sleep complaints, possibly as a result of exercise and emotional improvement. Furthermore, extension of sleep duration was greater after an afternoon walk compared to a forenoon walk. Further study of a forest-walking program in a randomized controlled trial is warranted to clarify its effect on people with insomnia.</p

Rho and Anillin-dependent Control of mDia2 Localization and Function in Cytokinesis

Diaphanous-related formin, mDia, is an actin nucleation/polymerization factor functioning downstream of the small GTPase Rho. We found that, in addition to the Rho GTPase-mediated activation, the interaction between mDia2 and anillin is required for the localization and function of mDia2 in cytokinesis

A frameshift deletion mutation in the cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene associated with dilated phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy

SummaryObjectivesA few studies reported that some mutations in the cardiac myosin-binding protein C (MyBPC) gene were associated with dilated phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (D-HCM) resembling dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We studied 5 unrelated cardiomyopathy probands caused by an identical mutation in the MyBPC gene. The results of clinical and genetic investigations in these patients are presented in this paper.MethodsWe analyzed MyBPC gene in DCM patients as well as patients with HCM.ResultsAn R945fs/105 mutation, 2-base deletion at nucleotides 18,535 and 18,536, was identified in 4 of the 176 HCM probands and in 1 of the 54 DCM probands. Genetic analysis in relatives of those probands revealed another one member with this mutation. A total of 6 subjects had R945fs/105 mutation. The mean age of these six patients at diagnosis was 61 years. At initial evaluation, three of them were diagnosed as having HCM with normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function. The other two patients already had D-HCM. The remaining one patient was diagnosed as having DCM because of reduced LV systolic function (ejection fraction=31%) without increased LV wall thickness. During follow-up (7.6 years), all three patients with impaired LV systolic function were admitted for treatment of heart failure and/or sustained ventricular tachycardia. Finally, one patient with the diagnosis of D-HCM died of heart failure.ConclusionsThe patients with this mutation may develop LV systolic dysfunction and suffer from cardiovascular events through mid-life and beyond

Screening of clock gene polymorphisms demonstrates association of a PER3 polymorphism with morningness-eveningness preference and circadian rhythm sleep disorder.

A system of self-sustained biological clocks controls the 24-h rhythms of behavioral and physiological processes such as the sleep-wake cycle. The circadian clock system is regulated by transcriptional and translational negative feedback loops of multiple clock genes. Polymorphisms in circadian clock genes have been associated with morningness-eveningness (diurnal) preference, familial advanced sleep phase type (ASPT), and delayed sleep phase type (DSPT). We genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms in circadian clock genes in 182 DSPT individuals, 67 free-running type (FRT) individuals, and 925 controls. The clock gene polymorphisms were tested for associations with diurnal preference and circadian rhythm sleep disorder (CRSD) phenotypes. The PER3 polymorphism (rs228697) was significantly associated with diurnal preference and the FRT phenotype. The minor allele of rs228697 was more prevalent in evening types than in morning types (sex-adjusted odds ratio (OR), 2.483, Bonferroni-corrected P = 0.012) and in FRT individuals compared with the controls (age- and sex-adjusted OR, 2.021, permutated P = 0.017). Our findings support the notion that PER3 polymorphisms could be a potential genetic marker for an individual\u27s circadian and sleep phenotypes

Tara up-regulates E-cadherin transcription by binding to the Trio RhoGEF and inhibiting Rac signaling

In the absence of Tara, Trio binds to E-cadherin and increases activation of the E-cadherin transcriptional repressor Tbx3