790 research outputs found
Immunomics in inflammatory rheumatic diseases
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are characterized by autoantibodies to different autoantigenic proteins. Using proteomic 2D immunoblots, we identified a new 40 kDa autoantigen – hnRNP A3 – from HeLa nuclear extracts, which is frequently (30%) detected by RA. Moreover, we used a set of protein arrays of about 50 000 proteins derived from a human foetal brain cDNA expression library for screening with patient sera. Additionally, we utilized a human foetal brain cDNA library in a robot-based T7 phage display screening system with RA patient sera. To determine the diversity of the enriched library, we amplified the cDNA inserts and hybridized them onto the custom-made human ENSEMBL cDNA array. By these methods, over 80 clones were identified to bind patient immunoglobulins. Moreover, nine clones show only IgA-specific reactivity. We have now evaluated two different clones thoroughly: the carboxyl-terminal half of the nucleolar phosphoprotein p130 (NOPP 130) and a clone representing a 41-amino-acid mimetic peptide showing homology to calreticulin, a previously reported autoantigen. The remaining proteins are still undergoing thorough investigation. Applying state-of-the-art proteomic techniques, such as protein array and phage display, we have succeeded in identifying more than 80 potentially autoantigenic marker molecules, of which we have characterized a subset for RA specificity by screening with large numbers of patient and control sera. However, none of the molecules characterized thus far is exclusively discriminatory for RA and they all exhibit overlap with other autoimmune diseases
Is It Rational to Assume that Infants Imitate Rationally? A Theoretical Analysis and Critique
It has been suggested that preverbal infants evaluate the efficiency of others' actions (by applying a principle of rational action) and that they imitate others' actions rationally. The present contribution presents a conceptual analysis of the claim that preverbal infants imitate rationally. It shows that this ability rests on at least three assumptions: that infants are able to perceive others' action capabilities, that infants reason about and conceptually represent their own bodies, and that infants are able to think counterfactually. It is argued that none of these three abilities is in place during infancy. Furthermore, it is shown that the idea of a principle of rational action suffers from two fallacies. As a consequence, is it suggested that it is not rational to assume that infants imitate rationally. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base
Optical properties of structurally-relaxed Si/SiO superlattices: the role of bonding at interfaces
We have constructed microscopic, structurally-relaxed atomistic models of
Si/SiO superlattices. The structural distortion and oxidation-state
characteristics of the interface Si atoms are examined in detail. The role
played by the interface Si suboxides in raising the band gap and producing
dispersionless energy bands is established. The suboxide atoms are shown to
generate an abrupt interface layer about 1.60 \AA thick. Bandstructure and
optical-absorption calculations at the Fermi Golden rule level are used to
demonstrate that increasing confinement leads to (a) direct bandgaps (b) a blue
shift in the spectrum, and (c) an enhancement of the absorption intensity in
the threshold-energy region. Some aspects of this behaviour appear not only in
the symmetry direction associated with the superlattice axis, but also in the
orthogonal plane directions. We conclude that, in contrast to Si/Ge, Si/SiO
superlattices show clear optical enhancement and a shift of the optical
spectrum into the region useful for many opto-electronic applications.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures (submitted to Phys. Rev. B
Wissenschaftliche Monitoringkonzepte für die Deutsche Bucht (WIMO) - Abschlussbericht
The state and development of coastal marine systems and an understanding of the interaction of
organisms, sea floor, water column, and biochemical and physical processes can only be obtained by
a combination of long-term monitoring and modelling approaches of different complexity. A need for the development and evaluation of monitoring strategies is driven by a framework of different
European and German regulations. The research project WIMO (Scientific Monitoring Concepts for the German Bight) has developed concepts and methods that aim at a fundamental scientific understanding of marine systems and also meet monitoring requirements of European legislation and regulations like the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. In this final report examples of common descriptors of ecosystem state like seabed integrity, eutrophication, and biodiversity are discussed. It has been assessed to what extent established measuring procedures used to survey the characteristics of the sea floor, and newly developed technologies are eligible for governmental monitoring. The significance of integrative modelling for linking and visualising results of measurements and
models is illustrated. It is shown how new concepts have been implemented into governmental monitoring in the form of web based data sheets. These insights enable continuous analyses and developments in the future
ABC Effect in Basic Double-Pionic Fusion --- Observation of a new resonance?
We report on a high-statistics measurement of the basic double pionic fusion
reaction over the energy region of the so-called ABC
effect, a pronounced low-mass enhancement in the -invariant mass
spectrum. The measurements were performed with the WASA detector setup at COSY.
The data reveal the ABC effect to be associated with a Lorentzian shaped energy
dependence in the integral cross section. The observables are consistent with a
resonance with in both and systems.
Necessary further tests of the resonance interpretation are discussed
First Measurement of Chiral Dynamics in \pi^- \gamma -> \pi^- \pi^- \pi^+
The COMPASS collaboration at CERN has investigated the \pi^- \gamma -> \pi^-
\pi^- \pi^+ reaction at center-of-momentum energy below five pion masses,
sqrt(s) < 5 m(\pi), embedded in the Primakoff reaction of 190 GeV pions
impinging on a lead target. Exchange of quasi-real photons is selected by
isolating the sharp Coulomb peak observed at smallest momentum transfers, t' <
0.001 (GeV/c)^2. Using partial-wave analysis techniques, the scattering
intensity of Coulomb production described in terms of chiral dynamics and its
dependence on the 3\pi-invariant mass m(3\pi) = sqrt(s) were extracted. The
absolute cross section was determined in seven bins of with an
overall precision of 20%. At leading order, the result is found to be in good
agreement with the prediction of chiral perturbation theory over the whole
energy range investigated.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Spin alignment and violation of the OZI rule in exclusive and production in pp collisions
Exclusive production of the isoscalar vector mesons and is
measured with a 190 GeV proton beam impinging on a liquid hydrogen target.
Cross section ratios are determined in three intervals of the Feynman variable
of the fast proton. A significant violation of the OZI rule is found,
confirming earlier findings. Its kinematic dependence on and on the
invariant mass of the system formed by fast proton
and vector meson is discussed in terms of diffractive
production of resonances in competition with central
production. The measurement of the spin density matrix element of
the vector mesons in different selected reference frames provides another
handle to distinguish the contributions of these two major reaction types.
Again, dependences of the alignment on and on are
found. Most of the observations can be traced back to the existence of several
excited baryon states contributing to production which are absent in
the case of the meson. Removing the low-mass resonant
region, the OZI rule is found to be violated by a factor of eight,
independently of .Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures and 5 table
Exclusive rho^0 muoproduction on transversely polarised protons and deuterons
The transverse target spin azimuthal asymmetry A_UT in hard exclusive
production of rho^0 mesons was measured at COMPASS by scattering 160 GeV/c
muons off transversely polarised protons and deuterons. The measured asymmetry
is sensitive to the nucleon helicity-flip generalised parton distributions E^q,
which are related to the orbital angular momentum of quarks in the nucleon. The
Q^2, x_B and p_t^2 dependence of A_UT is presented in a wide kinematic range.
Results for deuterons are obtained for the first time. The measured asymmetry
is small in the whole kinematic range for both protons and deuterons, which is
consistent with the theoretical interpretation that contributions from GPDs E^u
and E^d approximately cancel.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures and 4 tables, updated author lis
Interplay among transversity induced asymmetries in hadron leptoproduction
In the fragmentation of a transversely polarized quark several left-right
asymmetries are possible for the hadrons in the jet. When only one unpolarized
hadron is selected, it exhibits an azimuthal modulation known as Collins
effect. When a pair of oppositely charged hadrons is observed, three
asymmetries can be considered, a di-hadron asymmetry and two single hadron
asymmetries. In lepton deep inelastic scattering on transversely polarized
nucleons all these asymmetries are coupled with the transversity distribution.
From the high statistics COMPASS data on oppositely charged hadron-pair
production we have investigated for the first time the dependence of these
three asymmetries on the difference of the azimuthal angles of the two hadrons.
The similarity of transversity induced single and di-hadron asymmetries is
discussed. A new analysis of the data allows to establish quantitative
relationships among them, providing for the first time strong experimental
indication that the underlying fragmentation mechanisms are all driven by a
common physical process.Comment: 6 figure
Interplay among transversity induced asymmetries in hadron leptoproduction
In the fragmentation of a transversely polarized quark several left-right
asymmetries are possible for the hadrons in the jet. When only one unpolarized
hadron is selected, it exhibits an azimuthal modulation known as Collins
effect. When a pair of oppositely charged hadrons is observed, three
asymmetries can be considered, a di-hadron asymmetry and two single hadron
asymmetries. In lepton deep inelastic scattering on transversely polarized
nucleons all these asymmetries are coupled with the transversity distribution.
From the high statistics COMPASS data on oppositely charged hadron-pair
production we have investigated for the first time the dependence of these
three asymmetries on the difference of the azimuthal angles of the two hadrons.
The similarity of transversity induced single and di-hadron asymmetries is
discussed. A new analysis of the data allows to establish quantitative
relationships among them, providing for the first time strong experimental
indication that the underlying fragmentation mechanisms are all driven by a
common physical process.Comment: 6 figure
- …