88 research outputs found
The Minimum Inflation Rate for Euroland
As a result of the Balassa effect relative prices change rapidly between and within the euro countries. Thus it is impossible to find a common monetary policy that will result in price stability in all countries. Based on empirical estimates of the Balassa model, the paper calculates a minimum aggregate inflation rate which is compatible with the requirement that no country face a deflation. This minimum aggeragate inflation rate is 0.94% in the euro-11 countries and 1.13% in an extended Europe which incorporates the east European countries.Inflation target, Balassa-Samuelson effect, ECB
The Minimum Inflation Rate for Euroland
As a result of the Balassa effect relative prices change rapidly between and within the euro countries. Thus it is impossible to find a common monetary policy that will result in price stability in all countries. Based on empirical estimates of the Balassa model, the paper calculates a minimum aggregate inflation rate which is compatible with the requirement that no country face a deflation. This minimum aggeragate inflation rate is 0.94% in the euro-11 countries and 1.13% in an extended Europe which incorporates the east European countries.
NMR Studies on the Temperature-Dependent Dynamics of Confined Water
We use H NMR to study the rotational motion of supercooled water in
silica pores of various diameters, specifically, in the MCM-41 materials C10,
C12, and C14. Combination of spin-lattice relaxation, line-shape, and
stimulated-echo analyses allows us to determine correlation times in very broad
time and temperature ranges. For the studied pore diameters, 2.1-2.9 nm, we
find two crossovers in the temperature-dependent correlation times of liquid
water upon cooling. At 220-230 K, a first kink in the temperature dependence is
accompanied by a solidification of a fraction of the confined water, implying
that the observed crossover is due to a change from bulk-like to
interface-dominated water dynamics, rather than to a liquid-liquid phase
transition. Moreover, the results provide evidence that process-like
dynamics is probed above the crossover temperature, whereas
process-like dynamics is observed below. At 180-190 K, we find a second change
of the temperature dependence, which resembles that reported for the
process of supercooled liquids during the glass transition, suggesting a value
of K for interface-affected liquid water. In the
high-temperature range, K, the temperature dependence of water
reorientation is weaker in the smaller C10 pores than in the larger C12 and C14
pores, where it is more bulk-like, indicating a significant effect of the
silica confinement on the process of water in the former 2.1 nm
confinement. By contrast, the temperature dependence of water reorientation is
largely independent of the confinement size and described by an Arrhenius law
with an activation energy of eV in the low-temperature
range, K, revealing that the confinement size plays a minor role
for the process of water.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure
Ordnung und Wandel als Herausforderungen für Staat und Gesellschaft: Einleitung
Der vorliegende Band beschäftigt sich mit dem Verhältnis von Ordnung
und Wandel mit Blick auf verschiedene der vorgenannten Facetten. Es nimmt damit ein Thema auf, das für Gert-Joachim Glaeßners wissenschaftliches Wirken prägend ist. Glaeßner hat sich immer wieder aus unterschiedlicher Perspektive mit der Frage beschäftigt, wie politische Ordnungen mit gesellschaftlichem Wandel umgehen, ob politische Systeme zu Reformen fähig sind, diese vielleicht sogar anstoßen können, oder ob sie Veränderungen behindern
Incorporation of N-propanoylneuraminic acid leads to calcium oscillations in oligodendrocytes upon the application of GABA
AbstractSialylation of glycoproteins and glycolipids plays an important role during development, regeneration and pathogenesis. It has been shown that unnatural sialylation within glial cell cultures can have distinct effects on their proliferation and antigenic profiles. These cultures metabolize N-propanoylmannosamine (N-propanoylneuraminic acid precursor=P-NAP), a synthetic non-physiological precursor of neuraminic acid, resulting in the expression of N-propanoylneuraminic acid in glycoconjugates of their cell membranes [Schmidt, C., Stehling, P., Schnitzer, J., Reutter, W. and Horstkorte, R. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 19146–19152]. To determine whether these biochemically engineered sialic acids influence calcium concentrations in cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage, mixed glial cultures of oligodendrocytes growing on top of an astrocyte monolayer were exposed to glutamate, histamine, adrenaline, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), high potassium (high K+) and ATP. Calcium responses in P-NAP-treated oligodendrocytes were determined by confocal microscopy with the calcium indicator fluo-3 AM, and compared with control cultures. We showed that P-NAP differentially modulated the calcium responses of individual oligodendrocytes when GABA was applied. GABA induced calcium oscillations with up to four spikes per min in 60% of oligodendrocytes when treated with P-NAP
Interaction of human dipeptidyl peptidase IV and human immunodeficiency virus type-1 transcription transactivator in Sf9 cells
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) also known as the T cell activation marker CD26 is a multifunctional protein which is involved in various biological processes. The association of human-DPPIV with components of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV1) is well documented and raised some discussions. Several reports implicated the interaction of human-DPPIV with the HIV1 transcription transactivator protein (HIV1-Tat) and the inhibition of the dipeptidyl peptidase activity of DPPIV by the HIV1-Tat protein. Furthermore, enzyme kinetic data implied another binding site for the HIV1-Tat other than the active centre of DPPIV. However, the biological significance of this interaction of the HIV1-Tat protein and human-DPPIV has not been studied, yet. Therefore, we focused on the interaction of HIV1-Tat protein with DPPIV and investigated the subsequent biological consequences of this interaction in <it>Spodoptera frugiperda </it>cells, using the BAC-TO-BAC baculovirus system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The HIV1-Tat protein (Tat-<it>BRU</it>) co-localized and co-immunoprecipitated with human-DPPIV protein, following co-expression in the baculovirus-driven <it>Sf9 </it>cell expression system. Furthermore, tyrosine phosphorylation of DPPIV protein was up-regulated in Tat/DPPIV-co-expressing cells after 72 h culturing and also in DPPIV-expressing <it>Sf9 </it>cells after application of purified recombinant Tat protein. As opposed to the expression of Tat alone, serine phosphorylation of the Tat protein was decreased when co-expressed with human-DPPIV protein.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We show for the first time that human-DPPIV and HIV1-Tat co-immunoprecipitate. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the interaction of HIV1-Tat and human-DPPIV may be involved in signalling platforms that regulate the biological function of both human-DPPIV and HIV1-Tat.</p
Cupulin Is a Zona Pellucida-Like Domain Protein and Major Component of the Cupula from the Inner Ear
The extracellular membranes of the inner ear are essential constituents to
maintain sensory functions, the cupula for sensing torsional movements of the
head, the otoconial membrane for sensing linear movements and accelerations
like gravity, and the tectorial membrane in the cochlea for hearing. So far a
number of structural proteins have been described, but for the gelatinous
cupula precise data are missing. Here, we describe for the first time a major
proteinogenic component of the cupula structure with an apparent molecular
mass of 45 kDa from salmon. Analyses of respective peptides revealed highly
conserved amino-acid sequences with identity to zona pellucida-like domain
proteins. Immunohistochemistry studies localized the protein in the ampulla of
the inner ear from salmon and according to its anatomical appearance we
identified this glycoprotein as Cupulin. Future research on structure and
function of zona pellucida-like domain proteins will enhance our knowledge of
inner ear diseases, like sudden loss of vestibular function and other
disturbances
NMR studies on the temperature-dependent dynamics of confined water
We use ²H NMR to study the rotational motion of supercooled water in silica pores of various diameters,
specifically, in the MCM-41 materials C10, C12, and C14. Combination of spin–lattice relaxation, lineshape,
and stimulated-echo analyses allows us to determine correlation times in very broad time and
temperature ranges. For the studied pore diameters, 2.1–2.9 nm, we find two crossovers in the
temperature-dependent correlation times of liquid water upon cooling. At 220–230 K, a first kink in the
temperature dependence is accompanied by a solidification of a fraction of the confined water, implying
that the observed crossover is due to a change from bulk-like to interface-dominated water dynamics,
rather than to a liquid–liquid phase transition. Moreover, the results provide evidence that α process-like
dynamics is probed above the crossover temperature, whereas β process-like dynamics is observed
below. At 180–190 K, we find a second change of the temperature dependence, which resembles
that reported for the β process of supercooled liquids during the glass transition, suggesting a value of
Tg ≈ 185 K for interface-affected liquid water. In the high-temperature range, T > 225 K, the temperature
dependence of water reorientation is weaker in the smaller C10 pores than in the larger C12 and
C14 pores, where it is more bulk-like, indicating a significant effect of the silica confinement on the α
process of water in the former 2.1 nm confinement. By contrast, the temperature dependence of water
reorientation is largely independent of the confinement size and described by an Arrhenius law with an
activation energy of Ea ≈ 0.5 eV in the low-temperature range, T < 180 K, revealing that the confinement
size plays a minor role for the β process of water
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