Segregation and activation of myosin IIB creates a rear in migrating cells

We have found that MLC-dependent activation of myosin IIB in migrating cells is required to form an extended rear, which coincides with increased directional migration. Activated myosin IIB localizes prominently at the cell rear and produces large, stable actin. lament bundles and adhesions, which locally inhibit protrusion and de. ne the morphology of the tail. Myosin IIA forms de novo. laments away from the myosin IIB-enriched center and back to form regions that support protrusion. The positioning and dynamics of myosin IIA and IIB depend on the self-assembly regions in their coiled-coil C terminus. COS7 and B16 melanoma cells lack myosin IIA and IIB, respectively; and show isoform-specific front-back polarity in migrating cells. These studies demonstrate the role of MLC activation and myosin isoforms in creating a cell rear, the segregation of isoforms during. lament assembly and their differential effects on adhesion and protrusion, and a key role for the noncontractile region of the isoforms in determining their localization and function.

Stability, causality, and quasinormal modes of cosmic strings and cylinders

In this work we consider the evolution of a massive scalar field in cylindrically symmetric space-times. Quasinormal modes have been calculated for static and rotating cosmic cylinders. We found unstable modes in some cases. Rotating as well as static cosmic strings, i.e., without regular interior solutions, do not display quasinormal oscillation modes. We conclude that rotating cosmic cylinder space-times that present closed timelike curves are unstable against scalar perturbations.

Phase transitions and regions of stability in Reissner-Nordstrom holographic superconductors

The phase transition of Reissner-Nordstrom AdS(4) interacting with a massive charged scalar field has been further revisited. We found exactly one stable and one unstable quasinormal mode region for the scalar field. The two of them are separated by the first marginally stable solution.

Duality linking standard and tachyon scalar field cosmologies

In this work we investigate the duality linking standard and tachyon scalar field homogeneous and isotropic cosmologies in N + 1 dimensions. We determine the transformation between standard and tachyon scalar fields and between their associated potentials, corresponding to the same background evolution. We show that, in general, the duality is broken at a perturbative level, when deviations from a homogeneous and isotropic background are taken into account. However, we find that for slow-rolling fields the duality is still preserved at a linear level. We illustrate our results with specific examples of cosmological relevance, where the correspondence between scalar and tachyon scalar field models can be calculated explicitly.

Holographic superconductors with various condensates in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity

We study holographic superconductors in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. We consider two particular backgrounds: a d-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet-AdS black hole and a Gauss-Bonnet-AdS soliton. We discuss in detail the effects that the mass of the scalar field, the Gauss-Bonnet coupling and the dimensionality of the AdS space have on the condensation formation and conductivity. We also study the ratio omega(g)/T(c) for various masses of the scalar field and Gauss-Bonnet couplings.

Schistosoma mansoni Tegument Protein Sm29 Is Able to Induce a Th1-Type of Immune Response and Protection against Parasite Infection

Background: Schistosomiasis continues to be a significant public health problem. This disease affects 200 million people worldwide and almost 800 million people are at risk of acquiring the infection. Although vaccine development against this disease has experienced more failures than successes, encouraging results have recently been obtained using membrane-spanning protein antigens from the tegument of Schistosoma mansoni. Our group recently identified Sm29, another antigen that is present at the adult worm tegument surface. In this study, we investigated murine cellular immune responses to recombinant (r) Sm29 and tested this protein as a vaccine candidate. Methods and Findings: We first show that Sm29 is located on the surface of adult worms and lung-stage schistosomula through confocal microscopy. Next, immunization of mice with rSm29 engendered 51%, 60% and 50% reduction in adult worm burdens, in intestinal eggs and in liver granuloma counts, respectively (p<0.05). Protective immunity in mice was associated with high titers of specific anti-Sm29 IgG1 and IgG2a and elevated production of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-12, a typical Th1 response. Gene expression analysis of worms recovered from rSm29 vaccinated mice relative to worms from control mice revealed a significant (q<0.01) down-regulation of 495 genes and up-regulation of only 22 genes. Among down-regulated genes, many of them encode surface antigens and proteins associated with immune signals, suggesting that under immune attack schistosomes reduce the expression of critical surface proteins. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that Sm29 surface protein is a new vaccine candidate against schistosomiasis and suggests that Sm29 vaccination associated with other protective critical surface antigens is the next logical strategy for improving protection.

Imidazolium 4-aminobenzoate

In the title salt, C(3)H(5)N(2)(+) center dot C(7)H(6)NO(2)(-), the carboxylate group of the 4-aminobenzoate anion forms a dihedral angle of 13.23 (17)degrees with respect to the benzene ring. There are N-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen-bonding interactions between the anion and cation, and weak intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O contacts with carboxylate O-atom acceptors of the 4-aminobenzoate anion result in extended three-dimensional R(4)(4)(22) and R(5)(6)(30) edge-fused rings along the [100], [010] and [001] directions.

(4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethylphenyl)phenylmethanone

The title compound, C(15)H(14)O(2), was obtained by Friedel-Crafts acylation between 2,5-dimethylphenol and benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminium chloride as a catalyst. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings is 61.95 (4)degrees. In the crystal, O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonding and C-H center dot center dot center dot O weak interactions lead to polymeric C(6), C(8) and C(11) chains along the a, b and c-axis directions, respectively.

2-Bromo-2-methyl-N-p-tolylpropanamide

In the title molecule, C(11)H(14)BrNO, there is twist between the mean plane of the amide group and the benzene ring [C(=O)-N-C...;C torsion angle = -31.2 (5)degrees]. In the crystal, intermolecular N-H...O and weak C-H...O hydrogen bonds link molecules into chains along [100]. The methyl group H atoms are disordered over two sets of sites with equal occupancy.

Redetermination of 3-methylbenzoic acid

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(8)H(8)O(2), contains two crystallographically independent molecules, which form dimers linked by O center dot center dot center dot H-O hydrogen bonds. The benzene rings in the dimers are inclined at a dihedral angle of 7.30 (8)degrees and both methyl groups display rotational disorder. This redetermination results in a crystal structure with significantly higher precision than the original determination [Ellas & Garcia-Blanco (1963). Acta Cryst. 16, 434], in which the authors reported only the unit-cell parameters and space group, without any detailed information on the atomic arrangement. In the crystal, dimers are connected by weak C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions, forming R(2)(2)(10) and R(4)(4)(18) rings along [110] and an infinite zigzag chain of dimers along the [001] direction also occurs.

2-Bromo-2-methyl-N-(4-nitrophenyl)propanamide

The title compound, C(10)H(11)BrN(2)O(3), exhibits a small twist between the amide residue and benzene ring [the C-N-C-C torsion angle = 12.7 (4)degrees]. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak N-H center dot center dot center dot O, C-H center dot center dot center dot Br and C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions. These lead to supramolecular layers in the bc plane.

Evaluating Theobroma grandiflorum for comparative genomic studies with Theobroma cacao

The seeds of Theobroma cacao (cacao) are the source of cocoa, the raw material for the multi-billion dollar chocolate industry. Cacao`s two most important traits are its unique seed storage triglyceride (cocoa butter) and the flavor of its fermented beans (chocolate). The genome of T. cacao is being sequenced, and to expand the utility of the genome sequence to the improvement of cacao, we are evaluating Theobroma grandiflorum, the closest economically important species of Theobroma for its potential use in a comparative genomic study. T. grandiflorum differs from cacao in important agronomic traits such as flavor of the fermented beans, disease resistance to witches` broom and abscission of mature fruits. By comparing genomic sequences and analyzing viable inter-specific hybrids, we hope to identify the key genes that regulate cacao`s most important traits. We have investigated the utility in T. grandiflorum of three types of markers (microsatellite markers, single-strand conformational polymorphism markers and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers) developed in cacao. Through sequencing of amplicons of 12 diverse individuals of both cacao and T. grandiflorum, we have identified new intra- and inter-specific SNPs. Two markers which had no overlap of alleles between the species were used to genotype putative inter-specific hybrid seedlings. Sequence conservation was significant and species-specific differences numerous enough to suggest that comparative genomics of T. grandiflorum and T. cacao will be useful in elucidating the genetic differences that lead to a variety of important agronomic trait differences.

Soil CO(2) emission estimated by different interpolation techniques

Soil CO(2) emissions are highly variable, both spatially and across time, with significant changes even during a one-day period. The objective of this study was to compare predictions of the diurnal soil CO(2) emissions in an agricultural field when estimated by ordinary kriging and sequential Gaussian simulation. The dataset consisted of 64 measurements taken in the morning and in the afternoon on bare soil in southern Brazil. The mean soil CO(2) emissions were significantly different between the morning (4.54 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)) and afternoon (6.24 mu mol m(-2) s(-1)) measurements. However, the spatial variability structures were similar, as the models were spherical and had close range values of 40.1 and 40.0 m for the morning and afternoon semivariograms. In both periods, the sequential Gaussian simulation maps were more efficient for the estimations of emission than ordinary kriging. We believe that sequential Gaussian simulation can improve estimations of soil CO(2) emissions in the field, as this property is usually highly non-Gaussian distributed.

Preparation and characterization of D, L-PLA loaded 17-beta-Estradiol valerate by emulsion/evaporation methods

PLA microparticles containing 17-beta-estradiol valerate were prepared by an emulsion/evaporation method in order to sustain drug release. This system was characterized concerning particle size, particle morphology and the influence of formulation and processing parameters on drug encapsulation and in vitro drug release. The biodegradation of the microparticles was observed by tissue histological analysis. Scanning electron microscopy and particle size analysis showed that the microparticles were spherical, presenting non-aggregated homogeneous surface and had diameters in the range of 718-880 nm (inert microparticles) and 3-4 mu m (drug loaded microparticles). The encapsulation efficiency was similar to 80%. Hormone released from microparticles was sustained. An in vivo degradation experiment confirmed that microparticles are biodegradable. The preparation method was shown to be suitable, since the morphological characteristics and efficiency yield were satisfactory. Thus, the method of developed microparticles seems to be a promising system for sustained release of 17-beta-estradiol.

Enzymatic inhibitory activity and trypanocidal effects of extracts and compounds from Siphoneugena densiflora O. Berg and Vitex polygama Cham.

Hexanic, methanolic, and hydroalcoholic extracts, and 34 isolated compounds from Vitex polygama Cham. (Lamiaceae, formely Verbenaceae) and Siphoneugena densiflora O. Berg (Myrtaceae) were screened for their trypanocidal effects on bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma cruzi and T brucei, as well as for their enzymatic inhibitory activities on glycosomal glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH) and trypanothione reductase (TR) enzymes from T cruzi and adeninephosphoribosyl transferase (APRT) enzyme from Leishmania tarentolae. In general, polar extracts displayed strong effects and some of the tested compounds have shown good results in comparison to positive controls of the bioassays.