1,375 research outputs found
Skyrme N2LO pseudo-potential for calculations of properties of atomic nuclei
We present recent developments obtained in the so-called N2LO extension of the usual Skyrme pseudo-potential. In particular, we discuss the isovector splitting mass in infinite nuclear matter and the pairing gaps of selected semi-magic even-even nuclei
Mirror symmetric SU(3)-structure manifolds with NS fluxes
When string theory is compactified on a six-dimensional manifold with a
nontrivial NS flux turned on, mirror symmetry exchanges the flux with a purely
geometrical composite NS form associated with lack of integrability of the
complex structure on the mirror side. Considering a general class of
T^3-fibered geometries admitting SU(3) structure, we find an exchange of pure
spinors (e^{iJ} and \Omega) in dual geometries under fiberwise T-duality, and
study the transformations of the NS flux and the components of intrinsic
torsion. A complementary study of action of twisted covariant derivatives on
invariant spinors allows to extend our results to generic geometries and
formulate a proposal for mirror symmetry in compactifications with NS flux.Comment: 21 pages, LaTe
T-duality and Differential K-Theory
We give a precise formulation of T-duality for Ramond-Ramond fields. This
gives a canonical isomorphism between the "geometrically invariant" subgroups
of the twisted differential K-theory of certain principal torus bundles. Our
result combines topological T-duality with the Buscher rules found in physics.Comment: 23 pages, typos corrected, submitted to Comm.Math.Phy
Structure of the ribosome post-recycling complex probed by chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry
Ribosome recycling orchestrated by the ATP binding cassette (ABC) protein ABCE1 can be considered as the final-or the first-step within the cyclic process of protein synthesis, connecting translation termination and mRNA surveillance with re-initiation. An ATP-dependent tweezer-like motion of the nucleotide-binding domains in ABCE1 transfers mechanical energy to the ribosome and tears the ribosome subunits apart. The post-recycling complex (PRC) then re-initiates mRNA translation. Here, we probed the so far unknown architecture of the 1-MDa PRC (40S/30S.ABCE1) by chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry (XL-MS). Our study reveals ABCE1 bound to the translational factor-binding (GTPase) site with multiple cross-link contacts of the helix-loop-helix motif to the S24e ribosomal protein. Cross-linking of the FeS cluster domain to the ribosomal protein S12 substantiates an extreme lever-arm movement of the FeS cluster domain during ribosome recycling. We were thus able to reconstitute and structurally analyse a key complex in the translational cycle, resembling the link between translation initiation and ribosome recycling
Searching For Integrated Sachs-Wolfe Effect Beyond Temperature Anisotropies: CMB E-mode Polarization-Galaxy Cross Correlation
The cross-correlation between cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature
anisotropies and the large scale structure (LSS) traced by the galaxy
distribution, or sources at different wavelengths, is now well known. This
correlation results from the integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect in CMB
anisotropies generated at late times due to the dark energy component of the
Universe. In a reionized universe, the ISW quadrupole rescatters and
contributes to the large-scale polarization signal. Thus, in principle, the
large-scale polarization bump in the E-mode should also be correlated with the
galaxy distribution. Unlike CMB temperature-LSS correlation that peaks for
tracers at low redshifts this correlation peaks mostly at redshifts between 1
and 3. Under certain conditions, mostly involving a low optical depth to
reionization, if the Universe reionized at a redshift around 6, the cross
polarization-source signal is marginally detectable, though challenging as it
requires all-sky maps of the large scale structure at redshifts between 1 and
3. If the Universe reionized at a redshift higher than 10, it is unlikely that
this correlation will be detectable even with no instrumental noise all-sky
maps. While our estimates do not guarantee a detection unknown physics related
to the dark energy as well as still uncertain issues related to the large
angular scale CMB and polarization anisotropies may motivate attempts to
measure this correlation using upcoming CMB polarization E-mode maps.Comment: 13 pages; 3 figure panels, JCAP submitte
A53T-alpha-synuclein overexpression impairs dopamine signaling and striatal synaptic plasticity in old mice
BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most frequent neurodegenerative disorder at old age, can be caused by elevated expression or the A53T missense mutation of the presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein (SNCA). PD is characterized pathologically by the preferential vulnerability of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal projection neurons. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we used two mouse lines overexpressing human A53T-SNCA and studied striatal dysfunction in the absence of neurodegeneration to understand early disease mechanisms. To characterize the progression, we employed young adult as well as old mice. Analysis of striatal neurotransmitter content demonstrated that dopamine (DA) levels correlated directly with the level of expression of SNCA, an observation also made in SNCA-deficient (knockout, KO) mice. However, the elevated DA levels in the striatum of old A53T-SNCA overexpressing mice may not be transmitted appropriately, in view of three observations. First, a transcriptional downregulation of the extraneural DA degradation enzyme catechol-ortho-methytransferase (COMT) was found. Second, an upregulation of DA receptors was detected by immunoblots and autoradiography. Third, extensive transcriptome studies via microarrays and quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) of altered transcript levels of the DA-inducible genes Atf2, Cb1, Freq, Homer1 and Pde7b indicated a progressive and genotype-dependent reduction in the postsynaptic DA response. As a functional consequence, long term depression (LTD) was absent in corticostriatal slices from old transgenic mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, the dysfunctional neurotransmission and impaired synaptic plasticity seen in the A53T-SNCA overexpressing mice reflect early changes within the basal ganglia prior to frank neurodegeneration. As a model of preclinical stages of PD, such insights may help to develop neuroprotective therapeutic approaches
Avaliação de métodos na detecção da MIC de vancomicina e mudanças na acurácia relacionada a diferentes valores de MIC
INTRODUÇÃO: Staphylococcus aureus resistente à meticilina (MRSA) apresentando suscetibilidade reduzida à vancomicina tem sido associado à falha terapêutica. Alguns métodos utilizados por laboratórios clÃnicos podem não ser suficientemente precisos para detectar este fenótipo, comprometendo os resultados e o desfecho do paciente. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar o desempenho de métodos na detecção dos valores de MIC de vancomicina entre isolados clÃnicos de MRSA. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Determinamos a Concentração Inibitória MÃnima de Vancomicina para 75 MRSA isolados de pacientes do Hospital Mãe de Deus, Porto Alegre, Brasil. Utilizamos a microdiluição em caldo como técnica padrão-ouro e os seguintes métodos: tiras de E-test® (BioMérieux), tiras M.I.C.E® (Oxoid), painel comercial da PROBAC® e sistema automatizado MicroScan® (Siemens). Além disso, foi realizado o teste de triagem em ágar com 3 µg/mL de vancomicina. RESULTADOS: Todos os isolados apresentaram MIC ≤ 2 µg/mL. Não houve diferença estatÃstica entre os resultados do E-test® e da microdiluição em caldo. O painel da PROBAC® apresentou MICs, em geral, menores que o padrão-ouro (58,66% de erros maiores), enquanto que as MICs pelo M.I.C.E.® foram maiores (67,99% de erros menores). CONCLUSÕES: Para nossa população de MRSA, E-test® apresentou o melhor desempenho, embora com uma acurácia heterogênea, dependendo dos valores da MIC.INTRODUCTION: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presenting reduced susceptibility to vancomycin has been associated to therapeutic failure. Some methods used by clinical laboratories may not be sufficiently accurate to detect this phenotype, compromising results and the outcome of the patient. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of methods in the detection of vancomycin MIC values among clinical isolates of MRSA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Vancomycin Minimal Inhibitory Concentration was determined for 75 MRSA isolates from inpatients of Mãe de Deus Hospital, Porto Alegre, Brazil. The broth microdilution (BM) was used as the gold-standard technique, as well as the following methods: E-test® strips (BioMérieux), M.I.C.E® strips (Oxoid), PROBAC® commercial panel and the automated system MicroScan® (Siemens). Besides, the agar screening test was carried out with 3 µg/mL of vancomycin. RESULTS: All isolates presented MIC ≤ 2 µg/mL for BM. E-test® had higher concordance (40%) in terms of global agreement with the gold standard, and there was not statistical difference among E-test® and broth microdilution results. PROBAC® panels presented MICs, in general, lower than the gold-standard panels (58.66% major errors), while M.I.C.E.® MICs were higher (67.99% minor errors). CONCLUSIONS: For the population of MRSA in question, E-test® presented the best performance, although with a heterogeneous accuracy, depending on MIC values
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