Evaluation of Potential Reference Genes for Relative Quantification by RT-qPCR in Different Porcine Tissues Derived from Feeding Studies

Five potential reference genes for RT-qPCR application, namely histone H3, beta-actin, GAPDH, ubiquitin and 18S rRNA, were evaluated for normalization of gene expression in four selected tissues (liver, kidney, thyroid and abdominal fat). Tissues were derived from fattening pigs exposed to different amounts and type of dietary iodine. Two software applications (geNorm and NormFinder) were used to evaluate the stability of the potential reference genes. All studied genes displayed high expression stability but different stability patterns between the investigated tissues. The results suggest GAPDH and 18S rRNA as reference genes applicable in all tissues investigated. Beta-actin and histone H3 are suitable reference genes for all tissues investigated except fat. In contrast, ubiquitin should be excluded from use as a reference gene in the porcine tissues analyzed due to variations in expression levels, despite the good expression stability.     

Working for the self or working for the group: How self- versus group affirmation affects collective behavior in low-status groups.

Experiencing social identity threat can lead members of stigmatized groups to protect their self-regard by withdrawing from domains that are associated with higher status groups. Four experiments examined how providing identity affirmation in alternative domains affects performance motivation in status-defining domains among stigmatized group members. Two forms of identity affirmation were distinguished: self-affirmation, which enhances personal identity, and group affirmation, which enhances social identity. The results showed that although self- and group affirmation both induce high performance motivation, they do so in different ways. Whereas self-affirmation induces a focus on the personal self, group affirmation induces a focus on the social self (Study 1). Accordingly, group affirmation elicited high performance motivation among highly identified group members (Studies 1 and 2) by inducing challenge (Study 2) and protected interest in group-serving behaviors that improve collective status (Studies 3 and 4). By contrast, low identifiers were challenged and motivated to perform well only after self-affirmation (Studies 1 and 2) and reported an even stronger inclination to work for themselves at the expense of the group when offered group affirmation (Studies 3 and 4). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Restriction of working memory capacity during worry.

The authors report the first direct assessment of working memory capacity when people engage in worry. High and low worriers performed a random key-press task while thinking about a current worry or a positive personally relevant topic. High (but not low) worriers showed more evidence of restricted capacity during worry than when thinking about a positive topic. These findings suggest that high worriers have less residual working memory capacity when worrying than when thinking about other topics and, thus, have fewer attentional resources available to redirect their thoughts away from worry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Randomized self-stabilizing and space optimal leader election under arbitrary scheduler on rings

We present a randomized self-stabilizing leader election protocol and a randomized self-stabilizing token circulation protocol under an arbitrary scheduler on anonymous and unidirectional rings of any size. These protocols are space optimal. We also give a formal and complete proof of these protocols. To this end, we develop a complete model for probabilistic self-stabilizing distributed systems which clearly separates the non deterministic behavior of the scheduler from the randomized behavior of the protocol. This framework includes all the necessary tools for proving the self- stabilization of a randomized distributed system: definition of a probabilistic space and definition of the self-stabilization of a randomized protocol. We also propose a new technique of scheduler management through a self-stabilizing protocol composition (cross-over composition). Roughly speaking, we force all computations to have a fairness property under any scheduler, even under an unfair one. This work was done while Maria Gradinariu was working at LRI, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS.     

Elastoplastic Solution for Soil-Pipe-Tunnel Interaction

Solutions for the problem of tunneling effects on existing pipelines are given. The solution utilizes a boundary integral formulation for describing the elastic continuum, in conjunction with a limiting force to consider relative pullout failure. The solution requires estimation of soil and pipe elastic properties, relative pipe-soil uplift capacity, and the green field soil settlement profile given in the current paper as a modified Gaussian curve. Normalized graphs for the solution are given as a function of these input parameters. The solution method is compared and evaluated against a limited number of finite-element analysis.     

Diffraction-limited depth-from-defocus

A depth-from-defocus reconstruction formula for a diffraction-limited imaging system is derived. The result shows that the commonly used reconstruction formula obtained from geometric optics does not hold for large sensor displacements. Moreover, it suggests that the unknown correction factor of the geometrical reconstruction formula equals 1/π     

Cellulose bound chlorophenols II: Preparation and characterization of phenyloxycarbonylpentanoyl celluloses dependence of substitution on chlorophenol structure

New types of polymeric phenols (including the fungicide PCP) are prepared by linking phenol and different chlorophenols to cellulose via ester bonds using adipic acid as bridging molecule. Monophenylesteracid chlorides of adipic acid are prepared as intermediates. The yield of esterification of cellulose with these compounds depends in a complicated manner on size and chlorosubstitution pattern of the phenolic substituents. It is tentatively assumed that hydrogen bonding between chlorophenol and cellulose is an important factor. The polymeric PCP ester showed fungicidal activity in an agar plate test.     

Relationships between serum lipids, platelet membrane fatty acid composition and platelet aggregation in type 2 diabetes mellitus

In order to gain further insight into the mechanism of platelet dysfunction frequently reported in diabetes we investigated circulating fatty acids, lipid composition of platelet membrane and platelet function in Type 2 diabetic patients. In these subjects, percentages of C16 : 1n-7 and C18 : 1n-9 in serum phospholipid fraction and of C16 : 1n-7 in serum cholesterol ester fraction were decreased. Moreover, the content of C20 : 4n-6 in serum cholesterol esters was altered in Type 2 diabetic subjects: C18 : 0 and C20 : 3n-6 were increased but C20 : 4n-6 content was similar to controls. Aggregation in vitro did not differ from controls but aggregation in vivo was increased in Type 2 diabetic subjects. No correlation was observed between metabolic parameters -i.e., HbA1, blood glucose, serum triglycerides and total cholesterol, circulating fatty acids and fatty acid content of platelet membrane. A negative linear correlation was found between aggregation in vivo and C20 : 4n-6 content of platelet membrane. Moreover, a U shaped relationship was observed between platelet aggregation in vitro and C20 : 4n-6 content of platelet membrane suggesting that C20 : 4n-6 level should be tightly controlled otherwise platelet hyperreactivity may occur. These results indicate that despite a normal mean C20 : 4n-6 content in the platelet membrane, regulation of C20 : 4n-6 metabolism is less strictly controlled in Type 2 diabetes mellitus and confirm the importance of arachidonic acid platelet content in the regulation of platelet aggregability.