767 research outputs found
Stimulation of informosomal RNA synthesis in cultured chinese hamster cells exposed to low levels of cadmium
On the Erasure and Regeneration of the Primordial Baryon Asymmetry by Sphalerons
We show that a cosmological baryon asymmetry generated at the GUT scale,
which would be destroyed at lower temperatures by sphalerons and possible new
B- or L-violating effects, can naturally be preserved by an asymmetry in the
number of right-handed electrons. This results in a significant softening of
previously derived baryogenesis-based constraints on the strength of exotic B-
or L-violating interactions.Comment: 10 pp. LaTex (2 figures, included) UMN-TH-1201/9
A Phase I Trial of Aminolevulinic Acid-Photodynamic Therapy for Treatment of Oral Leukoplakia
Background Photodynamic therapy with aminolevulinic acid (ALA PDT) for oral leukoplakia has shown promising effects in regression of oral leukoplakia. Although ALA has been extensively studied and is an ideal photosensitizer, the optimal light dose for treatment of oral leukoplakia has not been determined. We conducted a phase I study to determine MTD and DLT of PDT in patients treated with ALA for leukoplakia. Methods Patients with histologically confirmed oral leukoplakia received a single treatment of ALA PDT in cohorts with escalating doses of light (585 nm). Clinical, histologic, and biologic markers were assessed. Results Analysis of 11 participants is reported. No significant toxicity from ALA PDT was observed in patients who received ALA with a light dose of up to 4 J/cm2. One participant experienced transient grade 3 transaminase elevation due to ALA. One participant had a partial clinical response 3 months after treatment. Biologic mucosal risk markers showed no significant associations. Determination of MTD could not be accomplished within a feasible timeframe for completion of the study. Conclusions ALA PDT could be safely administered with a light dose up to 4 J/cm2 and demonstrated activity. Larger studies are needed to fully elucidate the MTD and efficacy of ALA-PDT
Tiered Human Integrated Sequence Search Databases for Shotgun Proteomics.
The results of analysis of shotgun proteomics mass spectrometry data can be greatly affected by the selection of the reference protein sequence database against which the spectra are matched. For many species there are multiple sources from which somewhat different sequence sets can be obtained. This can lead to confusion about which database is best in which circumstances-a problem especially acute in human sample analysis. All sequence databases are genome-based, with sequences for the predicted gene and their protein translation products compiled. Our goal is to create a set of primary sequence databases that comprise the union of sequences from many of the different available sources and make the result easily available to the community. We have compiled a set of four sequence databases of varying sizes, from a small database consisting of only the ∼20,000 primary isoforms plus contaminants to a very large database that includes almost all nonredundant protein sequences from several sources. This set of tiered, increasingly complete human protein sequence databases suitable for mass spectrometry proteomics sequence database searching is called the Tiered Human Integrated Search Proteome set. In order to evaluate the utility of these databases, we have analyzed two different data sets, one from the HeLa cell line and the other from normal human liver tissue, with each of the four tiers of database complexity. The result is that approximately 0.8%, 1.1%, and 1.5% additional peptides can be identified for Tiers 2, 3, and 4, respectively, as compared with the Tier 1 database, at substantially increasing computational cost. This increase in computational cost may be worth bearing if the identification of sequence variants or the discovery of sequences that are not present in the reviewed knowledge base entries is an important goal of the study. We find that it is useful to search a data set against a simpler database, and then check the uniqueness of the discovered peptides against a more complex database. We have set up an automated system that downloads all the source databases on the first of each month and automatically generates a new set of search databases and makes them available for download at http://www.peptideatlas.org/thisp/
Constraints on the Variation of the Fine Structure Constant from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
We put bounds on the variation of the value of the fine structure constant
, at the time of Big Bang nucleosynthesis. We study carefully all light
elements up to Li. We correct a previous upper limit on estimated from He primordial abundance and we find interesting new
potential limits (depending on the value of the baryon-to-photon ratio) from
Li, whose production is governed to a large extent by Coulomb barriers. The
presently unclear observational situation concerning the primordial abundances
preclude a better limit than |\Delta \alpha/\alpha| \lsim 2\cdot 10^{-2}, two
orders of magnitude less restrictive than previous bounds. In fact, each of the
(mutually exclusive) scenarios of standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis proposed,
one based on a high value of the measured deuterium primordial abundance and
one based on a low value, may describe some aspects of data better if a change
in of this magnitude is assumed.Comment: 21 pages, eps figures embedded using epsfig macr
Baryogenesis via lepton number violating scalar interactions
We study baryogenesis through lepton number violation in left-right symmetric
models. In these models the lepton number and CP violating interactions of the
triplet higgs scalars can give rise to lepton number asymmetry through
non-equilibrium decays of the triplet higgs and the right handed
neutrinos. This in turn generates baryon asymmetry during the electroweak
anomalous processes.Comment: 14 pages, UTPT-93-1
Modern cosmologies from empty Kaluza-Klein solutions in 5D
We show that the empty five-dimensional solutions of
Davidson-Sonnenschtein-Vozmediano, {\em Phys. Rev.} {\bf D32} (1985)1330, in
the "old" Kaluza-Klein gravity, under appropriate interpretation can generate
an ample variety of cosmological models in 4D, which include the
higher-dimensional modifications to general relativity predicted by "modern"
versions of noncompactified 5D gravity as, e.g., induced-matter and braneworld
theories. This is the first time that these solutions are investigated in a
systematic way as embeddings for cosmological models in 4D. They provide a
different formulation, which is complementary to the approaches used in current
versions of 5D relativity.Comment: Accepted for publication in JHE
The Potts Fully Frustrated model: Thermodynamics, percolation and dynamics in 2 dimensions
We consider a Potts model diluted by fully frustrated Ising spins. The model
corresponds to a fully frustrated Potts model with variables having an integer
absolute value and a sign. This model presents precursor phenomena of a glass
transition in the high-temperature region. We show that the onset of these
phenomena can be related to a thermodynamic transition. Furthermore this
transition can be mapped onto a percolation transition. We numerically study
the phase diagram in 2 dimensions (2D) for this model with frustration and {\em
without} disorder and we compare it to the phase diagram of the model with
frustration {\em and} disorder and of the ferromagnetic model.
Introducing a parameter that connects the three models, we generalize the exact
expression of the ferromagnetic Potts transition temperature in 2D to the other
cases. Finally, we estimate the dynamic critical exponents related to the Potts
order parameter and to the energy.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, new result
Scale invariant scalar metric fluctuations during inflation: non-perturbative formalism from a 5D vacuum
We extend to 5D an approach of a 4D non-perturbative formalism to study
scalar metric fluctuations of a 5D Riemann-flat de Sitter background metric. In
contrast with the results obtained in 4D, the spectrum of cosmological scalar
metric fluctuations during inflation can be scale invariant and the background
inflaton field can take sub-Planckian values.Comment: final version to be published in Eur. Phys. J.
Constraints on the Variations of the Fundamental Couplings
We reconsider several current bounds on the variation of the fine-structure
constant in models where all gauge and Yukawa couplings vary in an
interdependent manner, as would be expected in unified theories. In particular,
we re-examine the bounds established by the Oklo reactor from the resonant
neutron capture cross-section of 149Sm. By imposing variations in \Lambda_{QCD}
and the quark masses, as dictated by unified theories, the corresponding bound
on the variation of the fine-structure constant can be improved by about 2
orders of magnitude in such theories. In addition, we consider possible bounds
on variations due to their effect on long lived \alpha- and \beta-decay
isotopes, particularly 147Sm and 187Re. We obtain a strong constraint on \Delta
\alpha / \alpha, comparable to that of Oklo but extending to a higher redshift
corresponding to the age of the solar system, from the radioactive life-time of
187Re derived from meteoritic studies. We also analyze the astrophysical
consequences of perturbing the decay Q values on bound state \beta-decays
operating in the s-process.Comment: 25 pages, latex, 5 eps figure
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