Alteration by EGTA of the human red cell Ca2+-ATPase

AbstractThe effect of EGTA on Ca2+-ATPase activity was studied in fragmented membranes and solubilized preparations from human red cells. A dual action was found. At low concentrations (0.1–1 mM), EGTA increased Ca2+ affinity without affecting Vmax. By contrast, high concentrations (5–10 mM), EGTA was inhibitory. Both effects were partially reversible

Moments of Catalan Triangle Numbers

In this chapter, we consider the Catalan numbers, C n = 1 n + 1 2 n n , and two of their generalizations, Catalan triangle numbers, B n , k and A n , k , for n , k ∈ N . They are combinatorial numbers and present interesting properties as recursive formulae, generating functions and combinatorial interpretations. We treat the moments of these Catalan triangle numbers, i.e., with the following sums: ∑ k = 1 n k m B n , k j , ∑ k = 1 n + 1 2 k − 1 m A n , k j , for j , n ∈ N and m ∈ N ∪ 0 . We present their closed expressions for some values of m and j . Alternating sums are also considered for particular powers. Other famous integer sequences are studied in Section 3, and its connection with Catalan triangle numbers are given in Section 4. Finally we conjecture some properties of divisibility of moments and alternating sums of powers in the last section

Catalan generating functions for bounded operators

In this paper, we study the solution of the quadratic equation TY2−Y+I=0 where T is a linear and bounded operator on a Banach space X. We describe the spectrum set and the resolvent operator of Y in terms of the ones of T. In the case that 4T is a power-bounded operator, we show that a solution (named Catalan generating function) of the above equation is given by the Taylor series C(T):=∑n=0∞CnTn, where the sequence (Cn)nis the well-known Catalan numbers sequence. We express C(T) by means of an integral representation which involves the resolvent operator (λT)−1. Some particular examples to illustrate our results are given, in particular an iterative method defined for square matrices T which involves Catalan number

Modeling elastic wave propagation in fluid-filled boreholes drilled in nonhomogeneous media: BEM – MLPG versus BEM-FEM coupling

The efficiency of two coupling formulations, the boundary element method (BEM)-meshless local Petrov–Galerkin (MLPG) versus the BEM-finite element method (FEM), used to simulate the elastic wave propagation in fluid-filled boreholes generated by a blast load, is compared. The longitudinal geometry is assumed to be invariant in the axial direction (2.5D formulation). The material properties in the vicinity of the borehole are assumed to be nonhomogeneous as a result of the construction process and the ageing of the material. In both models, the BEM is used to tackle the propagation within the fluid domain inside the borehole and the unbounded homogeneous domain. The MLPG and the FEM are used to simulate the confined, damaged, nonhomogeneous, surrounding borehole, thus utilizing the advantages of these methods in modeling nonhomogeneous bounded media. In both numerical techniques the coupling is accomplished directly at the nodal points located at the common interfaces. Continuity of stresses and displacements is imposed at the solid–solid interface, while continuity of normal stresses and displacements and null shear stress are prescribed at the fluid–solid interface. The performance of each coupled BEM-MLPG and BEM-FEM approach is determined using referenced results provided by an analytical solution developed for a circular multi-layered subdomain. The comparison of the coupled techniques is evaluated for different excitation frequencies, axial wavenumbers and degrees of freedom (nodal points).Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad BIA2013-43085-PCentro Informático Científico de Andalucía (CICA

Ionic calcium content of light dense human red cells separated by percoll density gradients

AbstractIn this paper we have compared the adequacy of two methods using Percoll density gradients to separate light and dense erythrocytes from fresh human blood. After measuring the distribution of some classical age-markers such as haemoglobin, potassium and creatine contents, it was found that preformed gradients generated more stringent conditions for age-related density separations. Employing such gradients, the free Ca2+ content of above sub-populations was assessed with Fura-2, under conditions where the viscosity effect was abolished. In five experiments, the free Ca2+ content (mean value±1 S.D.) was 8.4±2.82 nM and 31.2±13.0 nM for the 7–10% lightest and densest cells, respectively. These results are discussed in connection to red cell senescence

Real-time evolution of a large-scale relativistic jet

Context. Astrophysical jets are ubiquitous in the Universe on all scales, but their large-scale dynamics and evolution in time are hard to observe since they usually develop at a very slow pace. Aims. We aim to obtain the first observational proof of the expected large-scale evolution and interaction with the environment in an astrophysical jet. Only jets from microquasars offer a chance to witness the real-time, full-jet evolution within a human lifetime, since they combine a 'short', few parsec length with relativistic velocities. Methods. The methodology of this work is based on a systematic recalibraton of interferometric radio observations of microquasars available in public archives. In particular, radio observations of the microquasar GRS 1758-258 over less than two decades have provided the most striking results. Results. Significant morphological variations in the extended jet structure of GRS 1758-258 are reported here that were previously missed. Its northern radio lobe underwent a major morphological variation that rendered the hotspot undetectable in 2001 and reappeared again in the following years. The reported changes confirm the Galactic nature of the source. We tentatively interpret them in terms of the growth of instabilities in the jet flow. There is also evidence of surrounding cocoon. These results can provide a testbed for models accounting for the evolution of jets and their interaction with the environment.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letter

Evolution of Daily Gene Co-expression Patterns from Algae to Plants

Daily rhythms play a key role in transcriptome regulation in plants and microalgae orchestrating responses that, among other processes, anticipate light transitions that are essential for their metabolism and development. The recent accumulation of genome-wide transcriptomic data generated under alternating light:dark periods from plants and microalgae has made possible integrative and comparative analysis that could contribute to shed light on the evolution of daily rhythms in the green lineage. In this work, RNA-seq and microarray data generated over 24 h periods in different light regimes from the eudicot Arabidopsis thaliana and the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Ostreococcus tauri have been integrated and analyzed using gene co-expression networks. This analysis revealed a reduction in the size of the daily rhythmic transcriptome from around 90% in Ostreococcus, being heavily influenced by light transitions, to around 40% in Arabidopsis, where a certain independence from light transitions can be observed. A novel Multiple Bidirectional Best Hit (MBBH) algorithm was applied to associate single genes with a family of potential orthologues from evolutionary distant species. Gene duplication, amplification and divergence of rhythmic expression profiles seems to have played a central role in the evolution of gene families in the green lineage such as Pseudo Response Regulators (PRRs), CONSTANS-Likes (COLs), and DNA-binding with One Finger (DOFs). Gene clustering and functional enrichment have been used to identify groups of genes with similar rhythmic gene expression patterns. The comparison of gene clusters between species based on potential orthologous relationships has unveiled a low to moderate level of conservation of daily rhythmic expression patterns. However, a strikingly high conservation was found for the gene clusters exhibiting their highest and/or lowest expression value during the light transitions