Similarity Renormalization Group for Few-Body Systems

Internucleon interactions evolved via flow equations yield soft potentials that lead to rapid variational convergence in few-body systems.Comment: 3 pages, 6 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics (EFB20), Pisa, September 10-14, 200

Eft for DFT

These lectures give an overview of the ongoing application of effective field theory (EFT) and renormalization group (RG) concepts and methods to density functional theory (DFT), with special emphasis on the nuclear many-body problem.Comment: 57 pages, to appear in the proceedings of the ECT* school on "Renormalization Group and Effective Field Theory Approaches to Many-Body Systems", Springer Lecture Notes in Physics; acknowledgment adde

A “Coiled-Coil” Motif Is Important for Oligomerization and DNA Binding Properties of Human Cytomegalovirus Protein UL77

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL77 gene encodes the essential protein UL77, its function is characterized in the present study. Immunoprecipitation identified monomeric and oligomeric pUL77 in HCMV infected cells. Immunostaining of purified virions and subviral fractions showed that pUL77 is a structural protein associated with capsids. In silico analysis revealed the presence of a coiled-coil motif (CCM) at the N-terminus of pUL77. Chemical cross-linking of either wild-type pUL77 or CCM deletion mutant (pUL77ΔCCM) implicated that CCM is critical for oligomerization of pUL77. Furthermore, co-immunoprecipitations of infected and transfected cells demonstrated that pUL77 interacts with the capsid-associated DNA packaging motor components, pUL56 and pUL104, as well as the major capsid protein. The ability of pUL77 to bind dsDNA was shown by an in vitro assay. Binding to certain DNA was further confirmed by an assay using biotinylated 36-, 250-, 500-, 1000-meric dsDNA and 966-meric HCMV-specific dsDNA designed for this study. The binding efficiency (BE) was determined by image processing program defining values above 1.0 as positive. While the BE of the pUL56 binding to the 36-mer bio-pac1 containing a packaging signal was 10.0±0.63, the one for pUL77 was only 0.2±0.03. In contrast to this observation the BE of pUL77 binding to bio-500 bp or bio-1000 bp was 2.2±0.41 and 4.9±0.71, respectively. By using pUL77ΔCCM it was demonstrated that this protein could not bind to dsDNA. These data indicated that pUL77 (i) could form homodimers, (ii) CCM of pUL77 is crucial for oligomerization and (iii) could bind to dsDNA in a sequence independent manner

Global-Vector Representation of the Angular Motion of Few-Particle Systems II

The angular motion of a few-body system is described with global vectors which depend on the positions of the particles. The previous study using a single global vector is extended to make it possible to describe both natural and unnatural parity states. Numerical examples include three- and four-nucleon systems interacting via nucleon-nucleon potentials of AV8 type and a 3$\alpha$ system with a nonlocal $\alpha\alpha$ potential. The results using the explicitly correlated Gaussian basis with the global vectors are shown to be in good agreement with those of other methods. A unique role of the unnatural parity component, caused by the tensor force, is clarified in the $0^-_1$ state of $^4$He. Two-particle correlation function is calculated in the coordinate and momentum spaces to show different characteristics of the interactions employed.Comment: 39 pages, 4 figure

Urban Biodiversity, City-Dwellers and Conservation: How Does an Outdoor Activity Day Affect the Human-Nature Relationship?

Urban conservation education programs aim to increase knowledge and awareness towards biodiversity and to change attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. However, to date, few urban conservation education studies have evaluated to what extent these programs have managed to achieve their goals. In this study, we experimentally explored the influence of an urban conservation activity day on individual knowledge, awareness and actions towards biodiversity, in both the short and longer term

Impaired Rho GTPase activation abrogates cell polarization and migration in macrophages with defective lipolysis

Infiltration of monocytes and macrophages into the site of inflammation is critical in the progression of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis. Cell migration is dependent on the continuous organization of the actin cytoskeleton, which is regulated by members of the small Rho GTPase family (RhoA, Cdc42, Rac) that are also important for the regulation of signal transduction pathways. We have recently reported on reduced plaque formation in an atherosclerotic mouse model transplanted with bone marrow from adipose triglyceride lipase-deficient (Atgl−/−) mice. Here we provide evidence that defective lipolysis in macrophages lacking ATGL, the major enzyme responsible for triacylglycerol hydrolysis, favors an anti-inflammatory M2-like macrophage phenotype. Our data implicate an as yet unrecognized principle that insufficient lipolysis influences macrophage polarization and actin polymerization, resulting in impaired macrophage migration. Sustained phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase [due to inactivation of its phosphatase by elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)] results in defective Cdc42, Rac1 and RhoA activation and in increased and sustained activation of Rac2. Inhibition of ROS production restores the migratory capacity of Atgl−/− macrophages. Since monocyte and macrophage migration are a prerequisite for infiltrating the arterial wall, our results provide a molecular link between lipolysis and the development of atherosclerosis

Characterization techniques for studying the properties of nanocarriers for systemic delivery

Nanocarriers have attracted a huge interest in the last decade as efficient drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools. They enable effective, targeted, controlled delivery of therapeutic molecules while lowering the side effects caused during the treatment. The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles determine their in vivo pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and tolerability. The most analyzed among these physicochemical properties are shape, size, surface charge and porosity and several techniques have been used to characterize these specific properties. These different techniques assess the particles under varying conditions, such as physical state, solvents etc. and as such probe, in addition to the particles themselves, artifacts due to sample preparation or environment during measurement. Here, we discuss the different methods to precisely evaluate these properties, including their advantages or disadvantages. In several cases, there are physical properties that can be evaluated by more than one technique. Different strengths and limitations of each technique complicate the choice of the most suitable method, while often a combinatorial characterization approach is needed

Effective proton-neutron interaction near the drip line from unbound states in 25,26 F

Background: Odd-odd nuclei, around doubly closed shells, have been extensively used to study proton-neutron interactions. However, the evolution of these interactions as a function of the binding energy, ultimately when nuclei become unbound, is poorly known. The F26 nucleus, composed of a deeply bound π0d5/2 proton and an unbound ν0d3/2 neutron on top of an O24 core, is particularly adapted for this purpose. The coupling of this proton and neutron results in a Jπ=11+-41+ multiplet, whose energies must be determined to study the influence of the proximity of the continuum on the corresponding proton-neutron interaction. The Jπ=11+,21+,41+ bound states have been determined, and only a clear identification of the Jπ=31+ is missing. Purpose: We wish to complete the study of the Jπ=11+-41+ multiplet in F26, by studying the energy and width of the Jπ=31+ unbound state. The method was first validated by the study of unbound states in F25, for which resonances were already observed in a previous experiment. Method: Radioactive beams of Ne26 and Ne27, produced at about 440AMeV by the fragment separator at the GSI facility were used to populate unbound states in F25 and F26 via one-proton knockout reactions on a CH2 target, located at the object focal point of the R3B/LAND setup. The detection of emitted γ rays and neutrons, added to the reconstruction of the momentum vector of the A-1 nuclei, allowed the determination of the energy of three unbound states in F25 and two in F26. Results: Based on its width and decay properties, the first unbound state in F25, at the relative energy of 49(9) keV, is proposed to be a Jπ=1/2- arising from a p1/2 proton-hole state. In F26, the first resonance at 323(33) keV is proposed to be the Jπ=31+ member of the Jπ=11+-41+ multiplet. Energies of observed states in F25,26 have been compared to calculations using the independent-particle shell model, a phenomenological shell model, and the ab initio valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group method. Conclusions: The deduced effective proton-neutron interaction is weakened by about 30-40% in comparison to the models, pointing to the need for implementing the role of the continuum in theoretical descriptions or to a wrong determination of the atomic mass of F26

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700