4,060 research outputs found
Electroweak Measurements of Neutron Densities in CREX and PREX at JLab, USA
Measurement of the parity-violating electron scattering asymmetry is an
established technique at Jefferson Lab and provides a new opportunity to
measure the weak charge distribution and hence pin down the neutron radius in
nuclei in a relatively clean and model-independent way. This is because the Z
boson of the weak interaction couples primarily to neutrons. We will describe
the PREX and CREX experiments on Pb and Ca respectively;
these are both doubly-magic nuclei whose first excited state can be
discriminated by the high resolution spectrometers at JLab. The heavier lead
nucleus, with a neutron excess, provides an interpretation of the neutron skin
thickness in terms of properties of bulk neutron matter. For the lighter
Ca nucleus, which is also rich in neutrons, microscopic nuclear theory
calculations are feasible and are sensitive to poorly constrained 3-neutron
forces.Comment: A contribution to the upcoming EPJA Special Volume on Nuclear
Symmetry Energ
Spatial control of irreversible protein aggregation
Liquid cellular compartments spatially segregate from the cytoplasm and can
regulate aberrant protein aggregation, a process linked to several medical
conditions, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Yet the mechanisms
by which these droplet-like compartments affect protein aggregation remain
unknown. Here, we combine kinetic theory of protein aggregation and
liquid-liquid phase separation to study the spatial control of irreversible
protein aggregation in the presence of liquid compartments. We find that, even
for weak interactions between the compartment constituents and the aggregating
monomers, aggregates are strongly enriched inside the liquid compartment
relative to the surrounding cytoplasm. We show that this enrichment is caused
by a positive feedback mechanism of aggregate nucleation and growth which is
mediated by a flux maintaining the phase equilibrium between the compartment
and the cytoplasm. Our model predicts that the compartment volume that
maximizes aggregate enrichment in the compartment is determined by the reaction
orders of aggregate nucleation. The underlying mechanism of aggregate
enrichment could be used to confine cytotoxic protein aggregates inside
droplet-like compartments suggesting potential new avenues against aberrant
protein aggregation. Our findings could also represent a common mechanism for
the spatial control of irreversible chemical reactions in general
Fastow and Arthur Andersen: Some Reflections on Corporate Criminality, Victim Status, and Retribution
The Holding-Dictum Spectrum
Presumably, the terms holding and dictum have some objective meaning. One would not say, “I do not agree with this statement, so it is dictum.” One might say, “This statement is dictum, so it is not binding.” So what, then, is dictum? More specifically, to what extent does the breadth of a generalization affect its status as holding or dictum
Tones That Echo From a Past Era of Rigid Jurisprudence: Pre-Challenge Royalities and the Federal Circuit\u27s Shell Test
The Patent Lawyer’s Guide to Fascism
This essay presents an unusual and potentially valuable way of thinking about the patent system. It is worth considering the ways in which the structure of private law may affect our susceptibility to undesirable forms of societal organization. This essay considers how a well-structured patent system could potentially reduce our susceptibility to fascism by: (1) promoting an ethos of independent creative thought, and (2) facilitating market entry by startups, thereby reducing market concentration and possibly reducing authoritarian hierarchy. One legitimate utilitarian aim of the patent system might be to thus promote horizontal individualism, which could tend to work against fascism’s extremely nationalistic vertical collectivism. Promotion of individual autonomy might be an under-recognized benefit of the patent system, suggesting a valuable lens through which to view not only patent law, but also other areas of private law
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