149 research outputs found
(Non)-Renormalization of the Chiral Vortical Effect Coefficient
We show using diagramtic arguments that in some (but not all) cases, the
temperature dependent part of the chiral vortical effect coefficient is
independent of the coupling constant. An interpretation of this result in terms
of quantization in the effective 3 dimensional Chern-Simons theory is also
given. In the language of 3D dimensionally reduced theory, the value of the
chiral vortical coefficient is related to the formula . We also show that in the presence of dynamical gauge fields, the CVE
coefficient is not protected from renormalization, even in the large limit.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures. Version 2 corrects an error and calculates
leading radiative correctio
A Distinguished Vacuum State for a Quantum Field in a Curved Spacetime: Formalism, Features, and Cosmology
We define a distinguished "ground state" or "vacuum" for a free scalar
quantum field in a globally hyperbolic region of an arbitrarily curved
spacetime. Our prescription is motivated by the recent construction of a
quantum field theory on a background causal set using only knowledge of the
retarded Green's function. We generalize that construction to continuum
spacetimes and find that it yields a distinguished vacuum or ground state for a
non-interacting, massive or massless scalar field. This state is defined for
all compact regions and for many noncompact ones. In a static spacetime we find
that our vacuum coincides with the usual ground state. We determine it also for
a radiation-filled, spatially homogeneous and isotropic cosmos, and show that
the super-horizon correlations are approximately the same as those of a thermal
state. Finally, we illustrate the inherent non-locality of our prescription
with the example of a spacetime which sandwiches a region with curvature
in-between flat initial and final regions
Erythroderma: A clinical study of 97 cases
BACKGROUND: Erythroderma is a rare skin disorder that may be caused by a variety of underlying dermatoses, infections, systemic diseases and drugs. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical, laboratory and biopsy material of 97 patients diagnosed with erythroderma who were treated in our department over a 6-year period (1996 through 2002). RESULTS: The male-female ratio was 1.85:1. The mean age at diagnosis was 46.2 years. The most common causative factors were dermatoses (59.7%), followed by drug reactions (21.6%), malignancies (11.3%) and idiopathic causes (7.2%). Carbamazepine was the most common drug (57.1%). The best clinicopathologic correlation was found in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and pityriasis rubra pilaris related erythroderma. Apart from scaling and erythema that were present in all patients, pruritus was the most common finding (97.5%), followed by fever (33.6%), lymphadenopathy (21.3%), edema (14.4%) and hyperkeratosis (7.2%). CONCLUSION: This study outlines that underlying etiologic factors of erythroderma may show geographic variations. Our series had a high percentage of erythroderma secondary to preexisting dermatoses and a low percentage of idiopathic cases. There was no HIV-infected patient among our series based on multiple serum antibody tests. The clinical features of erythroderma were identical, irrespective of the etiology. The onset of the disease was usually insidious except in drug-induced erythroderma, where it was acute. The group associated with the best prognosis was that related to drugs
Genome-Wide Binding Map of the HIV-1 Tat Protein to the Human Genome
The HIV-1 Trans-Activator of Transcription (Tat) protein binds to multiple host cellular factors and greatly enhances the level of transcription of the HIV genome. While Tat's control of viral transcription is well-studied, much less is known about the interaction of Tat with the human genome. Here, we report the genome-wide binding map of Tat to the human genome in Jurkat T cells using chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with next-generation sequencing. Surprisingly, we found that âŒ53% of the Tat target regions are within DNA repeat elements, greater than half of which are Alu sequences. The remaining target regions are located in introns and distal intergenic regions; only âŒ7% of Tat-bound regions are near transcription start sites (TSS) at gene promoters. Interestingly, Tat binds to promoters of genes that, in Jurkat cells, are bound by the ETS1 transcription factor, the CBP histone acetyltransferase and/or are enriched for histone H3 lysine 4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3) and H3K27me3. Tat binding is associated with genes enriched with functions in T cell biology and immune response. Our data reveal that Tat's interaction with the host genome is more extensive than previously thought, with potentially important implications for the viral life cycle
Exogenous coenzyme Q10 modulates MMP-2 activity in MCF-7 cell line as a breast cancer cellular model
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Aims</p> <p>Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 is a key molecule in cellular invasion and metastasis. Mitochondrial ROS has been established as a mediator of MMP activity. Coenzyme Q<sub>10 </sub>contributes to intracellular ROS regulation. Coenzyme Q<sub>10 </sub>beneficial effects on cancer are still in controversy but there are indications of Coenzyme Q<sub>10 </sub>complementing effect on tamoxifen receiving breast cancer patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study we aimed to investigate the correlation of the effects of co-incubation of coenzyme Q10 and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on intracellular H2O2 content and Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) activity in MCF-7 cell line.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p>Our experiment was designed to assess the effect in a time and dose related manner. Gelatin zymography and Flowcytometric measurement of H2O2 by 2'7',-dichlorofluorescin-diacetate probe were employed. The results showed that both coenzyme Q10 and N-acetyl-L-cysteine reduce MMP-2 activity along with the pro-oxidant capacity of the MCF-7 cell in a dose proportionate manner.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, the present study highlights the significance of Coenzyme Q<sub>10 </sub>effect on the cell invasion/metastasis effecter molecules.</p
The plant traits that drive ecosystems: Evidence from three continents.
Question: A set of easilyâmeasured (âsoftâ) plant traits has been identified as potentially useful predictors of ecosystem functioning in previous studies. Here we aimed to discover whether the screening techniques remain operational in widely contrasted circumstances, to test for the existence of axes of variation in the particular sets of traits, and to test for their links with âharderâ traits of proven importance to ecosystem functioning.
Location: centralâwestern Argentina, central England, northern upland Iran, and northâeastern Spain.
Recurrent patterns of ecological specialization: Through ordination of a matrix of 640 vascular plant taxa by 12 standardized traits, we detected similar patterns of specialization in the four floras. The first PCA axis was identified as an axis of resource capture, usage and release. PCA axis 2 appeared to be a sizeârelated axis. Individual PCA for each country showed that the same traits remained valuable as predictors of resource capture and utilization in all of them, despite their major differences in climate, biogeography and landâuse. The results were not significantly driven by particular taxa: the main traits determining PCA axis 1 were very similar in eudicotyledons and monocotyledons and Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae.
Links between recurrent suites of âsoftâ traits and âhardâ traits: The validity of PCA axis 1 as a key predictor of resource capture and utilization was tested by comparisons between this axis and values of more rigorously established predictors (âhardâ traits) for the floras of Argentina and England. PCA axis 1 was correlated with variation in relative growth rate, leaf nitrogen content, and litter decomposition rate. It also coincided with palatability to model generalist herbivores. Therefore, location on PCA axis 1 can be linked to major ecosystem processes in those habitats where the plants are dominant.
Conclusion: We confirm the existence at the global scale of a major axis of evolutionary specialization, previously recognised in several local floras. This axis reflects a fundamental tradeâoff between rapid acquisition of resources and conservation of resources within wellâprotected tissues. These major trends of specialization were maintained across different environmental situations (including differences in the proximate causes of low productivity, i.e. drought or mineral nutrient deficiency). The trends were also consistent across floras and major phylogenetic groups, and were linked with traits directly relevant to ecosystem processes.Fil: DĂaz, Sandra Myrna. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Hodgson, J.G.. The University. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences. Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology; Reino UnidoFil: Thompson, K.. The University. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences. Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology; Reino UnidoFil: Cabido, Marcelo Ruben. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Cornelissen, Johannes H. C.. Free University. Faculty Earth and Life Sciences. Department of Systems Ecology; PaĂses BajosFil: Funes, Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: PĂ©rez Harguindeguy, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Vendramini, Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Falczuk, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Zak, Marcelo RomĂĄn. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Centro CientĂfico TecnolĂłgico Conicet - CĂłrdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de CĂłrdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas FĂsicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de BiologĂa Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Khoshnevi, M.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: PĂ©rez RontomĂ©, M. C.. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; EspañaFil: Shirvani, F. A.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Yazdani, S.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Abbas Azimi, R. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Bogaard, A. The University. Department of Archaeology and Prehistory; Reino UnidoFil: Boustani, S.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Charles, M.. The University. Department of Archaeology and Prehistory; Reino UnidoFil: Dehghan, M.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: de Torres Espuny, L.. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; EspañaFil: Guerrero Campo, J.. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; EspañaFil: Hynd, A.. The University. Department of Archaeology and Prehistory; Reino UnidoFil: Jones, G.. The University. Department of Archaeology and Prehistory; Reino UnidoFil: Kowsary, E.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄn. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; EspañaFil: Kazemi Saeed, F.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Maestro MartĂnez, M.. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; EspañaFil: Romo Diez, A.. Instituto Botanico de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Shaw, S.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄn. The University. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences; Reino UnidoFil: Siavash, B.. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands; IrĂĄnFil: Villar Salvador, P.. Instituto Pirenaico de EcologĂa; Españ
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