1,325 research outputs found
A Semiclassical Approach to Level Crossing in Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics
Much use has been made of the techniques of supersymmetric quantum mechanics
(SUSY QM) for studying bound-state problems characterized by a superpotential
. Under the analytic continuation , a pair of
superpartner bound-state problems is transformed into a two-state
level-crossing problem in the continuum. The description of matter-enhanced
neutrino flavor oscillations involves a level-crossing problem. We treat this
with the techniques of supersymmetric quantum mechanics. For the benefit of
those not familiar with neutrino oscillations and their description, enough
details are given to make the rest of the paper understandable. Many other
level-crossing problems in physics are of exactly the same form. Particular
attention is given to the fact that different semiclassical techniques yield
different results. The best result is obtained with a uniform approximation
that explicitly recognizes the supersymmetric nature of the system.Comment: 15 pages, Latex with lamuphys and psfig macros. Talk by first Author
at the UIC "Supersymmetry and Integrable Models Workshop", Chicago, June
12-14, 1997; proceedings to be published in Springer Lecture Notes in
Physics, H. Aratyn et al., eds. This paper also available at
http://nucth.physics.wisc.edu/preprint
Conductivity of the classical two-dimensional electron gas
We discuss the applicability of the Boltzmann equation to the classical
two-dimensional electron gas. We show that in the presence of both the
electron-impurity and electron-electron scattering the Boltzmann equation can
be inapplicable and the correct result for conductivity can be different from
the one obtained from the kinetic equation by a logarithmically large factor.Comment: Revtex, 3 page
Polyphosphoinositides-dependent regulation of the osteoclast actin cytoskeleton and bone resorption
BACKGROUND: Gelsolin, an actin capping protein of osteoclast podosomes, has a unique function in regulating assembly and disassembly of the podosome actin filament. Previously, we have reported that osteopontin (OPN) binding to integrin α(v)β(3 )increased the levels of gelsolin-associated polyphosphoinositides, podosome assembly/disassembly, and actin filament formation. The present study was undertaken to identify the possible role of polyphosphoinositides and phosphoinositides binding domains (PBDs) of gelsolin in the osteoclast cytoskeletal structural organization and osteoclast function. RESULTS: Transduction of TAT/full-length gelsolin and PBDs containing gelsolin peptides into osteoclasts demonstrated: 1) F-actin enriched patches; 2) disruption of actin ring; 3) an increase in the association polyphosphoinositides (PPIs) with the transduced peptides containing PBDs. The above-mentioned effects were more pronounced with gelsolin peptide containing 2 tandem repeats of PBDs (PBD (2)). Binding of PPIs to the transduced peptides has resulted in reduced levels of PPIs association with the endogenous gelsolin, and thereby disrupted the actin remodeling processes in terms of podosome organization in the clear zone area and actin ring formation. These peptides also exhibited a dominant negative effect in the formation of WASP-Arp2/3 complex indicating the role of phosphoinositides in WASP activation. The TAT-PBD gelsolin peptides transduced osteoclasts are functionally defective in terms of motility and bone resorption. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data demonstrate that transduction of PBD gelsolin peptides into osteoclasts produced a dominant negative effect on actin assembly, motility, and bone resorption. These findings indicate that phosphoinositide-mediated signaling mechanisms regulate osteoclast cytoskeleton, podosome assembly/disassembly, actin ring formation and bone resorption activity of osteoclasts
Voltage-gated calcium channel and antisense oligonucleotides thereto
An antisense oligonucleotide of 10 to 35 nucleotides in length that can hybridize with a region of the .alpha..sub.1 subunit of the SA-Cat channel gene DNA or mRNA is provided, together with pharmaceutical compositions containing and methods utilizing such antisense oligonucleotide
From laterally modulated two-dimensional electron gas towards artificial graphene
Cyclotron resonance has been measured in far-infrared transmission of
GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures with an etched hexagonal lateral
superlattice. Non-linear dependence of the resonance position on magnetic field
was observed as well as its splitting into several modes. Our explanation,
based on a perturbative calculation, describes the observed phenomena as a weak
effect of the lateral potential on the two-dimensional electron gas. Using this
approach, we found a correlation between parameters of the lateral patterning
and the created effective potential and obtain thus insights on how the
electronic miniband structure has been tuned. The miniband dispersion was
calculated using a simplified model and allowed us to formulate four basic
criteria that have to be satisfied to reach graphene-like physics in such
systems
Updates in the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder show the role of osteocytic proteins, a potential mechanism of the bone-vascular paradox, a therapeutic target, and a biomarker
The chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is a complex multi-component syndrome occurring during kidney disease and its progression. Here, we update progress in the components of the syndrome, and synthesize recent investigations, which suggest a potential mechanism of the bone-vascular paradox. The discovery that calcified arteries in chronic kidney disease inhibit bone remodeling lead to the identification of factors produced by the vasculature that inhibit the skeleton, thus providing a potential explanation for the bone-vascular paradox. Among the factors produced by calcifying arteries, sclerostin secretion is especially enlightening. Sclerostin is a potent inhibitor of bone remodeling and an osteocyte specific protein. Its production by the vasculature in chronic kidney disease identifies the key role of vascular cell osteoblastic/osteocytic transdifferentiation in vascular calcification and renal osteodystrophy. Subsequent studies showing that inhibition of sclerostin activity by a monoclonal antibody improved bone remodeling as expected, but stimulated vascular calcification, demonstrate that vascular sclerostin functions to brake the Wnt stimulation of the calcification milieu. Thus, the target of therapy in the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder is not inhibition of sclerostin function, which would intensify vascular calcification. Rather, decreasing sclerostin production by decreasing the vascular osteoblastic/osteocytic transdifferentiation is the goal. This might decrease vascular calcification, decrease vascular stiffness, decrease cardiac hypertrophy, decrease sclerostin production, reduce serum sclerostin and improve skeletal remodeling. Thus, the therapeutic target of the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder may be vascular osteoblastic transdifferentiation, and sclerostin levels may be a useful biomarker for the diagnosis of the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder and the progress of its therapy
Sotatercept safety and effects on hemoglobin, bone, and vascular calcification
Introduction: Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) exhibit anemia, chronic kidney disease‒mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD), and cardiovascular disease. The REN-001 and REN-002 phase II, multicenter, randomized studies examined safety, tolerability, and effects of sotatercept, an ActRIIA-IgG1 fusion protein trap, on hemoglobin concentration; REN-001 also explored effects on bone mineral density (BMD) and abdominal aortic vascular calcification.
Methods: Forty-three patients were treated in REN-001 (dose range: sotatercept 0.3‒0.7 mg/kg or placebo subcutaneously [s.c.] for 200 days) and 50 in REN-002 (dose range: 0.1‒0.4 mg/kg i.v. and 0.13‒0.5 mg/kg s.c. for 99 days).
Results: In REN-001, frequency of achieving target hemoglobin response (\u3e10 g/dl [6.21 mmol/l]) with sotatercept was dose-related and greater than placebo (0.3 mg/kg: 33.3%; 0.5 mg/kg: 62.5%; 0.7 mg/kg: 77.8%; 0.7 mg/kg [doses 1 and 2]/0.4 mg/kg [doses 3‒15]: 33.3%; placebo: 27.3%). REN-002 hemoglobin findings were similar (i.v.: 16.7%-57.1%; s.c.: 11.1%‒42.9%). Dose-related achievement of ≥2% increase in femoral neck cortical BMD was seen among only REN-001 patients receiving sotatercept (0.3‒0.7 mg/kg: 20.0%‒57.1%; placebo: 0.0%). Abdominal aortic vascular calcification was slowed in a dose-related manner, with a ≤15% increase in Agatston score achieved by more REN-001 sotatercept versus placebo patients (60%‒100% vs. 16.7%). The most common adverse events during treatment were hypertension, muscle spasm, headache, arteriovenous fistula site complication, and influenza observed in both treatment and placebo groups.
Conclusion: In patients with ESKD, sotatercept exhibited a favorable safety profile and was associated with trends in dose-related slowing of vascular calcification. Less-consistent trends in improved hemoglobin concentration and BMD were observed
Bedrock weathering and stream water chemistry in felsic and ultramafic forest catchments
Abstract not availablePavel Krám, Juraj Farkaš, Anna Pereponova, Chukwudi Nwaogu, Veronika Štědrá, Jakub Hrušk
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