Distinct calcium sources regulate temporal profiles of NMDAR and mGluR-mediated protein synthesis.

Calcium signaling is integral for neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity. We demonstrate that the calcium response generated by different sources modulates neuronal activity-mediated protein synthesis, another process essential for synaptic plasticity. Stimulation of NMDARs generates a protein synthesis response involving three phases-increased translation inhibition, followed by a decrease in translation inhibition, and increased translation activation.

Function of FMRP Domains in Regulating Distinct Roles of Neuronal Protein Synthesis.

The Fragile-X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) is an RNA binding protein that regulates translation of mRNAs essential for synaptic development and plasticity. FMRP interacts with a specific set of mRNAs, aids in their microtubule-dependent transport and regulates their translation through its association with ribosomes. However, the biochemical role of FMRP's domains in forming neuronal granules and associating with microtubules and ribosomes is currently undefined.

Polarimetric method of generating full Poincaré beams within a finite extent.

A novel polarimetric method of generating a variety of Poincaré beams such as half Poincaré beams and full Poincaré beams using doubly inhomogeneous wave plates (-plates) is proposed. In this method, every input state of polarization (SoP) through such a -plate generates a unique Poincaré beam, thereby giving access to a potentially infinite number of them. Furthermore, the generation of full Poincaré beams is presented here as an instance of the geometrical problem of mapping the surface of a sphere onto a plane, and this insight allows one to design -plates that convert the input SoP to every possible SoP, within a finite region of the beam.

Wavelength-adaptable effective q-plates with passively tunable retardance.

Wave retarders having spatially varying optical axes orientations, called q-plates are extremely efficient devices for converting spin to orbital angular momentum of light and for the generation of optical vortices. Most often, these plates are designed for a specific wavelength and have a homogeneous constant retardance. The present work provides a polarimetric approach for overcoming both these limitations.

Rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue disorders: India and South-East Asia.

With a few exceptions, there remains a paucity of good epidemiological studies from India and South-East Asia. The overall impression is that the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is slightly less compared with the West and follows a milder course. There may be differences in the articular expression of the disease with the wrist and forefoot less commonly affected than in Caucasian studies.