275 research outputs found
Thermalization through Hagedorn states - the importance of multiparticle collisions
Quick chemical equilibration times of hadrons within a hadron gas are
explained dynamically using Hagedorn states, which drive particles into
equilibrium close to the critical temperature. Within this scheme master
equations are employed for the chemical equilibration of various hadronic
particles like (strange) baryon and antibaryons. A comparison of the Hagedorn
model to recent lattice results is made and it is found that for both Tc =176
MeV and Tc=196 MeV, the hadrons can reach chemical equilibrium almost
immediately, well before the chemical freeze-out temperatures found in thermal
fits for a hadron gas without Hagedorn states.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at the International Conference on
Strangeness in Quark Matter, Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 27 - Oct.
2, 200
Particle Ratios and the QCD Critical Temperature
We show how the measured particle ratios at RHIC can be used to provide
non-trivial information about the critical temperature of the QCD phase
transition. This is obtained by including the effects of highly massive
Hagedorn resonances on statistical models, which are used to describe hadronic
yields. Hagedorn states are relevant close to and have been shown to
decrease to the KSS limit and allow for quick chemical equilibrium
times in dynamical calculations of hadrons. The inclusion of Hagedorn states
creates a dependence of the thermal fits on the Hagedorn temperature, ,
which is assumed to be equal to , and leads to an overall improvement of
thermal fits. We find that for Au+Au collisions at RHIC at
GeV the best square fit measure, , occurs at MeV and
produces a chemical freeze-out temperature of 170.4 MeV and a baryon chemical
potential of 27.8 MeV.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, talk presented at the International Conference on
Strangeness in Quark Matter, Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sept. 27 - oct.
2, 200
Theory of the anomalous Hall effect from the Kubo formula and the Dirac equation
A model to treat the anomalous Hall effect is developed. Based on the Kubo
formalism and on the Dirac equation, this model allows the simultaneous
calculation of the skew-scattering and side-jump contributions to the anomalous
Hall conductivity. The continuity and the consistency with the
weak-relativistic limit described by the Pauli Hamiltonian is shown. For both
approaches, Dirac and Pauli, the Feynman diagrams, which lead to the
skew-scattering and the side-jump contributions, are underlined. In order to
illustrate this method, we apply it to a particular case: a ferromagnetic bulk
compound in the limit of weak-scattering and free-electrons approximation.
Explicit expressions for the anomalous Hall conductivity for both
skew-scattering and side-jump mechanisms are obtained. Within this model, the
recently predicted ''spin Hall effect'' appears naturally
Predicting Phenotypic Diversity and the Underlying Quantitative Molecular Transitions
During development, signaling networks control the formation of multicellular patterns. To what extent quantitative fluctuations in these complex networks may affect multicellular phenotype remains unclear. Here, we describe a computational approach to predict and analyze the phenotypic diversity that is accessible to a developmental signaling network. Applying this framework to vulval development in C. elegans, we demonstrate that quantitative changes in the regulatory network can render ~500 multicellular phenotypes. This phenotypic capacity is an order-of-magnitude below the theoretical upper limit for this system but yet is large enough to demonstrate that the system is not restricted to a select few outcomes. Using metrics to gauge the robustness of these phenotypes to parameter perturbations, we identify a select subset of novel phenotypes that are the most promising for experimental validation. In addition, our model calculations provide a layout of these phenotypes in network parameter space. Analyzing this landscape of multicellular phenotypes yielded two significant insights. First, we show that experimentally well-established mutant phenotypes may be rendered using non-canonical network perturbations. Second, we show that the predicted multicellular patterns include not only those observed in C. elegans, but also those occurring exclusively in other species of the Caenorhabditis genus. This result demonstrates that quantitative diversification of a common regulatory network is indeed demonstrably sufficient to generate the phenotypic differences observed across three major species within the Caenorhabditis genus. Using our computational framework, we systematically identify the quantitative changes that may have occurred in the regulatory network during the evolution of these species. Our model predictions show that significant phenotypic diversity may be sampled through quantitative variations in the regulatory network without overhauling the core network architecture. Furthermore, by comparing the predicted landscape of phenotypes to multicellular patterns that have been experimentally observed across multiple species, we systematically trace the quantitative regulatory changes that may have occurred during the evolution of the Caenorhabditis genus
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The Mass Tracking System -- Computerized support for MC and A and operations at FCF
As part of Argonne National Laboratory`s Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF), a computer-based Mass-Tracking (MTG) System has been developed. The MTG System collects, stores, retrieves and processes data on all operations which directly affect the flow of process material through FCF and supports such activities as process modeling, compliance with operating limits (e.g., criticality safety), material control and accountability and operational information services. Its architecture is client/server, with input and output connections to operator`s equipment-control stations on the floor of FCF as well as to dumb terminals and terminal emulators. Its heterogeneous database includes a relational-database manager as well as both binary and ASCII data files. The design of the database, and the software that supports it, is based on a model of discrete accountable items distributed in space and time and constitutes a complete historical record of the material processed in FCF. Although still under development, much of the MTG system has been qualified and is in production use
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
BackgroundCervical cancer is a major public health problem in resource-limited settings, particularly among HIV-infected women. Given the challenges of cytology-based approaches, the efficiency of new screening programs need to be assessed.SettingCommunity and hospital-based clinics in Gaborone, Botswana.ObjectiveTo determine the feasibility, and efficiency of the \u201cSee and Treat\u201d approach using Visual Inspection Acetic Acid (VIA) and Enhanced Digital Imaging (EDI) for cervical cancer prevention in HIV-infected women.MethodsA two-tier community-based cervical cancer prevention program was implemented. HIV-infected women were screened by nurses at the community using the VIA/EDI approach. Low-grade lesions were treated with cryotherapy on the same visit.ResultsFrom March 2009 through January 2011, 2,175 patients were screened for cervical cancer at our community-based clinic. 253 (11.6%) were found to have low-grade lesions and received same-day cryotherapy. 1,347 (61.9%) women were considered to have a normal examination and 575 (27.3%) were referred for further evaluation and treatment. Of the 1,347 women initially considered to have normal exams, 267 (19.8%) were recalled based on weekly quality control assessments. 210 (78.6%) of the 267 recalled women and 499 (86.8%) of the 575 referred women were seen at the referral clinic. Of these 709 women, 506 (71.4%) required additional treatment. Overall, 264 CIN stage 2 or 3 were identified and treated, and six micro-invasive cancers identified were referred for further management.ConclusionsOur \u201cSee and Treat\u201d cervical cancer prevention program using the VIA/EDI approach is a feasible, high-output and high-efficiency program, worthy of considering as an additional cervical cancer screening method in Botswana, especially for women with limited access to the current cytology-based screening services.20122014-01-08T00:00:00ZP30 AI045008/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United StatesU2G PS001949/PS/NCHHSTP CDC HHS/United States1U2GPS001949/PHS HHS/United StatesIP30 AI 45008/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/United States22134146PMC388408
Chaperones rescue the energetic landscape of mutant CFTR at single molecule and in cell
Molecular chaperones are pivotal in folding and degradation of the cellular proteome but their impact on the conformational dynamics of near-native membrane proteins with disease relevance remains unknown. Here we report the effect of chaperone activity on the functional conformation of the temperature-sensitive mutant cystic fibrosis channel (Delta F508-CFTR) at the plasma membrane and after reconstitution into phospholipid bilayer. Thermally induced unfolding at 37 degrees C and concomitant functional inactivation of Delta F508-CFTR are partially suppressed by constitutive activity of Hsc70 and Hsp90 chaperone/co-chaperone at the plasma membrane and post-endoplasmic reticulum compartments in vivo, and at singlemolecule level in vitro, indicated by kinetic and thermodynamic remodeling of the mutant gating energetics toward its wild-type counterpart. Thus, molecular chaperones can contribute to functional maintenance of Delta F508-CFTR by reshaping the conformational energetics of its final fold, a mechanism with implication in the regulation of metastable ABC transporters and other plasma membrane proteins activity in health and diseases
A Systematic Screen for Tube Morphogenesis and Branching Genes in the Drosophila Tracheal System
Many signaling proteins and transcription factors that induce and pattern organs have been identified, but relatively few of the downstream effectors that execute morphogenesis programs. Because such morphogenesis genes may function in many organs and developmental processes, mutations in them are expected to be pleiotropic and hence ignored or discarded in most standard genetic screens. Here we describe a systematic screen designed to identify all Drosophila third chromosome genes (βΌ40% of the genome) that function in development of the tracheal system, a tubular respiratory organ that provides a paradigm for branching morphogenesis. To identify potentially pleiotropic morphogenesis genes, the screen included analysis of marked clones of homozygous mutant tracheal cells in heterozygous animals, plus a secondary screen to exclude mutations in general βhouse-keepingβ genes. From a collection including more than 5,000 lethal mutations, we identified 133 mutations representing βΌ70 or more genes that subdivide the tracheal terminal branching program into six genetically separable steps, a previously established cell specification step plus five major morphogenesis and maturation steps: branching, growth, tubulogenesis, gas-filling, and maintenance. Molecular identification of 14 of the 70 genes demonstrates that they include six previously known tracheal genes, each with a novel function revealed by clonal analysis, and two well-known growth suppressors that establish an integral role for cell growth control in branching morphogenesis. The rest are new tracheal genes that function in morphogenesis and maturation, many through cytoskeletal and secretory pathways. The results suggest systematic genetic screens that include clonal analysis can elucidate the full organogenesis program and that over 200 patterning and morphogenesis genes are required to build even a relatively simple organ such as the Drosophila tracheal system
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