1,158 research outputs found
Two- and three-point functions in two-dimensional Landau-gauge Yang-Mills theory: Continuum results
We investigate the Dyson-Schwinger equations for the gluon and ghost
propagators and the ghost-gluon vertex of Landau-gauge gluodynamics in two
dimensions. While this simplifies some aspects of the calculations as compared
to three and four dimensions, new complications arise due to a mixing of
different momentum regimes. As a result, the solutions for the propagators are
more sensitive to changes in the three-point functions and the ansaetze used
for them at the leading order in a vertex a expansion. Here, we therefore go
beyond this common truncation by including the ghost-gluon vertex
self-consistently for the first time, while using a model for the three-gluon
vertex which reproduces the known infrared asymptotics and the zeros at
intermediate momenta as observed on the lattice. A separate computation of the
three-gluon vertex from the results is used to confirm the stability of this
behavior a posteriori. We also present further arguments for the absence of the
decoupling solution in two dimensions. Finally, we show how in general the
infrared exponent kappa of the scaling solutions in two, three and four
dimensions can be changed by allowing an angle dependence and thus an essential
singularity of the ghost-gluon vertex in the infrared.Comment: 24 pages; added references, improved choices of parameters for vertex
models; identical to version published in JHE
On the massive gluon propagator, the PT-BFM scheme and the low-momentum behaviour of decoupling and scaling DSE solutions
We study the low-momentum behaviour of Yang-Mills propagators obtained from
Landau-gauge Dyson-Schwinger equations (DSE) in the PT-BFM scheme. We compare
the ghost propagator numerical results with the analytical ones obtained by
analyzing the low-momentum behaviour of the ghost propagator DSE in Landau
gauge, assuming for the truncation a constant ghost-gluon vertex and a simple
model for a massive gluon propagator. The asymptotic expression obtained for
the regular or decoupling ghost dressing function up to the order is proven to fit pretty well the numerical PT-BFM results.
Furthermore, when the size of the coupling renormalized at some scale
approaches some critical value, the numerical PT-BFM propagators tend to behave
as the scaling ones. We also show that the scaling solution, implying a
diverging ghost dressing function, cannot be a DSE solution in the PT-BFM
scheme but an unattainable limiting case.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figs., 2 tabs (updated version to be published in JHEP
Forward-backward Asymmetry and Branching Ratio of B \rar K_1 \ell^+ \ell^- Transition in Supersymmetric Models
The mass eigen states and are mixture of the strange
members of two axial-vector SU(3) octet, and .
Taking into account this mixture, the forward-backward asymmetry and branching
ratio of B \rar K_1(1270,1400) \ell^+ \ell^- transitions are studied in the
framework of different supersymmetric models. It is found that the results have
considerable deviation from the standard model predictions. Any measurement of
these physical observables and their comparison with the results obtained in
this paper can give useful information about the nature of interactions beyond
the standard model.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
On non-primitively divergent vertices of Yang–Mills theory
Two correlation functions of Yang-Mills beyond the primitively divergent
ones, the two-ghost-two-gluon and the four-ghost vertices, are calculated and
their influence on lower vertices is examined. Their full (transverse) tensor
structure is taken into account. As input, a solution of the full two-point
equations - including two-loop terms - is used that respects the resummed
perturbative ultraviolet behavior. A clear hierarchy is found with regard to
the color structure that reduces the number of relevant dressing functions. The
impact of the two-ghost-two-gluon vertex on the three-gluon vertex is
negligible, which is explained by the fact that all non-small dressing
functions drop out due to their color factors. Only in the ghost-gluon vertex a
small net effect below is seen. The four-ghost vertex is found to be
extremely small in general. Since these two four-point functions do not enter
into the propagator equations, these findings establish their small overall
effect on lower correlation functions.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
Evaluation of a novel nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite paste Ostim® in comparison to Alpha-BSM® - more bone ingrowth inside the implanted material with Ostim® compared to Alpha BSM®
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance a newly developed nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, OSTIM<sup>® </sup>following functional implantation in femoral sites in thirty-eight sheep for 1, 2 or 3 months. Ostim<sup>® </sup>35 was compared to an established calcium phosphate, Alpha BSM<sup>®</sup>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Biomechanical testing, μ-CT analysis, histological and histomorphological analyses were conducted to compare the treatments including evaluation of bone regeneration level, material degradation, implant biomechanical characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The micro-computed tomography (μCT) analysis and macroscopic observations showed that Ostim<sup>® </sup>seemed to diffuse easily particularly when the defects were created in a cancellous bone area. Alpha BSM<sup>® </sup>remained in the defect.</p> <p>The performance of Ostim was good in terms of mechanical properties that were similar to Alpha BSM<sup>® </sup>and the histological analysis showed that the bone regeneration was better with Ostim<sup>® </sup>than with Alpha BSM<sup>®</sup>. The histomorphometric analysis confirmed the qualitative analysis and showed more bone ingrowth inside the implanted material with Ostim<sup>® </sup>when compared to Alpha BSM <sup>® </sup>at all time points.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The successful bone healing with osseous consolidation verifies the importance of the nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite in the treatment of metaphyseal osseous volume defects in the metaphyseal spongiosa.</p
Survey of CF mutations in the clinical laboratory
BACKGROUND: Since it is impossible to sequence the complete CFTR gene routinely, clinical laboratories must rely on test systems that screen for a panel of the most frequent mutations causing disease in a high percentage of patients. Thus, in a cohort of 257 persons that were referred to our laboratory for analysis of CF gene mutations, reverse line probe assays for the most common CF mutations were performed. These techniques were evaluated as routine first-line analyses of the CFTR gene status. METHODS: DNA from whole blood specimens was extracted and subjected to PCR amplification of 9 exons and 6 introns of the CFTR gene. The resulting amplicons were hybridised to probes for CF mutations and polymorphisms, immobilised on membranes supplied by Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. and Innogenetics, Inc.. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing of suspicious fragments indicating mutations were done with CF exon and intron specific primers. RESULTS: Of the 257 persons tested over the last three years (referrals based on 1) clinical symptoms typical for/indicative of CF, 2) indication for in vitro fertilisation, and 3) gene status determination because of anticipated parenthood and partners or relatives affected by CF), the reverse line blots detected heterozygote or homozygote mutations in the CFTR gene in 68 persons (26%). Eighty-three percent of those affected were heterozygous (47 persons) or homozygous (10 persons) for the ΔF508 allele. The only other CF-alleles that we found with these tests were the G542X allele (3 persons), the G551D allele (3 persons), the 3849+10kb C-T allele (2 persons) the R117H allele (2 persons) and the 621+1G-T allele (1 person). Of the fifteen IVS8-5T-polymorphisms detected in intron 8, seven (47%) were found in males referred to us from IVF clinics. These seven 5T-alleles were all coupled with a heterozygous ΔF508 allele, they make up 35% of the males with fertility problems (20 men) referred to us. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the frequency of CF chromosomes in the cohort examined with these tests was 26%, with the ΔF508 allele affecting 83% of the CF chromosomes. It is a substantial improvement for routine CF diagnostics to have available a test system for 30 mutations plus the polypyrimidine length variants in intron 8. Our results show that this test system allows a routine first-line analyses of the CFTR gene status
NK Cells Promote Th-17 Mediated Corneal Barrier Disruption in Dry Eye
The conjunctiva contains a specialized population of lymphocytes that reside in the epithelium, named intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL).Here we characterized the IEL population prior to and after experimental desiccating stress (DS) for 5 or 10 days (DS5, DS10) and evaluated the effect of NK depletion on DS. The frequency of IELs in normal murine conjunctiva was CD3(+)CD103(+) (~22%), CD3(+)γδ(+) (~9.6%), CD3(+)NK(+) (2%), CD3(-)NK(+) (~4.4%), CD3(+)CD8α (~0.9%), and CD4 (~0.6%). Systemic depletion of NK cells prior and during DS led to a decrease in the frequency of total and activated DCs, a decrease in T helper-17(+) cells in the cervical lymph nodes and generation of less pathogenic CD4(+)T cells. B6.nude recipient mice of adoptively transferred CD4(+)T cells isolated from NK-depleted DS5 donor mice showed significantly less corneal barrier disruption, lower levels of IL-17A, CCL20 and MMP-3 in the cornea epithelia compared to recipients of control CD4(+)T cells.Taken together, these results show that the NK IELs are involved in the acute immune response to desiccation-induced dry eye by activating DC, which in turn coordinate generation of the pathogenic Th-17 response
The Cow: Discovery of a Luminous, Hot, and Rapidly Evolving Transient
We present the ATLAS discovery and initial analysis of the first 18 days of the unusual transient event, ATLAS18qqn/AT2018cow. It is characterized by a high peak luminosity (~1.7 × 1044 erg s−1), rapidly evolving light curves (>5 mag rise to peak in ~3.5 days), and hot blackbody spectra, peaking at ~27,000 K that are relatively featureless and unchanging over the first two weeks. The bolometric light curve cannot be powered by radioactive decay under realistic assumptions. The detection of high-energy emission may suggest a central engine as the powering source. Using a magnetar model, we estimated an ejected mass of 0.1–0.4 M , which lies between that of low-energy core-collapse events and the kilonova, AT2017gfo. The spectra cooled rapidly from 27,000 to 15,000 K in just over two weeks but remained smooth and featureless. Broad and shallow emission lines appear after about 20 days, and we tentatively identify them as He i although they would be redshifted from their rest wavelengths. We rule out that there are any features in the spectra due to intermediate mass elements up to and including the Fe group. The presence of r-process elements cannot be ruled out. If these lines are due to He, then we suggest a low-mass star with residual He as a potential progenitor. Alternatively, models of magnetars formed in neutron star mergers, or accretion onto a central compact object, give plausible matches to the data
Comparison of phylogenetic trees through alignment of embedded evolutionary distances
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The understanding of evolutionary relationships is a fundamental aspect of modern biology, with the phylogenetic tree being a primary tool for describing these associations. However, comparison of trees for the purpose of assessing similarity and the quantification of various biological processes remains a significant challenge.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We describe a novel approach for the comparison of phylogenetic distance information based on the alignment of representative high-dimensional embeddings (xCEED: Comparison of Embedded Evolutionary Distances). The xCEED methodology, which utilizes multidimensional scaling and Procrustes-related superimposition approaches, provides the ability to measure the global similarity between trees as well as incongruities between them. We demonstrate the application of this approach to the prediction of coevolving protein interactions and demonstrate its improved performance over the mirrortree, tol-mirrortree, phylogenetic vector projection, and partial correlation approaches. Furthermore, we show its applicability to both the detection of horizontal gene transfer events as well as its potential use in the prediction of interaction specificity between a pair of multigene families.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These approaches provide additional tools for the study of phylogenetic trees and associated evolutionary processes. Source code is available at <url>http://gomezlab.bme.unc.edu/tools</url>.</p
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