Physics results from BABAR and prospects

The BABAR experiment has been taking data since about one year. Physics results, complementary to those described by G.Sciolla elsewhere in these Proceedings, are presented: various measurements of the neutral and charged B mesons lifetimes, the B^0 mixing frequency, the mistag fractions, and the B --> D_s^(*) X and B^0 --> D_s^(*)+ D^* branching ratios. Some prospects for the close future are shown. All the numbers given here are preliminary.Comment: 12 pages, 12 postscript figures, contributed proceedings of the International Conference On CP Violation Physics, 9/18-22/2000, Ferrara, Ital

Study on the Activity of PI3K/AKT, Death Receptor and 14-3-3 Mediated Signaling Pathways Regulating Hepatocyte Apoptosis during Rat Liver Regeneration

Studies have shown that apoptosis is closely related to the rat liver regeneration. To understand the mechanism of hepatocyte apoptosis during rat liver regeneration at the gene transcription level, the Rat Genome 230 2.0 Array was used to determine the expression changes of genes. Then the genes associated with cell apoptosis were searched by GO and NCBI databases, and cell apoptosis signaling pathways were searched by the database of QIAGEN and KEGG. Their signaling activities were calculated by spectral function E(t). The mechanism of hepatocyte apoptosis during rat liver regeneration was analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis 9.0 (IPA). The results showed that among the 27 signaling pathways regulating cell apoptosis, the E(t) values of Apoptosis signaling pathway and 14-3-3 mediated signaling pathway were significantly increased in the progression phase (6-72h after PH) of rat liver regeneration, and the E(t) values of hepatocyte apoptosis mediated by mitochondria rout were also significantly increased. The E(t) values of death receptor signaling pathway and PI3K/AKT branch of 14-3-3 mediated signaling pathway were significantly increased in the progression phase and the terminal phase (72-168h after PH) of rat liver regeneration, and the E(t) values of hepatocyte apoptosis mediated by cytomembrane route and nucleus route were also significantly increased. Conclusion: PI3K/AKT, death receptor and mitochondria branch played a key role in promoting cell apoptosis during rat liver regeneration

Pose selection for animated scenes and a case study of bas-relief generation

This paper aims to automate the process of generating a meaningful single still image from a temporal input of scene sequences. The success of our extraction relies on evaluating the optimal pose of characters selection, which should maximize the information conveyed. We define the information entropy of the still image candidates as the evaluation criteria. To validate our method and to demonstrate its effectiveness, we generated a relief (as a unique form of art creation) to narrate given temporal action scenes. A user study was conducted to experimentally compare the computer-selected poses with those selected by human participants. The results show that the proposed method can assist the selection of informative pose of character effectively

Connected Green function approach to ground state symmetry breaking in Φ1+14\Phi^4_{1+1}-theory

Using the cluster expansions for n-point Green functions we derive a closed set of dynamical equations of motion for connected equal-time Green functions by neglecting all connected functions higher than $4^{th}$ order for the $\lambda \Phi^4$-theory in $1+1$ dimensions. We apply the equations to the investigation of spontaneous ground state symmetry breaking, i.e. to the evaluation of the effective potential at temperature $T=0$. Within our momentum space discretization we obtain a second order phase transition (in agreement with the Simon-Griffith theorem) and a critical coupling of $\lambda_{crit}/4m^2=2.446$ as compared to a first order phase transition and $\lambda_{crit}/4m^2=2.568$ from the Gaussian effective potential approach.Comment: 25 Revtex pages, 5 figures available via fpt from the directory ugi-94-11 of [email protected] as one postscript file (there was a bug in our calculations, all numerical results and figures have changed significantly), ugi-94-1

YamSat: the First Picosatellite being Developed in Taiwan

This paper describes the current planning and design of the YamSat, the first picosatellite being developed in Taiwan. The design, analysis, manufacture, integration, test and operation of the YamSat will be performed by the National Space Program Office (NSPO), Taiwan, R.O.C, in cooperation with other domestic organizations and companies. It is a member of the CubeSat [1], 10cm x 10cm x 10cm size and within 1kg mass. The major objective of the YamSat is to qualify in space the components and technology developed in Taiwan, including a micro-spectrometer payload using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. The YamSat will be ready for flight in the middle of 2002

Spin dynamics of a trapped spin-1 Bose Gas above the Bose-Einstein transition temperature

We study collective spin oscillations in a spin-1 Bose gas above the Bose-Einstein transition temperature. Starting from the Heisenberg equation of motion, we derive a kinetic equation describing the dynamics of a thermal gas with the spin-1 degree of freedom. Applying the moment method to the kinetic equation, we study spin-wave collective modes with dipole symmetry. The dipole modes in the spin-1 system are found to be classified into the three type of modes. The frequency and damping rate are obtained as functions of the peak density. The damping rate is characterized by three relaxation times associated with collisions.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figur

Simultaneous Whole Mitochondrial Genome Sequencing with Short Overlapping Amplicons Suitable for Degraded DNA Using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine

Whole mitochondrial (mt) genome analysis enables a considerable increase in analysis throughput, and improves the discriminatory power to the maximum possible phylo

Magneto-optical trap for metastable helium at 389 nm

We have constructed a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for metastable triplet helium atoms utilizing the 2 3S1 -> 3 3P2 line at 389 nm as the trapping and cooling transition. The far-red-detuned MOT (detuning Delta = -41 MHz) typically contains few times 10^7 atoms at a relatively high (~10^9 cm^-3) density, which is a consequence of the large momentum transfer per photon at 389 nm and a small two-body loss rate coefficient (2 * 10^-10 cm^3/s < beta < 1.0 * 10^-9 cm^3/s). The two-body loss rate is more than five times smaller than in a MOT on the commonly used 2 3S1 -> 2 3P2 line at 1083 nm. Furthermore, we measure a temperature of 0.46(1) mK, a factor 2.5 lower as compared to the 1083 nm case. Decreasing the detuning to Delta= -9 MHz results in a cloud temperature as low as 0.25(1) mK, at small number of trapped atoms. The 389 nm MOT exhibits small losses due to two-photon ionization, which have been investigated as well.Comment: 11 page

Escalated regeneration in sciatic nerve crush injury by the combined therapy of human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells and fermented soybean extracts, Natto

Attenuation of inflammatory cell deposits and associated cytokines prevented the apoptosis of transplanted stem cells in a sciatic nerve crush injury model. Suppression of inflammatory cytokines by fermented soybean extracts (Natto) was also beneficial to nerve regeneration. In this study, the effect of Natto on transplanted human amniotic fluid mesenchymal stem cells (AFS) was evaluated. Peripheral nerve injury was induced in SD rats by crushing a sciatic nerve using a vessel clamp. Animals were categorized into four groups: Group I: no treatment; Group II: fed with Natto (16 mg/day for 7 consecutive days); Group III: AFS embedded in fibrin glue; Group IV: Combination of group II and III therapy. Transplanted AFS and Schwann cell apoptosis, inflammatory cell deposits and associated cytokines, motor function, and nerve regeneration were evaluated 7 or 28 days after injury. The deterioration of neurological function was attenuated by AFS, Natto, or the combined therapy. The combined therapy caused the most significantly beneficial effects. Administration of Natto suppressed the inflammatory responses and correlated with decreased AFS and Schwann cell apoptosis. The decreased AFS apoptosis was in line with neurological improvement such as expression of early regeneration marker of neurofilament and late markers of S-100 and decreased vacuole formation. Administration of either AFS, or Natto, or combined therapy augmented the nerve regeneration. In conclusion, administration of Natto may rescue the AFS and Schwann cells from apoptosis by suppressing the macrophage deposits, associated inflammatory cytokines, and fibrin deposits