Upregulation of the microRNA cluster at the Dlk1-Dio3 locus in lung adenocarcinoma.

Mice in which lung epithelial cells can be induced to express an oncogenic Kras(G12D) develop lung adenocarcinomas in a manner analogous to humans. A myriad of genetic changes accompany lung adenocarcinomas, many of which are poorly understood. To get a comprehensive understanding of both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional changes that accompany lung adenocarcinomas, we took an omics approach in profiling both the coding genes and the non-coding small RNAs in an induced mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma. RNAseq transcriptome analysis of Kras(G12D) tumors from F1 hybrid mice revealed features specific to tumor samples. This includes the repression of a network of GTPase-related genes (Prkg1, Gnao1 and Rgs9) in tumor samples and an enrichment of Apobec1-mediated cytosine to uridine RNA editing. Furthermore, analysis of known single-nucleotide polymorphisms revealed not only a change in expression of Cd22 but also that its expression became allele specific in tumors. The most salient finding, however, came from small RNA sequencing of the tumor samples, which revealed that a cluster of ∼53 microRNAs and mRNAs at the Dlk1-Dio3 locus on mouse chromosome 12qF1 was markedly and consistently increased in tumors. Activation of this locus occurred specifically in sorted tumor-originating cancer cells. Interestingly, the 12qF1 RNAs were repressed in cultured Kras(G12D) tumor cells but reactivated when transplanted in vivo. These microRNAs have been implicated in stem cell pleuripotency and proteins targeted by these microRNAs are involved in key pathways in cancer as well as embryogenesis. Taken together, our results strongly imply that these microRNAs represent key targets in unraveling the mechanism of lung oncogenesis

Dielectric and Raman studies of Ba-0.06(Na1/2Bi1/2)(0.94)TiO3-NaNbO3 ceramics

In this work the X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman and dielectric studies of lead free perovskite (1-x)Ba-0.06(Na1/2Bi1/2)(0.94)TiO3-xNaNbO(3) (0 <= x <= 1.0) ceramics, prepared using a standard solid state reaction method, were investigated. X-ray diffraction studies of all the ceramics suggested the formation of single phase with crystal structure transforming from rhombohedral-tetragonal to orthorhombic symmetry with the increase in NaNbO3 content. Raman spectra also confirmed the formation of solid solution without any new phase. Dielectric studies showed that the phase transition is of diffusive character and diffusivity parameter decreases with increasing NaNbO3 content. The compositional fluctuation was considered to be the main cause of diffusivity

Probing liquid surface waves, liquid properties and liquid films with light diffraction

Surface waves on liquids act as a dynamical phase grating for incident light. In this article, we revisit the classical method of probing such waves (wavelengths of the order of mm) as well as inherent properties of liquids and liquid films on liquids, using optical diffraction. A combination of simulation and experiment is proposed to trace out the surface wave profiles in various situations (\emph{eg.} for one or more vertical, slightly immersed, electrically driven exciters). Subsequently, the surface tension and the spatial damping coefficient (related to viscosity) of a variety of liquids are measured carefully in order to gauge the efficiency of measuring liquid properties using this optical probe. The final set of results deal with liquid films where dispersion relations, surface and interface modes, interfacial tension and related issues are investigated in some detail, both theoretically and experimentally. On the whole, our observations and analyses seem to support the claim that this simple, low--cost apparatus is capable of providing a wealth of information on liquids and liquid surface waves in a non--destructive way.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, to appear in Measurement Science and Technology (IOP

Spontaneous decompactification

Positive vacuum energy together with extra dimensions of space imply that our four-dimensional Universe is unstable, generically to decompactification of the extra dimensions. Either quantum tunneling or thermal fluctuations carry one past a barrier into the decompactifying regime. We give an overview of this process, and examine the subsequent expansion into the higher- dimensional geometry. This is governed by certain fixed-point solutions of the evolution equations, which are studied for both positive and negative spatial curvature. In the case where there is a higher-dimensional cosmological constant, we also outline a possible mechanism for compactification to a four-dimensional de Sitter cosmology.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures, harvmac. v2: refs added, minor notation change

Electrocaloric effect of PMN-PT thin films near morphotropic phase boundary

The electrocaloric effect is calculated for PMN-PT relaxor ferroelectric thin film near morphotropic phase boundary composition. Thin film of thickness, ~240 nm, has been deposited using pulsed laser deposition technique on a highly (111) oriented platinized silicon substrate at 700°C and at 100 mtorr oxygen partial pressure. Prior to the deposition of PMN-PT, a template layer of LSCO of thickness, ~60 nm, is deposited on the platinized silicon substrate to hinder the pyrochlore phase formation. The temperature dependent P-E loops were measured at 200 Hz triangular wave operating at the virtual ground mode. Maximum reversible adiabatic temperature change, &#916;T = 31 K, was calculated at 140°C for an external applied voltage of 18 V

Study of a class of non-polynomial oscillator potentials

We develop a variational method to obtain accurate bounds for the eigenenergies of H = -Delta + V in arbitrary dimensions N>1, where V(r) is the nonpolynomial oscillator potential V(r) = r^2 + lambda r^2/(1+gr^2), lambda in (-infinity,\infinity), g>0. The variational bounds are compared with results previously obtained in the literature. An infinite set of exact solutions is also obtained and used as a source of comparison eigenvalues.Comment: 16 page

Growth pattern of preterm and IUGR babies in an urban slum of Kolkata, west Bengal, India

The present study was carried out to analyze the growth pattern of pretermand IUGR infants from birth up to nine months of age. A longitudinal study was conducted in an urban slum of Chetla, Kolkata, India. Study population comprised of 36 low birth weight babies, out of which 13 were preterms and rest 23 were IUGR babies. Different anthropometric parameters like weight, length, head and chest circumference was measured and compared between two groups. During the entire follow up period, all the mean anthropometric parameters of the preterms lagged behind their IUGR counterparts; in contrast the growth potential of the preterms was more as revealed by their increased mean increments in terms of weight, length, head and chest circumference. Regular growth monitoring should be an essential component of care of both preterm and IUGR babies with more focused health care services for IUGR babies, so as to detect growth faltering at the earlies