275 research outputs found
On Auxiliary Fields in BF Theories
We discuss the structure of auxiliary fields for non-Abelian BF theories in
arbitrary dimensions. By modifying the classical BRST operator, we build the
on-shell invariant complete quantum action. Therefore, we introduce the
auxiliary fields which close the BRST algebra and lead to the invariant
extension of the classical action.Comment: 7 pages, minor changes, typos in equations corrected and
acknowledgements adde
Tectonic evolution of the Eastern Moroccan Meseta: from Late Devonian foreâarc sedimentation to Early Carboniferous collision of an Avalonian promontory
This study was founded by the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) of Spain through the project PANGEATOR (CGL2015-71692-P) and the Doctoral scholarship BES-2016-078168. GeoHistory Facility instruments were funded via an Australian Geophysical Observing System grant provided to AuScope Pty Ltd. by the AQ44 Australian Education Investment Fund program. The NPII multicollector was obtained via funding from the Australian Research Council LIEF program (LE150100013). The authors want to express their gratitude to Dr. Manuel Francisco Pereira (University of Evora, Portugal) and Dr. Michel Villeneuve (Centre Europeen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Geosciences de l'Environnement, France) for their constructive reviews that helped to improve the quality of the original manuscript. Special thanks to Brad McDonald (Curtin University, Australia) for technical assistance regarding LA-ICPMS and Hf analyses, Profs. Abdelfatah Tahiri (University Mohammed V of Rabat, Morocco) and Hassan El Hadi (University Hassan II of Casablanca, Morocco) for their support during field work, Prof. Yvette Kuiper (Colorado School of Mines, USA) for her precious hints about the interpretation of Hf data, and Dr. Lorenzo Valetti for proofreading the manuscript. Supporting information can be obtained in Mendeley Data: https://doi.org/10.17632/b8fdbykmbx.1 (https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/b8fdbykmbx/draft?a=eaae2da0-8e224056-861b-4824984f1c10).The deformed Paleozoic succession of the Eastern Moroccan Meseta crops out in relativelysmall and isolated inliers surrounded by Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks. Two of the largest inliers(Mekkam and Debdou) are characterized by a monotonous succession of slates and greywackes affected bypolyphasic folding that occurred at lowâto very low grade metamorphic conditions. New UâPb ages ondetrital zircon grains from the DebdouâMekkam metasediments constrain the maximal depositional age asLate Devonian, interpreted to be close to the true sedimentation age. Furthermore, theΔHfvalues of theDevonian detrital zircons, together with the presence of a series of scattered zircon grains with ages betweenc. 0.9 and c. 1.9 Ga, suggest provenance from a subductionârelated magmatic arc located on the Avalonianmargin. The DebdouâMekkam massif is characterized by an Early Carboniferousfirst deformationalevent (D1), which gave way to a pervasive cleavage (S1) associated with plurikilometricâscale, tight toisoclinal, overturned to recumbent folds. Later events (Dc) occurred at Late Carboniferous time andgenerated variably developed crenulation cleavages (Sc) associated with variously oriented metricâtokilometricâscale folds, which complicate the pattern of both D1 intersection lineations (L1) and axial traces.The restoration of this pronounced curved pattern yields originally SWâNEâoriented D1 fold axes withregional SEâvergence. This important Early Carboniferous shortening and SEâdirected tectonic transport canbe explained by closure of the Rheic Ocean and thefirst phases of the collision between the northern passivemargin of Gondwana and an Avalonian promontory.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) of Spain
CGL2015-71692-P
BES-2016-078168Australian Geophysical Observing SystemAustralian Education Investment Fund program
AQ44Australian Research Council
LE15010001
Stereoselective Protection-Free Modification of 3-Keto-saccharides
Unprotected 3-keto-saccharides have become readily accessible via site-selective oxidation, but their protection-free functionalization is relatively unexplored. Here we show that protecting groups are obsolete in a variety of stereoselective modifications of our model substrate methyl α-glucopyranoside. This allows the preparation of rare sugars and the installation of click handles and reactive groups. To showcase the applicability of the methodology, maltoheptaose has been converted into a chemical probe, and the rare sugar evalose has been synthesized
Symmetries and observables in topological gravity
After a brief review of topological gravity, we present a superspace approach
to this theory. This formulation allows us to recover in a natural manner
various known results and to gain some insight into the precise relationship
between different approaches to topological gravity. Though the main focus of
our work is on the vielbein formalism, we also discuss the metric approach and
its relationship with the former formalism.Comment: 34 pages; a few explanations added in subsection 2.2.1, published
version of pape
Methionine 129 variant of human prion protein oligomerizes more rapidly than the valine 129 variant
The human PrP gene (PRNP) has two common alleles that encode either methionine or valine at codon 129. This polymorphism modulates disease susceptibility and phenotype of human transmissible spongiform encyphalopathies, but the molecular mechanism by which these effects are mediated remains unclear. Here, we compared the misfolding pathway that leads to the formation of beta-sheet-rich oligomeric isoforms of the methionine 129 variant of PrP to that of the valine 129 variant. We provide evidence for differences in the folding behavior between the two variants at the early stages of oligomer formation. We show that Met(129) has a higher propensity to form beta-sheet-rich oligomers, whereas Val(129) has a higher tendency to fold into alpha-helical-rich monomers. An equimolar mixture of both variants displayed an intermidate folding behavior. We show that the oligomers of both variants are initially a mixture of alpha- and beta-rich conformers that evolve with time to an increasingly homogeneous beta-rich form. This maturation process, which involves no further change in proteinase K resistance, occurs more rapidly in the Met(129) form than the Val(129) form. Although the involvement of such beta-rich oligomers in prion pathogenesis is speculative, the misfolding behavior could, in part, explain the higher susceptibility of individuals that are methionine homozygote to both sporadic and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 enhances CD20 antibody-dependent phagocytosis of lymphoma cells by macrophages
Antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) by macrophages, an important effector function of tumor targeting antibodies, is hampered by âDonÂŽt Eat Me!â signals such as CD47 expressed by cancer cells. Yet, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I expression may also impair ADCP by engaging leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B (LILRB) member 1 (LILRB1) or LILRB2. Analysis of different lymphoma cell lines revealed that the ratio of CD20 to HLA class I cell surface molecules determined the sensitivity to ADCP by the combination of rituximab and an Fc-silent variant of the CD47 antibody magrolimab (CD47-IgGÏ). To boost ADCP, Fc-silent antibodies against LILRB1 and LILRB2 were generated (LILRB1-IgGÏ and LILRB2-IgGÏ, respectively). While LILRB2-IgGÏ was not effective, LILRB1-IgGÏ significantly enhanced ADCP of lymphoma cell lines when combined with both rituximab and CD47-IgGÏ. LILRB1-IgGÏ promoted serial engulfment of lymphoma cells and potentiated ADCP by non-polarized M0 as well as polarized M1 and M2 macrophages, but required CD47 co-blockade and the presence of the CD20 antibody. Importantly, complementing rituximab and CD47-IgGÏ, LILRB1-IgGÏ increased ADCP of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or lymphoma cells isolated from patients. Thus, dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 may be promising to improve antibody therapy of CLL and lymphomas through enhancing ADCP by macrophages
Surfactant controlled zwitterionic cellulose nanofibril dispersions
Zwitterionic cellulose nanofibrils (ZCNF) with isoelectric point of 3.4 were obtained by grafting glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride onto TEMPO/NaBr/NaOCl-oxidised cellulose nanofibrils. ZCNF aqueous dispersions were characterized via transmission electron microscopy, rheology and small angle neutron scattering, revealing a fibril-bundle structure with pronounced aggregation at pH 7. Surfactants were successfully employed to tune the stability of the ZCNF dispersions. Upon addition of the anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate, the ZCNF dispersion shows individualized fibrils due to electrostatic stabilization. On the contrary, upon addition of the cationic species dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, the dispersion undergoes charge neutralization, leading to more pronounced flocculation
Clinically important improvement in the WOMAC and predictor factors for response to non-specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteoarthritic patients: a prospective study
The Val158Met COMT polymorphism is a modifier of the age at onset in Parkinson's disease with a sexual dimorphism
The catechol-O-methyltranferase (COMT) is one of the main enzymes that metabolise dopamine in the brain. The Val158Met polymorphism in the COMT gene (rs4680) causes a trimodal distribution of high (Val/Val), intermediate (Val/Met) and low (Met/Met) enzyme activity. We tested whether the Val158Met polymorphism is a modifier of the age at onset (AAO) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The rs4680 was genotyped in a total of 16â
609 subjects from five independent cohorts of European and North American origin (5886 patients with PD and 10â
723 healthy controls). The multivariate analysis for comparing PD and control groups was based on a stepwise logistic regression, with gender, age and cohort origin included in the initial model. The multivariate analysis of the AAO was a mixed linear model, with COMT genotype and gender considered as fixed effects and cohort and cohort-gender interaction as random effects. COMT genotype was coded as a quantitative variable, assuming a codominant genetic effect. The distribution of the COMT polymorphism was not significantly different in patients and controls (p=0.22). The Val allele had a significant effect on the AAO with a younger AAO in patients with the Val/Val (57.1±13.9, p=0.03) than the Val/Met (57.4±13.9) and the Met/Met genotypes (58.3±13.5). The difference was greater in men (1.9â
years between Val/Val and Met/Met, p=0.007) than in women (0.2â
years, p=0.81). Thus, the Val158Met COMT polymorphism is not associated with PD in the Caucasian population but acts as a modifier of the AAO in PD with a sexual dimorphism: the Val allele is associated with a younger AAO in men with idiopathic PD
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