Unitary Limit of Two-Nucleon Interactions in Strong Magnetic Fields

Two-nucleon systems are shown to exhibit large scattering lengths in strong magnetic fields at unphysical quark masses, and the trends toward the physical values indicate that such features may exist in nature. Lattice QCD calculations of the energies of one and two nucleons systems are performed at pion masses of $m_\pi\sim 450$ and 806 MeV in uniform, time-independent magnetic fields of strength {\bf B}| \sim 10^{19}$-$10^{20}$ Gauss to determine the response of these hadronic systems to large magnetic fields. Fields of this strength may exist inside magnetars and in peripheral relativistic heavy ion collisions, and the unitary behavior at large scattering lengths may have important consequences for these systems.Comment: Accepted journal versio

The Magnetic Structure of Light Nuclei from Lattice QCD

Lattice QCD with background magnetic fields is used to calculate the magnetic moments and magnetic polarizabilities of the nucleons and of light nuclei with $A\le4$, along with the cross-section for the $M1$ transition $np\rightarrow d\gamma$, at the flavor SU(3)-symmetric point where the pion mass is $m_\pi\sim 806$ MeV. These magnetic properties are extracted from nucleon and nuclear energies in six uniform magnetic fields of varying strengths. The magnetic moments are presented in a recent Letter. For the charged states, the extraction of the polarizability requires careful treatment of Landau levels, which enter non-trivially in the method that is employed. The nucleon polarizabilities are found to be of similar magnitude to their physical values, with $\beta_p=5.22(+0.66/-0.45)(0.23) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$ and $\beta_n=1.253(+0.056/-0.067)(0.055) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$, exhibiting a significant isovector component. The dineutron is bound at these heavy quark masses and its magnetic polarizability, $\beta_{nn}=1.872(+0.121/-0.113)(0.082) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$ differs significantly from twice that of the neutron. A linear combination of deuteron scalar and tensor polarizabilities is determined by the energies of the $j_z=\pm 1$ deuteron states, and is found to be $\beta_{d,\pm 1}=4.4(+1.6/-1.5)(0.2) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$. The magnetic polarizabilities of the three-nucleon and four-nucleon systems are found to be positive and similar in size to those of the proton, $\beta_{^{3}\rm He}=5.4(+2.2/-2.1)(0.2) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$, $\beta_{^{3}\rm H}=2.6(1.7)(0.1) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$, $\beta_{^{4}\rm He}=3.4(+2.0/-1.9)(0.2) \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^3$. Mixing between the $j_z=0$ deuteron state and the spin-singlet $np$ state induced by the background magnetic field is used to extract the short-distance two-nucleon counterterm, ${\bar L}_1$, of the pionless effective theory for $NN$ systems (equivalent to the meson-exchange current contribution in nuclear potential models), that dictates the cross-section for the $np\to d\gamma$ process near threshold. Combined with previous determinations of NN scattering parameters, this enables an ab initio determination of the threshold cross-section at these unphysical masses.Comment: 49 pages, 24 figure

Ab initio calculation of the np→dγnp \to d \gamma radiative capture process

Lattice QCD calculations of two-nucleon systems are used to isolate the short-distance two-body electromagnetic contributions to the radiative capture process $np \to d\gamma$, and the photo-disintegration processes $\gamma^{(\ast)} d \to np$. In nuclear potential models, such contributions are described by phenomenological meson-exchange currents, while in the present work, they are determined directly from the quark and gluon interactions of QCD. Calculations of neutron-proton energy levels in multiple background magnetic fields are performed at two values of the quark masses, corresponding to pion masses of $m_\pi \sim 450$ and 806 MeV, and are combined with pionless nuclear effective field theory to determine these low-energy inelastic processes. Extrapolating to the physical pion mass, a cross section of $\sigma^{lqcd}(np\to d\gamma)=332.4({\tiny \begin{array}{l}+5.4 \\ - 4.7\end{array}})\ mb$ is obtained at an incident neutron speed of $v=2,200\ m/s$, consistent with the experimental value of$\sigma^{expt}(np \to d\gamma) = 334.2(0.5)\ mb$

Magnetic structure of light nuclei from lattice QCD

Lattice QCD with background magnetic fields is used to calculate the magnetic moments and magnetic polarizabilities of the nucleons and of light nuclei with A \u3c = 4, along with the cross section for the M1 transition np - \u3e d gamma, at the flavor SU(3)-symmetric point where the pion mass is m(pi) similar to 806 MeV. These magnetic properties are extracted from nucleon and nuclear energies in six uniform magnetic fields of varying strengths. The magnetic moments are presented in a recent article [S. Beane et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 252001 (2014)]. For the charged states, the extraction of the polarizability requires careful treatment of Landau levels, which enter nontrivially in the method that is employed. The nucleon polarizabilities are found to be of similar magnitude to their physical values, with beta(p) = 5.22((+0.66)(-0.45))(0.23) x 10(-4) fm(3) and beta(n) = 1.253((+0.056)(-0.067))(0.055) x 10(-4) fm(3), exhibiting a significant isovector component. The dineutron is bound at these heavy quark masses, and its magnetic polarizability, beta(nn) = 1.872((+0.121)(-0.113))(0.082) x 10(-4) fm(3), differs significantly from twice that of the neutron. A linear combination of deuteron scalar and tensor polarizabilities is determined by the energies of the j(z) = +/- 1 deuteron states and is found to be beta(d, +/- 1) = 4.4((+1.6)(-1.5))(0.2) x 10(-4) fm(3). The magnetic polarizabilities of the three-nucleon and four-nucleon systems are found to be positive and similar in size to those of the proton, beta(3He) = 5.4((+2.2)(-2.1))(0.2) x 10(-4) fm(3), beta(3H) = 2.6(1.7)(0.1) x 10(-4) fm(3), and beta(4He) = 3.4((+2.0)(-1.9))(0.2) x 10(-4) fm(3). Mixing between the j(z) = 0 deuteron state and the spin-singlet np state induced by the background magnetic field is used to extract the short-distance two-nucleon counterterm, (L) over bar (1), of the pionless effective theory for NN systems (equivalent to the meson-exchange current contribution in nuclear potential models) that dictates the cross section for the np - \u3e d gamma process near threshold. Combined with previous determinations of NN scattering parameters, this enables an ab initio determination of the threshold cross section at these unphysical masses

Ab initio Calculation of the np -\u3e d gamma Radiative Capture Process

Lattice QCD calculations of two-nucleon systems are used to isolate the short-distance two-body electromagnetic contributions to the radiative capture process np - \u3e d gamma, and the photo-disintegration processes gamma(*)d - \u3e np. In nuclear potential models, such contributions are described by phenomenological meson-exchange currents, while in the present work, they are determined directly from the quark and gluon interactions of QCD. Calculations of neutron-proton energy levels in multiple background magnetic fields are performed at two values of the quark masses, corresponding to pion masses of m(pi) similar to 450 and 806MeV, and are combined with pionless nuclear effective field theory to determine the amplitudes for these low-energy inelastic processes. At m(pi) similar to 806 MeV, using only lattice QCD inputs, a cross section sigma(806 MeV) similar to 17 mb is found at an incident neutron speed of v = 2,200 m/s. Extrapolating the short-distance contribution to the physical pion mass and combining the result with phenomenological scattering information and one-body couplings, a cross section of sigma(lqcd)(np - \u3e d gamma) = 334.9((+5.2)(-5.4)) mb is obtained at the same incident neutron speed, consistent with the experimental value of sigma(expt)(np - \u3e d gamma) = 334.2(0.5) mb

Prediction of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Phosphorylation Substrates

Protein phosphorylation, mediated by a family of enzymes called cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), plays a central role in the cell-division cycle of eukaryotes. Phosphorylation by Cdks directs the cell cycle by modifying the function of regulators of key processes such as DNA replication and mitotic progression. Here, we present a novel computational procedure to predict substrates of the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28 (Cdk1) in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Currently, most computational phosphorylation site prediction procedures focus solely on local sequence characteristics. In the present procedure, we model Cdk substrates based on both local and global characteristics of the substrates. Thus, we define the local sequence motifs that represent the Cdc28 phosphorylation sites and subsequently model clustering of these motifs within the protein sequences. This restraint reflects the observation that many known Cdk substrates contain multiple clustered phosphorylation sites. The present strategy defines a subset of the proteome that is highly enriched for Cdk substrates, as validated by comparing it to a set of bona fide, published, experimentally characterized Cdk substrates which was to our knowledge, comprehensive at the time of writing. To corroborate our model, we compared its predictions with three experimentally independent Cdk proteomic datasets and found significant overlap. Finally, we directly detected in vivo phosphorylation at Cdk motifs for selected putative substrates using mass spectrometry

Tethered Domains and Flexible Regions in tRNase ZL, the Long Form of tRNase Z

tRNase Z, a member of the metallo-β-lactamase family, endonucleolytically removes the pre-tRNA 3′ trailer in a step central to tRNA maturation. The short form (tRNase ZS) is the only one found in bacteria and archaebacteria and is also present in some eukaryotes. The homologous long form (tRNase ZL), exclusively found in eukaryotes, consists of related amino- and carboxy-domains, suggesting that tRNase ZL arose from a tandem duplication of tRNase ZS followed by interdependent divergence of the domains. X-ray crystallographic structures of tRNase ZS reveal a flexible arm (FA) extruded from the body of tRNase Z remote from the active site that binds tRNA far from the scissile bond. No tRNase ZL structures have been solved; alternative biophysical studies are therefore needed to illuminate its functional characteristics. Structural analyses of tRNase ZL performed by limited proteolysis, two dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry establish stability of the amino and carboxy domains and flexibility of the FA and inter-domain tether, with implications for tRNase ZL function

Two nucleon systems at m(pi) similar to 450 MeV from lattice QCD

Nucleon-nucleon systems are studied with lattice quantum chromodynamics at a pion mass of m(pi) similar to 450 MeV in three spatial volumes using n(f) = 2 + 1 flavors of light quarks. At the quark masses employed in this work, the deuteron binding energy is calculated to be B-d = 14.4(-2.6)(+3.2) MeV, while the dineutron is bound by B-nn = 12.5(-5.0)(+3.0) MeV. Over the range of energies that are studied, the S-wave scattering phase shifts calculated in the S-1(0) and S-3(1)-D-3(1) channels are found to be similar to those in nature, and indicate repulsive short-range components of the interactions, consistent with phenomenological nucleon-nucleon interactions. In both channels, the phase shifts are determined at three energies that lie within the radius of convergence of the expansion, allowing for constraints to be placed on the inverse scattering lengths and effective ranges. The extracted phase shifts allow for matching to nuclear effective field theories, from which low-energy counterterms are extracted and issues of convergence are investigated. As part of the analysis, a detailed investigation of the single hadron sector is performed, enabling a precise determination of the violation of the Gell-Mann-Okubo mass relation

HIV infection is associated with elevated biomarkers of immune activation in Ugandan adults with pneumonia.

IntroductionPneumonia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. How immune activation differs among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected adults with pneumonia is unknown.MethodsThe Inflammation, Aging, Microbes, and Obstructive Lung Disease (I AM OLD) Cohort is a prospective cohort of adults with pneumonia in Uganda. In this cross-sectional analysis, plasma was collected at pneumonia presentation to measure the following 12 biomarkers: interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2 (sTNFR-1 and sTNFR-2), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), fibrinogen, D-dimer, soluble CD27 (sCD27), interferon gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), soluble CD14 (sCD14), soluble CD163 (sCD163), hyaluronan, and intestinal fatty acid binding protein. We asked whether biomarker levels differed between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected participants, and whether higher levels of these biomarkers were associated with mortality.ResultsOne hundred seventy-three participants were enrolled. Fifty-three percent were HIV-infected. Eight plasma biomarkers-sTNFR-1, sTNFR-2, hsCRP, D-dimer, sCD27, IP-10, sCD14, and hyaluronan-were higher among participants with HIV infection, after adjustment for pneumonia severity. Higher levels of 8 biomarkers-IL-6, sTNFR-1, sTNFR-2, hsCRP, IP-10, sCD14, sCD163, and hyaluronan-were associated with increased 2-month mortality.ConclusionsAs in other clinical contexts, HIV infection is associated with a greater degree of immune activation among Ugandan adults with pneumonia. Some of these are also associated with short-term mortality. Further study is needed to explore whether these biomarkers might predict poor long-term outcomes-such as the development of obstructive lung disease-in patients with HIV who have recovered from pneumonia