Form factors in RQM approaches: constraints from space-time translations

Different relativistic quantum mechanics approaches have recently been used to calculate properties of various systems, form factors in particular. It is known that predictions, which most often rely on a single-particle current approximation, can lead to predictions with a very large range. It was shown that accounting for constraints related to space-time translations could considerably reduce this range. It is shown here that predictions can be made identical for a large range of cases. These ones include the following approaches: instant form, front form, and "point-form" in arbitrary momentum configurations and a dispersion-relation approach which can be considered as the approach which the other ones should converge to. This important result supposes both an implementation of the above constraints and an appropriate single-particle-like current. The change of variables that allows one to establish the equivalence of the approaches is given. Some points are illustrated with numerical results for the ground state of a system consisting of scalar particles.Comment: 37 pages, 7 figures; further comments in ps 16 and 19; further references; modified presentation of some formulas; corrected misprint

Low State, Phase-Resolved IR Spectroscopy of VV Puppis

We present phase-resolved low resolution $JHK$ and higher resolution $K$-band spectroscopy of the polar VV Pup. All observations were obtained when VV Pup was in a low accretion state having a K magnitude near 15. The low resolution observations reveal cyclotron emission in the $J$ band during some phases, consistent with an origin near the active 30.5 MG pole on the white dwarf. The secondary in VV Pup appears to be a normal M7V star and we find that the $H$ and $K$ band fluxes are entirely due to this star at all orbital phases during the low accretion state. We use our higher resolution Keck spectroscopy to produce the first $K$-band radial velocity curve for VV Pup. Our orbital solution yields $K_2$=414$\pm27$ km sec$^{-1}$ and leads to mass estimates of M$_1$=0.73$\pm$0.05 M$_{\odot}$ and M$_2$=0.10$\pm$0.02 M$_{\odot}$. We find that the mass accretion rates during the normal low states of the polars VV Pup, EF Eri, and EQ Cet are near 10$^{-13}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$. The fact that \.M is not zero in low state polars indicates active secondary stars in these binary systems, including the sub-stellar donor star present in EF Eri.Comment: Accepted in Astronomical Journal 5 figure

Co-Evolution of quasispecies: B-cell mutation rates maximize viral error catastrophes

Co-evolution of two coupled quasispecies is studied, motivated by the competition between viral evolution and adapting immune response. In this co-adaptive model, besides the classical error catastrophe for high virus mutation rates, a second ``adaptation-'' catastrophe occurs, when virus mutation rates are too small to escape immune attack. Maximizing both regimes of viral error catastrophes is a possible strategy for an optimal immune response, reducing the range of allowed viral mutation rates to a minimum. From this requirement one obtains constraints on B-cell mutation rates and receptor lengths, yielding an estimate of somatic hypermutation rates in the germinal center in accordance with observation.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX including 2 figure

Inhibiting ERK Activation with CI-1040 Leads to Compensatory Upregulation of Alternate MAPKs and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 following Subtotal Nephrectomy with No Impact on Kidney Fibrosis

Extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) activation by MEK plays a key role in many of the cellular processes that underlie progressive kidney fibrosis including cell proliferation, apoptosis and transforming growth factor β1-mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition. We therefore assessed the therapeutic impact of ERK1/2 inhibition using a MEK inhibitor in the rat 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (SNx) model of kidney fibrosis. There was a twentyfold upregulation in phospho-ERK1/2 expression in the kidney after SNx in Male Wistar rats. Rats undergoing SNx became hypertensive, proteinuric and developed progressive kidney failure with reduced creatinine clearance. Treatment with the MEK inhibitor, CI-1040 abolished phospho- ERK1/2 expression in kidney tissue and prevented phospho-ERK1/2 expression in peripheral lymphocytes during the entire course of therapy. CI-1040 had no impact on creatinine clearance, proteinuria, glomerular and tubular fibrosis, and α-smooth muscle actin expression. However, inhibition of ERK1/2 activation led to significant compensatory upregulation of the MAP kinases, p38 and JNK in kidney tissue. CI-1040 also increased the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a key inhibitor of plasmin-dependent matrix metalloproteinases. Thus inhibition of ERK1/2 activation has no therapeutic effect on kidney fibrosis in SNx possibly due to increased compensatory activation of the p38 and JNK signalling pathways with subsequent upregulation of PAI-1

Generalized Chaplygin gas model: Cosmological consequences and statefinder diagnosis

The generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model in spatially flat universe is investigated. The cosmological consequences led by GCG model including the evolution of EoS parameter, deceleration parameter and dimensionless Hubble parameter are calculated. We show that the GCG model behaves as a general quintessence model. The GCG model can also represent the pressureless CDM model at the early time and cosmological constant model at the late time. The dependency of transition from decelerated expansion to accelerated expansion on the parameters of model is investigated. The statefinder parameters $r$ and $s$ in this model are derived and the evolutionary trajectories in $s-r$ plane are plotted. Finally, based on current observational data, we plot the evolutionary trajectories in $s-r$ and $q-r$ planes for best fit values of the parameters of GCG model. It has been shown that although, there are similarities between GCG model and other forms of chaplygin gas in statefinder plane, but the distance of this model from the $\Lambda$CDM fixed point in $s-r$ diagram is shorter compare with standard chaplygin gas model.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted in Astrophys Space Sci. (2011

Emapalumab in children with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare syndrome characterized by immune dysregulation and hyperinflammation. It typically manifests in infancy and is associated with high mortality. METHODS We investigated the efficacy and safety of emapalumab (a human anti-interferon-γ antibody), administered with dexamethasone, in an open-label, single-group, phase 2-3 study involving patients who had received conventional therapy before enrollment (previously treated patients) and previously untreated patients who were 18 years of age or younger and had primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. The patients could enter a long-term follow-up study until 1 year after allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation or until 1 year after the last dose of emapalumab, if transplantation was not performed. The planned 8-week treatment period could be shortened or extended if needed according to the timing of transplantation. The primary efficacy end point was the overall response, which was assessed in the previously treated patients according to objective clinical and laboratory criteria. RESULTS At the cutoff date of July 20, 2017, a total of 34 patients (27 previously treated patients and 7 previously untreated patients) had received emapalumab; 26 patients completed the study. A total of 63% of the previously treated patients and 65% of the patients who received an emapalumab infusion had a response; these percentages were significantly higher than the prespecified null hypothesis of 40% (P=0.02 and P=0.005, respectively). In the previously treated group, 70% of the patients were able to proceed to transplantation, as were 65% of the patients who received emapalumab. At the last observation, 74% of the previously treated patients and 71% of the patients who received emapalumab were alive. Emapalumab was not associated with any organ toxicity. Severe infections developed in 10 patients during emapalumab treatment. Emapalumab was discontinued in 1 patient because of disseminated histoplasmosis. CONCLUSIONS Emapalumab was an efficacious targeted therapy for patients with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Emapalumab in children with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

Primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare syndrome characterized by immune dysregulation and hyperinflammation. It typically manifests in infancy and is associated with high mortality

Cosmic Acceleration in Brans-Dicke Cosmology

We consider Brans-Dicke theory with a self-interacting potential in Einstein conformal frame. We show that an accelerating expansion is possible in a spatially flat universe for large values of the Brans-Dicke parameter consistent with local gravity experiments.Comment: 10 Pages, 3 figures, To appear in General Relativity and Gravitatio

New Models for Wolf-Rayet and O Star Populations in Young Starbursts

Using the latest stellar evolution models, theoretical stellar spectra, and a compilation of observed emission line strengths from Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars, we construct evolutionary synthesis models for young starbursts. We explicitly distinguish between the various WR subtypes (WN, WC, WO), and we treat O and Of stars separately. We provide detailed predictions of UV and optical emission line strengths for both the WR stellar lines and the major nebular hydrogen and helium emission lines, as a function of several input parameters related to the starburst episode. We also derive the theoretical frequency of WR-rich starbursts. We then discuss: nebular HeII 4686 emission, the contribution of WR stars to broad Balmer line emission, techniques used to derive the WR and O star content from integrated spectra, and explore the implications of the formation of WR stars through mass transfer in close binary systems in instantaneous bursts. The observational features predicted by our models allow a detailed quantitative determination of the massive star population in a starburst region (particularly in so-called "WR galaxies") from its integrated spectrum and provide a means of deriving the burst properties (e.g., duration, age) and the parameters of the initial mass function of young starbursts. (Abridged abstract)Comment: Accepted by ApJ Supplements. LaTeX using aasmp4, psfigs macros. 49 pages including 23 figures. Paper (full, or text/figures separated) and detailed model results available at http://www.stsci.edu/ftp/science/starburst/sv97.htm