Bs0−Bˉs0B_s^0-\bar{B}_s^0 mixing within minimal flavor-violating two-Higgs-doublet models

In the "Higgs basis" for a generic 2HDM, only one scalar doublet gets a nonzero vacuum expectation value and, under the criterion of minimal flavor violation, the other one is fixed to be either color-singlet or color-octet, which are named as the type-III and type-C models, respectively. In this paper, the charged-Higgs effects of these two models on $B_s^0-\bar{B}_s^0$ mixing are studied. Firstly, we perform a complete one-loop computation of the electro-weak corrections to the amplitudes of $B_s^0-\bar{B}_s^0$ mixing. Together with the up-to-date experimental measurements, a detailed phenomenological analysis is then performed in the cases of both real and complex Yukawa couplings of charged scalars to quarks. The spaces of model parameters allowed by the current experimental data on $B_s^0-\bar{B}_s^0$ mixing are obtained and the differences between type-III and type-C models are investigated, which is helpful to distinguish between these two models.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables; More references and discussions added, final version published in the journa

Demonstration of Deutsch's Algorithm on a Stable Linear-Optical Quantum Computer

We report an experimental demonstration of quantum Deutsch's algorithm by using linear-optical system. By employing photon's polarization and spatial modes, we implement all balanced and constant functions for quantum computer. The experimental system is very stable and the experimental data are excellent in accordance with the theoretical results.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Sulfated tyrosines 27 and 29 in the N-terminus of human CXCR3 participate in binding native IP-10

Aim: Human CXCR3, a seven-transmembrane segment (7TMS), is predominantly expressed in Th1-mediated responses. Interferon-γ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) is an important ligand for CXCR3. Their interaction is pivotal for leukocyte migration and activation. Tyrosine sulfation in 7TMS is a posttranslational modification that contributes substantially to ligand binding. We aimed to study the role of tyrosine sulfation of CXCR3 in the protein's binding to IP-10. Methods: Plasmids encoding CXCR3 and its mutants were prepared by PCR and site-directed mutagenesis. HEK 293T cells were transfected with plasmids encoding CXCR3 or its variants using calcium phosphate. Transfected cells were labeled with [35S]-cysteine and methionine or [35S]-Na2SO3 and then analyzed by immunoprecipitation to measure sulfation. Experiments with 125I-labeled IP-10 were carried out to evaluate the affinity of CXCR3 for its ligand. Calcium influx assays were used to measure intercellular signal transduction. Results: Our data show that sulfate moieties are added to tyrosines 27 and 29 of CXCR3. Mutation of these two tyrosines to phenylalanines substantially decreases binding of CXCR3 to IP-10 and appears to eliminate the associated signal transduction. Tyrosine sulfation of CXCR3 is enhanced by tyrosyl protein sulfotransferases (TPSTs), and it is weakened by shRNA constructs. The binding ability of CXCR3 to IP-10 is increased by TPSTs and decreased by shRNAs. Conclusions: This study identifies two sulfated tyrosines in the N-terminus of CXCR3 as part of the binding site for IP-10, and it underscores the fact that tyrosine sulfation in the N-termini of 7TMS receptors is functionally important for ligand interactions. Our study suggests a molecular target for inhibiting this ligand-receptor interaction

Scaling behavior of an artificial traffic model on scale-free networks

In this article, we investigate an artificial traffic model on scale-free networks. Instead of using the routing strategy of the shortest path, a generalized routing algorithm is introduced to improve the transportation throughput, which is measured by the value of the critical point disjoining the free-flow phase and the congested phase. By using the detrended fluctuation analysis, we found that the traffic rate fluctuation near the critical point exhibits the $1/f$-type scaling in the power spectrum. The simulation results agree very well with the empirical data, thus the present model may contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanism of network traffics.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Predicting the Severity and Prognosis of Trismus after Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Oral Cancer Patients by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

To develop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicators to predict trismus outcome for post-operative oral cavity cancer patients who received adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), 22 patients with oral cancer treated with IMRT were studied over a two-year period. Signal abnormality scores (SA scores) were computed from Likert-type ratings of the abnormalities of nine masticator structures and compared with the Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal–Wallis one-way ANOVA test between groups. Seventeen patients (77.3%) experienced different degrees of trismus during the two-year follow-up period. The SA score correlated with the trismus grade (r = 0.52, p<0.005). Patients having progressive trismus had higher mean doses of radiation to multiple structures, including the masticator and lateral pterygoid muscles, and the parotid gland (p<0.05). In addition, this group also had higher SA-masticator muscle dose product at 6 months and SA scores at 12 months (p<0.05). At the optimum cut-off points of 0.38 for the propensity score, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 93% for predicting the prognosis of the trismus patients. The SA score, as determined using MRI, can reflect the radiation injury and correlate to trismus severity. Together with the radiation dose, it could serve as a useful biomarker to predict the outcome and guide the management of trismus following radiation therapy

KCNN2 polymorphisms and cardiac tachyarrhythmias

Potassium calcium-activated channel subfamily N member 2 (KCNN2) encodes an integral membrane protein that forms small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels. Recent studies in animal models show that SK channels are important in atrial and ventricular repolarization and arrhythmogenesis. However, the importance of SK channels in human arrhythmia remains unclear. The purpose of the present study was to test the association between genetic polymorphism of the SK2 channel and the occurrence of cardiac tachyarrhythmias in humans. We enrolled 327 Han Chinese, including 72 with clinically significant ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTa) who had a history of aborted sudden cardiac death (SCD) or unexplained syncope, 98 with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF), and 144 normal controls. We genotyped 12 representative tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across a 141-kb genetic region containing the KCNN2 gene; these captured the full haplotype information. The rs13184658 and rs10076582 variants of KCNN2 were associated with VTa in both the additive and dominant models (odds ratio [OR] 2.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.505-5.545, P = 0.001; and OR 2.55, 95% CI = 1.428-4.566, P = 0.002, respectively). After adjustment for potential risk factors, the association remained significant. The population attributable risks of these 2 variants of VTa were 17.3% and 10.6%, respectively. One variant (rs13184658) showed weak but significant association with AF in a dominant model (OR 1.91, CI = 1.025-3.570], P = 0.042). There was a significant association between the KCNN2 variants and clinically significant VTa. These findings suggest an association between KCNN2 and VTa; it also appears that KCNN2 variants may be adjunctive markers for risk stratification in patients susceptible to SCD