Expression and localization of claudins-3 and -12 in transformed human brain endothelium

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to characterize the hCMEC/D3 cell line, an <it>in vitro </it>model of the human Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) for the expression of brain endothelial specific claudins-3 and -12.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>hCMEC/D3 cells express claudins-3 and -12. Claudin-3 is distinctly localized to the TJ whereas claudin -12 is observed in the perinuclear region and completely absent from TJs. We show that the expression of both proteins is lost in cell passage numbers where the BBB properties are no longer fully conserved. Expression and localization of claudin-3 is not modulated by simvastatin shown to improve barrier function <it>in vitro </it>and also recommended for routine hCMEC/D3 culture.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results support conservation of claudin-3 and -12 expression in the hCMEC/D3 cell line and make claudin-3 a potential marker for BBB characteristics <it>in vitro</it>.</p

High power arcjet

The activities on the development of the high power arc jet HIPARC, the thrust balance, and plasma diagnostic probes are discussed. Modifications of the HIPARC design and a synopsis of the materials used are given. Further experimental results with the TT30 thruster in the 50 kW range are presented. Some first calibration measurements of the thrust balance are also included. Progress concerning the development of plasma diagnostic devices is documented

Financing Maternal and Child Health—What Are the Limitations in Estimating Donor Flows and Resource Needs?

Marco Schäferhoff and colleagues critique funding estimates for the maternal and child health Millennium Development Goals, and make recommendations for improving the tracking of financing flows and estimating the costs of scaling up interventions for mothers and children

Extended Gaussian wave packet dynamics

We examine an extension to the theory of Gaussian wave packet dynamics in a one-dimensional potential by means of a sequence of time dependent displacement and squeezing transformations. Exact expressions for the quantum dynamics are found, and relationships are explored between the squeezed system, Gaussian wave packet dynamics, the time dependent harmonic oscillator, and wave packet dynamics in a Gauss-Hermite basis. Expressions are given for the matrix elements of the potential in some simple cases. Several examples are given, including the propagation of a non-Gaussian initial state in a Morse potential

Laser capture microdissection-reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (LCM-RRBS) maps changes in DNA methylation associated with gonadectomy-induced adrenocortical neoplasia in the mouse

Peer reviewe

Magnetic operations: a little fuzzy physics?

We examine the behaviour of charged particles in homogeneous, constant and/or oscillating magnetic fields in the non-relativistic approximation. A special role of the geometric center of the particle trajectory is elucidated. In quantum case it becomes a 'fuzzy point' with non-commuting coordinates, an element of non-commutative geometry which enters into the traditional control problems. We show that its application extends beyond the usually considered time independent magnetic fields of the quantum Hall effect. Some simple cases of magnetic control by oscillating fields lead to the stability maps differing from the traditional Strutt diagram.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figure

Floquet-Markov description of the parametrically driven, dissipative harmonic quantum oscillator

Using the parametrically driven harmonic oscillator as a working example, we study two different Markovian approaches to the quantum dynamics of a periodically driven system with dissipation. In the simpler approach, the driving enters the master equation for the reduced density operator only in the Hamiltonian term. An improved master equation is achieved by treating the entire driven system within the Floquet formalism and coupling it to the reservoir as a whole. The different ensuing evolution equations are compared in various representations, particularly as Fokker-Planck equations for the Wigner function. On all levels of approximation, these evolution equations retain the periodicity of the driving, so that their solutions have Floquet form and represent eigenfunctions of a non-unitary propagator over a single period of the driving. We discuss asymptotic states in the long-time limit as well as the conservative and the high-temperature limits. Numerical results obtained within the different Markov approximations are compared with the exact path-integral solution. The application of the improved Floquet-Markov scheme becomes increasingly important when considering stronger driving and lower temperatures.Comment: 29 pages, 7 figure

Quantum singular oscillator as a model of two-ion trap: an amplification of transition probabilities due to small time variations of the binding potential

Following the paper by M. Combescure [Ann. Phys. (NY) 204, 113 (1990)], we apply the quantum singular time dependent oscillator model to describe the relative one dimensional motion of two ions in a trap. We argue that the model can be justified for low energy excited states with the quantum numbers $n\ll n_{max}\sim 100$, provided that the dimensionless constant characterizing the strength of the repulsive potential is large enough, $g_*\sim 10^5$. Time dependent Gaussian-like wave packets generalizing odd coherent states of the harmonic oscillator, and excitation number eigenstates are constructed. We show that the relative motion of the ions, in contradistinction to its center of mass counterpart, is extremely sensitive to the time dependence of the binding harmonic potential, since the large value of $g_*$ results in a significant amplification of the transition probabilities between energy eigenstate even for slow time variations of the frequency.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps-figures, to appear on Phys. Rev. A, one reference correcte

The Minimum-Uncertainty Squeezed States for for Atoms and Photons in a Cavity

We describe a six-parameter family of the minimum-uncertainty squeezed states for the harmonic oscillator in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. They are derived by the action of corresponding maximal kinematical invariance group on the standard ground state solution. We show that the product of the variances attains the required minimum value 1/4 only at the instances that one variance is a minimum and the other is a maximum, when the squeezing of one of the variances occurs. The generalized coherent states are explicitly constructed and their Wigner function is studied. The overlap coefficients between the squeezed, or generalized harmonic, and the Fock states are explicitly evaluated in terms of hypergeometric functions. The corresponding photons statistics are discussed and some applications to quantum optics, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and superfocusing in channeling scattering are mentioned. Explicit solutions of the Heisenberg equations for radiation field operators with squeezing are found.Comment: 27 pages, no figures, 174 references J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys., Special Issue celebrating the 20th anniversary of quantum state engineering (R. Blatt, A. Lvovsky, and G. Milburn, Guest Editors), May 201

An AKAP-Lbc-RhoA interaction inhibitor promotes the translocation of aquaporin-2 to the plasma membrane of renal collecting duct principal cells

Stimulation of renal collecting duct principal cells with antidiuretic hormone (arginine-vasopressin, AVP) results in inhibition of the small GTPase RhoA and the enrichment of the water channel aquaporin-2 (AQP2) in the plasma membrane. The membrane insertion facilitates water reabsorption from primary urine and fine-tuning of body water homeostasis. Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) interact with RhoA, catalyze the exchange of GDP for GTP and thereby activate the GTPase. However, GEFs involved in the control of AQP2 in renal principal cells are unknown. The A-kinase anchoring protein, AKAP-Lbc, possesses GEF activity, specifically activates RhoA, and is expressed in primary renal inner medullary collecting duct principal (IMCD) cells. Through screening of 18,431 small molecules and synthesis of a focused library around one of the hits, we identified an inhibitor of the interaction of AKAP-Lbc and RhoA. This molecule, Scaff10-8, bound to RhoA, inhibited the AKAP-Lbc-mediated RhoA activation but did not interfere with RhoA activation through other GEFs or activities of other members of the Rho family of small GTPases, Rac1 and Cdc42. Scaff10-8 promoted the redistribution of AQP2 from intracellular vesicles to the periphery of IMCD cells. Thus, our data demonstrate an involvement of AKAP-Lbc-mediated RhoA activation in the control of AQP2 trafficking