| 1. |
- Lindgren, Cecilia M, et al.
(author)
-
Genome-wide association scan meta-analysis identifies three Loci influencing adiposity and fat distribution.
- 2009
-
In: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 5:6, s. e1000508-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To identify genetic loci influencing central obesity and fat distribution, we performed a meta-analysis of 16 genome-wide association studies (GWAS, N = 38,580) informative for adult waist circumference (WC) and waist-hip ratio (WHR). We selected 26 SNPs for follow-up, for which the evidence of association with measures of central adiposity (WC and/or WHR) was strong and disproportionate to that for overall adiposity or height. Follow-up studies in a maximum of 70,689 individuals identified two loci strongly associated with measures of central adiposity; these map near TFAP2B (WC, P = 1.9x10(-11)) and MSRA (WC, P = 8.9x10(-9)). A third locus, near LYPLAL1, was associated with WHR in women only (P = 2.6x10(-8)). The variants near TFAP2B appear to influence central adiposity through an effect on overall obesity/fat-mass, whereas LYPLAL1 displays a strong female-only association with fat distribution. By focusing on anthropometric measures of central obesity and fat distribution, we have identified three loci implicated in the regulation of human adiposity.
|
|
| 2. |
- Heard-Costa, Nancy L, et al.
(author)
-
NRXN3 is a novel locus for waist circumference : a genome-wide association study from the CHARGE Consortium
- 2009
-
In: PLoS genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7404. ; 5:6, s. e1000539-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Central abdominal fat is a strong risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. To identify common variants influencing central abdominal fat, we conducted a two-stage genome-wide association analysis for waist circumference (WC). In total, three loci reached genome-wide significance. In stage 1, 31,373 individuals of Caucasian descent from eight cohort studies confirmed the role of FTO and MC4R and identified one novel locus associated with WC in the neurexin 3 gene [NRXN3 (rs10146997, p = 6.4×10−7)]. The association with NRXN3 was confirmed in stage 2 by combining stage 1 results with those from 38,641 participants in the GIANT consortium (p = 0.009 in GIANT only, p = 5.3×10−8 for combined analysis, n = 70,014). Mean WC increase per copy of the G allele was 0.0498 z-score units (0.65 cm). This SNP was also associated with body mass index (BMI) [p = 7.4×10−6, 0.024 z-score units (0.10 kg/m2) per copy of the G allele] and the risk of obesity (odds ratio 1.13, 95% CI 1.07–1.19; p = 3.2×10−5 per copy of the G allele). The NRXN3 gene has been previously implicated in addiction and reward behavior, lending further evidence that common forms of obesity may be a central nervous system-mediated disorder. Our findings establish that common variants in NRXN3 are associated with WC, BMI, and obesity.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Lampinen, M., et al.
(author)
-
Eosinophil granulocytes are activated during the remission phase of ulcerative colitis
- 2005
-
In: Gut. ; 54:12, s. 1714-20
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIM: The aim of this study was to establish a method of investigating intestinal eosinophil and neutrophil granulocytes by flow cytometry, and to compare the distribution and activity of these cells in different stages of ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Biopsy samples were taken from six locations of the entire colon and from the terminal ileum in 10 patients with active total UC, 10 patients with inactive total UC, eight patients with active distal UC, and 11 control subjects. Cell suspensions from biopsies and from peripheral blood were incubated with fluorophore conjugated monoclonal antibodies. The use of scatter plot-gating and specific antibodies was established in a flow cytometry assay. RESULTS: Eosinophils were more numerous and more active in patients with active UC than in controls. Interestingly, during inactive UC, the number of activated eosinophils was even larger. Eosinophil activity was high in the rectum of patients with distal colitis but was also slightly elevated in the proximal colon. Neutrophils were increased in number and activity during active but not inactive UC. In patients with distal colitis, activated neutrophils were only found in the sigmoid colon and rectum. CONCLUSION: With this method, we confirm that neutrophils participate in the inflammatory process during active UC, and that they express a resting phenotype during remission. The finding of activated eosinophils in inflamed intestine strengthens the view of these cells as proinflammatory and tissue damaging. Nevertheless, our new finding of high eosinophil activation during inactive UC suggests that eosinophils play a role in repair of injured epithelium.
|
|
| 6. |
- Amin, M., et al.
(author)
-
Treponema denticola Msp-deduced peptide conjugate, P34BSA, promotes RhoA-dependent actin stress fiber formation independent of its internalization by fibroblasts
- 2008
-
In: Cell Motility and the Cytoskeleton. - : Wiley. - 0886-1544 .- 1097-0169. ; 65:5, s. 406-421
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- P34BSA, a BSA conjugate of a synthetic 10-mer peptide deduced from Treponema denticola major outer sheath protein (Msp), stabilizes actin filaments in fibroblasts and retards cell motility. We reported previously that it is internalized by cells, binds and bundles actin filaments in vitro, and activates RhoA, yet, its site and mechanism of action were not defined. We have assessed P34BSA's modes of interaction with and signaling to fibroblasts. At 4°C, P34BSA was not internalized, but it bound to the plasma membrane and promoted actin stress fiber formation at ~80% capacity compared with 37°C controls, casting doubt that cellular uptake is a critical step for its cytoskeleton-stabilizing property. In Rho G-LISA™ and co-immunoprecipitation assays, P34BSA was found to activate RhoA, even at 4°C, to promote its interaction with guanosine nucleotide exchange factor p114RhoGEF. It also caused phosphorylation of cofilin. Upon RhoA inhibition, either by C3 transferase RhoA inhibitor or by transfection with a dominant negative RhoA construct, P34BSA did not achieve the stress fiber formation seen with P34BSA alone. By inhibiting phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI 3-K) with LY294002, the P34BSA effects were completely blocked. Depletion of cholesterol with methyl-ß-cyclodextrin (MßCD) partially inhibited P34BSA signaling via the plasma membrane to the cytoskeleton. This suggests that multivalent P34BSA activation of lipid raft components requires active PI 3-K, and initiates the pathway through a RhoGEF and RhoA, which mediates stress fiber formation in fibroblasts. Hence, P34BSA may represent a novel tool to investigate RhoA-dependent processes, such as remodeling filamentous actin in eukaryotic cells. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bakali, Amin, et al.
(author)
-
Crystal structure of YegS, a homologue to the mammalian diacylglycerol kinases, reveals a novel regulatory metal binding site
- 2007
-
In: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 282:27, s. 19644-19652
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The human lipid kinase family controls cell proliferation, differentiation, and tumorigenesis and includes diacylglycerol kinases, sphingosine kinases, and ceramide kinases. YegS is an Escherichia coli protein with significant sequence homology to the catalytic domain of the human lipid kinases. We have solved the crystal structure of YegS and shown that it is a lipid kinase with phosphatidylglycerol kinase activity. The crystal structure reveals a two-domain protein with significant structural similarity to a family of NAD kinases. The active site is located in the interdomain cleft formed by four conserved sequence motifs. Surprisingly, the structure reveals a novel metal binding site composed of residues conserved in most lipid kinases.
|
|
| 8. |
- Amin, Mohammad, 1985, et al.
(author)
-
Design of a thin film double junction photovoltaic cell and performance analysis by software simulation
- 2009
-
In: 2009 IEEE Electrical Power and Energy Conference, EPEC 2009; Montreal, QC; Canada; 22 October 2009 through 23 October 2009. - 9781424445080
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The use of distributed energy resources is increasingly being pursued as a supplement and alternative to larger conventional central power stations. Nowadays solar energy becomes an important alternative source of energy since it is highly reliable and has no environmental impact. Photovoltaic (PV) technology converts the solar or light energy into electrical energy and has no moving parts, no consumption of conventional fossil fuels and lasting for many years with very little maintenance. This paper described the design process of a thin film double junction photovoltaic Cell. Multi junction solar cell has the advantage to use the different wavelength in converting to electric energy. In this case, short circuit current increases dramatically. Here the designed double junction cell has the short circuit current density, Jsc is 46.1mA/cm2 and the performance of the cell is simulated via PC1D software and the efficiency of the solar cell is 28.6% found.
|
|
| 9. |
- Essam, Tamer, et al.
(author)
-
Biological treatment of industrial wastes in a photobioreactor
- 2006
-
In: Water Science and Technology. - : IWA Publishing. - 0273-1223 .- 1996-9732. ; 53:11, s. 117-125
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An algal-bacterial consortium was tested for the treatment from a coke factory. A Chlorella vulgaris strain and a phenol-degrading Alcaligenes sp. were first isolated from the wastewater treatment plant to serve as inocula in the subsequent biodegradation tests. Batch tests were then conducted with samples from the real wastewater or using a synthetic wastewater containing 325 mg phenol/l and 500 mg NH4+/l as target pollutants. Direct biological treatment of-the real wastewater was not possible due to the toxicity of organic compounds. Activated carbon adsorption and UV(A-B)-irradiation were efficient in detoxifying the effluent for subsequent biological treatment as inoculation of pretreated samples with the algal-bacterial consortium was followed by complete phenol removal and NH4+ removal of 45%. Complete phenol removal and 33% NH4+ removal were achieved during the fed-batch treatment of artificial wastewater. at 6 d hydraulic retention time (HRT). Under continuous feeding at 3.6 d HRT, phenol and NH4+ removal dropped to 58 and 18%, respectively. However, complete phenol removal and 29% NH4+ removal were achieved when 8 g NaHCO3/1 was added to the artificial wastewater to enhance algal growth. This study confirms the potential of solar-based industrial wastewater treatment based on solar-based UV pretreatment followed by algal-bacterial biodegradation.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
