8,483 research outputs found
The Mass-Concentration Relation and the Stellar-to-Halo Mass Ratio in the CFHT Stripe 82 Survey
We present a new measurement of the mass-concentration relation and the
stellar-to-halo mass ratio over the halo mass range to
. To achieve this, we use weak lensing measurements
from the CFHT Stripe 82 Survey (CS82), combined with the central galaxies from
the redMaPPer cluster catalogue and the LOWZ/CMASS galaxy sample of the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Tenth Data
Release. The stacked lensing signals around these samples are modelled as a sum
of contributions from the central galaxy, its dark matter halo, and the
neighboring halos, as well as a term for possible centering errors. We measure
the mass-concentration relation: with
for and for . These amplitudes and slopes are completely
consistent with predictions from recent simulations. We also measure the
stellar-to-halo mass ratio for our samples, and find results consistent with
previous measurements from lensing and other techniques.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, 3 table
Stomatin-like Protein 2 Links Mitochondria to T-Cell Receptor Signalosomes at the Immunological Synapse and Enhances T-Cell Activation
T cell activation through the antigen receptor (TCR) requires sustained signalling from microclusters in the peripheral region of the immunological synapse (IS). The bioenergetics of such prolonged signaling have been linked to the redistribution of mitochondria to the IS. Here, we report that stomatin-like protein-2 (SLP-2) plays an important role in this process by bridging polarized mitochondria to these signaling TCR microclusters or signalosomes in the IS in a polymerized actin-dependent manner. In this way, SLP-2 helps to sustain TCR-dependent signalling and enhances T cell activation
Novel compound mutations in the mitochondrial translation elongation factor (TSFM) gene cause severe cardiomyopathy with myocardial fibro-adipose replacement
Primary mitochondrial dysfunction is an under-appreciated cause of cardiomyopathy, especially when cardiac symptoms are the unique or prevalent manifestation of disease. Here, we report an unusual presentation of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy, with dilated phenotype and pathologic evidence of biventricular fibro-adipose replacement, in a 33-year old woman who underwent cardiac transplant. Whole exome sequencing revealed two novel compound heterozygous variants in the TSFM gene, coding for the mitochondrial translation elongation factor EF-Ts. This protein participates in the elongation step of mitochondrial translation by binding and stabilizing the translation elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu). Bioinformatics analysis predicted a destabilization of the EF-Ts variants complex with EF-Tu, in agreement with the dramatic steady-state level reduction of both proteins in the clinically affected myocardium, which demonstrated a combined respiratory chain enzyme deficiency. In patient fibroblasts, the decrease of EF-Ts was paralleled by up-regulation of EF-Tu and induction of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, along with increased expression of respiratory chain subunits and normal oxygen consumption rate. Our report extends the current picture of morphologic phenotypes associated with mitochondrial cardiomyopathies and confirms the heart as a main target of TSFM dysfunction. The compensatory response detected in patient fibroblasts might explain the tissue-specific expression of TSFM-associated disease
Learning to Detect Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder with Language and Speech in Non-Clinical Interviews
Bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) are both
chronic psychiatric disorders. However, their overlapping symptoms and common
comorbidity make it challenging for the clinicians to distinguish the two
conditions on the basis of a clinical interview. In this work, we first present
a new multi-modal dataset containing interviews involving individuals with BD
or BPD being interviewed about a non-clinical topic . We investigate the
automatic detection of the two conditions, and demonstrate a good linear
classifier that can be learnt using a down-selected set of features from the
different aspects of the interviews and a novel approach of summarising these
features. Finally, we find that different sets of features characterise BD and
BPD, thus providing insights into the difference between the automatic
screening of the two conditions
Phenomenology of symmetry breaking from extra dimensions
Motivated by the electroweak hierarchy problem, we consider theories with two
extra dimensions in which the four-dimensional scalar fields are components of
gauge boson in full space. We explore the Nielsen-Olesen instability for SU(N)
on a torus, in the presence of a magnetic background. A field theory approach
is developed, computing explicitly the minimum of the complete effective
potential, including tri-linear and quartic couplings and determining the
symmetries of the stable vacua. We also develop appropriate gauge-fixing terms
when both Kaluza-Klein and Landau levels are present and interacting,
discussing the interplay between the possible six and four dimensional choices.
The equivalence between coordinate dependent and constant Scherk-Schwarz
boundary conditions -associated to either continuous or discrete Wilson lines-
is analyzed.Comment: 39 pages and 8 eps figures. Few changes in section
Teratogenic risk and contraceptive counselling in psychiatric practice: analysis of anticonvulsant therapy
<p>Background:
Anticonvulsants have been used to manage psychiatric conditions for over 50 years. It is recognised that some, particularly valproate, carbamazepine and lamotrigine, are human teratogens, while others including topiramate require further investigation. We aimed to appraise the documentation of this risk by psychiatrists and review discussion around contraceptive issues.</p>
<p>Methods:
A retrospective review of prescribing patterns of four anticonvulsants (valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine and topiramate) in women of child bearing age was undertaken. Documented evidence of discussion surrounding teratogenicity and contraceptive issues was sought.</p>
<p>Results:
Valproate was most commonly prescribed (n=67). Evidence of teratogenic risk counselling at medication initiation was sub-optimal – 40% of individuals prescribed carbamazepine and 22% of valproate. Documentation surrounding contraceptive issues was also low- 17% of individuals prescribed carbamazepine and 13% of valproate.</p>
<p>Conclusion:
We found both low rates of teratogenic risk counselling and low rates of contraception advice in our cohort. Given the high rates of unplanned pregnancies combined with the relatively high risk of major congenital malformations, it is essential that a detailed appraisal of the risks and benefits associated with anticonvulsant medication occurs and is documented within patients’ psychiatric notes.</p>
The earliest directly dated saddle for horse-riding from a mid-1st millennium BCE female burial in Northwest China
The invention of the saddle substantially improved horseback-riding, which not only revolutionized warfare, but also eased long-distance speedy movement across Eurasia. Here we present the first detailed construction analysis and absolute age determination of a well-preserved soft leather saddle recovered from the tomb of a female deceased at the Yanghai cemetery site in the Turfan Basin at the eastern end of the Tian Shan mountains. Compared with the oldest known saddle from the Scythian Pazyryk culture site Tuekta barrow no. 1 (430–420 BCE) in north-western Altai, the Yanghai specimen radiocarbon dated to 727–396 BCE (95.4% probability range) is contemporaneous or possibly older. The saddle features the basic elements of soft saddle construction that are still used today: two stuffed, wing-shaped hides sewn together along the outer edges and separated by a central gullet-like spacer and lens-shaped support elements, resembling knee and thigh rolls of modern saddles. Being a masterful piece of leather- and needlework, it is, however, less complex compared to Scythian saddles from the 5th–3rd centuries BCE. Another specimen from nearby Subeixi site, which is also described in detail for the first time in the present study, much closer resembles the Pazyryk saddles in shape, size and structure. In Yanghai, equestrian paraphernalia appear in the grave assemblages during the entire burial period (ca. 1300 BCE to 200 CE), although in higher numbers only from ca. 300 BCE. In the same way, the burial of horses was not common until then. Despite the generally very good preservation of leather, only two saddles were discovered in Yanghai which makes them an exception rather than the norm and raises the question of whether these saddles were acquired from more specialized horse breeders, riders, and saddlers in the North
Glycoproteomic characterization of carriers of the CD15/Lewisx epitope on Hodgkin's Reed-Sternberg cells
Circulating mediators of bone remodeling in psoriatic arthritis: implications for disordered osteoclastogenesis and bone erosion
Planarian Cholinesterase: Molecular And Functional Characterization Of An Evolutionarily Ancient Enzyme To Study Organophosphorus Pesticide Toxicity
The asexual freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica has emerged as a medium-throughput alternative animal model for neurotoxicology. We have previously shown that D. japonica are sensitive to organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) and characterized the in vitro inhibition profile of planarian cholinesterase (DjChE) activity using irreversible and reversible inhibitors. We found that DjChE has intermediate features of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Here, we identify two candidate genes (Djche1 and Djche2) responsible for DjChE activity. Sequence alignment and structural homology modeling with representative vertebrate AChE and BChE sequences confirmed our structural predictions, and show that both DjChE enzymes have intermediate sized catalytic gorges and disrupted peripheral binding sites. Djche1 and Djche2 were both expressed in the planarian nervous system, as anticipated from previous activity staining, but with distinct expression profiles. To dissect how DjChE inhibition affects planarian behavior, we acutely inhibited DjChE activity by exposing animals to either an OP (diazinon) or carbamate (physostigmine) at 1 µM for 4 days. Both inhibitors delayed the reaction of planarians to heat stress. Simultaneous knockdown of both Djche genes by RNAi similarly resulted in a delayed heat stress response. Furthermore, chemical inhibition of DjChE activity increased the worms’ ability to adhere to a substrate. However, increased substrate adhesion was not observed in Djche1/Djche2 (RNAi) animals or in inhibitor-treated day 11 regenerates, suggesting this phenotype may be modulated by other mechanisms besides ChE inhibition. Together, our study characterizes DjChE expression and function, providing the basis for future studies in this system to dissect alternative mechanisms of OP toxicity
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