Some results about diagonal operators on Köthe echelon spaces

[EN] Several questions about diagonal operators between Köthe echelon spaces are investigated: (1) The spectrum is characterized in terms of the Köthe matrices defining the spaces, (2) It is characterized when these operators are power bounded, mean ergodic or uniformly mean ergodic, and (3) A description of the topology in the space of diagonal operators induced by the strong topology on the space of all operators is given.This research was partially supported by MINECO Project MTM2016-76647-P and the grant PAID-01-16 of the Universitat Politècnica de València.Rodríguez-Arenas, A. (2019). Some results about diagonal operators on Köthe echelon spaces. Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales Serie A Matemáticas. 113(4):2959-2968. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13398-019-00663-yS295929681134Agathen, S., Bierstedt, K.D., Bonet, J.: Projective limits of weighted (LB)-spaces of continuous functions. Arch. Math. 92, 384–398 (2009)Albanese, A.A., Bonet, J., Ricker, W.J.: Mean ergodic operators in Fréchet spaces. Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn. Math. 34(2), 401–436 (2009)Bennett, G.: Some elementary inequalities. Quart. J. Math. 38, 401–425 (1987)Bennett, G.: Factorizing the classical inequalities. Mem. Am. Math. Soc. (1996). https://doi.org/10.1090/memo/0576Bierstedt, K.D.: An introduction to locally convex inductive limits, Functional analysis and its applications (Nice, 1986), 35–133, ICPAM Lecture Notes. World Sci. Publishing, Singapore (1988)Bierstedt, K.D., Bonet, J.: Some aspects of the modern theory of Fréchet spaces. Rev. R. Acad. Cienc. Exactas Fís. Nat. Ser. A Mat. 97(2), 159–188 (2003)Bierstedt, K.D., Meise, R., Summers, W.H.: Köthe sets and Köthe sequence spaces, Functional Analysis, Holomorphy and Approximation Theory. North-Holland Math. Studies 71, 27–91 (1982)Bonet, J., Jordá, E., Rodríguez-Arenas, A.: Mean ergodic multiplication operators on weighted spaces of continuous functions. Mediterr. J. Math 15, 108 (2018)Crofts, G.: Concerning perfect Fréchet spaces and transformations. Math. Ann. 182, 67–76 (1969)Kellogg, C.N.: An extension of the Hausdorff–Young theorem. Michig. Math. J. 18, 121–127 (1971)Krengel, U.: Ergodic Theorems. de Gruyter, Berlin (1985)Meise, R., Vogt, D.: Introduction to Functional Analysis. Oxford University Press, New York (1997)Vasilescu, F.H.: Analytic Functional Calculus and Spectral Decompositions. D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht (1982)Wengenroth, J.: Derived Functors in Functional Analysis. Springer, Berlin (2003)Yosida, K.: Functional Analysis. Springer, Berlin (1980

Subbarrel patterns in somatosensory cortical barrels can emerge from local dynamic instabilities

Complex spatial patterning, common in the brain as well as in other biological systems, can emerge as a result of dynamic interactions that occur locally within developing structures. In the rodent somatosensory cortex, groups of neurons called "barrels" correspond to individual whiskers on the contralateral face. Barrels themselves often contain subbarrels organized into one of a few characteristic patterns. Here we demonstrate that similar patterns can be simulated by means of local growth-promoting and growth-retarding interactions within the circular domains of single barrels. The model correctly predicts that larger barrels contain more spatially complex subbarrel patterns, suggesting that the development of barrels and of the patterns within them may be understood in terms of some relatively simple dynamic processes. We also simulate the full nonlinear equations to demonstrate the predictive value of our linear analysis. Finally, we show that the pattern formation is robust with respect to the geometry of the barrel by simulating patterns on a realistically shaped barrel domain. This work shows how simple pattern forming mechanisms can explain neural wiring both qualitatively and quantitatively even in complex and irregular domains. © 2009 Ermentrout et al

Increasing Compliance with Mass Drug Administration Programs for Lymphatic Filariasis in India through Education and Lymphedema Management Programs

Global elimination of lymphatic filariasis requires giving drugs at least annually to populations who live at risk of becoming infected with the parasite. At least 80% of people at risk need to take the drugs annually for 5 or more years to stop transmission of the infection. People suffering from the long-term effects of infection, such as swollen legs, benefit from programs that teach self-care of their affected limbs. In this study, we assessed the impact of an educational campaign that, after addressing previously identified predictors of compliance, significantly improved drug compliance. The specific factors improving compliance included knowing about the drug distribution in advance, knowing that everyone is at risk for acquiring the infection, knowing that the drug distribution was for lymphatic filariasis prevention, and knowing at least one component of leg care. We also found that areas with programs to assist people with swollen legs had greater increases in compliance. This research provides evidence that program evaluation can be used to improve drug compliance. In addition, our work shows for the first time that programs to benefit people with swollen legs caused by lymphatic filariasis also increase the participation of people without disease in drug treatment programs

SLC45A2 protein stability and regulation of melanosome pH determine melanocyte pigmentation.

SLC45A2 encodes a putative transporter expressed primarily in pigment cells. SLC45A2 mutations cause oculocutaneous albinism type 4 (OCA4) and polymorphisms are associated with pigmentation variation, but the localization, function, and regulation of SLC45A2 and its variants remain unknown. We show that SLC45A2 localizes to a cohort of mature melanosomes that only partially overlaps with the cohort expressing the chloride channel OCA2. SLC45A2 expressed ectopically in HeLa cells localizes to lysosomes and raises lysosomal pH, suggesting that in melanocytes SLC45A2 expression, like OCA2 expression, results in the deacidification of maturing melanosomes to support melanin synthesis. Interestingly, OCA2 overexpression compensates for loss of SLC45A2 expression in pigmentation. Analyses of SLC45A2- and OCA2-deficient mouse melanocytes show that SLC45A2 likely functions later during melanosome maturation than OCA2. Moreover, the light skin-associated SLC45A2 allelic F374 variant restores only moderate pigmentation to SLC45A2-deficient melanocytes due to rapid proteasome-dependent degradation resulting in lower protein expression levels in melanosomes than the dark skin-associated allelic L374 variant. Our data suggest that SLC45A2 maintains melanosome neutralization that is initially orchestrated by transient OCA2 activity to support melanization at late stages of melanosome maturation, and that a common allelic variant imparts reduced activity due to protein instability

A randomized controlled trial of an online, compassion-based intervention for maternal psychological well-being in the first year postpartum

Objectives New self-help interventions have been called for to promote psychological well-being amongst mothers in the first year postpartum, with compassion-based interventions having potential in this regard. The present study developed and evaluated a low-intensity, online, compassion-based intervention for this population called Kindness for Mums Online (KFMO). Methods UK mothers of infants under one year (N = 206) participated in a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, comparing KFMO with a waitlist control. Results The effect of the intervention on well-being (the primary outcome) was small and was sensitive to the way missing data were treated. However, KFMO robustly increased self-compassion relative to control, from baseline (week 0) to post-intervention (week 6), and from baseline to follow-up (week 12). No effects were observed on other secondary outcomes. Conclusions The findings suggest that self-compassion can be increased in postpartum mothers via an accessible, low-intensity, web-based, self-help program. However, this did not translate into robust improvements in well-being. Study limitations include relatively high attrition rates and limited generalizability to more diverse samples

Applied Interventions in the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity Through the Research of Professor Jane Wardle

Purpose of Review Obesity presents a challenge for practitioners, policy makers, researchers and for those with obesity themselves. This review focuses on psychological approaches to its management and prevention in children and adults. Recent Findings Through exploring the work of the late Professor Jane Wardle, we look at the earliest behavioural treatment approaches and how psychological theory has been used to develop more contemporary approaches, for example incorporating genetic feedback and habit formation theory into interventions. We also explore how Jane has challenged thinking about the causal pathways of obesity in relation to eating behaviour. Beyond academic work, Jane was an advocate of developing interventions which had real-world applications. Summary Therefore, we discuss how she not only developed new interventions but also made these widely available and the charity that she established

What Is a Group? : Young Children’s Perceptions of Different Types of Groups and Group Entitativity

To date, developmental research on groups has focused mainly on in-group biases and intergroup relations. However, little is known about children’s general understanding of social groups and their perceptions of different forms of group. In this study, 5- to 6-year-old children were asked to evaluate prototypes of four key types of groups: an intimacy group (friends), a task group (people who are collaborating), a social category (people who look alike), and a loose association (people who coincidently meet at a tram stop). In line with previous work with adults, the vast majority of children perceived the intimacy group, task group, and social category, but not the loose association, to possess entitativity, that is, to be a ‘real group.’ In addition, children evaluated group member properties, social relations, and social obligations differently in each type of group, demonstrating that young children are able to distinguish between different types of in-group relations. The origins of the general group typology used by adults thus appear early in development. These findings contribute to our knowledge about children's intuitive understanding of groups and group members' behavior

3D Reconstruction of VZV Infected Cell Nuclei and PML Nuclear Cages by Serial Section Array Scanning Electron Microscopy and Electron Tomography

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a human alphaherpesvirus that causes varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles). Like all herpesviruses, the VZV DNA genome is replicated in the nucleus and packaged into nucleocapsids that must egress across the nuclear membrane for incorporation into virus particles in the cytoplasm. Our recent work showed that VZV nucleocapsids are sequestered in nuclear cages formed from promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) in vitro and in human dorsal root ganglia and skin xenografts in vivo. We sought a method to determine the three-dimensional (3D) distribution of nucleocapsids in the nuclei of herpesvirus-infected cells as well as the 3D shape, volume and ultrastructure of these unique PML subnuclear domains. Here we report the development of a novel 3D imaging and reconstruction strategy that we term Serial Section Array-Scanning Electron Microscopy (SSA-SEM) and its application to the analysis of VZV-infected cells and these nuclear PML cages. We show that SSA-SEM permits large volume imaging and 3D reconstruction at a resolution sufficient to localize, count and distinguish different types of VZV nucleocapsids and to visualize complete PML cages. This method allowed a quantitative determination of how many nucleocapsids can be sequestered within individual PML cages (sequestration capacity), what proportion of nucleocapsids are entrapped in single nuclei (sequestration efficiency) and revealed the ultrastructural detail of the PML cages. More than 98% of all nucleocapsids in reconstructed nuclear volumes were contained in PML cages and single PML cages sequestered up to 2,780 nucleocapsids, which were shown by electron tomography to be embedded and cross-linked by an filamentous electron-dense meshwork within these unique subnuclear domains. This SSA-SEM analysis extends our recent characterization of PML cages and provides a proof of concept for this new strategy to investigate events during virion assembly at the single cell level

Aquatic community response to volcanic eruptions on the Ecuadorian Andean flank: evidence from the palaeoecological record

Aquatic ecosystems in the tropical Andes are under increasing pressure from human modification of the landscape (deforestation and dams) and climatic change (increase of extreme events and 1.5 °C on average temperatures are projected for AD 2100). However, the resilience of these ecosystems to perturbations is poorly understood. Here we use a multi-proxy palaeoecological approach to assess the response of aquatic ecosystems to a major mechanism for natural disturbance, volcanic ash deposition. Specifically, we present data from two Neotropical lakes located on the eastern Andean flank of Ecuador. Laguna Pindo (1°27.132′S–78°04.847′W) is a tectonically formed closed basin surrounded by a dense mid-elevation forest, whereas Laguna Baños (0°19.328′S–78°09.175′W) is a glacially formed lake with an inflow and outflow in high Andean Páramo grasslands. In each lake we examined the dynamics of chironomids and other aquatic and semi-aquatic organisms to explore the effect of thick (> 5 cm) volcanic deposits on the aquatic communities in these two systems with different catchment features. In both lakes past volcanic ash deposition was evident from four large tephras dated to c.850 cal year BP (Pindo), and 4600, 3600 and 1500 cal year BP (Baños). Examination of the chironomid and aquatic assemblages before and after the ash depositions revealed no shift in composition at Pindo, but a major change at Baños occurred after the last event around 1500 cal year BP. Chironomids at Baños changed from an assemblage dominated by Pseudochironomus and Polypedilum nubifer-type to Cricotopus/Paratrichocladius type-II, and such a dominance lasted for approximately 380 years. We suggest that, despite potential changes in the water chemistry, the major effect on the chironomid community resulted from the thickness of the tephra being deposited, which acted to shallow the water body beyond a depth threshold. Changes in the aquatic flora and fauna at the base of the trophic chain can promote cascade effects that may deteriorate the ecosystem, especially when already influenced by human activities, such as deforestation and dams, which is frequent in the high Andes