19,724 research outputs found
Ouabain- and Ca2+-sensitive ATPase activity of chimeric Na- and Ca-pump molecules
AbstractChimeric ion-pumps, consisting of the N-terminal 23 of the α1-subunit of the ouabain-sensitive chicken Na+, K+-ATPase and the C-terminal 13 of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, were expressed in ouabain-insensitive mouse L cells. These chimeric molecules exhibited ouabain-sensitive ATPase activity very similar to that of the wild-type chicken Na+ K+-ATPase. This ATPase activity could be stimulated by adding Ca2+ to the assay system. These results suggest that the sites for ouabain-inhibition are restricted to the N-terminal 23 of the Na-pump, and the C-terminal 13 of the Ca-pump interacts with Ca3+
Model-Independent Semileptonic Form Factors Using Dispersion Relations
We present a method for parametrizing heavy meson semileptonic form factors
using dispersion relations, and from it produce a two-parameter description of
the B -> B elastic form factor. We use heavy quark symmetry to relate this
function to B -> D* l nu form factors, and extract
|V_cb|=0.0355^{+0.0029}_{-0.0025} from experimental data with a least squares
fit. Our method eliminates model-dependent uncertainties inherent in choosing a
parametrization for the extrapolation of the differential decay rate to
threshold.Comment: uses lanlmac(harvmac) and epsf, 12 pages, 1 eps figure included (Talk
by BG at the 6-th International Symposium on Heavy Flavour Physics, Pisa,
Italy, 6--10 June, 1995
The cessation in pregnancy incentives trial (CPIT): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Background: Seventy percent of women in Scotland have at least one baby, making pregnancy an opportunity to help most young women quit smoking before their own health is irreparably compromised. By quitting during pregnancy their infants will be protected from miscarriage and still birth as well as low birth weight, asthma, attention deficit disorder and adult cardiovascular disease. In the UK, the NICE guidelines: 'How to stop smoking in pregnancy and following childbirth' (June 2010) highlighted that little evidence exists in the literature to confirm the efficacy of financial incentives to help pregnant smokers to quit. Its first research recommendation was to determine: Within a UK context, are incentives an acceptable, effective and cost-effective way to help pregnant women who smoke to quit?
<p/>Design and Methods: This study is a phase II exploratory individually randomised controlled trial comparing standard care for pregnant smokers with standard care plus the additional offer of financial voucher incentives to engage with specialist cessation services and/or to quit smoking during pregnancy. Participants (n=600) will be pregnant smokers identified at maternity booking who when contacted by specialist cessation services agree to having their details passed to the NHS Smokefree Pregnancy Study Helpline to discuss the trial. The NHS Smokefree Pregnancy Study Helpline will be responsible for telephone consent and follow-up in late pregnancy. The primary outcome will be self reported smoking in late pregnancy verified by cotinine measurement. An economic evaluation will refine cost data collection and assess potential cost-effectiveness while qualitative research interviews with clients and health professionals will assess the level of acceptance of this form of incentive payment. Research questions What is the likely therapeutic efficacy? Are incentives potentially cost-effective? Is individual randomisation an efficient trial design without introducing outcome bias? Can incentives be introduced in a way that is feasible and acceptable?
<p/>Discussion: This phase II trial will establish a workable design to reduce the risks associated with a future definitive phase III multicentre randomised controlled trial and establish a framework to assess the costs and benefits of financial incentives to help pregnant smokers to quit
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Sixteen years of bathymetry and waves at San Diego beaches.
Sustained, quantitative observations of nearshore waves and sand levels are essential for testing beach evolution models, but comprehensive datasets are relatively rare. We document beach profiles and concurrent waves monitored at three southern California beaches during 2001-2016. The beaches include offshore reefs, lagoon mouths, hard substrates, and cobble and sandy (medium-grained) sediments. The data span two energetic El Niño winters and four beach nourishments. Quarterly surveys of 165 total cross-shore transects (all sites) at 100 m alongshore spacing were made from the backbeach to 8 m depth. Monthly surveys of the subaerial beach were obtained at alongshore-oriented transects. The resulting dataset consists of (1) raw sand elevation data, (2) gridded elevations, (3) interpolated elevation maps with error estimates, (4) beach widths, subaerial and total sand volumes, (5) locations of hard substrate and beach nourishments, (6) water levels from a NOAA tide gauge (7) wave conditions from a buoy-driven regional wave model, and (8) time periods and reaches with alongshore uniform bathymetry, suitable for testing 1-dimensional beach profile change models
Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with Long Lived Charged Massive Particles
We consider Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) with long lived charged massive
particles. Before decaying, the long lived charged particle recombines with a
light element to form a bound state like a hydrogen atom. This effect modifies
the nuclear reaction rates during the BBN epoch through the modifications of
the Coulomb field and the kinematics of the captured light elements, which can
change the light element abundances. It is possible that the heavier nuclei
abundances such as Li and Be decrease sizably, while the ratios ,
D/H, and He/H remain unchanged. This may solve the current discrepancy
between the BBN prediction and the observed abundance of Li. If future
collider experiments found signals of a long-lived charged particle inside the
detector, the information of its lifetime and decay properties could provide
insights to understand not only the particle physics models but also the
phenomena in the early universe in turn.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, published version in Physical Review
Analytical model of brittle destruction based on hypothesis of scale similarity
The size distribution of dust particles in nuclear fusion devices is close to
the power function. A function of this kind can be the result of brittle
destruction. From the similarity assumption it follows that the size
distribution obeys the power law with the exponent between -4 and -1. The model
of destruction has much in common with the fractal theory. The power exponent
can be expressed in terms of the fractal dimension. Reasonable assumptions on
the shape of fragments concretize the power exponent, and vice versa possible
destruction laws can be inferred on the basis of measured size distributions.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure
Space tug propulsion system failure mode, effects and criticality analysis
For purposes of the study, the propulsion system was considered as consisting of the following: (1) main engine system, (2) auxiliary propulsion system, (3) pneumatic system, (4) hydrogen feed, fill, drain and vent system, (5) oxygen feed, fill, drain and vent system, and (6) helium reentry purge system. Each component was critically examined to identify possible failure modes and the subsequent effect on mission success. Each space tug mission consists of three phases: launch to separation from shuttle, separation to redocking, and redocking to landing. The analysis considered the results of failure of a component during each phase of the mission. After the failure modes of each component were tabulated, those components whose failure would result in possible or certain loss of mission or inability to return the Tug to ground were identified as critical components and a criticality number determined for each. The criticality number of a component denotes the number of mission failures in one million missions due to the loss of that component. A total of 68 components were identified as critical with criticality numbers ranging from 1 to 2990
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