A Classification and Analysis of Higgs-flavor Models

A classification is given of Higgs-flavor models. In these models, there are several Higgs doublets in an irreducible multiplet R_{Phi} of a non-abelian symmetry G_{Phi}, under which the quarks and leptons do not transform (thus giving minimal flavor-changing for the fermions). It is found that different G_{Phi} and R_{Phi} lead to very distinctive spectra of the extra Higgs doublets, including different numbers of "sequential Higgs" and of "inert Higgs" that could play the role of dark matter, different mass relations, and different patterns of SU(2)_L-breaking splittings within the Higgs doublets.Comment: 35 page

Changes in BMI, Duration of Overweight and Obesity, and Glucose Metabolism: 45 Years of Follow-up of a Birth Cohort

OBJECTIVE: Long-term implications of childhood obesity and BMI change over the life course for risk of type 2 diabetes remain uncertain. The objective was to establish whether there are effects on adult glucose metabolism of 1) sensitive periods of BMI gain or 2) long duration of overweight and obesity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants in the 1958 British birth cohort with child to adult BMI and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) at 45 years (n = 7,855). RESULTS: Prevalence of type 2 diabetes or HbA(1c) ≥7 was 2%. BMI gains in child- and adulthood were associated with higher HbA(1c): for every SD of 5-year BMI increase from 0 to 7 years, there was a 75% (95% CI 1.42–2.16) increased risk of HbA(1c) ≥7, increasing to a 4.7-fold (3.12–7.00) risk for the interval 23–33 years. Associations for BMI gain in adulthood were related to attained BMI but were independent for the longer period birth (or 7 years) to 45 years. Duration of obesity was also associated with HbA(1c); compared with the never obese, those with childhood onset had a 23.9-fold risk (13.5–42.1) of HbA(1c) ≥7%; odds ratios were 16.0 (10.6–24.2) and 2.99 (1.77–5.03), respectively, for young and midadulthood onset. Similar trends by onset age were found in mean HbA(1c) levels and for onset of overweight. Those with the earliest age of onset had higher BMI and waist circumference at 45 years, which markedly explained the associations for onset age and HbA(1c). CONCLUSIONS: Excessive BMI gain across the life span and earlier onset of overweight/obesity are associated with impaired glucose metabolism, in part through attained adult BMI

Natural fermion mass hierarchy and mixings in family unification

We present an SU(9) model of family unification with three light chiral families, and a natural hierarchy of charged fermion masses and mixings. The existence of singlet right handed neutrions with masses about two orders of magnitude smaller than the GUT scale, as needed to understand the light neutrinos masses via the see-saw mechanism, is compelling in our model.Comment: 7 pages, no figur

Human fur gene encodes a yeast KEX2-like endoprotease that cleaves pro-beta-NGF in vivo.

Extracts from BSC-40 cells infected with vaccinia recombinants expressing either the yeast KEX2 prohormone endoprotease or a human structural homologue (fur gene product) contained an elevated level of a membrane-associated endoproteolytic activity that could cleave at pairs of basic amino acids (-LysArg- and -ArgArg-). The fur-directed activity (furin) shared many properties with Kex2p including activity at pH 7.3 and a requirement for calcium. By using antifurin antibodies, immunoblot analysis detected two furin translation products (90 and 96 kD), while immunofluorescence indicated localization to the Golgi apparatus. Coexpression of either Kex2p or furin with the mouse beta-nerve growth factor precursor (pro-beta-NGF) resulted in greatly enhanced conversion of the precursor to mature nerve growth factor. Thus, the sequence homology shared by furin and the yeast KEX2 prohormone processing enzyme is reflected by significant functional homology both in vitro and in vivo