Predictors of functional deterioration in Chinese patients with Psoriatic arthritis: A longitudinal study.

10.1186/1471-2474-15-284BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders15128

Molecular cloning and transcriptional activity of a new Petunia calreticulin gene involved in pistil transmitting tract maturation, progamic phase, and double fertilization

Calreticulin (CRT) is a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed Ca2+-binding protein in multicellular eukaryotes. As an endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein, CRT plays a key role in many cellular processes including Ca2+ storage and release, protein synthesis, and molecular chaperoning in both animals and plants. CRT has long been suggested to play a role in plant sexual reproduction. To begin to address this possibility, we cloned and characterized the full-length cDNA of a new CRT gene (PhCRT) from Petunia. The deduced amino acid sequence of PhCRT shares homology with other known plant CRTs, and phylogenetic analysis indicates that the PhCRT cDNA clone belongs to the CRT1/CRT2 subclass. Northern blot analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization were used to assess PhCRT gene expression in different parts of the pistil before pollination, during subsequent stages of the progamic phase, and at fertilization. The highest level of PhCRT mRNA was detected in the stigma–style part of the unpollinated pistil 1 day before anthesis and during the early stage of the progamic phase, when pollen is germinated and tubes outgrow on the stigma. In the ovary, PhCRT mRNA was most abundant after pollination and reached maximum at the late stage of the progamic phase, when pollen tubes grow into the ovules and fertilization occurs. PhCRT mRNA transcripts were seen to accumulate predominantly in transmitting tract cells of maturing and receptive stigma, in germinated pollen/growing tubes, and at the micropylar region of the ovule, where the female gametophyte is located. From these results, we suggest that PhCRT gene expression is up-regulated during secretory activity of the pistil transmitting tract cells, pollen germination and outgrowth of the tubes, and then during gamete fusion and early embryogenesis

New type of microengine using internal combustion of hydrogen and oxygen

Microsystems become part of everyday life but their application is restricted by lack of strong and fast motors (actuators) converting energy into motion. For example, widespread internal combustion engines cannot be scaled down because combustion reactions are quenched in a small space. Here we present an actuator with the dimensions 100x100x5 um^3 that is using internal combustion of hydrogen and oxygen as part of its working cycle. Water electrolysis driven by short voltage pulses creates an extra pressure of 0.5-4 bar for a time of 100-400 us in a chamber closed by a flexible membrane. When the pulses are switched off this pressure is released even faster allowing production of mechanical work in short cycles. We provide arguments that this unexpectedly fast pressure decrease is due to spontaneous combustion of the gases in the chamber. This actuator is the first step to truly microscopic combustion engines.Comment: Paper and Supplementary Information (to appear in Scientific Reports

Top and Bottom Seesaw from Supersymmetric Strong Dynamics

We propose a top and bottom seesaw model with partial composite top and bottom quarks. Such composite quarks and topcolor gauge bosons are bound states from supersymmetric strong dynamics by Seiberg duality. Supersymmetry breaking also induces the breaking of topcolor into the QCD gauge coupling. The low energy description of our model reduces to a complete non-minimal extension of the top seesaw model with bottom seesaw. The non-minimal nature is crucial for Higgs mixings and the appearance of light Higgs fields. The Higgs fields are bound states of partial composite particles with the lightest one compatible with a 125 GeV Higgs field which was discovered at the LHC.Comment: Minor changes, Published Versio

Explosive Nucleosynthesis: What we learned and what we still do not understand

This review touches on historical aspects, going back to the early days of nuclear astrophysics, initiated by B$^2$FH and Cameron, discusses (i) the required nuclear input from reaction rates and decay properties up to the nuclear equation of state, continues (ii) with the tools to perform nucleosynthesis calculations and (iii) early parametrized nucleosynthesis studies, before (iv) reliable stellar models became available for the late stages of stellar evolution. It passes then through (v) explosive environments from core-collapse supernovae to explosive events in binary systems (including type Ia supernovae and compact binary mergers), and finally (vi) discusses the role of all these nucleosynthesis production sites in the evolution of galaxies. The focus is put on the comparison of early ideas and present, very recent, understanding.Comment: 11 pages, to appear in Springer Proceedings in Physics (Proc. of Intl. Conf. "Nuclei in the Cosmos XV", LNGS Assergi, Italy, June 2018

Conformation-regulated mechanosensory control via titin domains in cardiac muscle

The giant filamentous protein titin is ideally positioned in the muscle sarcomere to sense mechanical stimuli and transform them into biochemical signals, such as those triggering cardiac hypertrophy. In this review, we ponder the evidence for signaling hotspots along the titin filament involved in mechanosensory control mechanisms. On the way, we distinguish between stress and strain as triggers of mechanical signaling events at the cardiac sarcomere. Whereas the Z-disk and M-band regions of titin may be prominently involved in sensing mechanical stress, signaling hotspots within the elastic I-band titin segment may respond primarily to mechanical strain. Common to both stress and strain sensor elements is their regulation by conformational changes in protein domains

Estimation of the prevalence of cholesteryl ester storage disorder in a cohort of patients with clinical features of familial hypercholesterolaemia

Background and aim Familial hypercholesterolaemia is caused by variants in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol metabolic pathway involving LDLR, APOB and PCSK9 genes. A national genetic testing service in Wales, UK has observed that no familial hypercholesterolaemia variant is found in almost 80% patients with the familial hypercholesterolaemia phenotype. It has recently been suggested that some adult patients with a familial hypercholesterolaemia phenotype may have cholesteryl ester storage disease which can also present as a mixed hyperlipidaemia. The commonest genetic cause of cholesteryl ester storage disease is an exon 8 splice junction variant in the LIPA gene (rs116928232, c.894G>A; E8SJM) previously found to have an allele frequency of 0.0011 (1 in 450 individuals) in a large European population. This study investigated the prevalence of the E8SJM in patients with a familial hypercholesterolaemia phenotype in Wales, UK. Method A total of 1203 patients with a clinical suspicion of familial hypercholesterolaemia but no familial hypercholesterolaemia variant were invited to participate. Of these, 668 patients provided informed written consent. Stored DNA samples from 663 patients were genotyped for the E8SJM variant. Results Three heterozygotes were identified (allele frequency 0.0023). Whole gene sequencing of the LIPA gene was undertaken in these three individuals, but no other variants were found. Therefore, there were no cholesteryl ester storage disease patients (homozygote or compound heterozygote) identified in this cohort. Conclusion The allele frequency 0.0023 (1 in 221 individuals) for the E8SJM variant was more prevalent in this cohort than in a European population study; however, no cholesteryl ester storage disease homozygotes were identified. We found no evidence to support routine testing for cholesteryl ester storage disease in adult patients with a familial hypercholesterolaemia phenotype

Leaf-applied sodium chloride promotes cadmium accumulation in durum wheat grain

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in durum wheat grain is a growing concern. Among the factors affecting Cd accumulation in plants, soil chloride (Cl) concentration plays a critical role. The effect of leaf NaCl application on grain Cd was studied in greenhouse-grown durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. durum, cv. Balcali-2000) by immersing (10 s) intact flag leaves into Cd and/or NaCl-containing solutions for 14 times during heading and dough stages. Immersing flag leaves in solutions containing increasing amount of Cd resulted in substantial increases in grain Cd concentration. Adding NaCl alone or in combination with the Cd-containing immersion solution promoted accumulation of Cd in the grains, by up to 41%. In contrast, Zn concentrations of grains were not affected or even decreased by the NaCl treatments. This is likely due to the effect of Cl complexing Cd and reducing positive charge on the metal ion, an effect that is much smaller for Zn. Charge reduction or removal (CdCl2 0 species) would increase the diffusivity/lipophilicity of Cd and enhance its capability to penetrate the leaf epidermis and across membranes. Of even more significance to human health was the ability of Cl alone to penetrate leaf tissue and mobilize and enhance shoot Cd transfer to grains, yet reducing or not affecting Zn transfer

Orexin receptors exert a neuroprotective effect in Alzheimer's disease (AD) via heterodimerization with GPR103

Orexins are neuropeptides that regulate the sleep-wake cycle and feeding behaviour. QRFP is a newly discovered neuropeptide which exerts similar orexigenic activity, thus playing an important role in energy homeostasis and regulation of appetite. The exact expression and signalling characteristics and physiological actions of QRFP and its receptor GPR103 are poorly understood. Alzheimerâ €™ s disease (AD) patients experience increased nocturnal activity, excessive daytime sleepiness, and weight loss. We hypothesised therefore that orexins and QRFP might be implicated in the pathophysiology of AD. We report that the down-regulation of hippocampal orexin receptors (OXRs) and GPR103 particularly in the cornu ammonis (CA) subfield from AD patients suffering from early onset familial AD (EOFAD) and late onset familial AD (LOAD). Using an in vitro model we demonstrate that this downregulation is due to to Aβ-plaque formation and tau hyper-phosphorylation. Transcriptomics revealed a neuroprotective role for both orexins and QRFP. Finally we provide conclusive evidence using BRET and FRET that OXRs and GPR103 form functional hetero-dimers to exert their effects involving activation of ERK 1/2. Pharmacological intervention directed at the orexigenic system may prove to be an attractive avenue towards the discovery of novel therapeutics for diseases such as AD and improving neuroprotective signalling pathways