Affine spherical homogeneous spaces with good quotient by a maximal unipotent subgroup

For an affine spherical homogeneous space G/H of a connected semisimple algebraic group G, we consider the factorization morphism by the action on G/H of a maximal unipotent subgroup of G. We prove that this morphism is equidimensional if and only if the weight semigroup of G/H satisfies some simple condition.Comment: v2: title and abstract changed; v3: 16 pages, minor correction

The role of viruses, inflammation and myocardial macrophages in the development of idiopathic arrhythmia

We studied viral antigens, inflammation, and macrophages in the endomyocardial biopsies of patients with idiopathic arrhythmias. Immunohistological study was performed to identify the antigens of cardiotropic viruses and the types of lymphocytes and macrophages. We observed the presence of viral antigens in the myocardium of patients with and without histological criteria of myocarditis. Heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias were associated with small focal infiltration of the myocardium with macrophages. The presence of viral antigens in the myocardium was associated with fewer number of myocardial M2 macrophages. Severity of myocardial interstitial fibrosis correlated with small-focal infiltration of M2 macrophages

Hierarchical Dobinski-type relations via substitution and the moment problem

We consider the transformation properties of integer sequences arising from the normal ordering of exponentiated boson ([a,a*]=1) monomials of the form exp(x (a*)^r a), r=1,2,..., under the composition of their exponential generating functions (egf). They turn out to be of Sheffer-type. We demonstrate that two key properties of these sequences remain preserved under substitutional composition: (a)the property of being the solution of the Stieltjes moment problem; and (b) the representation of these sequences through infinite series (Dobinski-type relations). We present a number of examples of such composition satisfying properties (a) and (b). We obtain new Dobinski-type formulas and solve the associated moment problem for several hierarchically defined combinatorial families of sequences.Comment: 14 pages, 31 reference

Transmission Electron Microscopy Reveals Distinct Macrophage- and Tick Cell-Specific Morphological Stages of Ehrlichia chaffeensis

Background: Ehrlichia chaffeensis is an emerging tick-borne rickettsial pathogen responsible for human monocytic ehrlichiosis. Despite the induction of an active host immune response, the pathogen has evolved to persist in its vertebrate and tick hosts. Understanding how the organism progresses in tick and vertebrate host cells is critical in identifying effective strategies to block the pathogen transmission. Our recent molecular and proteomic studies revealed differences in numerous expressed proteins of the organism during its growth in different host environments. Methodology/Principal Findings: Transmission electron microscopy analysis was performed to assess morphological changes in the bacterium within macrophages and tick cells. The stages of pathogen progression observed included the attachment of the organism to the host cells, its engulfment and replication within a morulae by binary fission and release of the organisms from infected host cells by complete host cell lysis or by exocytosis. E. chaffeensis grown in tick cells was highly pleomorphic and appears to replicate by both binary fission and filamentous type cell divisions. The presence of Ehrlichia-like inclusions was also observed within the nucleus of both macrophages and tick cells. This observation was confirmed by confocal microscopy and immunoblot analysis. Conclusions/Significance: Morphological differences in the pathogen’s progression, replication, and processing within macrophages and tick cells provide further evidence that E. chaffeensis employs unique host-cell specific strategies in support of adaptation to vertebrate and tick cell environments

Selective Functionalization of Microstructured Surfaces by Laser-Assisted Particle Transfer

Microcavity arrays represent millions of different reaction compartments to screen for e.g. molecular interactions, exogenous factors for cells or enzymatic activity. We present a novel method to selectively synthesize different compounds in arrays of microcavities with up to 1,000,000 cavities per cm2. In our approach, polymer microparticles with embedded pre-activated monomers are selectively transferred into microcavities with laser radiation. After particle patterning, heating of the particle matrix simultaneously leads to diffusion and coupling of the monomers inside each microcavity separately. This method exhibits flexibility, not only in the choice of compounds, but also in the choice of particle matrix material, which determines the chemical reaction environment. The laser-assisted selective functionalization of microcavities can be easily combined with the intensively growing number of laser applications for patterning of molecules and cells, which is useful for the development of novel biological assays

An Efficient Rank Based Approach for Closest String and Closest Substring

This paper aims to present a new genetic approach that uses rank distance for solving two known NP-hard problems, and to compare rank distance with other distance measures for strings. The two NP-hard problems we are trying to solve are closest string and closest substring. For each problem we build a genetic algorithm and we describe the genetic operations involved. Both genetic algorithms use a fitness function based on rank distance. We compare our algorithms with other genetic algorithms that use different distance measures, such as Hamming distance or Levenshtein distance, on real DNA sequences. Our experiments show that the genetic algorithms based on rank distance have the best results

FYVE-Dependent Endosomal Targeting of an Arrestin-Related Protein in Amoeba

International audienceBACKGROUND: Visual and β-arrestins are scaffolding proteins involved in the regulation of receptor-dependent intracellular signaling and their trafficking. The arrestin superfamilly includes several arrestin domain-containing proteins and the structurally related protein Vps26. In Dictyostelium discoideum, the arrestin-domain containing proteins form a family of six members, namely AdcA to -F. In contrast to canonical arrestins, Dictyostelium Adc proteins show a more complex architecture, as they possess, in addition to the arrestin core, other domains, such as C2, FYVE, LIM, MIT and SAM, which potentially mediate selective interactions with either lipids or proteins. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A detailed analysis of AdcA has been performed. AdcA extends on both sides of the arrestin core, in particular by a FYVE domain which mediates selective interactions with PI(3)P, as disclosed by intrinsic fluorescence measurements and lipid overlay assays. Localization studies showed an enrichment of tagged- and endogenous AdcA on the rim of early macropinosomes and phagosomes. This vesicular distribution relies on a functional FYVE domain. Our data also show that the arrestin core binds the ADP-ribosylation factor ArfA, the unique amoebal Arf member, in its GDP-bound conformation. SIGNIFICANCE: This work describes one of the 6 arrestin domain-containing proteins of Dictyostelium, a novel and atypical member of the arrestin clan. It provides the basis for a better understanding of arrestin-related protein involvement in trafficking processes and for further studies on the expanding roles of arrestins in eukaryotes

Модифицированный дельфийский анализ положений и критериев качества методических рекомендаций «Седация пациентов в отделениях анестезиологии, реанимации и интенсивной терапии»

АКТУАЛЬНОСТЬ: Подходы к седации в отделениях анестезиологии, реанимации и интенсивной терапии за последние 20 лет изменились. В 2020 г. в рубрикаторе клинических рекомендаций были размещены методические рекомендации «Седация пациентов в отделениях анестезиологии, реанимации и интенсивной терапии». ЦЕЛЬ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ: Способствовать повышению качества планового обновления рекомендаций с помощью модифицированного дельфийского анализа положений и критериев качества текущей версии документа, размещенного в рубрикаторе клинических рекомендаций Минздрава России. МАТЕРИАЛЫ И МЕТОДЫ: Мы использовали модифицированный метод Дельфи с двумя раундами анкетирования для выработки единого мнения. Достижение согласия специалистов было проведено в три этапа: подготовительный этап, этап обсуждений и этап выработки консенсусного заключения. Для проведения оценки был создан опросник, состоящий из 3 блоков: оценка положений методических рекомендаций; оценка критериев качества методических рекомендаций; общая оценка методических рекомендаций. Оценку производили на основании шкалы Лайкерта. Рассчитывали медиану, моду и средневзвешенную оценку. Если при оценке положений и критериев качества методических рекомендаций значение медианы или моды любого положения было менее 7, средневзвешенной оценки — менее 70 %; значение медианы или моды критериев качества менее 7,5, средневзвешенной оценки — менее 75 %, то это положение (критерий качества) должно быть рекомендовано для переработки. РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ: Оценка положений и критериев была проведена в первом круге обсуждения. На втором круге обсуждения были окончательно выработаны предложения и рекомендации для разработчиков методических рекомендаций. Консенсус был достигнут в ходе двух раундов модифицированного анализа Дельфи. В результате проведенного анализа 16 из 21 положения и 5 из 6 критериев качества были согласованы, остальным требовалась редакция формулировки текста положения и комментария. ВЫВОДЫ: В результате независимой оценки независимыми специалистами 5 положений и 1 критерий качества были рекомендованы для редакции. Также были согласованы комментарии к этим положениям и критерию качества методических рекомендаций «Седация пациентов в отделениях анестезиологии, реанимации и интенсивной терапии»