Proteomic analysis of age-related changes in ovine cerebrospinal fluid

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulates through the brain and has a unique composition reflecting the biological processes of the brain. Identifying ageing CSF biomarkers can aid in understanding the ageing process and interpreting CSF protein changes in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, ovine CSF proteins from young (1-2 year old), middle aged (3-6 year old) and old (7-10 year old) sheep were systemically studied. CSF proteins were labelled with iTRAQ tagging reagents and fractionated by 2-dimensional high performance, liquid chromatography. Tryptic peptides were identified using MS/MS fragmentation ions for sequencing and quantified from iTRAQ reporter ion intensities at m/z 114, 115, 116 and 117. Two hundred thirty one peptides were detected, from which 143 proteins were identified. There were 52 proteins with >25% increase in concentrations in the old sheep compared to the young. 33 of them increased >25% but 50% but 1 fold [i.e. haptoglobin (Hp), haemoglobin, neuroendocrine protein 7B2, IgM, fibrous sheath interacting protein 1, vimentin]. There were 18 proteins with >25% decrease in concentrations in the old sheep compared to the young. 17 of them decreased >25% but <50%, and histone deacetylase 7 (HDAC7) was gradually decreased for over 80%. Glutathione S-transferase was decreased in middle aged CSF compared to both young and old CSF. The differential expressions of 3 proteins (Hp, neuroendocrine protein 7B2, IgM) were confirmed by immunoassays. These data expand our current knowledge regarding ovine CSF proteins, supply the necessary information to understand the ageing process in the brain and provide a basis for diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases

Low transverse emittance electron bunches from two-color laser-ionization injection

A method is proposed to generate low emittance electron bunches from two color laser pulses in a laser-plasma accelerator. A two-region gas structure is used, containing a short region of a high-Z gas (e.g., krypton) for ionization injection, followed by a longer region of a low-Z gas for post-acceleration. A long-laser-wavelength (e.g., 5 micron) pump pulse excites plasma wake without triggering the inner-shell electron ionization of the high-Z gas due to low electric fields. A short-laser-wavelength (e.g., 0.4 micron) injection pulse, located at a trapping phase of the wake, ionizes the inner-shell electrons of the high-Z gas, resulting in ionization-induced trapping. Compared with a single-pulse ionization injection, this scheme offers an order of magnitude smaller residual transverse momentum of the electron bunch, which is a result of the smaller vector potential amplitude of the injection pulse

A uracil nitroso amine based colorimetric sensor for the detection of Cu²⁺ ions from aqueous environment and its practical applications

A simple uracil nitroso amine based colorimetric chemosensor (UNA-1) has been synthesized and screened for its cation recognition ability. Sensor UNA-1 exhibited a high sensitivity and selectivity towards Cu²⁺ ions in aqueous medium in the presence of a wide range of other competing cations (Ag⁺, Al³⁺, Ba²⁺+, Ca²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cs⁺, Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺, Li⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Na⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Zn²⁺, Hg²⁺ and Sr²⁺). With Cu²⁺, the sensor UNA-1 gave a distinct color change from colorless to dark yellow by forming a complex of 1:1 stoichiometry. Furthermore, sensor UNA-1 was successfully utilized in the preparation of test strips and supported silica for the detection of Cu²⁺ ions from aqueous environment

Effect of the elastic modulus of the matrix on magnetostrictive strain in composites

The effect of the matrix material on the magnetostriction of composites containing highly magnetostrictive particles has been studied. Experimental results showed that the elastic modulus of the matrix is an important factor determining the bulk magnetostriction of the composite. For a series of composites with the same volume fraction of magnetostrictive particles but different matrix materials, the bulk magnetostriction was found to increase systematically with decreasing elastic modulus of the matrix. A modeltheory for the magnetostriction of such composites has been developed, based on two limiting assumptions: uniform strain or uniform stress inside the composite. The theory was then used to predict the magnetostriction of the entire material from the volume fractions of the components, their elastic moduli and magnetostrictions. These predictions were in agreement with the experimental results. It is concluded that to obtain a high magnetostriction and adequate mechanical properties of a composite, the elastic moduli of the magnetostrictive phase and the matrix should be as close as possible in value

Ghost Busting: PT-Symmetric Interpretation of the Lee Model

The Lee model was introduced in the 1950s as an elementary quantum field theory in which mass, wave function, and charge renormalization could be carried out exactly. In early studies of this model it was found that there is a critical value of g^2, the square of the renormalized coupling constant, above which g_0^2, the square of the unrenormalized coupling constant, is negative. Thus, for g^2 larger than this critical value, the Hamiltonian of the Lee model becomes non-Hermitian. It was also discovered that in this non-Hermitian regime a new state appears whose norm is negative. This state is called a ghost state. It has always been assumed that in this ghost regime the Lee model is an unacceptable quantum theory because unitarity appears to be violated. However, in this regime while the Hamiltonian is not Hermitian, it does possess PT symmetry. It has recently been discovered that a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian having PT symmetry may define a quantum theory that is unitary. The proof of unitarity requires the construction of a new time-independent operator called C. In terms of C one can define a new inner product with respect to which the norms of the states in the Hilbert space are positive. Furthermore, it has been shown that time evolution in such a theory is unitary. In this paper the C operator for the Lee model in the ghost regime is constructed exactly in the V/N-theta sector. It is then shown that the ghost state has a positive norm and that the Lee model is an acceptable unitary quantum field theory for all values of g^2.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figure

Phragmén–Lindelöf Principles for Generalized Analytic Functions on Unbounded Domains

We prove versions of the Phragmén–Lindelöf strong maximum principle for generalized analytic functions defined on unbounded domains. A version of Hadamard’s three-lines theorem is also derived

Klotho pathways, myelination disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and epigenetic drugs

In this review we outline a rationale for identifying neuroprotectants aimed at inducing endogenous Klotho activity and expression, which is epigenetic action, by definition. Such an approach should promote remyelination and/or stimulate myelin repair by acting on mitochondrial function, thereby heralding a life-saving path forward for patients suffering from neuroinflammatory diseases. Disorders of myelin in the nervous system damage the transmission of signals, resulting in loss of vision, motion, sensation, and other functions depending on the affected nerves, currently with no effective treatment. Klotho genes and their single-pass transmembrane Klotho proteins are powerful governors of the threads of life and death, true to the origin of their name, Fates, in Greek mythology. Among its many important functions, Klotho is an obligatory co-receptor that binds, activates, and/or potentiates critical fibroblast growth factor activity. Since the discovery of Klotho a little over two decades ago, it has become ever more apparent that when Klotho pathways go awry, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction take over, and age-related chronic disorders are likely to follow. The physiological consequences can be wide ranging, potentially wreaking havoc on the brain, eye, kidney, muscle, and more. Central nervous system disorders, neurodegenerative in nature, and especially those affecting the myelin sheath, represent worthy targets for advancing therapies that act upon Klotho pathways. Current drugs for these diseases, even therapeutics that are disease modifying rather than treating only the symptoms, leave much room for improvement. It is thus no wonder that this topic has caught the attention of biomedical researchers around the world.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/biores.2020.0004Published versio

The Eastern Finance Association

Abstract We examine pedigree and placement effects of research productivity in finance and find a notable placement effect: authors who are currently affiliated with &quot;elite&quot; institutions tend to be more productive, especially among the top three finance journals. The placement effect, however, weakens in more recent years. We also observe a pedigree effect in the top three journals, where there is a higher concentration of publications by authors with degrees from &quot;elite&quot; institutions. We provide rankings of the institutions that are best at developing and training scholars

Lepton Flavor Violation in Predictive Supersymmetric GUT Models

There have been many theoretical models constructed which aim to explain the neutrino masses and mixing patterns. While many of the models will be eliminated once more accurate determinations of the mixing parameters, especially $\sin^2 2\theta_{13}$, are obtained, charged lepton flavor violation (LFV) experiments are able to differentiate even further among the models. In this paper, we investigate various rare LFV processes, such as $\ell_{i} \to \ell_{j} + \gamma$ and $\mu-e$ conversion, in five predictive supersymmetric (SUSY) SO(10) models and their allowed soft-SUSY breaking parameter space in the constrained minimal SUSY standard model. Utilizing the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe dark matter constraints, we obtain lower bounds on the branching ratios of these rare processes and find that at least three of the five models we consider give rise to predictions for $\mu \to e + \gamma$ that will be tested by the MEG Collaboration at PSI. In addition, the next generation $\mu-e$ conversion experiment has sensitivity to the predictions of all five models, making it an even more robust way to test these models. While generic studies have emphasized the dependence of the branching ratios of these rare processes on the reactor neutrino angle $\theta_{13}$ and the mass of the heaviest right-handed neutrino $M_3$, we find very massive $M_3$ is more significant than large $\theta_{13}$ in leading to branching ratios near to the present upper limits.Comment: Published version: 25 pages including 11 figures; acknowledgment, references, and note added with minor changes from v