Has PGD-HLA been successful relative to diagnostic and clinical efficacy?
Eclipsing binaries with a $\delta$ Sct component are powerful tools to derivethe fundamental parameters and probe the internal structure of stars. In thisstudy, spectral analysis of 6 primary $\delta$ Sct components in eclipsingbinaries has been performed. Values of $T_{\rm eff}$, $v \sin i$, andmetallicity for the stars have been derived from medium-resolutionspectroscopy. Additionally, a revised list of $\delta$ Sct stars in eclipsingbinaries is presented. In this list, we have only given the $\delta$ Sct starsin eclipsing binaries to show the effects of the secondary components andtidal-locking on the pulsations of primary $\delta$ Sct components. The stellarpulsation, atmospheric and fundamental parameters (e.g., mass, radius) of 92$\delta$ Sct stars in eclipsing binaries have been gathered. Comparison of theproperties of single and eclipsing binary member $\delta$ Sct stars has beenmade. We find that single $\delta$ Sct stars pulsate in longer periods and withhigher amplitudes than the primary $\delta$ Sct components in eclipsingbinaries. The $v \sin i$ of $\delta$ Sct components is found to besignificantly lower than that of single $\delta$ Sct stars. Relationshipsbetween the pulsation periods, amplitudes, and stellar parameters in our listhave been examined. Significant correlations between the pulsation periods andthe orbital periods, $T_{\rm eff}$, $\log g$, radius, mass ratio, $v \sin i$,and the filling factor have been found.
Although pulsations of $\delta$ Scuti type are not expected among Ap starsfrom a theoretical point of view, previous observations of the known $\delta$Scuti star HD21190 indicated a spectral classification F2 III SrEuSi:, makingit the most evolved Ap star known. Our atmospheric chemical analysis based onrecent HARPS observations confirms the presence of chemical peculiarities inHD21190. This star is also the only target known to host a magnetic field alongwith its $\delta$ Scuti pulsation properties. Using an astrometric analysis, weshow that HD21190 forms a physical binary system with the companion CPD-83$^{\circ}$ 64B. The presented astrometric and spectroscopic study of thebinary components is important to understand the complex interplay betweenstellar pulsations, magnetic fields, and chemical composition.
$\delta$ Scuti stars are remarkable objects for asteroseismology. In spite ofdecades of investigations, there are still important questions about thesepulsating stars to be answered, such as their positions in $\log$$T_{\rm eff}$$-$ $\log g$ diagram, or the dependence of the pulsation modes on atmosphericparameters and rotation. Therefore, we performed a detailed spectroscopic studyof $41$ $\delta$ Scuti stars. The selected objects are located near the$\gamma$ Doradus instability strip to make a reliable comparison between bothtypes of variables. Spectral classification, stellar atmospheric parameters($T_{\rm eff}$, $\log g$, $\xi$) and $v \sin i$ values were determined. Thespectral types and luminosity classes of stars were found to be A1$-$F5 andIII$-$V, respectively. The $T_{\rm eff}$ ranges from $6600$ to $9400$ K,whereas the obtained $\log g$ values are from $3.4$ to $4.3$. The $v \sin i$values were found between $10$ and $222$ km s$^{-1}$. The derived chemicalabundances of $\delta$ Scuti stars were compared to those of the non-pulsatingstars and $\gamma$ Doradus variables. It turned out that both $\delta$ Scutiand $\gamma$ Doradus variables have similar abundance patterns, which areslightly different from the non-pulsating stars. These chemical differences canhelp us to understand why there are non-pulsating stars in classicalinstability strip. Effects of the obtained parameters on pulsation period andamplitude were examined. It appears that the pulsation period decreases withincreasing $T_{\rm eff}$. No significant correlations were found betweenpulsation period, amplitude and $v \sin i$.
The analysis of small RNA NGS data together with the discovery of new small RNAs is among the foremost challenges in life science. For the analysis of raw high-throughput sequencing data we implemented the fast, accurate and comprehensive web-based tool miRMaster. Our toolbox provides a wide range of modules for quantification of miRNAs and other non-coding RNAs, discovering new miRNAs, isomiRs, mutations, exogenous RNAs and motifs. Use-cases comprising hundreds of samples are processed in less than 5 h with an accuracy of 99.4%. An integrative analysis of small RNAs from 1836 data sets (20 billion reads) indicated that context-specific miRNAs (e.g. miRNAs present only in one or few different tissues / cell types) still remain to be discovered while broadly expressed miRNAs appear to be largely known. In total, our analysis of known and novel miRNAs indicated nearly 22 000 candidates of precursors with one or two mature forms. Based on these, we designed a custom microarray comprising 11 872 potential mature miRNAs to assess the quality of our prediction. MiRMaster is a convenient-to-use tool for the comprehensive and fast analysis of miRNA NGS data. In addition, our predicted miRNA candidates provided as custom array will allow researchers to perform in depth validation of candidates interesting to them.
Conformation capture technologies measure frequencies of interactions between chromatin regions. However, understanding gene-regulation require knowledge of detailed spatial structures of heterogeneous chromatin in cells. Here we describe the nC-SAC (n-Constrained-Self Avoiding Chromatin) method that transforms experimental interaction frequencies into 3D ensembles of chromatin chains. nC-SAC first distinguishes specific from non-specific interaction frequencies, then generates 3D chromatin ensembles using identified specific interactions as spatial constraints. Application to α-globin locus shows that these constraints (∼20%) drive the formation of ∼99% all experimentally captured interactions, in which ∼30% additional to the imposed constraints is found to be specific. Many novel specific spatial contacts not captured by experiments are also predicted. A subset, of which independent ChIA-PET data are available, is validated to be RNAPII-, CTCF-, and RAD21-mediated. Their positioning in the architectural context of imposed specific interactions from nC-SAC is highly important. Our results also suggest the presence of a many-body structural unit involving α-globin gene, its enhancers, and POL3RK gene for regulating the expression of α-globin in silent cells.
We provide evidence that open-end structures undermine asset managers’ incentives to attack long-term mispricing. First, we compare open-end funds with closed-end funds. Closed-end funds purchase more underpriced stocks than open-end funds, especially if the stocks involve high arbitrage risk. We then show that hedge funds with high share restrictions, having a lower degree of open-ending, also trade against long-term mispricing to a larger extent than other hedge funds. Our analysis suggests that open-end organizational structures are not conducive to long-term risky arbitrage
Rationale: A 62-year-old male patient was admitted to our clinic in February 2016 with persistently elevated liver enzymes. Patient concerns: Clinical history involved a long time of poly-autoimmunity with a rheumatoid arthritis (in remission under tocilizumab therapy), an autoimmune thyroiditis, an eosinophilia as well as a hyper-immunoglobulin (IgG) 4-syndrome. Diagnoses: Laboratory studies revealed a significant increase in liver enzymes with an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of 574 U/L and an aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of 864 U/L (normal <50 U/L). Furthermore, the patient was positive for anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANA) with a titer of 1:320 (normal upper limit: 1:80). Interventions: Liver histology, obtained via mini-laparoscopy, demonstrated lobular hepatitis with markedly increased hepatocyte apoptosis, lymphoplasmatic cell infiltration, and 20% microvascular fat without significant fibrosis, which strengthened the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Pulse steroid treatment with 100 mg prednisolone for 3 days followed by a tapering down was initiated. Follow-up laboratory analysis demonstrated a decrease in liver enzymes and also of the ANA-titer. Outcomes: At that point, hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection was diagnosed with a positive anti-HEV immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody and HEV-ribonucleotide acid (RNA) of 6280 copies/mL. Lessons: Despite the HEV infection and due to the strength of autoimmunity, we decided to continue immunosuppressive therapy and monitored HEV-PCR regularly. However, HEV-RNA became negative after 2 months and HEV-IgM turned negative after 13 months.
The ability of cells to detect and repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) within the complex architecture of the genome requires co-ordination between the DNA repair machinery and chromatin remodelling complexes. This co-ordination is essential to process damaged chromatin and create open chromatin structures which are required for repair. Initially, there is a PARP-dependent recruitment of repressors, including HP1 and several H3K9 methyltransferases, and exchange of histone H2A.Z by the NuA4-Tip60 complex. This creates repressive chromatin at the DSB in which the tail of histone H4 is bound to the acidic patch on the nucleosome surface. These repressor complexes are then removed, allowing rapid acetylation of the H4 tail by Tip60. H4 acetylation blocks interaction between the H4 tail and the acidic patch on adjacent nucleosomes, decreasing inter-nucleosomal interactions and creating open chromatin. Further, the H4 tail is now free to recruit proteins such as 53BP1 to DSBs, a process modulated by H4 acetylation, and provides binding sites for bromodomain proteins, including ZMYND8 and BRD4, which are important for DSB repair. Here, we will discuss how the H4 tail functions as a dynamic hub that can be programmed through acetylation to alter chromatin packing and recruit repair proteins to the break site. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Chromatin modifiers and remodellers in DNA repair and signalling’.