On the non-abelian Brumer-Stark conjecture and the equivariant Iwasawa main conjecture

We show that for an odd prime p, the p-primary parts of refinements of the (imprimitive) non-abelian Brumer and Brumer-Stark conjectures are implied by the equivariant Iwasawa main conjecture (EIMC) for totally real fields. Crucially, this result does not depend on the vanishing of the relevant Iwasawa mu-invariant. In combination with the authors' previous work on the EIMC, this leads to unconditional proofs of the non-abelian Brumer and Brumer-Stark conjectures in many new cases.Comment: 33 pages; to appear in Mathematische Zeitschrift; v3 many minor updates including new title; v2 some cohomological arguments simplified; v1 is a revised version of the second half of arXiv:1408.4934v

Manual / Issue 7 / Alchemy

Manual, a journal about art and its making. Alchemy. The seventh issue. Manual 7 (Alchemy) prompts the unexpected and emergent to manifest. To engage as an alchemist/artist is to be the perpetual student of the present moment, to synthesize culture, so-called science, and the implications of existential borders into a discipline that is repeatable, a practice. Art and alchemy are not singular, unified pursuits. Their practitioners are trans-disciplinary, disjointed, and solitary in their practice, and their labor and the ordering of their lives become porous, overlaid in the pursuit of other-than or beyond-dominant modes of understanding. Alchemy and art are not about finding resolution, but building the capacity for curiosity, formulating questions that invest fields of knowledge with possibility, prompting the unexpected and emergent to manifest. —Bryan McGovern Wilson, from the introduction to Issue 7: Alchemy Softcover, 76 pages. Published 2016 by the RISD Museum. Manual 7 (Alchemy) contributors include Markus Berger, Rachel Berwick, Stephen S. Bush, CA Conrad, Florence Friedman, Doreen Garner, Michael Grugl, Kate Irvin, Mimi Leveque, Dominic Molon, Douglas R. Nickel, Emily J. Peters, Elizabeth A. Williams, Bryan McGovern Wilson, and Diming Stella Zhong.https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/risdmuseum_journals/1033/thumbnail.jp

Towards Alignment Independent Quantitative Assessment of Homology Detection

Identification of homologous proteins provides a basis for protein annotation. Sequence alignment tools reliably identify homologs sharing high sequence similarity. However, identification of homologs that share low sequence similarity remains a challenge. Lowering the cutoff value could enable the identification of diverged homologs, but also introduces numerous false hits. Methods are being continuously developed to minimize this problem. Estimation of the fraction of homologs in a set of protein alignments can help in the assessment and development of such methods, and provides the users with intuitive quantitative assessment of protein alignment results. Herein, we present a computational approach that estimates the amount of homologs in a set of protein pairs. The method requires a prevalent and detectable protein feature that is conserved between homologs. By analyzing the feature prevalence in a set of pairwise protein alignments, the method can estimate the number of homolog pairs in the set independently of the alignments' quality. Using the HomoloGene database as a standard of truth, we implemented this approach in a proteome-wide analysis. The results revealed that this approach, which is independent of the alignments themselves, works well for estimating the number of homologous proteins in a wide range of homology values. In summary, the presented method can accompany homology searches and method development, provides validation to search results, and allows tuning of tools and methods

Schr\"odinger Holography with and without Hyperscaling Violation

We study the properties of the Schr\"odinger-type non-relativistic holography for general dynamical exponent z with and without hyperscaling violation exponent \theta. The scalar correlation function has a more general form due to general z as well as the presence of \theta, whose effects also modify the scaling dimension of the scalar operator. We propose a prescription for minimal surfaces of this "codimension 2 holography," and demonstrate the (d-1) dimensional area law for the entanglement entropy from (d+3) dimensional Schr\"odinger backgrounds. Surprisingly, the area law is violated for d+1 < z < d+2, even without hyperscaling violation, which interpolates between the logarithmic violation and extensive volume dependence of entanglement entropy. Similar violations are also found in the presence of the hyperscaling violation. Their dual field theories are expected to have novel phases for the parameter range, including Fermi surface. We also analyze string theory embeddings using non-relativistic branes.Comment: 62 pages and 6 figures, v2: several typos in section 5 corrected, references added, v3: typos corrected, references added, published versio

Pelvic tenderness is not limited to the prostate in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) type IIIA and IIIB: comparison of men with and without CP/CPPS

Background: We wished to determine if there were differences in pelvic and non-pelvic tenderness between men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) Type III and men without pelvic pain. Methods: We performed the Manual Tender Point Survey (MTPS) as described by the American College of Rheumatology on 62 men with CP/CPPS Type IIIA and IIIB and 98 men without pelvic pain. We also assessed tenderness of 10 external pelvic tender points (EPTP) and of 7 internal pelvic tender points (IPTP). All study participants completed the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Inventory (NIH CPSI). Results: We found that men with CPPS were significantly more tender in the MTPS, the EPTPS and the IPTPS. CPSI scores correlated with EPTP scale but not with IPTP scale or prostate tenderness. Prostatic tenderness was present in 75% of men with CPPS and in 50% of men without CPPS. Expressed prostatic fluid leukocytosis was not associated with prostatic tenderness. Conclusion: Men with CP/CPPS have more tenderness compared to men without CPPS. Tenderness in men with CPPS is distributed throughout the pelvis and not specific to the prostate

Constraints on Nucleon Decay via "Invisible" Modes from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

Data from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory have been used to constrain the lifetime for nucleon decay to ``invisible'' modes, such as n -> 3 nu. The analysis was based on a search for gamma-rays from the de-excitation of the residual nucleus that would result from the disappearance of either a proton or neutron from O16. A limit of tau_inv > 2 x 10^{29} years is obtained at 90% confidence for either neutron or proton decay modes. This is about an order of magnitude more stringent than previous constraints on invisible proton decay modes and 400 times more stringent than similar neutron modes.Comment: Update includes missing efficiency factor (limits change by factor of 2) Submitted to Physical Review Letter

GDF-15 is abundantly expressed in plexiform lesions in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and affects proliferation and apoptosis of pulmonary endothelial cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) is a stress-responsive, transforming growth factor-β-related cytokine, which has recently been reported to be elevated in serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). The aim of the study was to examine the expression and biological roles of GDF-15 in the lung of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>GDF-15 expression in normal lungs and lung specimens of PAH patients were studied by real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Using laser-assisted micro-dissection, GDF-15 expression was further analyzed within vascular compartments of PAH lungs. To elucidate the role of GDF-15 on endothelial cells, human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMEC) were exposed to hypoxia and laminar shear stress. The effects of GDF-15 on the proliferation and cell death of HPMEC were studied using recombinant GDF-15 protein.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GDF-15 expression was found to be increased in lung specimens from PAH patients, com-pared to normal lungs. GDF-15 was abundantly expressed in pulmonary vascular endothelial cells with a strong signal in the core of plexiform lesions. HPMEC responded with marked upregulation of GDF-15 to hypoxia and laminar shear stress. Apoptotic cell death of HPMEC was diminished, whereas HPMEC proliferation was either increased or decreased depending of the concentration of recombinant GDF-15 protein.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>GDF-15 expression is increased in PAH lungs and appears predominantly located in vascular endothelial cells. The expression pattern as well as the observed effects on proliferation and apoptosis of pulmonary endothelial cells suggest a role of GDF-15 in the homeostasis of endothelial cells in PAH patients.</p

Analysis for genotyping Duffy blood group in inhabitants of Sudan, the Fourth Cataract of the Nile

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Genetic polymophisms of the Duffy antigen receptor for the chemokines (DARC) gene successfully protected against blood stage infection by <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>infection. The Fy (a-, b-) phenotype is predominant among African populations, particularly those originating from West Africa, and it is rare among non-African populations. The aim of this study was to analyse the frequency of four Duffy blood groups based on SNPs (T-33C, G125A, G298A and C5411T) in two local tribes of Sudanese Arabs, the <it>Shagia </it>and <it>Manasir</it>, which are both from the region of the Fourth Nile cataract in Sudan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An analysis of polymorphisms was performed on 217 individuals (126 representatives of the <it>Shagia </it>tribe and 91 of the <it>Manasir)</it>. Real-time PCR and TaqMan Genotyping Assays were used to study the prevalence of alleles and genotypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The analysis of allelic and genotype frequency in the T-33C polymorphisms demonstrated a significant dominance of the <it>C </it>allele and <it>CC </it>genotype (OR = 0.53 [0.32-0.88]; p = 0.02) in both tribes. The G125A polymorphism is associated with phenotype Fy(a-, b-) and was identified in 83% of <it>Shagia </it>and 77% of <it>Manasir</it>. With regard to G298A polymorphisms, the genotype frequencies were different between the tribes (p = 0,002) and no single <it>AA </it>homozygote was found. Based on four SNPs examined, 20 combinations of genotypes for the <it>Shagia </it>and <it>Manasir </it>tribes were determined. The genotype <it>CC/AA/GG/CT </it>occurred most often in <it>Shagia </it>tribe (45.9%) but was rare in the <it>Manasir </it>tribe (6.6%) (p < 0.001 <it>Shagia </it>versus <it>Manasir</it>). The <it>FY*A^ES</it>allele was identified in both analysed tribes. The presence of individuals with the <it>FY*A/FY*A </it>genotype was demonstrated only in the <it>Shagia </it>tribe.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is probably the first report showing genotypically Duffy-negative people who carry both <it>FY*B^ES</it>and <it>FY*A^ES</it>. The identification of the <it>FY*A^ES</it>allele in both tribes may be due to admixture of the non-African genetic background. Taken as a whole, allele and genotype frequencies between the <it>Shagia </it>and the <it>Manasir </it>were statistically different. However, the presence of individuals with the <it>FY*A/FY*A </it>genotype was demonstrated only in the <it>Shagia </it>tribe.</p