Modification of physicochemical properties of actin filaments suppresses cell fragmentation in the execution phase of staurosporine-induced apoptotic processes

Effects of jasplakinolide (JSP), a stabilizer of F-actin, and latrunculin A (LTA), a destabilizer of F-actin, on a series of events occurring in the execution phase of staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptotic processes were studied using human osteosarcoma 143B cells. Time-dependent apparent increases of the population of cells with collapsed membrane potential of mitochondria (Delta Psi(m)) caused by STS treatment were not due to actual decreases in the Delta Psi(m) per cell, but due to the fragmentation of cells resulting in decreases in the number of active mitochondria per cell. Decreases in the Delta Psi(m) in fragmented cells occurred late in the execution phase. Both JSP and LAT failed to prevent STS-induced release of cytochrome c from mitochondria followed by the activation of caspases 3 and 9, the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and apoptotic nuclear fragmentation. However, both drugs prevented STS-induced apoptotic cell fragmentation and decreases in the Delta Psi(m). These results indicate that physicochemical states of actin filaments play a certain role in the execution phase of STS-induced apoptotic processes.     

Finding Induced Paths of Given Parity in Claw-Free Graphs

The Parity Path problem is to decide if a given graph contains both an induced path of odd length and an induced path of even length between two specified vertices. In the related problems Odd Induced Path and Even Induced Path, the goal is to determine whether an induced path of odd, respectively even, length between two specified vertices exists. Although all three problems are NP-complete in general, we show that they can be solved in $\mathcal{O}(n^{5})$ time for the class of claw-free graphs. Two vertices s and t form an even pair in G if every induced path from s to t in G has even length. Our results imply that the problem of deciding if two specified vertices of a claw-free graph form an even pair, as well as the problem of deciding if a given claw-free graph has an even pair, can be solved in $\mathcal{O}(n^{5})$ time and $\mathcal{O}(n^{7})$ time, respectively. We also show that we can decide in $\mathcal{O}(n^{7})$ time whether a claw-free graph has an induced cycle of given parity through a specified vertex. Finally, we show that a shortest induced path of given parity between two specified vertices of a claw-free perfect graph can be found in $\mathcal {O}(n^{7})$ time.     

Current Diagnosis and Treatment Options for Cutaneous Adnexal Neoplasms with Follicular Differentiation

Neoplasms derived from follicular tissue are extremely rare. Clinically, they are reported as non-symptomatic, slow-growing nodules. These lesions are mainly benign, but the malignant type can occur. Mainly middle-aged people (50–60 years of age) are affected. These carcinomas are mainly localized on the head and neck or torso. They can be locally aggressive and infiltrate surrounding tissue and metastasize to regional lymph nodes. In the minority of cases, distant metastases are diagnosed. Quick and relevant diagnosis is the basis of a treatment for all types of tumors. The patient’s life expectancy depends on multiple prognostic factors, including the primary tumor size and its mitotic count. Patients should be referred to a specialized skin cancer center to receive optimal multidisciplinary treatment. This article tries to summarize all the information that is currently available about pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment methods of follicular tumors.     

Heteroclinic Connections in the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky Equation: a Computer Assisted Proof

On the example of a finite dimensional approximation of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation we show how topological methods may be successfully used in computer assisted proofs of the existence of heteroclinic connections in ordinary differential equations.     

Influence of aluminium electrode preparation on PCE values of polymeric solar cells based on P3HT and PCBM

The main goal of the paper was investigation of influence of aluminum electrode preparation via thermal evaporation (TE) and the magnetron sputtering (MS) on power conversion efficiency (PCE) of polymeric solar cells. The photovoltaic properties of such three kinds devices based on poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) as ITO/P3HT/Al, ITO/P3HT:PCBM (1:1, w/w)/Al and ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM (1:1, w/w)/Al were investigated. For the constructed devices impedance spectroscopy were analyzed. For devices lack of PEDOT:PSS layer or lack of PCBM, photovoltaic parameters were very low and similar to the parameters obtained for device with Al electrode prepared by magnetron sputtering. The devices comprising PEDOT:PSS with P3HT:PCBM showed the best photovoltaic parameters such as a V_OC of 0.60 V, J_SC of 4.61 mA/cm², FF of 0.21, and PCE of 5.7 × 10^?1%.     

Detecting Fixed Patterns in Chordal Graphs in Polynomial Time

The Contractibility problem takes as input two graphs G and H, and the task is to decide whether H can be obtained from G by a sequence of edge contractions. The Induced Minor and Induced Topological Minor problems are similar, but the first allows both edge contractions and vertex deletions, whereas the latter allows only vertex deletions and vertex dissolutions. All three problems are NP-complete, even for certain fixed graphs H. We show that these problems can be solved in polynomial time for every fixed H when the input graph G is chordal. Our results can be considered tight, since these problems are known to be W[1]-hard on chordal graphs when parameterized by the size of H. To solve Contractibility and Induced Minor, we define and use a generalization of the classic Disjoint Paths problem, where we require the vertices of each of the k paths to be chosen from a specified set. We prove that this variant is NP-complete even when k=2, but that it is polynomial-time solvable on chordal graphs for every fixed k. Our algorithm for Induced Topological Minor is based on another generalization of Disjoint Paths called Induced Disjoint Paths, where the vertices from different paths may no longer be adjacent. We show that this problem, which is known to be NP-complete when k=2, can be solved in polynomial time on chordal graphs even when k is part of the input. Our results fit into the general framework of graph containment problems, where the aim is to decide whether a graph can be modified into another graph by a sequence of specified graph operations. Allowing combinations of the four well-known operations edge deletion, edge contraction, vertex deletion, and vertex dissolution results in the following ten containment relations: (induced) minor, (induced) topological minor, (induced) subgraph, (induced) spanning subgraph, dissolution, and contraction. Our results, combined with existing results, settle the complexity of each of the ten corresponding containment problems on chordal graphs.     

Reasoning with first order nondeterministic specifications

The paper presents a variant of first order logic for specifying nondeterministic software. Models of the logics are multialgebras, i.e. multi-sorted algebras with set-valued operations, together with multi-sorted valuations of variables. We allow empty carrier sets but the valuations are kept total. Terms are interpreted as sets and the usual set of algebraic terms is extended by an additional construct used for limiting nondeterminism. Atomic formulae are of the form where is a rewrite operator, corresponding semantically to inclusion. For the above logic, we develop two complete deduction systems in the natural deduction style: a Rasiowa-Sikorski system for sequences of formulae, and a cut-free Gentzen-style sequent calculus. We also consider the issues of determinism and partiality, proposing alternate solutions to defining the respective predicates in our logic. Received: 4 March 1997 / 25 May 1999     

Accumulation of Cu(II) cations in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) films doped by hexacyanoferrate anions and its application in Cu-selective electrodes with PVC based membranes

Electrochemical properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with hexacyanoferrate(II,III) ions (PEDOT(HCF)) were studied in the presence of Cu²⁺ ions. Voltammetric and EDAX studies revealed retention of hexacyanoferrate anions in the polymer film and accumulation of Cu(II) cations, as well as formation of solid copper hexacyanoferrate near the polymer surface.Accumulation of Cu²⁺ ions was found to be advantageous from the point of view of PEDOT(HCF) applications as a solid contact (ion-to-electron transducer) in all-solid-state Cu²⁺-selective electrodes with solvent polymeric polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based membrane, containing Cu²⁺-selective ionophore. Binding of Cu²⁺ ions in the conducting polymer layer results in analyte ions flux into the transducer phase. Thus, pronounced enhancement of selectivity of the all-solid-state Cu²⁺-selective electrode or lower detection limit of the potentiometric response range was achieved, reaching under optimised conditions 10⁻⁷ M CuSO₄.     

Science and technology in the region: The output of regional science and technology, its strengths and its leading institutions

Summary We operationalize scientific output in a region by means of the number of articles (as in the SciSearch database) per year and technology output by means of the number of patent applications (as in the database of the European Patent Office) per priority year. All informetric analyses were done using the DIALOG online-system. The main research questions are the following: Which scientific and technological fields or topics are most influent within a region and which institutions or companies are mainly publishing articles or holding patents? Do the distributions of regional science and technology fields and of publishing institutions follow the well-known informetric function? Are there - as it is expected - only few fields and few institutions which dominate the region? Is there a connection between the economic power of a region and the regional publication and patent output? Examples studied in detail are seven German regions: Aachen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Köln (Cologne), Leipzig - Halle - Dessau, München (Munich), and Stuttgart. Three different indicators were used, science and technology attraction of a region (number of scientific articles and patents), science and technology intensity (articles and patents per 1,000 inhabitants), and science and technology density (articles and patents per 1 billion EURO gross value added). Top region concerning both attraction and intensity is Munich, concerning density it is Aachen.