Comment on "Surprises in threshold antikaon-nucleon physics"

It has recently been claimed by Oller et al. [PRL 95 (2005) 172502] that the DEAR kaonic hydrogen data can be reconciled with K^- p scattering data in a chiral unitary approach. In this comment we demonstrate that the proposed solution violates fundamental principles of scattering theory.Comment: 1 page, 1 figur

Integrating Heterogeneous Odor Response Data into a Common Response Model: A DoOR to the Complete Olfactome

We have developed a new computational framework for merging odor response data sets from heterogeneous studies, creating a consensus metadatabase, the database of odor responses (DoOR). As a result, we obtained a functional atlas of all available odor responses in Drosophila melanogaster. Both the program and the data set are freely accessible and downloadable on the Internet (http://neuro.uni-konstanz.de/DoOR). The procedure can be adapted to other species, thus creating a family of “olfactomes” in the near future. Drosophila melanogaster was chosen because of all species this one is closest to having the complete olfactome characterized, with the highest number of deorphanized receptors available. The database guarantees long-term stability (by offering time-stamped, downloadable versions), up-to-date accuracy (by including new data sets as soon as they are published), and portability (for other species). We hope that this comprehensive repository of odor response profiles will be useful to the olfactory community and to computational neuroscientists alike

Diffusive coupling can discriminate between similar reaction mechanisms in an allosteric enzyme system

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A central question for the understanding of biological reaction networks is how a particular dynamic behavior, such as bistability or oscillations, is realized at the molecular level. So far this question has been mainly addressed in well-mixed reaction systems which are conveniently described by ordinary differential equations. However, much less is known about how molecular details of a reaction mechanism can affect the dynamics in diffusively coupled systems because the resulting partial differential equations are much more difficult to analyze.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Motivated by recent experiments we compare two closely related mechanisms for the product activation of allosteric enzymes with respect to their ability to induce different types of reaction-diffusion waves and stationary Turing patterns. The analysis is facilitated by mapping each model to an associated complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. We show that a sequential activation mechanism, as implemented in the model of Monod, Wyman and Changeux (MWC), can generate inward rotating spiral waves which were recently observed as glycolytic activity waves in yeast extracts. In contrast, in the limiting case of a simple Hill activation, the formation of inward propagating waves is suppressed by a Turing instability. The occurrence of this unusual wave dynamics is not related to the magnitude of the enzyme cooperativity (as it is true for the occurrence of oscillations), but to the sensitivity with respect to changes of the activator concentration. Also, the MWC mechanism generates wave patterns that are more stable against long wave length perturbations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This analysis demonstrates that amplitude equations, which describe the spatio-temporal dynamics near an instability, represent a valuable tool to investigate the molecular effects of reaction mechanisms on pattern formation in spatially extended systems. Using this approach we have shown that the occurrence of inward rotating spiral waves in glycolysis can be explained in terms of an MWC, but not with a Hill mechanism for the activation of the allosteric enzyme phosphofructokinase. Our results also highlight the importance of enzyme oligomerization for a possible experimental generation of Turing patterns in biological systems.</p

Two-photon decays of pi^0, eta and eta-prime

We investigate the decays of pi^0, eta and eta-prime into two photons in an effective U(3) chiral Lagrangian approach without employing large N_c arguments. Tree level and one-loop contributions from the anomalous Wess-Zumino-Witten Lagrangian are calculated and the importance of eta--eta-prime mixing and isospin violation due to different up- and down-quark masses is discussed. Unitarity corrections beyond one-loop play an important role for the decays with off-shell photons and are included by employing a coupled channel Bethe-Salpeter equation which satisfies unitarity constraints and generates vector-mesons from composed states of two pseudoscalar mesons

Anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody treatment in acute and early chronic antigen induced arthritis: influence on macrophage activation

Objective: To investigate the indirect effects of anti-CD4 treatment on the functions of macrophages (CD4(–) in mice) in the acute and early chronic phase of mouse antigen induced arthritis (AIA). Methods: C57BL/6 mice with AIA were treated intraperitoneally with the anti-CD4 mAb GK1.5 or control rat IgG on days –1, 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7. Proinflammatory cytokines (IL1ß, IL6, and TNFα) were quantified by sandwich ELISA in joint extracts, serum, and supernatants of ex vivo stimulated spleen/lymph node cells or peritoneal macrophages (+LPS/IFNγ). Nitric oxide (NO) levels in supernatants of ex vivo stimulated peritoneal macrophages were measured by the Griess reaction. Proteolytic activity in joint homogenates was analysed by gelatin, casein, and elastin zymography, and substrate assays. Results: Anti-CD4 treatment significantly reduced joint swelling in acute (days 3, 5) and early chronic AIA (day 7) and diminished inflammation and destruction scores in late chronic AIA (day 21). On day 3, anti-CD4 treatment significantly reduced IL6 levels in all compartments. IL1ß was reduced in joint extracts, unaffected in serum or cells from lymphoid organs, and increased in stimulated peritoneal macrophages. TNFα was significantly increased in the joints, decreased in serum, and otherwise unchanged. NO production by stimulated peritoneal macrophages was significantly reduced by anti-CD4 treatment. Lower activity of matrix metalloproteinases and neutrophil elastase was seen in joint extracts of anti-CD4 treated animals than in IgG treated AIA controls. Conclusion: CD4(+) T cell directed treatment had strong local and systemic effects on macrophages. These indirect effects may contribute to the reduction of destructive mediators/joint destruction in AIA