2,304 research outputs found
Mitochondrial effects of dexamethasone imply both membrane and cytosolic-initiated pathways in HepG2 cells
Glucocorticoid treatment is often linked to increased whole-body energy expenditure and hypermetabolism. Glucocorticoids affect mitochondrial energy production, notably in the liver, where they lead to mitochondrial uncoupling reducing the efficacy of oxidative phosphorylation. However, the signaling pathways involved in these phenomena are poorly understood. Here we treated HepG2 cells with dexamethasone for different times and, by using different combinations of inhibitors, we showed that dexamethasone treatment leads to recruitment of two main signaling pathways. The first one involves a G-protein coupled membrane glucocorticoid binding site and rapidly decreases complexes I and II activities while complex III activity is upregulated in a p38MAPK dependent mechanism. The second one implies the classical cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor and triggers long-term transcriptional increases of respiration rates and of complex IV activity and quantity. We concluded that mitochondria are the target of multiple dexamethasone-induced regulatory pathways that are set up gradually after the beginning of hormone exposure and that durably influence mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
Compliance error compensation in robotic-based milling
The paper deals with the problem of compliance errors compensation in
robotic-based milling. Contrary to previous works that assume that the
forces/torques generated by the manufacturing process are constant, the
interaction between the milling tool and the workpiece is modeled in details.
It takes into account the tool geometry, the number of teeth, the feed rate,
the spindle rotation speed and the properties of the material to be processed.
Due to high level of the disturbing forces/torques, the developed compensation
technique is based on the non-linear stiffness model that allows us to modify
the target trajectory taking into account nonlinearities and to avoid the
chattering effect. Illustrative example is presented that deals with
robotic-based milling of aluminum alloy
Subcarrier index-power modulated optical OFDM with dual superposition multiplexing for IMDD PON systems
International audienc
First annotated draft genomes of nonmarine ostracods (Ostracoda, Crustacea) with different reproductive modes.
Ostracods are one of the oldest crustacean groups with an excellent fossil record and high importance for phylogenetic analyses but genome resources for this class are still lacking. We have successfully assembled and annotated the first reference genomes for three species of nonmarine ostracods; two with obligate sexual reproduction (Cyprideis torosa and Notodromas monacha) and the putative ancient asexual Darwinula stevensoni. This kind of genomic research has so far been impeded by the small size of most ostracods and the absence of genetic resources such as linkage maps or BAC libraries that were available for other crustaceans. For genome assembly, we used an Illumina-based sequencing technology, resulting in assemblies of similar sizes for the three species (335-382 Mb) and with scaffold numbers and their N50 (19-56 kb) in the same orders of magnitude. Gene annotations were guided by transcriptome data from each species. The three assemblies are relatively complete with BUSCO scores of 92-96. The number of predicted genes (13,771-17,776) is in the same range as Branchiopoda genomes but lower than in most malacostracan genomes. These three reference genomes from nonmarine ostracods provide the urgently needed basis to further develop ostracods as models for evolutionary and ecological research
Quasiperiodic spin-orbit motion and spin tunes in storage rings
We present an in-depth analysis of the concept of spin precession frequency
for integrable orbital motion in storage rings. Spin motion on the periodic
closed orbit of a storage ring can be analyzed in terms of the Floquet theorem
for equations of motion with periodic parameters and a spin precession
frequency emerges in a Floquet exponent as an additional frequency of the
system. To define a spin precession frequency on nonperiodic synchro-betatron
orbits we exploit the important concept of quasiperiodicity. This allows a
generalization of the Floquet theorem so that a spin precession frequency can
be defined in this case too. This frequency appears in a Floquet-like exponent
as an additional frequency in the system in analogy with the case of motion on
the closed orbit. These circumstances lead naturally to the definition of the
uniform precession rate and a definition of spin tune. A spin tune is a uniform
precession rate obtained when certain conditions are fulfilled. Having defined
spin tune we define spin-orbit resonance on synchro--betatron orbits and
examine its consequences. We give conditions for the existence of uniform
precession rates and spin tunes (e.g. where small divisors are controlled by
applying a Diophantine condition) and illustrate the various aspects of our
description with several examples. The formalism also suggests the use of
spectral analysis to ``measure'' spin tune during computer simulations of spin
motion on synchro-betatron orbits.Comment: 62 pages, 1 figure. A slight extension of the published versio
Quantum-well states in ultrathin Ag(111) films deposited onto H-passivated Si(111)-(1x1) surfaces
Ag(111) films were deposited at room temperature onto H-passivated
Si(111)-(1x1) substrates, and subsequently annealed at 300 C. An abrupt
non-reactive Ag/Si interface is formed, and very uniform non-strained Ag(111)
films of 6-12 monolayers have been grown. Angle resolved photoemission
spectroscopy has been used to study the valence band electronic properties of
these films. Well-defined Ag sp quantum-well states (QWS) have been observed at
discrete energies between 0.5-2eV below the Fermi level, and their dispersions
have been measured along the GammaK, GammaMM'and GammaL symmetry directions.
QWS show a parabolic bidimensional dispersion, with in-plane effective mass of
0.38-0.50mo, along the GammaK and GammaMM' directions, whereas no dispersion
has been found along the GammaL direction, indicating the low-dimensional
electronic character of these states. The binding energy dependence of the QWS
as a function of Ag film thickness has been analyzed in the framework of the
phase accumulation model. According to this model, a reflectivity of 70% has
been estimated for the Ag-sp states at the Ag/H/Si(111)-(1x1) interface.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Monte-Carlo simulations of the recombination dynamics in porous silicon
A simple lattice model describing the recombination dynamics in visible light
emitting porous Silicon is presented. In the model, each occupied lattice site
represents a Si crystal of nanometer size. The disordered structure of porous
Silicon is modeled by modified random percolation networks in two and three
dimensions. Both correlated (excitons) and uncorrelated electron-hole pairs
have been studied. Radiative and non-radiative processes as well as hopping
between nearest neighbor occupied sites are taken into account. By means of
extensive Monte-Carlo simulations, we show that the recombination dynamics in
porous Silicon is due to a dispersive diffusion of excitons in a disordered
arrangement of interconnected Si quantum dots. The simulated luminescence decay
for the excitons shows a stretched exponential lineshape while for uncorrelated
electron-hole pairs a power law decay is suggested. Our results successfully
account for the recombination dynamics recently observed in the experiments.
The present model is a prototype for a larger class of models describing
diffusion of particles in a complex disordered system.Comment: 33 pages, RevTeX, 19 figures available on request to
[email protected]
Amine functionalization of cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix with generation 1 PAMAM dendrimer
This document is the unedited author's version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Biomacromolecules, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work, see http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bm701055k.A method to functionalize cholecyst-derived extracellular matrix (CEM) with free amine groups was established in an attempt to improve its potential for tethering of bioactive molecules. CEM was incorporated with Generation-1 polyamidoamine (G1 PAMAM) dendrimer by using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-NâČ-ethylcarbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide cross-linking system. The nature of incorporation of PAMAM dendrimer was evaluated using shrink temperature measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) assessment, ninhydrin assay, and swellability. The effects of PAMAM incorporation on mechanical and degradation properties of CEM were evaluated using a uniaxial mechanical test and collagenase degradation assay, respectively. Ninhydrin assay and FTIR assessment confirmed the presence of increasing free amine groups with increasing quantity of PAMAM in dendrimer-incorporated CEM (DENCEM) scaffolds. The amount of dendrimer used was found to be critical in controlling scaffold degradation, shrink temperature, and free amine content. Cell culture studies showed that fibroblasts seeded on DENCEM maintained their metabolic activity and ability to proliferate in vitro. In addition, fluorescence cell staining and scanning electron microscopy analysis of cell-seeded DENCEM showed preservation of normal fibroblast morphology and phenotype
Production of highly-polarized positrons using polarized electrons at MeV energies
The Polarized Electrons for Polarized Positrons experiment at the injector of
the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility has demonstrated for the
first time the efficient transfer of polarization from electrons to positrons
produced by the polarized bremsstrahlung radiation induced by a polarized
electron beam in a high- target. Positron polarization up to 82\% have been
measured for an initial electron beam momentum of 8.19~MeV/, limited only by
the electron beam polarization. This technique extends polarized positron
capabilities from GeV to MeV electron beams, and opens access to polarized
positron beam physics to a wide community.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Electronic properties and Fermi surface of Ag(111) films deposited onto H-passivated Si(111)-(1x1) surfaces
Silver films were deposited at room temperature onto H-passivated Si(111)
surfaces. Their electronic properties have been analyzed by angle-resolved
photoelectron spectroscopy. Submonolayer films were semiconducting and the
onset of metallization was found at a Ag coverage of 0.6 monolayers. Two
surface states were observed at -point in the metallic films,
with binding energies of 0.1 and 0.35 eV. By measurements of photoelectron
angular distribution at the Fermi level in these films, a cross-sectional cut
of the Fermi surface was obtained. The Fermi vector determined along different
symmetry directions and the photoelectron lifetime of states at the Fermi level
are quite close to those expected for Ag single crystal. In spite of this
concordance, the Fermi surface reflects a sixfold symmetry rather than the
threefold symmetry of Ag single crystal. This behavior was attributed to the
fact that these Ag films are composed by two domains rotated 60.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Physical Review
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