108 research outputs found
On the shape of spectra for non-self-adjoint periodic Schr\"odinger operators
The spectra of the Schr\"odinger operators with periodic potentials are
studied. When the potential is real and periodic, the spectrum consists of at
most countably many line segments (energy bands) on the real line, while when
the potential is complex and periodic, the spectrum consists of at most
countably many analytic arcs in the complex plane.
In some recent papers, such operators with complex -symmetric
periodic potentials are studied. In particular, the authors argued that some
energy bands would appear and disappear under perturbations. Here, we show that
appearance and disappearance of such energy bands imply existence of nonreal
spectra. This is a consequence of a more general result, describing the local
shape of the spectrum.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Hepatic zinc in metallothionein-null mice following zinc challenge: in vivo and in vitro studies
Cardiac magnetic resonance left ventricular quantitative analysis post gadolinium: reliable and reproducible?
On the structure of eigenfunctions corresponding to embedded eigenvalues of locally perturbed periodic graph operators
The article is devoted to the following question. Consider a periodic
self-adjoint difference (differential) operator on a graph (quantum graph) G
with a co-compact free action of the integer lattice Z^n. It is known that a
local perturbation of the operator might embed an eigenvalue into the
continuous spectrum (a feature uncommon for periodic elliptic operators of
second order). In all known constructions of such examples, the corresponding
eigenfunction is compactly supported. One wonders whether this must always be
the case. The paper answers this question affirmatively. What is more
surprising, one can estimate that the eigenmode must be localized not far away
from the perturbation (in a neighborhood of the perturbation's support, the
width of the neighborhood determined by the unperturbed operator only).
The validity of this result requires the condition of irreducibility of the
Fermi (Floquet) surface of the periodic operator, which is expected to be
satisfied for instance for periodic Schroedinger operators.Comment: Submitted for publicatio
Biorthogonal Quantum Systems
Models of PT symmetric quantum mechanics provide examples of biorthogonal
quantum systems. The latter incorporporate all the structure of PT symmetric
models, and allow for generalizations, especially in situations where the PT
construction of the dual space fails. The formalism is illustrated by a few
exact results for models of the form H=(p+\nu)^2+\sum_{k>0}\mu_{k}exp(ikx). In
some non-trivial cases, equivalent hermitian theories are obtained and shown to
be very simple: They are just free (chiral) particles. Field theory extensions
are briefly considered.Comment: 34 pages, 5 eps figures; references added and other changes made to
conform to journal versio
The Rhodococcus equi virulence protein VapA disrupts endolysosome function and stimulates lysosome biogenesis
Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is an important pulmonary pathogen in foals that often leads to the death of the horse. The bacterium harbors a virulence plasmid that encodes numerous virulence-associated proteins (Vaps) including VapA that is essential for intracellular survival inside macrophages. However, little is known about the precise function of VapA. Here, we demonstrate that VapA causes perturbation to late endocytic organelles with swollen endolysosome organelles having reduced Cathepsin B activity and an accumulation of LBPA, LC3 and Rab7. The data are indicative of a loss of endolysosomal function, which leads cells to upregulate lysosome biogenesis to compensate for the loss of functional endolysosomes. Although there is a high degree of homology of the core region of VapA to other Vap proteins, only the highly conserved core region of VapA, and not VapD of VapG, gives the observed effects on endolysosomes. This is the first demonstration of how VapA works and implies that VapA aids R. equi survival by reducing the impact of lysosomes on phagocytosed bacteria
Measurement of zinc in hepatocytes by using a fluorescent probe, zinquin: relationship to metallothionein and intracellular zinc
Metallothionein in human oesophagus, Barrett's epithelium and adenocarcinoma
The potential of the metal-binding protein, metallothionein, in assessing the progression of normal oesophagus through Barrett's to adenocarcinoma was investigated. Metallothionein was quantitatively determined in resected tissues from patients undergoing oesophagectomy for high grade dysplasia/adenocarcinoma and in biopsies from patients with Barrett's syndrome. In 10 cancer patients, metallothionein concentrations in adenocarcinoma were not significantly different from normal oesophagus, although six had elevated metallothionein concentrations in the metaplastic tissue bordering the adenocarcinoma. In 17 out of 20 non-cancer patients with Barrett's epithelium, metallothionein was significantly increased by 108% (P<0.004). There was no association between the metallothionein levels in Barrett's epithelium and the presence of inflammatory cells, metaplasia or dysplasia. Metallothionein is a marker of progression from normal to Barrett's epithelium but is not increased in oesophageal adenocarcinoma
Adipose atrophy in cancer cachexia:morphologic and molecular analysis of adipose tissue in tumour-bearing mice
Extensive loss of adipose tissue is a hallmark of cancer cachexia but the cellular and molecular basis remains unclear. This study has examined morphologic and molecular characteristics of white adipose tissue in mice bearing a cachexia-inducing tumour, MAC16. Adipose tissue from tumour-bearing mice contained shrunken adipocytes that were heterogeneous in size. Increased fibrosis was evident by strong collagen-fibril staining in the tissue matrix. Ultrastructure of 'slimmed' adipocytes revealed severe delipidation and modifications in cell membrane conformation. There were major reductions in mRNA levels of adipogenic transcription factors including CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) in adipose tissue, which was accompanied by reduced protein content of C/EBPα and SREBP-1. mRNA levels of SREBP-1c targets, fatty acid synthase, acetyl CoA carboxylase, stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 and glycerol-3-phosphate acyl transferase, also fell as did glucose transporter-4 and leptin. In contrast, mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha and uncoupling protein-2 were increased in white fat of tumour-bearing mice. These results suggest that the tumour-induced impairment in the formation and lipid storing capacity of adipose tissue occurs in mice with cancer cachexia. © 2006 Cancer Research UK
Genomic Restructuring in the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumour: Chromosome Painting and Gene Mapping Provide Clues to Evolution of a Transmissible Tumour
Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is a fatal, transmissible malignancy that threatens the world's largest marsupial carnivore, the Tasmanian devil, with extinction. First recognised in 1996, DFTD has had a catastrophic effect on wild devil numbers, and intense research efforts to understand and contain the disease have since demonstrated that the tumour is a clonal cell line transmitted by allograft. We used chromosome painting and gene mapping to deconstruct the DFTD karyotype and determine the chromosome and gene rearrangements involved in carcinogenesis. Chromosome painting on three different DFTD tumour strains determined the origins of marker chromosomes and provided a general overview of the rearrangement in DFTD karyotypes. Mapping of 105 BAC clones by fluorescence in situ hybridisation provided a finer level of resolution of genome rearrangements in DFTD strains. Our findings demonstrate that only limited regions of the genome, mainly chromosomes 1 and X, are rearranged in DFTD. Regions rearranged in DFTD are also highly rearranged between different marsupials. Differences between strains are limited, reflecting the unusually stable nature of DFTD. Finally, our detailed maps of both the devil and tumour karyotypes provide a physical framework for future genomic investigations into DFTD
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