The Architectural Design Rules of Solar Systems based on the New Perspective

On the basis of the Lunar Laser Ranging Data released by NASA on the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Man Landing on Moon on 21st July 1969-1994, theoretical formulation of Earth-Moon tidal interaction was carried out and Planetary Satellite Dynamics was established. It was found that this mathematical analysis could as well be applied to Star and Planets system and since every star could potentially contain an extra-solar system, hence we have a large ensemble of exoplanets to test our new perspective on the birth and evolution of solar systems. Till date 403 exoplanets have been discovered in 390 extra-solar systems. I have taken 12 single planet systems, 4 Brown Dwarf - Star systems and 2 Brown Dwarf pairs. Following architectural design rules are corroborated through this study of exoplanets. All planets are born at inner Clarke Orbit what we refer to as inner geo-synchronous orbit in case of Earth-Moon System. By any perturbative force such as cosmic particles or radiation pressure, the planet gets tipped long of aG1 or short of aG1. Here aG1 is inner Clarke Orbit. The exoplanet can either be launched on death spiral as CLOSE HOT JUPITERS or can be launched on an expanding spiral path as the planets in our Solar System are. It was also found that if the exo-planet are significant fraction of the host star then those exo-planets rapidly migrate from aG1 to aG2 and have very short Time Constant of Evolution as Brown Dwarfs have. This vindicates our basic premise that planets are always born at inner Clarke Orbit. This study vindicates the design rules which had been postulated at 35th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in 2004 at Paris, France, under the title ,New Perspective on the Birth & Evolution of Solar Systems.Comment: This paper has been reported to Earth,Moon and Planets Journal as MOON-S-09-0007

Modulation of phosphofructokinase (PFK) from Setaria cervi, a bovine filarial parasite, by different effectors and its interaction with some antifilarials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Phosphofructokinase (ATP: D-fructose-6-phosphate-1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.11, PFK) is of primary importance in the regulation of glycolytic flux. This enzyme has been extensively studied from mammalian sources but relatively less attention has been paid towards its characterization from filarial parasites. Furthermore, the information about the response of filarial PFK towards the anthelmintics/antifilarial compounds is lacking. In view of these facts, PFK from <it>Setaria cervi</it>, a bovine filarial parasite having similarity with that of human filarial worms, was isolated, purified and characterized.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>S. cervi </it>PFK was cytosolic in nature. The adult parasites (both female and male) contained more enzyme activity than the microfilarial (Mf) stage of <it>S. cervi</it>, which exhibited only 20% of total activity. The <it>S. cervi </it>PFK could be modulated by different nucleotides and the response of enzyme to these nucleotides was dependent on the concentrations of substrates (F-6-P and ATP). The enzyme possessed wide specificity towards utilization of the nucleotides as phosphate group donors. <it>S. cervi </it>PFK showed the presence of thiol group(s) at the active site of the enzyme, which could be protected from inhibitory action of para-chloromercuribenzoate (p-CMB) up to about 76% by pretreatment with cysteine or β-ME. The sensitivity of PFK from <it>S. cervi </it>towards antifilarials/anthelmintics was comparatively higher than that of mammalian PFK. With suramin, the Ki value for rat liver PFK was 40 times higher than PFK from <it>S. cervi</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results indicate that the activity of filarial PFK may be modified by different effectors (such as nucleotides, thiol group reactants and anthelmintics) in filarial worms depending on the presence of varying concentrations of substrates (F-6-P and ATP) in the cellular milieu. It may possess thiol group at its active site responsible for catalysis. Relatively, 40 times higher sensitivity of filarial PFK towards suramin as compared to the analogous enzyme from the mammalian system indicates that this enzyme could be exploited as a potential chemotherapeutic target against filariasis.</p

Probing top charged-Higgs production using top polarization at the Large Hadron Collider

We study single top production in association with a charged Higgs in the type II two Higgs doublet model at the Large Hadron Collider. The polarization of the top, reflected in the angular distributions of its decay products, can be a sensitive probe of new physics in its production. We present theoretically expected polarizations of the top for top charged-Higgs production, which is significantly different from that in the closely related process of t-W production in the Standard Model. We then show that an azimuthal symmetry, constructed from the decay lepton angular distribution in the laboratory frame, is a sensitive probe of top polarization and can be used to constrain parameters involved in top charged-Higgs production.Comment: 22 pages, 18 Figures, Discussions about backgrounds and NLO corrections added, figures modified, references added, Version published in JHE

LEDGF gene silencing impairs the tumorigenicity of prostate cancer DU145 cells by abating the expression of Hsp27 and activation of the Akt/ERK signaling pathway

Lens epithelium-derived growth factor (LEDGF) maintains survival pathways by augmenting the transcription of stress-response genes such as small heat-shock protein 27. Recently, aberrant expression of LEDGF was found in prostate cancer (PC). Herein, we showed that LEDGF overexpression upregulated Hsp27 in PC cells, DU145, PC-3 and LNCaP and promoted antiapoptotic pathways in PCs. We found that these cells had higher abundance of Hsp27, which was correlated with the levels of LEDGF expression. Transactivation assay in DU145 cells revealed that transactivation of Hsp27 was related to the magnitude of LEDGF expression. Silencing of LEDGF in DU145 cells abrogated Hsp27 expression and inhibited stimulated cell proliferation, invasiveness and migration. These cells were arrested in S and G2 phase, and failed to accumulate cyclin B1, and showed increased apoptosis. Furthermore, LEDGF-depleted DU145 cells displayed elevated Bax and cleaved caspase 9 expression and reduced levels of Bcl2, Bcl-XL. The activated survival pathway(s), ERK1/2 and Akt, were selectively decreased in these cells, which characteristically have lower tumorigenicity. Conversely, the depleted cells, when re-overexpressed with LEDGF or Hsp27, regained tumorigenic properties. Collectively, results reveal the involvement of LEDGF-mediated elevated expression of Hsp27-dependent survival pathway(s) in PC. Our findings suggest new lines of investigation aimed at developing therapies by targeting LEDGF or its aberrant expression-associated stimulated antiapoptotic pathway(s)

LEDGF1-326 Decreases P23H and Wild Type Rhodopsin Aggregates and P23H Rhodopsin Mediated Cell Damage in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

P23H rhodopsin, a mutant rhodopsin, is known to aggregate and cause retinal degeneration. However, its effects on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of P23H rhodopsin in RPE cells and further assess whether LEDGF(1-326), a protein devoid of heat shock elements of LEDGF, a cell survival factor, reduces P23H rhodopsin aggregates and any associated cellular damage.ARPE-19 cells were transiently transfected/cotransfected with pLEDGF(1-326) and/or pWT-Rho (wild type)/pP23H-Rho. Rhodopsin mediated cellular damage and rescue by LEDGF(1-326) was assessed using cell viability, cell proliferation, and confocal microscopy assays. Rhodopsin monomers, oligomers, and their reduction in the presence of LEDGF(1-326) were quantified by western blot analysis. P23H rhodopsin mRNA levels in the presence and absence of LEDGF(1-326) was determined by real time quantitative PCR.P23H rhodopsin reduced RPE cell viability and cell proliferation in a dose dependent manner, and disrupted the nuclear material. LEDGF(1-326) did not alter P23H rhodopsin mRNA levels, reduced its oligomers, and significantly increased RPE cell viability as well as proliferation, while reducing nuclear damage. WT rhodopsin formed oligomers, although to a smaller extent than P23H rhodopsin. Further, LEDGF(1-326) decreased WT rhodopsin aggregates.P23H rhodopsin as well as WT rhodopsin form aggregates in RPE cells and LEDGF(1-326) decreases these aggregates. Further, LEDGF(1-326) reduces the RPE cell damage caused by P23H rhodopsin. LEDGF(1-326) might be useful in treating cellular damage associated with protein aggregation diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa

Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) genotyping demonstrates the role of biofilm-producing methicillin-resistant periocular Staphylococcus epidermidis strains in postoperative endophthalmitis

BACKGROUND: An observational case series was used to study the virulence characteristics and genotypes of paired Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates cultured from intraocular samples and from periocular environment of patients with postcataract surgery endophthalmitis. METHODS: Eight S. epidermidis isolates were obtained from three patients (2 from patients #1 and 2 and 4 from patient #3) whose vitreous and/or anterior chamber (AC) specimens and preoperative lid/conjunctiva samples were culture positive. Cultures were identified by API-Staph phenotypic identification system and genotypically characterized by Fluorescent Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (FAFLP) and checked for their antimicrobial susceptibility. The isolates were tested for biofilm-production and methicillin-resistance (MR) by PCR amplification of icaAB and mecA gene respectively. RESULTS: Four out of eight S. epidermidis strains showed multiple drug resistance (MDR). All the eight strains were PCR positive for mecA gene whereas seven out of eight strains were positive for icaAB genes. In all three patients FAFLP typing established vitreous isolates of S. epidermidis strains to be indistinguishable from the strains isolated from the patient's conjunctival swabs. However, from patient number three there was one isolate (1030b from lid swab), which appeared to be nonpathogenic and ancestral having minor but significant differences from other three strains from the same patient. This strain also lacked icaAB gene. In silico analysis indicated possible evolution of other strains from this strain in the patient. CONCLUSION: Methicillin-resistant biofilm positive S. epidermidis strains colonizing the conjunctiva and eyelid were responsible for postoperative endophthalmitis (POE)

A New Approach to Monitoring Dengue Activity

Discusses informal surveillance tools for monitoring dengue activity, such as ProMED, GPHIN HealthMap and BioCaster

Ferromagnetic Semiconductors: Moving Beyond (Ga,Mn)As

The recent development of MBE techniques for growth of III-V ferromagnetic semiconductors has created materials with exceptional promise in spintronics, i.e. electronics that exploit carrier spin polarization. Among the most carefully studied of these materials is (Ga,Mn)As, in which meticulous optimization of growth techniques has led to reproducible materials properties and ferromagnetic transition temperatures well above 150 K. We review progress in the understanding of this particular material and efforts to address ferromagnetic semiconductors as a class. We then discuss proposals for how these materials might find applications in spintronics. Finally, we propose criteria that can be used to judge the potential utility of newly discovered ferromagnetic semiconductors, and we suggest guidelines that may be helpful in shaping the search for the ideal material.Comment: 37 pages, 4 figure

Development and validation of self-reported line drawings for assessment of knee malalignment and foot rotation: a cross-sectional comparative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>For large scale epidemiological studies clinical assessments and radiographs can be impractical and expensive to apply to more than just a sample of the population examined. The study objectives were to develop and validate two novel instruments for self-reported knee malalignment and foot rotation suitable for use in questionnaire studies of knee pain and osteoarthritis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two sets of line drawings were developed using similar methodology. Each instrument consisted of an explanatory question followed by a set of drawings showing straight alignment, then two each at 7.5° angulation and 15° angulation in the varus/valgus (knee) and inward/outward (foot) directions. Forty one participants undertaking a community study completed the instruments on two occasions. Participants were assessed once by a blinded expert clinical observer with demonstrated excellent reproducibility. Validity was assessed by sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratio (LR) using the observer as the reference standard. Reliability was assessed using weighted kappa (κ). Knee malalignment was measured on 400 knee radiographs. General linear model was used to assess for the presence of a linear increase in knee alignment angle (measured medially) from self-reported severe varus to mild varus, straight, mild valgus and severe valgus deformity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Observer reproducibility (κ) was 0.89 and 0.81 for the knee malalignment and foot rotation instruments respectively. Self-reported participant reproducibility was also good for the knee (κ 0.73) and foot (κ 0.87) instruments. Validity was excellent for the knee malalignment instrument, with a sensitivity of 0.74 (95%CI 0.54, 0.93) and specificity of 0.97 (95%CI 0.94, 1.00). Similarly the foot rotation instrument was also found to have high sensitivity (0.92, 95%CI 0.83, 1.01) and specificity (0.96, 95%CI 0.93, 1.00). The knee alignment angle increased progressively from self reported severe varus to mild varus, straight, mild valgus and severe valgus knee malalignment (p_trend<0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The two novel instruments appear to provide a valid and reliable assessment of self-reported knee malalignment and foot rotation, and may have a practical use in epidemiological studies.</p