13,582 research outputs found
Crystal structure of KorA bound to operator DNA: insight into repressor cooperation in RP4 gene regulation
KorA is a global repressor in RP4 which regulates cooperatively the expression of plasmid genes whose products are involved in replication, conjugative transfer and stable inheritance. The structure of KorA bound to an 18-bp DNA duplex that contains the symmetric operator sequence and incorporates 5-bromo-deoxyuridine nucleosides has been determined by multiple-wavelength anomalous diffraction phasing at 1.96-A resolution. KorA is present as a symmetric dimer and contacts DNA via a helix-turn-helix motif. Each half-site of the symmetric operator DNA binds one copy of the protein in the major groove. As confirmed by mutagenesis, recognition specificity is based on two KorA side chains forming hydrogen bonds to four bases within each operator half-site. KorA has a unique dimerization module shared by the RP4 proteins TrbA and KlcB. We propose that these proteins cooperate with the global RP4 repressor KorB in a similar manner via this dimerization module and thus regulate RP4 inheritance
On the Angular Dependence of the Radiative Gluon Spectrum
The induced momentum spectrum of soft gluons radiated from a high energy
quark produced in and propagating through a QCD medium is reexamined in the
BDMPS formalism. A mistake in our published work (Physical Review C60 (1999)
064902) is corrected. The correct dependence of the fractional induced loss
as a universal function of the variable
where is the size of the medium and
the transport coefficient is presented. We add the proof that the
radiated gluon momentum spectrum derived in our formalism is equivalent with
the one derived in the Zakharov-Wiedemann approach.Comment: LaTex, 5 pages, 1 figur
Parton Saturation-An Overview
The idea of partons and the utility of using light-cone gauge in QCD are
introduced. Saturation of quark and gluon distributions are discussed using
simple models and in a more general context. The Golec-Biernat W\usthoff model
and some simple phenomenology are described. A simple, but realistic, equation
for unitary, the Kovchegov equation, is discussed, and an elementary derivation
of the JIMWLK equation is given.Comment: Cargese Lectures, 34 pages, 19 figure
Quantification of magma ascent rate through rockfall monitoring at the growing/collapsing lava dome of VolcĂĄn de Colima, Mexico
International audienceThe most recent eruptive phase of Volc'an de Colima, Mexico, started in 1998 and was characterized by dome growth with a variable effusion rate, interrupted intermittently by explosive eruptions. Between November 2009 and June 2011, activity at the dome was mostly limited to a lobe on the western side where it had previously started overflowing the crater rim, leading to the generation of rockfall events. As a consequence of this, no significant increase in dome volume was perceivable and the rate of magma ascent, a crucial parameter for volcano monitoring and hazard assessment could no longer be quantified via measurements of the dome's dimensions. Here, we present alternative approaches to quantify the magma ascent rate. We estimate the volume of individual rockfalls through the detailed analysis of sets of photographs (before and after individual rockfall events). The relationship between volume and infrared images of the freshly exposed dome surface and the seismic signals related to the rockfall events were then investigated. Larger rockfall events exhibited a correlation between its previously estimated volume and the surface temperature of the freshly exposed dome surface, as well as the mean temperature of rockfall mass distributed over the slope. We showed that for larger events, the volume of the rockfall correlates with the maximum temperature of the newly exposed lava dome as well as a proxy for seismic energy. It was therefore possible to calibrate the seismic signals using the volumes estimated from photographs and the count of rockfalls over a certain period was used to estimate the magma extrusion flux for the period investigated. Over the course of the measurement period, significant changes were observed in number of rockfalls, rockfall volume and hence averaged extrusion rate. The extrusion rate was not constant: it increased from 0.008±0.003 to 0.02±0.007m3 sâ1 during 2010 and dropped down to 0.008±0.003m3 sâ1 again in March 2011. In June 2011, magma extrusion had come to a halt. The methodology presented represents a reliable tool to constrain the growth rate of domes that are repeatedly affected by partial collapses. There is a good correlation between thermal and seismic energies and rockfall volume. Thus it is possible to calibrate the seismic records associated with the rockfalls (a continuous monitoring tool) to improve volcano monitoring at volcanoes with active dome growth
Copeptin Levels Remain Unchanged during the Menstrual Cycle.
BACKGROUND: Copeptin, a surrogate marker for arginin vasopressin production, is evaluated as an osmo-dependent stress and inflammatory biomarker in different diseases. We investigated copeptin during the menstrual cycle and its relationship to sex hormones, markers of subclinical inflammation and estimates of body fluid.
METHODS: In 15 healthy women with regular menstrual cycles, blood was drawn on fifteen defined days of their menstrual cycle and was assayed for copeptin, progesterone, estradiol, luteinizing hormone, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and procalcitonin. Symptoms of fluid retention were assessed on each visit, and bio impedance analysis was measured thrice to estimate body fluid changes. Mixed linear model analysis was performed to assess the changes of copeptin across the menstrual cycle and the relationship of sex hormones, markers of subclinical inflammation and estimates of body fluid with copeptin.
RESULTS: Copeptin levels did not significantly change during the menstrual cycle (pâ=â0.16). Throughout the menstrual cycle, changes in estradiol (pâ=â0.002) and in the physical premenstrual symptom score (pâ=â0.01) were positively related to copeptin, but changes in other sex hormones, in markers of subclinical inflammation or in bio impedance analysis-estimated body fluid were not (all pâ=âns).
CONCLUSION: Although changes in estradiol and the physical premenstrual symptom score appear to be related to copeptin changes, copeptin does not significantly change during the menstrual cycle
Structural and thermodynamic characterization of the adrenodoxin-like domain of the electron-transfer protein Etp1 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe
The protein Etp1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe consists of an amino-terminal COX15-like domain and a carboxy-terminal ferredoxin-like domain, Etp1(fd), which is cleaved off after mitochondrial import. The physiological function of Etp1(fd) is supposed to lie in the participation in the assembly of iron-sulfur clusters and the synthesis of heme A. In addition, the protein was shown to be the first microbial ferredoxin being able to support electron transfer in mitochondrial steroid hydroxylating cytochrome P450 systems in vivo and in vitro, replacing thereby the native redox partner, adrenodoxin. Despite a sequence similarity of 39% and the fact that fission yeast is a mesophilic organism, thermodynamic studies revealed that Etp1(fd) has a melting temperature more than 20°C higher than adrenodoxin. The three-dimensional structure of Etp1(fd) has been determined by crystallography. To the best of our knowledge it represents the first three-dimensional structure of a yeast ferredoxin. The structure-based sequence alignment of Etp1(fd) with adrenodoxin yields a rational explanation for their observed mutual exchangeability in the cytochrome P450 system. Analysis of the electron exchange with the S. pombe redox partner Arh1 revealed differences between Etp1(fd) and adrenodoxin, which might be linked to their different physiological functions in the mitochondria of mammals and yeast
Suppression of peripheral pain by blockade of voltage-gated calcium 2.2 channels in nociceptors induces RANKL and impairs recovery from inflammatory arthritis in a mouse model
Objective: A hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the chronic pain that accompanies the inflammation and joint deformation. Patients with RA rate pain relief with highest priority, however, few studies have addressed the efficacy and safety of therapies directed specifically towards pain pathways. The conotoxin MVIIA (Prialt/Ziconotide) is used in humans to alleviate persistent pain syndromes because it specifically blocks the CaV 2.2 voltage-gated calcium channel, which mediates the release of neurotransmitters and proinflammatory mediators from peripheral nociceptor nerve terminals. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether block of CaV 2.2 can suppress arthritic pain, and to examine the progression of induced arthritis during persistent CaV 2.2 blockade. Methods: Transgenic mice (Tg-MVIIA) expressing a membrane-tethered form of the {Omega}-conotoxin MVIIA, under the control of a nociceptor-specific gene, were employed. These mice were subjected to unilateral induction of joint inflammation using the Antigen- and Collagen-Induced Arthritis (ACIA) model. Results: We observed that CaV 2.2-blockade mediated by t-MVIIA effectively suppressed arthritis-induced pain; however, in contrast to their wild-type littermates, which ultimately regained use of their injured joint as inflammation subsides, Tg-MVIIA mice showed continued inflammation with an up-regulation of the osteoclast activator RANKL and concomitant joint and bone destruction. Conclusion: Altogether, our results indicate that alleviation of peripheral pain by blockade of CaV 2.2- mediated calcium influx and signaling in nociceptor sensory neurons, impairs recovery from induced arthritis and point to the potentially devastating effects of using CaV 2.2 channel blockers as analgesics during inflammation
Charged currents, color dipoles and xF_3 at small x
We develop the light-cone color dipole description of highly asymmetric
diffractive interactions of left-handed and right-handed electroweak bosons. We
identify the origin and estimate the strength of the left-right asymmetry
effect in terms of the light-cone wave functions. We report an evaluation of
the small-x neutrino-nucleon DIS structure functions xF_3 and 2xF_1 and present
comparison with experimental data.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, misprints correcte
Parity Violation in gamma proton Compton Scattering
A measurement of parity-violating spin-dependent gamma proton Compton
scattering will provide a theoretically clean determination of the
parity-violating pion-nucleon coupling constant . We
calculate the leading parity-violating amplitude arising from one-loop pion
graphs in chiral perturbation theory. An asymmetry of ~5 10^{-8} is estimated
for Compton scattering of 100 MeV photons.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, latex. Reference adde
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